A violent teenager who stabbed a beloved grandfather to death in an unprovoked attack had been released on police bail – twice – in the days before the murder, The Independent can reveal.
Rasheed Rahman plunged a five-inch knife that he had signed out from his supported living accommodation into the back of Mark Carroll, 55, as he walked in a small London park with a friend.
The attacker, then aged 19, who was not known to Mr Carroll, fled the scene still armed with the murder weapon, sparking an hour-long manhunt. He threatened two other people with the blade before he was caught.
Three days before the killing, on 7 April 2024, Rahman, a Sudanese national who lived undocumented in the UK before being picked up by immigration officers while working at a restaurant in Essex in 2021, had been arrested after he allegedly lashed out at members of the public. He was said to have punched at least two people on a canal towpath in Camden Town, London, while waiving a boat hook.
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Just a day earlier, he had been arrested after allegedly using a brick to smash a window to break into an office in a church. Despite his spiralling behaviour, Rahman was released on police bail – leaving him free to kill.
Now, the Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation into contact police had with Rahman in the days leading up to Mr Carroll’s murder on 10 April – and whether anything could have been done to stop the killing – after Rahman was convicted of murder.
Mark Carroll was described as ‘one of the most giving people I knew’ by his daughter Ayisha (Metropolitan Police)
But other questions remain about the “worrying” attack, with charity Hundred Families, who are supporting Mr Carroll’s family, warning that institutions are repeatedly failing to stop unwell people from going on to commit violent crimes.
Rahman was known to Romford mental health services and had suffered from drug psychosis as a result of alcohol and drug misuse, a court was told.
Charity director Julian Hendy said: “It is a worrying case. A man was stabbed by a stranger in a London park and it should never have happened.”
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It is unclear when Rahman first entered the UK, but he told officials he had come to Britain in a lorry through Calais, northern France. On his discovery, he claimed asylum as a child from Sudan and was granted temporary leave to remain in the UK until March 2028.
In the lead up to the fatal attack on Mr Carroll, Rahman had been told that he was due to move out of his flat, which was run by a private company offering supported housing for young people, on 11 April.
At around 2pm in the afternoon the day before the stabbing, Rahman, wearing a green basketball top, blue shorts and a black bandana, signed out a kitchen knife from an Asda set which was kept by the office at the five-bed property, with house manager Idris Bello making a note of it in the “sharp knives log”. Residents were not allowed to own sharp objects and had to have knives booked out if they wanted to cook.
But the knife was never returned. Instead, Rahman left his hostel that afternoon, taking the weapon into central London, and used it to kill Mr Carroll the next day.
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Mark Carroll would frequent St Martins Gardens in Camden (pictured), where he would ultimately die at the hands of Rahman (Metropolitan Police)
Mr Carroll, known as Mogi to his friends, was a Camden local with a huge heart. He would always strike up conversations with people and would accept them as they were, without judgement, his family said.
One of his two daughters, Ayisha Carroll, told The Independent: “He was probably one of the most giving people I knew. He was such a kind person. He didn’t have very much himself but he would always be giving away to people. He was a very down to earth person as well, and accepting of people as they are.”
Referring to Rahman, Ms Carroll added: “I know that he suffered and struggled but that doesn’t entitle you to take someone’s life. I want my dad to be remembered for who he was.”
On the morning of the 10 April, Mr Carroll and his friend of 20-years James Nash were drinking inSt Martins Gardens, Camden – which they visited often – with Mr Carroll seen on CCTV from around 11am.
Over the next two hours, they chatted to other people, including some workmen on their lunch break. The pair had been drinking alcohol and gradually became more vulnerable.
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During the murder trial at Wood Green Crown Court, Mr Nash said he was standing in front of Mr Carroll when someone came at him from behind. “That person was a distance behind him. I saw him lunge at him from behind. There was no argument, nothing,” Mr Nash said.
CCTV footage shown to the court showed Mr Carroll staggering into sight, trying to walk towards Mr Nash before he collapsed to the ground at around 13:11pm.
Ten minutes later, ambulances, paramedics and the police arrived, and he was taken to University College Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Rasheed Rahman was known to police before he killed Mark Carroll in April 2024 (Metropolitan Police)
Louis Mably KC, for the prosecution, told the court that a single fatal knife wound in his back had landed behind his heart, severing his aorta, the main artery in the body that pumps blood from the heart.
“The blade had gone into his back, gone downwards, and cut through everything it had come across… Because the aorta had been damaged, Mr Carroll had suffered massive internal bleeding. It was catastrophic and fatal.”
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While friends and paramedics rushed to help Mr Carroll, Rahman was already walking through Camden, still armed with the murder weapon. A nine-minute walk away in Arlington Road, witness Kamran Khail found him, standing and staring at him, in front of the hostel where Mr Khail was living.
“When I see him staring at me, I thought something was wrong,” Mr Khail recalled. “He didn’t tell me anything at that time, just he was staring. I was in fear, so I thought I should return back to the hostel”.
He added: “When I was walking he was also walking, when I was stopping he was also stopping… as I turned [back] to the hostel, he told me to stop.”
