Government’s social cohesion strategy expected to be published today
The government is expected to publish its new cohesion strategy “Protecting What Matters”, this afternoon. News leaked to the Spectator and the story is also in The Independent and Guardian. The strategy is expected to include a new definition of Islamophobia and the suggestion that there should be a new “anti-Muslim hostility tsar”. It’s reported that it will reject calls for a blasphemy law, pledge to stand against those who try to intimidate others, promise powers to close extremist charities, tackle extremism at universities, exclude hate preachers from the UK, demand that new arrivals seek to integrate and speak good English, and will outlines the threat to cohesion from extremists. It will also say everyone must embrace LGBT rights and there will be new rules to tackle divisive content in the media. The strategy is expected to say that Britain’s “historic social cohesion that has kept us united in the face of adversity” is now under threat.
Report says half of UK reporting on Islam and Muslims is biased
The Centre for Media Monitoring, which monitors the reporting of Islam and Muslims in the media, has published a study of 40,000 articles from 2025, which it says shows that that 50 per cent of UK reporting on Muslims in 2025 was biased and 70 per cent associated Muslims with negative aspects of behaviour. The research, published this morning, says “a cluster of right-wing outlets are responsible for the most severe and persistent harmful coverage”, and concludes that biased portrayals are structural patterns in sections of British journalism. It names the publications with the “highest rates of sweeping generalisations” as The Spectator, GB News, The Telegraph, Jewish Chronicle, Daily Express, The Sun, Daily Mail and The Times. The report says that the BBC “showed the strongest overall performance across metrics, demonstrating that scale does not require sacrificing editorial standards and that public service obligations provide meaningful constraints on harmful framing”.
Pope Leo says “pray for the roar of bombs to cease”
At the Sunday Angelus (address) at St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo said people should pray that “the roar of bombs might cease, that weapons might fall silent, and that a space for dialogue might open, in which the voice of the people may be heard.” He said news from the Middle East caused deep dismay, with violence and devastation across the region. He was afraid that the conflict might cause nearby countries, such as “beloved Lebanon”, to “sink into instability”.
Fear for Christians in the middle east as war escalates
Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean eastern Catholic church in Baghdad, says he fears for the future of Christians in Iraq, if the war in Iran continues to extend over the border. Shiites make up nearly 60 per cent of the population and he warned further escalation could become a large scale regional war. He told Vatican News: “We Christians are very worried, because if they start attacking the Nineveh Plains, where there are 50,000 Christians, these people will leave their homes-and this time, they will not return”.
Evangelical leaders pray over Trump seeking wisdom and guidance
Evangelical leaders gathered round President Trump at his desk in the Oval Office, laid hands on him and prayed for God’s protection over him as he leads the nation at war. They included his spiritual adviser Pastor Paula White, who also leads the White House Faith Office, Ralph Reed of Faith and Freedom Coalition, Gary Bauer of the Family Research Council and Tom Mullins, founding pastor of Christ Fellowship in Florida, who led the prayer which was filmed and posted on social media. He said: “We pray for your continued blessing and favour to rest upon him. We pray for wisdom from heaven to flood his heart and mind, and that you will guide him in these challenging times we’re facing today”.
Tributes to Jesse Jackson’s ‘revolutionary Christian faith rooted in justice’
Former US presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton joined civil rights and Christian campaigners to pay tribute to the Rev Jesse Jackson, whose funeral was held on Friday. He was ordained soon after Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination and devoted his life to campaigning for social justice. His son, Yusef Jackson, said his father lived a “revolutionary Christian faith rooted in justice, non-violence and the moral righteousness…the goal was always the moral centre”; and his daughter said her father’s theology was rooted in the belief that every human being carries inherent worth. Former president Obama gave a passionate address, saying that in present day America where democratic values and decency are under daily assault, it was hard to hope: “But this man, Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, inspires us to take a harder path. His voice calls on each of us to be heralds of change, to be messengers of hope, to step forward, because if we don’t step up, no one else will”.
GAFCON demands ‘full and public disengagement from Anglican Communion’
A communique delivered at the end of the GAFCON G26 conference last Friday, makes clear its separation from the main Anglican Communion. GAFCON (Global Anglican Futures Conference) was set up in opposition to same sex relationships and ordination of women as priests. Its leaders, mainly from the Global South, say they are establishing the true, authentic “Global Anglican Communion”, overseen by a new Global Anglican Council, in opposition to the Canterbury-led Anglican Communion, which has held for more than 150 years. Unity was achieved through four structures – Primates’ Meetings, the Lambeth Conference, Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) and the presidency of the Archbishop of Canterbury. But the communique, the Abuja Affirmation, says that Global Anglican leaders must make “a full and public disengagement” from these structures. They must also not give money to the ACC or receive money from “compromised sources”. GAFCON says it represents 80 per cent of the world’s Anglicans, a contested figure, with other estimates putting their support at 45 per cent. One of the conference attendees, the Rev John Dunnett, who is national director of the Church of England Evangelical Council, told the BBC that the importance of the Global Anglican Communion should not be underestimated. The Anglican Communion is seeking to address the split by re-defining the Archbishop of Canterbury’s role, saying there is a need for a diversification of leadership. Its proposals will be discussed in June. BBC Radio 4 Sunday programme covered the story here.
Unification Church in Japan ordered to disband
The Unification Church, otherwise known as The Moonies, has been ordered to disband in Japan, by order of the courts. A district court issued the order last year, accusing it of manipulating followers into making huge donations. This follows the assassination of the former prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, shot by a man who held a grudge against him, because of his links to the church which he alleged, had bankrupted his family. The church took the case to appeal but lost last week. It could now appeal to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile in South Korea, the Unification Church’s leader Hak Ja Han, has been prosecuted for allegedly arranging bribes for the wife of the former president Kim Keon Hee, and has been in and out of jail on remand.
Diocese of El Paso declares bankruptcy over 18 sex abuse claims
The Diocese of El Paso, in far west Texas, will file for bankruptcy as it faces 18 pending lawsuits for clergy sex abuse against children from 1956-1982. In a filmed message, Bishop Mark Seitz said this was “the most prudent course of action” because the financial claims exceed the diocese’ means. It would provide “equitable compensation” to those harmed, while the diocese carried on with essential ministries. He said strong child protection policies and practices exist today to guard against these crimes.
New Christian and Gospel singles chart reflects rise in sales
A new Official UK Christian & Gospel Singles Chart has been created by the Official Charts Company, ranking songs based on UK sales and streams. Nottingham singer, Jerub, has the first Number One with Kumbaya – an original piece about loss. , written by Kjetil Mørland, Paul Meehan and Gideon Ogheneochuko Akpovi. The chart was developed in partnership with AStepFWD, a Christian media and creative organisation, which is a partner of Premier Gospel. The Official Charts Company says the UK has witnessed a 65 per cent rise in demand for faith-based music over the past decade, with combined UK annual sales and streams of Christian & Gospel albums crossing 500,000 for the first time.
