In Other News
Provisional statistics provided by the German government yesterday show that manufacturing orders rose by 7.8 percent in December, a 13 percent increase from December 2024. The figure was 5.7 percent higher than in November and the “strongest monthly increase in two years,” according to the Wall Street Journal. Although Germany’s historically world-class manufacturing sector has reported numerous negative statistics in recent months and years, some economists think this might be a turning point. Bible prophecy indicates that ultimately German manufacturing will surge beyond belief as Germany arms for war.
Russia has struck Ukraine with 71 missiles and 450 drones so far this week: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a strike on Tuesday injured nine people and knocked out heat for thousands of Ukrainians. Temperatures in the country have dropped as low as 13 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is proving more than willing to weaponize winter conditions to cause even more civilian suffering in an effort to break Ukraine and move on to far greater imperialistic goals.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said yesterday that maintaining sufficient energy flows remains the “supreme priority” of the government, and that “[a]ll of India’s decisions are taken and will be taken with this in mind.” United States President Donald Trump claimed Monday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made several trade agreements with the U.S., including “to stop buying Russian oil.” Other Western officials responded positively to the claim, since Indian purchases of Russian oil are largely financing the latter’s invasion of Ukraine. But Jaiswal’s statement contradicts Trump’s statement and indicates that, despite any arrangements with the U.S., real or fictitious, India is allying more closely with Russia.
A proposed new German law announced yesterday will require streaming services operating in the country to invest 8 percent of their German revenue into the European film industry. It also sets a quota for German-language productions, according to dpa. France and Italy have similar laws already, but the new law would reduce profits to American companies and further escalate the trade conflict simmering between Europe and the United States. It would also promote German culture, a trend worth watching, since a massive cultural counterrevolution in Europe is prophesied in the Bible. Learn more about this oncoming transformation of European identity in “The Holy Roman Empire Goes Public—Big Time!”
“Germany was once the engine of Europe’s progress; now it has turned into an engine of regression,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said yesterday, later adding that it is “regrettable that an individual such as Mr. Merz now represents Germany on the world stage.” Araghchi’s insult follows German Chancellor Friedric Merz’s statement on Wednesday that Germany is “prepared to further increase the pressure and to engage in talks” to end Iran’s nuclear program. Merz called Aragachi’s comment a sign of insecurity. Bible prophecy warns that the world is heading toward a clash of civilizations between Iran-led radical Islam and German-led Catholic Europe.
At least 167 Nigerians were slaughtered by gunmen on Tuesday. Though no group claimed responsibility for the attacks, Mohammed Omar Bio, a legislator from the region, claimed that the Islamic State-affiliated group Lakurawa is to blame. Video from the villages of Nuku and Woro shows burning houses and murder victims with tied hands. This is one of the worst attacks in Africa in recent years. At least 13 people were killed by unknown gunmen in another village on the same day, and 36 were murdered at a construction site last week. Why do such massacres and suffering occur if there really is a loving God? To learn the Bible-based answer few have heard, read Chapter 4 of Mystery of the Ages, by Herbert W. Armstrong.
Nato’s Multinational Battlegroup in Lithuania, composed of troops from several European nations, was formally integrated into Germany’s 45th Tank Brigade yesterday. This move brings the personnel at Germany’s disposal in Lithuania to roughly 1,700. By 2027, Germany wants that number to reach 4,800. “Germany’s leading role in protecting nato’s eastern flank is invaluable,” Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas stated at the integration ceremony. The April 2025 establishment of the brigade in Lithuania marked the first permanent German military deployment on foreign soil since World War ii. nato was originally created in part to restrict German power, yet now a German brigade is commanding a nato battle group. Bible prophecy shows this level of trust in Germany is dangerously misplaced.
Chinese Communist Party officials hosted a forum with members of Taiwan’s Kuomintang party in Beijing on February 3, marking the first formal talks between the two sides in nine years. The dialogue, called “Prospects for Cross-Strait Exchange and Cooperation,” focused on improving China-Taiwan relations through industrial cooperation, tourism and joint environmental efforts. The talks will likely be followed up by a landmark meeting later this year between Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping and Kuomintang party chief Cheng Li-wun. Though Kuomintang legislators have not ruled Taiwan for a decade, they remain a potent political force and staunchly oppose military conflict with China. Many Taiwanese voters support this policy, partly due to increasing doubts of United States’ support of Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. The Trumpet maintains that America’s lack of resolve will cause the Chinese Communist Party, whether through Taiwanese capitulation or war, to conquer Taiwan.
