EUROPE - The world is facing a Zeitenwende: an epochal tectonic shift. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has put an end to an era. New powers have emerged or reemerged, including an economically strong and politically assertive China. In this new multipolar world, different countries and models of government are competing for power and influence.
USA - Two of the four United Methodist Church regional bodies in Texas met over the weekend and approved requests from 439 congregations to disaffiliate from the second largest US Protestant denomination. Most of the departing churches plan to join the breakaway Global Methodist Church, a more conservative offshoot that disagrees with a sizable portion of the UMC on same-sex marriage and homosexuality, among other issues. In all, about 546 of the 1,260 Methodist churches in Texas — or about 45 percent — are on the way out of the UMC. "It's a hard time to bring people together," said Houston pastor Rev Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, whose St Stephen's United Methodist Church is remaining in the UMC. "We really reflect the brokenness of the culture and the world."
USA - The number of same-sex couple households in the US surpassed one million for the first time in 2021, The New York Times reports, per recently-released data from the Census Bureau. The data comes from the annual American Community Survey that accompanies the decennial census. According to the latest survey, there were around 1.2 million same-sex couple households in 2021. Nearly 60 percent, about 710,000, were married, and about 500,000 were unmarried but living together. The new data comes amidst growing bipartisan support for a law to protect the right to same-sex marriage. The US Senate recently passed the Respect for Marriage Act, which will enshrine federal recognition of same-sex marriages into law.
USA - The Satanic Temple is launching an After School Satan Club (ASSC) in Chesapeake, a reaction to a Good News Club launched on school property earlier this year. That’s led to concerns from some community members and prompted the Chesapeake Public School Board to schedule a discussion on the club, but the district said in a statement that while it doesn’t sanction the club, neither can it discriminate against it on the basis of belief.
USA - Is the blood of terrorized children a form of currency in Hollywood? According to Mel Gibson, star of Brave Heart and Lethal Weapon, Hollywood is just institutionalized pedophilia, where the elites break “every God-given taboo known to man, including the sanctity of children.” Apparently, it’s an open secret in Hollywood that the ultra-rich, yet still power-hungry elites, have religious ceremonies where they terrorize children to the edge of death, then drink their adrenochrome-loadedblood.
USA - An executive director at Planned Parenthood's sex education branch claimed that children are born 'sexual' and has called for comprehensive sex education from kindergarten - as well as porn literacy for older age groups. Bill Taverner, who has advocated for sexuality education at US congressional briefings, said in 2015 that 'we are all sexual beings from birth to death.'
USA - The Supreme Court ’s conservative majority sounded sympathetic Monday to a Christian graphic artist who objects to designing wedding websites for gay couples, the latest collision of religion and gay rights to land at the high court. The designer and her supporters say that ruling against her would force artists — from painters and photographers to writers and musicians — to do work that is against their beliefs. Her opponents, meanwhile, say that if she wins, a range of businesses will be able to discriminate, refusing to serve Black, Jewish or Muslim customers, interracial or interfaith couples or immigrants.
SWITZERLAND - This year’s event was titled “History at a Turning Point” and we all remember when the Swiss Military were ordered to protect Schwab and the Global Elites with 5,000 troops. Schwab also warned those who trivialized or hijacked the event’s key messages, like the often-mentioned Great Reset, that they would be treated with contempt. At the key note address Klaus Schwab said: “This war is really a turning point in history, and it will ‘reshape’ our political and economic landscape in the coming years.”
EUROPE - The impact of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is harsher on the EU than on the US, European Council President Charles Michel has admitted. According to Michel, security ties between Brussels and Washington have strengthened since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in which the West is backing Kiev. “There’s unprecedented coordination on the war in Ukraine,” he said in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Saturday.
EUROPE - Western European countries would be in a dangerous place now if it were not for the role the US is playing in the Ukraine conflict, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin claimed on Friday. She also urged Helsinki's partners to ramp up efforts to build defense capabilities.
EUROPE - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Sunday that to be able to compete with the US’ government-subsidized green industry, the EU must “take action” and step up state aid to its own companies. Signed into law by President Joe Biden in August, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is – despite its name – a $738 billion spending package that allocates $391 billion toward green energy and climate-friendly industry projects, including $270 billion in tax incentives. Initially lauded by liberals on both sides of the Atlantic, von der Leyen now sees the act as a threat to Europe’s industry.
WALES - The number of homeless people dying on the streets hit an all time high last year, new figures have shown. Some 41 homeless people died in Wales according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, almost double that of the year before. The previous year, in 2020, there had been just 22 deaths of homeless people across all of Wales. Last year an estimated 741 homeless people died in England and Wales. That's 54% higher than when records began in 2013, and equates to two people dying every day.
WALES - "I've lived here all my life. I've noticed all the prices going up – it's a huge crisis really. We used to be able to get at least everything for nearly £60. I've noticed chicken chargrills have gone from £2.50 to nearly £5 and at the Morrisons deli they used to charge £2.95 and it's gone up to £4.25."
SOUTH KOREA - The season of baby fairs is here once again in South Korea. Busy, noisy affairs held in cavernous conference halls where hundreds of vendors try to sell expectant parents everything they could possibly desire for their new bundle of joy – and plenty of other things they never knew they needed.
CHINA - Remember all those covid cultists who were cheering for China last year? Remember when they claimed that China was a perfect example on why lockdowns are necessary and proof that they work? China’s economy is now in freefall with their manufacturing base under extreme stress from the mandates. Furthermore, it would appear that the Chinese populace is finally fed up with the draconian conditions and are rising up in revolt.
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The views expressed in this section are not our own, unless specifically stated, but are provided to highlight what may prove to be prophetically relevant material appearing in the media.