The pop singer, 27, detailed her “absolutely magical” experience earlier this week, including a visit to the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Jerusalem.

Lovato said the trip, which took in other holy sites around the city, had filled “the God-sized hole in my heart”.

However, following her social media posts gushing about her visit to Israel, former Disney Channel star Lovato was criticised online for praising the country as it is involved in a dispute over contested land with Palestine.

Lovato has now responded to the backlash, saying she is “extremely frustrated” by the controversy and she never intended to make a political statement.

“I accepted a free trip to Israel in exchange for a few posts. No one told me there would be anything wrong with going or that I could possibly be offending anyone,” Lovato wrote on Instagram.

“With that being said, I’m sorry if I’ve hurt or offended anyone, that was not my intention.”

Lovato said she was unaware the trip could result in criticism. “This was meant to be a spiritual experience for me, NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT,” Lovato wrote.

“Now I realise it hurt people and for that I’m sorry.”

The singer add she is “sorry I’m not more educated, and sorry for thinking this trip was just a spiritual experience”.

She finished the message by writing: “I love my fans, all of them, from all…

Developer Bellway had sought planning permission for up to 65 homes on land opposite Malling Abbey in West Malling, Kent.

Founded in around 1090, the abbey is home to a group of Benedictine nuns who have adopted a simple lifestyle with an emphasis on silent and isolated worship.

The abbess, Mother Mary David said the proposals presented a “dire” situation for the abbey, and could have forced them to move.

But a planning inspector has now dismissed an appeal by Bellway and refused it permission to build the homes after recognising the potential disruption to the abbey.

Mother Mary said: “We are delighted with the outcome of the planning inspector.

“We and our guests, who number more than 1,000 a year, are looking forward to continuing our life at the abbey in the God-centred quiet and peace.”

She said the community was “grateful and humbled” by the amount of local support it had received.

In her decision, which was published on Thursday, planning inspector Frances Mahoney said part of the nuns’ concerns was that noise from a proposed area of nearby open space within the development could “drift into the quiet areas of the abbey where the contemplative atmosphere, so important to the nuns, would be mutated”.

She said while it may be possible to “design out any conflict”, she could not be certain it would work.

Ms Mahoney said the harm to area’s heritage outweighed the…

The building on his Framlingham land would be boat-shaped and comprise of two floors for a moment’s silence away from the rest of the world for one of the UK’s biggest solo stars.

Last year, he submitted ideas for a flint chapel that would seat 24 people. The plans were rejected in June 2018, with the local council saying it would be at odds with the character of the local area.

A statement by Donald Insall Associates said: “It would address an important need for a private place of retreat for contemplation and prayer, for celebration of key life and family milestones, family and social gatherings, marriages, christenings and so forth.

“The applicant has guests visiting from around the world. Many of these people are from many countries, faiths and customs.

“Thus, the applicant seeks to provide a space in which, he, his family and these different people can retreat for contemplation, prayer and relaxation, to meet celebrate and meditate in peace and safety from disturbance.”

It would have stained glass windows, a lead roof and flint walls with a gallery inside.

The pop star already has a swimming pool and football pitch.

Legal documents state the space will not try to compete with the local church, St Mary’s.

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Speaking to Premier on day three of his tenure, Mr Calver said: “I’d like to think the Evangelical Alliance would be braver and kinder. And I’d like to think that lots more people will come to know Jesus through what we’re doing. But more than anything, I would like Jesus to be famous, not the EA.”

Calver, who was national director of Youth for Christ before joining the EA in 2015, added that he wanted his legacy to “be around confidence in the gospel”. The 39 year-old added the UK Church has been “full of pessimists” for too long.

“What other group in the UK produces research on itself, gives it a negative title then does a press conference to tell the secular media how badly we’re doing? It makes no sense! We need to start being more hopeful, because the grave is empty and Jesus is alive!”

“I wholeheartedly believe in my lifetime we’re going to see a major move of God in the United Kingdom…The only other option I have is, I’m going to die today believing it was coming tomorrow. I believe in a God who can move mountains.”

When asked whether spiritual opposition had increased since taking the role, he replied, “Of course, the target on my back has quadrupled in just 3 days, I’ve no doubt about it.”

Calver succeeds general director Steve Clifford, who announced in April that he would be stepping down, after 10 years in the role. When asked how long he would be…

A member of the House of Lords has criticised the Radio 4 feature ‘Thought For The Day’, saying it has just become platitudes and limits religious people saying what they really believe.

Lord Singh has said he will no longer fill the slot, which happens every day on the Today programme at 7:45am and features religious leaders and thinkers sharing a short, topical reflection with a philosophical or religious angle.

The slot has often been criticised by former Today presenter John Humphrys, who, in his most recent tirade, told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that he thought Thought For The Day was pointless and discriminated against people without a religion and called for it to be scrapped.

Attacking it from the other end of the spectrum, Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon, a Sikh and interfaith activist, said he was nearly prevented from broadcasting his thoughts about an executed Skih guru who opposed the forced conversion of Hindus to Islam “because it might offend Muslims” and claimed he got the same response when he wanted to suggest that there was just one God.

The cross-bench peer told The Times: “It was like saying to a Christian that he or she should not talk about Easter for fear of giving offence to the Jews”.

The 87 year old persuaded the BBC to let him say what he wanted and there were no complaints. However, he has now quit the slot because he feels he can’t represent his faith fairly.

He said: “The…