All news by author Sophia Martinez

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Israel plans to establish a ’sterile defensive zone’ in Syria while dismissing claims of IDF tanks nearing Damascus as ’fake news’
Israel will set up a “sterile defensive zone” in Southern Syria, the country’s Defence Minister reportedly said on Tuesday.
644
Teenager ‘hacked school IT system out of boredom’
A pupil was suspended for hacking his school’s network while in a computer science class because he was ‘bored’.
793
Who is Luigi Mangione? The smiling suspect in the murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO
Luigi Mangione was last night arrested and charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson – but who is he and what do we know about him?
808
British woman killed in Italy crash as police find overturned car in canal
A British woman, aged 44, has sadly died after crashing her car in Italy - police spotted her car in a canal but by the time they retrieved her body it was too late
843
UK train fares are the highest in Europe, study reveals
Train operators in the UK are the most expensive in Europe, according to new analysis.
940
Inside the search for hidden cells in Sednaya prison, Syria’s ’human slaughterhouse’
The Guardian gains access to Sednaya jail, where prisoners are rumoured to be trapped underground – as desperate relatives wait for news
547
Schoolgirl, 13, ’falls from pod’ on 60ft Ferris wheel in shocking video footage
Terrified onlookers whipped out their phones and captured the moment a 13-year-old girl was forced out of a Ferris wheel pod and left dangling out the side for a gruelling few minutes
778
Criminology student ‘murdered woman at random to know what it feels like’
A criminology student spent a month planning a random murder so he could ‘know what it would be like to take life’, a court has heard.
841
What’s next for Assad’s British wife? Could she make a return to the UK?
Asma Al Assad was once seen as the face of female liberation in the Middle East; with her successful career in banking and her secular British upbringing.
720
US conducts mass airstrikes on ISIS targets in Syria following rebel takeover
As statues of Assad and his father Hafez were being toppled across Syria, in Damascus a jubilant Ghazal al-Sharif was rejoicing. He said: “Damn his soul and the soul of the entire Assad family"
571
City council leader suspended over ‘sexual messages sent to Ukrainian refugees’
A senior Labour politician has been suspended by the party following reports he bombarded Ukrainian refugees with sexually inappropriate messages on dating apps.
584
Prince William to meet Donald Trump in Paris ahead of Notre-Dame reopening
The Prince of Wales is set to meet Donald Trump in Paris on Saturday, as the pair join world leaders for the ceremonial reopening of Notre-Dame.
796
Irish parliament ranks lowest in gender diversity in Western Europe, study finds
Out of 174 seats in the November election, 44 went to women in a representation of slightly more than 25%
759
Romanian court invalidates presidential election, orders new campaign and vote
Romania’s Constitutional Court has annulled the first round of the presidential election amid allegations of Russian interference, which reportedly helped far-right candidate Călin Georgescu emerge as a surprising frontrunner.
569
Week-long county lines crackdown leads to 1,600 arrests, £3 million in drugs, and 557 weapons seized
More than 1,600 people have been arrested following a week-long crackdown on county lines drug gangs.
711
TikTok star, 24, fatally shot in broad daylight while sitting in a car
TikTok star and model Gaxiola Orozco was killed when she was targeted by a gunman while sitting in her Mercedes Benz
962
The GRU vandals: Moscow’s hired thugs are wreaking havoc in Estonia
Russian military intelligence (GRU) enlisted an Estonian pro-Russian propagandist to orchestrate a series of vandalism acts designed to intimidate and silence critics of Russia within Estonia. The targets of these attacks included the country’s interior minister.
827
Keir Starmer announces six major pledges for Britain following a landmark speech
Five months to the day since becoming Prime Minister, Keir Starmer delivered a major speech and unveiled his ’Plan for Change’ - a vision for the country over the next five years
576
Bank of England finds that more than half of bosses plan to cut jobs and raise prices following the budget
More than half of British employers plan on cutting jobs and raising their prices in response to Labour’s first budget, a Bank of England survey has found.
630
BBC Bargain Hunt’s Charles Hanson appears in court over allegations of assaulting his wife
Charles Hanson has appeared in Derby Crown Court through a video link for a short hearing concerning his upcoming trial for allegedly assaulting his estranged wife
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Innova Holding threatens journalists: how Uzbekistan’s presidential family protects Octobank’s dirty schemes through a front company
Journalists and outlets writing about connections between the family of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the "laundromat" for Russian "dirty" money, Octobank, have started receiving threats.
702
Health chief ’shot dead outside Manhattan hotel’ as manhunt for attacker begins
The chief executive of a major US health insurance company has been shot dead in New York.
694
British Army could be wiped out within six months in a major war, minister warns
It could take only six months for enemy soldiers to destroy the entire British Army in a major war, a defence minister has warned.
674
Nigeria seizes its largest asset tied to government corruption
Nigerian anti-fraud agency makes historic asset recovery, seizing property linked to illegal activities by government officials.
619
More than 20,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats since Labour won the election
Labour will be publishing a migration plan this week but it will not include targets, a minister told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.