probe

Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee was among 32 foreign ministers to cosign a joint statement denouncing possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s nearly three-year war, urging urgent protection for civilians and the unhindered delivery of aid. The ministerial statement, backed by EU nations, the United Kingdom and Canada among others, calls out “widespread violations” and presses for accountability. “These violations may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity and must be promptly and…

French police searched the Paris offices of Elon Musk’s social media platform X as prosecutors widened a year-long investigation into possible algorithm abuse and fraudulent data extraction. Authorities also ordered Musk to answer questions in April, the Paris prosecutor’s office said. The probe, led by the prosecutor’s cybercrime unit with support from French police specialists and Europol, began after a French lawmaker alleged that biased algorithms on X could have distorted the operation of an automated data processing…

EU opens DSA probe into X’s Grok over sexual deepfakes, potential child abuse images The European Commission has launched a formal investigation into Grok, the artificial intelligence tool embedded in X, over its role in the spread of sexually explicit images, including potential child sexual abuse material. The action, taken under the EU’s Digital Services Act, follows public outcry over sexually manipulated images circulating on the platform. “Sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of…

Ghislaine Maxwell is set to appear virtually before the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 9, with her lawyers indicating she plans to invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination as lawmakers probe Jeffrey Epstein’s network and the government’s handling of records tied to his case. Committee Chairman James Comer said Maxwell’s legal team has repeatedly signaled she will refuse to answer questions. “I agree we need to hear from Ghislaine Maxwell,” Comer said, noting the panel has been seeking her deposition for…

UK media regulator Ofcom has opened an investigation into X over reports that its Grok AI tool was used to create deepfake sexual images, including sexualised images of children. The probe tests the platform’s compliance with the country’s new online safety regime and could carry fines of up to 10% of global revenue if Ofcom finds breaches and the company fails to comply. “There have been deeply concerning reports of the Grok AI chatbot account on X being used to create and share undressed images of people — which may amount…

Garissa taxi driver’s death sparks dispute between leaders and police; IPOA, DCI probe as postmortem looms GARISSA, Kenya — A confrontation is brewing in Garissa after the death of 25-year-old taxi driver Sheikh Ahmed Omar, with local leaders and family members alleging he was shot at close range by officers at a Modika roadblock, while police say he died in a crash as he fled a stop along the Nunow–Modogashe road. Omar died early Wednesday, four days after the incident on Dec. 20, according to leaders who gathered at the…

Puntland State lawmakers demand answers over unpaid salaries despite $300M-plus 2026 budget GAROWE, Somalia — Puntland State state lawmakers on Friday pressed the government to explain why civil servants have received only three months of pay this year, even as parliament approved a 2026 budget topping $300 million. During a contentious session in Garowe, members of the Puntland State State of Somalia Parliament called it unacceptable that budgets are passed annually but not fully executed. Lawmakers demanded a transparent…

EU’s €2.95bn fine on Google exposes a new fault line: regulators vs. politicians The European Commission’s decision to fine Alphabet’s Google €2.95 billion over alleged anti‑competitive behaviour in its ad‑tech business has landed in the middle of a transatlantic tug-of-war — and now risks spilling into trade politics. The penalty, the fourth major sanction handed to the search giant by Brussels over the past decade, prompted an unusually blunt response from the United States: former President Donald Trump wrote on Truth…

On October 18, 2024, Amun Abdullahi, a remarkable journalist aged 49, lost her life in Afgoye, Somalia, under tragic circumstances. The International Press Institute (IPI) vocally denounces the brutal murder of Amun Abdullahi Mohamed, a distinguished Somali-Swedish journalist gunned down by a duo allegedly linked to the insurgent outfit Al-Shabab. Her death marks the second journalist murder in Somalia this year, following Abdikarin Ahmed Bulhan from Somali National Television, who was tragically killed on March 13 by a…

The IPI Global Network stands firm in its denunciation of the tragic killing of Amun Abdullahi Mohamed, a respected Somali-Swedish journalist, on October 18. The attackers have been linked to the Al-Shabab militant group. Sadly, this marks the second journalist's life lost in Somalia this year, following the murder of Somali National Television's Abdikarin Ahmed Bulhan on March 13 by a security guard. We are urging authorities to embark on a comprehensive investigation into these tragic events and ensure justice for all…