Anger voiced over bishops’ Living in Love and Faith decision
The Church of England’s eight-year-long Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process, aimed at reaching unity on same-sex relationships, has drawn fierce criticism from across the spectrum following new decisions by the House of Bishops. The bishops agreed to further synodical discussions on formal blessings for same-sex couples and on whether clergy may enter same-sex marriages. Critics say the Church is more divided than ever. Rev Joshua Penduck called the process 'needlessly painful,' leaving both conservatives and LGBTQ+ believers 'weary and vulnerable’. The deans of Canterbury and Southwark expressed deep disappointment; David Monteith said he feels 'marginal and uncatered for’, and Mark Oakley confessed, 'In thirty years of ministry, I haven’t recognised myself in these debates’. Bishop Martyn Snow, who previously led LLF, acknowledged mistakes but defended the process as an effort to model love amid disagreement. He urged the Church to rediscover grace and humility in navigating these deep divisions.
Russia / USA: resumption of nuclear testing in tit-for-tat decisions
Vladimir Putin’s announcement that Russia may resume nuclear testing marks one of the most dangerous escalations in global security since the Cold War. He has instructed senior military and intelligence officials to prepare proposals for possible tests at the Novaya Zemlya site in the Arctic - where the Soviet Union in the past had detonated more than 200 nuclear devices, but none since 1990. The move follows Donald Trump’s declaration that the USA would restart its own nuclear tests, for the first time since 1992. Both leaders’ actions revive fears of an uncontrolled arms race, just as the last major nuclear treaty between Washington and Moscow nears expiry. Analysts warn that renewed testing could shatter global non-proliferation norms and invite imitation from other states.
Netherlands: winners and losers after election
The Netherlands’ latest election has upended expectations, signalling both renewal and deep division in Dutch politics. After two years of turmoil and paralysis, centrist liberal party D66, led by 38-year-old Rob Jetten, surged to an unprecedented victory, capturing 26 seats and dethroning the far-right PVV of Geert Wilders. Jetten’s optimistic, reform-minded campaign, focused on housing, education, and stability, resonated with voters weary of scandal and polarisation. Meanwhile, Christian Democrat leader Henri Bontenbal’s call for ‘decent politics’ also struck a chord, reviving his party’s fortunes. The left, however, suffered a major setback: Frans Timmermans’ GreenLeft-Labour alliance fell short, prompting his resignation. Though Wilders’ PVV lost eleven seats, he remains a potent opposition voice, vowing to continue disrupting from the sidelines. Coalition-building will now test Jetten’s leadership in a fragmented landscape, where bridging ideological divides may prove harder than winning the vote itself.
France: two citizens released by Iran after more than three years
Iran’s release of French citizens Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, after more than three years in detention, marks a cautious diplomatic breakthrough between Tehran and Paris. The couple, accused of espionage by Iran (a charge France has consistently rejected), were freed from Evin prison and are now safe at the French embassy in Tehran, awaiting full repatriation. Their detention, widely viewed as part of Iran’s pattern of ‘hostage diplomacy’, strained bilateral relations and drew condemnation from European governments. The timing of their release follows reports of a prisoner exchange involving an Iranian woman previously held in France. While France celebrates this humanitarian outcome, the case underscores the precarious position of foreign nationals in politically charged environments and the moral complexity of negotiating freedom under coercive diplomacy. For Kohler and Paris, freedom comes after 1,277 days of unjust imprisonment - and for France, it signals relief tempered with renewed diplomatic caution.
