Author: Darren Smith

The government has launched an independent review into how schools and colleges in England handle antisemitism, appointing former senior education official Sir David Bell to lead the inquiry as figures show school-related antisemitic incidents have reached double their pre-2023 levels. The Community Security Trust recorded 204 school-related antisemitic incidents in 2025 alone, while over a fifth of British Jewish parents report their children have experienced antisemitism at school, on their way to or from school, or in the immediate vicinity. A separate NASUWT survey found that 51 per cent of Jewish members had experienced antisemitism in the workplace in the…

Harry Maguire faces a significant threat to his England career after a Greek appeals court upheld his conviction for assault and bribery stemming from a 2020 incident on the island of Mykonos, ending a six-year legal effort to clear his name. The Manchester United defender, who was not present at the hearing, had his original 21-month suspended sentence reduced to 15 months and 20 days, accompanied by a €1,500 fine. While his legal team cannot lodge a further appeal against the conviction itself, they retain the option to challenge specific points of law before a higher court. The ruling carries…

The head of the Iranian unit responsible for plotting the assassination of President Donald Trump has been killed in US strikes, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced, describing the killing as a deliberate and targeted outcome of the ongoing military operation against Iran. Speaking at a press conference, Hegseth confirmed that American forces had tracked down and eliminated the individual leading the plot against the President. “The leader of the unit who attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed,” he said. “Iran tried to kill President Trump. And President Trump got the last laugh.” Hegseth did…

The chief executive of the Police Federation of England and Wales has been arrested on suspicion of corruption following an investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing at the organisation, GB News sources have confirmed. Mukund Krishna, who is reported to earn upwards of £700,000 a year, was detained by officers from the City of London Police alongside two other senior figures within the federation. The arrests took place on Wednesday as part of a series of coordinated raids on premises across Wales, Somerset, London and Surrey, carried out simultaneously to arrest suspects and gather evidence. The Police Federation of England and…

Counter-terrorism police have arrested three men on suspicion of spying for China, with one of those detained understood to be the partner of a sitting Labour MP, according to the BBC. The arrests, which took place across London and Wales, were carried out under the National Security Act as part of a Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism investigation. The three men, aged 39, 43 and 68, are all currently being held in custody. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers conducted searches at the properties where each of the men was arrested, with additional searches also carried out at locations in London, East…

A pharmacy manager who lied about his age to groom an underage girl on Snapchat before sexually abusing her has been sentenced to an extended nine-year term at Bradford Crown Court, with seven years to be served in custody and a further two on licence. Shahzad Hussain, 27, of Browsholme Street, Keighley, was found guilty following a trial of six offences relating to sexual activity with a child, all committed in 2022. Recorder Richard Paige imposed the extended sentence on the grounds that Hussain posed a serious risk of harm to children. He must also register as a sex offender…

French authorities have detained a British drill rapper who spent more than two weeks taunting police on social media after escaping custody twice in the space of five days, with his arrest coming just one day after he posted a video of himself dancing shirtless to a rap celebrating his escape. Daniel Boakye, 21, who performs under the name Dsavv, was arrested in La Bouëxière, a commune approximately 60 miles north of Nantes, on Monday night. The Metropolitan Police confirmed he faces an imminent return to the United Kingdom, where he is wanted on suspicion of escaping lawful custody. Detectives…

A 23-year-old man has been charged in connection with the Edinburgh knife incident that prompted a major armed police response on Monday, with the suspect due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday. The charge follows a prolonged stand-off at Cobbinshaw House tower block in the Calder Gardens area, which began at around 8.25am and was not resolved until shortly after 3.30pm — lasting approximately seven hours. When the situation concluded, the suspect was quietly removed from the building through a back entrance to avoid the large crowd that had gathered at the front of the block. Police Scotland…

Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed Britain will deploy a warship and helicopter units to Cyprus following an Iranian strike on RAF Akrotiri, as the United States and Israel continue military operations against Tehran for a fourth consecutive day. The Prime Minister announced the decision after speaking directly with the President of Cyprus, confirming that HMS Dragon — a Type 45 destroyer — will be sent to the region alongside helicopters equipped with counter-drone capabilities. “We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies,” Starmer said. The Type 45 destroyer is considered a significant deployment, as it…

A 20-year-old university student from Nepal lost his life after being struck by a car travelling at more than double the speed limit on a residential east London street — and the man behind the wheel, award-winning rapper Ghetts, has now been sentenced to 12 years in prison for the killing. Justin Clarke-Samuel, 41, whose stage name is Ghetts, was sentenced at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty in December to causing the death of Yubin Tamang by dangerous driving. Judge Mark Lucraft KC also handed Clarke-Samuel a 17-year driving ban, describing CCTV footage of his driving that evening as…