In Other News
The Greens came from behind to narrowly win the Baden-Württemberg election on Sunday, catapulting Cem Özdemir to the premiership and sending shock waves through German politics. It was supposed to be an easy win for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats, but their 29.7 percent of the vote was eclipsed by the Greens’ 30.2 percent. The Alternative für Deutschland won 18.8 percent, and the Social Democrats won 5.5 percent. Özdemir will become Germany’s first state premier with a migrant background: His parents migrated to Germany from Turkey as guest workers in the 1960s. As mainstream parties lose ground in Germany, the political landscape becomes increasingly fragmented. Watch for Germans to react by supporting a strong, centralized leader.
Rheinmetall is forming a joint venture with Dutch defense company Destinus to “manufacture, market and deliver advanced missile systems,” including “cruise missiles and ballistic rocket artillery,” a Rheinmetall statement said yesterday. ceo Armin Papperger said this venture furthers “the foundations for scalable, operational missiles that are tailored to the current requirements of the European and allied armed forces.” Rheinmetall Destinus Strike Systems is scheduled to start operations later this year and constitutes yet another necessary component of a rising European superpower.
A blacklisted tanker linked to China transited the Strait of Hormuz today, despite a U.S. blockade on the crucial choke point, lseg shipping data shows. The Rich Starry, owned by Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co. Ltd., was previously sanctioned by the U.S. for helping Iran circumvent energy sanctions. The tanker loaded 250,000 barrels of methanol at the United Arab Emirates’ Hamriyah Port over the weekend. It aborted an attempt to transit Hormuz yesterday, just as U.S. President Donald Trump’s blockade on the strait went into effect. This morning, the vessel resumed its voyage, successfully passed, and is now in the Gulf of Oman, bearing toward China. As the blockade’s aim is to dry up the revenue streams of the Iranian mullahs, it is likely that vessels calling at the U.A.E. and other non-Iranian ports may not be subject to it. Nevertheless, the decision to allow a blacklisted tanker to pass suggests America lacks the will to further use its power.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio is hosting Israel and Lebanon’s ambassadors to the U.S. today in Washington, the highest-level discussions between the two countries since the 1990s and a potential prelude to a formal peace deal for ending the state of war that has existed between them since 1948. The talks, coming under pressure from the U.S., are taking place while Israel is attacking Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese government’s apparent tacit blessing. The Lebanese government has also issued its first official declaration that Hezbollah’s military activity is illegal and condemned its attacks. It has conducted arrests of terrorists and is expelling Iranian personnel linked to Hezbollah. Israel, bowing to pressure from America, may hope that the current government could be a partner for peace. But Bible prophecy indicates that such deals will set Israel up for a double-cross.
Last night, Canada’s ruling Liberal Party won three by-elections, giving it 174 seats in Canada’s Parliament and a working majority. The Liberals won two districts in Toronto easily, and a narrow victory in a Montreal district that traditionally votes Bloc Québécois. These wins followed five members of Parliament from other parties joining the Liberals. This is the first time in Canadian history a minority government has switched to a majority between elections. Carney now faces much less resistance to his legislative agenda, which includes many dangerous authoritative measures, and a foreign policy that anchors Canada to Communist China and Catholic Europe. Learn more about “Mark Carney’s Successful Coup Against Democracy.”
Eat zero-calorie sweeteners and you may pass on the negative effects to your grandchildren, a study published in Frontiers in Nutrition on April 10 concluded. Researchers found that when two groups of mice were fed sucralose, a sweetener used in Splenda, and Stevia, a more natural zero-calorie sweetener, the offspring of their offspring were worse at regulating their blood sugar levels and experienced changes to their gut bacteria. Sucralose had a much more powerful negative effect than Stevia. The study indicates that how you eat could impact your grandchildren in ways scientists are only just starting to understand. To learn more about sweeteners’ effects on humans, read “The Sweet Deception of Splenda.”
French President Emmanuel Macron met Pope Leo xiv in the Vatican for the first time on Friday. The two leaders talked about ongoing conflicts, particularly the war in the Middle East, and, according to the Vatican, their “hope that peaceful coexistence can be reestablished through dialogue and negotiations.” Based on its history, the Vatican is more interested in power and conflict than it might seem, and a French leader discussing aims for the Middle East foreshadows the future violent involvement of a Catholic-guided European superpower in the region.
