Wednesday, July 18th, in the year of our Lord 2018
By Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldView.com)
North Korea Vows to Release Prisoners
North Korea is planning to grant a general amnesty next month in the run-up to the 70th anniversary of its foundation day in September, reports the Japan Times.
The estimated population of North Korea’s prison and gulag system is believed to be around 200,000 men, women and children, according to human rights groups, with most held for political and religious reasons, not criminal ones.
A Closer Look at Nigerian Displacement Camps
Thousands of Christian men, women, and children are living in displacement camps across the Jos state of Nigeria, Africa after having been displaced largely by Muslim Fulani herdsmen. The camps have terrible living conditions, and the Christians are subject to other attacks, starvation, and diseases.
The World View spoke to Nigerian Pastor Aniekan Ekpo, whose son-in-law lives in Jos, about what Christians are doing to help these displaced brothers and sisters.
“The whole church of Nigeria is being touched concerning the condition of our brothers and sisters who have been displaced. My son-in-law is right away from Jos, so I contacted him. He sent some videos to me. Churches go to the IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp. They also preach and also give provisions to them and encourage them.”
Pastor Ekpo said that many have been in the camps for years.
“You think, ‘How long will this be?’ Our brothers and sisters have been in the camps, some of them for many years, and some recently, that just happened.”
Ekpo said that the government has been turning a blind eye to the massacre of Nigerian Christians, and all they can do is pray. He said that local pastors gathered for a time of weeping and prayer for their suffering brothers and sisters in Northern Nigeria.
Pray Psalm 142:6 for our brothers and sisters in Nigeria, “Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!”
Trump’s Estimated Cost of US Embassy in Jerusalem Way Off
While President Trump asserted that the cost of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem would be $250,000 instead of a billion, the final cost will be $21.2 million, reports ABC News.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Sides with Christian Professor
Back in November 2014, Marquette University professor John McAdams was suspended after he penned a blog post criticizing another faculty member who would not allow a student to oppose homosexual faux marriage in a “Theory of Ethics” class. Sadly, the Jesuit campus fired him for daring to speak freely about the censorship of a student.
In a win for free speech, Wisconsin’s Supreme Court ruled that Marquette University violated McAdams’ academic freedom, reports FaithWire.
Hormone Therapy Leads to Premature Death
Hormone therapy for people attempting to “transition” from male to female carries major health risks, according to a new study by the American College of Physicians.
Men who took female hormones for two years were over five times more likely to develop a potentially dangerous clot than men who did not and 10 times more likely after six years.
The US study compared medical records of over 5,000 transgender people against more than 97,000 others.
Get Ready for a Lesbian Batwoman!
The CW network plans to unveil a lesbian Batwoman TV series this December, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Batwoman revolves around Kate Kane, who, armed with a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind, must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham’s symbol of hope.
Sneak Peek: Trump’s Rare Admission
In a rare moment, President Trump admitted an error.
After serious bi-partisan pushback in reaction to his Helsinki press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump offered a clarification. Stay tuned for my World View Special Report featuring some compelling audio from the president, as well as the political left and the political right immediately following the newscast.
Houston Woman’s 35 Acts of Kindness
When Christina Poole’s official plans for her 35th birthday fell through in Houston, Texas she decided to celebrate instead by completing 35 acts of kindness, reports KTRK-TV.
Poole first encountered the man, named Maurice, near a McDonald’s in downtown Houston, and she treated him to a meal.
Christina Poole: “So I said for my 35th birthday, I was going to do 35 good deeds for just random people. So yesterday, I filled somebody’s gas tank. And today I was going to take care of a homeless person’s food. So, you’re the first person that I saw.”
Maurice: “Thank you.”
Christina Poole: “Alright. What’s your name?”
Maurice: “Maurice.”
Christina Poole: “Maurice, Well, I hope you have blessed and wonderful day Maurice. Don’t eat that food too fast though. Take care.”
Maurice: (sings to her) “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday young lady. Happy birthday to you!”
Christina Poole: “I’m gonna cry. Oh. Give me five Maurice. That’s what’s up.” (laughs)
Maurice: “And I was sure hungry.”
Poole wrote on Instagram, “I want EVERYONE to see how powerful God is, and how the simplest things can become the most precious moments to another person.”
1 John 3:17 says, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?”
World View Listeners in Kentucky and South Africa Say Hello
Kathy Sanders in Louisville, Kentucky wrote me at Adam@TheWorldView.com and said, “I appreciate you and what you’re doing. A good friend of mine sent me the link to subscribe to The Worldview in 5 Minutes. I’m glad she did.”
