242-day hunger strike: Mother protests for son's prison release

The mother of a British-Egyptian activist jailed in Cairo has been admitted to hospital, a week after resuming a full hunger strike.
Laila Soueif has not eaten any food for 242 days. She began the strike last September – on the day her son Alaa Abdel Fattah should have been released.

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Leader Live

an hour ago

• Leader Live

Iran already carrying out ‘wholly unacceptable' actions in UK, Reynolds warns

Jonathan Reynolds said Iranian activity in the UK is already substantial and it would be 'naive' to think it will not escalate. The Business Secretary said 'not a week goes by' without Iran targeting cyber attacks on the UK's critical national infrastructure. Both MI5 and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) have warned about Iran's activities. The head of MI5, Ken McCallum, said in October that authorities had stopped 20 state-backed plots hatched by Iran in the UK since 2022. He warned of an 'unprecedented pace and scale' of plots posing 'potentially lethal threats' to British citizens and UK residents. The NCSC has warned Iran 'is developing its cyber capabilities and is willing to target the UK to fulfil its disruptive and destructive objectives'. Mr Reynolds told Sky News the risk from Iran in the UK is 'not hypothetical'. He said: 'There is not a week goes by without some sort of Iranian cyber attack on a key part of the UK's critical national infrastructure. There is Iranian activity on the streets of the UK, which is wholly unacceptable. 'It's already at a significant level. I think it would be naive to say that that wouldn't potentially increase. The number of state threat investigations run by MI5 has jumped by 48% in the last year. Countries like Iran use proxies to carry out lethal plots on UK soil – we must act. Those carrying out activity for Iran in the UK must declare it or risk facing up to 5 years in prison. — Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) March 6, 2025 'But again, there's a choice here for Iran: Do they want to continue being an agent of instability in the region and the wider world? Where has that got them? Where has it got the Iranian people? 'There's a better course of action for Iran to take here, and I think they should consider that.' Iran was the first foreign power to be listed on the enhanced tier of the foreign influence registration scheme, aimed at protecting the UK from malign foreign influence. It means anyone who is directed by Iran to carry out activities in the UK must declare it or face five years in prison. The scheme is due to come into force in July. The Home Office will also introduce new laws that will allow the UK to proscribe state-based groups such as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In the latest sign of Iran's actions against the UK, it emerged on Saturday that authorities in Cyprus have arrested a Briton alleged to have been carrying out surveillance of the RAF Akrotiri base on the island.

Metro

2 hours ago

• Metro

British man 'devastated' after being kicked out of Dubai for face tattoos

A British man's dream holiday to Dubai was ruined after he was refused entry because of his tattoos. Jordan Howman, 34, landed at Dubai International Airport for a week-long getaway with his fiancée Theresa, 38, and daughter Kaic, 16. Jordan, from Crewe, had forked out £3,000 for his third trip to the United Arab Emirates, his 'favourite country in the world.' But on arrival, he was pulled over by customs officers, before being refused entry after a six-hour wait due to his face tattoos. Jordan got the markings on his face around eight or nine years ago alongside words like 'blessed', 'family' and 'crazy life' and said it has never caused problems during his previous two visits to Dubai. He said: 'It has absolutely devastated me. I feel like I've been massively discriminated against. 'My missus has been crying her eyes out.' 'There's no law against face tattoos – there's nothing like that. The plasterer said the experience had made him feel 'absolutely rubbish' and had put him off travelling to Dubai again. He added: 'It was my favourite country, but this has absolutely ruined it. Now I'll never go again. I've lost all of my money because of a pattern on my face.' The UAE has become one of the go-to destinations for wealthy British expats and holidaymakers alike. But the state's socially conservative policies can cause problems for visiting foreigners. Britons have previously faced arrest for public displays of affection, including kissing. The UAE also has a zero tolerance for drugs, with passengers found with even residual amounts of illegal substances facing a prison sentence. Jordan's Emirates airline touched down at Dubai International Airport on Wednesday, June 111, at 7.30am. 'It was my third trip to Dubai,' he said. 'I'd had no problems all the other times. But this time, as we got in, I scanned my passport and was just about to go through security when an airport worker pulled us aside. 'We were about to put our hand luggage on the conveyor belt when the man said: 'Follow me'.' After taking Jordan aside, the man asked if he'd had his passport stamped before taking it from him. 'Then he snatched my passport out of my hand,' he said. 'There had been nowhere to stamp it – we'd used the electronic gates. It was just an excuse to get the passport out of my hand.' After being held in a waiting room for over four hours, Jordan was transferred to immigration at around 12pm, he said. By this time, his family had reached the five-star Anantara hotel. He called his partner and she got a taxi to the airport but he says 'they wouldn't let me see her' and she got a taxi back to the hotel, costing a total of £250. Jordan said he was not given his passport back for some time which was 'terrifying'. 'A woman came and took me upstairs to immigration, where they said: 'He's not coming in because of his face tattoos – you're not coming in because of the way you look',' he said. 'One of the staff behind the desk said a more senior immigration officer made the decision, saying I was not to enter Dubai and that I must leave the country immediately.' More Trending At 2.30pm, Jordan was put on another Emirates flight heading back to the UK. 'They sent me on a flight back to Manchester. It was only when I landed that I got my passport back. Friday morning was the first time I got to see my daughter, over Facetime', he said. Metro approached Dubai Airports for a comment and an attempt was made to contact the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigh Affairs Dubai. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Is it safe to travel to Dubai right now? Latest Foreign Office tourist advice after US strikes Iran MORE: Florida attorney general offers Trump 'Alligator Alcatraz' prison to hold immigrants MORE: Why I keep going back to the world's 'most overrated' city

