Displaying items by tag: Donald Trump

Democrat managers began their opening arguments on 22 January in an impeachment trial of President Trump, laying out their case as to why they think the President should be removed from office. Onlookers notice that House Democrats could not wait for the courts to decide on witnesses, as they said impeachment was urgent. Many now believe the senators are admitting their case is weak, so they are demanding more witnesses. The latest Politico / Morning Consult poll reveals that 47% are in favour of Trump's removal from office, with 45% opposed. President Trump's lawyers now have three days to make their case that the commander-in-chief did not commit a crime. But first up are Democrat prosecutors who get the same amount of time to prove that he did. The crux of their case is the allegation that Trump withheld military aid to pressure Ukraine to investigate former vice-president Joe Biden, a political rival, and his son Hunter Biden.

Boris Johnson has said that the Iran nuclear deal should be replaced with a ‘Trump’ deal. He recognised US concerns that the 2015 deal was ‘flawed’, but there had to be a way of stopping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. His comments come amid reports that the UK, France and Germany intend to try to rescue the situation by triggering a dispute mechanism in the 2015 deal - which was abandoned by the US in 2018. Boris said, ‘Somehow, we have to stop Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. If we're going to remove we need a replacement. From the American perspective, it is a flawed deal negotiated by President Obama. Let's work together to replace it with the Trump deal. That's what we need to see. President Trump is a great dealmaker by his own account, and by many others.’

After Tehran admitted shooting down an airliner killing 176 people, thousands protested across Iran’s streets against the government, calling for heads to roll. Those marching toward Azadi Square were met by police in riot gear using tear gas and live bullets. Many died or were wounded because the Iranian mullahs are losing control and protesters reverted to violence. The difference between these protests and those over fuel prices which claimed 1,500 lives is that these demonstrations include students and middle class Iranians. Observers say this could lead to a real revolution. Meanwhile on 14,January, President Trump tweeted an encouraging message to the protesters, in Farsi (the Iranian language): ‘I have stood with you since the beginning of my presidency and my administration will continue to stand with you. We are following your protests closely, and are inspired by your courage.’ See also

After the House judiciary committee released a 300-page report accusing President Trump of bribery, obstructing justice, and endangering the country from foreign powers, Democrats proposed two articles of impeachment against him - abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Many are saying that he is looking to survive impeachment the same way he built his powerful presidency - by assaulting facts and seeking to expand the limitations of the office he is accused of abusing. Meanwhile, fifty Christian pastors and worship leaders prayed over Trump in the Oval Office as he told them that he needs prayer now more than ever amid the intensifying impeachment probe. This ‘faith briefing’ was organised by Paula White-Cain, the president's personal pastor and special adviser to the Faith and Opportunity Initiative in the White House. See

Even though it appears that denuclearization talks with North Korea are going nowhere, Kim Jong-un still claims to have a special relationship with Donald Trump who says that there are a "lot of things going on" with North Korea.  Yet, Kim calls on the U.S. to "act wisely" through the end of the year, blaming U.S. policymakers for their hostility to North Korea. And, to make matters worse, the North shot off two missiles on the last day of October.

In the meantime U.S. and U.N. sanctions continue to hurt the North, including its fishing and coal industries even as coal smuggling into China continues at full speed and the military sells coal in order to purchase uniforms. 

The North continues to send workers into China by taking advantage of loop-holes in the sanctions. A recent report to the U.N. shows the ongoing impact of sanctions on the most vulnerable in North Korea, especially women and children, pointing out that nearly 4,000 civilians have perished as a result.  The report was produced by Peace Now and delivered by our Ignis partner, Joy Yoon, who, along with her husband, Dr. Steve Yoon, have been treating children in North Korea over the past ten years.  Here is an interview with Dr. Yoon about North Korean children.

Meanwhile, the elderly in the North are turning increasingly to begging to survive and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization is predicting that the food situation will worsen.  As is widely known, the North has been manufacturing and selling drugs to generate funds. The consumption of "ice" in North Korea has become a massive problem as a defector recently shared.

On the technology front, North Korean smart phones are having an increasing impact, changing society and helping merchants to cut down on their costs. The manufacture of smart phones and other high tech devices depends on rare earths which are largely controlled by China.  They are strengthening their position by preparing to tap North Korea's extensive reserves in exchange for providing solar power technology.  The North is also reforming its education system to put science and technology at its center. 

At the same time, construction on tourist attractions forge ahead with completion of the new Wonsan beach resort expected by the spring of next year. Kim Jong-un, in a recent inspection of a new spa being built, expressed his "great satisfaction" with its "socialist architecture" even as he belittled the Diamond Mountain resort built by South Korea, calling for the old buildings to be demolished to make way for new ones. Moon Jae-in of South Korea has agreed to talks about the future of the resort.

Remembering Our Brothers in Prison 

We continue to pray for six South Koreans held in the North as well as Daily NK journalist, Choi Song Min (alias). Here's information on the pastors and others who have been detained and released.  Please remember them in your prayers.

