A migrant tried to launch a terror attack against the Israeli embassy in London ‘as an act of revenge’ for Gaza.

Abdullah Sabah Albadri, 34, was caught scaling the fence of the diplomatic building in Kensington in April last year armed with two knives.

Footage shows the 34-year-old, wearing a red and white scarf wrapped around his head and sunglasses, being dragged down by armed officers before he is pinned to the ground.

He told officers he had weapons and wanted to ‘make a crime’ inside the Embassy.

Officers found a martyrdom note on him which explained that he intended to die ‘for the glory of God’.

Albadri had entered the UK via small boat from France that same month and had been researching how to secure asylum status.

But he was also found to heave searched various Arabic terms relating to suicide and martyrdom in the five days before the attemped attack.

Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) London, said: ‘Albadri wanted to carry out a terrorist attack at the Embassy, but thanks to the courageous and swift actions of officers on duty, they prevented him from breaching the security perimeter and stopped what could have been a deadly incident.

‘I want to praise the officers’ incredible bravery and professionalism, which, remarkably, resulted in nobody being seriously injured – despite being confronted by a man armed with knives, intent on carrying out a terrorist attack.

‘Those officers responded within seconds, and after his safe arrest, a thorough investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing London ensured we gathered the evidence that secured this conviction.

‘Sadly, the Embassy has faced various security alerts in recent times. However, CTP works closely with the Embassy and our colleagues in the Met to continuously review and strengthen protective security plans to ensure the site and the wider community is kept as safe as possible.’

James Holder, 54, had gone back to the woman’s home

The co-founder of Superdry has been found guilty of raping a woman after a night out drinking. A court heard how James Holder, 54, had gone back to the woman’s home, went to the toilet and then promptly fell asleep on her bed snoring.

The multi-millionaire fashion boss, the co-founder of the clothing brand, then woke up and beckoned the woman, who was trying to sleep in the lounge, into her bedroom and raped her.

Holder had denied charges of assault by penetration and rape and said what sexual activity took place between them was consensual.

A jury at Gloucester Crown Court, sitting in Cirencester, acquitted Holder of assault by penetration but found him guilty of rape after deliberating for four hours.

Holder, who wore a dark suit and light blue shirt and tie, showed no emotion as the verdicts were returned.

The court heard the woman was attacked in the early hours of May 7 2022 after a night out at a bar in Cheltenham.

Holder and a friend had gone back to her home uninvited, and he attacked her after waking from a short nap on her bed.

Giving evidence, the woman said she was crying and asking the married father-of-two to stop but he carried on.

The ordeal ended when she managed to escape the bedroom, and Holder left her home a short time later.

The woman denied suggestions from Holder’s barrister that she had initiated the encounter.

“He forced me to try and perform oral sex on him,” she said.

Michelle Heeley KC, defending, said: “Sex lasted for approximately 20 minutes.”

The woman replied: “I call it rape.”

Ms Heeley suggested: “This was a drunken sexual encounter that you regret?”

She replied: “Incorrect.”

The court heard the businessman and philanthropist was “old school and chivalrous” towards women and “adored sex”.

He told the jury she had kissed him first and it was “evident what she wanted to happen”.

“We walked to the bedroom, which was about a minute away … and began kissing again,” he said.

He told the court the complainant performed oral sex on him before they progressed to consensual sexual intercourse, but stopped when she said it was becoming painful.

“I did not see or hear her crying at any point,” he said.

Asked why he left the flat a short time later, Holder replied: “I had been out for much longer than I anticipated and I needed to go home.

“I let myself out. She was asleep on the bed.”

Under cross-examination, Holder denied the reason he had gone to the woman’s home was that he “saw an opportunity to have sex with her”.

James Haskell, prosecuting, asked: “You saw something you wanted and you took it, because the truth is that when you got to the doorway of the living room you said something like: ‘What’s happening, is everything all right?’ as you wanted to entice her to the bedroom and that’s why you said: ‘Can you show me?’

“It ended because she managed to escape off the bed.”

Holder replied: “That’s not correct. She fell straight to sleep. She was fast asleep, so I popped my clothes on and left.”

Mr Haskell asked: “Is the truth that it suddenly dawned on you of the reality of what you had just done, and you wanted to get out of the flat as soon as possible?”

Holder replied: “No, not true.”

The defendant, of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, was remanded into custody ahead of sentencing at Bristol Crown Court on May 7.

Miss Heeley had asked for bail before the sentencing hearing to allow Holder “to put his affairs in order”, saying he had attended court promptly throughout the trial.

“I ask for bail as a matter of mercy to say goodbye to his wife and children and to put his affairs in order and financial matters,” she said.

“This is a plea of leniency and mercy for this man at this stage.”

