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Iran and the US have been at war for decades. Here’s how it began

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Iran and the US have been at war for decades. Here’s how it began

It may seem that the US and the Middle East are currently embarking on yet another forever war. But the truth is that this is just the latest instalment of an undeclared military conflict between the two nations that has been ongoing since the 1980s.

For Americans, the war began in 1979, when Iranian students seized the US embassy in Tehran and held 52 diplomats hostage for 444 days. For Iranians, it began with US support for the Shah and its subsequent backing of Iraq throughout the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.

The conflict has claimed many civilian lives. On July 3 1988, the US warship Vincennes downed Iran Air Flight 655, a civilian flight bound for Dubai. The USS Vincennes misidentified the Airbus as a military aircraft and shot it down, killing all 290 people on board. More recently, on 28 February 2026, a US-Israeli missile hit a girls’ school in southern Iran, killing over 150 civilians, most of them children.

Iran also shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 on January 8, 2020. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps mistook the civilian plane for a US military flight, and fired two surface-to-air missiles that killed all 176 passengers, mostly Iranian civilians.

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Each side has, at different moments, made catastrophic errors under conditions of escalation. But these tragic incidents are not just history. For Iranians and Americans alike, they have deeply reinforced the popular and institutional view that peace can never really be achieved between the two nations.

The 1980s: tanker war

In 1984, Iraq initiated the “tanker war” with Iran when its air force attacked oil tankers bound for Iranian ports. The tanker war continued for years, and eventually involved the US Navy when, on May 17 1987, an Iraqi plane accidentally struck the American frigate The Stark, killing 37 crew members.

The US chose to refocus attention away from Iraq and on Iran, arguing that the Islamic Republic was responsible as it had failed to agree to negotiate an end to the war.

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Ayatollah Khamenei was Supreme Leader of Iran from 1989 until his assassination in 2026 by US and Israeli forces

Ayatollah Khamenei was Supreme Leader of Iran from 1989 until his assassination in 2026 by US and Israeli forces (AFP/Getty)

The US then provided naval protection for Kuwaiti oil tankers moving through the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz by requiring them to hoist an American flag. But violence only escalated. Iran targeted the American-reflagged ships, and the US retaliated by striking Iranian offshore platforms and speedboats used by the Revolutionary Guards. It also sank two Iranian frigates, eliminating half of Iran’s navy.

It was amid these hostilities that Iran Air Flight 655 was shot down. How this incident occurred during the fog of war is still the subject of intense debate. For Iranians, the attack confirmed they were in a de facto war with the US, who they saw as lashing out in vicarious vengeance for the 1979 hostage crisis.

Ultimately, the downing of its airliner brought Iran to accept the ceasefire that ended the Iran-Iraq War. Iran’s conflict with Iraq ended, but its war with the US did not.

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The 2000s: proxies and ground war

The 1980s episode of this war was fought by naval vessels in the Gulf, but the second phase was a proxy conflict fought on the ground.

After 2001, George W. Bush included the Islamic Republic in an “axis of evil”, alongside Iraq and North Korea.

After 2001, George W. Bush included the Islamic Republic, Iraq and North Korea in an ‘axis of evil’

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After 2001, George W. Bush included the Islamic Republic, Iraq and North Korea in an ‘axis of evil’ (AFP/Getty)

In March 2003, after the invasion of Iraq under Bush, Iran suddenly found US troops on two borders (Iraq and Afghanistan). Tehran feared that the Bush administration would seek regime change, and that the US or Israel would bomb its nuclear facilities.

One tool at Iran’s disposal was its support of a variety of Iraqi insurgents to target American forces. One of its Iraqi proxies, Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, formed in 2006, targeted US military vehicles with improvised explosive devices, challenging American control of the motorways.

This low-intensity conflict only wound down when American forces left Iraq in 2011.

The 2010s and 2020s: air war over Iraq

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During the 2010s, the Obama administration entered a de facto alliance with the Islamic Republic to combat ISIS. The US provided air cover while Iran fought alongside Iraqi Shi’a militias on the ground.

