Major Combat Operation
The Associated Press wrote on February 28:
“The U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, and President Donald Trump called on the Iranian public to ‘seize control of your destiny’ by rising up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979. Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military bases in the region… In a video announcing the ‘major combat operations,’ Trump told Iranians that ‘when we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.’
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed that goal, saying, ‘Our joint operation will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands.’
“The strikes during the holy fasting month of Ramadan opened a stunning new chapter in U.S. intervention in Iran and marked the second time in eight months that the Trump administration has used military force against the Islamic Republic…
“The targets included members of Iran’s leadership… Even if Iran’s top leaders were to be killed, regime change is not guaranteed and neither the U.S. nor Israel have articulated a vision for what new leadership would look like… The immediate trigger for Saturday’s strikes appears to be the unsuccessful latest round of nuclear talks. But they also reflect the dramatic changes across the region that have left Iran’s leadership in its weakest position since the Islamic Revolution nearly half a century ago…
“Iran responded to the latest strikes as it had been threatening to do for months, including by launching missiles and drones targeting Israel as well as strikes targeting U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar... Israel said the operation has been planned for months with the U.S. Trump, in seeking to justify the military action, claimed Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program despite asserting last year the program had been ‘obliterated’ by an earlier round of strikes… The U.S. president said he was aiming to ‘annihilate’ the Iranian navy and destroy regional proxies supported by Tehran.
“He also called on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to lay down arms, pledging members would be given immunity, while warning they would face ‘certain death’ if they didn’t…
“Iran has said it hasn’t enriched uranium since June, but it has blocked international inspectors from visiting the sites America bombed during a 12-day war then. Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press have shown new activity at two of those sites, suggesting Iran is trying to assess and potentially recover material there. Iran currently has a self-imposed limit on its ballistic missile program, limiting its range to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). That puts the entire Middle East and some of Eastern Europe within range…
“The strikes could rattle global markets, particularly if Iran is able to make the Strait of Hormuz unsafe for commercial traffic. A third of total worldwide oil exports transported by sea passed through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025…
“Saudi Arabia said in an announcement on state-run media that Iran had targeted its capital and its eastern region in an attack that was repelled. Bahrain said a missile attack targeted the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in the island kingdom… The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen vowed to resume attacks on Red Sea shipping routes and on Israel…”
Iran’s Leaders Dead
The New York Post wrote on February 28:
“Iran’s tyrannical Supreme Leader Alio Khamenei was killed Saturday in an unprecedented, joint military attack by the US and Israel called Operation Epic Fury. ‘Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,’ Trump declared on his Truth Social about 15 hours after the start of the onslaught… Hours later, Iranian state media confirmed that Khamenei had been ‘martyred.’…
“The tyrant’s daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law were also killed in the joint military attack, according to Iranian state media, though it’s unclear where they died. Israeli officials told Fox News that more than 40 top Iranian security and regime figures were eliminated in the opening strikes this morning, and as many as 10 high-ranking leaders were killed in the initial strike on Khamenei’s fortified compound.”
It was also reported that at least six US service members have been killed so far.
Iran’s New Supreme Leader?
The Daily Mail wrote on March 3:
“Mojtaba Khamenei, the [second] son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has reportedly been appointed Iran’s new Supreme Leader. Mojtaba… has strong links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) [and the Basij volunteer paramilitary force] and was chosen by Iran’s Assembly of Experts… He has been touted as a possible successor to his father for years…
“The regime’s 88-person assembly is tasked with appointing, supervising and potentially dismissing the supreme leader. It met on Tuesday in Qom to find a successor to Ali Khamenei, who was killed on Saturday by joint US-Israeli strikes. Israel and US strikes flattened the building where the assembly met. There was no information on any potential casualties.”
Other reports claim that he was not appointed yet, but that he is the most likely successor to his father. Trump said that he would view this as the most undesirable outcome.
Closing Strait of Hormuz?
