Displaying items by tag: Europe
EU facing new migrant crisis
A migrant crisis on the Turkey/Greece border is entwined with Idlib, the last stronghold of Syrian rebels backed by Turkey. Russia supports Syria and intends eradicating rebels from Idlib. When 34 Turkish soldiers died in Russian airstrikes, Turkey withdrew from an agreement to prevent refugees from crossing Turkey’s borders with Greece and Bulgaria, so by 5 March 25,000 refugees and migrants had gathered on the Greek border, seeking to cross into Europe. But they faced Greek troops repelling them with tear gas and water cannons on the land border and denying landing permission at the coast. EU leaders voiced unwavering solidarity with Greece, pledging to deploy urgent border guard reinforcements on land and at sea, and to disburse immediately some €350 million in aid, sending a message to the EU's 440 million citizens that they will prevent a new wave of arrivals at a time when the continent is struggling to prevent a coronavirus epidemic. See
Rise Up Now - Brussels 11th to 13th June 2020
The Lord is gathering His people on the European Continent, and the whole body of Christ from other parts of the world stands with this European Gathering, for we know that the Lord will uncover the old wells on this continent and new streams of grace will again flow from Europe to the world.
In the last years Rise-Up Now has run several conferences in different European cities with the vision to see national European believers and immigrant believers from different parts of the world living in Europe work together to proclaim God's ownership of each European land they live in through prayer, networking, and proclaiming the good news to all.
His bride from every tribe, people, and nation exclaims to HIM, "You are worthy." This bride from many nations will come together in Brussels from June 11th to 13th to worship Him and proclaim His dominion over Europe.
Video invitations:
Dr. Khaled Leon
https://youtu.be/rAy302eg-js
Fadi Krikor
https://youtu.be/WPPR0AGpmpE
Pastor Yassir Eric
https://youtu.be/I1m_MRjwvtg
The Lord gathers his people from Europe and the whole body of Christ from other parts of the world to become one with the European assembly because we know that the Lord will open the old wells on this continent Europe and new streams of grace from Europe again will flow all over the world.
In recent years, Rise-Up Now has held several conferences in different European cities with the vision of seeing European siblings working together with foreign siblings who come from different parts of the world and now live in Europe To proclaim God's rule over every European country they live in through prayer and cooperation in spreading the gospel.
His bride from every tribe, people and nation calls to him: "You are worthy." This bride from many nations will meet in Brussels from June 11th to 13th to worship him and proclaim his rule over Europe.
To Register Click Here:
Denmark: Corruption & money laundering
A court in Copenhagen has sent a social worker to prison for 6 years 5 months after she was found guilty of embezzling welfare money for decades, approximately $17 million. Britta Nielsen was extradited from South Africa, where she had fled after becoming a suspect in what is considered the worst corruption scandal of its kind. The case shocked Denmark. The Nordic nation is still trying to track down billions of dollars lost through a combination of tax evasion and a botched handling of foreign claims on dividend taxes. Meanwhile, Denmark’s biggest lender, Danske Bank A/S, is at the centre of an historic money-laundering scandal.
Montenegro: Nationalistic tension
Montenegro has introduced a new law on religion which is causing great tension. A faith community must be able to prove that it owned its property before 1918 but many - especially the Serbian Orthodox Church – cannot do so. This is a provocative move in a country divided by ethnic & national identity. There have been huge protests in both Montenegro and Serbia. There is a real risk of ongoing instability, even violence. 30% of Montenegro’s population are ethnic Serbs. The argument is not about religion but about identity. Milan Knežević, an MP from Montenegro organised an event at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg about this legal situation. However, his passport was removed and he could not attend. Two members of his family were also arrested. (See) This is a pretty shocking level of intimidation. Please pray for peace in Montenegro. Ethnic and nationalistic identity divides the nation but it would be a tragedy if the situation escalates into violence.
