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Church of England Drops Plans for Same-Sex Union Ceremonies

The General Synod has opted to further examine the matter, however, bishops have cited certain theological and legal hurdles that currently preclude the implementation of these ceremonies.

The Church of England's governing body has officially dropped plans to introduce blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples in its churches, following a lengthy and contentious debate.

The Archbishop of Canterbury addresses the General Synod. She stands behind a long table with her image on a large screen above her. There are a lot of people in attendance.
The new Archbishop of Canterbury gave her first address to the General Synod earlier this month

While the General Synod voted to continue exploring the issue, bishops had previously identified significant theological and legal hurdles that prevented the implementation of such ceremonies at this time.

The Synod debate featured heartfelt testimonies from gay Christians, who warned that the Church's stance was driving away many liberal and LGBT individuals.

Church leaders expressed regret for the pain caused to all parties involved, acknowledging that both conservatives and liberals had been affected by the lack of clarity on traditional teachings regarding marriage and sexuality.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell addressed the Synod on Thursday, stating, "This is not the outcome I had hoped for, and I acknowledge that many of you are feeling frustrated and disappointed, regardless of your position on the issue."

The Church of England had previously decided not to support same-sex marriage in early 2023, following a decade of intense debate, unlike some other Anglican churches such as the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Instead, the Church proposed "blessings" for same-sex couples, which was approved by a Synod vote, and a process was initiated to explore the possibility of stand-alone blessing ceremonies for gay couples.

However, this Synod marks the conclusion of that process, which is estimated to have cost approximately £1.6m.

In an effort to address the pain caused, Archbishop Cottrell proposed the establishment of a working group to continue discussing the issue.

Reverend Charlie Bączyk-Bell, a gay priest and Synod member from London, expressed his disappointment, saying, "You have broken my heart; I am disbelieving that we have reached this point after so much time, with so little to show for it."

Dr Bączyk-Bell described the process as a "sham" and argued that it was inaccurate to equate the hurt experienced by those who opposed marriage equality with the pain felt by the LGBT community.

He emphasized that the debate had a profoundly personal impact, stating, "It is not comparable to have one's identity scrutinized, criticized, and disparaged in this chamber, as if it were merely an abstract concept."

With tears, Dr Bączyk-Bell apologized to LGBT members of the Church of England, saying, "I am sorry for what we continue to put you through and for our inability to celebrate you as we should."

Although same-sex marriage and stand-alone blessing ceremonies are no longer being considered by the Church of England, blessing prayers for same-sex couples have been permitted as part of regular Sunday services since 2023.

Additional reporting was provided by Catherine Wyatt.

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Spielberg Contributes $25,000 to Van Der Beek’s $2 Million Crowdfunding Campaign

The relatives of the deceased actor, known for his role in Dawson’s Creek, have expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the $2m fund.

A donation of $25,000 (£21,000) has been made by film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, to a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $2m (£1.6m) for the family of late actor James Van Der Beek.

James Van Der Beek wearing a maroon dickie bow while smiling for the cameras on arrival at the 2019 Emmy Awards
James Van Der Beek's character Dawson was a famous fan of filmmaker Spielberg

Van Der Beek, who passed away at the age of 48, is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children, and the crowdfunding effort to support his family has now exceeded its initial target of $2m.

Other notable donors include Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldana, who contributed $2,500 (£2,108), and director Jon M Chu, who gave $10,000 (£8,432) to the cause.

A statement from the organizers of the fundraiser, Friends of the Van Der Beek family, expressed gratitude to all contributors, stating that their support is deeply appreciated.

The statement highlighted the significance of the donations, saying that the kindness shown by contributors is beyond words.

It also noted that the outpouring of support has been a source of comfort during a difficult time, serving as a reminder of the power of love, community, and the enduring legacy of James Van Der Beek.

Van Der Beek was perhaps best known for his starring role in the popular US teen drama series Dawson's Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003, although he remained associated with the show until 2023.

Although Van Der Beek and Spielberg never collaborated on a project, the late actor's character in Dawson's Creek was a fan of Spielberg's work, with posters of films like ET and Schindler's List featured in his bedroom.

At a Dawson's Creek cast reunion event last year, Spielberg paid tribute to Van Der Beek by sending a video message.