Rahman pulled the knife from the pocket of his jacket and held the blade to Mr Khail’s body. “He was saying in English, come with me… I thought he was going to kill me.”
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Mr Khail was able to escape, fleeing into the hostel, where he alerted police.
The murder weapon Rahman signed out from the kitchen of his accommodation (Metropolitan Police)
Rahman then made his way to Gloucester Avenue, where he approached Kamil Hamma and his friend who were about to dock their Santander bikes. Rahman demanded he take Mr Hamma’s bike instead.
Mr Hamma told the trial: “He was quite adamant, consistently asking me for the bike, obviously I said no. He was about a metre-ish away, that was when he started grabbing the bike and getting a bit closer to me.”
They had a tussle before Rahman pulled out a knife. “I just saw the blade and got very kind of scared. He just took it out and said ‘give me your bike now’, to which I obviously backed off and let him take it.”
Video footage shows Rahman cycling towards Camden market when the knife falls out of a pocket and hits the ground. He stops to pick it up – a moment spotted by a keen-eyed coach driver who phoned the police.
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Just before 2pm, officers tracked Rahman down to Castle Haven park, just half a mile from where the killing took place. There, they found the knife, with Mr Carroll’s blood on it, hidden in a plastic bag in a nearby bush.
A CCTV grab shows Rahman being handed a knife from the set kept in the supported accommodation office. (Metropolitan Police)
Rahman was found guilty of murder, robbery and two other knife offences at his trial last month and will be sentenced at a later date.
He had previously pleaded guilty to affray and actual bodily harm over the events of the 7 April, with his sentencing yet to take place. Though he was charged with burglary over the incident on the 6 April, the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence against him.
Though Mr Carroll’s family are relieved they now have a guilty verdict, Mr Hendy said there were still questions to be answered about how Rahman was able to attack people with a knife.
He said: “This is happening far too often. We are seeing repeated problems with mental health support and other services, a lack of joined up working between agencies. Seriously unwell people are not being looked after well enough in the community and it is allowing tragedies to happen.”
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The accommodation where Rahman lived houses young people transitioning from care, or who have complex needs or challenging behaviour, or who are unaccompanied asylum seekers. Rahman’s case did not involve any mental health defence.
Mr Hendy added: “There are certain questions to be asked of the accommodation provider; how was a man with apparently serious mental health illness able to access knives?”
He asked: “Does this warrant an offensive weapons review, and is there learning to be had from this to protect unwell people and members of the public?”
Meanwhile, Ms Carroll described her father as someone you could call on at a moment’s notice.
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“He was always a message, a phone call away. He got up so early so, if I was on night shifts, he would give me a ring and we would have a chat,” she said.
“He had his own mental health difficulties, and I’ve been struggling knowing that he passed away when he should have had more support around him.”
She added: “There’s one Irish gentleman who he knew from the park, Tom, that dad would always go and check in on, when he was recovering from ill-health. Now whenever my sister and I visit the park to drop flowers there, the plants are always so well-kept by those who knew him.”
A grandfather, Mr Carroll loved the simple joy of visiting his eldest daughter, Danielle Morley, and her two children. And remained life-long friends with Ayisha’s mother, supporting her in periods of ill-health.
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Ms Morley remembered his visits fondly, saying: “When dad came down to see me and the girls, the house was always full of laughter, love and happiness. Watching him with his granddaughters created memories that are so special and meaningful to me, and moments I will never forget.
“He absolutely adored them, and I could see how much joy they brought him every single time he was with them.”
She added: “Even though he’s no longer here, the warmth, love and happiness from those moments will always stay with me. The girls will always carry a part of their granddad with them through the stories, memories, and love he gave so freely.”
A Met police spokesperson told The Independent that it would be inappropriate to comment while the internal review is ongoing.
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The force would not need to refer themselves to the regulator (The Independent Office for Police Conduct) over the murder as referrals are only mandatory if officers have had previous contact with the victim, not the perpetrator.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with Mr Carrol’s family and friends at this difficult time.
“All foreign national offenders who receive a prison sentence in the UK are referred for deportation at the earliest opportunity, with nearly 70,000 illegal migrants and foreign criminals removed or deported since the 2024 election.”
Objectors today (Wednesday, July 29) gave evidence at a public hearing held by the Planning Inspectorate, which will decide whether to allow the 500MW Light Valley Solar Scheme.
Island Green Power UK Ltd is seeking a development consent order application for a network of seven solar farms on 1,020 hectares of land between the villages of Escrick, Monk Fryston, Hambleton, Chapel Haddlesey and South Milford, between York and Selby.
A local plan for the proposed solar scheme. Image: Light Valley Solar.
A 500MW battery energy storage system (BESS) is proposed as part of the development, as well as underground cabling to connect the sites to the national grid at Monk Fryston substation.
Hearings are taking place at The Parsonage Hotel and Spa, at Escrick, this week as the Planning Inspectorate’s examination of the plans gets underway.
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The panel of three planning inspectors heard from some of the residents, parish councils and campaign groups which have raised concerns about the scheme.