President Donald Trump has saved the Chagos Islands, at least for now. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had agreed to hand the islands over to Mauritius—a state with no historic claim on the island chain—and to pay it billions for the privilege because a Chinese Communist Party judge said he should. President Trump had spoken out in favor of the deal, but recently turned against it. The islands host the Diego Garcia military base, which the UK shares with the U.S., and Britain cannot hand the islands over without America’s agreement. Starmer’s government has run out of time to put forward the bill handing over the islands before the end of the current session of Parliament, meaning the deal is off for now. However, expect Britain to lose control of its last remaining crucial sea gates. These gates were a blessing from God, and they are prophesied to be removed.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for governing Gaza after Hamas is removed lacks funding. On April 10, Reuters reported that only Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and the United States have provided funding (less than $1 billion total), out of 10 member states that pledged $17 billion. The board’s reported funding problems indicate it may not be able to continue existing, let alone bring “eternal peace.”
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor yesterday. The move follows sexual misconduct allegations reported Friday by the San Francisco Chronicle and cnn. A former congressional staffer accused Swalwell of sexually assaulting her twice, once in 2019 while she worked for him and again in 2024, claiming she was too intoxicated to consent on both occasions. At least three other women have come forward with claims of misconduct, including receiving unsolicited explicit texts and photos from the congressman. Swalwell has denied all allegations. Several Democratic colleagues have withdrawn their support, calling for investigations and urging him to resign from Congress. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is investigating one of the claims.
The crew of Artemis ii reentered the firmament of the Earth at 23,864 mph and about 5,000 degrees on Friday evening, as millions watched live and hoped the heat shield, which had developed cracks on Artemis i, would hold. People worldwide celebrated when they heard the voice of a crewmember resume communication after a tense radio blackout and saw the three parachutes finally open and the craft splash down in the Pacific Ocean. Navy divers helped the four orange-clad astronauts out of their capsule, who had traveled 695,000 miles to fly by the dark side of the moon on the first moon mission in more than 50 years, taking them farther from Earth than any human beings in history. Many have remarked that they felt inspired by the mission and the crew’s stunning images of the full circle of the Earth, of Earthset and of the moon—and moreover that they felt emotionally attached to the humanity, happiness and joy of the crew, which showed love for one another, emphasized family, praised the Creator, emphasized the beauty and rarity of the creation, and reminded all people on the planet of the command of Jesus Christ to love their neighbors as themselves.
Russian submarines in the North Sea recently threatened vital energy and data cables, British Defense Secretary John Healey revealed yesterday. According to Healey, a British warship accompanied by a marine patrol aircraft dropped sonar buoys in a monthlong operation that eventually deterred the three submarines. The incident “raises further questions about the state of Britain’s Armed Forces,” the Telegraph commented. It also shows that nations like Russia no longer fear British military might.
Yesterday French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Hungary’s foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, had betrayed the “solidarity between EU members” by reportedly disclosing confidential EU information to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Barrot also added that “unity must have priority, otherwise we will become vassals,” highlighting core EU member nations’ dislike and distrust for Hungary, an EU member state controlled by an EU-skeptical authoritarian, Viktor Orbán. The Bible prophesies that Europe will become a superpower dominated by “10 kings” under one overall dictator. Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry has said that Hungary is likely to be one of these 10 nations, so expect Hungary to both remain authoritarian and develop solidarity with the rest of the EU.
Following a closed-door meeting in the White House with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said the president was “clearly disappointed” that nato allies refused to support the war against Iran. Asked by reporters whether Trump said he wants to withdraw from nato, Rutte declined to directly answer. Formal withdrawal would require approval from Congress, but the Trump administration is reportedly exploring another option: withdrawing troops from countries that have been uncooperative and placing them in countries that have been cooperative. Following the meeting with Rutte, President Trump posted on social media: “nato wasn’t there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again. Remember Greenland, that big, poorly run, piece of ice!!!” This is a reminder that U.S. problems with its European nato allies long predate the Iran conflict—and predate Trump’s first term, in fact. We are witnessing the end of nato.
On Wednesday, President Trump commented that he was considering an agreement that allows Iran to charge ships for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. His proposal sparked outrage in Europe. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called it “unacceptable” and “illegal.” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also called it unacceptable. The dispute over the strait further reveals the importance of global shipping and the outsize power Iran has due to its willingness to terrorize it, and it intensifies the worsening split between the U.S. and Europe.
The U.S. birth rate hit a new all-time low in 2025, according to an April Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. The general birth rate dropped for the sixth year in a row to 53 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. The total number of babies born decreased by 1 percent to roughly 3.6 million. Experts say this decline comes from financial pressures, lifestyle choices and broader shifts in society. As we explain in “Heading Into a Baby-Free World,” this is part of a catastrophic global trend with an unseen spiritual cause.
“We draw the attention of the U.S. administration and the leadership of all other countries to the need to do everything possible to prevent the European Union from developing its own nuclear weapons,” Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service warned. The statement argues that the EU intends to keep relying on the U.S. nuclear umbrella, expand the role of France’s and Britain’s nuclear umbrella, and keep its intentions secret until it has established its own capacities. Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden and Spain have advanced civilian and military industrial capacity that could contribute to building the EU’s nuclear arsenal. Russia claims that, in about a month, German specialists can produce enough weapons-grade plutonium for a single nuclear explosive device and, within a week, enough weapons-grade uranium. While Germany’s technical capacity is unquestionable, the speed at which it could transform its civilian capacity for military is uncertain. While Russia’s statements are often closer to fiction than reality, the Bible does reveal that Europe’s core nations will suddenly rise militarily to shock the world.