Recorder David Chidgey refused the bail application saying Holder was a flight risk following his conviction.

“Mr Holder is a man of considerable means and in my judgment the temptation to attempt to use his considerable resources to flee is too great as he faces a considerable custodial sentence,” he said.

“On one view the victim is this case did not have the opportunity to put her affairs in order when she suffered an appalling distressing event.”

The 15-year-old died after attending a country music festival almost four years ago

Police are set to take a further 40 statements over the next four to six weeks in relation to the death of a teenager in Co Tyrone almost four years ago.

Matthew McCallan was just 15-years-old when he died after attending a country music event in Fintona in December 2022. After a two-day search involving the local community, PSNI, and the Community Rescue Service, Matthew’s body was found in a ditch just two miles from the festival he had attended.

At a pre-inquest review hearing held on Friday, May 1, counsel for Coroner Joe McCrisken said progress has been made, with 135 pages of new material disclosed in relation to the case. As well as this, Mr Quinn added that CCTV exhibits were also available to the coroner and this would be assessed for its relevance to the inquest.

READ MORE: Co Tyrone mum fighting for answers three years on from son’s tragic death after night outREAD MORE: Matthew McCallan: Family launch fundraiser for new search and rescue kit on first anniversary of son’s death

The coroner was told this new information would not extend the case beyond its current and set scope, as it was looking at the immediate response, and civilian witnesses. Mr Quinn said the new statements would be provided to the coroner’s office on a rolling basis within the next four to six weeks.

Additionally, he said an official within the Police Ombusman for Northern Ireland (PONI) office who had been dealing with the case had retired, with a new person now tasked to the case. A meeting was due to take place with their investigation team on new potential information.

The pre-inquest review also heard that discussions were taking place on whether expert evidence would be called during the inquest, and that it was also being reviewed whether a jury would hear the inquest.

Matthew’s parents had previously expressed concerns regarding the lack of progress with the inquest. Counsel for the next of kin, Michael McCartan, said it was clear “momentum is now building” in relation to the case.

A further pre-inquest review hearing has been scheduled to take place on June 26.

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The paid summer internship, established in memory of the former Livingston MP and Foreign Secretary, offers S5 and S6 pupils from across the constituency the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of political life both locally and at Westminster.

Livingston MP Gregor Poynton has announced that the application deadline for the 2026 Robin Cook Internship has been extended following strong interest from local students.

The paid summer internship, established in memory of the former Livingston MP and Foreign Secretary, offers S5 and S6 pupils from across the constituency the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of political life both locally and at Westminster.

Applications will now close at midday on Friday, May 15, giving more young people across the Livingston constituency the opportunity to apply.

The successful applicant will undertake a two-week placement during summer 2026, working alongside Mr Poynton and his team in the constituency and at the House of Commons in London.

READ MORE: Almond Valley SNP candidate visits Livingston Community Shed

Announcing the extension, Mr Poynton said: “I’ve been really encouraged by the strong level of interest we’ve already seen in this year’s Robin Cook Internship.

“I want to make sure as many young people as possible across the Livingston constituency have the chance to apply, so we are extending the deadline to make sure we get as broad a range of applications as possible for this years programme.

“This internship is about opening up opportunities and showing young people that they can play a real role in shaping their communities and the future of our country. I would encourage anyone who is interested to put themselves forward.”

Applicants are required to submit (by email to Gregor.Poyton.MP@Parliament.uk) a CV and a 1,000–1,500 word essay on the theme:

“How Can Young People Shape the Future of the Livingston constituency?”

The internship pays the Real Living Wage and is open to S5 and S6 pupils attending schools across the Livingston constituency.

READ MORE: Girls at West Lothian school establish clothing bank with touch of class

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Cambridge voters can cast their vote a week early in a new pilot scheme

Voters have praised a new pilot scheme allowing them to cast their vote for next week’s election early.

Alex Downie and his wife Fiona came to vote at the Guildhall in central Cambridge – one of three locations where votes can be cast this week from Thursday to Saturday. He said: “I think it’s a very good idea, because if you’re going on holiday it’s otherwise very awkward to vote – it’s important for democracy.”

The 77-year-old said they would register for postal vote otherwise, but praised the scheme for making voting much more convenient. He said: “It’s better this way because we come into town quite a lot – it’s nice and straight forward.”

Fiona, 66, added: “It’s fantastic, because as Alex said we were going to be away so we didn’t want to do a postal vote because it’s more hassle. Sometimes it’s hard to vote when you’re working, I once almost missed it. This was perfect – quick, easy and we were coming into town anyway. Do it all the time, do it in the general election!”

Voting will be open from 9am until 6pm and votes can also be cast at the Meadows Community Centre on Arbury Road and Clay Farm Centre in Trumpington.