Councillor Ceri Carter, from South Milford Parish Council, who also represented 13 other parish councils, told the hearing: “While we support the transition to renewable energy and understand the need for the country’s energy security, we ask the examining authority to recognise the disproportionate burden this scheme places on our communities.”
Describing the design of the scheme as “fragmented”, Cllr Carter added: “It is our opinion that this project could have been better designed to significantly reduce the amount of land sacrificed, thereby lessening the impact on communities.”
Councillor Shaun Hughes, from Monk Fryston Parish Council, said: “The primary objection for us is that it’s such a large, encompassing installation that almost every view into and out from the parish will be affected by this proposed development.
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“This proposal, when combined with other consented schemes, will significantly alter the character and the landscape that surrounds our settlement such that it can no longer be regarded as a rural location.”
Resident Clare Hodgekiss said her home would be completely surrounded by the development.
She said: “At what cost to my physical and mental health is my family home surrounded by solar panels on all sides?
“Whatever I see from my house — the back, the middle, the front — I will just see solar panels and nothing else. This will have a monumental impact on the rest of my life if it goes ahead. How can surrounding a property on all sides be considered proportional, just and fair?”
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Louise Billingham, from the campaign group Rooftops Not Countryside, told the panel that the scheme “would industrialise the area for generations to come”.
Louise Billingham, from Rooftops Not Countryside, speaks at the hearing.
She added: “The benefits of the development are presented at a national level, but the harms are concentrated locally: increased construction traffic on rural roads and country lanes, permanent changes to the character of our rural villages and countryside, loss of open green space and tranquillity, disruption to walking, cycling and riding routes, and the psychological impact of living beside, or within, large-scale electrical infrastructure.”
Matthew Fox, from law firm Pinsent Masons, spoke on behalf of the applicant.
He said they recognised the strength of feeling from local residents, adding: ” I want to just emphasise that there were points made around the applicant making sure they consider the human impact.
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“I know views differ on this, but I wanted to emphasise that the applicant has thought to consider those aspects.”
The proposed solar scheme will provide enough renewable electricity to power the equivalent of approximately 115,000 homes annually, the applicants say.
Ben Affleck landed the rare $1,000,000 prize during his celebrity guest appearance on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire this week.
The 53-year-old Oscar winner, whose mother Chris Anne recently passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer, joined forces with Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding to take home the big winnings for charity.
The money will go to the Hollywood actor’s Eastern Congo Initiative which he co-founded back in 2010.
Affleck and Ding faced the final $1 million question during Wednesday’s episode of the ABC game show, with Jimmy Kimmel hosting.
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The duo were given the question which read, ‘In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, all but which of these have been the names of turkeys pardoned by a U.S. president?’
The answers included: Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball.
Ben Affleck, 53, landed the rare $1,000,000 prize during his celebrity guest appearance on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
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The Oscar winner joined forces with Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding to take home the big winnings for charity
Affleck and Ding decided to use the Phone-A-Friend lifeline to call Ding’s longtime trivia partner Stephen Morrison.
Kimmel explained to the duo that they also still had the Ask-The-Host lifeline, which prompted the actor to jokingly say to ring up Ding’s pal.
‘No. We might as well have Jimmy help,’ the Hollywood star then expressed.
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The late night talk show host playfully quipped, ‘Alright, I don’t have to give you any of my f***ing thoughts, if you don’t want.’
But Affleck replied, ‘Actually, you’re very good with cooking and food, current events, too. Actually, you might know this.’
Kimmel eventually suggested that the answer could be D: Spaghetti & Meatball.
‘I could see me adding a big bowl in Donald Trump’s hands and him slurping up the spaghetti and meatballs,’ he then joked, before adding, ‘That one sounds like it wasn’t the one to me.’
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Affleck shared that the host was ‘probably the best person in the world to ask this question to.’
Affleck and Ding faced the final $1 million question during Wednesday’s episode of the ABC game show, with Jimmy Kimmel hosting
Kimmel explained to the duo that they still had Ask-The-Host lifeline, which prompted the actor to jokingly say to ring up Ding’s pal
Affleck and Ding decided to trust Kimmel’s guess and also locked in with Spaghetti & Meatball
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After a few lingering seconds, it was revealed that the pair had guessed correctly and won the $1 million prize
‘If I’m wrong, I’m so sorry,’ Kimmel said before locking in Spaghetti & Meatball as his own final answer.
To be extra safe, Affleck and Ding decided to still call up Morrison.
‘Jimmy, you might like this friend of mine. I mean, Harvard-educated, father, we’re two years apart,’ Ding began.
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‘But we’ve been through a lot of trials and tribulations together. Just like Ben and Matt.’
With a deadpan expression, Kimmel then joked, ‘Are you looking for trouble?’
Ding then quickly fired back to go along with the joke by asking, ‘Are you looking for trouble?’ which caused the live audience to laugh.
After calling Morrison, however, he was unable to guess the correct answer.
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‘But listen, you know what? He’s smart because if you don’t know it, you don’t know it, right?’ Kimmel said of Morrison.
The money will be donated to Affleck’s Eastern Congo Initiative which he co-founded with Whitney Williams in 2010; seen in May in Beverly Hills
Affleck and Ding decided to trust Kimmel’s guess and also locked in with Spaghetti & Meatball.