Haaretz wrote on February 28:
“Iran Reportedly Closes Strait of Hormuz, the World’s Most Vital Oil Export Route… The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations agency said it received multiple reports from vessels in the Gulf that they had been notified of the Strait of Hormuz’s closure. There was no immediate confirmation from Iran…”
The Daily Mail wrote on March 1:
“Iran claims to have struck British oil tankers with missiles leaving them ‘burning’…
“Iran has told ships not to pass through the Strait of Hormuz… although a number of Iranian and Chinese vessels have continued to pass through it today. The halting of shipping in the strait has seen markets brace for a surge in global oil prices. Motorists in the UK were warned of potential ‘record prices at the pumps’ while economists predicted fragile economies could be pushed ‘closer to recession in a matter of weeks’. The threat of Iranian reprisal attacks saw at least 150 tankers drop anchor as shipping companies refused to sail through the 100-mile passage which is just 24 miles wide.”
The Times of India reported on March 3:
“Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, warning that any vessel attempting to pass will be attacked… The threat of closure has already rattled energy markets, with oil prices jumping sharply amid fears of prolonged disruption.”
Sky News wrote on March 1:
“By March 1, very few ships were in the strait, and vessels appeared to cluster around large ports on either side of the strait. Maritime activity has been almost brought to a standstill as the US and Iran have traded strikes…”
MEGA Melts Down Over Iran War
Daily Beast wrote on February 28:
“A Trump-authorized strike on Iran took place just hours after JD Vance tried to allay MAGA fears of another conflict without a clear end. President Donald Trump is facing a furious MAGA backlash after embarking on an unauthorized strike in Iran that he admits will kill U.S. citizens [after being urged from parts of his own base not to enter another foreign war.]…
“The fact that American soldiers could die is set to infuriate the anti-interventionist wing of the Republican Party…. Former Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene [wrote]: ‘End of MAGA.’”
Imminent Threat?
ABC News wrote on February 28:
“In making his new case for the strikes, the president is arguing attacks are warranted to ‘defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime’ without providing clear evidence of that. Trump also argued Iranian missiles could ‘soon’ reach the U.S — but the president has provided no details…
“Whether the Iranian missile threat was ‘imminent’ — and whether Congress should vote on committing American troops to an extensive military operation — aimed at pursuing such a broad goal of regime change in Iran — will likely dominate the debate when lawmakers return to Washington this week.”
USA War Against Iran Because of Israel?
JTA wrote on March 3:
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio inflamed critics of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran on Monday when he suggested that Israel had pulled the United States into the conflict. ‘We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, we knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didn’t preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties,’ Rubio told reporters in Washington, D.C…
“The conservative commentator Matt Walsh… shared a video of Rubio’s initial statement and tweeted, ‘So he’s flat out telling us that we’re in a war with Iran because Israel forced our hand. This is basically the worst possible thing he could have said.’…
“Rubio was not the only prominent voice close to the decision-making table to implicate Israel as a driver of the war plans… Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said the United States had to prepare for war because it knew it would be embroiled if Israel acted alone. ‘Because Israel was determined to act with or without the U.S., our commander in chief and the administration and the officials had a very difficult decision to make,’ he told reporters…
“The war is placing stress on Trump’s coalition ahead of a midterm election season that is expected to be rocky for the Republicans. The MAGA wing of the party… appears unlikely to be easily convinced by the Trump administration’s explanations for war….”
Trump disputed what Rubio and Johnson had claimed, saying that, if anything, he was leading the attack, and Rubio backpedaled, saying he had been “misquoted.” Johnson also waffled on the issue. Johnson also said that the USA is not at war right now with Iran.. a totally ridiculous comment (compare The Independent, dated March 4).
“Wars and Rumors of Wars”
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on February 28:
“This is a major mis-step that could easily turn out very badly as it is a pointless war of choice that could easily escalate to neighboring states and become nuclear if… Navy vessels might also find themselves vulnerable to Iranian missiles.
“… the grounds for the act of war as elaborated by President Donald Trump are completely fatuous, to include Iranian presumed development of a nuclear weapon and its possession of ballistic missiles that will be able to strike the United States. Both claims are denied by US intelligence and other sources. They are lies…”
Where Is the Plan?
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on March 2:
“It was supposed to be like the Venezuela operation. Quick and painless for the US. Kill the leadership and the long-suffering people would take to the streets and reclaim their country… in real life these regime change operations have never worked. Millions did take to the streets in Iran, but it was to mourn the slain Ayatollah and to reaffirm support for their government… with the Pentagon warning that the operation may go weeks instead of days, we are quickly running out of missiles.
