FBI using polygraph tests to identify sources of internal leaks

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Trump administration has been cracking down on people who leak information to the media since January

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said on Monday it has started using polygraph tests to aid investigations aimed at identifying the source of leaks emanating from within the law enforcement agency.

“We can confirm the FBI has begun administering polygraph tests to identify the source of information leaks within the bureau,” the bureau’s public affairs office told Reuters in a statement.

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Ukrainian Reporter Was Tortured in Russian Prison Before Her Death, Investigation Finds – The Moscow Times

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  1. Ukrainian Reporter Was Tortured in Russian Prison Before Her Death, Investigation Finds  The Moscow Times
  2. Ukraine journalist who died in Russian captivity was tortured and had her organs removed, joint media report says  CBS News
  3. ‘Numerous signs of torture’: a Ukrainian journalist’s detention and death in Russian prison  The Guardian
  4. Russian captors tortured and mutilated Ukrainian journalist — and returned her body with no eyes, brain or larynx: report  New York Post
  5. Signs of torture and some internal organs missing – Prosecutor General's Office reports on state of body identified as journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna's  Українська правда
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Fears for health of Alaa Abd el-Fattah and mother as hunger strikes take toll

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Activist jailed in Egypt receives medical treatment and family worry his mother Laila Soueif is ‘dying in slow motion’

The family of the imprisoned British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah say they fear for his health along with that of his mother, Laila Soueif, as both continued their hunger strikes to demand his freedom.

Relatives of Soueif said they were worried she was “dying in slow motion” after eight months on full or partial hunger strike. “What are we supposed to do, just sit around and wait to die?” said Soueif.

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Macquarie ‘very proud’ of Thames Water ownership despite loading it with debt

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Some analysts claim investment bank set supplier on course for collapse before selling it in 2017

The investment bank that sold Thames Water in 2017 after loading the company with debt has said that it is “very proud” of its record, even as the water utility teeters on the verge of collapse.

Australia-headquartered Macquarie led a consortium that owned Thames Water from 2006 until 2017. Macquarie has been criticised by some politicians and analysts for its control of the business, accusing the bank of setting it on course for financial collapse.

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Drugmaker AstraZeneca shifts more production to US amid Trump tariffs

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UK and rest of Europe risk losing out to US and China unless they ramp up spending on new medicines, says CEO Pascal Soriot

AstraZeneca said it was shifting the production of some medicines sold in the US from Europe to the US, to counter the impact of Donald Trump’s trade tariffs.

Speaking as the company reported higher sales and profits for the first quarter, the FTSE 100 pharma company reiterated that the UK, and the rest of Europe, risked losing out to the US and China unless they ramped up spending on new medicines. Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca’s chief executive, warned that well-paid advanced manufacturing and research jobs could move to the US in the long run.

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‘If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off’: Terrence Howard explains why he declined Marvin Gaye biopic

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The American actor told Bill Maher’s podcast that he had asked Quincy Jones about the singer’s sexuality and felt he couldn’t ‘play that character 100%’

The actor Terrence Howard has said that he declined the role of Marvin Gaye in a film, because he didn’t want to kiss another man.

Speaking to Bill Maher on his Club Random podcast, the actor said the “biggest mistake” of his career was turning down the leading role in a separate biopic of the singer Smokey Robinson – which Robinson had personally asked him to play.

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Malta’s ‘golden passport’ scheme ruled to be illegal by EU’s top court

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Long-awaited ruling means cash-for-citizenship programme that allowed people to live and work in bloc must be scrapped

The European court of justice has ruled that Malta’s “golden passport” scheme is illegal, meaning its cash-for-citizenship programme must be scrapped.

In a long-awaited ruling on Tuesday, the EU’s top court concluded that Malta’s investor citizenship scheme was contrary to EU law. Judges said the scheme represented a “commercialisation of the grant of the nationality of a member state” and by extension EU citizenship, which was at odds with European law. Malta had jeopardised the mutual trust between EU member states necessary to create an area without internal borders, the court argued.