In October 2017, two months before ISIS officially lost the vast majority of its territories in Iraq and Syria, Donald Trump announced the US’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Relations quickly soured, as Tehran retaliated by targeting US forces in Iraq, ushering in an air war. Rockets were fired at American targets in Iraq by Kataib Hizballah, an Iran-allied militia, and the US retaliated with air strikes.

During the 2010s, the Obama administration entered a de facto alliance with the Islamic Republic to combat ISIS

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During the 2010s, the Obama administration entered a de facto alliance with the Islamic Republic to combat ISIS (Getty)

Violence spiralled further on December 27 2019, when the same militia attacked the al-Taji base, an Iraqi military facility housing US forces, killing an American contractor. Two days later, the US responded with an air raid on several targets related to the Iraqi militia, killing at least 25 of its members.

On December 31 2019, the US embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone was stormed by Iraqi demonstrators affiliated with the militia.

Trump, faced with optics reminiscent of the 1979 hostage crisis, ordered a drone strike on January 3 2020 that killed General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, as well as Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, leader of the militia. Iran retaliated by launching 22 Fateh ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases housing American forces on January 8.

Soleimani’s death was the first time the US had directly killed a senior Iranian state official. It crossed the threshold from proxy war to direct state-on-state targeting.

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About the author

Ibrahim Al-Marashi is an Adjunct Professor, IE School of Humanities, IE University; California State University San Marcos.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

In the aftermath, Iran’s military accidentally shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 outside of Tehran, mistaking it for US retaliation. It was a tragic echo of the Vincennes incident.

During this period, Iran generally showed restraint in its air attacks on the US. During the 2025 12-Day Israel-Iran War, for instance, it launched a single, choreographed military strike against the al-Udeid Airbase in Qatar which was housing US forces, very similar to its carefully orchestrated 2020 missile strikes.

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Today, that restraint is no longer in place. What we are seeing now is widespread Iranian retaliation throughout the entire region.

A long, undeclared war

For Iranians, the circumstances that led to the downing of its airliner in 1988 resonate with the present: the direct military action of June 2025, Trump ordering the assassination of Soleimani in January 2020, and economic warfare through sanctions.

The 2015 Iran deal was the first attempt to end the conflict between the two nations that began in the 1980s. The deal was Barack Obama’s major diplomatic triumph, and Trump has been fixated on undoing the policies of his predecessor.

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However, the recent escalation between the US and Iran was also a legacy of the Biden administration, which had the chance to de-escalate the long war between Iran and the US after winning the November 2020 elections.

US deployment to the Gulf in the 1980s was disproportionate to the threat to shipping, and was seen by many as a flimsy pretext to seek out war with Iran. A similarly dubious justification – that Iran was just weeks away from a nuclear weapon – was made by Israel to justify its 12-Day War in June 2025.

As of February 2026, the US has initiated the latest round in this conflict. To date, both states managed to escalate without crossing into total war, but that equilibrium may now be breaking down.

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Wilder beats Chisora via split decision after gruelling contest

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Wilder beats Chisora via split decision after gruelling contest

John Fury made headlines by claiming son Tyson has not been the same since his trilogy of fights against Deontay Wilder, but the same can be said of the American.

Wilder, a former WBC heavyweight world champion, has not beaten a ranked opponent since Luis Ortiz in 2019, losing four of his last six fights. Three of those were knockout defeats, and though The Bronze Bomber knocked out Tyrrell Herndon last June that contest was a glorified warm-up.

By contrast, Wilder’s opponent Derek Chisora has defied the odds, his age, and his slugging style of boxing to topple Gerald Washington, Joe Joyce and Otto Wallin in his last three fights.

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Chisora claims that tonight’s bout at London’s O2 Arena will be his last as a professional boxer, but the 42-year-old has said that previously before returning to the ring.

Wilder and Chisora have been in the top 10 of the heavyweight division for years but this is the first time they will touch gloves.

By coincidence, it is both men’s 50th professional fight. Chisora’s record reads 36-13, 23KOs, while Wilder’s reputation for destruction is reflected in a record of 44-4-1, 43KOs.

Chisora weighed in at a career-heaviest 19st, some 40lb more than Wilder who tipped the scales at 16st 17lb.