“Billions of dollars have already been spent on this unprovoked attack, and when the smoke clears – if it does – we may see hundreds of billions or maybe much more having been wasted on yet another Middle East war. Just what President Trump promised he would not do…
“Launching a military strike during negotiations will have lasting negative effects for the United States. Who would ever trust US diplomacy again if talks are used as a distraction for pre-planned attacks? The Administration is doing its best to spin this unfolding disaster as all going according to plan, but what is the plan? No one knows. Do they know?”
Trump also said that the war may go on for five more weeks or so, and he does not rule out “boots on the ground.”
Trump’s Planless Attacks
The Huffington Post wrote on March 3:
“From tanking stocks to spiking oil prices to tens of thousands of Americans stranded overseas with no easy way home, the president has unleashed a global mess… In his meeting with [German Chancellor Friedrich] Merz, Trump also acknowledged the lack of a plan for after Iran’s Islamic regime loses control of the country.”
Divided Opposition
The New York Post wrote on February 28:
“Rival opposition figures are jockeying for position in a new Iran, in the wake of the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In dueling messages on Saturday, opposition leader Maryam Rajavi and exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi urged Iranians to unite — while making clear they have different visions for the country’s future.
“Rajavi — president-elect of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran — called for the overthrow of Iran’s ruling clerical regime and the creation of a democratic republic as conflict…
“Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last monarch… also has plans for a democratic transition… In a post on X, Pahlavi described the US action as a ‘humanitarian intervention’ aimed at the regime — not the Iranian people… ‘It is we, the people of Iran, who will finish this task in this final battle…’
“The competing appeals highlight a brewing struggle for legitimacy among Iran’s opposition…”
International Reactions
Fox News reported on February 28:
“World leaders reacted swiftly Saturday after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, exposing a deep divide between governments backing the attack on Iran and those warning the attacks risk a wider regional war.”
It continued that Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom supported the strike unconditionally. The European reaction was more reserved. The article continued:
“French President Emmanuel Macron warned, ‘The outbreak of war between the United States, Israel and Iran carries grave consequences for international peace and security.’ He added, ‘The ongoing escalation is dangerous for all. It must stop,’ and called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council. In a joint statement, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom also said they had ‘consistently urged the Iranian regime to end Iran’s nuclear program, curb its ballistic missile program, refrain from its destabilizing activity in the region and our homelands, and to cease the appalling violence and repression against its own people.’ The three governments [called E3] said they ‘did not participate in these strikes,’ but remain ‘in close contact with our international partners, including the United States, Israel, and partners in the region’ [However, Keir Starmer said subsequently that their airplanes are in the sky in the Middle East.] …
“European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described developments as ‘perilous,’ saying Iran’s ‘ballistic missile and nuclear programmes… pose a serious threat to global security,’ while emphasizing that ‘Protection of civilians and international humanitarian law is a priority.’”
Other European countries condemned the USA/Israel strike.
“Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez [of Spain] said, ‘We reject the unilateral military action by the United States and Israel, which represents an escalation and contributes to a more uncertain and hostile international order.’… Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said the strike ‘is not in line with international law.’”
Finland also stated that the USA/Israel strike was “outside traditional international law.”
Other countries commented in the same negative way:
“Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry… ‘strongly condemned the unwarranted attacks against Iran’… A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, wrote on X that Beijing is ‘highly concerned over the military strikes against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel.’ … Russia sharply criticized the operation [under “peacemaker” Donald Trump.] Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said, ‘All negotiations with Iran are a cover operation.’”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday condemned the “unprovoked armed attack” on Iran by the US and Israel. Amazing, since Russia began its unprovoked armed attacks on Ukraine four years ago.
Putin wrote, according to Fox News on March 1:
“Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday, calling the death, which came amid strikes from Israel and the U.S., a ‘cynical violation’ of norms. Putin made the statement in a letter to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian… ‘”In our country, Ayatollah Khamenei will be remembered as an outstanding statesman who made a huge personal contribution to the development of friendly Russian-Iranian relations,’ [Putin wrote].”
While Brazil and Lebanon condemned the strike, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, as well as Ukraine, blamed and condemned Iran’s retaliation.
