Author: Darren Smith

News, Science & Sport Darren Smith is a freelance reporter specialising in general news, science, and sport. His work covers breaking stories, scientific research, and major sporting events. darrensmith@britanniadaily.com

Russia has begun launching daily attacks using upgraded jet-powered Geran drones capable of speeds exceeding 300mph, according to Ukrainian Air Force data, prompting President Volodymyr Zelensky to warn of an unfolding “horror” over Kyiv’s skies as Ukraine races to develop faster interceptor missiles. Russia has begun deploying its new, jet-powered Geran drones on a daily basis, according to Ukrainian Air Force data, marking the first time such attacks have been recorded every day. The upgraded munitions can cruise at more than 300mph, significantly outpacing older drone models and exceeding the top speed of Kyiv’s existing interceptors. President Volodymyr Zelensky has…

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Comedian Dave Hughes has responded to reports that convicted mushroom killer Erin Patterson has been prescribed taxpayer-funded Ozempic weight-loss injections while serving her sentence, as she simultaneously awaits the outcome of an appeal against her murder convictions. Dave Hughes has issued a reality check for Erin Patterson following reports that the mushroom killer has been prescribed taxpayer-funded Ozempic weight loss injections while in custody. Patterson, 51, is currently serving her sentence at Melbourne’s Dame Phyllis Frost Centre while awaiting the outcome of an appeal against her convictions. It was revealed on Tuesday morning that the self-confessed “binge eater” had recently…

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A huge fire engulfed the passenger ferry MV June Aster off the coast of Coron in the Philippines, leaving at least five people dead and 87 unaccounted for, as coastguard officials continue search and rescue operations hampered by strong currents and poor weather conditions. At least five people have been killed and 87 remain missing after a fire broke out aboard a passenger ferry off the coast of the Philippines. The blaze erupted aboard the MV June Aster near Coron, a popular tourist destination in Palawan province, on Wednesday evening, roughly 2.2km (1.3 miles) off Palawan island. The vessel had…

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A father from Main Beach on Queensland’s Gold Coast has scooped an $8 million Oz Lotto jackpot on his birthday, after holding the only Division One winning entry nationally, describing the win as “mind-boggling” moments after finally taking the call from The Lott. An Australian father has won $8 million on his birthday after purchasing a winning ticket through The Lott’s website. The Main Beach resident held the only Division One winning entry anywhere in the country in Oz Lotto Draw 1699, drawn on Tuesday, 8 September, meaning he takes home the entire prize pool rather than sharing it with…

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A British holidaymaker has been detained in Turkey after allegedly spitting on a Turkish flag hanging in a hotel lobby following a heated dispute with staff, with a Turkish court ordering his pre-trial detention on charges of insulting the symbols of state sovereignty. A British man has been detained in Turkey after allegedly spitting on a Turkish flag during a dispute with hotel staff. The holidaymaker, believed to be Stephen Kerr, 58, had been staying at a resort in Alanya’s Dinek neighbourhood, within Turkey’s southern Antalya province, when the incident unfolded. According to Turkish reports, Kerr became involved in a…

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Paul Rudd, a former Royal Navy officer, has avoided immediate imprisonment after deliberately driving at his wife’s former lover on a Cheshire pavement, leaving the man with a broken nose, torn kidney and concussion, in an attack Chester Crown Court heard he had threatened hours earlier. A jealous husband has avoided jail after running over his wife’s lover on a pavement in Cheshire. Paul Rudd, 58, waited for his wife and Adrian Boakes to leave a pub together before driving at Boakes at 10mph, having earlier warned his wife: “I’m going to run the c*** over.” The incident, which took…

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A man remains in hospital with serious injuries after a VW Golf being pursued by police crashed into another car in Derbyshire, with officers now appealing to trace an elderly dog walker who narrowly avoided the collision and may have witnessed the vehicle’s movements beforehand. A man has been seriously injured after crashing during a police pursuit in Derbyshire, as officers now search for a dog walker who narrowly avoided being struck by the fleeing vehicle. Police were pursuing a VW Golf that had failed to stop on the A6007 in Heanor, just after 12.15pm on Tuesday, 8 September. As…

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North Norfolk District Council has unanimously agreed to raise the maximum fine for littering on Cromer beach to £500, after a summer of “embarrassing” rubbish left by visitors sparked frustration among local residents and volunteers. A popular UK beach resort is set to significantly increase littering fines after visitors left “embarrassing” amounts of rubbish on the sand this summer. Councillors at North Norfolk District Council have unanimously backed plans to raise the penalty for leaving litter at Cromer, Norfolk, from a maximum of £80 to £500. The seaside town attracts thousands of visitors each year, but a summer of mounting…

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At least 12 people have died and five remain missing after a huge avalanche struck a group conducting mountain training in Russia’s North Caucasus, with reports suggesting members of Vladimir Putin’s elite Vityaz special forces were among the victims, though this claim remains unconfirmed by official sources. Members of Vladimir Putin’s special forces were reportedly among those killed after a huge avalanche struck climbers during a mountain training exercise in Russia’s North Caucasus. The avalanche hit Mount Mizhirgi, which stands at 16,465ft, at around 5pm on Sunday, thundering roughly 3,000ft down the mountainside and completely engulfing climbers in the Bezengi…

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Amateur MMA fighter Cole Johnson has claimed he was offered more than $500,000 to fight a chimpanzee, with a promotional website now advertising the encounter for 11 September, despite scientists warning that such a contest would risk catastrophic injury and no confirmed venue, animal or regulatory approval yet in place. An amateur MMA fighter has shocked the internet by claiming to have been offered more than $500,000 (£370,000) to fight a chimpanzee. In a series of social media posts, Minnesota-born fighter Cole Johnson alleged he had arranged a fight against a male adult chimpanzee, scheduled for this coming Friday. Experts,…

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