After a few lingering seconds, it was revealed that the pair had guessed correctly and won the $1 million prize.
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The pair jumped to their feet and excitedly hugged each other as confetti fell down onto the stage.
Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Affleck for comment, but has yet to hear back.
The money will be donated to Affleck’s Eastern Congo Initiative which he co-founded with Whitney Williams in 2010.
The nonprofit organization helps ‘support locally led organizations to expand access to essential services, strengthen economic opportunities, and promote justice.
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‘Our work is designed to create scalable, sustainable impact across eastern Congo,’ per the official website.
The year prior, Affleck’s close friend and collaborator Matt Damon also scored the same million-dollar prize on the game show; seen in April in San Francisco
‘But when I told him, he seemed surprised and delighted. I think he was prepared to do it on his own. He’s very smart, that Ben Affleck,’ Kimmel said of Affleck
The year prior, Affleck’s close friend and collaborator Matt Damon also scored the same million-dollar prize on the game show.
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At the time, The Odyssey star had been paired with Ken Jennings. The winnings went to Damon’s clean-water nonprofit Water.org.
‘I’m not sure Ben knew that he was paired with a champion when he agreed to do the show,’ Kimmel told Variety earlier this month.
‘But when I told him, he seemed surprised and delighted. I think he was prepared to do it on his own. He’s very smart, that Ben Affleck.’
Most parents have heard a variation on the phrase “Oooh, terrible twos!” uttered with eyebrows raised and a knowing look at their toddler.
In fact, such is the bad rap two-year-olds have that before my eldest had even reached her toddler years, I was extremely nervous about what the age would hold for us. I genuinely thought she was going to morph into some nightmarish, uber-emotional hellbat on her second birthday.
But, two kids later (and having met my fair share of two-year-olds in the process), I have to say: two is perhaps my favourite age.
So, I’m here to bang the drum for a rebrand of ‘terrible twos’ to ‘terrific twos’.
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Why are they called the ‘terrible twos’, anyway?
The ‘terrible twos’ descriptor largely stems from the fact previously-compliant babies grow up and become louder, more mobile and in need of independence – but they’re obviously still very little, so can’t have full autonomy over every little thing.
“Around this age, children are beginning to realise they are their own person with their own thoughts, preferences and opinions,” Dr Sasha Hall, a senior educational and child psychologist, told me. “It becomes the ‘me do it’ stage. They want to put on their own shoes, choose their own clothes and do things for themselves.
“That growing autonomy is exactly what we want to see, but it often arrives before they have the emotional regulation skills to cope when things do not go to plan.”
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Yes, two is when the pushback begins. You might hear more of the word ‘no’. You might also be on the receiving end of some pretty irrational requests. And Dr Hall noted these moments often happen at moments of high stress, like when you’re trying to get out of the door in the morning – “they’re insisting their sandals are on the right feet when they are not, or they want to wear wellies in the middle of a heatwave,” she said. “Those everyday moments can really test our own patience and emotional regulation.”
If they can’t make their own choices, or feel like the choice has been taken out of their tiny hands, this can certainly spark a big old tantrum – hitting, kicking, biting, screeching – as they still don’t have the ability to manage their emotions very well. (They’re only two after all – most adults I know still haven’t quite mastered that either, but nobody’s going around calling them ‘terrible’.)
Why two is actually a brilliant age
I want to share a bit of reassurance for other parents approaching the toddler years that, aside from the meltdowns, which can obviously be tough to handle (especially in public), two is a marvellous age.
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You see, your child is learning so much – songs, stories, words, how to navigate relationships with others. There’s nothing like having an unhinged dinnertime conversation with a two-year-old or trying to decode what they’re saying (the other day my youngest said we were going “to the zoom, then the flaps, then the books”). Another time she abruptly told me “no, you can’t” but didn’t quite pronounce the last word correctly. (I’ll let you determine how that actually came out.)
Two is the age of them not quite nailing long words, like blupperply (butterfly) and squealing with excitement when an ant runs past. It’s a time of potty training pride (“look Mummy, my got pants on!”), phallic art work, and being extra-willing to help you with any household chore. (Ask a toddler to help you hang up washing on a clothes horse, or empty the dishwasher, and it’s like you’ve just promised them a lifetime supply of ice cream.)
There’s mischief and mayhem, for sure, but there are also so many exciting firsts, and their personality begins to really shine through. You begin to see yourself – or your partner – reflected back in the mannerisms of a tiny person, or watch as they develop their own interests. Right now we’re loving cooking and playing in the pretend kitchen – and nothing brings my toddler joy quite like making me a ‘coffee and a croissant’ or simply a plate of ‘couscous’.
Perhaps the most wonderful thing about two-year-olds, though, is the sheer amount of love they have to give those around them.
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There is something so special about going into my two-year-old’s room each morning and seeing her beaming at me from her cot. I’ll pick her up and she’ll lean in close for a cuddle, like she’s not seen me for weeks on end. She’ll gently tell me she loves me and has figured out how to make a heart shape with her fingers. Honestly, there’s nothing cuter.