Yesterday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz began a three-day Middle East trip with a visit to Saudi Arabia. “Our partners may not all share the same values and interests, but they share the view that we need a world order in which we trust agreements and treat each other with respect,” he said, an apparent acknowledgment of the fact that Saudi Arabia’s monarchy has been accused of serious human rights violations, including suppression of the country’s opposition. Merz, however, is promising Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states energy deals and more German weapons. “In such a network of partnerships, we reduce unilateral dependencies, mitigate risks, and create new opportunities together for our mutual benefit,” he said. In recent months, he has also traveled to Brazil, South Africa and India. The Bible prophesies that these relationships will grow into new alliances designed to weaken and even destroy Britain, Israel and the United States.
The former Prince Andrew vacated the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park on Monday after further information on his interactions with serial pedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was revealed in another document release from the U.S. Department of Justice. King Charles, who stripped him of the titles “royal highness” and “prince” in November due to his relationship with Epstein, had reportedly already been pressuring his brother, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, to leave. The British royal family continues to sustain serious reputational damage. The Bible reveals the origins of this dynasty, its turning away from those origins, and its fall and effective erasure. To begin proving this for yourself, read Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry’s article “The Fall of the British Royal Family.”
Ryan Routh, the man who plotted to assassinate President Trump at his golf course in September 2024, was sentenced on Wednesday to life in prison following his September trial. That assassination attempt, foiled when a Secret Service agent spotted Routh in hiding, followed a previous attempt near Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, when a bullet grazed President Trump and other rounds wounded two bystanders and killed another. Routh’s sentencing yesterday reminds Americans that God saved President Trump from both of those assassination attempts to fulfill end-time Bible prophecy.
The post-World War II global order is “dead,” former president of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi said at KU Leuven in Belgium on Monday. In his speech upon receiving an honorary doctorate, the European unification advocate said that “the collapse of this order is not itself the threat …. [T]he threat is what may replace it.” He warned that Europe risks becoming “subordinated, divided and deindustrialized at once.” He added: “Of all those who today find themselves squeezed between the United States and China, only Europeans have the option of becoming a true power themselves.” Europe’s crises are indeed forging it into a true power that will shock the world. The Bible reveals exactly what kind of power it will become.
Nato announced yesterday that it is moving forward with plans for “Arctic Sentry,” a military exercise first proposed by Europe in January as an assertion of European control over Greenland. President Trump had threatened to acquire the strategic island for the United States, by force if necessary. European nato nations pushed back, even sending small numbers of troops to commence Operation Arctic Endurance, which is scheduled to continue for the rest of the year. The Arctic is crucial for strategic defense, particularly ballistic missile defense. President Trump’s push to own Greenland indicates that he considers existing agreements with Europe unreliable. This friction is a foreshock of the U.S. and Europe becoming not only troubled allies but predator and prey.
Germany and Saudi Arabia held the 21st session of the Saudi-German Joint Committee for Economic and Technical Cooperation in Riyadh on Monday. The countries sought to increase collaboration in energy, industry and investments, and explored opportunities for cooperation in renewable energy, health care, hydrogen and technology. Germany’s n-tv said, “German government officials are currently making pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia in droves” amid the heightened interest in strengthening relations. Germany seeks independence from the U.S. in vital sectors such as energy; Saudi Arabia wants German technology. Bible prophecy reveals that there will be much more than economic and technical cooperation between the Germans and Saudis. It forecasts that Germany will form a major military alliance with certain Middle Eastern nations to fight the Iran-aligned bloc. Germany is building the groundwork for this alliance right now. To learn more, read “The Hidden Danger in Germany’s ‘Alliance Against Iran.’”
An F-35 fighter jet from the uss Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier shot down an Iranian drone that the Navy says was “aggressively” approaching the carrier in the Arabian Sea “with unclear intent.” The drone was reported as a Shahed-139, a one-way weapon designed to crash into targets. This confrontation comes as the U.S. and Iran are planning direct talks on Friday to de-escalate a military standoff. An attack drone approaching a $10 billion American carrier and its strike group indicates that Iran—identified in the Bible as the end-time king of the south—is not backing down from its provocative foreign policy.
United States Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem yesterday, en route to possible negotiations with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Turkey. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office’s press release stated that Netanyahu “reiterated the uncompromising demand for the disarmament of Hamas” and “the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip,” an indication that Witkoff was not in agreement. Netanyahu also “clarified that the Palestinian Authority will not be part of the administration of the Gaza Strip in any way.” This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza Executive Committee revealed its emblem, which resembles that of the Palestinian Authority, drawing complaints from Israel. America and Israel have different expectations and visions for Gaza. The Bible says division between these two nations, both of which descended from the ancient Israelites, will lead to disaster.
