Displaying items by tag: Europe

French president Emmanuel Macron has announced the withdrawal of French troops from Niger and the repatriation of the French ambassador, following a military coup in the country. He stated that France would end its military cooperation with the de facto authorities in Niger, citing their lack of commitment to fighting terrorism. The decision comes after weeks of tensions with the junta and a deteriorating situation. Macron specified that the soldiers stationed in Niger would return to France in an orderly manner over the coming weeks and months, with the goal of completing the withdrawal by the end of the year. The announcement was met with joy in Niamey, the capital of Niger, as thousands of people rallied in support. Macron's decisions were made in coordination with Nigerien president Mohamed Bazoum, who remains under house arrest, and leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

As the new school year begins in Germany, the biggest problem is still the nationwide shortage of teachers. This could be remedied, for example by employing career changers, having larger classes, and using more hybrid lessons (partly online). But this increases the risk that the existing teachers may suffer illness or even resign and makes the general atmosphere and conditions for the students to learn well in lessons more challenging. In addition, due to measures introduced during the Covid crisis, learning deficiencies and mental illnesses have increased significantly among children and young people. The fear of being infected by Covid has now been replaced by fears about climate change and the apocalypse (the world coming to an end). These take away motivation and willingness to learn. The building of a world for tomorrow requires not only discipline, but above all a vision.

On 21 September, King Charles III followed in his mother's footsteps by addressing lawmakers in the French upper chamber, the Senate. He focused on a message of unity between France and the UK, ending with a personal pledge to strengthen what he described as the ‘indispensable’ relationship between the two countries during his time as monarch. He also suggested that France and Britain should team up to jointly tackle the climate and biodiversity emergencies with a new version of the 1904 Entente Cordiale pact that sealed the friendship between Paris and London. The king’s speech, which he delivered in English and French, received a standing ovation as it came to a close.

One of Ukraine's staunchest allies, Poland, has said it will no longer supply weapons to its neighbour, as a diplomatic dispute over grain escalates. The dispute began after the Russian invasion forced Ukraine to find alternative overland routes, which led to large quantities of grain ending up in central Europe. Consequently, the EU temporarily banned imports of grain into five countries to protect local farmers, who feared Ukrainian grain was driving down prices. The ban ended on 15 September, but Hungary, Slovakia and Poland decided to keep on implementing it. Remarks by President Zelenskiy at the UN, that it was alarming how some of Ukraine's friends were ‘making a thriller from grain’, have been denounced by Warsaw as unjustified. Prime minister Mateus Morawiecki was adamant Poland was helping Ukraine defeat the ‘Russian barbarian’ by maintaining a military hub, but he said he would not agree to Poland's markets being destabilised by grain imports. Ukraine has filed lawsuits with the World Trade Organisation against the three countries over the bans, which it says are a violation of international obligations.

Prime minister Viktor Orbán believes Europe can be saved if it returns to its ‘real values, its Christian identity.’ He said, ‘We Hungarians believe that Christian culture is the cornerstone that holds the architecture of European civilisation in place’. Hungary differs from Europe in its attitude to illegal immigrants. While resisting the influx, it tries to help people to live and thrive in their own countries by rebuilding schools, hospitals and dwellings in troubled parts of the world and providing education at Hungarian universities for young people. Orbán has said, ‘Hungarian people and their government believe that Christian virtues provide peace and happiness to those who practise them. This legacy obliges us to protect Christian communities persecuted across the world as far as we are able.’ Hungary also bans the teaching of homosexuality in schools, which Emmanuel Macron says is ‘not in line with Europe’s values and what Europe is’. The country has moved from Soviet domination through post-communist chaos to Christian democracy.

Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un toasted their friendship with Russian wine after Putin showed Kim around the country's most modern space launch facility. Kim is currently in Russia, where he has vowed to support the Kremlin's ‘sacred war’ against Ukraine, raising concerns that the two nations could bolster their military capabilities. At the end of the reception, Kim courteously invited Putin to visit the DPRK at a convenient time. Putin accepted the invitation with pleasure and reaffirmed his desire invariably to carry forward the history and tradition of the Russia-DPRK friendship. They also held talks alongside their defence ministers and called each other ‘comrades’. The growing friendship has concerned the West that North Korea will supply Russia with weapons. The USA said that this visit has made it clear that Putin will set aside any concern to achieve victory in Ukraine. If an arms deal was reached, the USA would slap additional sanctions on them. In a further surprise development, Kim has extended his stay in Russia: see

In April 2022, Finnish MP and former government minister Päivi Räsänen was declared innocent of all charges over her beliefs on sexuality, but the prosecutors appealed the verdict. The latest trial involves expressions of her Christian faith in a tweet, in a church pamphlet twenty years ago, and in a 2019 radio interview. She is accused under the ‘War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity’ for ‘agitation against a minority group’. She says it is a very important verdict for freedom of speech and religion in Finland, which has consequences across Europe. Räsänen’s tweet challenged her church leadership for sponsoring a Pride event, and included a picture of a Bible verse from Romans. The prosecutor said she wasn’t putting God in the dock, but rather those who interpret what the Bible says: ‘You can cite the Bible, but it is Räsänen’s interpretation and opinion about Bible verses that are criminal.’ The court will deliver a verdict by 30 November.

Yuri Sipko, a retired pastor and former president of the Baptist World Alliance, fled Russia when the authorities attempted to arrest him for publicly praying for peace in Ukraine. He decided to do this after his participation in an online prayer vigil for Ukraine at an event hosted by Mission Eurasia. From an undisclosed location in Europe, he said, ‘The law makes it a crime to call the war a war and forbids anyone to call for peace in Ukraine. But I prayed for peace and said it is a crime to drop rockets and bombs on the Ukrainian people’. He evaded capture on 8 August and has since been placed on a most-wanted list for disseminating false information about the invasion. ‘It is a terrible thing when the word “peace” is outlawed. Everything is upside-down in Russia’, he said.

On 29 August Ukraine gained a foothold less than three miles from Russia’s defensive lines in the Zaporizhzhya region, and the village of Robotyne was liberated following weeks of fighting over the settlement. When Ukrainian forces split to launch another attack in-between the villages of Novodanylivka and Verbove, prominent Russian military blogger Romanov (with 135,000 followers) described the current situation for Russia as ‘very dangerous.’ But sadly, there has been a dramatic rise in Ukraine's death toll. The grim task of counting the dead is a daily reality, with the unknown soldiers piled high in a small brick mortuary, not far from the Donetsk front line. The figures remain classified, but US officials recently put the number at 70,000 dead and as many as 120,000 injured. It is a staggering figure, from armed forces estimated at only half a million strong. The UN has reported 9,177 civilian deaths. 9,177 civilian deaths.

In Greece, the largest wildfire ever recorded in the European Union has prompted the EU to mobilise almost half of its firefighting air wing to help tackle it. Greece's fire service told the AFP news agency that the fire is still out of control in their nature reserve, a major sanctuary for birds of prey. It is raging across a six-mile front. Fire department officials arrested two men for deliberate arson, while hundreds of firefighters battled wildfires which have killed at least 21 people. Pray for those mourning the dead, and for those who have watched fires consume their homes. Pray for those in fear as they watch vast tracts of forest blaze, and for the civilians who have been evacuated from the towns of Avra, Atarni and Plaka.