Author: Darren Smith

The President of the UAE and the Crown Prince of Dubai made a visible public appearance at one of the city’s most prominent shopping destinations yesterday evening, greeting residents and visitors in what Dubai’s Media Office described as a show of steady leadership amid ongoing Iranian strikes on the Gulf state. Mohammed bin Zayed, 64, and Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, 43, were seen at Dubai Mall — located in the city’s downtown area beside the Burj Khalifa — where they sat for coffee and pastries at café Cipriani Dolci alongside other senior Emirati figures before strolling through…

Britain is weighing the deployment of a Royal Navy warship to protect its military base in Cyprus after an Iranian drone struck RAF Akrotiri at the weekend, as France and Greece have already moved to bolster the island’s defences while the UK government continues its deliberations. Government sources confirmed that ministers are actively “considering” sending a gunboat to the sovereign British territory, with Defence Secretary John Healey understood to have spent the past 24 hours in discussions with officials over the options. The vessel most likely to be deployed, should a decision be taken, is the Type 45 Destroyer HMS…

A Cambridge man has been convicted of murdering a young Saudi Arabian student in a random, unprovoked knife attack that took place outside student accommodation near the city’s railway station. Mohammed Algasim, a 20-year-old on a ten-week English language placement in Cambridge, was stabbed in the neck and killed on the night of 1 August last year. He had never previously encountered his attacker. Chas Corrigan, 22, of Holbrook Road, Cambridge, was found guilty of murder at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday, having denied the charge while admitting to possessing the knife used in the attack. The jury heard that…

An armed man attempted to force his way into a nursery and primary school before going on to stab at least two people and ransack a local shop during a prolonged knife rampage in Edinburgh this morning, witnesses have said. The incident began in the Calder area of the city at around 8.25am, when the man — who was seen carrying two large blades described by witnesses as blood-soaked and taped to his hands — was spotted in the grounds of Sighthill Primary School and Early Years Centre. Local resident Abigail Clegg told the Press Association the man had “tried…

Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, the wife of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has died after succumbing to injuries she sustained in the US-Israeli airstrike that killed her husband on Saturday, Al Jazeera has reported. Bagherzadeh, believed to have been 79 years old, passed away two days after the strike on Khamenei’s compound in Tehran. She is among several members of the family killed as a result of the attack. Iranian state media reported on Sunday that Khamenei’s daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law also died in the strike. Bagherzadeh had been married to Khamenei since 1965, and the couple had six…

Two people have been taken to hospital following a bladed weapon incident in Edinburgh this morning, with police confirming the disturbance has been brought under control and that the wider public is not believed to be at risk. Police Scotland Chief Inspector Scott Kennedy confirmed that officers were called to Calder Gardens at around 8.25am following reports of a man armed with a bladed weapon. Two individuals sustained injuries during the incident and were subsequently transported to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment. Specialist resources, including armed officers, were deployed to a property near the scene, where enquiries remain…

All six aircrew aboard three US fighter jets survived after ejecting safely when their aircraft were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences during active combat operations over the country, American military authorities have confirmed. US Central Command issued a statement confirming the incident took place at 11:03pm Eastern Time on 1 March, when three F-15E Strike Eagles operating in support of Operation Epic Fury were brought down over Kuwait. “During active combat — that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones — the US Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences,” the…

A Muslim student society at University College London has come under scrutiny after publishing a tribute to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei following his death, describing his passing as an “unimaginable loss” and calling on Shia Muslims in the West to “remain aware and ready.” The Ahlul-Bayt Islamic Society, based at one of Britain’s most prominent universities, posted a statement offering “sincere condolences” alongside a prayer for the deceased leader. The group’s mental health team contributed to the post, which referred to Khamenei’s death as “martyrdom” and framed his loss as one felt across the entire Muslim world, or Ummah.…

Schools in a part of Edinburgh were placed on lockdown this morning after armed police were called to reports of a man carrying two large knives in the Calder area of the city, with locals reporting that a number of people may have been stabbed. Officers, including specialist firearms units and dog handlers, were deployed to the scene before 9am. Video footage that circulated online showed an individual in the street holding what appeared to be two large bladed weapons as police arrived. Wester Hailes High School was among the schools affected, with parents receiving a text message from the…

Sirens are currently sounding across northern Israel after six rockets were launched from Lebanon toward the north, with one striking the town of Shlomi. The warning systems have been activated in multiple locations across the north as authorities respond to the incoming fire. The IDF stated details of the incident are under investigation. Israeli authorities have stated they are prepared for hostile aircraft in Lebanese airspace and warned a strong retaliation is coming. If confirmed, this would mark the first rocket fire from Lebanon since the US-brokered Israel-Lebanon ceasefire came into effect in November 2024. It is not immediately clear…