If I’m not well (I was recently bedridden with a horrendous stomach bug) she’ll come and lie with me, wide-eyed but still sucking her thumb, asking “you OK, mummy?” before tenderly stroking my face. Then she’ll rush off somewhere in a hurry, shouting back: “I get you teddy.” Granted that teddy might end up bouncing off my face in the next 30 seconds, but it’s the thought that counts.
I guess all of this is to say: if you’re a new parent, or your child’s approaching toddlerhood, and someone warns you about the “terrible twos”, let it wash over you like water off a duck’s back.
Because yes, there will be meltdowns. But there will also be laughter until your stomach hurts, fierce cuddles, endless curiosity and the privilege of watching a tiny person discover who they are.
It’s also likely to rain in Derry/Londonderry and Newry, weather maps show.
“A band of thicker cloud will continue to sink south on Thursday, introducing fresher conditions for all. However, outbreaks of rain, locally heavy at times, will affect northern Scotland,” forecasters said on Wednesday evening.
While rain is also forecast to hit north-east and south-west England, and Scotland, some will bask in a heatwave. South-east England will enjoy a high-20-degree heatwave, with London at 26C and Rochester, Kent, reaching 28C.
That is likely to to worsen the drought which was declared for millions of people in England. On Wednesday, the government said half of England is now living in a drought.
Helen Wakeham, Director of Water at the Environment Agency and Chair of the National Drought Group, said: “The hot and dry weather means we are currently using water faster than nature can replenish it.
“A second consecutive summer drought is an exceptionally serious situation and one that will have long-lasting impacts on our environment, wildlife, and the economy.
“We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated during the hot weather but every drop we can save is a drop more for nature and agriculture.”
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The seven drought regions include East Anglia, Hertfordshire and the whole of London, Thames Valley, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, West Midlands, and Wessex (covering Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, and south Gloucestershire).
Drought is not expected to come to Northern Ireland this summer, as it is not categorised in ‘prolong dry weather’ by the Environment Agency. That is the phase required before drought can be declared.
David Miliband was offered the post of Education Secretary in Andy Burnham‘s reshuffle, the Daily Mail can reveal.
The brother of Ed Miliband was widely tipped to return to British politics once Mr Burnham entered No 10.
In the run-up to the new PM’s reshuffle last week, he was touted as a potential Foreign Secretary, having previously served in the role under Gordon Brown from 2007 to 2010.
The job ended up being given to his brother – and arch political rival – Ed, a major promotion from his previous position as Energy and Net Zero Secretary.
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A Labour source has now told the Daily Mail that David was offered the more junior job of Education Secretary, before it was given to Labour and Greater Manchester MP Lucy Powell – a close ally of Mr Burnham.
It is claimed that Mr Miliband declined the job because it was more junior to the role offered to his brother and because he is friends with the then-incumbent Bridget Phillipson and did not want to humiliate her.
Mr Miliband, who has served as president of the International Rescue Committee since 2013 on a salary of more than £1 million a year, appeared in a number of photos and videos backing Ms Phillipson during the 2019 general election.
While he failed to make a return to British politics last week, it is now rumoured he is eyeing up Sir Keir Starmer’s London constituency should the ousted prime minister quit Parliament and spark a by-election.
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David Miliband (pictured on May 20, 2020) was offered the post of Education Secretary in Andy Burnham’s reshuffle
Ed Miliband’s brother was touted as a potential Foreign Secretary in the run-up of Burnham’s (pictured on July 29, 2026) reshuffle last week
Ms Phillipson was demoted by Mr Burnham to Equalities Secretary, though she was given the additional job of Labour Party chair following outrage among Labour MPs at her reduced role.
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It is understood that Ms Powell is furious at Mr Burnham over her new role as Education Secretary, as she was publicly snubbed when he denied her the title of Deputy Prime Minister, as had been expected ahead of the reshuffle.
Ms Powell fought hard to secure Mr Burnham’s return to Parliament and bring about the eventual coup against Sir Keir. Yesterday, a source close to Ms Powell said she was ‘hurt and angry’ after the new Prime Minister declined to give her the title.
Allies of Ms Powell revealed ‘she thought she was getting Deputy Prime Minister until she walked in the [No 10] door’, adding that Mr Burnham’s team had been ‘briefing it all weekend’.
Instead, Mr Burnham has declined to use the Deputy Prime Minister position at all, with the responsibilities landing with Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Louise Haigh, who received the added title of First Secretary of State.
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Sources claimed Ms Powell lost out in an internal power battle with the new Chief Whip Anneliese Midgley, who ‘hates’ her.
A party source branded Ms Haigh and Ms Midgley ‘political thugs’ who had behaved like ‘factional Mafioso’ with a ‘punishment beating’ reshuffle.
Downing Street and David Miliband were approached for comment.
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David Miliband said no when asked to be Education Secretary… and Lucy Powell’s angry at Deputy PM snub
Up to 32mm of rain – more than an inch – could fall in one remote part of the country
05:46, 30 Jul 2026Updated 05:57, 30 Jul 2026
Scotland will be soaked by heavy rain on Thursday while parts of the UK enjoy a high-20 degree heatwave.
