How desperate must Donald Trump be for his reelection? Yesterday, over CNN, he was reported as claiming that the coronavirus pandemic will end by the time election day comes around! Has he been hearing voices from heaven? Of course we all hope his prediction comes true, but coming from the mouth of a politician, I doubt if even his own fellow Americans believe him. I have heard a lot of political election promises, but this one takes the cake.

Let Rome burn, and let Lebanon explode. These two incidents happened centuries apart, but there was something common in the response to them. Remember? Nero was considered a villain for playing his fiddle while Rome was burning, and history never‘ forgave him for that. Only the other day, a terrible explosion rocked Lebanon, leaving homes and buildings in rubble. But while residents were panicking and rushing out of their damaged homes, the sound of a piano tinkling could be heard. It turned out to be a grandmother playing on the instrument! And what was she playing? Would you believe? The old American favorite “Auld Lang Syne”!

Isn’t it ironical? The Health Department is looking for workers, while at the same time the agency is being probed for what could be anomalous actions or decisions of some of its officials. Indeed, it is a great shame that some of the people our government has entrusted with very important functions of our government, are proving themselves unworthy of the trust given to them. But it seems our President has a few of his men who may be condemned by others, but still retain his trust and confidence.

Here we are – your STAR is still shining for our dear and faithful readers! And if you want to know how we are doing it, please join us in giving thanks to our Lord for the inspiration and assistance. He has provided us, the way He has never failed before in our most crucial days. I admit that some of our members had been greatly disturbed by what they had believed was going to be the end of their beloved STAR, but see? With prayers and faith alone, we are surviving, and all I can say to those who had lost hope, is to resort to another quote: “O ye of little faith… “

Could it be true? I got a big shock yesterday upon hearing the news that today, the Senate will conduct a hearing, or was it an investigation on the agency called PhilHealth it apparently suspects of some monkey business in

The DAILY STAR staff and I were all stunned when news spread around that the DAILY STAR would stop publication. I don’t think anyone of us had ever made such announcement because, despite all the vicissitudes that this pandemic has foisted on humanity, as well as on the media, we still clung to the thought that times would improve and if we keep swinging long enough, we will still come out with fists in the air! For the information of all our readers, friends, supporters and sympathizers, we have not missed a single issue since the plague descended on the world. And with the blessings of the Lord, who had inspired and guided us all those 38-plus years, and the support and encouragement of all you readers and friends, we will continue to do so and still rise every morning to supply you the news.

How long, Lord God, how long? That was the lament of a high priest in the old ages when sufferings and death were imposed by the Lord on a sinful people. Now the plea is coming from our own generation because of this penalty that our people are suffering, not only in one town, province or country, but worldwide. Why is it that, although the symptoms are so simple, the toll is so great?

I am sure that on this day, members of that faith will also be praying not only for their own countries and people, but also for the entire humanity that is now being threatened by this new and mysterious disease that has confounded even the most talented minds in the medical profession. And since we are ourselves hopeless and helpless in containing it, all we can do now is pray, along with people of all faiths and beliefs, that the same God we worship and depend on, will see fit now to have mercy on us and remove this deadly virus that is decimating humanity.

Who would ever think what lengths this coronavirus would reach in incapacitating activities worldwide? Now it is your DAILY STAR that has felt its effects. Not, thank God has it hit our wonderful staff for whom I pray with all my heart everyday, but its victim in our vicinity is the project that we have nurtured and sacrificed for so much, for more than 38 years now. It was a most painful decision to make, but this time our concern was not only our dwindling finances, but the health of our staff who have worked with us in sickness and in heath, through thick and thin.

Is this good news that will affect the whole world? We are referring to the reports that trials in vaccines that have been introduced in the United States have started, and we do not know yet whether they will be effective enough to be introduced worldwide later. But it is still a welcome development, that gives hope to an almost despairing humanity. So far, however, according to CNN reports, only one person, a female, had submitted to it, and she will most likely go down in history as a heroine, or a martyr. Whichever the result.