Manchester shootings
Two children and eight adults received ‘pellet-type wounds’ at a Moss Side street party at its Caribbean carnival. Moss Side has done much work in recent years to remove its reputation of drugs, gangs and violence. Former police officer Martin Harding, who now works with local schools, said that the number of shootings has significantly fallen in recent years as the area re-invented its image. The carnival was a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Windrush arrival. The shootings shocked the local community. The rector of St James’s Church said that they were praying that this kind of violence doesn't develop. In a message to the families of those hurt, he added, ‘We love you. We'll be praying for you. We hope your loved ones will be recovering fast. If anybody needs to talk about this, then our door is always open.’ See also
‘100 Days of Peace and Hope’
Churches around the country have begun 100 days of prayer for peace to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War. A similar national day of prayer was held on 4 August 1918; 100 days after this, Armistice Day occurred. Communities across the country are being encouraged to organise peace prayer events, community peace talks, peace festivals, peace arts and poetry competitions, peace projects and many more community building activities. In London, people are praying for peace, especially in the light of rising knife crime. Blackburn Cathedral invites people to ‘come in and light a candle or use our prayer resources over the next 99 days’.
UCB’s Big Weekend Walk
From 5 to 7 October, UCB are asking churches across the UK (and anyone else who wants to get involved) to help raise support for UCB, by going for a walk! It might be a sponsored stroll with a few friends, an organised walk with people after church on Sunday, or people might even take on a much more challenging hike across the whole of the UK. Every single mile walked by every single person counts! The UCB team will be walking to add to the big total. They said, ‘Between us, can we walk enough miles to cover the distance from John O’Groats to Land’s End, and raise funds for UCB to share God’s Word the length and breadth of the UK at the same time?’
Italy: escapes and accusations
After a motorway bridge collapsed in Genoa on 14 August, causing at least 39 deaths, prime minister Giuseppe Conte has declared a state of emergency for the region. As stories emerge of how some people miraculously escaped, attention has shifted to who (if anyone) might have been responsible for the disaster. Autostrade per l'Italia, which is responsible for the country’s motorways, has rejected accusations that it was making huge profits and not spending enough on maintenance. It says checks were carried out quarterly by world-leading experts and had shown no cause for alarm. Also, Brussels has dismissed claims by deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini that EU spending rules prevented the country from spending enough to keep its infrastructure safe. A spokesman stated that in fact, the EU has encouraged investment in infrastructure in Italy. See
Romania: 450 protesters hurt in clashes
Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Bucharest the day after 450+ people were hurt and about 30 arrested in a huge anti-corruption protest on 10 August. Police had used water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters calling for the left-wing government to resign. Many protesters needed treatment after inhaling pepper spray and tear gas; others suffered blows. Floarea Toader, 64, said, ‘My children work in Spain and they would like to come back. But for now that's not possible as the politicians are only interested in themselves and do nothing for anyone else.’ Four million people have left Romania in the last fifteen years, seeking a better life. Romania's average monthly wage is £465. Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz, whose country currently holds the EU rotating presidency, criticised the violence, in which an Austrian public broadcaster cameraman was hurt.
Sweden: cars torched ahead of elections
In the elections on 9 September, the anti-immigration Eurosceptic party Sweden Democrats hopes to become the country’s largest political party. It has accused the ruling centre-left coalition of allowing ‘no-go zones’ to emerge in deprived areas with large migrant populations. On 13 August gangs of masked youths dressed in black firebombed at least 100 cars in several cities. Violent crime is high on the political agenda after a spate of shootings and grenade attacks. Prime minister Stefan Lofven said that the perpetrators threatened to ‘destroy’ neighbourhoods and asked them, ‘What the hell are you doing?’ Pray for Mr Lofven and his law enforcement to bring peace and calm to challenging areas ahead of the elections. Operation World states, ‘Politicians (often without any clear faith in Jesus) are frequently chosen to sit on parish councils.’
USA: 60+ people shot in one weekend
Police in Chicago have asked for more help to combat gun violence after over sixty people were shot in one weekend. More than thirty were gunned down during just one three-hour period on Sunday. Police said most shootings were gang-related. Donovan Price, a pastor and emergency administrator, said, ‘This is just out of control. It's a war zone going on right now. Chicago is just crazy.’ But in a country where it is easier to buy a gun than spray paint and there are nearly as many guns as people, not everyone wants stricter gun controls. President Trump has repeatedly vowed to intervene in Chicago, where law-enforcement officers have struggled with intractable violence problems. Pray for Trump to release enough federal help for control to be more successful.
Turkey: Erdogan refuses to release pastor, lira plunges
The Turkish currency is in freefall after President Trump escalated a feud with Ankara by doubling tariffs on metals imports. The lira has long been falling due to worries about President Erdogan's influence over monetary policy and worsening US relations. Turkey and the USA are at odds over many issues, the most pressing being the detention of pastor Andrew Brunson who was jailed for allegedly supporting a group that Ankara blames for the failed coup. He faces 35 years in prison, and on 15 August a court ruled he must remain under house arrest. Qatar has pledged $15 billion of investments after Erdogan said that the shadowy ‘interest rate lobby’ and Western credit ratings agencies were attempting to bring down the economy. He said, ‘If there is anyone who has dollars or gold under their pillows, they should go and exchange it for liras at our banks. This is a national, domestic battle.’ See also
Cuba: same-sex marriage
Cuba’s national assembly is considering changes to the 1976 constitution. A draft new constitution recognises private property and opens the door to same-sex marriage. In July five evangelical churches in Cuba spoke out their opposition to same-sex marriage because the ideology of gender is totally foreign to Cuban culture or ‘the historic leaders of the Revolution.’ They explained their position in a statement posted on social networks. The five denominations do not belong to the government-approved Cuban Council of Churches. Evangelical churches in Cuba have experienced rapid growth since the government's religious opening up in the 1990s. They now have hundreds of ‘home temples’ spread around the island. See:
Cameroon: growing violence
The World Council of Churches (WCC) has called on the Cameroonian government to stop using force to punish its people in the English-speaking region. The authorities should immediately cease using ‘disproportionate and deadly force against civilians and protect everyone’s human rights’. The UN described the situation as ‘an unprecedented complex humanitarian crisis’ caused by violence between the government and both English-speaking separatists in the west of Nigeria and Boko Haram in the north-east. The country has been affected by the mass displacement of hundreds of thousands of Nigerians and Cameroonians; also by insecurity, malnutrition, and a ‘very disturbing’ risk of epidemics, because of the ongoing conflict. The WCC particularly condemned escalating violence against women and children. Paul Biya, who has been president since 1982, intends to run for a seventh term.