Europe: migrants shipwrecked
Over 100 migrants died and 80 were recovered alive after their overloaded boat of 200+ people sank in rough seas off southern Italy. It was trying to land near Crotone. 43 bodies were recovered from a nearby beach resort. The migrants were from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Somalia. Large numbers of people fleeing conflict and poverty cross from Africa to Italy each year. Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni, who pledged to stem the migrant flow into Italy, expressed deep sorrow, blaming the deaths on traffickers. One survivor was arrested for migrant trafficking. Pope Francis, who often defends the rights of migrants, has said he is praying for the dead, the missing and those who survived. Sadly, 15 days earlier, 73 migrants went missing and were presumed dead after their boat sank off the Libyan coast in a boat en route to Europe on the world's deadliest migratory sea crossing.
Israel: West Bank on the brink
Scores of Jewish settlers stormed Hawara torching vehicles and houses in a ‘revenge’ attack after two Israeli brothers were killed by a Palestinian gunman. West Bank’s safety has deteriorated with deadly attacks in Israel, leading to raids on Palestinian terror cells by Israel’s army. Israeli defence forces are being criticised for not quickly quelling Hawara’s violence, revealing stark divisions in Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government; some even encourage the settlers. Meanwhile, Netanyahu called on Israelis not to take the law into their own hands and condemned ‘anarchy.’ Many analysts say that he, the strong-minded leader, fears he is losing control of the security situation in the West Bank. This is a sensitive issue that will deepen government fissures if it goes unchecked. Jews rioting in Huwara have been rightly condemned. But why does the world tolerate Palestinian terrorism? Palestinians regularly take to the streets to celebrate the murders of Jews.
USA: open arms for refugees
President Biden has announced a new pilot programme that empowers individuals to privately sponsor refugees coming to America. Through the programme, Welcome Corps, groups of five individuals or more can raise funds to sponsor a refugee. Once the refugee arrives, these people will help them secure housing, employment, and education as they integrate into American life. Christians are called to care for the persecuted and vulnerable. The narrative of Scripture reveals God’s heart for the immigrant and the refugee, who are valuable people made in His image (Matt. 25:35-40).
G20 deadlock
Finance ministers of the world's largest economies failed to agree on a closing statement after China refused to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine or accept parts of G20’s statement deploring Russia's aggression ‘in the strongest terms’. Moscow said ‘anti-Russian’ countries had ‘destabilised’ the G20 after China’s plan was viewed as pro-Russian. President Zelenskiy will meet China’s president to discuss China’s cease-fire proposal, saying a meeting would be ‘important for world security.’ China's 12-point ‘political settlement’ plan does not require Russia to leave Ukraine and was met with scepticism from Ukraine’s allies. Emmanuel Macron called on Beijing to ‘help us pressure Russia’ to end the war as peace was only possible if ‘Russian aggression stopped, troops withdraw and territorial sovereignty of Ukraine and its people is respected’. Joe Biden said, ‘China as a peacemaker in Ukraine is not rational. Putin's applauding it, so how could it be any good? I've seen nothing in the plan that would benefit anyone other than Russia, if China's plan were followed.’ See also
