Author: Darren Smith

Iranian demonstrators burned a large sculpture of the ancient deity Baal adorned with a Star of David whilst chanting “Death to Israel” and “Death to America” during state-organized rallies in Tehran on February 11, 2026. The effigy burning took place at Azadi Square and other central Tehran locations as part of mass demonstrations marking the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The sculpture depicted Baal with horns and was cast as a “satanic figure,” with protesters affixing both a Star of David and a photograph of US President Donald Trump to the effigy. Crowds torched the Baal sculpture alongside…

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has launched a scathing attack on Britain’s immigration levels, claiming the country has been “colonised” as the population surged by 12 million people since 2020. The 73-year-old businessman told Sky News that the UK population grew from 58 million in 2020 to 70 million, questioning the sustainability of such rapid demographic change alongside what he described as excessive welfare spending. “You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in,” Ratcliffe stated. “I mean, the UK has been colonised. It’s costing too much money. The UK…

Canadian authorities discovered two additional victims at a residential property connected to a mass shooting at a British Columbia high school that claimed eight lives including the suspected gunman on Tuesday. Police responding to the active shooter incident at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School around 1:20 pm local time initially found six people deceased at the educational facility, with another victim dying during transport to hospital. Officers later located two more bodies at a residence believed linked to the events, bringing the total death toll to eight. The suspected shooter was found dead at the school with what police described as…

A Manchester United supporter who vowed not to cut his hair until the club won five consecutive matches will have to wait longer after a dramatic 1-1 draw with West Ham ended the Red Devils’ winning streak on 10 February. Frank Ilett, known on social media as The United Strand, has been growing his hair for a year and a half after promising to continue until United secured five wins in a row. Despite Benjamin Sesko’s 96th-minute equalizer at the London Stadium, the result still falls short of the victory required to complete Ilett’s challenge. United arrived at the match…

A humanoid robot was filmed walking through London streets whilst being followed by intrigued schoolchildren who questioned the machine about its origins, in footage that has raised questions about the advancement of robotics technology. The AI humanoid was surrounded by pupils who engaged it in conversation during its apparent unsupervised journey through the capital. When asked “who is your creator” by one of the children, the robot responded “father is my creator bye bye” before attempting to walk away. The pupils continued following the machine, prompting further questions about its background. When asked where it came from, the humanoid stated…

An Afghan national has been convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in Warwickshire after a jury unanimously found him guilty of abduction and sexual offences, whilst his co-defendant was acquitted of all charges. Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was found guilty at Warwick Crown Court of two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, abducting a child and taking indecent photographs of a child following seven hours and 39 minutes of jury deliberation. He was cleared of a second rape count. Mohammad Kabir, also an Afghan national, was acquitted of intentional strangulation, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual…

A video circulating on social media shows an individual identifying as a Black Lives Matter activist calling for violent attacks against white people and police officers, claiming such actions represent the only path to liberation for black people. The clip, which has drawn attention to questions of content moderation and potential incitement, features the speaker rejecting non-violent approaches to activism. He states that “no amount of begging, no amount of complaining, no amount of protesting” will achieve freedom, instead claiming “the only way black people achieve true liberation” involves “taking it in blood.” The speaker describes a vision involving “blood…

A 14-year-old boy is being sentenced today after pleading guilty to murdering a 12-year-old schoolboy during a three-day violent rampage in a Birmingham park that also saw him attack two elderly women. Birmingham Crown Court heard how the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, carried out a series of random attacks on strangers in Trittiford Mill Park between 19 and 21 January last year, culminating in the fatal stabbing of Leo Ross. The defendant pleaded guilty last month to Leo’s murder, two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm…

Former England international Eni Aluko has accused presenter Laura Woods of “gaslighting” after their previously close working relationship collapsed into a public dispute over women’s football punditry that has drawn in other prominent media figures. Aluko revealed on talkSPORT that she and Woods had enjoyed a strong friendship before the controversy erupted. “Laura was actually one of the people I would consistently go to. We got on like a house on fire,” she stated. “I had to look at the messages and think ‘hang on, I feel a bit gaslight here’.” The former Lioness’s comments came during a heated confrontation…

Italian authorities are searching for four suspects following a motorway robbery that saw an armed gang blow up a security van with explosives after blocking traffic with a burning truck on Monday morning. Police arrested two men near the town of Squinzano in Puglia’s southern region after intercepting their getaway vehicle, a dark blue Alfa Romeo fitted with a blue police light on the roof. The remaining suspects fled the scene at high speed following a shootout with officers. The robbery occurred between the cities of Lecce and Brindisi, with the gang forcing the cash van to stop by setting…