Leading Christian scientist champions truth, wisdom, and humility
Dr Francis Collins, the geneticist who led the Human Genome Project and later oversaw the US pandemic response, has reflected on faith, science, and truth in a deeply divided era. As head of the National Institutes of Health, he saw the rapid creation of Covid-19 vaccines as a miracle of both science and prayer, crediting years of mRNA research and divine guidance for the breakthrough which saved millions of lives. Yet, to his sorrow, many Christians rejected the vaccines and vilified him personally. Conspiracy theorists targeted him with hostility and threats, while some church leaders accused him of politicising faith. Grounded daily in scripture and prayer, Collins continues to champion truth and humility, warning that a society which dismisses evidence in favour of tribal loyalty risks moral decay. His new book, The Road to Wisdom, calls believers to rebuild trust through love, dialogue, and a renewed commitment to truth guided by Christ’s teachings.
South Africa: prominent Afrikaners condemn Trump’s allegations ahead of G20
Donald Trump has declared that no US officials will attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, citing ‘human rights’ concerns related to alleged persecution of white Afrikaners. The decision has drawn sharp criticism both internationally and within South Africa. Trump’s administration has taken a hard line against Pretoria, imposing tariffs, cutting aid, and granting fast-track refugee status to Afrikaners while blocking most other refugees. Over forty Afrikaner leaders, including journalists, clergy, and academics, have denounced the president’s claims as false, stressing that no white-owned land has been seized and that violent crime affects all races. They called his narrative divisive and damaging to post-apartheid reconciliation. Following Trump’s decision, a planned visit to Kenya by JD Vance, which was expected to strengthen relationships, has also been cancelled: see
Pakistan: twelve killed in suicide bomb attack in Islamabad
A devastating suicide bombing near the high court killed twelve people and injured more than twenty, shattering nearly two decades of relative calm in Islamabad. The attacker, unable to enter the judicial complex due to tight security, detonated explosives near a police vehicle. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility, though the Taliban distanced itself from the assault. President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, while prime minister Shahbaz Sharif accused ‘Indian terrorist proxies’, without providing any evidence to support his claim. The Taliban were also suspected of being responsible for an attack the previous day on a cadet college in the north-west of the country (see). International condemnations followed swiftly, emphasising solidarity and the urgent need for regional cooperation against extremism. The attacks come at a time of increased tensions with India, and peace negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan broke down last week, following violent clashes between their forces in October. Also this week, a huge explosion in Delhi, close to the historic Red Fort, killed eight and injured many others: it is not yet known who was responsible. See
Senegal: power struggle between president and prime minister
A political showdown has erupted in Senegal between president Bassirou Diomaye Faye and prime minister Ousmane Sonko, threatening to fracture the alliance that brought them to power. The dispute began when Faye dismissed Aïssatou Mbodj, a close Sonko ally, from her leadership role in the ‘Diomaye Président’ coalition, replacing her with his own confidante, Aminata Touré. Sonko’s Pastef party swiftly condemned the move as illegal, asserting that the president lacked authority to make such a decision and accusing him of betraying the coalition’s founding principles. The standoff exposes deep divisions over control and ideology at the heart of Senegal’s leadership, raising doubts about whether Faye can govern effectively without his powerful and popular prime minister. With rival factions now entrenched and public confidence wavering, the confrontation risks paralysing government operations and destabilising one of West Africa’s historically steady democracies.
USA: longest-ever government shutdown finally ends, both sides bruised
The longest US government shutdown in history has ended after 43 tense days, restoring pay for federal workers and reopening critical services. Yet its conclusion has left both political parties bruised. Senate Democrats triggered the shutdown by refusing to support a temporary funding bill without guarantees to extend health-care subsidies for low-income Americans. When several Democrats defected to jump ship and vote with the Republicans, they received little more than a promise of a future vote, leaving the party’s progressive wing furious and mainstream figures calling the deal a capitulation. Donald Trump, despite moments of apparent wavering, emerged claiming victory, having conceded virtually nothing of substance. With another funding deadline looming in January and millions facing soaring insurance costs, the end of the shutdown brings only temporary relief.
Warwickshire: Wall of Answered Prayers is proceeding
More than twenty years after the vision was first received, plans for the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer in Warwickshire are finally moving forward. The 169-foot-high monument, almost three times the size of the Angel of the North, will be made from a million bricks, each digitally linked to a unique story of answered prayer. Its creator, Richard Gamble, a former chaplain to Leicester City Football Club and the 2012 Olympics, describes it as 'a monument to make hope visible’. Designed as a Mobius strip symbolising eternity and God’s unending faithfulness, the project has faced years of financial and engineering challenges. But a £30 million gift from a Christian Tory peer has now transformed its future, covering the majority of the £45 million cost. Gamble says the vision has always been about glorifying Jesus through the testimonies of His people. When completed, the wall will stand as a national landmark of faith, thanksgiving, and answered prayer.