Also, NPR reported the following on February 28:
“[UN] Secretary General António Guterres condemned what he described as the ‘use of force’ by the US and Israel, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran, which, he said, ‘undermine international peace and security.’… Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who has been mediating between the U.S. and Iran, says there had been active and serious nuclear talks taking place. In a post on X, he wrote that he was ‘dismayed’ by coordinated Israeli-U.S. attacks on Iran…”
Newsmax wrote on February 28:
“Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran violated Iran’s sovereignty…
“Erdogan said Iran’s attacks on Gulf countries were also unacceptable, and he warned that without restraint and diplomacy the region risked being ‘dragged into a circle of fire.’”
Pope Condemns Strike
In “the Letters from Leo,” the following was stated on February 28:
“… the pontiff views the strikes as ‘immoral, illegal, and a grave threat to the entire human family’…
Thomson/Reuters wrote on March 1:
“Pope Leo said on Sunday that he is following events after U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran with ‘deep concern’ and made an impassioned appeal to stop what he called a ‘spiral of violence.’ ‘I address a heartfelt appeal to the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss,’ said the pope. ‘Stability and peace are not built through mutual threats or through weapons … but only through reasonable, genuine, and responsible dialog,’ the pope said.”
Transatlantic Unity?
Politico wrote on February 28:
“The European stance — particularly that of France, Germany and Britain [saying they did not participate in these strikes] — drew a blistering response from U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, underscoring the geopolitical tensions now rippling across the Atlantic. ‘To say I’m disappointed in the joint statement … is an understatement,’ Graham wrote on X, accusing Western Europe of having ‘gone pathetically soft’ and urging European leaders to back efforts to confront the regime in Tehran…
“The unusually sharp language highlights how the Middle East crisis is fast becoming a real-world stress test of transatlantic unity… Brussels is now shifting into crisis mode… Amid the geopolitical shocks, European officials are bracing for a confrontation that could further strain Western unity in the days and weeks ahead.”
UK Not Part of It
Daily Mail wrote on March 2:
“Keir Starmer today insisted he ‘stands by’ his decision to snub Donald Trump’s Iran strikes because they were ‘not thought through’ – despite a brutal rebuke from the US… But in a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Special Relationship, Sir Keir insisted he did not believe in ‘regime change from the skies’….
“Sir Keir is bracing for a battering from his own left-wing MPs after conducting a partial U-turn last night, agreeing that American forces can use British bases for ‘defensive’ actions against Iranian retaliation. As he tries to quell the backlash, the PM told the Commons: ‘The use of British bases is limited to the agreed defensive purposes… We are not joining the US-Israeli strikes.’ …
“Earlier, Mr Trump said he was ‘very disappointed’ with the Labour leader – complaining he ‘took far too long’ to change his mind and permit the strikes. Amid fears over a major blow to the Special Relationship, Mr Trump suggested the initial refusal was unprecedented.”
On March 3, Trump strongly condemned Starmer again for his stance, saying he is no Churchill, but Starmer doubled down and said he will not be part of a war against Iran.
Hegseth Attacks Allies
Daily Mail reported on March 2:
“Mr Hegseth took aim at the UK’s stance as he hailed Israel as a ‘capable’ partner. ‘Unlike so many of our traditional allies who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, humming and hawing about the use of force,’ he added.”
He appeared to address Britain, Spain and perhaps other European countries. Trump later confirmed this.
Iran Can Strike Europe
The Sun wrote on March 2:
“Fears over the rogue state’s ability to attack Europe with its lethal arsenal were sparked after an Iranian drone struck a British RAF base in Cyprus… Iran has been steadily building up its long-range missiles… Designed to give Tehran reach even without a modern air force, these include the Shahab-3 with a range of 1,300km, and the Khorramshahr which can reach up to 3,000km.The terrifying range of strikes could impact European nations such as Romania, Hungary and Greece…
“Iran has also been exporting missiles to proxy states, which would be closer in range to potential targets on US and European soil…
“In order to protect their nuclear programme, the Iranians developed a whole series of underground bunkers, underground storage and underground manufacturing sites. These are the facilities being targeted by Trump and Israel in the latest wave of strikes…
“Iran has also developed a sophisticated programme of drones. Shahed suicide drones have a range of up to 2,000km – meaning they could also strike parts of Europe.”
No Regime Change?