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Cargo That Set Off Blast at Iran Port Was Improperly Documented, Investigators Say – The New York Times

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  1. Cargo That Set Off Blast at Iran Port Was Improperly Documented, Investigators Say  The New York Times
  2. Iranian port blast could be ‘planned attack, not an accident,’ IDF Gen. says - interview  The Jerusalem Post
  3. A massive explosion at an Iranian port possibly linked to missile fuel kills 25, injures some 800  AP News
  4. Death toll in Iran's Bandar Abbas port blast rises to 70  Reuters
  5. Putin orders Russian emergency planes to Iran after blast at port of Bandar Abbas  NBC News
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22 people killed in restaurant fire in northern China, officials say – NBC News

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  1. 22 people killed in restaurant fire in northern China, officials say  NBC News
  2. Restaurant fire kills 22 in northeast China’s Liaoning  CNN
  3. 22 people killed, 3 injured in restaurant fire in China  ABC News
  4. Chinese authorities say 22 people killed, 3 injured in restaurant fire in northern city of Liaoyang  AP News
  5. 22 dead, 3 injured in restaurant fire in northeast China  South China Morning Post
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Trinidad and Tobago election: Opposition sails to victory – BBC

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  1. Trinidad and Tobago election: Opposition sails to victory  BBC
  2. Former PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar wins election in Trinidad and Tobago  The Guardian
  3. Kamla​ Persad-Bissessar returns to power in ‘decisive victory’ in Trinidad and Tobago  Miami Herald
  4. Analysts: Arrogance, salary hikes, and public discontent led to PNM defeat  Trinidad Guardian
  5. What’s next for Trinidad and Tobago’s new prime minister?  Atlantic Council
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Nine journalist Nick McKenzie allegedly told of Ben Roberts-Smith’s ex-wife’s planned legal action

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Roberts-Smith argues his unsuccessful defamation case against McKenzie and Nine newspapers should be retried because of a ‘miscarriage of justice’

The Nine journalist Nick McKenzie was told about a legal action Ben Roberts-Smith’s ex-wife planned to take against the war veteran ahead of his defamation trial, a court has heard, with the informant allegedly telling him “it’s always good to be on the front foot”.

On Tuesday the federal court of Australia heard that a friend of Emma Roberts had told McKenzie that Roberts-Smith was planning to notify and write to the Commonwealth director of public prosecutions (CDPP) about an alleged “breach” and to “restrain any further publications being made”.

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This article was amended on 2 May 2025. An earlier version incorrectly stated that Nick McKenzie was told Emma Roberts planned to contact the CDPP. McKenzie was told that Ben Roberts-Smith planned to do this.

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‘Trump wanted to break us’, says Carney as Liberals triumph in Canadian election

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Party written off months ago completes remarkable comeback after US president’s threats boosted campaign

Mark Carney has used his victory speech to claim Donald Trump wanted to “break us” as he led Canada’s Liberal party to a fourth term in office, in a race that was upended by threats and aggression from the US president.

The Liberal triumph capped a miraculous political resurrection and marked a landmark victory for Carney, the former central banker and political novice who only recently succeeded Justin Trudeau as prime minister. Results on Tuesday confirmed that the Liberals fell just short of a majority government and would therefore need the support of political rivals to govern.

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Travel disruption in Spain and Portugal continues as power returns – Euronews.com

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  1. Travel disruption in Spain and Portugal continues as power returns  Euronews.com
  2. Spain rules out cyber-attack as cause of power outage as travel chaos continues - live updates  BBC
  3. A day without power: What 12 hours of darkness looked like in Spain and Portugal  CNN
  4. Widespread Power Outage Hits Spain and Portugal  The New York Times
  5. Spain and Portugal blackouts latest: Power cuts not caused by cyber attack, Spanish grid says - but investigation launched by judge  Sky News
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