And Desireé Louw in Pretoria, South Africa wrote, “I have received The World View emails since the end of last year. I enjoy reading the world news through a Biblical perspective. This encourages me to pray for others – especially when hearing about Christian brothers and sisters being persecuted in other countries. May the Lord bless you and continue to use you.”
Only 1 Listener Made a Donation in Last 24 Hours
And finally, the big update on our fundraising campaign. I had asked for 4 World View listeners to make a donation toward our August 3rd goal of $30,000 to keep The World View in 5 Minutes on the air. Unfortunately, only one listener stepped up to the plate.
Each day, our team spends 8-9 hours working on The World View between researching, interviewing, transcribing, writing, editing, and voicing the newscast.
Special thanks to David in Hayden, Idaho for his one-time gift of $10.
Ready for our new grand total? Drum roll please. (drum roll) So far, since July 2nd, the remnant has given or pledged $15,672 toward our $30,000 goal. (applause) We now stand at 52.2% of our goal!
We need just 12 more World View listeners to pledge $50 per month for a year and 22 more listeners to pledge $25 per month for a year. We’re at the half-way point in our fundraising campaign and we really need your help!
Go to www.TheWorldView.com, click on ‘Give’ on the top right, then on $50 or $25, and check the recurring donation button. Would you prayerfully consider becoming one of 4 more World View listeners to step up to the plate by my newscast on Thursday?
And that’s The World View in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, July 18th in the year of our Lord 2018. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Special Report: Trump’s Russian Clarification Falls Short
Time now for a World View Special Report. I’m Adam McManus.
By Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldView.com)
President Donald Trump got a lot of pushback on a comment he made at the Helsinki Summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Listen to the original soundbite which starts with a question from an Associated Press reporter.
Associated Press reporter: “Would you now, with the whole world watching, tell President Putin, would you denounce what happened in 2016 and would you warn him to never do it again?
President Trump: “All I can do is ask the question. My people came to me, Dan Coates, came to me and some others they said they think it’s Russia. I have President Putin. He just said, ‘It’s not Russia.’
“I will say this: I don’t see any reason why it would be. … I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today and what he did is an incredible offer. He offered to have the people working on the case come and work with their investigators, with respect to the 12 people. I think that’s an incredible offer.”
The criticism has been bi-partisan.
From the left side of the aisle, former Watergate prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks on MSNBC blasted Trump’s refusal to address the Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Jill Wine-Banks: “We were burglarized this time by foreign agents. And it’s just as serious to me as the Cuban Missile Crisis in terms of an attack or the 9/11 attack. The president is taking the side of the people who attacked us instead of trying to prevent a future attack. He has done nothing to make sure that the elections four months away are going to be safe. I would say that his performance today will live in infamy as much as the Pearl Harbor attack or Kristallnacht.
“There is no explanation for what could be motivating him. No matter what Russia has on him, if that’s the explanation, it can’t be as bad as his behavior is today.”
And from the right, the Fox & Friends morning crew, usually his biggest cheerleaders, thought that President Trump “fell short.”
Brian Kilmeade: “Thanks to Robert Mueller’s probe, we know the 12 names of the people at least on the Russian side, state sponsored, if these names are correct, we have no reason not to believe it, who were part of the hacking into the election. Not affecting the result, but going ahead and creating chaos in our electoral system. When President Trump was asked about that, he fell short.”
Steve Doocy: “And so the criticism of the president from both sides of the aisle is, wait a minute, you were given the choice, ‘Do you believe Russia or do you believe your own intel community?’ He had that answer, which is puzzling to me because there have been a number of times when the president has said, ‘I think it was Russia … I think there was meddling.’ He had the chance yesterday. He did not do it. … A lot of people criticizing him for not being bold.”
Abby Huntsman: “Well, and you’re standing next to Vladimir Putin whose ultimate goal in life is to undermine our democracy. So it was that one moment that had you to stand up for your own country, to stand up for your intelligence community. As we’ve said this morning, he did not do that.”
Brian Kilmeade: “The president’s under the impression — and I don’t know why still — that if he says the Russians hacked, it makes his election look illegitimate. I have news for you. [Senate Minority Leader Charles] Schumer and Hillary Clinton will never get over the fact that you won the election. Neither will 16 Republicans get over the fact that you won the primary. Did the Russians help you with that? No.
“From the day you came down the escalator, you shocked the world. From November, when everybody had you losing, you shocked the world. It wasn’t because of Russia, but Russia’s goal was to upend our electoral process. They hate democracy.