WABE wrote on March 3:
“‘This is not a so-called regime-change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it,’ Hegseth said. He added that it was ‘no nation-building quagmire, no democracy-building exercise.’”
This totally contradicts what Trump had said.
President of Peace
DNYUZ wrote on March 2:
“Donald Trump has now ordered more attacks against a greater number of countries than any other president in modern U.S. history… On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly pledged to reduce American military engagements abroad. After assuming office for the second time last January, he modeled himself as the ‘President of Peace’… Trump’s latest assault [on Iran] flies directly in the face of his promises to voters on the campaign trail. ‘I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars,’ he told the nation in his 2024 election night victory speech…
“Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson, an otherwise staunch ally of the president, has called ongoing strikes against Iranian targets ‘absolutely disgusting and evil.’”
According to recent polls, a majority of Americans oppose Trump’s strike on Iran. Most Republicans support it.
Trump Anointed by Christ to Bring About Armageddon
The Mirror wrote on March 3:
“… a fresh report found that hundreds of U.S. troops across dozens of units and installations have submitted complaints to the non-profit watchdog, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), since the attack about combat unit commanders providing Christian reasoning for the war, during which at least [six] U.S. troops have already been killed…
“Non-commissioned officers (NCO) who attended a briefing Monday told the MRFF that a combat-unit commander ‘urged us to tell our troops that this was “all part of God’s divine plan” and he specifically referenced numerous citations out of the Book of Revelation referring to Armageddon and the imminent return of Jesus Christ.’
“The commander also argued that Trump [was] ‘anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth’ and that the Iran war is part of God’s plan, the NCO claimed.
“The remarks were submitted in more than 110 complaints about commanders across all military branches, including more than 40 units across 30 military installations.”
“The Toothless Fighter”
In regard to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to Washington this week, Welt Online wrote on March 3:
“Friedrich Merz disapproves of Donald Trump’s actions in Iran and beyond – but the Washington visit confirms the new European powerlessness in world politics.”
Trump dominated during the press conference, and Merz got hardly a word in. But he did not seem to mind.
Attack on Pakistan
India TV reported on February 27:
“Afghan Taliban forces launched a bold counteroffensive against Pakistan, striking high-value military targets just six kilometers from the Prime Minister’s Office…, using precision airstrikes on specialized ‘Atomic’ facilities, resulting in heavy casualties and escalating the border war to the heart of Pakistan’s capital…
“The airstrikes came as direct payback for Pakistan’s overnight Operation… on Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia, which killed over 130 Taliban fighters and destroyed vital assets like a Nangarhar ammo depot.”
Gaza War Not Over?
LifeSiteNews wrote on February 27:
“Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, stated that the international community applies different standards to Israel’s military actions in Gaza compared with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine… the cardinal observed that many in the region express deep anger toward international institutions such as the UN or U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed ‘Board of Peace,’ [and] that with Gazans there was significant consternation and frustration across the region ‘because the international community won’t allow Russia to do in Ukraine what it allows Israel to do in Palestine’… noting his nearly 40 years living in the Holy Land…
“He emphasized that ‘the war, from a political and social point of view, is not concluded,’ and that ‘the hatred this war has created is profound,’ making discussions of reconstruction challenging.”
Friendly Takeover of Cuba?
USA Today wrote on February 27:
“President Donald Trump said the U.S. could have a ‘friendly takeover of Cuba’ as fuel shortages squeeze Havana’s authoritarian government in the wake of the U.S. military raid that captured the leader of nearby Venezuela…
“Trump has called on Cuban leaders to ‘make a deal’ and said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who’s Cuban American, is engaging at ‘a very high level’ with Havana.”
The Guardian added on February 27:
“The president’s comments come as relations between the two countries have sunk to one of their lowest points in an often bitter 67-year history…
“Pressure from Washington… prompted Venezuela to cut off oil exports to Cuba. The US has imposed an oil blockade on the island, strangling what was left of the island’s already [perilous] economy.”
Trump had made very clear which countries he wanted or wants to become part of the USA. In addition to Venezuela, he has been desirous of taking over Cuba, Greenland, Mexico, Canada, Panama and Colombia.