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Ordinarily, you would say the heavier man would be disadvantaged by a fight becoming a test of stamina in the late rounds, but Wilder has won just one fight by decision in his career.

It is said the American has focused on becoming a more technical fighter behind his jab, though some observers have concluded that is a sign of hesitancy. Chisora is lion-hearted and not afraid to take a blow.

This is how the card for the night looks:

Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder (heavyweight)
Viddal Riley vs Mateusz Masternak (cruiserweight)
Denzel Bentley vs Endry Saavedra (vacant WBO interim middleweight title)
Ashton Sylve vs Raul Antonio (super-lightweight)
Matty Harris vs Franklin Ignatius (heavyweight)
Amir Anderson vs Jordan Dujon (middleweight)
Dan Toward vs Misael Da Veiga (super-welterweight)
Jermaine Dhliwayo vs Jake Morgan (super-featherweight)
Abner Teixeira vs TBA (heavyweight)

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Newcastle campaigners fear loss of hidden Victorian gem

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Newcastle campaigners fear loss of hidden Victorian gem

Tyneside heritage bodies have hit out at the plans for a major overhaul of a disused railway yard next to Central Station.

The Forth Goods Yard, owned by Network Rail, is earmarked for 514 build-to-rent apartments and a 655-space multi-storey car park, under proposals currently under consideration by Newcastle City Council. 

But there are concerns that a historic undercroft below the yard will be mostly demolished as part of the regeneration bid.

A Victorian undercroft beneath the Forth Goods Yard in Newcastle. Photo: Railway Heritage Trust. Free to reuse for all LDR partners.A Victorian undercroft beneath the Forth Goods Yard in Newcastle. Photo: Railway Heritage Trust. Free to reuse for all LDR partners.

The vaulted undercroft is the only surviving feature of the former Forth Banks Goods Station, which was built between 1866 and 1871 and closed in 1963, and is described as having effectively been inaccessible for decades.

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But Tim Wickens, of the Newcastle Conservation Advisory Panel (NCAP), said it was “deeply disturbing that such valuable and irreplaceable historic fabric could be lost forever”.

NCAP, as well fellow heritage group The Northumberland & Newcastle Society, have called for the undercroft to be protected – as has been the case at other stations such as Manchester Piccadilly.

In its objection to the plans, NCAP states: “Forth Goods Yard is located within an area of the city that collectively gives context to the group richness of railway heritage, and the historic undercroft is an asset that we can ill afford to lose.

“This heritage has been instrumental as the basis of regenerating the adjacent Stephenson Quarter and Founders Place, recognising their status as the birthplace of globally significant railway engineering.

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“In summary NCAP is opposed to the principle of this proposed development on grounds of impact on the historic environment, generic lack of respect for heritage, specifically harm to the undercroft and to the setting of other heritage assets.”

A Victorian undercroft beneath the Forth Goods Yard in Newcastle. Photo: Railway Heritage Trust. Free to reuse for all LDR partners.A Victorian undercroft beneath the Forth Goods Yard in Newcastle. Photo: Railway Heritage Trust. Free to reuse for all LDR partners.

It has been suggested that the proposed multi-storey car park could be relocated to the site of the Safestore building on Forth Street in order to protect the undercroft from demolition.

Historic England granted a Certificate of Immunity from Listing for the underground structure in May 2024 – guaranteeing that it cannot not be listed or subject to a Building Preservation Notice until 2029.

NCAP said it was not consulted on that matter, which it said was “profoundly disturbing” and prevented them from reviewing or challenging the decision.

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A heritage impact assessment submitted with the application, made by bloc and Government property company Platform 4, confirms that the proposed development will require the demolition of the majority of the undercroft – though it says sections of the arches on Pottery Lane will be preserved “where possible”. 

It describes the undercroft as having “very limited architectural significance as it represents only a fragment of the former Forth Banks Goods Station which it formed part of” and that it is “no longer possible to appreciate the architectural significance of the overall building”.

Nick Legget, development director at bloc Ltd, said: “Our plans for Forth Goods Yard will transform the heart of Newcastle through vital regeneration while paying close attention to the area’s industrial heritage.