While its World War ii ally, the United States, has fought for weeks against an evil terrorist regime, Britain has refused to join the war and sent only one ship to defend its military base in Cyprus that came under drone attack. This destroyer, the hms Dragon, was delayed for weeks, finally arriving on March 23. But “minor technical issues” forced it to dock at a port in the region for maintenance and resupply, the British Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. Stories like these make the once-great Britain look incredibly weak. The Bible prophesied both Britain’s greatness and its sudden fall.
Public defenders for Decarlos Brown Jr., the deranged North Carolina man seen on video abruptly stabbing 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska to death on a commuter train in August, have filed a motion claiming he is currently mentally “incapable to proceed” to trial, citing a psychiatric evaluation. A judge will decide whether and when Brown goes to trial, and he remains in custody on both state and federal charges. Every year in America, roughly 10,000 to 12,000 people are ruled mentally unable to stand trial. It is a poignant example of the deep flaws in a justice system prophesied to fall short of providing true justice.
Yesterday, Cancer Research Communications published the results of a study showing a correlation between married life and lower cancer rates. Analyzing over 4 million cancer diagnoses between 2015 and 2022 in Americans ages 30 and above, the study suggests married individuals are far less likely to develop cancers like esophageal or cervical cancer, both of which are associated with sexually transmitted diseases. Unmarried men in the study were about 70 percent more likely to develop cancer, and unmarried women were about 85 percent more likely. In a world with declining marriage rates, studies like this show how crucial marriage can be even for longevity. But the Bible reveals there is a far greater purpose to marriage than mere physical well-being. Our free booklet Why Marriage—Soon Obsolete?, by Herbert W. Armstrong, explains.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared yesterday that he was ready to die defending Iran along with 14 million other Iranians. Hours earlier, according to the Jerusalem Post, another Iranian official called on young people to act as human shields around Iran’s critical infrastructure in hopes the U.S. would refrain from striking those targets. One way or another, watch for Iran’s current Islamist terrorist regime to remain in power and grow more radical.
Yesterday, three gunmen possibly linked to the Islamic State opened fire near Israel’s consulate in Istanbul. One gunman was killed and the other two were injured in a shootout with Turkish police; two police officers suffered minor injuries. Following several similar incidents already this year, the attack highlights the increase in anti-Semitic violence around the world.
Yesterday, Samsung Group projected profits of $37.8 billion for the first quarter of the year, more than eight times higher than last year. Annual revenue is expected to exceed that of 2025 by 70 percent. Much of this profit boost comes from increased demand for Samsung memory chips used in artificial intelligence applications such as chatbots, enterprise, content creation and defense. Analysts expect demand for AI hardware and software to continue expanding, but few executives, investors or everyday users have stopped to think about the consequences.
United States Vice President JD Vance arrived in Hungary yesterday to help Prime Minister Viktor Orbán campaign ahead of Sunday’s elections, which could possibly end the latter’s 16 years in power. Orbán is unpopular with other leaders in the European Union, and Vance’s support for the prime minister is not well received either. Yesterday, Vance accused the EU of “one of the worst examples of foreign election interference” he had ever seen to try to oust Orbán. America supporting a man whom Europeans view as pro-Russia only serves to further strain Europe-U.S. relations.
Schools in Florida and Georgia have purchased special nonlethal Black Arrow drones from a Texas company, Mithril Defense, as part of state-funded programs to respond to potential active shooters, the Wall Street Journal reports. The drones are housed in ceiling stations; when activated, they can quickly fly through halls, blast loud sirens, flash bright lights, and spray pepper gel to stop a threat. They also send live videos to the police. School shootings in the U.S. have risen sharply, from about 20 in 1970 to 251 in 2021. Technology like this may help responders act faster, but even advanced technologies cannot fully counter the deeper problem of hatred and violence that has infected U.S. society.
A study published in Scientific Reports last week analyzed nearly 500,000 Norwegian adolescents. It found that after a second dose of mrna covid-19 vaccines, teens had a risk of heart inflammation 5.3 times higher than their unvaccinated peers. Risks were also elevated for anaphylaxis, lymphadenopathy and, in some analyses, appendicitis or seizures/convulsions. Experimental mrna vaccines were hailed as a miracle to help covid-weary societies return to normal, but they have done irreparable damage. For more information, read Trumpet executive editor Stephen Flurry’s 2021 article “Gotten Your Jab Yet?”
