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Western Europe
Spanish priest suffers harrassment after preaching against homosexuality
Father Oscar Martín, a Spanish priest, was attacked by a mob after he preached the Catholic view on homosexuality. According to Martín, people can become homosexual when they lack parental affection in their childhood, Catholic News Agency reports based on an article of Aciprensa. He asserted that that is the…
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Western Europe
Muslim abaya under scrutiny in France's schools
The Muslim so-called abaya has been called into question among the country’s teachers. The floor-length dress, which is worn by Muslim women around the world, was initially not considered to classify as religious clothing. However, as reported by RFI, many French teachers see the robe as a violation of the…
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Eastern Europe
Putin orders ceasefire during Orthodox Christmas
Russian President Putin has ordered the Defence Minister that Russian soldiers should pause the attacks on Ukraine. The President wants a truce for the Orthodox Christmas days so that soldiers can attend church. In total, the ceasefire should last 1.5 days, the Dutch daily Reformatorisch Dagblad and Interfax report. The…
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Central Europe
Family structure exploited for social and financial benefits in Germany
Several German men acknowledge paternity to a child that is not theirs. By doing so, they grant foreign women and their children access to residence permits and social benefits. The men are given money in cash for recognising foreign children that are not theirs and whom they might barely know,…
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Western Europe
Dutch population growth doubled in 2022
The overall population grew twice as fast last year compared to 2021. While the number of deaths has risen in the Netherlands, immigration remains a key factor for the sharp increase. The national statistics bureau (CBS) said that at least 402,000 have moved to the Netherlands last year, according to…
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Northern Europe
Norwegian donor children able to get to know their father
This year, Norwegians conceived with the help of a donor will be able to get to know who their biological father is. However, donor-conceived persons may not yet learn who their half-siblings are. 2023 will be a landmark year, writes the Christian Norwegian daily Vårt Land. A new donor register…
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Eastern Europe
Russian Patriarch Kirill calls for cease-fire
The Russian Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, calls for a ceasefire in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He wants both militaries to lay down their arms at midnight on January 6, when the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas. That is reported by Patriarcha.ru. A ceasefire would…
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Southern Europe
Italian government confirms 'father' and 'mother' on identity cards
Italian same-sex couples who become parents must declare themselves as father or mother. They can appeal for the gender-neutral ‘parent 1’ and ‘parent 2’, but that will be decided individually by a court. This was declared by Minister Eugenia Roccella, head of the Family and Equal Opportunities department in the…
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Southern Europe
New translation of First Peter available for comment in Portugal
A commission of the Catholic Church in Portugal has released a draft translation of the Apostle Peter’s First Letter. According to Ecclesia, the commission that manages the Portuguese Episcopal Conference (CEP) sent out the “provisional text” on the New Testament book this month. The aim of the release allows people…
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Northern Europe
Swedish health authorities call for caution in transgender care
According to Swedish health authorities, there are inexplicable developments among patients, and there is a lack of knowledge about gender care. “It is important that children and young people who suffer from gender dysphoria are taken seriously, treated well and offered adequate care,” says Thomas Lindén, head of the department…
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