Connect with us

World

Franklin Graham meets with Zelenskyy in Berlin, offers prayer as Russia-Ukraine war escalates

Published

on

Franklin Graham meets with Zelenskyy in Berlin, offers prayer as Russia-Ukraine war escalates

Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, met Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin.

During their meeting, Graham offered prayers for Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump, seeking divine guidance for a path to peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

“Today I had the privilege to meet with President Zelenskyy and have prayer with him,” Graham shared on social media. “I prayed for President Putin, I prayed for him [Zelenskyy], and I prayed for President Trump — that God would give them wisdom and that God would give them a path forward for peace.”

ZELENSKY SHEDS DETAILS ON MEETING WITH VANCE, RUBIO IN ROME AFTER RUSSIA PEACE TALKS STALL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and Franklin Graham share a conversation during a meeting in Berlin. (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)

Advertisement

The meeting coincided with the European Congress on Evangelism, where Graham addressed over 1,000 Christian leaders from 55 countries. 

He emphasized the complexities of the war, stating, “These are very difficult, and I believe only God can solve this.”

Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the humanitarian aid provided by Samaritan’s Purse, including support for Ukrainian children, displaced individuals and medical institutions. 

“We are very grateful for the strong support from the American people, the White House and President Trump,” Zelenskyy said. “Thank you for your prayers and for helping people.”

The meeting took place against a backdrop of intensified Russian military action in Ukraine.

Advertisement

ON THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF UKRAINE INVASION, EUROPEAN LEADERS SHOW SUPPORT, EXPRESS UNEASE

A representative carries the Ukrainian flag during a presentation at the European Congress on Evangelism in Berlin. (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)

Recent reports indicate escalating Russian air and ground assaults, with increased use of drones by both sides. Germany has announced plans to assist Ukraine in producing long-range missiles, marking a significant deepening of support for Ukraine’s defense industry.

Zelenskyy has proposed a trilateral summit involving Trump and Putin to negotiate an end to the hostilities.

Graham’s visit coincided with the European Congress on Evangelism being held in Berlin for the first time in 25 years.

Advertisement

From Ukraine to the U.K. and Sweden to Spain, over 1,000 pastors and ministry leaders from across Europe have come to the city where Billy Graham once preached to declare that they are “unashamed of the Gospel,” echoing the words of Romans 1:16.

Franklin Graham speaks during the European Congress on Evangelism in Berlin. (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)

“There hasn’t been a gathering of this kind since the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s congress in Amsterdam in 2000,” Graham said. “What a moment for Europe, and what a time to boldly proclaim Christ.”

The congress marks a return to the roots of BGEA’s global evangelistic mission. 

In 1966, Billy Graham held the first World Congress on Evangelism in Berlin, declaring the city a platform to reach the world with the message of salvation.

Advertisement

More than 20 speakers from 13 nations are contributing to the 2025 congress, with worship led by Grammy winner Michael W. Smith, Charity Gayle and top Christian artists from across Europe. The event is being translated in 10 languages.

Marc Van de Wouwer, a Belgian evangelist and retired federal investigator, reflected on his experience at the 2000 Amsterdam congress. 

“At the time, there were very few evangelists in Belgium,” he said. “That event reignited my passion, and now I’m coming back to help invest in the next generation.”

Advertisement

World

Israeli Strikes Kill a Journalist and Injure Another in Lebanon

Published

on

Israeli Strikes Kill a Journalist and Injure Another in Lebanon

Israeli strikes killed one journalist and wounded another in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, rattling a tenuous cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon.

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said the Israeli military had targeted the journalists in the town of Tayri, where they took shelter in a nearby house after an airstrike struck a vehicle in front of the car they were traveling in. About an hour and a half later, a second strike hit the house they were hiding in, according to a statement by a Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which employed the journalist who was killed.

The Lebanese Red Cross said its teams came under fire while trying to evacuate the journalists from the house, forcing them to withdraw. The rescue crews were targeted by a warning strike and machine-gun fire, the Lebanese health ministry said.

Zeinab Faraj, a photojournalist, was rescued from the house. The other journalist, Amal Khalil, who was a reporter for Al-Akhbar, remained trapped under rubble for hours before emergency medics recovered her body, according to the Lebanese Civil Defense.

In addition to Ms. Khalil, the two people in the car in front of her were killed in the strikes, Al-Akhbar reported.

Advertisement

Amid the 10-day truce between Israel and Lebanon, Israel has continued strikes against what it says are Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, citing its right to self-defense. Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia group, said that it had fired rockets and drones into Israel on Tuesday in response to what it said were violations of the cease-fire. Earlier on Wednesday, the Lebanese News Agency reported that an Israeli drone strike killed one person and wounded two others in another part of the country.