“I will say this to the President. When Newt Gingrich, when General Jack Keane, when Matt Schlapp say the President fell short and made our intelligence apparatus look bad, I think it’s time to pay attention.”
The pushback led to this rare clarification from President Trump.
President Trump: “While Russia’s actions had no impact at all on the outcome of the election, … I accept our intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election took place. …There was no collusion at all.
“Now, I have to say, I came back, and I said, ‘What is going on? What’s the big deal?’ … I actually went out and reviewed a clip of an answer that I gave. I realized that there is need for some clarification. …
“In a key sentence in my remarks, I said the word ‘would’ instead of ‘wouldn’t.’ The sentence should have been: ‘I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be Russia.’ Sort of a double negative.”
Even if you take the president’s clarification at face value that he meant to say “wouldn’t” instead of “would”, the full context of his original comment points to the conclusion that he indeed meant to say “would.” After all, he said, “I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today.” Those are not the words of a man challenging the Russian President, but the words of a man supporting Putin’s denial that Russia did not meddle in the election.
First, Putin’s words are worthless.
Second, in my view, President Trump is so eager to put the Mueller investigation behind him, that he became reckless and careless in that press conference. I agree with the analysis of the Fox & Friends co-hosts, that at a minimum, Trump “fell short.”
But, in claiming that he was only guilty of a “one-word typo” of sorts in his “clarification”, the Commander-in-Chief stretches the bounds of credulity. Despite the fact that he would have had to eat some painful crow, President Trump should have admitted that he was just plain wrong.
Psalm 69:5 says, “My sins, O God, are not hidden from You; You know how foolish I have been.”
This has been a World View Special Report. I’m Adam McManus.
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Democrats Don’t Want Hillary to Run Again
Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden are among those touted as serious Democratic presidential contenders in 2020, but three-out-of-four Democrats think their party needs to turn to someone new, reports Rasmussen polling.
As for Clinton, 58% now believe she has been bad for the Democratic Party. Only 22% think she’s been good for Democrats, while 12% say she’s had no impact on the party.
Voting Machines Can Be Controlled Remotely!
The nation’s top voting machine maker has admitted in a letter to a federal lawmaker that the company installed remote-access software on election-management systems it sold over a period of six years, raising questions about the security of those systems and the integrity of elections that were conducted with them, reports Motherboard.vice.com.
Texas’ Record Energy Consumption
Texas homes and businesses set a power consumption record for July on Monday and are expected to break the all-time peak over the next week as consumers crank up their air conditioners to escape a brutal heat wave, reports Reuters.
Monday’s peak was shy of the grid’s all-time high in August 2016. According to AccuWeather, high temperatures in Houston, the temperatures are expected to reach 97-100 degrees Fahrenheit every day through July 25.
American Women Target Down Babies with Death
By one estimate, about three-fourths of all pregnant women in the United States undergo prenatal testing to determine if their child has Down syndrome. Of those who test positive, between two-thirds and ninety percent abort their unborn child.
John Stonestreet of Breakpoint.org wrote, “If we want to protect all of God’s children, we’ve got to create a culture in which abortion is not just illegal but unthinkable; in which people see and believe that every human being, from conception to natural death, whether they have disabilities or not, is infinitely precious in the eyes of God.”
Airline Seats Get Smaller
The U.S. Senate is under pressure to back legislation which would set a minimum size for airline seats which have been cut from 31-35 inches in the 1970s to as little as 28 inches today, reports The Telegraph.
Airlines have been relentlessly cutting seat size and pitch as they try to boost their bottom line.
Now FlyersRights.org, the main passenger advocacy group in the US, has said enough is enough, warning that the trend is posing a health and safety risk, saying shrinking seats are increasing the risk of passengers suffering dangerous blood clots.
Police Chief’s Viral Lip Sync Christian Video
An Alabama police chief’s video of him lip-syncing the MercyMe Christian song I Can Only Imagine has gone viral, drawing more than 50 million views on Facebook, reports Christian Headlines.
Hollywood, Alabama Police Chief Jason Hepler lip-synced the song as part of the K9s4Cops’ Lip Sync Battle initiative, according to WHNT-TV.
Hepler said, “I Can Only Imagine is a song that has been there for me in some of my darkest hours, when I was at the lowest points whether caused by bad decisions or because of things I was dealing with seeing from work, this song would be my go to when I needed some uplifting.”
Reaction to the video has been positive. Susanne Kniskern wrote on the U.S. Police Officers Facebook page, “I love this! A strong man praising God unashamed!”