Author: Darren Smith

Britain is set for a dramatic temperature swing in the coming days, with weather maps showing highs of around 30C in parts of the south east, as an area of high pressure moves in from the south following a week of cloudy, wet and chilly conditions. BBC weather forecaster Tomasz Schafernaker said the change in fortunes would be welcome news for sun lovers. “I’ve got some good news in the forecast for the week ahead after the recent cloudy, rainy, chilly weather, we are in for something a lot more cheerful, some blue skies it is going to turn a…

One of the four Palestine Action activists jailed this week over a raid on an Israeli arms factory that left a police officer with a fractured spine has been revealed to have a previous career as a signed pop musician, as political figures clashed over whether the sentences amounted to a “dangerous attack on the right to protest.” Leona Kamio, 30, also known as Ellie, was the singer of synthpop group Sälen before going solo and signing to Island Records UK, a label with a 60-year history behind global stars including Amy Winehouse, Keane, Florence + The Machine, Chappell Roan…

Paraguayan model and superfan Marisol Olmedo has gone viral after being spotted in the stands at SoFi Stadium for her country’s World Cup opener, even as her team suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to the United States in Los Angeles. The hosts produced a dominant performance in Group D, with Folarin Balogun scoring twice after an own goal from Paraguay defender Damian Bobadilla, before Gio Reyna completed the scoring with a fine strike in the final minute. Paraguay’s only moment of brief celebration came from a well-taken goal by Mauricio in the 73rd minute, which reduced the deficit to 3-1…

A 17-year-old girl who was stabbed in the neck while walking along a street in Brierfield, Lancashire, has been discharged from hospital and is recovering at home, police have confirmed. The girl was attacked on Wood Street at around 3pm on Friday. A 30-year-old man, described by Lancashire Police as a British man of Pakistani heritage, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. The BBC understands the victim is also of Pakistani heritage. A police spokesman said: “This was a very serious incident but thankfully the girl’s injuries were not life-threatening. After receiving treatment and care, she has been discharged…

A 30-year-old British-born man of Pakistani heritage from Brierfield, Lancashire, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a 17-year-old girl was stabbed in the back of the neck, Lancashire Police have confirmed. The man was arrested shortly after the incident and remains in custody. The teenage victim has since been discharged from hospital following the attack.

A Nigerian man who won €500,000 on an Italian scratchcard but was unable to access the money due to his undocumented status has finally been granted permission to remain in Italy, in a case that exposed the bureaucratic limbo facing migrants without legal residency. Imagbe Ehizomwengie, 36, bought the winning €5 Gratta e Vinci ticket using money he had earned selling handkerchiefs and begging outside a supermarket. He broke down in tears of joy and relief upon discovering his win, but his happiness was short-lived once he discovered he had no way of claiming the prize. This week, a tribunal…

Three teenagers, including a 14-year-old boy, have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 21-year-old man was found with critical injuries in a Chelmsford park and later pronounced dead at the scene. Emergency services were called to Central Park in Chelmsford at around 7pm on Friday following reports of an assault. Officers arrived within minutes to find the victim with critical injuries, but despite the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Three suspects, aged 14, 17 and 18, were arrested shortly afterwards and remain in custody for questioning. An Essex Police spokesman said: “A murder…

The M5 has been closed in both directions near Taunton, Somerset, following a police-led incident, with emergency services reporting people in the road and lengthy delays building rapidly on the motorway near the busy regional airport. The closure affects the stretch between Junction 25 and Junction 24, with traffic cameras appearing to show figures in the road alongside police vehicles attending the scene. National Highways said: “The M5 near Taunton is blocked in both directions between J25 and J24 due to a police led incident. Avon and Somerset Police are on scene. Further updates to follow.” Diversion routes have been…

The sister of a missing Brazilian woman has issued an emotional appeal for the public not to give up searching, as the case marks 100 days since she vanished in an Essex seaside town. Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto, 30, disappeared after visiting a friend at Essex University on 3 March and was reported missing later that day. Her sister Marina has urged people to continue checking properties, outbuildings and hiding spaces for any trace of her. “I’m coming first of all to thank everyone who continues to make an effort to bring her back home,” Marina said. “We don’t know exactly…

A tourist has been rushed to hospital after a ninth-floor balcony collapsed and crashed into a swimming pool at a four-star hotel in La Manga, southeast Spain, knocking him unconscious with falling debris. The incident occurred at the Izan Cavanna Hotel on Friday evening. Emergency services received multiple 999 calls just after 7.30pm reporting that a balcony structure had detached from the ninth floor and fallen into the hotel’s swimming pool, injuring one person. A government spokesman said: “Several 999 calls just after 7.30pm yesterday reported the collapse of a balcony at the facilities of a hotel complex located in…