Chris Burton said: “It was a very, very, efficient experience – immensely convenient because I’m not here next week and I don’t want to go through the postal vote and all of that. I do tend to be away from Cambridge the first or second week in May – this week is earlier, it’s the first week.”

Though he said he’s never failed to vote while being away, the 80-year-old said: “It just gets more complicated when you’ve got to take a postal vote.

“The fact you can come here and bring the day forward effectively works very well indeed – so as long as the system works on a legal basis, that’s all that matters.”

Corin Hoad praised the flexibility, after a last-minute change of plans meant he couldn’t make it to vote in person on May 7. The 32-year-old said: “It means I can still make it without having to worry about getting a last-minute postal vote or anything like that.

“You should have another few days to vote and have that flexibility – it should enable a lot more people to vote for a politician they might not have been able to.”

Vicky Jenner, electoral services manager at Cambridge City Council, said turnout was “busier than we expected” suggesting earlier voting “is an appealing option for many.”

She said: “We’ve received some very positive feedback from early voters, and in fact some people were so keen to take part that they were queuing outside at 9 o’clock this morning, waiting for the doors to open. Ultimately, giving people more options for how they can cast their vote is about strengthening democracy and enabling even more people to get involved in important decisions affecting their lives and the place they call home.”

A sci-fi horror film has been ranked the best British film of the 21st century in the BFI’s prestigious Sight and Sound critics’ poll

Determining which films truly deserve the title of greatest of all time is no simple task, yet many have attempted it, including Britain’s own British Film Institute (BFI). Since 1952, Sight and Sound, the BFI’s esteemed magazine, has conducted a decennial poll to identify cinema’s finest achievements.

The most recent edition in 2022 saw more than 1,600 film critics, programmers, curators, archivists and academics submit their personal top 10 choices. These votes are compiled into a definitive ranking of the 250 greatest films ever made.

Given the sheer scale of this catalogue, we’re highlighting the list’s top-ranked British film from the 21st century – Under the Skin, a compelling thriller featuring Scarlett Johansson as an alluring extraterrestrial who drives through Scotland hunting for victims.

This sci-fi horror represents the vision of English director Jonathan Glazer, whose later work, The Zone of Interest, garnered accolades at the BAFTAs and Cannes in 2023.

A decade earlier, though, Glazer loosely adapted Under the Skin from Michel Faber’s novel of the same title. Johansson plays an unnamed extraterrestrial in human form who targets vulnerable, isolated men.

Remarkably, numerous sequences showing Johansson’s character travelling across Scotland and approaching men were genuine encounters filmed with concealed cameras, reports the Express.

While the novel explicitly reveals her ultimate purpose (specifically, to murder and process the men as food) without mystery, the film adopts a considerably more cryptic stance.

Explaining its position at number 169 on the list, the BFI stated: “The icily brilliant Scarlett Johansson stars as an alien predator scouring Scotland’s streets for human prey, in Jonathan Glazer’s astonishing amalgam of fantasy and reality.

“Mixing mind-bending visuals and hallucinatory sound design with an unexpected naturalism, Glazer returned to the screens after a nine-year absence in audacious style, utilising guerrilla filmmaking tactics to capture Glasgow and its unsuspecting inhabitants with intimate realism.”

The film holds a favourable 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though its deliberately ambiguous narrative divided opinion, as the website’s critical consensus readily acknowledges.

“Its message may prove elusive for some, but with absorbing imagery and a mesmerising performance from Scarlett Johansson, Under the Skin is a haunting viewing experience.”

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At the film’s Venice Film Festival premiere, the Guardian described it as a “genuine Marmite moment”, noting: “Some saw it as a masterpiece, others as a bore. The film’s closing credits played out to an accompaniment of booing.”

Despite performing poorly at the box office, the picture still earned BAFTA nominations for Outstanding British Film and Best Original Music.

A glowing review from the Chicago Sun-Times said: “This is what we talk about when we talk about film as art.”

Film lovers continue to argue over whether the picture genuinely warrants recognition as one of the finest.

“I just watched Under the Skin and I can’t decide whether it is a masterpiece or a terrible movie,” asked one viewer on Reddit in 2025, more than ten years following the film’s debut. “What is your opinion?”

One replied: “It’s one of the best movies of the previous decade.” Another concurred: “Masterpiece absolutely. Couldn’t stop thinking about that movie for weeks. Still think about it sometimes.”

A third summed it up: “It’s one of my favourite films, but one of my friends who I saw it with in theatres despised it.”

Under the Skin is available to stream on platforms including Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Sky Store and Google Play.

Dua Lipa has reportedly declined an offer to perform at the super-fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua later this year.