“Delivering 500 homes, enhanced station parking and new public spaces in this long-neglected area is challenging and requires careful, considered design work. The undercroft poses a particular challenge, with the structures having been heavily altered and requiring significant ongoing maintenance and investment.

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“With these issues in mind, and expert heritage assessments concluding the
undercroft does not have a level of significance that would justify full preservation, partial demolition is being proposed to enable a viable redevelopment of the site.

“A portion of the undercroft will be retained, structurally protected and refurbished for future reuse.

“This will allow the retained arches to contribute to new public spaces and improved connections, while delivering safe, step-free access for people with disabilities that would otherwise not be possible.

“This balanced approach reflects a clear commitment to respecting the site’s
heritage, while also delivering wider public benefits as we unlock this transformative regeneration of the Forth Yards area.”

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Historic England confirmed that NCAP is not on its list of consultees and were not contracted as part of the assessment of the Forth Goods Yard.

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Harry Redknapp almost caused Gemma Collins to quit I’m A Celebrity

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Harry Redknapp almost caused Gemma Collins to quit I’m A Celebrity

The series, which is pre-recorded, nearly saw Collins quit the series early after falling for a practical joke and declaring the infamous phrase, “I’m a celebrity get me out of here”.

Recalling the prank at a press roundtable, Sinitta said: “I think we’d done really hard trials all day, or some sort of game, so we were physically exhausted.

“We got back and we’re all relieved (that) nothing else can happen now, because they’ve exhausted us, it’s getting dark now it’s getting late, so that must be it, we can relax.

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“And Harry (Redknapp) comes in and says, ‘guys, you’re not going to believe this’, and he’s got the board, and he starts reading this awful trial, I think it’s called something like the House Of Hell, Prison Of Hell, or something.”

She said Redknapp told his fellow campmates that the challenge would involve rats and being tied up among other things.

Sinitta continued: “We’re already broken (and) literally before he could finish reading it out, Gemma was like, ‘I’m a celebrity get me out of here’.

“I have to admit, my hand went up that I was like, ‘you know what? me too, I’m too exhausted, gotta go’ – and he was pranking us.”

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The Only Way Is Essex star Collins famously appeared on the series in 2014, however, lasted only three days in the Australian jungle.

As a result, former boxer David Haye, who also appears in the upcoming series, did not have high hopes for Collins – however, he praised her for being part of some “real heavy challenges” in the upcoming series.

He said: “She was the one that I was told going into it, that she kind of flaked out the first time around, and I didn’t have high hopes.

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“But of all the people watching her go through what she went through, she doesn’t have an ounce of quit in her at all.

“Whatever she did the first time round, she obviously looked back, a few years have gone by, and she’s like, ‘I’m going to give it everything’.

“Fortunately for the show, she did, because she was part of some real heavy challenges that she should be proud of herself.”

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The series also stars comedian Seann Walsh, Red Dwarf’s Craig Charles, ex-footballer Jimmy Bullard, Coronation Street star Beverley Callard and actor Adam Thomas.

Hosted by Ant and Dec, the second series will give the public the power to cast their vote for the winner in a live grand final broadcast direct from London, crowning the “ultimate legend 2026”.

I’m A Celebrity… South Africa starts on April 6 at 9pm on ITV1 and airs every weeknight Monday to Friday.

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Three things we learned from Arsenal FC loss as reset required after defensive mess

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Three things we learned from Arsenal FC loss as reset required after defensive mess

It would be unfair to solely blame Christian Norgaard for how alarmingly open Arsenal were. Havertz and Martin Odegaard offered him no support and there was no defensive shape at all whenever Southampton counter, even if Norgaard’s lack of athleticism compared to Rice, for example, was glaringly obvious.

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All the golden buzzers given out so far on BGT 2026

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All the golden buzzers given out so far on BGT 2026

ITV’s popular talent competition has returned for its 19th series this year, and has already seen some incredible auditions.

Presented by Ant and Dec, Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and KSI are back as the judges, with each getting one golden buzzer.

Here are all the judges who have pressed it so far this series, and what acts they pressed it for.

All the golden buzzer acts so far in BGT 2026

The golden buzzers were added to the show in 2014 and have been given to some well-known acts since then.

