All news by author James Smith

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Geoff Capes, Britain’s greatest shot putter and two-time World’s Strongest Man, dies at 75
Geoff Capes, who competed for Great Britain in the shot put at three Olympic Games, won two Commonwealth titles and twice won the World’s Strongest Man competition, has died aged 75.
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Colombia’s coca crops increased, but cocaine production surged, latest figures reveal
Coca crops and cocaine production in Colombia increased during 2023, as the government has stopped forced eradication efforts and concentrated on seizures to fight drug trafficking.
853
Court hears that soldier Daniel Khalife, accused of escaping from prison, was previously on the run due to a bomb hoax
Khalife, 23, is alleged to have fled the barracks when he realised he would face criminal charges over claims he passed classified information to Iran’s intelligence service.
669
Ministers halt plans to establish 44 new state schools in England
Decision affects secondaries and primaries approved by previous government using its ‘free school’ application process
773
Irish PM calls murder case of previously unnoticed missing boy ’absolutely horrifying’
Police believe eight-year-old Kyran Durnin disappeared two years ago and presume that he is now dead
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In Paris, a child was stolen from the maternity ward - the police launched an urgent search
The boy, named Santiago, was described as having blonde hair and wearing white velvet pajamas when he went missing from a hospital in the Seine-Saint-Denis region of Paris.
723
Rihanna’s boyfriend, A$AP Rocky, is interested in purchasing an EFL club for £15 million following the success of Wrexham
The success of Wrexham and their Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney is drawing more American celebrities to invest in EFL teams, with A$AP Rocky the latest to mount a takeover bid
694
King Charles and Keir Starmer share special messages with Pride of Britain winners
The King and the Prime Minister led tributes to the nation’s unsung heroes as excitement builds ahead of the 25th anniversary Pride of Britain Awards.
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Housing minister resigns from Grenfell role after survivors raise concerns over her ties to firm criticized in inquiry
Grenfell survivors called out housing minister Rushanara Ali after she attended a conference linked with a firm criticised in the inquiry.
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Labour faces the risk of creating an £80bn black hole in its financial plans
Far from boosting growth, the Government’s economic plans are likely to do serious damage, making the nation’s finances much worse by the end of this decade.
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Storm Ashley expected to strengthen into a Category 3 cyclone, with maps showing Britain bracing for 110mph winds
Storm Ashley is set to arrive in the Republic of Ireland, followed by parts of the UK from Sunday, as the Joint Cyclone Centre warned its winds could tonight reach 110mph
858
UK deports record number of Nigerians and Ghanaians on a single flight
Flight comes as news emerges of plan to send asylum seekers who arrive on Chagos Islands to British territory of Saint Helena
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Michael Schumacher’s iconic 2006 Ferrari F1 car expected to sell for £11 million
F1 legend Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari could be sold for £11,000,000.
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UK urges China to address concerns over weapons supply to Russia
On trip to Beijing, Britain’s foreign secretary says practice “risks damaging China’s relationships with Europe.” But the two sides agree to disagree on human rights.
875
Drone video shows Hamas leader’s final seconds before death, according to Israeli military
The Israeli military has released drone footage from Gaza that it claims shows Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in his final moments.
657
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly purchase stunning new holiday home in Portugal
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reported to have bought a new holiday home in Europe - meaning they would now have a home on both sides of the Atlantic again
851
Iraqi militias increase attacks on Israel as Iran turns to smaller proxies
Analysts suggest proxies in Syria, Iraq and Yemen fighting hidden conflict could be targets for Israel as it considers retaliation against Tehran
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Zelenskyy presents Ukraine’s ’victory plan,’ which Moscow condemns as an escalation
Ukrainian president wants ‘unconditional invite’ to join Nato and rules out conceding territory to Russia
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Former Las Vegas-area politician Robert Telles sentenced to a minimum of 28 years for the murder of reporter Jeff German
Robert Telles, a former Las Vegas-area Democratic elected official, was sentenced Wednesday to serve at least 28 years in Nevada state prison for killing investigative journalist Jeff German.
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Former Leinster star Rocky Elsom sentenced to five years in jail
Elsom was convicted in absentia and an international warrant has been issued for his arrest.
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Child and three adults in hospital after fire tears through home after ‘explosion’
A child and three adults are in hospital after a “large-scale” fire on a housing estate in Newcastle.
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M6 crash: Five killed, including two children, as a third fights for life following a horrific collision
Five people, including two children, have been killed in a crash on the M6 near Tebay Services in Cumbria after two cars collided, with a third child fighting for their life
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Spain arrests four individuals accused of shipping potential chemical weapons precursors to Russia, violating sanctions
Spanish authorities on Tuesday said they had arrested four people suspected of orchestrating a sanctions-busting commercial network after intercepting more than 14 tons of chemical products bound for Russia.
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Man carrying 18 knives arrested outside a London train station following a stop and search
A man is in custody after being found carrying 18 knives - which were likely destined for south London gangs.
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WW3 fears escalate as South Korea responds to Kim Jong-un blowing up roads with gunfire
Seoul reported that it believed North Korea would blow the roads up on Monday to severe connections between the two, a prediction that came to pass when the North detonated on Tuesday