Author: Darren Smith

Special forces fatally shot a gunman who had taken hostages inside a Kyiv supermarket on Friday, ending a siege that claimed six lives including a woman who died from her injuries hours after tactical units breached the premises. The suspect was killed by police during an armed intervention at the shopping mall facility in the Holosiivskyi district after crisis negotiators failed to establish dialogue with the individual, who had been firing at officers whilst holding multiple people captive inside the store. Interior ministry head Ihor Klymenko confirmed that tactical teams stormed the building following unsuccessful attempts to make contact, with…

Anger reverberated around St James’ Park on Saturday as Newcastle supporters made their displeasure unmistakable, jeering their team from the pitch following a deflating 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth that saw the visitors snatch victory in the closing stages. Adrien Truffert’s late strike sparked wild celebrations amongst the travelling Cherries contingent whilst simultaneously igniting frustration amongst the home faithful, who watched their side surrender what had appeared a recoverable position after William Osula’s second-half equaliser. The audible discontent from the stands underscored mounting pressure on Newcastle’s campaign, with supporters demonstrating their exasperation at witnessing another match slip away just when…

The contrast between Thomas Frank’s warm reception at his former club and Tottenham’s desperate fight for Premier League survival could scarcely have been starker as the sacked manager emerged from weeks of seclusion to watch Brentford host Fulham on Saturday. TNT Sports cameras captured the 52-year-old Dane exchanging pleasantries with supporters from a VIP box alongside Brentford sporting director Phil Giles at the Gtech Community Stadium—his first public appearance since Tottenham dismissed him in February amidst the north London club’s alarming descent towards relegation. The timing proved particularly pointed given Spurs face a must-win evening fixture against Brighton, sitting precariously…

Gunfire from Iranian forces struck at least two merchant ships attempting passage through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday as Tehran’s new Supreme Leader issued stark warnings about inflicting “new bitter defeats” on adversaries, prompting a convoy to scatter and retreat. Mojtaba Khamenei’s bellicose message via Telegram declared Iran’s navy prepared to deliver fresh humiliation to enemies, hours after Donald Trump warned he may have to “start dropping bombs again” if fragile ceasefire negotiations collapse. Shipping and security sources confirmed to Reuters that multiple vessels reported being hit by gunfire whilst attempting transit through the narrow waterway, though damage assessments…

A Scottish cyber criminal linked to devastating supermarket attacks that left British shelves empty for weeks is facing more than two decades imprisonment after admitting his role in a sophisticated international fraud operation targeting major corporations. Tyler Buchanan, 24, from Dundee, entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft following his extradition to face American prosecutors, with sentencing scheduled for 21 August at a US federal court. The hacker has been held in American custody since April 2025 after his arrest in Spain whilst travelling to Italy, with authorities uncovering evidence at his Scottish residence…

An Iran-backed extremist organisation has asserted responsibility for its sixth attack since early April after counter-terrorism officers launched an investigation into an attempted firebombing of a Jewish-owned commercial property in northwest London. Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia circulated footage via Telegram purporting to show an individual igniting bottles within a plastic bag inside the Hendon premises before filming the burning building whilst fleeing—the latest in an escalating campaign that included yesterday’s alleged drone operation targeting the Israeli embassy with materials the group characterised as radioactive. The Friday night assault saw a suspect approach a row of shops at 10.31pm carrying a…

Detectives from Victoria’s Major Collision Investigation Unit are working to establish whether a fatal incident outside a Melbourne entertainment convention that claimed one life and left another fighting for survival resulted from deliberate action or vehicular malfunction. A grey Toyota allegedly mounted the pavement on Langs Road near the Melbourne Showgrounds shortly after 5pm Saturday, striking pedestrians gathered outside the Supanova Comic Con and Gaming event in Ascot Vale. One victim was declared deceased at the scene whilst emergency services rushed a second individual to hospital with life-threatening trauma. The drama unfolded as families departed the popular science fiction, fantasy…

A 21-year-old Australian operates what he describes as a functioning state apparatus—complete with citizenship programmes, government ministries and international representation—for a sliver of disputed Balkan forest he has never been permitted to settle, following his detention and expulsion by Croatian authorities. Daniel Jackson’s Free Republic of Verdis has attracted over 4,000 e-residency participants since its 2019 proclamation, with the membership base surging 300 per cent in five months despite the self-styled president being physically barred from the 0.5 square kilometre territory he claims along the Croatia-Serbia Danube border. The Upper Ferntree Gully native identifies the land—known as Pocket 3—as terra…

Local residents have expressed fury after discovering asylum seekers are being housed at a heavily fortified Essex caravan park that has illegally expanded from its original 50-pitch approval to accommodate an estimated 1,500 people, including alleged criminals linked to weapons stockpiling and drug networks. Neighbours of the Buckles Lane site in South Ockendon have demanded Thurrock Council take immediate enforcement action against what they describe as a dangerous and unsanitary compound that has undergone multiple unauthorised expansions since receiving planning consent in 1980. The sprawling settlement, secured by metal gates, patrol dogs and extensive CCTV systems, has become a destination…

A brief window of maritime traffic through the world’s most critical oil chokepoint has slammed shut once more after Tehran reimposed passage restrictions just hours following what shipping analysts described as the first significant vessel movement in seven weeks. Iranian state broadcaster IRIB confirmed Friday that the Strait of Hormuz “is now closed again and passage requires Iran approval,” reversing Thursday’s reopening that had been announced in conjunction with the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire taking effect. Tehran’s military command justified the renewed closure by citing Washington’s refusal to abandon its retaliatory naval blockade preventing ships from accessing Iranian Gulf ports, stating the…