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Each of the four judges, plus hosts Ant and Dec, has one opportunity per series to press it, but this rule has occasionally been broken.

If pressed, the act is sent straight through to the live shows.

Warning: If you haven’t seen the most recent episodes of Britain’s Got Talent, spoilers are ahead.

Golden buzzer 1 – pressed by Simon Cowell (February 21)

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Simon Cowell was the first judge to press the gold this series, in the opening episode on February 21.

It was given to Australian para athlete Paul Nunnari, who blew away the judging panel with his incredible wheelchair stunts.

His act involved him climbing up the silk in his wheelchair before swinging from it by his neck.

Before hitting the golden buzzer, head judge Simon said: “One of the most incredible things, I really do believe, that I’ve ever seen, and you’re so humble and so nice and so talented.”

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Golden buzzer 2 – pressed by KSI (February 28)

KSI awarded the second golden buzzer of the series to 16-year-old magician Rafferty Coope.

The young star wowed the judges with his act that combined his “two passions in life” to the judges, music and magic.

His trick involved him making a coin pass through solid glass, making a phone levitate, and a card trick that led to him playing the song Don’t Stop Believing on the piano.

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The performance from the 16-year-old got a standing ovation from the audience and the judges.

KSI joined him on stage and said: “That blew my mind.

“Oh my god, I’m proud of you.

“Cherish this moment, this is all you.”

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Golden buzzer 3 – pressed by Alesha Dixon (March 7)

The third golden buzzer was awarded to Antigravity on March 7 for their “real-life video game” audition.

The audition followed one of the actors as they floated around on a screen, following routes and paths as if they were in a video game.

The judges said it was one of the best performances in the show’s 19-year history, and the first of its kind.

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Both Simon Cowell and Alesha Dixon fought to press the golden buzzer first, but it was the latter who did so.

She said: “I think my daughter is going to love this act, she was probably the main reason I pressed it (the golden buzzer).

“Cause they did something we’ve never seen before on our show, which we always love. Very different, very unique.”

Golden buzzer 4 – pressed by Amanda Holden (March 21)

The fourth golden buzzer was given to a choir put together by Jeremy Clarkson.

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The Hawkstone Farmers Choir performed Elbow’s One Day Like This, which brought judge Amanda and some of the audience to tears.

She said: “As soon as you started, I completely welled up.

“I felt so much power.

Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone Farmers Choir got the golden buzzer on March 21 (Image: Thames/ITV)

“I love the whole community, I love how you’ve all got together.

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“You work so hard every single day, you absolutely smashed it and I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do in the semi-finals.”

Golden buzzer 5 – pressed by Ant and Dec (March 28)

Ant and Dec were next to press the golden buzzer to send comedian Ted Hill through to the live shows.

He incorporated a presentation into his stand-up set, winning over the crowd and the judges.

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Hill combined his day job of presenting science shows to children with his love of comedy to create the show.

His website shares: “Hill has performed three different hours at the Edinburgh Fringe festival, and had a successful 3-date run at the prestigious Soho Theatre.”

It adds: “His fast-paced comedy is often an expose on his real experiences with autism and ADHD, and an ode to his many special interests, from US presidents to graphs and maps.”

Golden buzzer 6 – pressed by Simon Cowell (March 28)

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A second golden buzzer was pressed in the same episode as Ant and Dec’s, as Simon sent singer Matty Juniosa through to the live shows.

The Filipino singer shared that he was working as a part-time waiter, having lived in Glasgow for a few years.

He stunned the crowd with a rendition of ‘Purple Rain’ and after they chanted for him to be sent through, Cowell duly obliged.

Golden buzzer 7 – pressed by guest judge Stacey Solomon (April 4)

In the episode on April 4, Simon Cowell began the show in his chair but was later replaced by TV personality Stacey Solomon.

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Stacey was so impressed by Braunstone Community Primary School’s performance, which combined comedy with dancing and singing from pupils and their headmaster, that she decided to hit the golden buzzer.

The children meet each week at 2pm on Fridays with their headmaster, who gets them dancing and singing together as they celebrate the end of another week.

Alesha Dixon was also amazed by their performance and said the group is something “all schools should roll out because kids need this life force of music”.

