1+ week, 1+ day ago (502+ words) The actor, 34, who played'Zeedan Nazir in the ITV soap, is seen smiling as he is embraced by American cleric'Uthman ibn Farooq'in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.' Farooq, who previously said Europe, the US and Russia will become fully Muslim countries, was banned from the UK after it was revealed he said it was 'halal' to have sex with female slaves.' He sparked outrage after he said that slaves were people 'whom you can have those relationships with'. He added: 'If Allah made it halal, then it's not sinning, that is not adultery because Allah made it.' He was set to complete a speaking tour of London, Manchester and Birmingham in May before he was barred from entering." Manchester-born Akhtar, who also played Chesney Khan in Channel 4 drama Shameless, first joined Coronation Street in 2014. He left in 2018 before returning from 2021 to 2023.' He later…...

4+ week, 1+ day ago (896+ words) By STEPHEN ARMSTRONG FOR YOU MAGAZINE Al-Shamahi is every inch the cosmopolitan TV professional. But that isn't how she started out. Born to Yemeni immigrant parents in Birmingham, she embraced the family's conservative Islamic faith with fervour. She decided to wear a headscarf aged seven. By 13 she was a missionary, persuading non-believers to accept Islam. "It does sound a little bit odd,' she says. Her siblings were "much more chill' and "all of my school friends were obsessed with boys, experimenting with all the normal stuff you'd expect'. Meanwhile Al-Shamahi, whose investment in her faith was unusual even by her family's standards, was spending her time planning to disprove evolution. Ella Al-Shamahi is the presenter of Human, a series about our 300,000-year history "I was a bright kid in a missionary world where we took the teaching of religious texts…...

2+ week, 3+ day ago (1040+ words) The new Archbishop of Canterbury says that churches should not feel anxious about baptising asylum seekers in the face of concerns about fake conversions. Dame Sarah Mullally, who will move into Lambeth Palace next year, claimed that due to the persecution faced by millions of Christians around the world, people may wait until they are in the UK to publicly declare their faith. The Archbishop of Canterbury-designate made her comments as she raised her concern over a call in Parliament for the rejection of refugee claims on grounds of religious persecution, where the person converted after arriving in the UK. Dame Sarah's intervention followed unease at Westminster that the Christian faith is being abused by asylum seekers who are'only going through the process to try and gain asylum in the UK. However, Dame Sarah,'who is the Bishop of London…...

3+ week, 21+ hour ago (568+ words) The Royal Family's traditional Christmas service at Sandringham could be a quieter affair than expected this year " because church choristers have gone on strike following a bitter row about reforming its dedicated choir. For generations, the church of St Mary Magdalene has been inextricably linked with the Royal Family who worship at the church when they are in residence on the Norfolk estate. Members of the Royal Family are known for warmly greeting waiting crowds outside the 16th'Century church after attending services on Christmas morning. But for months a row has been rumbling on about attempts to modernise the church's choir following the appointment of a new vicar. The disruption led to the departure of the church's much-loved director of music Dr Claire Stewart on sick leave earlier this year. She apparently walked out in distress after 13 years at the…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (82+ words) (March 21 - April 20)" Jemima Cainer, pictured, says that a difficult issue will be unravelled enough today for everybody to recognise that they have a part to play in the healing (May 22 - June 22)" (June 23 - July 23)" (July 24 - August 23)" (August 24 - September 23)" (September 24 - October 23)" (October 24 - November 22)" (November 23 - December 21)" (December 22 - January 20)" (January 21 - February 19)" (February 20 - March 20)"...

2+ week, 11+ hour ago (443+ words) King Charles has donated more than "50,000 to help repair the roof of his late mother's favourite churches. After a fundraising campaign was launched to raise funds for'St Peter and St Paul Parish Church in West Newton, Norfolk, the monarch dipped into his own pockets. She would make it the final visit of her Christmas holiday during her winter break in Norfolk. The Queen would also hold an annual prize-giving ceremony for choristers and'local primary school children at West Newton village hall on the first Sunday of each February. The church has previous regal ties as the royal family have previously'helped fund its restoration in the 19th Century when it fell into disrepair. It was almost completely rebuilt in 1881 by architect Arthur Blomfield, but it still'retains its 14th-century tower and 15th-century font. St Peter and St Paul Parish Church is on the…...

2+ week, 2+ day ago (160+ words) Retrogrades tend to get a bad press. We are primed to think about the motion of going backwards negatively. Yet we all know the further back you swing, the more impact the forward momentum can have." Mercury and Jupiter are now appearing to retrace their recent steps across the zodiac. This is stirring up old opinions, past arguments and emotive subjects we are still seeking resolution for." Reconnecting to our emotional roots and retreating to where we feel safe allows for a more positive dynamic to evolve. (March 21 - April 20)" Old opinions, past arguments and emotive subjects are stirred up today, says astrologist Jemima Cainer (stock image) (May 22 - June 22)" (June 23 - July 23)" (July 23 - August 23)" (August 24 - September 23)" (September 24 - October 23) (October 22 - November 22)" (November 23 - December 21)" (December 22 - January 20)" (January 21 - February 19)" (February 20 - March 20)"...

2+ week, 5+ day ago (165+ words) Jupiter, the planet of growth and generosity, stations retrograde in Cancer, the sign of home, roots and emotional foundations, today. But what does that mean?" Well, when the planet of expansion reverses like this we are encouraged to look inward. We're being asked to re-evaluate what we're nurturing and dig a little deeper when it comes to why we feel the way we do." Cancer brings our attention to focus on themes of family. We are being cosmically encouraged to move to where we feel real belonging. (March 21 - April 20)" Today, we're all being asked to examine why we feel the way we do, says Jemima Cainer (pictured)" (May 22 - June 22)" (June 23 - July 23)" (July 24 - August 23)" (August 24 - September 23)" (September 24 - October 23)" (October 22 - November 22)" (November 23 - December 21)" (December 22 - January 20)" (January 21 - February 19) (February 20 - March 20)"...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (1557+ words) Bobby Brazier has shared a glimpse at his spritual journey after ditching the world of showbiz to pursue a new life in India. The EastEnders star, 22, has spent the summer immersing himself in the Hare Krishna religion after leaving the BBC soap earlier this year, having turned to the faith after a period of strained relations with his father Jeff and brother Freddie. While Bobby seems to have patched things up with his father, he has taken to Instagram to show the positive impact his pilgrimage has had on him, posting a video of himself and hundreds of worshippers performing a traditional dance. In the clip, Bobby was joined by monks Indradyumna Swami and'Sacinandana Swami for the uplifting group dance. Reflecting on his spiritual journey so far, Bobby admitted that while it has been 'amazing' to discover more about Hare…...

1+ week, 20+ hour ago (551+ words) Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of an ailing Spanish bishop who is under church investigation for allegedly sexually abusing a teenage boy in the 1990s." The Vatican confirmed in a statement on Saturday that Leo had accepted the resignation of Cadiz Bishop Rafael Zornoza, 76, but did not mention the allegation." It comes after Spanish newspaper El Pais reported earlier this month that Zornoza had been recently placed under investigation by a church tribunal. The national paper, which has exposed decades of abuse and cover-up in the Spanish Catholic Church, said Zornoza was accused of abusing a young former seminarian while he was a young priest and directed the diocesan seminary in Getafe." The report, quoting a letter the former seminarian wrote the Vatican over the summer, said Zornoza fondled him and regularly slept with him from when he was…...