Author: Darren Smith

A Bradford man who fraudulently obtained £100,000 in Covid support loans using his wife’s name and fabricated company documents has been ordered to repay £123,000 — more than five years after pocketing funds his business was never entitled to claim. Shohid Ahmed, 41, of Bardsey Crescent, Bradford, applied for three maximum-value Bounce Back Loans totalling £150,000 in May and June 2020 on behalf of Red Square Restaurants Limited, which traded as Ruby’s Lounge on Huddersfield Road in Mirfield. He used his wife’s name on the applications because she held a better credit history. Two of the three loans were approved,…

Travellers have been issued an urgent warning to stay away from Dubai International Airport after all flights were suspended in the early hours of Monday morning following an Iranian drone strike that set a fuel tank ablaze near the world’s second-busiest aviation hub. The airport closed as a precautionary measure at just before 5.30am local time, with flames and smoke visible against the night sky. A statement confirmed the closure was enacted “to ensure the safety of all passengers and staff,” while Dubai Civil Defence teams said the situation remained “under control, with no spread of the fire.” No injuries…

Harman Singh Kapoor, the Sikh activist and owner of the non-halal Indian restaurant Rangrez in Hammersmith, west London, was arrested by Metropolitan Police officers on Friday 14 March 2026, during a tense standoff outside his premises. Footage circulating on social media showed Kapoor being escorted from the scene in handcuffs. According to reports, he was detained on suspicion of carrying a prohibited bladed article — identified as his kirpan, the ceremonial dagger worn as one of the five articles of Sikh faith. The arrest came just hours after Kapoor had called on supporters to attend a rally outside Rangrez on…

Senator Ted Cruz has sparked a fierce online debate after drawing a distinction between the phrase “Christ is King” as a Christian declaration of faith and what he described as its growing misuse in certain online spaces as cover for antisemitic sentiment. Speaking to CBN News in March 2026, the Republican Texas senator was unequivocal that he personally agrees with the statement as a profession of Christian belief, pointing to its scriptural roots. The phrase appears in the Book of Revelation, where Christ is described as “King of kings and Lord of lords.” Cruz was clear that his concern was…

John Alford, the actor best known for his role in the long-running ITV drama London’s Burning, has been found dead in prison, weeks after being sentenced to custody for sexually abusing two young girls. A Prison Service spokesman confirmed the death to The Sun on Sunday, stating: “John Shannon died in prison on 13 March 2026.” Alford, whose real name was John Shannon, was 54 years old. According to a source cited by The Sun on Sunday, staff discovered Alford unresponsive on his bed when they opened his cell door on Friday morning. Alford had been reported to police in…

A large crowd gathered outside a non-halal Indian restaurant in west London on Thursday evening, blocking its entrance and refusing to disperse for several hours despite a significant police presence, according to the establishment’s owner. Harman Singh Kapoor, who co-owns Rangrez on Fulham Palace Road in Hammersmith with his wife Khushi, posted multiple videos to social media platform X showing what he described as a blockade of more than 100 people, primarily young men of Somali origin, gathered outside the premises. The footage showed heated confrontations, shouting and a considerable number of officers at the scene. No arrests were made…

A Metropolitan Police officer who appeared as the public face of the force’s recruitment drive has been charged with stalking and harassment, it has emerged, after allegedly tracking a woman’s movements and repeatedly contacting her against her wishes. PC Samson Akinnawo, 35, who serves in the Met’s Specialist Operations unit, appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court facing allegations relating to his conduct towards a woman named as Melieka Daley. The charges cover a period between June and August of last year and follow his arrest in July 2025, Scotland Yard confirmed. Prosecutors told the court that Akinnawo allegedly made repeated telephone…

Iran’s judiciary chief continued his speech denouncing Israel without pause as an IDF missile exploded behind him during a mass pro-regime rally in Tehran on Friday, in scenes broadcast live on state television. Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei was addressing crowds gathered for the annual Quds Day demonstration when the blast occurred, pressing on regardless. “Our people are not afraid of the bombing, we will continue along this route,” he declared, adding that Iran stood with its people “against arrogance and Pharaoh-like oppressors.” National security chief Ali Larijani, also in attendance, sought to frame the strikes as a sign of weakness…

Two men are facing potential prison sentences after being convicted of affray following a violent street brawl in Blackwood, Caerphilly, that witnesses described as terrifying — with children among those who looked on as the mass fight unfolded. Omed Pirot, 31, and Shahab Husseini, 25, were found guilty at Newport Crown Court after a confrontation between staff from two rival barber shops escalated into a melee involving 13 people on the afternoon of 13 February. A third defendant, Sardam Ebrahimi, 27, of Newport, was acquitted of affray by the jury. The violence was rooted in a commercial dispute between Kurds…

Explosive ordnance disposal officers were scrambled to a special educational needs school in Greater Manchester on Friday morning after a pupil brought in what was described as a Second World War-style device intended for a classroom show and tell. Samuel Laycock School on Broadoak Road in Ashton-under-Lyne was the scene of a significant emergency response after Greater Manchester Police received reports of the item shortly after the school day began. Officers arrived within minutes, and EOD specialists were deployed alongside other emergency services as a precautionary measure. The school, which is operated by New Bridge Multi-Academy Trust and supports 239…