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Recommended reading:


What does the winner of BGT 2026 get?

There have been 18 winners of BGT since its first series in 2007, with magician Harry Moulding winning last year.

The winner of BGT will take home a prize of £250,000 and will also be given the chance to perform at the Royal Variety Performance in front of the royal family.

In the ITV show’s first three years, winners won a prize of £100,000, while the biggest winners were Ashleigh and Pudsey with a prize pot of £500,000 in 2012.

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Who is your favourite winner of Britain’s Got Talent from previous years? Let us know in the comments.

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Health-risk rat and antelope meat seized in police raid of UK home

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Daily Record

A 51-year-old man was arrested after 11kg of bushmeat was seized by police in London.

Illegal bushmeat which could “pose serious health risks” has been seized following a joint raid by Metropolitan Police and the Food Standards Agency (FSA). A 51-year-old man has been arrested following the raid at a property in southeast London which recovered 11kg of meat from cane rats and antelope.

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Officers from the Metropolitan Police have been working closely with the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as they investigate the illegal trade, reports Wales Online. In a statement, the FSA, whose officers were present at the scene, said: “Bushmeat is wild animal meat that has been hunted, often from species found in tropical regions.”

David Toms-Sheridan, NFCU’s head of investigations for the south of England and Wales, said: “The NFCU has been working closely with the Metropolitan Police Service and other Subject Matter Experts to identify those suspected of being involved in this criminality. This operation forms part of the NFCU’s ongoing work to disrupt the illegal meat trade and prevent unsafe products from reaching the public.

“The FSA advises consumers not to buy or eat illegally imported meat, including bushmeat, as it may pose serious health risks. If you have concerns about products being sold, contact your local authority. We remain vigilant to the threat of illegal meat entering the food chain and will continue to take action to protect the public.”

In its statement, the FSA added: “Illegally imported meat bypasses the rigorous safety and hygiene checks required for food sold in the UK, and can carry diseases and contaminants that put consumers at risk. The FSA advises consumers not to buy or eat illegally imported meat, including bushmeat, as it may pose serious health risks.

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“If you have concerns about products being sold, contact your local authority. We remain vigilant to the threat of illegal meat entering the food chain and will continue to take action to protect the public.”

Investigations into the find are ongoing. Cane rats are indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa where it is regarded as a crop-destroying pest in areas where sugarcane, maize and other produce is cultivated.

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Arne Slot will struggle to win back fans calling for Xabi Alonso

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Arne Slot will struggle to win back fans calling for Xabi Alonso

The speed with which Liverpool folded, even by the standards of a season in which they have had some real lows, was still shocking and left Slot questioning the effort, concentration and fighting spirit of his players.

“If you simply look at the goals, there I see runs that are not being followed, I see crosses that are not being blocked, I see duels in front of goal that are not won,” he said. “Every single time we forget to block a cross, we forget to defend in front of goal, we forget to follow a runner, every single time it’s a goal.”

Luis Enrique, the PSG coach, will pick over this and present a long list of vulnerabilities for his players to exploit and it is not helping Slot that two players who have provided the foundations for so much of Liverpool’s success over the past eight years are struggling so badly. Salah and Virgil van Dijk, to say the least, had nightmare afternoons.

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Would this game have turned out differently had Salah not missed the kind of chance in the 15th minute that he would have buried for fun last season? Having got the better of Abdukodir Khusanov from Giorgi Mamardashvili’s long ball upfield, the Egypt striker had just James Trafford to beat but delayed his shot too long and allowed the rapid City defender to make a crucial, last-ditch interception.

The contrast with Haaland was marked. The Norway striker has not had the easiest few months, scoring just five goals in 20 matches coming into this, but his 12th hat-trick for City felt like a marked return to form and will do his confidence the world of good. Stale Solbakken, the Norway coach, took the decision to rest Haaland for the first of his country’s two friendly matches and already the player looks to be benefiting.

Haaland’s emphatic finishing stood in stark comparison to Salah’s total lack of conviction in front of goal, embodied by his penalty miss with Liverpool 4-0 down shortly after ballooning a horrible shot high and wide from another inviting position.

