News and Views 3rd July 2026

Grooming Gangs

• Rochdale grooming gang leader released from prison. The leader of the notorious Rochdale grooming gang – convicted of 30 child rapes – has been released from prison after serving just 14 years – less than six months per rape. Shabir Ahmed is moving in to a facility near to Rochdale, where many of his victims still live - most of them white working-class girls. He plied girls as young as 13 with drink and drugs before 'passing them around' to be abused by him and eight associates. Shockingly, the Government insists it has no legal powers to remove Ahmed from the UK, due to provisions in the Immigration Act 1971 that bar his removal. Andy Burnham, however, has said he will explore “all possible options”, if he becomes prime minister, to close the legal loophole preventing Ahmed’s deportation.
• The result of the UK’s inflaming of the martyr complex of minority groups. A group of vigilantes has expressed plans to patrol the streets of Rochdale in coming days, noting that the paedophile’s victims were so terrified by his release that they felt unable to leave their homes. “Britain is so broken”, noted Spiked columnist Brendan O’Neill, “our sovereignty so deracinated, our self-respect so shattered – that we can’t even remove a foreign man who visited untold barbarism on our female citizens …. The nation that cannot remove a foreign-born repeat child-rapist is not a free nation. It is a vassal state of the suicidal ideology of anti-Westernism and its attendant creeds of self-loathing and post-nationhood.” Read also here.

World Issues

• Israel recognizes Armenian genocide. In a little-publicised move, Israel’s government has unanimously approved a resolution to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide, during which the Ottoman Empire engaged in the systematic killing of some 1.5 million Armenian Christians during World War I. This marks a historic shift in Israel’s long-standing policy – though it still requires parliamentary approval. Naturally, Turkey has condemned the resolution, ahead of hosting next week’s NATO summit. In a disturbing statement, President Erdoğan accused Israel of using what he called “slander” to divert attention from the war in Gaza while insisting Turkey’s history was “free from genocide, massacres, oppression, and colonialism.” Israel’s move has also drawn attention because it comes as Western governments seek to avoid friction with Turkey ahead of the NATO gathering.
• Heavy criticism for Israel’s recognition of the truth. Israel's decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide has also drawn criticism from unlikely sources. Azerbaijan's Jewish community has warned that such a move could complicate the peace process in the South Caucasus at a sensitive time, as efforts continue to advance a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Israeli foreign policy experts also condemn the move, one terming it "a childish and petty mistake" that could carry diplomatic consequences for Israel. Perhaps more disturbing still, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he sees no need to respond to Israel’s resolution, which he feels might be turning the genocide into a political weapon.

Society

• Did King break Coronation oath? Prior to his coronation oath in 2023, there had been debate over whether Charles III would choose to be “Defender of the (Christian) Faith”, given that he had signalled as long ago as 1994 that he wanted to be a ‘Defender of Faith’ plural. In the event, he swore to be “Defender of the Faith”, as all monarchs have done in Britain for 500 years. But this year’s report from Buckingham Palace states that the monarch will protect “the space for Faith within the multi-faith nation”, raising concerns that he is not fully committed to the Crown’s historic Protestant convictions. Many in the Church are deeply concerned that King Charles has broken his coronation oath and committed constitutional and religious apostasy. A protest ‘against King Charles’ is taking place today (Friday) outside the entrance to Windsor Castle to “hold the king to account.”

Football

• 75% of professional football clubs have Christian players. There has been something of a Christian revival within the football world in recent years, with a wave of players speaking openly about their faith – e.g., read here, here and here. Indeed, a new study by Christians in Sport found that three in four clubs across the top six tiers of men’s football in England and Wales have Christian players in their first-team squads – partly a result of English clubs frequently recruiting from every continent, including countries where Christian faith remains a visible part of public life. At the same time, the research showed that following Christ in professional football is not easy; players highlight tensions between dressing-room culture and Christian convictions, while many spoke of the emotional strain created by scrutiny from coaches, supporters, media and teammates.
• Powerful moments of faith from the FIFA World Cup. The 2026 World Cup has proved one of the most-watched sporting events in history, with several billion people reportedly tuning in to the tournament. Christianity has been on overt display at this year’s event. Among the most powerful moments of faith we’ve seen so far include:

Church Matters

• ‘Conversion therapy’ debate resurfaces. The Government has published its draft controversial Conversion Practices Bill, which will deliver a landmark ban on ‘abusive conversion practices’ in England and Wales. Those who carry out ‘conversion therapy’ could be jailed for up to five years. While Bishops, gay-rights groups, humanists and British Quakers warmly welcome the ban,  many, including non-Christian groups, have concerns that it is “unnecessary, illiberal and politically motivated.” Psychiatrist Colin Brewer says the proposed ban could prevent the honest and beneficial exploration of sexual issues by confused young people with their therapist. There are also concerns that the proposed law will criminalise opposition to radical trans ideology. Read also here and here.
• Conversion therapy ban in N. Ireland. Meanwhile, plans to ban ‘conversion practices’ have also been introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly, where parents and church leaders could face up to two years in prison if they are deemed to be intending “to change or suppress sexual orientation or gender identity”. This, for example, could include refusing a child’s request for puberty blockers. In a 70-page critique, the prominent human rights lawyer Aidan O’Neill KC noted that such a law would create a “chilling effect” on the ability of religious bodies and gender critics to “teach and preach and lobby and proselytise, on any matters relating to sexuality and/or gender”. Read also.

Archaeology

• Archaeologists uncover 'massive biblical structure' in hunt for Ark of the Covenant. Researchers digging in Israel say they may have uncovered ruins linked to the Ark of the Covenant — the gold-covered biblical chest said to have held the Ten Commandments. Archaeologists with Associates for Biblical Research say they may have found new clues at Shiloh, the place where the Tabernacle stood for more than 300 years. Researchers have uncovered additional walls from a massive structure that may be part of the Tabernacle complex, along with newly identified fortifications that could help piece together the ancient city’s layout. They have also uncovered a trove of ritual-related objects near the structure, including ceramic pomegranates, altar horns and murex shells - the shells having been used to produce the blue dye associated with priestly garments described in the Bible.