Prayer Hub

Ukraine: Trump claims ‘great progress’ in talks with Putin

07 Aug 2025

Donald Trump has described talks on 6 August between his envoy Steve Witkoff and Vladimir Putin as ‘highly productive’, claiming that ‘great progress’ has been made toward ending the Ukraine war. The Kremlin issued a vague statement confirming the exchange of ‘signals’ but did not give further details. The meeting occurred days ahead of Trump’s ceasefire deadline, amid mounting frustration over stalled peace efforts. Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders were briefed on the talks and reiterated the need to end the war. Despite Trump’s threats of increased sanctions, including raising the tariff on India to 50% for buying Russian oil, Russia has continued its attacks on Ukrainian cities. Three years into the invasion, peace talks have repeatedly failed, and Russia’s preconditions remain unacceptable to Kyiv. Meanwhile, the USA has approved $200 million in military support to Ukraine, with Trump still open to meetings with both Putin and Zelensky. The humanitarian toll of Russian strikes remains devastating and ongoing.

Greece: prime minister blocks full investigation into huge fraud scandal

07 Aug 2025

A major scandal has erupted in Greece, with European prosecutors accusing senior government officials, including ministers and MPs, of orchestrating a large-scale scheme to defraud the EU of agricultural subsidies. It is claimed that individuals illegally claimed payments for non-existent or unusable pastureland, depriving legitimate farmers of support. However, those who have been accused are likely to evade justice because, despite widespread criticism, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is blocking a full-scale investigation, using legal loopholes and his party's parliamentary majority. A 3,000-page dossier has implicated former agriculture ministers and top officials in a coordinated effort to bypass controls, intimidate investigators, and ensure fraudulent payments were processed. Despite internal warnings and blocked payments, whistleblowers were forced out, and payments resumed under political pressure. Even though the extent of damages has not yet been assessed, Brussels has ordered Greece to forfeit nearly €400 in funding, over a fifth of the direct payments it had been due to receive next year. The case offers damning evidence that after three bailouts and a financial crisis that lasted over a decade, Greece still hasn’t cleared out the rot.

Gaza: is Netanyahu contemplating a full occupation?

07 Aug 2025

After nearly two years of war in Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly preparing to escalate the conflict further by ordering a full military occupation of the territory, despite international outrage, domestic opposition, and dissent within Israel's own military. Critics allege that his push is politically motivated, aimed at preserving his fragile coalition and delaying his corruption trial. Analysts question whether the Israeli army, already strained and suffering from troop shortages and internal resistance, can sustain such an operation. Over 600 ex-military officials have urged Donald Trump to intervene diplomatically, stating that in their professional opinion, Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat. Despite widespread destruction, the goal of rescuing all the Israeli captives has not been achieved. Public support continues to decline, and many accuse Netanyahu of prioritising political survival over peace or national security. Further escalation could deepen the humanitarian catastrophe and international isolation.

Africa: over 22,000 killed by Islamist militants in a year

07 Aug 2025

A new report has revealed that over 22,000 people, most of them Christians, have been killed by Islamist militants across Africa in the year to June 2025. This marks a 60% increase in violence since 2023. The Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) network, now controlling more than half of Burkina Faso, was responsible for over 80% of fatalities in the Sahel region. In Somalia, al-Shabaab killed more than 6,000 people, while the Islamic State in Somalia (ISS) is emerging as a global IS hub. The Allied Democratic Forces, linked to IS, claimed a deadly church attack in eastern Congo, killing 43 during a night service. Media restrictions and loss of state control across 950,000 square kilometres are masking the true scale of violence. The report warns of growing danger to Christian communities throughout Africa.