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Keir Starmer blasts Kanye West Wireless Festival booking as ‘deeply concerning’

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Daily Mirror

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has criticised Wireless Festival for booking Kanye West to headline at Finsbury Park, after the rapper’s antisemitic remarks and Nazi messaging

Sir Keir Starmer has spoken out against a music festival for booking Kanye West as a headliner, following the American rapper’s Nazi messaging.

The Prime Minister described it as “deeply concerning” that the musician, also known as Ye, has been lined up to headline Wireless Festival at Finsbury Park, north London. The rapper has faced widespread condemnation in recent years after he began expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler, and has made a string of antisemitic comments.

Last year, he released a track called “Heil Hitler”, just months after promoting a Swastika T-shirt for sale on his website. As first reported by The Sun on Sunday, Sir Keir said: “It is deeply concerning that Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism.

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Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted clearly and firmly wherever it appears. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe and secure.”

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The 48 year old rapper’s scheduled appearance at Wireless Festival comes amid growing concerns over rising antisemitism across the UK.

In March, four ambulances belonging to a Jewish community-run service were set ablaze in north-west London. Two men and a 17 year old boy were remanded in custody on Saturday after appearing in court charged with torching the vehicles.

Last October, two men lost their lives in an attack on a Manchester synagogue. The Sun on Sunday also published criticism from a number of Jewish community organisations calling on Wireless Festival to reconsider their decision to allow West to headline.

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, told the newspaper the booking was “causing distress to Britain’s Jewish community due to his previous antisemitism and support for Hitler”. She went on to say: “Wireless should think again about whether they want to provide a platform for this hateful antisemitism.”

Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, described it as “absolutely the wrong decision” to permit West to perform.

The musician issued an apology in January for his antisemitic remarks in a letter printed as a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal newspaper. In the letter, he expressed remorse to Jewish and black people, stating that his bipolar disorder had caused him to fall into “a four-month long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life”.

Wireless Festival was approached for comment.

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Bolton’s Vernon Kay tipped as favourite to replace Scott Mills

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Bolton's Vernon Kay tipped as favourite to replace Scott Mills

Mills was abruptly taken off air and last hosted his show on Tuesday March 24, signing off with: “See you tomorrow.”

The BBC confirmed on Monday that the 53-year-old is no longer contracted to work with the company.

The sacking has left a vacancy at BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show just over a year after Mills took over from Zoe Ball as host.

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Kay, who hosts a mid-morning show on Radio 2, is currently the favourite with bookmaker William Hill to replace Mills.

Last month, the station’s head Helen Thomas said Vernon Kay continues to be “the most listened to show on UK radio”, attracting 6.7 million listeners each week.

Veteran DJ Gary Davies, who unexpectedly started hosting Mills’ breakfast show last Wednesday, was also tipped as a possible replacement.

Davies did not address the reason for Mills’ absence and just told listeners: “Morning, Gary in for Scott.”

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OJ Borg, who hosts Radio 2’s weekday overnight show, was another of the station’s presenters who feature in the bookmaker’s list.

William Hill also named broadcasters Rylan Clark and Clara Amfo as potential replacements.

Spokesman Lee Phelps said: “With Scott Mills’ departure from BBC Radio 2 confirmed, attention has quickly turned to who takes on one of the biggest roles in UK radio.

“Our early betting has Vernon Kay out in front at 6/4, but right behind him is Gary Davies at 5/2 and OJ Borg at 11/4, having previously hosted the show.

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“Other potential candidates include Rylan Clark (7/2), Clara Amfo (4/1) and Tony Blackburn (6/1), followed by Strictly Come Dancing and Traitors presenter Claudia Winkleman (8/1).

“Joe Wilkinson and Alex Horne are 10/1 and 20/1 respectively to replace Mills on one of the flagship BBC Radio shows.”

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Trump warns he’ll ‘reign down hell’ on Iran within 48 hours unless Strait of Hormuz is opened and peace deal is made

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Trump warns he’ll ‘reign down hell’ on Iran within 48 hours unless Strait of Hormuz is opened and peace deal is made

President Donald Trump warned that “hell will reign down” on Iran within 48 hours unless the country opens the Strait of Hormuz hours before he claimed “many” of its military leaders were “terminated.”

