In Other News
President Trump’s Board of Peace, which was established in mid-January with the prime objective to bring peace to the Middle East, is getting impatient as Hamas terrorists refuse to lay down their weapons. The New York Times cited four diplomats who said the board is demanding that Hamas finalize an agreement that concerns the demilitarization of Gaza by the end of this week. The lagging negotiations prove once more that Hamas isn’t interested in an autonomous Gaza if it can’t be used to launch attacks on Israel. The board demands that Hamas not only lay down all its weapons but also provide maps of its underground tunnel network that have been used to hide terrorists and hostages. The agreement in turn offers the withdrawal of Israeli troops, lifting of Israeli restrictions on imports of goods into Gaza, and amnesty for terrorists. Hamas terrorists have proved their willingness to sacrifice their own lives and the lives of human shields, hostages, Israeli troops and Israeli civilians to further their cause of terrorizing Israel, so pressure from the Board of Peace is unlikely to prove decisive. It fails to comprehend the evil it is up against.
Cheng Li-wun, chairperson of Taiwan’s Kuomintang opposition party, arrived in China today for a rare six-day visit at the invitation of Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping. The trip comes amid intensifying Chinese military drills around Taiwan, which the Chinese Communist Party claims sovereignty over and has threatened to conquer by force. The visit also comes as the United States appears to be wavering in its support of democratic Taiwan by pausing or canceling a vital weapons contract. Although Kuomintang legislators have not ruled Taiwan for a decade, they remain a strong political force in the country and adamantly oppose military conflict with China, instead favoring engagement. “If you truly love Taiwan, you will seize every opportunity and every possibility to prevent Taiwan from being ravaged by war,” Cheng told reporters before her visit. “Preserving peace is preserving Taiwan.” Many Taiwanese voters support the Kuomintang’s stance, largely due to rising doubt that the U.S. will keep its promise to protect Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. The Trumpet has said for more than 25 years that America’s broken will is going to be the main factor enabling the Chinese Communist Party, whether through Taiwanese capitulation or war, to conquer Taiwan.
On Sunday, Serbian President Aleksander Vučić announced that two backpacks containing explosives were found close to the Hungarian border near the Balkan Stream gas pipeline, which supplies Hungary and Serbia with crucial Russian gas. Hungary’s prime minister implied that Ukraine was the culprit, but Ukraine denied it and called it a Russian attempt to interfere with Hungary’s election on Sunday. If this is true, it will further stir Europe’s fear of Russia, which has allegedly conducted other recent sabotage attempts in Eastern Europe.
Citing a diplomatic memo, the Times of London claimed Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, is in a hospital, incapacitated and possibly unconscious. The memo claims Khamenei “is being treated in Qom in a severe condition, unable to be involved in any decision-making by the regime.” Qom, a holy city in Shia Islam, is 87 miles south of Tehran. Khamenei may have been injured in the strike that killed his father and predecessor as supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Power in the country has largely devolved to the radical Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. One way or another, the Bible prophesies in Daniel 11:40 that Iran will get a leader powerful enough to be called a “king.”
China is transforming yet another reef in a disputed part of the South China Sea into an island suitable for military installations, according to satellite imagery analyzed by the Wall Street Journal and published on April 1. Since construction began at the mostly submerged Antelope Reef in the Paracel Islands in October, some 1,490 acres have been reclaimed. The Chinese have built a helipad on the island as well as jetties, numerous buildings and what appears to be the foundation of a runway. A large dredged lagoon looks to be capable of berthing submarines and warships perhaps as large as aircraft carriers. China is operating and once again expanding a sprawling network of military bases across the South China Sea, part of its illegal strategy to assert control over this vital maritime region. “China is being aggressive and provocative” and thereby challenging “seven decades of American naval dominance in the Pacific Rim,” Gerald Flurry wrote in the July 2016 issue. “This should alarm the world!” To understand the biblically prophetic implications of the alarming push, read his article “China Is Steering the World Toward War.”
France will boost its missile and drone stocks by up to 400 percent, “with a view to preparing for a ‘war economy,” a draft law to be published later this week states, according to Politico. The government plans to spend $73 billion on defense in 2027, a 26 percent increase compared to last year. This is set to rise to $87.8 billion by 2030. The 64-page draft budget the government is proposing earmarks $9.8 billion to boost missile and drone supplies before 2030. The proposed budget will go before France’s National Assembly in early May. France’s focus on boosting military capacity, even to the point of converting the nation into a war economy, is part of a broader European race to rearm. In 2017, the Trumpet wrote: “Though, at present, many nations support Europe’s efforts to expand its military power, biblical prophecy shows that this trend is one of the most dangerous happening in the world today!”
