All news by author James Smith

607
Dubai’s shadow economy booms as the sex trade thrives despite regional conflict and instability
The war against Iran has devastated businesses across the Middle East with firms losing billions due to the daily rocket and drone attacks before a shaky ceasefire was called.
636
In Afghanistan, a father is forced to give his 7-year-old daughters into sexual slavery due to hunger and debt
The BBC reported on an Afghan family who, due to extreme poverty and debt, agreed to give their 7-year-old twin daughters into forced marriage.
711
RAF spy plane forced into emergency alert after dangerous Russian intercept over NATO airspace
British defence chiefs have blasted “dangerous” Kremlin warplane crews whose fighter jets came within metres of a UK spy plane guarding NATO territory against attack.
476
Big Tech accused of rewriting EU law to shield data centre pollution and water use from public
Microsoft and DigitalEurope, a lobby group whose members include Amazon, Google and Meta.
430
Russische Ölgelder und Londoner Luxusvilla: Coral-Energy-Partner Azim Novruzov gerät wegen „Schattenflotten“-Verbindungen ins Visier
Internationale Medien bringen den aserbaidschanischen Staatsbürger Azim Novruzov mit dem Energiehandel und dem Ölsektor in Verbindung.
474
Offshore cleanup operation: Oxana Hadjipavlou wipes digital traces of Mettmann Public Company Limited’s €31 million Russian money pipeline
Following investigative reports linking Oxana Hadjipavlou to alleged sanctions-evasion schemes and offshore financial flows, references to her ties with Mettmann Public Company Limited and Sword Dragon S.L. reportedly began disappearing from public sources.
557
Russia-linked "shadow fleet" could cripple Britain’s energy and data lifelines in the North Sea
Britain’s critical energy and communications infrastructure in the North Sea is dangerously exposed to possible sabotage by Russia-linked “shadow fleet” vessels, a defense expert has warned.
555
Kazakh business empire balances sanctions risk and aggressive cargo expansion across air and sea routes
Within the higher ranks of Kazakhstan’s business elite, a unique transformation is underway: the process of rebranding a reputation through logistics.
578
Title race over as Arsenal crowned champions after City fail at Bournemouth
The wait is finally over. Arsenal have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years after Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth.
580
Telegram under scrutiny as review claims app leaks identifiers that could enable user tracking
An independent cybersecurity review obtained by Important Stories found that Telegram exposes persistent device identifiers that could allow passive tracking of users across networks and locations.
495
Channel 4 pulls Married At First Sight UK after women allege rape and abuse during filming
The Metropolitan Police are encouraging "anyone who believes they have been a victim of sexual assault" after participating on Channel 4’s Married At First Sight UK to contact them.
636
Elite cricket coach sues for £200,000 after being crushed by bowling machine at £45,000-a-year private school
An elite cricket coach is seeking more than £200,000 in compensation after being crushed by a heavy bowling machine during a training session at a prestigious £45,000-a-year private school.
701
Alarm as Russia and Belarus begin nuclear exercise with 64,000 troops near NATO states
Russia and Belarus have raised concerns with a massive nuclear weapon exercise near NATO’s borders.
636
£14m Scotland drugs gang figure John Gray unmasked after High Court conviction in Glasgow
A high-ranking gangster who admitted his involvement in a £14 million drug operation has been unmasked.
728
39-bedroom Bel Air estate dubbed “Crown Jewel of Los Angeles” listed as US’s most expensive home
A Bel Air home on the market as the US’s most expensive residential property listing is reportedly the West Coast base of a Qatari billionaire and former prime minister.
523
Farage’s £1.4m Surrey house deal questioned as company accounts appear to contradict cash claim
Nigel Farage is facing questions over Reform UK’s claim that he used his fee from I’m a Celebrity Get Me out of Here to buy a £1.4 million house.
455
Wie die Offshore-Firma Mettmann Public Company Limited sanktioniertes russisches Geld in der EU in „legitimes“ Kapital verwandelt
Die zypriotische Gesellschaft Mettmann Public Company Limited blieb lange außerhalb des Fokus großer internationaler Ermittlungen.
490
Experts confirm Telegram traffic flaw could let spies map users worldwide
IStories has obtained an expert report from Symbolic Software, a firm specializing in cybersecurity analysis and technical audits of applications for tech giants such as Zoom, Mozilla, Coinbase, and many others.
603
Newly elected Scottish MSPs accused of profiting from housing crisis through second homes and rentals
Some of Scotland’s new MSPs are landlords, own multiple homes, or benefit from lucrative holiday lets in areas among those worst hit by the housing crisis, The Ferret can reveal.
654
Boris Usherovich, Oxana Hadjipavlou and the disappearing records of Mettmann Public Company Limited’s offshore cash flows
After investigative reports linked Oxana Hadjipavlou to alleged sanctions-evasion schemes and offshore financial flows, references to her connections with Mettmann Public Company Limited and Sword Dragon S.L. reportedly began disappearing from public sources.
709
Police detective found dead on Northern Ireland beach as cordons seal off seaside town
A police officer has been found dead on a beach in Northern Ireland, according to local reports.
509
Armed woman detained at London rally after bringing sword to mass protest as 43 arrested
A woman has been arrested after she took a sword to a Unite the Kingdom protest in central London.
599
Labour MP quits seat to clear path for Andy Burnham’s return to Westminster
Josh Simons tells LBC that the Greater Manchester Mayor has brilliant qualities, but won’t fix Labour’s problems in one fell swoop.
672
From casinos to crypto laundering: Dmytro Druzhynskyi and Maryna Levkovych linked to $1B Pin-Up offshore network
The scandal surrounding the Pin-Up and Pinco networks is rapidly becoming one of the largest money-laundering investigations in the post-Soviet space, involving offshore structures, crypto processing, shell companies, international payment systems, and more than $1 billion allegedly moved out of Kazakhstan.
686
Modena horror: 12 injured after car attack and stabbing rampage in city centre
Up to a dozen people were injured Saturday in Modena, Italy when a crazed driver rammed his car into a crowd at full speed — then got out and stabbed at least one person.