“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!” Trump said in a Truth Social post Saturday morning.

Shortly after 4:30 p.m. ET, the president shared a video purporting to show a “massive strike” in Tehran, though it was not immediately clear when the attack was carried out. “Many of Iran’s Military Leaders, who have led them poorly and unwisely, are terminated, along with much else, with this massive strike in Tehran!” he wrote.

Around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which is at the center of the conflict, and Iran’s tight grip over its navigation has caused chaos for import-dependent countries.

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Trump’s Truth Social warning to the Iranian regime, where he appeared to confuse the use of “rain” with “reign,” comes as the search for a missing U.S. fighter pilot entered its second day after a F-15 was shot down Friday.

President Donald Trump threatened to ‘reign down hell’ on Iran within 48 hours unless the country opens the Strait of Hormuz
President Donald Trump threatened to ‘reign down hell’ on Iran within 48 hours unless the country opens the Strait of Hormuz (Getty Images)
The president later shared a video purporting to show a ‘massive strike’ in Tehran. It was not immediately clear when the strike was carried out
The president later shared a video purporting to show a ‘massive strike’ in Tehran. It was not immediately clear when the strike was carried out (@realDonaldTrump)

In a video he posted on Saturday afternoon, a loud boom could be heard as images show an enormous fireball igniting over a hillside at nightfall.

The Independent has contacted the Pentagon, U.S. Central Command and the White House for further information.

White House director of communications, Steven Cheung, said Trump has “been working nonstop” over the Easter weekend. The president is expected to remain in Washington, D.C. all weekend, according to his schedule.

There was no official update from the Trump administration about the missing pilot as of Saturday afternoon.

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In a slew of Truth Social posts Saturday morning, Trump hit out at the media and touted job figures, but he did not reference the pilot.

The president appeared to confuse the use of ‘rain’ with ‘reign’ in his previous Truth Social post issuing the threat against Iran
The president appeared to confuse the use of ‘rain’ with ‘reign’ in his previous Truth Social post issuing the threat against Iran (@realDonaldTrump)

Two American warplanes were shot down in separate incidents Friday as a search and rescue mission was launched to find the F-15 crew member who was forced to eject. An A-10 attack plane was reportedly hit in the Persian Gulf region, and the pilot was rescued after making it to Kuwaiti airspace, officials said.

Trump told The Independent on Friday that he is not yet ready to say what the U.S. will do if Iranian forces get to the downed airman first. “We hope that’s not going to happen,” the president said in a brief phone call Friday.

Iran was also issuing threats Saturday as the regime claimed it had used a new air defense system to target the U.S. fighter jet.

A spokesperson ‌for the ⁠joint military command said that the country would “definitely achieve full control” over its airspace, ​according ‌to ⁠Iranian ⁠state media.

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Iran is reportedly offering locals around $65,000 to anyone who hands over the missing pilot alive.

An anchor on the Iranian state media channel said: “If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a precious prize.”

Debris from a military strike in Tehran April 4, as the violence showed little sign of slowing
Debris from a military strike in Tehran April 4, as the violence showed little sign of slowing (Getty Images)

The downed F-15 is the fourth American fighter aircraft — and the sixth military plane — lost since Trump started the massive air campaign against Tehran on February 28. Three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle jets were downed by friendly fire over Kuwait in March.

The downing of the military jet occurred just two days after Trump had declared in a national address that the U.S. had “beaten and completely decimated Iran.”

Both the U.S. and Israel had recently boasted about the supposed decimation of Iran’s air defenses.

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The violence showed no sign of slowing Saturday. Iran’s atomic agency said an airstrike hit near its Bushehr nuclear facility, killing a security guard and damaging a support building.

An Iranian drone also damaged the Dubai headquarters of the American tech giant Oracle on Saturday after Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened the firm, according to the Associated Press.

The sheikhdom’s Dubai Media Office, which speaks for its government, said a “minor incident caused by debris from an aerial interception that fell on the facade of the Oracle building in Dubai Internet City,” adding there were no injuries.

More than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran since the war began six weeks ago, including 13 U.S. service members.

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