German men ages 17 to 45 may not leave the country for more than three months without permission from the German military. That specific provision, in a new law passed in January, went largely unnoticed until Frankfurter Rundschau reported it on Friday. German law previously required men of military age to get permission to leave only during times of war or imminent war. The new provision is not currently connected to any penalties, and the government said that approvals are currently being granted automatically. Nonetheless, a key provision for drastically increased German militarization of society is already on the books.
President Donald Trump asked Congress to approve a $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027, the largest in U.S. history, to pay for the Iran war, restock weapons, and otherwise strengthen the armed forces. He also requested $40.8 billion for the Department of Justice, a $4.7 billion increase, to fight violent crime, gangs and drug cartels and to otherwise boost national security. Even with planned 10 percent cuts to non-defense programs, these expenditures plus interest are projected to add $7 trillion to the national debt, which now exceeds $39 trillion.
This evening, four astronauts will conduct a flyby of the moon, with their closest approach occurring about 6:45 (Eastern Time). They will be traveling farther from Earth than any human beings ever have. The mission is the first since the Apollo landings ended in 1972. A crewmember has sent back a photograph of the entire Earth; the perspective on humanity being a family whose home is Earth recalls similarly profound moments from the first lunar flyby in human history, Apollo 8. Artemis ii has captivated many around the world who are closely watching and celebrating the event on social media. There is a deep reason why so many are fascinated.
Yesterday, President Donald Trump announced that Attorney General Pam Bondi is leaving the Department of Justice for the private sector and named Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as acting attorney general. Trump described Bondi as a “loyal friend.” Blanche previously served as Trump’s personal defense attorney in several criminal cases and has been a vocal critic of federal district “rogue activist judges” who have issued injunctions blocking administration policies, describing it as a legal “war.”
Russian ships continue to transit the Strait of Hormuz, Russian foreign-policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said yesterday. Typically, around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows through Hormuz, but Iran has responded to attacks by the United States and Israel by attacking civilian shipping in the strait, virtually closing it. But Russia is on a short list of countries (including China, India, Iraq and Pakistan) whose vessels Iran has not attacked. Unlike China, India and Pakistan, Russia does not rely on the energy supplies passing through Hormuz. But Russia’s working with Iran to influence energy flows can complicate U.S. strategy, apply pressure on energy-importing nations, and drive global oil prices still higher, increasing its own energy revenues.
International Criminal Court member states voted Wednesday to instigate disciplinary proceedings against Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Khan was placed on leave in May amid sexual misconduct allegations. Before the allegations became public, Khan had announced arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes. The baseless warrants were originally seen by many as a landmark decision, but scandals in the court have marred its credibility, another example of the international legal system’s failure to meet its lofty purpose.
New details emerged yesterday regarding the Zweibrücken scandal, in which German soldiers were accused in December of pro-Nazi sentiment, far-right extremism, sexual misconduct and narcotics violations. According to German broadcaster ard, the Bundeswehr assumed the investigative and disciplinary process for 59 defendants; 16 cases have been dismissed with five more in the process, 18 have resulted in disciplinary actions, and 19 were referred to the public prosecutor’s office. A report on the scandal is also in progress. Cases like the Zweibrücken scandal reveal that the same spirit that guided the 1930s Nazi regime is still alive in parts of the German military.
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Japan is continuing to fortify islands in the East China Sea. A decade ago, the string of islands stretching from southwest Japan to the east coast of Taiwan was not significantly militarized, with the notable exception of Okinawa. But in the time since, the Japanese have grown more fearful of China’s military belligerence and have installed radar systems, air-defense systems, antiship missile units, ammunition depots and thousands of troops. “The Chinese military is building up, and they’re getting aircraft carriers, increasing the number of jet fighters, increasing the number of submarines,” the Journal quoted former Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono as saying. “We should have been going much faster, but we lagged behind.” Tensions between Japan and China are worsening, prompting these economic and military giants to amass remarkable firepower. Yet biblical prophecy shows that they will soon unite under Russian leadership and use that firepower in the most devastating war in human history.
On Tuesday, Germany’s Economic Ministry announced a $60 million investment in the Australian rare earth mining project Arafura Rare Earths to secure German access to critical materials. This follows the recent signing of the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement. By allowing this investment, Australians are unwittingly supplying their future conqueror.