The Met Office has forecast some red rain cells, which could bring 16-32mm of rain in an hour, to hit the Orkney Islands in the mid-afternoon.
Mainland Scotland will also see heavy rain, as orange cells, bringing 8-16mm of rain in an hour, are forecast to deluge the Highlands near Loch Glascarnoch around the same time. It will also pour down in Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Fort William later in the afternoon.
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Eastern Scotland will have the better weather, with Edinburgh and Dundee looking likely to stay dry. Top temperatures will be in the mid-to-high teens, at 17C in Edinburgh, 18C in Dundee, 19C in Aberdeen, and 16C in Glasgow
“A band of thicker cloud will continue to sink south on Thursday, introducing fresher conditions for all. However, outbreaks of rain, locally heavy at times, will affect northern Scotland,” forecasters said on Wednesday evening.
While rain is also forecast to hit north-east and south-west England, and Northern Ireland, Scots are predicted to see the heaviest rain in the UK.
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The forecast comes a day after millions of Brits were told they are now living in a drought, as the Environment Agency declared half of England is in drought.
The seven drought regions include East Anglia, Hertfordshire and the whole of London, Thames Valley, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, West Midlands, and Wessex (covering Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, and south Gloucestershire).
Drought will continue in those areas on Thursday, as south-east England will enjoy a high-20-degree heatwave, with London at 26C and Rochester, Kent, reaching 28C.
The former international forward was sorely disappointed that his permanent move to Liverpool failed to materialise
Former Liverpool frontman Nicolas Anelka previously revealed he was promised a permanent transfer to the Reds from PSG before then-manager Gerard Houllier changed his mind on sanctioning the move. Liverpool are currently embroiled in yet another transfer battle with the French giants over winger Bradley Barcola, with the European champions reportedly demanding £145million for the World Cup star.
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While Barcola’s future at Liverpool remains unclear, Anelka is adamant that his failed move to Anfield will haunt him forever. The ex-Arsenal forward made an unexpected loan switch from PSG to Anfield back in December 2001, netting five goals in 22 outings.
Yet Liverpool’s top brass chose not to make the Frenchman’s arrangement permanent the following summer. Instead, they opted for El Hadji Diouf, who had just caught the eye representing Senegal at the 2002 World Cup.
In hindsight, Liverpool’s choice of Diouf over Anelka has gone down as one of the most costly mistakes in the club’s recent memory.
While Diouf struggled, managing just six goals across two seasons and finding himself mired in a string of controversies, Anelka thrived at Manchester City, netting 45 goals over three seasons.
The French forward told the Liverpool ECHO in 2020: “This is my biggest regret as well because I knew it was the perfect match. Everything was perfect! I loved everything about the club. I had an amazing relationship with the fans. I loved them and I think it was reciprocal.
“Looking back, I am proud to have worn the jersey of this legendary club and to have known this stadium and these amazing fans.”
The 47-year-old represented 12 different sides throughout his senior career. While his spell at Liverpool was the briefest, his fondness remains evident and he revealed why the transfer fell through.
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“It’s simple: it didn’t happen because Gerard Houllier wanted to pay a lower salary,” he said. “It’s acceptable but you have to say it. I wanted to sign from the first minute. Of course a permanent move was discussed from the first day I joined the club.
“If you look at the first time they introduced me in the press conference, I said if I could sign now, I would, but Gerard Houllier wanted a loan because he was not sure. In the middle of March, we were in negotiations to sign.
“PSG shareholder Alain Cayzac said to me Gerard told him that Liverpool would sign me. Later on, Gerard told me face-to-face he’d sign me permanently.
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“In the middle of April we reached an agreement about the salary, which had stalled things a little, but I was expecting to sign my contract when the league was over but there was no news from PSG and no news from Liverpool.
“I heard on the news that Gerard Houllier was after another player so that’s how I knew they were not going to sign me!”
Former Liverpool assistant manager Phil Thompson, who was serving as interim manager during Anelka’s proposed move to the club while Houllier recovered from a heart operation, claimed the club opted against signing the Frenchman after his representatives allegedly attempted to engineer a return to Arsenal.
“I heard about this Arsenal story,” Anelka said. “If it was true, why didn’t I sign for Arsenal when Liverpool announced in the press they weren’t going to sign me?”
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“And even if it was true, it’s a normal situation. It’s like I’m saying I don’t wanna sign for a club because they are speaking with another striker. It makes no sense. The reality is at the time it was very easy to point the finger at me with my reputation.”
Anelka added: “I loved my time with Phil Thompson, more so than Gerard Houllier. Phil Thompson was a typical Scouser. Direct and straight. He’ll tell you what he likes and when he doesn’t like it, you would know. This is exactly what I want and what I like from people.
“I know if Phil was the manager I would have signed and stayed many years but fate chose otherwise and I had to take another path to find a big club.”
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Anelka went on to represent Chelsea, Bolton and West Brom on home soil, as well as the likes of Fenerbahce and Juventus on the continent. During his spell at Chelsea, he claimed the Premier League, two FA Cups and featured in the Champions League final defeat to Manchester United in 2008.
