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Retrial of TikTok star Mahek Bukhari and others over murder to begin in April

The original trial of the case at Leicester Crown Court was scrapped in December due to ‘jury irregularity'.

Retrial of TikTok star Mahek Bukhari and others over murder to begin in April

A retrial of TikTok star Mahek Bukhari, her mother Ansreen and six others for murder has will begin on April 17.

All defendants have been charged with the murder of two 21-year-old men - Saqib Hussain and Hashim Ijazuddin - who died in a high-speed car chase at Six Hills junction on the A46 on February 11 last year.

They will face the same charges of murder and manslaughter when the trial begins from scratch.

The original trial of the case at Leicester Crown Court was scrapped in December due to “jury irregularity”.

Justice Saini made it clear that the irregularity had nothing to do with the conduct of the defendants or their families.

Later six of the defendants - Mahek, Ansreen, Natasha Akhtar, Mohammed Patel, Ammeer Jamal and Sanaf Gulammustafa were granted bail.

Rekan Karwan and Raees Jamal - the other defendants - were not involved in bail proceedings at the time.

All defendants have been accused of plotting to ambush Hussain and Ijazuddin, an allegation they have denied.

Ansreen, 47, admitted during the original trial which began in October that she had a brief affair with Hussain but claimed he tried to blackmail her when their relationship strained.

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Falklands sovereignty row erupts days before King Charles meets Trump

No 10 was quick to respond, with the prime minister's spokesman saying the government "could not be clearer" on its stance

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Falklands sovereignty row erupts days before King Charles meets Trump

Highlights

  • A Pentagon email reported by Reuters suggested the US was considering reviewing its support for UK sovereignty over the Falklands.
  • Downing Street said sovereignty "rests with the UK" and the islanders' right to self-determination is "paramount".
  • Report emerged just three days before King Charles and Queen Camilla are due to meet Trump at the White House.
A report suggesting the US may be rethinking its position on the Falkland Islands has sparked a strong response from Downing Street, coming just days before King Charles and Queen Camilla head to Washington to meet president Donald Trump.
An internal Pentagon email, reported by Reuters, suggested the US was looking at ways to put pressure on Nato allies it felt had not supported its war in Iran.
One of the options discussed was a review of American backing for British sovereignty over the Falklands.
No 10 was quick to respond, with the prime minister's spokesman saying the government "could not be clearer" on its stance.
"Sovereignty rests with the UK and the islanders' right to self-determination is paramount," he told BBC, adding that this had been "expressed clearly and consistently to successive US administrations."
He was firm that "nothing is going to change that."
The Falkland Islands government backed London's position, saying it had "complete confidence" in the UK's commitment to defending its right to self-determination.
Previous US administrations have recognised Britain's administration of the islands but have stopped short of formally backing its sovereignty claim.

Political reaction grows

The report triggered sharp reactions from across British politics. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the reported US position "absolute nonsense", adding: "We need to make sure that we back the Falklands.

They are British territory." Reform UK's Nigel Farage said the matter was "utterly non-negotiable" and confirmed he would raise it with Argentina's president Javier Milei when they meet later this year.

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