Ben Torrey - Director

The Fourth River Project, Inc.

www.thefourthriver.org

A group of pastors and faith leaders had an exclusive meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on 29 October. During that meeting, Trump asked the pastors to lay hands on him and pray. The meeting, according to several pastors, involved discussions of the president's accomplishments on behalf of evangelical Christians, including defending religious freedom, battling opioid addiction, reducing abortion, and nominating conservative and pro-life supreme court judges. Soon afterwards, several leaders posted photos of the meeting and prayer. Some praised the president's pro-family and pro-biblical values, while others offered prayer against what they see as unjust impeachment hearings.

South Korea’s national intelligence service told a closed-door parliamentary audit session that it expected working-level denuclearisation talks between Kim and Trump to resume by early December. As recently as 31 October Kim test-fired two short-range missiles that traveled 350 to 400 kilometres. The tests were believed to be the nuclear-armed country’s 19th and 20th launches since May. Japan’s prime minister condemned the launches as an act threatening the peace and safety of his country as North Korea was refining weapons capable of reaching it. Meanwhile, Iran announced launching a new batch of advanced centrifuges to accelerate uranium enrichment on the 40th anniversary of the start of its Islamic Revolution. However, Tehran has left room for diplomacy by saying that talks are possible if Washington lifts all the sanctions and returns to the nuclear deal. See

It is reported that 4,799 Africans were apprehended in Mexico between January and July, a fourfold increase over the same period in 2018. Between 1,500 and 3,000 Africans are currently camping in tents outside the Mexican city of Tapachula. They have been there for months after fleeing conflict-ridden countries like Cameroon and DR Congo. Most flew to Brazil, then made the dangerous journey north through road-less swathes of jungle into Mexico, hoping finally to reach the USA to claim asylum. They can’t leave Tapachula without a permit, but these are scarce since Mexico agreed to help President Trump to limit numbers crossing the border. Now Trump intends to bar people from applying for asylum if they haven’t first applied in the countries they crossed - Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Migrants could be deported back to ‘safe third countries’, which are not safe and would put many at renewed risk.

Trump takes first UN stand to stop religious persecution.

President slams world leaders for 'silencing, shunning, or censoring the faithful.'

NEW YORK—President Donald Trump called on countries to end religious persecution around the world, asking governments to release prisoners of conscience and repeal laws that restrict religion and belief.

World leaders gathered in New York recently for the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Trump started his meetings by hosting the “Global Call to Protect Religious Freedom” event on Sept. 23 at U.N. headquarters.

In his keynote remarks, the president said that he was the first leader to initiate discussion of religious freedom and persecution at the UNGA high-level meetings. He added that the meeting was long overdue.

“I was shocked when I was given that statistic that I would be the first. That’s very sad in many ways,” he said. “Today, with one clear voice, the United States of America calls upon the nations of the world to end religious persecution.”

Trump urged governments around the world to stop persecuting their citizens, release prisoners of conscience, eliminate laws that restrict religion, and protect oppressed people.

“Our Founders understood that no right is more fundamental to a peaceful, prosperous, and virtuous society than the right to follow one’s religious convictions,” he said.

Trump noted that the religious freedom enjoyed by Americans is rare in the world, adding that 80 percent of the world’s population live in countries where religious liberty is threatened or banned.

He slammed world leaders saying that too often they “preach diversity while silencing, shunning, or censoring the faithful.”

In his speech, Trump condemned both state-sponsored persecution and terrorist attacks against religious targets in the United States and around the world.

“We’re also urging every nation to increase the prosecution and punishment of crimes against religious communities,” Trump said.

He announced that the United States would form a coalition of U.S. businesses for the protection of religious freedom.

“This is the first time this has been done. This initiative will encourage the private sector to protect people of all faiths in the workplace,” he said.

In addition, the Trump administration will allocate an additional $25 million fund “to protect religious freedom and religious sites and relics.”

‘Communist Party in China’

Speaking at the event, Vice President Mike Pence singled out countries where the persecution against people of faith is the most severe, such as Iran, Iraq, China, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

“The regime in Iran brutally persecutes Christians, Sunnis, Baha’i, and Jews,” he said, adding that Iran-backed militias slaughtered Christians and Yazidis in Iraq.

“The Communist Party in China has arrested Christian pastors, banned the sale of Bibles, demolished churches, and imprisoned more than a million Uyghurs in the Muslim population,” he said.

“The president’s speech is an important and historic moment precisely because religious freedom is too often ignored or downplayed at the U.N.,” Kelsey Zorzi, Alliance Defending Freedom international director of global religious freedom and president of the United Nations’ NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief, said in a statement.

By Emel Akan - Follow Emel on Twitter: @mlakan
Full article at:https://epochtimes.today/trump-urges-nations-at-the-un-to-stop-religious-persecution/

Donald Trump’s administration has proposed a rule to tighten food stamp restrictions that would cut about 3.1 million people from the programme. Currently 43 US states allow residents automatically to become eligible for food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) if they receive benefits from another programme, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families - TANF. The proposal, which would save the government $2.5bn a year, requires people receiving TANF to pass an income and assets review to determine eligibility for SNAP. Trump said many Americans now using SNAP do not need it, given the strong economy and low unemployment, and should be removed to save taxpayers $15bn. At present SNAP provides free food to 40 million, 12% of the total population. Last year a Trump-backed effort to pass restrictions through a farm bill was blocked by Congress, following a month-long, partisan debate.