Displaying items by tag: Europe

13,000 people have died since fighting began between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian soldiers in 2014. On 10 December 2019 Russia and Ukraine made progress towards restoring peace in eastern Ukraine, at a Paris summit mediated by Germany and France. A joint communique stated, ‘The sides commit to a full and comprehensive implementation of a cease-fire, strengthened by the implementation of all necessary support measures, before the end of the year 2019’. A prisoner exchange was also agreed. Angela Merkel said the meeting gave renewed momentum to reviving a 2015 Minsk peace agreement that had stalled. Please pray that nothing will prevent the withdrawal of heavy weapons, the restoration of Kyiv's control over its borders, and wider autonomy plus local elections for the separatist regions. The last time the four national leaders gathered in this format was in 2016.

On 4 December, a bomb squad in Madrid destroyed a grenade which had been thrown over the wall of a migrant centre for children. Police said it was a training grenade containing a small amount of explosives, and no injuries were reported. The centre houses dozens of unaccompanied minors, many of them immigrants. The attack has been widely condemned by Spanish politicians and human rights campaigners, with many linking it to anti-immigrant rhetoric. During a televised election debate in November, the leader of the far-right Vox party, Santiago Abascal, accused youths at the centre of causing a spike in crime in the surrounding neighbourhood, where he lives. In the election, Vox more than doubled its seats to become the country's third most-powerful party.

The mandate for the 2019-2024 European Union sees the election of new MEPs to the Parliament and a change to the whole European Commission, as Ursula von der Leyen replaces Jean Claude Junker as president. Pray for God to direct the new members to be people of integrity as they step into positions of authority. Ms von der Leyen, who took office on 1 December, will focus on an ambitious climate agenda to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, and will work closely with the European Parliament to strengthen democracy and create a fair social market economy in Europe. She also gave a very personal insight into her idea of Europe’s path amid global challenges saying, ‘We need to do it the European way’.

Lithuania’s foreign minister has said that Russia represents the biggest obstacle to the peace process in Ukraine, as it represents itself misleadingly as a ‘neutral party’ in the conflict while actively participating. Ukrainian armed forces have fought Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine since 2014 and killed over 13,000 people. Moscow denies providing weapons, training and personnel to support the separatists, but independent observers, journalists and official monitors have substantial evidence to the contrary. Lithuania, with an ethnic Ukrainian population of 44,000 people, has sent military equipment to back Kyiv’s efforts in the war, and hosts 500 American soldiers to bolster NATO's eastern flank near Russia's borders.

After Chile decided against hosting the 2019 UN climate change conference (COP25) following weeks of protests, the UN has confirmed that it will take place in Madrid, from 2 to 13 December. Chile will preside, with logistical support from the Spanish government.. Britain has been chosen to host the next climate summit, COP26, in Glasgow. On 26 November the UN stated that they intend to cut global emissions by 7.6% every year for the next decade to meet the 1.5°C Paris target. They warn that unless global greenhouse gas emissions fall drastically between 2020 and 2030, the world will miss the opportunity to work towards that target. Even if all current unconditional commitments are implemented, temperatures will rise by 3.2°C, bringing even wider-ranging and more destructive climate impacts. See also

Hungary has pulled out of the Eurovision song contest, amid speculation it is ‘too gay’. A source inside Hungary’s public broadcaster, MTVA, said they assumed hostility to the contest’s LGBT+ links were behind the decision. One pro-government commentator described Eurovision as a ‘homosexual flotilla’ and said the country’s mental health would be better if it did not join the competition. MTVA, which discourages positive coverage of LGBT+, usually hosts the song contest whose winner goes on to represent the country at Eurovision. It said, ‘Instead of taking part in Eurovision, we will support the valuable productions created by the talents of Hungarian pop music directly.’ The winner will instead be given the chance to appear on domestic media shows and at festivals. Associates of prime minister Viktor Orban have control of much of the country’s media including state media.

Iceland’s largest fishing company, Samherji, exploited legal loopholes and secrecy jurisdictions to enable corruption and environmental exploitation on a global scale. It used an anonymous shell company to launder and transfer 70 million dollars’ worth of illegal fishing activities off the coasts of West Africa, and bribed members of the Namibian government. Two Namibian ministers have already resigned over allegedly giving preferential access to fishing grounds. Samherji used shell companies in Dubai, Mauritius and Cyprus. Most of the money was traced to a bank account at a state-owned bank: the bank’s largest shareholder is the Norwegian state, which holds a 34% stake.

Could Brexit be a symptom of issues facing Europe? When society turns away from God’s principles we risk making our desires our idols. For decades many of our nations have sought to make individualism a priority, whether pursuing selfish desires or not taking responsibility for the consequences of our actions, or sexually immoral expressions, or perhaps as a nation we think we are better than others or have some given right to be great. There is nothing new in these attitudes but we give in to them at our peril. The Old Testament is full of warnings to society as we seek to follow our own desires. Many observers from across the channel cannot understand how a nation known as the ‘mother of democracy’ could be in this mess. The UK and the rest of the EU need an answer to the Brexit question. For the UK it is about repairing division; for the EU, it is about protecting the integrity of a trading block that faces the complexities of a changing world of competing global powers.

The historical child abuse allegations against the Vatican continue after three former altar boys who were at a seminary in the Vatican in the 1980s have now accused two priests of sexually abusing them. They said they were between the ages of 10 and 14 at the time. The allegations will be explored in an investigative Italian TV show on 24 November.

A partnership between Romanian police and Glasgow Airport aimed at tackling human trafficking more effectively has been suspended. Flights between Romania and the UK have been identified as high risk for trafficking. Romanian officers had been travelling to Scotland and London to deal with the ‘high-risk’ flights from their country, as part of a collaboration described in an inspection report as ‘extremely useful’. Inspectors were told as long ago as February that the Scottish arrangement with the Romanian police had been suspended. Staff believed that this was due to the uncertainty caused by Brexit, but the Glasgow safeguarding and modern slavery team was hopeful that it would recommence at some point.