News
Man arrested on suspicion of making threats against Angela Rayner

Man arrested on suspicion of making threats against Angela Rayner
The police have arrested a man accused of making blatant threats against the Labour deputy leader, Angela Rayner.
Sources close to Rayner, who is away from parliament on bereavement leave, confirmed she was the women concerned after Greater Manchester police announced the arrest.
Rayner has cancelled her constituency surgeries in recent weeks amid concerns for her safety – linked to a wider increase of abuse and threats, including death threats, against her.
Friends said she had been deeply affected by the abuse, which had been taken particularly hard by her children. One described the deputy leader as “not in a good place” and said she had been unable to make many public appearances because of fears for her safety.
The force said it was investigating multiple threatening and abusive phone calls, emails and letters over recent weeks. A 52-year-old from Halifax has been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications and has since been released on bail pending further enquiries.
In a tweet, Rayner thanked the police for “supporting me, my family and my staff during this time, which has been particularly difficult for my children”.
Her spokesperson said abuse and threats had increased in recent weeks. “Angela and her staff have received a number of threatening, malicious and abusive communications in recent weeks,” the spokesperson said. “We are working with the police to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice and Angela would like to thank the police for their work during these investigations.”
The spokesperson added: “Abuse and threats of this nature don’t just have an impact on Angela but also on her family, her children and her staff, who are on the receiving end of these communications.
“Angela is currently on bereavement leave after losing a close loved one and she looks forward to being back at work as soon as possible.”
DS Christopher Dean of GMP’s Tameside district said: “Abusive, threatening or bullying behaviour towards anyone is completely unacceptable and we will always do what we can to ensure those responsible are identified and held accountable for their behaviour. Although we have arrested one man our investigation very much remains ongoing and we will continue to pursue all available lines of inquiry to identify all those responsible.”
Rayner was unable to cover for Keir Starmer at prime minister’s questions – after the Labour leader tested positive for Covid – because of the bereavement, her spokesperson said.
Friends said they had had wider concerns for her safety for some time. Unlike Starmer, who has police protection, Rayner does not have her own security and staff had previously expressed concern about her travelling alone on public transport, owing to the volume of threats she had received.
One source close to Rayner in Westminster said the deputy leader had been unable to undertake many public engagements since the Labour conference. She was embroiled in a controversy at a fringe event where she described the Conservatives as “scum”.
Rayner has not held a constituency surgery in person for a number of weeks, the Guardian understands. Earlier this month, the Conservative MP Sir David Amess was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery, which led to demands in parliament for MPs to have better security and for police to take threats against them more seriously.
Amess’s death came just over five years after the Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered by a rightwing terrorist. Dozens of other MPs have seen people prosecuted for making threats against them. A neo-Nazi was jailed in May 2019 for a plot to kill the Labour MP Rosie Cooper and a female police officer.
Another man was jailed in 2018 for threats against Labour’s Diane Abbott, including threats to kill her and burn down her house.
Last year a man was jailed for sending threatening messages about another Labour MP, Yvette Cooper, and given a 10-year restraining order preventing him from contacting her or her former office manager Jade Botterill.
After Amess’s death, the home secretary, Priti Patel, announced that the threat level against MPs had been raised to “substantial”, with police saying they would work with MPs to review the security they received.
Patel urged MPs to take the “change in risk seriously” following a review by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre.
News
Lagos sales manager remanded, accused of stealing N32.2m from boss

