The government’s recent organ donation consultation in England found that some faith groups felt that their faith and beliefs needed to be more acknowledged when deciding whether to proceed with donation.

The main barrier to organ donation among black and Asian people was the belief that it is against a person’s culture or religion.

Therefore, people signing up will now be asked an optional question about whether or not they want their faith or beliefs to be discussed with their family, or anyone else they consider appropriate, such as a faith leader, if the circumstances occurred.

Jackie Doyle-Price, Minister for Inequalities, said: “This important update will give people the confidence that when they register a decision to donate their organs, their beliefs will always be considered. Choosing to donate an organ is and will remain a personal decision and I am delighted that we are making real progress in helping people to make that choice in a way that’s right for them.”

If a potential donor requests that the NHS speak to their family, a specialist nurse will raise this when they approach their relatives but will not know what particular faith the individual holds.

This information will continue to be gathered through conversations with the family. If queries or concerns relating to faith or belief issues are raised, such as whether burial would be delayed or if any…

Under the EU Settlement Scheme people from European countries who want to continue living in the UK after 30th June 2021 will have to apply to do so.

Those aged 16 and over will be charged £65 to apply and £32.50 will need to be paid for those under the age of 16.

The Rt Rev Paul McAleenan, Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of Westminster said EU citizens living in the UK have faced “profound uncertainty and insecurity about their future” since the 2016 referendum.

“Although the reassurances offered by senior politicians are important, people have been given far too little information or binding commitments about their right to stay,” he said.

“For some this has been worsened by the appalling rise in hate crime, which has left them feeling unwelcome or even threatened in the country that has become their home.”

The Church has said it “stands in solidarity” with all EU citizens who have made their home in the UK and “as the majority are themselves Catholic this is a special pastoral concern for us”.

People with indefinite leave to remain in, or enter, the UK or with a valid ‘UK permanent residence document’ will have to apply if they want settled status, but they won’t be charged.

Irish citizens don’t need to apply.

Those applying from April 2019 to move from pre-settled status to settled status and children in local…

The Grammy-winning 59-year-old singer shared a picture of himself in hospital in a Facebook post.

He explained: “Was in a serious accident at 12:50am this morning…passed out while driving on the highway. Totalled the car…hospitalised, going through a myriad of tests…but I’m alive!!!

“Lost consciousness driving…but two human angels followed my swerving car with their emergency blinkers onto stop traffic ….drove behind me until my car crashed into the middle concrete island.

“I remember none of it except those two angels pulling me out of the passenger’s side of the crumbled totalled car…airbags deployed…crushed metal and fibreglass!!

“I AM ALIVE!!!!

“Somewhat mangled, stitches on left thumb, sprained wrist, hurt knee, but I’m still here! God and two angels saved my life! I owe them.

“I am still here by the grace of God!

“Thank you, Lord … thank you!”

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The 149-year-old Grade 2 listed church, the Church of the Ascension in the Lower Broughton area of Salford had undergone a £250,000 renovation before it was burnt down in the arson attack in February 2017.

A two-year restoration project has been officially launched for the building which is a rare remaining example of work by Manchester architect James Medland Taylor.

The start of works was blessed by Canon David Wyatt, accompanied by the Archdeacon of Salford, Ven David Sharples; the Bishop of Manchester, Rt Revd David Walker; the Bishop of Bolton, Rt Revd Mark Ashcroft and scores of members of the local community and schools.

The work will be carried out by Seddon Construction and will be a challenging rebuild after the roof collapsed in the blaze last year.

Phase 1 will cost £2.46m to rebuild the building fabric including structural replacements, re-roofing and specialist stonemasonry and glazing.

Phase 2 will cost £2.5m for the internal fit out.

Various events are planned to involve the community in the rebuild, including resident engagement workshops, site visits for schoolchildren and Salford architect students as well as masonry lessons.

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The Vatican said that Francis has written to Chilean Cardinal Javier Errazuriz and Australian Cardinal George Pell thanking them for their five years of service on the so-called Group of Nine, or C-9.

Francis also bid farewell to Congolese Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, who has not been implicated in the scandal but, age 79, recently retired as archbishop of Kinshasa.

Mr Errazuriz, 85, has been accused by Chilean abuse survivors of having covered up for predator priests while he was archbishop of Santiago, a charge he has denied.

Mr Pell, 77, took leave from his job as the Vatican’s economy minister to stand trial in his native Australia on historic charges of sex abuse, which he denies.

Their continued presence on the C-9 had been a source of scandal for Francis, given the explosion of the abuse and cover-up crisis this year.

Francis himself was implicated in the scandal after he strongly defended a Chilean bishop accused of covering up for the country’s most notorious predator priest – a position he took apparently on the advice of Mr Errazuriz.

After Francis realised his errors and apologised, he summoned the presidents of all the world’s bishops conferences to Rome for a three-day meeting in February to discuss protecting young people from paedophiles. That summit has taken on enormous weight given the eruption of the scandal in the US.

The Vatican made no…

Political rivals have urged the North Antrim representative to resign after allegations he holidayed in the Maldives courtesy of the Indian Ocean nation’s government.

The DUP has pledged to examine the “very serious” claims levelled in a BBC Spotlight NI investigation.

Mr Paisley has denied the holiday was paid for by the Maldives government, instead insisting an unnamed friend part-funded the 2016 vacation.

Sinn Fein, the SDLP and Ulster Unionists have written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone urging her to investigate the case.

Mr Paisley himself contacted Ms Stone’s office on Wednesday to seek a meeting to discuss the claims made.

Sinn Fein and the SDLP said Mr Paisley should resign and, if he did not, DUP leader Arlene Foster was obliged to take action against him.

Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said the programme raised serious questions over his rival’s judgment.

The claims aired by Spotlight came days after Mr Paisley returned to Parliament having served a 30-day suspension for failing to declare two holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government and lobbying on its behalf.

He narrowly avoided facing a by-election after Parliament’s first ever recall petition fell short of the number of constituent signatures required to oust him by around 450.

Commenting on the…