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German, Belgian police raid European People's Party headquarters
By Patrick Hilsman
April 4 (UPI) -- Belgian and German police on Tuesday raided the Brussels headquarters of the European People's Party, which constitutes the largest single party in the European Parliament.
"The European People's Party confirms that representatives from the Belgian and German police authorities visited the party headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday, April 4," the EPP confirmed in a press release.
The party said the raid "is connected to an ongoing inquiry in Thuringia, Germany," and that they are cooperating with law enforcement.
German media report that the raid is connected to an investigation into Mario Voigt, of Germany's Christian Democrats Party for his conduct during the 2019 European Parliamentary elections.
Voigt was tasked with handling aspects of the European People's Party's digital promotion. Under his tenure, digital promotion contracts were awarded to internet companies in the Thuringia state which he was suspected to have financial interests in.
A separate corruption scandal, thought to be linked to Qatar, has rocked the European Parliament, resulting in multiple recent arrests.
In December, six people were arrested in Belgium in connection to the scandal. Marc Tarabella, a Belgian MEP, and Italian MEP Andrea Conzzolino, were arrested separately in February.
Police arrest husband of former Scottish National Party leader
Nicola's annus horibilis, or is this the real reason she quit?
By Clyde Hughes
in connection with an investigation into the party's finances. File Photo by Robert Perry/EPA
April 5 (UPI) -- Peter Murrell, the husband of former Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon, was reportedly arrested on Wednesday in connection with an investigation into the party's fundraising and finances.
While not using Murrell's name in the announcement, Police Scotland said in a statement that a "58-year-old man" was "arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party."
The police said he was being questioned by detectives while conducting "a number of locations."
Murrell and Sturgeon's home was sealed off with police tape and police were also seen searching the SNP offices.
"A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service," Police Scotland said. "The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media."
Murrell controlled the internal operation of the party for nearly 24 years until leaving his position in the latest leadership shakeup that saw Sturgeon retire in March, giving way to Humza Yousaf being elected as party leader and first minister of Scotland.
Police Scotland started its probe after questions were raised over the handling of nearly $750,000 in donations made to the SNP to hold a second referendum for independence.
"Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation, but the SNP has been cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so," a party spokesperson said.
"At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency -- that will be taken forward in the coming weeks."
The resignation of Sturgeon, a longtime Brexit foe who embraced Scottish independence, was seen by many in Britain as a surprise last month. She led the Scottish National Party for eight years.
Yousaf took over last week, becoming the first Muslim to lead the SNP and serve as Scotland's first minister.
"The news this morning, it's challenging and it's difficult," Yousaf told reporters Wednesday. "The SNP has fully cooperated with the investigation and it will continue to do so."
Johnson & Johnson proposes nearly $9B US settlement for talc product claims
Company faced years of suits claiming talcum powder led to cases of
ovarian cancer or mesothelioma
The Associated Press ·
Posted: Apr 05, 2023 3:54 AM PDT | Last Updated: 11 hours ago
Johnson & Johnson is earmarking nearly $9 billion US to cover allegations that its baby power containing talc caused cancer, more than quadrupling the amount that the company had previously set aside to pay for its potential liability.
Under a proposal announced Tuesday, a J&J subsidiary will re-file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and seek court approval for a plan that would result in one of the largest product-liability settlements in U.S. history.
The $8.9 billion that J&J would transfer to the subsidiary, LTL Management, would be payable over the next 25 years. The amount is up from the $2 billion that the New Brunswick, New Jersey, company set aside in October 2021.
The revised amount is being backed by more than 60,000 parties that have filed lawsuits alleging harm from J&J talcum powder, according to the company.
J&J isn't admitting any wrongdoing as part of the proposed settlement, a point that a company executive emphasized in a Tuesday statement that maintained the claims "are specious and lack scientific merit."
But fighting the lawsuits in court would take decades and be expensive, said Erik Haas, J&J's worldwide vice-president of litigation.
The lawsuits filed against J&J had alleged its talcum powder caused users to develop ovarian cancer, through use for feminine hygiene, or mesothelioma, a cancer that strikes the lungs and other organs.
A December 2018 Reuters investigation revealed that J&J knew for decades about tests showing its talc sometimes contained carcinogenic asbestos but kept that information from regulators and the public. J&J has said its baby powder and other talc products are safe, do not cause cancer and do not contain asbestos.
The claims contributed to drop in J&J's sales of baby powder. Last year, J&J announced plans to cease sales of the product worldwide.
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