This week, it was announced that Fury and Joshua have signed a contract to fight one another at long last, although no date or location was confirmed for the all-British heavyweight clash.

Instead, it was announced that “AJ”, 36, will box relative unknown Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on 25 July, before fighting Fury later in 2026 – likely in the UK this autumn, possibly at Wembley Stadium, and almost certainly on Netflix.

Fury, 37, also wants a warm-up bout, despite having competed just three weeks ago, when he eased past Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

And there has been another moving part, it seems, with Saudi matchmaker Turki Alalshikh expressing a keen desire for British pop star Dua Lipa to be part of the Joshua vs Fury event.

Sky Sports even reported that Alalshikh had threatened to pull the plug on the fight if the “Levitating” and “Don’t Start Now” singer would not take part – although the alleged claim certainly could have been made in jest.

In any case, the BBC has now reported that Dua Lipa, 30, was approached to feature at the event, and that the three-time Grammy winner declined.

If a replacement can be found, it will not be the first time a musical act has performed at a fight with Saudi involvement. For example, Eminem performed a set before Terence Crawford beat Israil Madrimov in 2024, and later that year, Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher did the same before Joshua was stopped by Daniel Dubois.

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As well as the afore-mentioned songs, Dua Lipa counts “Dance The Night”, “Houdini” and “Training Season” among her most-popular tracks. She also collaborated with Elton John on the hit song “Cold Heart”, and with Calvin Harris on the hugely-successful “One Kiss”.

As The Devil Wears Prada returns to the big screen, here’s everything you need to know about author Lauren Weisberger – from her Vogue beginnings to the book that became a cultural phenomenon.

Few novels have had the kind of lasting cultural impact as The Devil Wears Prada. First published in 2003, the story of a young assistant navigating the high-pressure world of fashion quickly became a bestseller, before going on to inspire a hit film, stage adaptations and renewed interest as sequel buzz grows.

Its sharp take on ambition, power and toxic workplaces has kept it relevant across generations, particularly as conversations around work culture continue to evolve. At the centre of it all is Lauren Weisberger, the author whose early career experiences helped shape one of the most recognisable workplace stories of the past two decades.

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From Vogue assistant to bestselling author

Before becoming a novelist, Weisberger worked as an assistant at Vogue, working under editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, a role she has described as “demanding” and intensely fast-paced, with an around-the-clock workload during her time at Vogue. The position would later form the basis of The Devil Wears Prada.

After leaving the magazine, Weisberger turned to writing, drawing on her experiences to create the character of Andrea Sachs – a young woman thrown into an intense, high-stakes work environment. The book spent six months on The New York Times bestseller list and quickly resonated with readers, particularly those familiar with toxic workplace dynamics and ambition-driven career paths

A story that refuses to fade

More than 20 years on, The Devil Wears Prada continues to resonate – something Weisberger herself has reflected on in a recent essay for Vogue: “I am experiencing a kind of existential whiplash,” she wrote, noting that something she created in her twenties is “still relevant” and “somehow… trending again.”

She added that the story has “persisted… like a glamorous ghost that refuses to leave the building,” pointing to its evolution from novel to film, musical and now a renewed wave of interest.

The 2006 film adaptation, starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, expanded the story’s reach globally, transforming it into a defining pop culture moment. “There is a moment… when you realise the story is no longer yours,” Weisberger wrote, reflecting on how audiences have embraced and reinterpreted her work over time.

The original novel captured the sharp, unfiltered perspective of someone in their early twenties, she notes that experience has brought a more nuanced understanding of ambition, identity and compromise – themes that remain central to the story’s appeal.

One reader posted on Reddit: “I personally think Miranda was meaner from the book.” While another added: “The movie softened a lot of the edges of the book… I liked the drama of the book more.”

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While The Devil Wears Prada remains her most famous work, Weisberger has built a wider catalogue of novels exploring similar themes of ambition, relationships and life in New York.

Her books include Everyone Worth Knowing (2005), Chasing Harry Winston (2008) and Last Night at Chateau Marmont (2010), as well as the sequel Revenge Wears Prada (2013), which revisits Andrea Sachs years later. Across these stories, Weisberger has continued to focus on the intersection of career, identity and personal relationships – often set against high-pressure, aspirational backdrops.

As interest builds around a potential sequel, it’s clear that The Devil Wears Prada has endured for more than just its fashion setting. “We keep returning because the questions at its centre are universal,” Weisberger wrote, pointing to themes around ambition, identity and the cost of success.

More than two decades after its release, the story continues to resonate with new audiences – proving that its core ideas remain as relevant now as they were when it was first written.

Love reading? Join our community of fellow readers in the Mirror Book Club to dive deeper into the books everyone is talking about.

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