EU leaders and UK prorogation
30 Aug 2019
Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron sounded semi-enthusiastic last week when Boris Johnson spoke about getting an agreement, even if they were sceptical that there is a different deal to be agreed. This week, they are resisting…
Italy: another volcano eruption
30 Aug 2019
A volcano on the tiny Italian island of Stromboli, off the coast of Sicily, has erupted for the second time in two months, forcing tourists to flee from this popular tourist spot. On 28 August a…
France: G7 summit (24-26 August)
22 Aug 2019
The 2019 G7 summit in Biarritz will focus on fighting inequality. The following five objectives will be discussed, and we can pray that they will be acted on: a) inequality of opportunity, promoting in particular gender…
Switzerland: UN summit on extinction threats
22 Aug 2019
Amid growing alarm over accelerating extinctions, a major two-week international conference opened in Geneva on 17 August. 183 member states aim to tighten rules on trade in elephant ivory and other endangered animal and plant species.…
Russia: protests challenge Putin’s dominance
15 Aug 2019
President Putin’s heavy-handed politics ahead of September elections have caused street protests for weeks. Russians are airing an array of grievances over economic stagnation and the Kremlin’s geopolitical isolation. Putin has turned Russia into a powerhouse…
Ukraine: 500+ churches join new Orthodox church
15 Aug 2019
In seven months over 500 congregations have left the Russian-affiliated church to join a newly created Orthodox Church of Ukraine. As a result, the Russian church has lost almost 5% of its congregations, a relatively small…