Happy Labor Day!

Otto von Bismark famously said that the next major European war would come from “some … fool thing in the Balkans.” He was proven right when World War i started. Since then, unrest in the Balkans often threatens wide conflict. Today, one part of Bosnia and Herzegovina is fighting to break away from the rest. It has major implications for Germany and could draw Russia into a conflict. Read this morning’s feature story, “Civil War Threatens Eastern Europe,” to learn more.

Receive a free news briefing in your inbox each weekday—the Trumpet Brief.

Asian alliance flexes: China is hosting Russia and India in an overt display of solidarity, along with leaders from at least 20 other nations, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit yesterday and today.

They are rallying the world against American leadership and forging a new world order. Sky News called it an “axis of upheaval.”

• India just got hit with steep tariffs from the Trump administration for continuing to buy Russian oil. If the aim was to draw India away from Russia, it is failing: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doubling down and reportedly refusing to take phone calls from President Trump aimed at reaching a compromise. It seems the tariffs are motivating a thaw with China as well: After recent clashes between the two countries, the sco summit marks Modi’s first trip to China in seven years.

• Russia continues to strengthen its ties within Asia as relations with the West suffer because of the Ukraine war. Since launching the war 3½ years ago, Russia has grown far closer with its top trade partner, China. At this summit, Putin is a guest of honor just two weeks after President Trump hosted him in Alaska and his efforts to forge a peace deal foundered.

• China is trying to forge an Asian alliance with itself at the center. Bringing Modi to China is a big win for General Secretary Xi Jinping and could signal more substantive reconciliation between the world’s two most populous countries. He is working to upend the current U.S.-dominated world order. As Eric Olander of the China-Global South Project told Reuters, “Xi will want to use the summit as an opportunity to showcase what a post-American-led international order begins to look like and that all White House efforts since January to counter China, Iran, Russia and now India have not had the intended effect.”

The sco has grown to include 26 countries from Asia, Europe and Africa—it holds 43 percent of the world’s population and 23 percent of its gdp. Its efforts to limit America’s power are certain to intensify—and prophesied eventually to succeed.

For over 60 years the Trumpet and its forerunner, the Plain Truth, have said these Asian nations will coalesce into a massive alliance. The Bible prophesies that this alliance will field the world’s largest-ever army and be led by Russia. To learn more, read “Russia-China-India Alliance Taking Shape.”

Second: A federal appeals court agreed that President Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs are illegal on Friday. This could delay, but not destroy, Trump’s tariff policies.

The court voted 7 to 4 to uphold an earlier ruling from the U.S. trade court that the president’s tariffs exceed the power given to him by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. However, the court left the tariffs in place to give the Trump administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Trump administration will appeal. Trump warned that the ruling could “literally destroy the United States.” In the meantime, he continues to negotiate trade deals with other nations and proceed as though the tariffs are still in effect.

The U.S. Constitution gives Congress exclusive authority to impose tariffs. Congress delegated some of that power to the president in the 1977 act, but no previous president used it to impose tariffs in such a sweeping way.

But even if the Supreme Court were to strike it down, Trump has several options.

• The 1962 Trade Expansion Act gives him the power to impose tariffs for national security reasons, though with more hoops to jump through.

• Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act lets him impose 15 percent tariffs on anything for any reason, but only for five months.

America’s trade partners aren’t breathing easy. This ruling means that trade deals they have struck with the U.S. government are at risk. If the court blocks them, then Trump is likely to reimpose the high tariffs on steel and cars.

The Bible confirms that tariffs and trade wars aren’t going away. In fact, prophecies in Deuteronomy 28, Isaiah 23 and Ezekiel 4 indicate that trade wars are about to get far, far worse.

IN OTHER NEWS

Japan builds Asian friendships: During a Friday meeting in Tokyo, Japan’s and India’s prime ministers announced a plan to strengthen military and economic cooperation over the next decade. The weekend before, Japan had a similar meeting with South Korea’s president. The meetings show Japan’s attempt to forge its own an anti-China alliance apart from the United States. However, prophecy shows that Japan, India and likely South Korea will soon ally themselves with the very power they are today working to combat.

Deadly earthquake rocks Afghanistan: A 6.0-magnitude quake struck eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan in the middle of the night, causing significant destruction, killing at least 824 people, and injuring 3,000 more. Several villages are severely damaged; some are considered 95 percent destroyed. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue efforts continue, and aftershocks could follow. It is important to study the Bible’s explanation for such tragedies. Read Why ‘Natural’ Disasters?