A 25-year-old sales manager, Olatunbosun Olarewaju, has been remanded in Ikoyi Prison after being accused of masterminding a shocking N32.2 million theft from his employer, just months after securing the job.
The police at Adeniji Adele Division, Lagos Island, said Olarewaju allegedly abused the trust of his boss, Mr Victor Ibe, by selling goods worth N32.2 million and diverting the proceeds into multiple personal accounts before disappearing.
According to police investigators, the lid was blown off the alleged scheme when Ibe conducted an audit and discovered a massive shortfall in stock value.
Acting swiftly, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, launched an intelligence-driven manhunt that led to Olarewaju’s arrest at a hideout in Lagos.
Following the investigation led by Sergeant Abraham Friday, Olarewaju was arraigned before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
Prosecuting counsel, Inspector Ishola Samuel, told the court that the offences took place between August 2024 and April 14, 2025, at 23 Princess Street, Lagos Island.
He said Olarewaju, entrusted with managing and selling his employer’s goods, instead chose to divert millions of naira into his private coffers.
The offences, Samuel said, contravened Sections 411 and 287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Olarewaju, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Presiding Magistrate A.A. Paul granted him bail in the sum of N1 million, with two sureties in like sum, but ordered his remand at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre until he meets the conditions.
The case has been adjourned until May 27, 2025, for further mention.
News
Military kills over 100 terrorists, rescue 21 hostages — DHQ

The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, has announced major successes in its ongoing counter-terrorism and anti-oil theft operations across Nigeria, with over 100 terrorists killed, 100 suspects arrested, and 21 kidnapped victims rescued between April 17 and 25, 2025.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, disclosed the achievements in a statement on Friday.
Kangye noted that coordinated offensives across the North East, North West, North Central, South South, and South East regions yielded substantial results.
“In the North East, troops of Operation Hadin Kai launched aggressive offensives leading to the surrender of ISWAP/JAS elements and the elimination of dozens of terrorists,” Kangye said.
In the North West, troops under Operation Fagge Yamma neutralized several insurgents, arrested suspects, and rescued victims in Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Katsina States.
In the North Central zone, Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke also recorded significant success. Between April 18–22, troops acting on credible intelligence arrested over 37 criminal suspects in Plateau and Kaduna States.
In the South East, troops under Operation Udoka carried out successful raids in Imo, Enugu, Anambra, and Ebonyi States, killing terrorists, arresting suspects, and recovering arms and explosives. Notably, four kidnapped victims were rescued during these missions.
In the South South, troops of Operation Delta Safe targeted illegal refining sites and oil theft networks, destroying equipment and seizing crude oil and petroleum products worth over ₦94 million.
“Between April 18 and 22, troops made contact with terrorists in several communities, seizing weapons, mobile phones, motorcycles, and IEDs,” Kangye added
News
Pope Francis Laid To Rest In Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica

Pope Francis was buried inside his favourite Rome church after a funeral mass in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican said on Saturday.
Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, was laid to rest during a 30-minute ceremony which started at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in the Italian capital.
Footage shared by the Holy See showed cardinals marking his wooden and zinc coffin with red wax seals.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who as camerlengo is running the Vatican’s day-to-day affairs until a new pope is elected, sprinkled it with holy water after it was lowered into a tomb set inside an alcove.
A reproduction of the pectoral cross worn by Francis during his lifetime hung above it.
Francis had asked that the tomb, located near the altar of Saint Francis, be simple and unadorned, reflecting the humble spirit of his papacy.
The tombstone bears only the inscription “Franciscus” — the pope’s name in Latin.
Its marble is sourced from Liguria, the northwestern Italian region once home to the Argentine pontiff’s Italian ancestors.
Francis, born Jorge Bergoglio, had specified in his will the exact spot he wanted to be buried, in the side nave of the beloved fifth-century AD church.
The pontiff was devoted to the worship of the Virgin Mary and made a point of praying in Santa Maria Maggiore before leaving on trips abroad and upon his return to Rome.
He declared his desire to be entombed there in 2023.
Located in the heart of Rome, the basilica already holds the tombs of seven popes.
But the last one to be buried there was Clement IX in 1669. More recently, popes have usually been buried in St Peter’s Basilica.
One of four papal basilicas in Rome, Santa Maria Maggiore also holds the remains of several other renowned figures, such as the architect and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who designed St Peter’s Square and its surrounding columns.
Built around 432 AD under Pope Sixtus III, the basilica holds some of the Catholic Church’s most important relics, including an icon of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus, attributed to Saint Luke.
(Channels/AFP)
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