On Monday, the New York City Police Department reported 31 alleged anti-Semitic hate crimes last month, an increase of 182 percent compared to last January. This rise occurred during the city’s first month under Muslim mayor Zohran Mamdani, who canceled two executive orders supporting Israel on his first day in office. Mamdani’s election worsens the problem of anti-Semitism in the city, but the trend is rising around the world. To understand its root cause, read “We Need to Talk About Anti-Semitism.”
United States President Donald Trump announced after a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday that a U.S.-India trade deal had been reached. He claimed the deal would slash tariffs on Indian goods to 18 percent, stop Indian purchases of Russian oil, end India’s non-tariff barriers on American goods, and multiply Indian purchases of American energy, technology and agricultural goods from $50 billion to a stunning $500 billion. Though Modi did not confirm many details, he posted on X: “Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 percent. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement.” If enacted, the deal would mark a major boost to U.S.–India relations. Even so, the Trumpet expects India to break from the U.S., isolate it from world trade by working with China and Europe, and ultimately fully align with Russia.
India will ramp up its defense spending by 15 percent to hit a record $85 billion, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced to legislators on Sunday. She explained that the “unprecedented” increase will provide more ships, submarines, fighter jets, drones and other military hardware for India’s armed forces. Prime Minister Modi said the new budget “presents an ambitious roadmap to give new momentum” to India’s domestic manufacturing and its strategic autonomy. Biblical prophecy shows that an alliance of Asian nations, including India, will soon form that will be larger than any military power the world has ever seen. This is why the Trumpet closely watches India expanding its firepower and relations with other Asian powers.
Five men were arrested in northern Germany yesterday on charges of exporting materials, including semiconductors, to at least 24 Russian weapons makers in violation of European Union embargoes. According to German federal prosecutors, the men organized roughly 16,000 deliveries to Russia worth over $35 million. These arrests come less than two weeks after a report claimed German components had been found in Russian drones. Law enforcement is searching across the country in pursuit of another five suspects, but there are indications that, on the broader level, Germany is actually working with Russia.
On Sunday, Yle reported on satellite images that indicate Russia is modernizing a Soviet-era military garrison in Petrozavodsk, about 100 miles from its border with Finland. The base will likely house the 44th Army Corps, which was established in 2024. During World War ii, Finland collaborated with Nazi Germany to reclaim territory lost to a previous Russian invasion, ultimately pushing Russia back beyond its original borders. Russian military activity under Vladimir Putin is once again pushing Finland toward Germany.
A partial U.S. federal government shutdown entered its fourth day without resolution as Democrats continued to demand immigration reform as part of any funding deal. Democrats want U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to wear body cameras and not to wear masks so they can be prosecuted more easily for mishandling arrests. The House of Representatives is now working on a modified bill that would fund the departments of Defense, State, Treasury and others, while granting lawmakers a two-week extension to figure out how to fund the Department of Homeland Security. The situation reminds Americans that ongoing unsolved crises and self-sabotage of law enforcement and the rule of law are the new normal in American governance.
Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders rose 60 percent in 14-to-20-year-olds between 1997 and 2023, according to a study published yesterday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The study analyzed more than 12 million people and also found that those born between 2000 and 2004 were 104 percent more likely to be diagnosed with a psychotic disorder at age 20 than those born between 1975 and 1979. Nearly 1 out of every 100 Canadians has been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. There is a cause for every effect, and the underlying cause of these dangerous states of mind is not limited to Canada.
Mohammed Baghar Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s legislature, called the armies of European Union nations terrorist groups yesterday after the EU designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization on January 29. This rhetoric is ultimately leading to a clash of civilizations between Iran-led radical Islam and European Catholicism, one of a series of earthshaking events prophesied in the Bible.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed on January 29 that his government is in early talks with France and Britain over the development of a shared European nuclear arsenal. This comes after German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil said Germany should consider the idea last month and as tensions with the United States remain strained. These talks could give Germany more influence over France’s arsenal, despite Germany being banned from having its own nuclear weapons. Merz made sure to state these talks are in line with Germany’s nonnuclear agreements and don’t conflict with the current nuclear umbrella provided by the U.S. But discussion of increased German influence over nuclear weapons at the direct expense of U.S. leverage in European strategy should be raising alarms in Washington, across the Continent, and beyond.
The Bundeswehr signed a contract with German space technology company Polaris to build and operate a two-stage, horizontal takeoff, fully reusable hypersonic vehicle. Polaris announced the deal on January 27. The craft, planned to be operational by the end of 2027, will be used for defense and scientific research. It could also launch small satellites into orbit. Polaris said that according to its knowledge, “a contract for a comparable system was never awarded before to an entity in Europe, maybe even worldwide.” This is an example of Germany’s development of space technologies. Bible prophecy says Germany will soon start a nuclear World War iii, and space will be an important theater in this calamity.