The Lebanese health ministry called the strikes in Tayri a “blatant double breach, involving both the obstruction of rescue efforts for a civilian known for her media and humanitarian work, and the direct targeting of an ambulance clearly marked with the Red Cross.”

The Israeli military denied in a statement that it had prevented rescuers from reaching the injured journalists, and said the incident was under investigation.

A spokeswoman for the Israeli military said Israeli forces had spotted two vehicles emerging from a military building used by Hezbollah. The military observed the vehicles cross what the spokeswoman called the forward defense line, determining the move to be a violation of the truce agreement.

The spokeswoman confirmed that the Israeli military had struck one of the vehicles and the building some of the occupants of the second vehicle had taken shelter in.

Advertisement

Ms. Khalil had covered southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah exercises strong control, since at least 2006. In a tribute to Ms. Khalil, a colleague from Al-Akhbar said she embodied the resilience of the southern Lebanese through her relentless reporting, refusing to leave the front lines of war where thousands of Lebanese had been displaced.

“As with every act of aggression, wearing a press vest did not protect those who wore it from the treachery of the Israeli enemy,” Al-Akhbar said in a statement. “Instead, it has become a danger to journalists’ lives, as part of a systematic Israeli policy aimed at silencing anyone who seeks to expose the crimes and practices of the occupation.”

In a forceful statement on social media, Nawaf Salam, the Lebanese prime minister, accused the Israeli military of war crimes for targeting journalists and obstructing access to medical aid. He said that Lebanon would pursue action to ensure Israel is held accountable with international bodies.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said that it was outraged by the attack, and that it raised serious concerns of deliberate targeting.

“The repeated strikes on the same location, the targeting of an area where journalists were sheltering, and the obstruction of medical and humanitarian access constitute a grave breach of international humanitarian law,” said Sara Qudah, CPJ’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

World

Former Mexican beauty queen found shot dead as investigators examine possible family involvement: reports

Published

on

Former Mexican beauty queen found shot dead as investigators examine possible family involvement: reports

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A former Mexican beauty queen was found shot to death in her Mexico City apartment, with investigators examining the possible involvement of her mother-in-law, according to local reports.

Carolina Flores Gómez, 27, was found dead inside an apartment in the Polanco neighborhood, one of the city’s most affluent areas, Reporte Índigo, a Mexico-based news outlet, reported. 

Authorities said the death is being investigated as a homicide, after initial findings indicated she suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Emergency responders were called to the scene, where paramedics confirmed she showed no signs of life.

Prosecutors are investigating whether Flores Gómez’s mother-in-law, Erika María, as well as a man described in reports as her partner or husband, may have been involved in her death.

Advertisement

CALIFORNIA HIKER’S BODY FOUND NAKED IN BIG SUR BACKCOUNTRY

Carolina Flores Gómez was found shot dead in her luxury apartment April 15 in Mexico City. Her mother-in-law has been named the main suspect in the suspected homicide. (Jam Press)

The man, identified as Alejandro, accused his mother of killing Flores Gómez, Mexican news outlet Azteca Guerrero reported.

The outlet also reported that the woman’s mother-in-law was present at the scene when the gun was fired and that authorities are looking into the timeline of when the incident was reported.

WIDOW, SON OF LATE CHICAGO COMMISSIONER FOUND SHOT DEAD INSIDE HOME IN SUSPECTED HOMICIDE

Advertisement

Mexican prosecutors have opened a homicide with intent case in the death of former beauty queen Carolina Flores Gómez.  (Jam Press)

Preliminary reports cited by Mexican news outlet Diario Puntual indicate that a security guard at the building did not hear gunshots, adding uncertainty about how the crime occurred.

Authorities in Baja California, Mexico, also responded to the case, Diario Puntual reported.

CIA PERSONNEL KILLED IN MEXICO CRASH TIED TO CARTEL OPERATION; QUESTIONS MOUNT OVER US ROLE

Former beauty queen Carolina Flores Gómez, 27, was found dead in her Mexico City apartment. (Jam Press)

Advertisement

Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda expressed solidarity with the victim’s family and called for the case to be clarified. 

State prosecutor María Elena Andrade Ramírez also said there is coordination with Mexico City authorities to support the investigation.

Flores Gómez previously competed in beauty pageants and was crowned Miss Teen Universe Baja California in 2017.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The case has drawn attention in Mexico amid ongoing concerns about violence against women, with advocacy groups calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Advertisement

The investigation into the matter is open and ongoing.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

World

‘Blockade and threats’: Iran blames US siege of ports for stalled talks

Published

on

‘Blockade and threats’: Iran blames US siege of ports for stalled talks
Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending