In a significant breakthrough, Argentine police have apprehended Leonardo Bertulazzi, a fugitive wanted in Italy for nearly 44 years. Bertulazzi, now 72, was sentenced in absentia in Italy in the 1970s for his involvement in the kidnapping of Pietro Costa, a naval engineer from Genoa. The arrest follows Bertulazzi’s previous detention in 2002, when he was briefly held but later released due to complications in extradition. His refugee status, granted in 2004, was recently revoked by Argentina’s new right-wing administration under President Javier Milei.

The Red Brigades, a Marxist militant group active during the “Years of Lead,” was behind a series of high-profile kidnappings and murders, including the notorious abduction and killing of former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro in 1978. Bertulazzi’s involvement in the group’s Genoa section played a crucial role in financing the Red Brigades’ subsequent criminal activities, including the Moro case.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni lauded the Argentine authorities for their role in Bertulazzi’s arrest, highlighting the successful international collaboration with Interpol and other agencies. Bertulazzi’s legal team is currently challenging his extradition through Argentina’s national commission for refugees, amidst ongoing efforts by Italian authorities to secure the return of other Red Brigades members from France.

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Controversial internet influencer Andrew Tate has been placed under house arrest by a Romanian judge as new allegations of sex trafficking and exploitation emerge. Prosecutors are investigating accusations involving 35 victims, including a 15-year-old girl, prompting the detention of six individuals, including Tate and his brother Tristan, who is under special judicial control. The Romanian anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, alleges the Tate brothers engaged in grooming vulnerable individuals and forcing them to produce pornographic content, amassing millions in illicit profits.

Andrew Tate has vehemently denied the charges, calling them a “stitch-up” and accusing prosecutors of fabricating evidence out of desperation. The brothers, who have faced similar charges in the past, maintain their innocence and have labeled the new allegations as a continuation of a mainstream conspiracy against them. During a 10-hour search of four properties, investigators seized luxury cars, cash, and electronic devices, further escalating the ongoing investigation.

The new allegations come as the Tate brothers await trial for previous charges of human trafficking and rape. The investigation into the latest claims is ongoing, with prosecutors focused on the Tate brothers’ alleged efforts to hide proceeds of their activities and intimidate victims and witnesses. The case has garnered significant attention, given Andrew Tate’s notoriety and his large online following.

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Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has decided to close its ongoing investigations into Apple’s and Google’s app stores, anticipating implementing new legislation to regulate digital markets. The watchdog had previously identified concerns over the companies’ near-monopoly on app distribution in Britain, following a market study conducted in 2022.

The CMA launched separate probes into Apple and Google, suspecting both companies of anticompetitive practices. However, in a recent statement, the agency announced the suspension of these investigations as it awaits the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA), which is expected to come into effect later this year.

Will Hayter, Executive Director for Digital Markets at the CMA, stated that the new digital markets regime would provide enhanced powers to address the identified concerns. Apple and Google have yet to respond to the CMA’s latest decision.

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A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to four years and eight months in prison after admitting to causing the deaths of three of his teenage friends in a horrific crash near Dumfries in March 2022. Jake Loy, who was just 17 at the time, was driving on the A711 when he lost control of his vehicle and collided with another car. The crash resulted in the deaths of his 16-year-old passengers, Finlay Johns, Ian Cannon, and Tyler Johnston, who were all from Moffat. Three men in the other vehicle were also seriously injured, along with Loy himself.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Loy, who was driving with a provisional license, was unfamiliar with the car and had been driving aggressively. Judge Lord Drummond criticized Loy for his dangerous driving, emphasizing the prolonged nature of his reckless behavior and the severe impact on the victims’ families. The court noted the “almighty impact” of the collision, which split Loy’s Honda in two, and highlighted the significant factors of driver inexperience and excessive speed.

In court, Loy’s defense attorney presented evidence of his client’s profound survivor’s guilt and his wish to have been the one to suffer the fatal injuries instead. Despite these mitigating factors, the judge imposed a prison term and an eight-year driving ban, with Loy required to pass an extended test before being allowed to drive again.

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