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Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
If you’ve ever struggled to say no to a glass of wine or an extra slice of pie, then a simple one-minute breathing technique might be a way to regain control.
Researchers in Australia analyzed data from 20 studies that tracked how breathing influenced cravings for alcohol and other substances.
Six breathing techniques were included in the research, including breathing only six times in one minute and participants pacing their breathing to match their heart rate.
Overall, scientists found the techniques significantly reduced cravings among the participants.
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Dr Ariel Dart Roxburgh, lead study author and addiction researcher at Monash University, said: ‘Our review suggests that breathing interventions can be an effective and low-cost [intervention].
‘With more than three quarters of the world’s population owning a mobile phone, the potential benefits of low-cost smartphone-assisted breathing interventions are substantial.’
Millions of Americans struggle with cravings, an intense, urgent desire or longing for something, every day, estimates suggest.
About one in eight over 50 years old have a food addiction, estimates suggest, while a quarter are thought to deal with a craving at least twice a day.
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Should simple breathing techniques be taught to help people manage cravings and addictions?
Deep breathing techniques may reduce alcohol and drug cravings, a study from Monash University in Australia suggests
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It was not clear why breathing techniques may help to ease cravings, but the researchers said they could work because they help to divert attention.
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Experts also say the practice can help to ease the fight-or-flight response in the nervous system, which may diminish a desire.
The study builds on previous research, including a 2024 paper involving 40 obese adults from India which found those that timed their breathing with their heart rate said they had reduced food cravings compared to those who did not.
In the study, published in the journal Addiction, researchers analyzed data on 1,200 people on how breathing techniques could ease cravings for alcohol and drugs.
Many of the participants had used heart-rate variability biofeedback breathing, where someone watches a heart rate monitor and times their breathing to their heart rate, or resonant breathing, where breathing is slowed to six breaths a minute.
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Other techniques included were yogic breathing, where someone pauses on each stage of inhalation, holding and exhalation, rhemercise, breathing inbetween smiling or saying something positive, and mimicking smoking, where controlled breaths are used to mimic the action of smoking.
While breathing helped to ease cravings, the scientists said there was less consistent evidence that it also helped to ease dependency and withdrawal.
Roxburgh added: ‘What we need next is larger, pre-registered trials with standardized measures and longer follow-up, so we can improve our understanding of how these interventions work.’
The new review adds to increasing evidence suggesting breathing techniques may reduce cravings for drugs and alcohol. In one 2020 study, researchers found just six minutes of breath counting reduced alcohol cravings after stressful events.
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Another study in the Industrial Psychiatry Journal followed people with alcohol dependence for six months after a bout of Sudarshan Kriya, which is a technique focused on slow, deep breathing with light constriction in the throat, creating an ocean-like sound.
Among the group that did the breathing technique, 47.5 percent of people reported drinking zero or one day a week compared to just 15 percent of those in the control group.
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Simple science-backed technique that can squash alcohol cravings… and it only takes one minute
The Streets are set to perform a headline show at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on Saturday, August 1 when Mike Skinner will perform A Grand Don’t Come For Free in full, marking the first time the landmark 2004 record has been played live in its entirety.
The Streets to perform classic album in full in Scarborough on August 1. Pictured, frontman Mike Skinner. (Image: Cuffe & Taylor)
Released in 2004, the album debuted at No.1 in the UK charts, went multi-platinum, and produced defining singles including Dry Your Eyes, Fit But You Know It, and Blinded By The Lights.
It established The Streets and frontman Mike Skinner as one of the most distinctive voices in British music, blending humour, heartbreak, and sharp observations of everyday life.
The Scarborough date forms part of a wider tour built around the album’s story, taking audiences on a journey through love, loss, and redemption as it was originally conceived.
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Skinner said: “A Grand Don’t Come For Free was a moment in time – for me, and for everyone who grew up with it.
“I wrote it as a story from beginning to end, even studying screenwriting to shape it and without the faintest idea how people would react.
“We’ve been looking for something bold to do with the live show, and we landed here: some tracks have never been played live, others haven’t surfaced in years.
“It’s a new challenge to bring the whole journey to life on stage, but I have an incredible band and we always give everything every night.”
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The show is part of a busy summer season at Scarborough Open Air Theatre, which has already welcomed a string of major names to the North Yorkshire venue.
Hopes of new ceasefire fade as Saudis join Trump’s war
A furious Donald Trump has threatened to punish Iran following a “surprise” attack on US military targets in the Middle East.
The offensive took place days after the US president suspended air strikes over the region.
In an expletive-ridden outburst, he told Fox News: “We’re going to beat the f****** sh** out of them. We’ll be hitting them hard. They’re going to get a beating.”
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In a day of escalation in the region, Saudi Arabia also joined the US in striking several Iran-backed groups.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2026 05:30
Oil prices slip below $90 a barrel
Oil prices gave up some of their gains today as oil tankers continued to make their way out of the Middle East even as tensions there escalated, with the US-Iran war spreading beyond its main fronts.
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Brent futures fell $1.29, or 1.42 per cent, to $89.45 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 56 cents, or 0.66 per cent, to $83.90 a barrel.