Democracy is still declining in Europe, according to the 2026 Liberties Rule of Law Report released on Monday. The Civil Liberties Union of Europe analyzed rule of law, media freedom, corruption and other factors and found Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Slovakia to have regressed compared to last year. Ten other European Union members, including the Netherlands, Poland and Spain, made no progress. The ongoing erosion of individual freedom in Europe is leading to the fulfillment of Bible prophecies of an oncoming leader who will forge the Continent into a dictatorial superpower.
Organizers with Stay Free Alberta say they have collected more than the required 177,732 signatures needed under Alberta’s Citizen Initiative Act to force a referendum on whether the province should separate from Canada. The Alberta Prosperity Project announced on Tuesday that the threshold was met well ahead of the May 2 deadline. Signatures must still be verified by Elections Alberta. If validated, October 2026 ballots for national elections could include the question “Do you agree that the province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?” Most analysts believe Alberta has virtually no chance of seceding this year; nevertheless, the strength of the movement highlights the deep societal and political divisions within Canada.
All European Union nations, minus Hungary, published a joint statement yesterday calling for a Russian war crimes tribunal. The statement was issued while European representatives were in Ukraine to commemorate the four-year anniversary of the Bucha massacre and reaffirm their “commitment to ensuring full accountability for war crimes.” The European Council agreed to set up the tribunal last summer. For 26 out of 27 EU member states to agree on such a serious issue is rare, and along with the ongoing war and rapid rearmament across the Continent, it shows that Europe fears Russia.
Yesterday, Rheinmetall and Boeing Australia announced a partnership for making the MQ-28 Ghost Bat available to the German military. The drone was developed for the Australian military and is designed to supplement and protect manned warplanes. This is the latest among many examples of Rheinmetall providing Germany with the weaponry necessary to become a superpower.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has moved into at least 70 civilian sites during Israeli and American air strikes, Iran International reported on Monday. Sites included mosques, hospitals and 34 primary schools. If true, these widespread uses of human shields constitute war crimes and show that the regime is desperate but also willing to resort to ruthless measures. The Trumpet continues to assert that the radical Islamist regime will survive the current war.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps added still more civilians to its list of targets yesterday, saying it will use its military-grade missiles and drones against Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft and other U.S. tech companies in the region if the U.S. and Israel do not stop killing top Iranian commanders and other leaders. “These companies must expect the destruction of their branches starting Wednesday, April 1, at 8 p.m. local time Tehran in retaliation for any murder in Iran. … We recommend that employees of these companies leave their jobs immediately to save their lives.” Iran has already conducted deadly strikes on civilian cargo vessels, refineries, desalination plants, airports, hotels, apartments and other nonmilitary targets. These moves foreshadow Iran’s foreign-policy “push” described in Daniel 11.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance announced the publishing of his new book, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, yesterday. The book, to be published in June, follows a cultural shift in favor of not just conservatism or Christianity generally but Roman Catholicism specifically: increased emphasis of Catholic positions from many leading American conservative politicians and commentators, the Vatican’s installation of the first American pope, increased engagement on college campuses, and record numbers of people in many churches preparing to convert on the upcoming Easter holiday. The surging effect of Roman Catholicism on the leaders of a nation that has been predominantly Protestant for 250 years should be monitored closely.
Iran said on Monday its ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammed Reza Shibani, was defying Beirut’s demand to leave. The Lebanese government has the right to arrest Shibani, and although this seems unlikely, it shows the depth of division between Iran and its former proxy state. The Bible prophesied that Iran would lose power over Lebanon. Iran’s last-ditch efforts to hold onto its Lebanese influence will fail.
On Sunday, the European Commission approved the $1.7 billion European Defense Industry Program for 2026 and 2027 to boost production capacity for munitions and other assets and to develop anti-drone weaponry. Roughly $300 million will be used to modernize Ukraine’s defense abilities, and $115 million will be used to support European defense start-ups. Europe’s rapid militarization continues.
On Saturday, French police foiled a planned terrorist bombing on a Bank of America office in Paris. One suspect was arrested on Saturday and two more on Sunday. Iran is suspected of having been involved in the plan. As Europeans continue to be threatened by terror attacks, expect them to react more and more powerfully against their source: Iran.
Somalia’s army conquered part of the largest city in the South West state yesterday, Baidoa, two weeks after the state severed ties with the national government. The national forces are stronger, but they are also fighting a war with al-Shabaab terrorists, and South West forces possess geographical advantages. Attacking Baidoa, which hosts several international peacekeeping deployments and humanitarian agencies, could also hurt Somalia’s relations with international supporters. Turkey and Egypt support Somali forces, and Ethiopia supports South West state. Bible prophecy indicates we can expect conflicts in the Red Sea region to escalate further.
