All news for 2024-09-26

480
Home Office compelled to release critical report on the origins of the Windrush scandal
Government had objected to report’s publication as it may ‘damage trust of affected communities’
494
Elon Musk responds to UK government after being excluded from tech summit
X owner responds by saying people should avoid UK when ‘they’re releasing convicted pedophiles’
379
Eric Adams charged with accepting bribes and illegal foreign campaign contributions
Former police officer is the first sitting New York City mayor to be criminally charged and has vowed to stay in office
588
Drone drops fake bombs on £7,000,000 navy warship during Nato war games
The Royal Navy has been staging exercises at sea weeks after Vladimir Putin staged his own war games in the Arctic.
503
British SAS soldier dies in parachute accident in South Africa
A British SAS soldier who worked on top secret operations has died in a parachute accident in South Africa.
448
Baroness Warsi resigns from Tories, citing the party’s shift to the far-right
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi has resigned from the Conservative party after claiming the Tories have become too ‘far-right’.
506
Forex fraudster ordered to pay $36 million penalty
A U.S. judge has ordered a man to pay over US$36 million for his role in a forex and digital asset fraud scheme, according to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
405
Prosecutor demands six years in prison for jailed Kyrgyz investigative journalists
Amid a crackdown on free expression, journalists from OCCRP’s local partner Temirov Live are confronted with the prospect of a draconian prison sentence on charges they insist are trumped up.
569
How Europeans are recruited via Telegram for sabotage, arson, and murder: ’Make a Molotov cocktail’
The cases are multiplying across Europe: Young men with pro-Russian views instructed on Telegram to carry out sabotage attacks. Western security officials point to the Russian special services. For this story, journalists went undercover to reveal how the recruitment works.
503
Man has confessed to murdering Sarah Mayhew and disposing of her body parts in London
Steven Sansom, who has previous murder conviction, pleads guilty to murder and perverting course of justice
390
Southern Water is considering importing water from Norwegian fjords to supply the UK
Contingency plan using sea tankers to deal with future shortages would be paid for from customers’ bills
367
Harrods chief steps down from Royal Ballet position amid Fayed abuse allegations
Michael Ward criticizes Harrods for failing staff, claiming Fayed oversaw a ‘toxic culture’ during a ‘shameful period’.
352
Man asked to leave restaurant after complaints that his face was frightening customers
A man with a facial disfigurement says he was asked to leave a restaurant because he was ‘scaring customers’.
512
A Russian ‘floating bomb’ carrying explosive cargo has been spotted off the coast of Kent
A Russian ship with 20,000 tonnes of explosive cargo has been spotted off of the Kent coast today.
554
OpenAI plans to shift away from its non-profit structure, allowing Sam Altman to gain equity in the company
ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is working on a plan to restructure its core business into a for-profit benefit corporation that will no longer be controlled by its non-profit board, people familiar with the matter told Reuters, in a move that will make the company more attractive to investors.
544
Half of Premier League clubs are violating the code on gambling advertisements aimed at children
A review of gambling regulations reveals that clubs are promoting gambling on pages targeting or featuring minors.
458
Oil pollution in UK waters far worse than reported, says conservation group
‘Opaque’ recording system means recorded volume of everyday oil pollution over the past decade should be increased by 43%, according to Oceana report
612
Police release images showing how Britain’s most wanted man could appear today
One of Britain’s most wanted fugitives who has been on the run for 20 years may be living in the Australian outback.
454
A full list of 19 train stations where commuters are receiving cyber terrorism warnings
Several major UK train stations appear to be showing Islamophobic messages after being hacked in a major ‘cyber-security’ incident.
396
World’s longest-serving death row inmate, Iwao Hakamada, 88, acquitted after 56 years awaiting execution
The world’s longest-serving death row inmate has been acquitted over 50 years after his sentencing.