France: military action in Mali
Mali was under French colonial rule until early 1959, when it assumed independence. However, France has 5,500 troops there working to keep the peace. Now France’s defence minister has said they will boost its military presence in the area to counter increasing violence carried out by armed groups. 600 additional troops will be deployed by March. On 14 February at least 40 people were killed in Ogossagou, the Fulani village that was targeted in a massacre of 160 people last year by Dogon militiamen. Huts and crops were set alight, livestock burned or taken away, and 28 people are missing. Clashes between the Dogon and Fulani ethnic groups are frequent, compounding a dire security situation in Mali's semi-arid and desert regions, where attacks by armed groups are common. See also
Greece: inhumane refugee camps
Pray for the Greek government trying to find new solutions to unhealthy sanitary conditions for thousands of migrants living in camps. In January it was urged to order an immediate evacuation of 100+ sick children from Moria refugee camp on Lesbos. Médecins Sans Frontières accused Athens of ‘deliberately depriving’ at least 140 minors of adequate medical care for what they described as chronic, complex and life-threatening diseases, and said it was urgent they were moved from notorious Moria to the mainland or to other EU member states. The new conservative government announced that the current overcrowded camps will close this year’, planning to replace them with smaller facilities which should be operational by mid-2020. However, administrative officials and residents of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Leros, and Kos are gathering in front of the interior ministry to protest against these plans.
Ireland: new government needed
Ireland needs to form a new government after election results showed Fianna Fáil winning 38 seats, Sinn Féin 37, and Fine Gael 35. The numbers indicate that negotiations to establish a government could be prolonged. The prospect of the left-wing, nationalist Sinn Fein entering Ireland’s government looks likely. This could make some people uncomfortable when they recall all the ‘Troubles’ of the past. In a world of fragmenting politics with Ireland’s Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, onlookers say it was only a matter of time before Sinn Fein found a route to power. Before the election, both the other parties had ruled out forging a coalition with Sinn Fein, citing its tax policies and IRA past as deterrents. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has said she would ask the EU to support Irish reunification if she was part of the next government.
Spain: ‘We have nothing to keep the sea out’
After Storm Gloria devastated one of the Mediterranean’s largest wetlands in January, an urgent search began for solutions to protect it from further floods and creeping water levels. The low-lying Ebro delta suffered most, with waves inundating rice fields and irrigation channels with saltwater as far as two miles inland. Industry has reduced essential sediment from reaching the delta. The sediment is essential for local ecology and protecting shorelines from erosion. Some shorelines are receding over five metres annually. Gloria badly damaged mussel and oyster farms, which sustained losses of £1.3 million. ‘No one has ever seen a storm like this here’, said one farmer. Houses were flooded. ‘Imagine the impact of nine-metre waves and 100km per hour winds hitting a region at sea level,’ said the president of the Ebro delta. For decades the delta’s fragile ecology has suffered from political neglect and over-exploitation of the river.
France: protests continue
Doctors and lawyers marched in Paris on 3 February, demonstrating against President Macron's pension reforms. It is the latest in a wave of protests against Macron's signature reform, streamlining France's complex and expensive pension system that allows some French workers to retire as young as 50. It has led to more than sixty days of strikes and protests by many different people, including transport workers, women's groups, and those in the tourism and energy sectors. These protests have seen tourist attractions like the Eiffel Tower closed, and electricity and gas cut off by workers at energy plants. Macron hopes he can force his reform through parliament this month. Prime minister Edouard Philippe will negotiate with unions from 10 February to make the new retirement system financially sustainable.
Malta: a wake-up call to church
A float depicting Archbishop Charles J Scicluna will take part in Valletta’s carnival parade, despite criticism. Rayvin Galea, the artist behind the float’s design, hopes to get across various issues which he feels have not properly been addressed by the Church. They include its opposition to same-sex marriage, depicted on his float through a figurine of a gay couple on top of a wedding cake, while the Church’s opposition to IVF takes the form of two horned cherubs. Scicluna will wear a military uniform, which represents the Church’s conservative stance on many social issues. Missing will be the words ‘St Joseph’s Home’ above the Scicluna effigy, which would have been a reference to the sexual abuse of children in the late 80s at the church orphanage. The float also features Lady Justice with a blindfold, a balance, and a sword, showcasing the lack of justice received by the victims of the abuse.