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Violence against journalists

Former News of the World editor sentenced to 8 months of prison

Yen Edmondson accused in involvement in plotting to hack celebrities’ phones

Read also

The Guardian: NSA monitored phone calls of 35 world leaders

LONDON, November 7, /TASS/. On Friday an ex-editor of now non-existent News of the World tabloid Yen Edmondson came next to be convicted of plotting to hack phones of politicians and celebrities in the United Kingdom. The Old Bailey, central court of London, sentenced the ex-editor to 8 months in prison.

Sentence to the former chief editor

This July the court jailed another journalist — former chief editor of News of the World and British Prime Minister David Cameron’s ex-director of communications Andy Coulson.

He was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment. Coulson was sent to jail following the trial.

Andy Coulson was in charge of the journal from 2003 to 2007. He had to resign after the conspiracy to intercept voicemails by News of the World reporters was exposed. Mr. Cameron issued an apology for the decision to make Coulson a director of communications.

The former chief editor pleaded guilty of hacking phones of the Home Secretary.

Scandal surrounding News of the World

The story about wiretapping by journalists of the News of the World, which belonged to media mogul Rupert Murdoch, turned out in 2006.

In 2011, the scandal broke out with renewed vigor, when it became known that the News of the World didn’t cease the wiretap, and continued to do this on an even larger scale.

According to the investigation, the telephone tapping continued for six years during the 2000-s.

It is believed that the victims of wiretapping included the grandchildren of the British Queen — princes William and Harry, William’s wife Kate, former prime-ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, musician Paul McCartney and dozens of other famous people.

To increase the circulation, journalists listened to mobile voice mail of 13-year-old Milli Dowler, who was abducted and killed by a maniac. This has caused an especially sharp public response, which as a result made Rupert Murdoch close the discredited newspaper.

Read also

Telecom companies of Russia’s Big Four say no possibility to wiretap conversations

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Airport in Denmark evacuated over bomb threat

One suspect was arrested in connection with the threat

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In chemicals production, prices edged up by 26.8% for ethers, organic peroxides, epoxides, acetals and semiacetals and their derivatives

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Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine had developed a UAV with a range of up to 3,000 kilometers

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According to Faustin-Archange Touadera, since becoming the president, his actions have been guided by the need "to modernize the army and take into account new challenges"

Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

Investigators have established that the funds that were received through commercial organizations, such as the oil and gas company Burisma Holdings operating in Ukraine, have been used to carry out terrorist acts in Russia and abroad

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Ukrainian POW exposes poor battlefield performance of NATO-supplied Javelins, NLAWs

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North Korea conducts new anti-aircraft missile test — KCNA

A power test of a super-large warhead designed for "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile was held as well

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On March 12, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Yerevan asked its CSTO partners to answer where the CSTO's zone of responsibility in the republic was

Ukrainian shelling kills pregnant woman in Russia’s Belgorod Region — governor

Vyacheslav Gladkov added that the attack had shattered the windows of several houses and damaged their facades and roofs

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

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Russia delivers 34 strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure over week — top brass

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Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

According to the president, this step will help strengthen his country’s defense potential and contribute to bolstering the national armed forces’ capabilities

UN secretary general urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to normalize relations

Stephane Dujarric noted that the secretary general "encourages the parties to continue the delimitation and demarcation of the remaining sections of the border and tackle all outstanding bilateral issues toward achieving full normalization of relations."

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

The IMF states that the restrictions led to the need to rebuild the economy

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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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Lavrov labels way West ramping up sanctions against Russia as mindless

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The Russian foreign minister emphasized that the situation on the ground had changed significantly

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Armand Duplantis bettered his previous world record of 6.23 meters

Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

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Russian economy positively influences neighboring countries — Deputy PM

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Moscow International Film Festival kicks off

MIFF President Nikita Mikhalkov, a celebrated Russian film director, declared the festival open, praising the bravery of foreign cultural figures who are visiting Russia at this time

Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

There are no casualties, Governor Vladislav Shapsha said

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The Foreign Minister pointed to the fact that Switzerland is on board with all Western sanctions

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The top Russian diplomat referred to a swindling trick used by a thimblerigger who puts a small round object, such as a ball or pea, under one of three thimbles or cups and asks the player to guess under which the object is, while unfairly manipulating this object

Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

The minister also inspected the training process in Omsk Armor Engineering Institute

Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

Russia urges the International Monetary Fund to resume the effort of improving the global monetary and financial system, Anton Siluanov noted

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Earlier, the "Columbine" movement was recognized a terror group

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"The Hungarian community’s opportunities to use its native language in the fields of education, culture, media and self-governance have been significantly limited," Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto specified

US volunteer Russel Bentley missing in Donetsk killed — RT editor-in-chief

Bentley came to Donbass from the United States in 2014

French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

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Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, April 19th

