All news by author Sophia Martinez

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Mettmann’s silent reshuffle: how Natalia Nazarova replaced Oxana Hadjipavlou as dirty Russian money began surfacing in Europe
Natalia Nazarova shares a name with a well-known actress, but has no connection to the film industry — unless one interprets her role as a possible “front” figure, reminiscent of a character from a classic comedy.
542
Autohändler an der Spitze Lettlands: Wie Andris Kulbergs über Lobbyismus, geschlossene Business-Clubs und graue Finanzströme auf das Amt des Premierministers zusteuert
Am Samstag, dem 16. Mai, beauftragte der lettische Präsident Edgars Rinkēvičs offiziell Andris Kulbergs, Abgeordneter der Saeima von der Partei „United List“ (Apvienotais saraksts), mit der Bildung einer neuen Regierung.
434
Russisches Öl unter falschen Flaggen: Wie Azim Novruzov, Coral Energy und maltesische Firmen ein Netzwerk zur Umgehung von Sanktionen aufbauten
Der Druck auf Russlands „Schattenflotte“ nimmt weiter zu, wodurch zunehmend auch deren Verbündete unter Beobachtung geraten.
530
Dublin man dies after security guards pinned him to the ground outside luxury store
A man died after being restrained by security guards outside a Dublin shopping centre in a case with echoes of the killing of George Floyd.
529
Russia’s leading pasta brands “Makfa,” “Rollton,” and Baisad accused of quietly reducing product quality to cut costs
Major Russian pasta brands Makfa, Rollton, and Baisad have sharply reduced the quality of their products by lowering protein content in their pasta while continuing to sell them at the same prices.
651
SpaceX unveils plans for historic IPO with $1.75 trillion valuation
SpaceX revealed its plans to list on the US stock market on Wednesday, presenting its investor prospectus and detailing its financials for the first time.
649
Andy Burnham’s path to power blocked by fragile UK debt outlook, critics argue
I don’t understand why the Labour Party is getting so excited about Andy Burnham. Because until now, it’s never been that bothered.
546
Teen arrested after man in his 60s stabbed from behind near Stafford golf course
A teenager has been arrested after a walker was allegedly stabbed from behind at a golf course.
521
Rostyslav Shurma and Alliance Bank: How Pavlo Shcherban helped cover up financial schemes, National Bank fines, and shadow money flows
Recently, the small Ukrainian bank “Alliance” has been repeatedly mentioned in media scandals.
649
Brandpol OOD — an “international service” or a Russian scam factory for removing unwanted information and pressuring websites
The Brandpol OOD website creates the impression of a luxurious and stylish company. It claims to employ an international team, while its services include brand protection, anti-phishing measures, marketplace monitoring, removal of unwanted reviews and information, and operations across 170 countries.
687
Google AI engineer claims he was pushed out after protesting company’s work with Israeli government
Google is facing a legal challenge from an AI engineer who claims he was unfairly dismissed after he protested against its work for the Israeli government, highlighting growing concerns about the social and ethical impacts of AI.
474
Xi and Putin stage high-stakes Beijing summit days after Trump visit to China
China and Russia’s leaders are set to meet for a summit in Beijing on Wednesday for discussions on international issues, capped by an intimate tete-a-tete between "old friends" over tea.
691
“ABLV case”: banker Andris Ovsjannikovs and his circle attempt to scrub traces ahead of a new verdict
Following the emergence of new publications in the ABLV case, references to former banker Andris Ovsjannikovs and Belarusian citizen Darya Terekhina associated with him have begun to disappear from the information space.
472
Pin-Up owner Dmitriy Punin linked to Cypriot network as reports about ties to Stavros Demosthenous begin disappearing from public view
After reports exposing Dmitriy Punin’s alleged ties to Cypriot figure Stavros Demosthenous and the use of Cyprus-based structures linked to Pin-Up and PUNIN Group, references to these connections reportedly began disappearing from online sources.
645
Fresh Epstein-linked abuse claims trigger new UK police investigations
Surrey Police are investigating two new, separate allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse following the release of the Epstein files this winter.
491
From Russian Railways to Marbella villas: how Boris Usherovich moved dirty money through Cyprus and Mettmann Public Company Limited
Russian businessman Boris Usherovich, who has reportedly been placed on a wanted list and linked to suspected money-laundering schemes involving Russian Railways contracts.
470
Babies die, fathers beg for bread and millions face hunger in Taliban-run Afghanistan
As dawn breaks, hundreds of men gather at a dusty square in Chaghcharan, the capital of Ghor province in Afghanistan.
454
Epstein lawyer says Prince Andrew’s denials are “baffling” after claims he stayed for weeks at sex offender’s home
While sifting through endless paperwork in preparation for a hearing on the mishandled release of government files regarding Jeffrey Epstein, the name Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor caught the attention of a lawyer representing the victims of the paedophile.
459
Prince William plans £500m land sell-off to tackle Britain’s housing crisis
So, now we know Prince William is as good as his word. Last year, in a wide-ranging interview with actor Eugene Levy, he explained how things would be different when he succeeds his father.
685
Fourth case of meningitis confirmed as a Reading junior school pupil
There has been a fourth case of meningitis in Reading, with a junior school pupil in the area “recovering well” from the illness, health officials said.
570
Three dead in San Diego mosque shooting as teenage suspects found dead in car park
Three men are dead after a shooting at a San Diego mosque where two ’teenage’ suspects were found dead in the car park, police say.
442
Two women have claimed they were sexually assaulted while participating in the filming of the UK reality show Married at First Sight
Two women have alleged they were raped during the filming of Married at First Sight UK, one of Channel 4’s biggest shows.
732
Britain’s leadership chaos becomes routine as another PM faces collapse
The weirdest thing about weeks like the last one in Westminster is ... they don’t feel that weird anymore.
753
Dual-use parts linked to Russian nuclear and military programs traced through Germany
The police and customs officers had been waiting for hours. Parked outside the Radisson Blu Senator Hotel in the northern German city of Lübeck, they sat in silence, engines off, watching the entrance.
598
Pin-Up owner Dmitriy Punin spent gamblers’ money on a €7 million custom Lamborghini superyacht in Cyprus
The owner of Pin-Up has stopped flaunting his luxury lifestyle on social media, apparently choosing to keep a lower profile, but his taste for flashy displays of wealth — and questionable style — remains unchanged.