probe

BY MARK VANCLEAVE AND ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, ASSOCIATED PRESSWednesday April 29, 2026 Federal investigators swept through multiple locations in Minnesota on Tuesday, carrying out searches and removing boxes of records and other material in what authorities described as an ongoing fraud probe into publicly funded programs for children. State and federal agents were seen at childcare centers in the Minneapolis area, though officials released no information about the suspected crimes. KSTP-TV reported that one team arrived with…

A pair of deadly attacks in southern Lebanon that killed three UN peacekeepers last month were most likely caused by Israeli tank fire in one case and a Hezbollah improvised explosive device in another, according to preliminary findings from a United Nations investigation shared last night. "We have requested with the relevant parties that the cases be investigated and prosecuted by national authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure criminal accountability for crimes against peacekeepers," Stephane…

Two minors have been taken into custody on suspicion of links to a "terrorist" organisation after a car was set ablaze overnight in Antwerp's Jewish quarter, the city's public prosecutor said. The arrests come amid a wave of incidents across Europe targeting Jewish communities since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran, including an explosive attack that struck a synagogue in Liège earlier this month. Prosecutors said a judge is probing the two suspects on charges of arson and "participation in the activities of a…

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan police have arrested the country’s former intelligence chief, retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay, in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people, including 45 foreigners, authorities said. Police said Sallay, the former head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), was taken into custody at dawn in a suburb of Colombo in the most high-profile arrest to date in the long-running probe. “He was arrested for conspiracy and aiding and abetting the Easter Sunday attacks,” an…

JOHANNESBURG — The acting head of South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on Thursday urged residents to report suspicious behaviour in their communities — singling out neighbours who suddenly drive “flashy cars” — as the unit released findings from a probe into corruption at the Department of Home Affairs. Leonard Lekgetho said the SIU’s investigation, authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2024 after a whistleblower complaint, uncovered syndicates operating inside the visa and permit system. Evidence indicates…

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…