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Joshua Smith - Journalist

London based journalist working on The River/River Online and Goalhanger Podcasts.
Writing news, sports and features.

Articles

River Online •

Sir Ed Davey calls for ceasefire in the Middle East and targets Tory defeat

An “immediate bilateral ceasefire” must happen in the Israel and Hamas war, Sir Ed Davey, the Kingston and Surbiton MP and Liberal Democrat leader, told The River.

The Lib Dems called for a ceasefire in November when the conflict was only a month old. But the situation has escalated with the number of Palestinian deaths now over 30,000 as the war enters its sixth month, according to the UN.

“How anyone could not want an immediate bilateral ceasefire is beyond me. It has to happen, the killing
River Online •

England 2-2 Belgium: Bellingham’s last-gasp strike rescues England

Jude Bellingham bagged an injury-time equaliser to save England from a second successive defeat in their 2-2 draw against Belgium, in an international friendly on Tuesday.

The Real Madrid midfielder slotted the ball into the bottom right corner in the 95th minute after substitute James Maddison found him in the middle of the box, causing an eruption of applause from the Wembley crowd.

“Jude, of course, is the headline, that competitive spirit, that desire not to lose, desire to win in the end,
River Online •

London’s darts resurgence: how the sport is back on the rise

Hidden in an alley, underneath the railway line in Southwark, a pool bar sits away from the streets of corporate London. Under the Shard’s towering presence, a glimpse into an older London can still be found. The sound of a train rattling overhead can be heard from within Spots and Stripes Pool Club where London’s dart scene can be found, as can a view of London’s darting future. The City of London Darts Association (CoLDA) is hosting their Speedway Event, one of the many competitions they hold
The River •

Ukrainians in Kingston reflect on the second anniversary of the war

On February 24 we approach the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has caused widespread catastrophe for Ukrainians worldwide.
Among those affected is Kingston resident Alina Ledinova who fled her home in the war-torn eastern Sumy region of Ukraine, an area that was struck by war on the first day of Russia’s invasion.
While Alina and her son found refuge in the UK, her
husband remained in Ukraine to serve in the military.
For Alina, the most challenging aspect was worrying about her husband’s safety, who she has not seen since
The River •

Meet Kingston University’s oldest ever graduate

Dr David Marjot made history as the oldest person to graduate from Kingston University earlier this month, achieving a master’s degree in MA Modern European Philosophy at the age of 95.
Embarking on a two-year part-time study, Marjot leaves
Kingston with a merit.
He has beaten the previous Kingston record held by a 93-year-old graduate from 1994 and is just shy of the UK’s oldest-ever graduate, 96-year-old Archie White who graduated from the University
of Brighton in 2021.
Medium •

Protesting in Perth: giving a voice to those who need it

As a warm, 26-degree sun penetrated the clear blue skies above Perth’s central business district, it created a warm, fatigued ambience; at least for the majority of the people who had decided to spend their day in the city. Hidden amongst the shade, carrying frozen drinks and shopping bags, they weaved in and out of the retail stores, or stopped inside of cafés, on a regular Saturday afternoon.

But for those at Forest Place, on 1 October, it was far from a regular Saturday and the atmosphere wa
The River •

Why millions of young Brits will reject the Tories

The troubled Conservative Party is losing support from Gen Z and millennials - significantly more so than other generations, academics have warned.
The latest polling shows that only one in 10 people under 40 in the UK will vote Tory at the next general election.
“You’ve never had a majority of young people across the country voting Tory, but what appears to be happening is that fewer people are moving towards the Conservatives as they grow older,” said Dr Peter Finn, senior lecturer in politics at Kingston University.
River Online •

Kingston resident embarks on year-long marathon challenge for charity

Kingston resident Steven Ramek is planning to run 12 marathons in 12 months in aid of the charity Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness.

He will run a different marathon every month throughout the year.

“It’s a good charity,” Ramek said. “Whatever town or city you go to you see so many people there who are desperate through no fault of their own and I think it’s a good cause to raise money for.”

So far Ramek has completed January’s marathon, running the Phoenix Unicorns Run in Sunbury with
River Online •

Chelsea scrape past Madrid to earn Champions League quarter-final spot

Captain Erin Cuthbert secured Chelsea’s place in the Women’s Champions League quarter-final with a hard-fought, 2-1 victory over Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Chelsea manager Emma Heyes said: “We expect to go through, that’s our expectation, that’s our bare minimum, we should expect to go through as group winners.”

The winner came in the 70th minute when Cuthbert, who was influential all night, received the ball on the right and fired at goalkeeper Mylene Chavas from the byline, but Chavas could o

Social Media

A brief selection of social media videos I have edited during my internship at Goalhanger Podcasts:

Social media posts I created for The River Newspaper:

Full videos I have edited for Goalhanger Podcasts:

About Me

• 8 months of experience as a print and online journalist, as the Feature Editor and News Reporter for The River/The River Online.
• Gained first-hand experience at a leading professional media company, video editing for Goalhanger Podcasts.
• First-Class Journalism Degree at bachelor’s level with expert knowledge of media laws and ethics.
• A news, features, and sports writer, with experience in interviewing, copywriting, and meticulous sub-editing.
• Engaged with a diverse range of sources, including leading politicians like Sir Ed Davey, local councillors, scientists, volunteers, community figures, and ordinary citizens.
• Writing news stories on issues like challenges faced by food banks, river pollution, biodiversity initiatives, artists contributing to Black History Month, and the effect the Ukraine War has on displaced people in England.
• Feature writing experience with a piece on a protest against the Iranian government, a profile on Kingston University’s oldest graduate – a story later covered by the BBC - and an exploration of the local London darts scene, which became the most viewed article on The River Online.
• Contributed match reports for Chelsea F.C. Women and England, participated in post-match press conferences with managers, such as Gareth Southgate and Emma Hayes, and interviewed players in the mixed zone.
• Winner of Kingston University’s News Reporter of the Year Award.

Achievments

Winner of Kingston University’s News Reporter of the Year Award.