In the message, Spielberg said, "Dawson, you made it," and jokingly added that he hoped to one day have a room like Dawson's, filled with memorabilia from his films.

Van Der Beek passed away on Wednesday after a battle with bowel cancer.

Steven Spielberg arrives for the 98th Oscars Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, USA, 10 February 2026
Spielberg made a surprise video appearance at last year's Dawson's Creek reunion

He had been dealing with the diagnosis since August 2023 and publicly disclosed his condition in November 2024.

The GoFundMe campaign was launched to help the family with medical expenses, which had depleted their funds.

The statement from the organizers concluded by saying that the family is currently taking time to grieve and be together, and thanked everyone for their compassionate and generous support in honoring James Van Der Beek's life.

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Zimbabwe Shocks Australia with Muzarabani’s Exceptional Performance

Zimbabwe secured a stunning 23-run victory over Australia in the T20 World Cup, with Blessing Muzarabani playing a key role by taking 4-17.

In the current T20 world rankings, Zimbabwe occupies the 12th position.

The Men's T20 World Cup is underway in Group B at Colombo.

Zimbabwe's innings concluded at 169-2 after 20 overs, with Bennett scoring an unbeaten 64 off 56 deliveries, while Green claimed 1-6.

Australia's reply ended at 146 after 19.3 overs, as Renshaw top-scored with 65 off 44 balls, and Muzarabani took 4-17.

The match resulted in a 23-run victory for Zimbabwe.

A standout performance from Blessing Muzarabani, who took 4-17, helped Zimbabwe secure a thrilling 23-run win over Australia in the T20 World Cup.

After being set a target of 170, Australia found themselves in trouble at 29-4, but a 77-run partnership between Matthew Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell for the fifth wicket gave them hope.

With 34 runs needed from the last two overs, Renshaw's dismissal for 65, caught off Muzarabani with eight balls remaining, essentially sealed the game's outcome.

The result has left Group B finely balanced after two matches each, with Australia trailing Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka by two points, ahead of their meeting with Sri Lanka on Monday.

Initially, Zimbabwe's approach to batting first at the R. Premadasa Stadium appeared overly cautious.

Brian Bennett's innings of 64 not out from 56 balls, including seven fours, was played at a strike rate of 114.28, as he anchored the Zimbabwean batting.

In contrast, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Ryan Burl adopted a more aggressive approach, scoring 35 off 21 and 30 balls, respectively.

A late surge from Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza, who scored 25 off 13 balls, including the team's only six on the final ball, provided a boost to their total.

Australia's target seemed achievable, given their total of 182-6 in their previous win against Ireland.

However, the Australian batting line-up was severely dented by the loss of key wickets, including Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Cameron Green, and Tim David, courtesy of Muzarabani and Brad Evans.

A partnership between Renshaw and Maxwell offered some respite, but when Maxwell fell for 31, dragged on to Burl, the pressure mounted on Australia.

Muzarabani's return to bowl the penultimate over proved decisive, as he removed Renshaw, and Zimbabwe subsequently wrapped up the win.

There are calls for the ICC to review the rules regarding 12th men.

For more information, including notifications and social media updates, visit BBC Sport.

A blogger who participates in the FPL is also competing in the T20 World Cup.

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FA Cup Finalists Outside the Big Six Since 2008

As the FA Cup resumes this weekend, assess your understanding of past finalists that have competed from beyond the Premier League’s top six clubs.

This weekend, the FA Cup resumes with 32 teams remaining in contention for the historic trophy, which has been awarded for 155 years and will be presented to the winner in May.

Historically, the Premier League's top six clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham – have dominated the FA Cup, claiming 32 titles out of the last 37.

However, in recent years, teams outside of this elite group have experienced some notable victories in the competition.

Since 2008, 10 teams from outside the traditional 'big six' have advanced to the FA Cup final – can you identify all of them?

For more quizzes, visit our Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes sections, where you can also subscribe to receive the latest quizzes directly on your device.

We have a quiz question tailored to each Premier League team – test your knowledge and see how you score.

Can you recall every team that has won the Women's Champions League?

Which players have made the most appearances in the Premier League – can you name them all?

Explore our Sports Quizzes page for a wide range of challenging and engaging quizzes.

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