Brent settled up 7.91 per cent in the previous session and WTI up 6.56 per cent in one of the sharpest spikes of the Iran war, reversing a 5 per cent plunge on Tuesday after a pause in hostilities in the five-month conflict.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2026 05:15
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QatarEnergy-controlled LNG tanker exits Hormuz
A QatarEnergy-controlled liquefied natural gas tanker exited the Strait of Hormuz overnight, the first such vessel visible on ship-tracking data to leave the waterway since 11 July, data from analytics firms showed.
The Al Areesh tanker, which loaded a cargo at Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal around 4-6 July, sailed out of the strait overnight on 29 July, according to Kpler and LSEG data.LSEG data shows it is currently heading to Port Qasim, Pakistan, with an estimated arrival date of 31 July.
Its departure marks the first time a QatarEnergy-controlled LNG tanker exited the Strait of Hormuz since the Al Rekayyat was struck in early July.
The previous LNG tanker to exit was the Al Hamra, which left on 11 July carrying a cargo loaded at the United Arab Emirates’ Das Island, according to Kpler data.
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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2026 05:00
US says it completed latest round of strikes on Iran
The US military said it completed its latest wave of strikes on Iran, which lasted two hours and hit dozens of targets, with Washington casting the strikes as a “powerful response” to Iranian missiles launched towards US forces in the Middle East a day earlier.
The US military said on Tuesday it intercepted multiple ballistic missiles launched by Iran towards US forces in what Washington called “an attempted surprise attack” by Tehran. Iran confirmed it had fired on US bases in Jordan.
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President Donald Trump said after the missiles were intercepted that US forces would retaliate. “We’re going to hit them very hard,” he said
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2026 04:38
Watch: Trump vows to ‘beat the f***ing s***’ out of Iran
Trump vows to ‘beat the f***ing s***’ out of Iran
Rachel Dobkin30 July 2026 04:02
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Iran to get Chinese shoulder-launched missile systems ‘in weeks’
Iran is reportedly expected to receive within weeks a first shipment of up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defence missile launchers.
The purchase, valued at $60-70m, is one of Tehran’s largest-known efforts to strengthen its short-range air defences since the outbreak of its war with the US and Israel, which exposed gaps in Iran’s ability to protect military sites and strategic infrastructure.
The contract covers the purchase of between 300 and 400 man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), including Chinese-made QW-12 and FN-16 missiles, Reuters reported, citing sources.
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The deal was signed with Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment. Sources told Reuters the Hong Kong-based company was acting as an intermediary between the Iranian side and the Chinese supplier.
Alex Croft30 July 2026 03:00
US strikes Iran in ‘powerful response’ to attempted attacks on American forces
The US military has launched strikes against Iran in a “powerful response” to attempted attacks on American forces.
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“U.S. forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8 p.m. ET today. The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday’s attempted Iranian attacks on U.S. forces based in the Middle East”, US Central Command wrote on X.
Rachel Dobkin30 July 2026 02:20
In pictures: US-Saudi strikes on Iraq kill at least 20 members of pro-Iran militia
US-Saudi strikes on Iraq killed at least 20 members of a former paramilitary alliance that includes pro-Iran groups (AFP/Getty)
Six Iranian advisers were killed (AFP/Getty)
Alex Croft30 July 2026 02:00
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Iranian asylum seeker’s 15-year fight to stay in the UK: ‘My dreams for my life are all gone’
A man who fears persecution in Iran has spent 15 years in the UK battling a failed asylum claim, homeless and unable to lead a normal life, after repeated refusals by the Home Office to allow him to stay.
In the more than a decade he has been trapped in the asylum system, Mostafa Rahmani has not been allowed to work or been housed in Home Office accommodation – forced to depend on the kindness of friends to get by.
Mr Rahmani, now 41, he arrived in the UK from Iran in 2011 as a 26-year-old student looking to learn English. He came on a student visa, but claimed asylum a few days after arrival when he says Iranian security forces turned up at his family’s home in Tehran looking for him. He said that he had taken part in anti-government protests in 2011.
The Independent’s social affairs correspondent Holly Bancroft reports:
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Alex Croft30 July 2026 01:01
US-brokered plan for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon suffers slow start
A US-brokered plan for Israel to withdraw gradually from occupied areas of southern Lebanon in exchange for the disarmament of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia has started slower than expected.
The “pilot zone program” is the centrepiece of the US’ June 26 framework deal intended to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah, and establish peaceful ties between Israel and Lebanon.
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Hezbollah still refuses to give up its weapons, while on the ground, the rollout of the first zone in the south Lebanese village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh last week offered a glimpse of a strained and complex process that will be no easier to repeat elsewhere.
A senior Lebanese military official, who requested anonymity in order to speak freely, told the Reuters news agency it had taken weeks of US-brokered negotiations with Israel and days of military operations to establish the first zone in a single village.
The agreement links Israel’s progressive withdrawal to the “verified disarmament” of Hezbollah — which is not a party to the deal, has refused to give up its arsenal, and has raised the prospect of internal strife if the state tries to disarm it by force.
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