Police in the Hungarian town of Debrecen have used tear gas against unruly migrants in a local camp. The riot broke out as Hungary is overwhelmed by an influx of migrants that it says it cannot contain. One hundred migrants from the camp blocked a nearby road, throwing stones at passing cars and setting trash bins on fire. Police report it is not entirely clear what started the rioting, with spokesman Denes Dobo saying there was a row between two Turkish nationals and several other migrants, which escalated into a brawl. Hungary's Prime Minister said his country is bearing the brunt of this year's migrant influx. Sixty thousand African and Middle Eastern migrants have crossed into Hungary and the number could rise to One hundred and fifty thousand by the end of the year. EU leaders are in a frantic search for a solution to the migrant crisis, which has so far only resulted in the scrapping of a previous idea that involved mandatory migrant quotas for all member states. Hungary has used up the capacities at its disposal and the desperate situation requires fast action in this escalated situation.
Pope Francis has written the first papal encyclical focused solely on the environment, attempting to reframe care of the earth as a moral and spiritual concern and not just a matter of politics, science and economics. In the document, ‘Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home,’ he argues that the environment is in crisis – cities to oceans, forests to farmland. He emphasises that the poor are most affected by damage from what he describes as economic systems that favour the wealthy, and political systems that lack the courage to look beyond short-term rewards. But the encyclical is addressed to everyone on the planet. It’s 184 pages are an urgent, accessible call to action, making a case that all is interconnected, including the solutions to the grave environmental crisis. In paragraph 14 he says, ‘Young people demand change. They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better future without thinking of the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded.’
In making his calculations, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras should be under no illusions that many in the rest of the Eurozone want him out. When he unexpectedly sprung a referendum on his European partners, they were outraged and quickly ended negotiations. Now, in places such as Berlin, Madrid and Helsinki, they see an opportunity to rid themselves of a troublesome leader. European leaders are lining up to define next Sunday's referendum. ‘The Greeks don't have to say whether they love the PM more than European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’ said the German Vice-Chancellor, ‘but whether they want to stay in the single currency or not, it's 'Yes' or 'No' to staying in the euro.’
The French Prime Minister said, ‘If Greece votes 'No', there is a risk of sliding towards a Greek exit from the euro.’ The Italian Prime Minister said the referendum was ‘about the drachma versus the euro’.
Mrs Merkel said, ‘Before a referendum is carried out we won't negotiate on anything new at all.’
It almost seemed that the German chancellor now wanted the referendum.
The European issues at stake are far wider than this rather narrow perspective; a strong domino effect could ensue from the referendum outcome.
Gibraltar: Mediterranean Mission to Seafarers
03 Jul 2015
The Mediterranean Mission to Seafarers Gibraltar is a kindred society of Mission to Seafarers of which Her Majesty The Queen is Patron. In the early days the Mission operated from a Nissan hut in the port area and even had its own launch ‘The Flying Angel’ which was used to visit ships anchored in the bay.
The Dean of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity currently acts as the Mission to Seafarers Port Chaplain. Along with other appointed ships’ visitors from the Cathedral he works in partnership with clergy and lay colleagues from the Roman Catholic Apostleship of the Sea, the Sailors Society and other faith groups to meet the spiritual needs of seafarers visiting Gibraltar. The Dean and his colleagues are available to offer Christian services, spiritual support and opportunities for prayer and quiet reflection. There is also a Flying Angel and Port Authority Club that is managed on behalf of Mission to Seafarers.
Germany: Longs for hope
03 Jul 2015
Operation World reports, ‘The decline of Christianity has drawn believers together. Prayer movements are forming and spreading as are city- and region-wide unity initiatives among churches, a revitalized spirituality and an openness to a new way of doing faith’; and Missionary ECM works with several teams, particularly in the eastern German province of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and in the southwest of the country. In eastern Germany, communism and after that economic difficulties left deep marks in the spiritual lives of the people. The Christian faith is reduced to the margins of society. Many people don't know what the Gospel is all about. ECM desires to bring the Gospel to their attention again by active, living Christian communities, as a new message that gives hope for the future. A large number of refugees from several religious backgrounds live in southwest Germany and are trying to build a new life. ECM helps to support them with that and wants them to get to know the Gospel.
France: Least evangelised country in Europe
03 Jul 2015
France is one of the countries where the Reformation started. The Roman Catholic Church has played a predominant role in French society and mentalities in the past. Anti-religious sentiments have developed in France since the 1970s and in 1999 those who identified themselves as French Evangelicals were labelled a ‘sect’ by a government commission. There are 36,550 cities, towns and villages in France and 35,000 of them do not have an Evangelical church. Meanwhile, Islam has seen strong growth. For each Evangelical Christian in France, there are ten practicing Muslims. France has developed a reputation as a ‘missionary graveyard.’ It is one of the least evangelised countries in the world - only 0.4% of the population are Evangelical Christian. It is both essential and urgent that everything be put into place so that the Gospel is preached with strength and vigour.
Faroe Islands
03 Jul 2015
The Faroe Islands consists of 18 rugged islands between Iceland and Scotland, 16 of which are inhabited. The official language: Faroese, which is of the Scandinavian family; (Danish). Christian resources are plentiful for this small population with two Bible translations (and one modern paraphrased NT being prepared). There is a Christian radio station (Radio Lindin). They have a Christian TV station (Iktus Christian TV) and online Bible in Faroese. They have their own Christian magazine and two bookstores.
Over 300,000 homes are without a permanent resident in Finland. Many empty properties are located in boroughs with negative net migration. For example 28,000+ homes were empty in Helsinki at the end of 2014. (8.2% of the housing stock of the city). That’s equivalent to the population of the town of Imatra. Some are second homes of the wealthy. However the number of vacant properties is projected to rise as the elderly move to nursing homes, leaving their relatives in possession. As the elderly pass away many beneficiaries are reluctant to rent out the property. Meanwhile homelessness is a problem with people staying in outdoors staircases, night shelters, hostels or boarding houses for homeless people, social welfare authorities, rehabilitation homes or hospitals. Lack of organisation has led to ex-convicts being released with no housing arranged. See also: http://www.housingfirst.fi/en/housing_first/homelessness_in_finland/finnish_homelessness_and_its_characteristics