Daily Record

3 hours ago

• Daily Record

Motorists warned of 5 new driving scams costing Brits thousands

Fraudsters are using 5 new tactics to trick drivers out of money. Motorists are being warned to be aware of new scams targeting British drivers. Fraudsters are costing motorists thousands of pounds with five new key tactics. From tampered QR codes on parking meters to convincing fake DVLA messages - drivers are being urged stay vigilant or risk losing their hard-earned cash. In 2024, scam reports to the DVLA soared to nearly 20,000, prompting motoring experts at LeaseLoco to make drivers aware of how to spot suspicious activity and avoid being caught out. ‌ While younger drivers aged 25-34 are the most common victims of vehicle-related scams like used car fraud and bogus insurance deals, older motorists are increasingly being targeted too - with fraudsters preying on their uncertainty around online payments to issue fake parking fines. ‌ John Wilmot, CEO of car lease comparison website LeaseLoco, said: 'Unfortunately driving-related scams are really common and they work well for fraudsters because they can create a sense of urgency. 'A lot of these scams will urge you to quickly pay a fee to avoid facing bigger fines. When we see something like this we often rush to get the payment done rather than stopping and checking the legitimacy of the message or letter. 'The good news is there are ways to spot these scams which can prevent you from losing any money. 2025 scams driver should to be aware of QR codes on parking meters ‌ Scammers are placing QR code stickers onto parking meters in the hopes of tricking motorists to scan the QR code and 'pay' for their parking. To avoid being caught out, stick to using official car parking apps such as RingGo and PayByPhone. It's also worth noting that most councils won't use QR codes for payment, but will instead tend to provide a machine or stick to apps. DVLA messages Fake DVLA messages often state that your license needs updating or that your car tax has failed, forcing you to hand over sensitive information. It's important to remember that the DVLA will never ask for money or personal information via email or text. Never click on any links within these messages and only access the DVLA website through ‌ Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. PCN fines Scammers may send fake parking charge notices to your house by post, urging you to pay a fake parking charge before the fine increases. A real PCN notice will have the date, time and location of your alleged violation. If you're still unsure whether your letter is real or not you can contact the council's parking department to check if the fine is genuine. ‌ Used car sales Be wary of any car deals that look too good to be true on online marketplaces. In 2023, nearly half a million pounds was reported as lost to Facebook car scams. Scammers will often post a fake ad for a car at a very low price and ask people interested for an upfront payment via bank transfer. They avoid having anyone come and see the car in person by claiming to be abroad too. When purchasing a used car, never make a payment before seeing the car in person and check the vehicle history on the government website. Toll or congestion charge messages Drivers can receive messages claiming they owe money for crossing a toll or congestion zone followed by a 'pay now' link. Before opening any links, remember that any genuine toll notifications will come from or other verified operators such as TfL, M6 Toll and Dart Charge for Dartford Crossing.