Europe
Ukraine: counteroffensive begins
On 13 June President Zelenskyy said, ‘I thank our guys for every Ukrainian flag that is now returning to its rightful place’, as Kyiv’s forces were retaking villages in a counteroffensive against Russian…
Greece: capsized boat disaster
Greece is one of the main routes into the EU for migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. On 14 June the deadliest shipwreck this year happened, fifty miles from Pylos. Survivors…
Ukraine: hydropower dam destroyed
Kakhovka hydropower dam in Russian-controlled Ukraine has been destroyed, unleashing floods of water on either side of the Dnipro river. So far, thousands have been evacuated from local communities; but as water continues…
Russia: Russians fleeing motherland
When Putin announced ‘military mobilisation’, thousands of Russians rushed to the border. Hundreds of thousands have left since the invasion began. Many were against the war, so not wanting to be drafted they…
France: four children stabbed
On 8 June, in a shocking incident, four children, aged between one and three, were stabbed in a playground in Annecy. Police overpowered and arrested the knifeman, who also stabbed two adults. The…
Portugal: Housing crisis
Lisbon’s rent is €2,000+. The minimum wage is €760. There are more houses than people, but prices don't go down. Comedian Diogo Faro posted a social media video about high rent. His inbox…
Turkey: Unreached people group
The Sunni Zaza are nomadic shepherds and farmers who practise mysticism. Years of repression leaves them crying out to God for help. Their Sunni Muslim mystical faith is rooted in shamanism and Zoroastrianism…
Kosovo: Flare-ups intensify
NATO is deploying 700 additional troops to its peacekeeping mission in Northern Kosovo after clashes with local ethnic Serbian protesters left dozens injured on both sides. Majority-Albanian Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in…
Ukraine: Bakhmut
There were about 70,000 people living in Bakhmut before the invasion, but only a few thousand remain in the devastated city, once best known for its salt and gypsum mines and huge winery.…
Ukraine: weapons and counterattacks
The conflict in Ukraine is about to enter a new high-intensity phase as Kyiv’s troops gear up for an anticipated counteroffensive. Ukraine’s persistent lobbying of allies has yielded significant results as NATO members…
