When Yusuf Islam – the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens – had his first child, he wrote her a song. Her name was Hasanah and the song was a kind of ABC of the Muslim faith: A is for Allah, nothing but Allah … Ka is for kalima, aContinue Reading
The Imam Ali shrine, in Najaf, Iraq, is one of the most sacred Shi'a sites. CameraAction | Shutterstock Following picketing by Muslim groups, leading UK cinema chain Cineworld cancelled all screenings of blockbuster film, The Lady of Heaven. Produced in Britain, this historical epic tells the story of Fatima, theContinue Reading
The elderly couple found dead in Co Tipperary on Monday have been named as Nicholas and Hilary Smith. The couple were originally from England and were in their 70s and 80s. The remains of the pair may have lain undiscovered in their home for more than a year. Post-mortem examinationsContinue Reading
As the war in Ukraine drags on and Russia’s attempts to gain significant ground in Donbas stall, concerns are being raised once again about the possibility of Belarus opening a second front. This, so the logic goes, would require Ukraine to redeploy forces from the front lines in the eastContinue Reading
I T S / Shutterstock The European Union is taking legal action against the UK once again, after the government announced a bill altering the post-Brexit agreement that deals with trade between Northern Ireland, the rest of Britain, and the EU. The Northern Ireland protocol has been a driver ofContinue Reading
Prostock-studio / Shutterstock For the last two-plus years, people hoping to meet their soulmate in person have had a rough time. Lockdowns and uncertainty about social gatherings have led many people to turn to dating apps. People who feel they have lost months or years of their dating life mayContinue Reading
Tiverton and Honiton in Devon has long been a Conservative stronghold. But the Liberal Democrats believe they have a good chance of taking the seat in an impending byelection. The vote follows the resignation of former MP Neil Parish, who admitted to watching porn in the House of Commons chamber.Continue Reading
Since the post-COVID reopening of the economy, staffing shortages in the care sector in England have been of increasing concern. In October 2021, British charity Skills for Care warned that, at 8.2%, adult social care vacancy rates in England were exceeding pre-pandemic levels (which in 2019, stood at 8%). ThatContinue Reading
MediaPunch Inc/Alamy The decision by K-pop sensations, BTS, to take a hiatus is breaking hearts globally. But, unlike the Beatles or One Direction, their decision is tied to Korean peninsula politics and the challenge of balancing national security and Korea’s soft power ambitions. The seven members of BTS broke theContinue Reading
For decades, Whitehall has pondered how to make use of the Commonwealth, without tangible results. There was an expectation in some quarters that Brexit would increase its significance to the UK. But it was never clear why this would, in itself, suddenly transform an under-resourced and notoriously unfocused organisation intoContinue Reading