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Russia has significant amount of West’s funds in case of confiscation of its assets

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Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

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Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

The man set himself on fire

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According to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, a private residence in the village of Poroz caught fire when the unmanned aerial vehicles dropped two explosive devices

Court arrests another man accused of blowing up car of former SBU officer in Moscow

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Russia’s Battlegroup West repels three attacks in past day, moving to better positions

Units of Battlegroup Center have improved their tactical positions

Drones downed over Isfahan cause no damage, says Iranian foreign minister

It is reported that several drones had been intercepted by the national air defense forces over Isfahan

World’s anti-doping agency WADA still waits for Russia’s 2023 financial contribution

Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said in February that the Russian side had agreed with WADA to pay the membership fee for the year of 2023

Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

The tragedy occurred near the village of Priyutnoye located on the border of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Zaporozhye Region

Russia's revenues from oil exports remain high despite price ceiling — IMF

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Explosions reported in several Ukrainian regions

Blasts were also reported in the city of Dnepr and the Kiev-controlled city of Zaporozhye

Kremlin spokesman offers condolences over death of Izvestia war correspondent

Dmitry Peskov pointed out that the Ukrainian armed forces were deliberately targeting Russian journalists

Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

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Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

Sergey Shoigu handed down an instruction for the defense enterprise to ramp up the production of T-80BVM tanks, the Defense Ministry said

More explosions reported across Ukraine

Another explosion rocked the Kiev-controlled city of Zaporozhye

Founder of neo-Nazi cell in Crimea flees to Georgia — source

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China’s Russian oil imports rise by 13% in first quarter of 2024 — customs

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Russian air defenses down Ukrainian drone over Belgorod Region

An attempt by the Kiev regime to use a fixed-wing drone to carry out a terrorist attack on targets in Russia was foiled at about 1:00 p.m. Moscow time

Grossi ignores ‘elephant in the room’ in Zaporozhye nuke plant situation — Russian envoy

Dmitry Polyansky noted that the IAEA chief is being very cautious about the issue of attacks on the nuclear facility

Israeli troops continue raids in West Bank — TV

According to Al Jazeera, Israeli security forces have killed at least five people over the past 24 hours

Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate to attack on its soil — agency

"We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack," a senior Iranian official reported

US gives nod to Israeli operation in Rafah in exchange for canceling major attack on Iran

According to the media outlet, "the US administration will support the plan for a military operation in Rafah put forward earlier," which provides for dividing the city into numbered sectors that will be mopped up one by one

American Abrams tanks vulnerable even to Soviet-era weapons, says expert

US President Joe Biden announced on January 25 that Washington would hand over 31 M1 Abrams tanks to the Kiev regime

BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that BRICS nations have already established a special channel for information exchange between their central banks

Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

The Security Service of Ukraine announced earlier that in a joint operation with law enforcement agencies in Ukraine and Poland it thwarted an attempt to assassinate Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky

Major Western investor accuses Zelensky's office of extorting millions of euros

Arnulf Damerau said that he provided details of the meeting, along with evidence and a list of names of those involved, to US and European intelligence agencies

Security guarantees on Ukraine did not apply to Crimea, Donbass — Lavrov

The Russian Foreign Minister noted that "Ukrainian negotiators came and said that, for example, on the issue of maneuvers with the participation of third countries, let's replace the wording 'if all guarantor countries agree' with 'unless the majority agrees'"

CIA chief says Ukraine could lose by end of this year — Politico

William Burns said "there is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could at least put Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement"

Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

According to the news agency, one PMF fighter was killed and six were wounded

Air defenses repel Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Smolensk Region — governor

Vasily Anokhin urged local residents to remain calm and refrain from filming air defenses in operation.

West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

According to the top Russian diplomat, the leaders who rule countries where they claim to be from while holding foreign passports "will not enjoy support and authority for long"

Russian defense chief checks implementation of orders to develop drones

All the presented drones and payload were created from domestic composite materials and elements

Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

KazMunayGas, Sibur, Sinopec sign protocol on plant construction in Kazakhstan

Construction of the plant in the Atyrau region is planned to be completed by 2029

West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

"They would have been scared had anyone come down on them with similar ferocity," the Russian foreign minister added

Armenia’s relations with Russia not at their highest — top diplomat

Ararat Mirzoyan also said that Yerevan is currently making efforts to expand cooperation with the European Union and the United States

One crew member of jet crashed in Stavropol Region killed, search for another continues

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an Aerospace Forces’ Tu-22M3 bomber crashed after completing a combat mission while returning to the airfield

FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

Ahmad Haghtalab said on April 18 that Tehran has identified the location of Israel's "nuclear centers" and will be ready to destroy them in case the Jewish state responds to the recent Iranian attack on Israeli military facilities

BRICS’ expansion makes it much stronger — senior Russian diplomat

Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia, became full-fledged members of BRICS from January 1, 2024