All news by author Elizabeth Baker

702
“End corruption”: Nepal’s young protesters shake political establishment
As the military in Nepal engages in negotiations with protesters, journalist Rajneesh Bhandari talks with OCCRP about the widespread corruption that has enraged Generation Z.
929
UK government dismisses Mandelson as ambassador amid Epstein scandal
Peter Mandelson has been withdrawn as ambassador to the US following allegations about his relationship with Epstein.
753
Israel’s Doha strike kills Hamas members, angers Trump and rattles Gulf allies
President Donald Trump has said he is "not thrilled" about Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday, which promises to give him a fresh diplomatic headache in the Middle East.
636
Ex-Moldovan spy chief arrested in Europe over alleged Belarusian KGB links
A joint operation between several central European countries has identified an alleged Belarusian spy ring that reportedly included a former deputy head of Moldovan intelligence.
631
80 firefighters are dealing with a fire on the top floor of a residential building in Battersea
Around 80 firefighters are dealing with a fire on the top floor of a four-storey residential building in south-west London.
759
Ukrainian hacker Volodymyr Tymoshchuk added to EU’s Most Wanted for leading ransomware network
A Ukrainian man accused of leading a global ransomware network has been placed on the European Union’s Most Wanted list.
647
East Coast Main Line operator hit by cyberattack on passenger data
Train operator LNER reported that passengers’ contact details and some information about past journeys were accessed during a cyberattack.
796
Fraudster steals £430,000 from cancer-stricken pensioner to fund lavish lifestyle
A farmer was tricked out of his life savings by a conman who spent the money on luxury dining and trips abroad.
548
New Zealand police reveal remote forest campsite where fugitive Tom Phillips hid children before fatal shooting
Police in New Zealand have released the first photographs of one of the makeshift campsites where fugitive Tom Phillips and his children were hiding for years before he was shot dead in Waitomo on Monday.
560
U.S. sanctions 19 individuals and companies in Southeast Asia due to scam operations involving forced labor
The U.S. has sanctioned 19 individuals and companies in Southeast Asia, accusing them of running scam centre operations that use slave labour to defraud Americans of billions of dollars.
755
ICE spends $4M on facial recognition to identify alleged offenders
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently spent nearly $4 million on facial recognition technology to help identify individuals involved in assaults against law enforcement officers.
1422
Gaza family massacre: Israeli snipers targeting unarmed civilians
A five-month investigation uncovers how four members of a single family were shot and killed in one day, drawing attention to a pattern where Israeli troops target unarmed civilians.
609
Rupert Murdoch’s children cash out Fox and News Corp, Lachlan takes charge of family media group
The Murdoch family has reached a deal that will allow Rupert Murdoch’s son Lachlan to solidify his control over the family media empire, which includes Fox News and The Wall Street Journal.
818
EU does not support Gaza aid flotillas, warns they could escalate conflict
The European Union stated on Monday that it doesn’t "encourage" aid flotillas heading to Gaza, as ships carrying humanitarian aid and pro-Palestinian activists, including Greta Thunberg, set sail for the war-torn area.
594
Former Peruvian Presidents Vizcarra and Toledo convicted in $675 million corruption and money laundering scandal
Two former presidents in Peru are facing disparate outcomes in the corruption cases they face.
920
Prince William marks Queen’s death anniversary as Harry returns to UK
Prince William is set to participate in an event marking three years since the late Queen Elizabeth II’s death, while his estranged brother Harry returns to the UK for the first time in several months.
878
From Dubai to the Irish sea: inside Europe’s biggest failed cocaine smuggling plot
The text message came from Dubai with a Santa emoji. "OK lads. No need for luck. Really this couldn’t be any more straightforward. Just relax and this will all be over soon."
865
Japan’s prime minister Shigeru Ishiba resigns after election losses
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Sunday he had decided to resign, ushering in a potentially lengthy period of policy paralysis at a shaky moment for the world’s fourth-largest economy.
809
Governor Wes Moore rules out a 2028 presidential run, ending speculation of him being a frontrunner
Maryland Governor Wes Moore, long considered a potential Democratic frontrunner for the 2028 presidential election, said on Sunday he would not run for president and instead seek re-election as governor.
830
Migrant crossings exceed 30,000 in record time as the UK faces a border crisis
The number of migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel has exceeded 30,000 in record time.
792
Jaguar Land Rover halts production amid major cyber attack, staff told to work from home
The firm has paused production at its factories in Halewood on Merseyside and Solihull in the West Midlands, and its engine site in Wolverhampton.
821
Farage withdraws pledge to halt small boat crossings within two weeks
Nigel Farage has retreated from a promise he made to the party’s conference to stop small boat crossings within two weeks of taking office.
869
Three Britons dead in Lisbon funicular derailment, including beloved theatre duo
The British couple killed in the Lisbon funicular crash have been remembered as “hugely talented” members of the theatre community dedicated to “inspiring the next generation”.
1405
Limassol mobster Stavros Demosthenous and Pin-Up owner Dmitry Punin expand criminal operations in Cyprus
Stavros Demosthenos, the local «Al Capone» on Cyprus, takes on helping Russian entrepreneurs launder «dirty» money — and does so not without his own benefit.
888
Elon Musk could become the world’s first trillionaire with Tesla’s massive new pay package
Elon Musk, already the world’s richest person, could become the first trillionaire after the Tesla board introduced a massive new pay package for its CEO to maintain his focus on the troubled EV maker.