Europe’s Deadliest War
Le Monde wrote on February 26:
“Between 500,000 and 600,000 deaths, both military and civilian. That is the approximate toll, four years after Vladimir Putin decided to launch the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
“The war has become the deadliest bloodshed in Europe since World War II, far surpassing the wars in Yugoslavia. If war-disabled people are included, the total nears 2 million people… However, this is only an estimate, as both Ukraine and Russia have classified their military losses.”
A terrible statistic… and still no end in sight.
Don’t Use AI to Write Sermons
The Independent wrote on February 27:
“Pope Leo XIV has urged Catholic priests to resist the ‘temptation’ to use artificial intelligence to write sermons…. During the meeting, the pope told listeners that giving a ‘homily is to share faith,’ before arguing that artificial intelligence ‘will never be able to share faith.’…
“The 70-year-old also took aim at social media platforms and asked members of the clergy to be mindful about chasing ‘likes’ and ‘followers’ through an ‘illusion on the internet, on TikTok.”
He is right.
Insane California Taxes
The New York Post wrote on February 26:
“Higher taxes, Californians are told, will improve education, reduce traffic, and even fight climate change. But they never do. Instead, we face more and more taxes, like an insanely tall layer cake on some crazed reality-TV cooking show….
“It’s rare that a tax in California is ever repealed, reduced or allowed to expire. The last major tax cut was Proposition 13 — nearly 50 years ago… California has the nation’s highest poverty rate, when the cost of living is considered.”
California is one of the most expensive and highest-taxed states of the USA, due in large part to incompetent governmental rule.
Censorship of Freedom of Speech in the UK
Fox News wrote on February 27:
“Podcaster Joe Rogan and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. marveled at how the United Kingdom has become one of the countries most infamous for cracking down on freedom of speech… RFK Jr. argued that the modern Democratic Party, which he left in 2023, had become increasingly pro-censorship…
“RFK Jr. and Rogan were both aghast at how online censorship had seemed to become normalized in both the United States over the past decade [and] across the Atlantic. ‘And then you look at what’s happening in England now, you know, with people going to jail for Twitter posts,’ RFK Jr. said… Rogan agreed, citing a report, ‘12,000 in the last year.’ ‘And then this, where the Magna Carta was, you know, written,’ RFK Jr. lamented. ‘Now it’s just a dictatorship.’… [The] Magna Carta became a cornerstone of English law and later inspired the Founding Fathers as they shaped the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights…
“‘It’s the Soviet system. It’s like Kafka,’ RFK Jr. warned, referring to Franz Kafka’s famous dystopian novel ‘The Trial,’ in which the main character is arrested and prosecuted by a mysterious authority, but he is never clearly told what crime he is accused of. Rogan shared his shock at how quickly social media arrests in the U.K. have spiked in recent years, usually over criticism of mass immigration. He argued that the British government, rather than solving the crimes that have been caused as a result of mass migration, are instead punishing people for complaining.”
They could have mentioned continental Europe as well.
Catholic Bishops for Birthright Citizenship
LifeSiteNews wrote on February 27:
“The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is attacking President Donald Trump’s efforts to end birthright citizenship as ‘immoral’ [and that it would] ‘“deny the dignity of the human person and harm innocent children.’…
“‘The intended and unintended effects of [Trump’s] Executive Order are immoral and contrary to the Catholic Church’s fundamental beliefs and teachings regarding the life and dignity of human persons, the treatment of vulnerable people – particularly migrants and children – and family unity,’ the bishops wrote. ‘The Conference is saddened by the “climate of fear and anxiety” and the “vilification of immigrants” that is all too common in the rhetoric concerning immigration policy.’”
Trump on Internal Enemies and Mortality
Newsbreak wrote on February 28:
“President Donald Trump signaled a deepening sense of isolation and personal vulnerability this week, suggesting in back-to-back public appearances that members of his own Cabinet may be eyeing his office while explicitly acknowledging his own mortality…. Trump claimed that many… believe they are better suited for the presidency… ‘I don’t know how long I’ll be around,’ Trump told the audience. ‘I got a lot of people gunning for me, don’t I?”
“.. the remark underscores a president increasingly preoccupied with the physical and political ‘knives’ he perceives to be closing in… As the 2026 political calendar intensifies, the President’s focus on ‘internal enemies’ may complicate administration stability.”
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.