All posts tagged: targeted

Screwworm could be the first species targeted by an ‘extinction drive’

Screwworm could be the first species targeted by an ‘extinction drive’

Published by Miika Tikkanen

In a few cases, the extinction of a species would be a good thing. That’s a controversial opinion, but I do think the world would be better off, for instance, without malaria-spreading mosquitoes. We now have the genetic technology to achieve this, in the form of extinction drives – more accurately called gene drives – that can defy evolution and spread harmful traits throughout a population. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like this technology will be deployed against malaria-carrying mosquitoes any time soon. Instead, Kevin Esvelt at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the biologist who created the first CRISPR-based gene drive, thinks the screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) will be the first in line. “The one that I would bet on is the New World screwworm, that nasty bot fly that’s now been found a couple times in Texas,” says Esvelt. “It’s even more hated than malaria mosquitoes, if you can believe that.” Screwworm flies lay their eggs in wounds on mammals and sometimes birds. When the larvae hatch, they burrow into the flesh of their host and …

Johnny Depp’s home targeted in latest LA trespassing incident: report

Johnny Depp’s home targeted in latest LA trespassing incident: report

Published by Daniella Wilson

Johnny Depp’s home has become the site of the latest reported celebrity trespassing incident. The Los Angeles Police Department was called to the home Tuesday at around 4 p.m. after a female suspect repeatedly visited the home in West Hollywood and loitered by the front gate, TMZ reported. Sources said the person tried to leave a message for Depp and was seen filming the property. By the time LAPD arrived on the scene, the suspect had left and no arrests were made. It is not clear whether the Pirates of the Caribbean star, 62, was at the property during the incident. Depp’s home has been the site of trespassing before. In 2021, a homeless man reportedly jumped a fence, drank Depp’s liquor and was found showering in his bathroom. The man was subsequently arrested and charged with vandalism. It is not clear whether Depp, 62, was at home in Los Angeles during the incident (AFP/Getty) A representative for Depp declined to comment when reached by The Independent. There have been a number of trespassing incidents …

Big Tech targeted in anti-ICE boycott. Could it work?

Big Tech targeted in anti-ICE boycott. Could it work?

Published by Sam Flores

Demonstrators march in Minneapolis on Jan. 30, calling for an end to ICE operations in Minnesota. John Moore/Getty Images North America hide caption toggle caption John Moore/Getty Images North America In Portland, Ore., Brittany Trahan started buying DVDs rather than paying for Netflix and Apple TV, while Lisa Shannon has been relying on public transit instead of taking an Uber. And in McDonough, Ga., Brian Seymour II has been embracing the cold to shop locally instead of buying through Amazon. They’re among a growing number of Americans participating in a boycott this month, targeting tech companies who, they believe, are not doing enough to stand up against President Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown. “ I have not gotten the impression that outrage among the citizenry is a problem for this administration,” Shannon said. “I think money is a problem for this administration, so I’m leaning in on that front.” The campaign, “Resist and Unsubscribe,” was started by influential podcaster and business commentator Scott Galloway, who said he was increasingly frustrated by what he sees as the Trump …

SoCal man once stole billionaire’s identity, then he targeted surfers, prosecutors say

SoCal man once stole billionaire’s identity, then he targeted surfers, prosecutors say

Published by Sam Flores

A convicted bank robber — who also once stole the identity of one of the world’s richest men in order to pocket his $1.4-million tax refund — now awaits sentencing for a different kind of fraud scheme, one that targeted Southern California surfers. Moundir Kamil, 56, was the mastermind behind a nearly $1-million scheme that targeted surfers while they were catching waves, according to federal prosecutors. Orange County resident Kamil, along with accomplices Jordan Adams and Jennifer Pruneda, pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, attempted bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Sentencing for Kamil is expected to take place Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles. According to court documents and media reports, Kamil and his co-conspirators burglarized vehicles to steal credit cards, debit cards, phones and other forms of identification to later make fraudulent purchases, including luxury items and expensive electronics, totaling at least $850,000. The larceny took place across various Southern California beaches including Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Manhattan Beach, as well as beaches in San Diego County and other popular …

English classes are being targeted by anti-immigration protesters – but they’ve been politicised for years

English classes are being targeted by anti-immigration protesters – but they’ve been politicised for years

Published by Miika Tikkanen

Just as the protests outside asylum hotels of summer 2025 faded from headlines, some anti-immigration groups turned their attention to another target: English classes. On November 24, a protest was organised outside a primary school in Glasgow, in opposition to an Esol (English for speakers of other languages) class being delivered for parents of children at the school. Holding placards reading “protect our kids”, protesters claimed that these classes presented a danger to children at the school. The protest was widely publicised by Spartan Child Protection Team, a self-styled vigilante “paedophile hunter” group. Just three weeks earlier, the group circulated complaints online regarding an Esol class taking place in a community learning centre next to a primary school in Renfrew. In response, Renfrewshire Council shut down the classes. Other anti-immigration groups across Scotland have followed suit, raising “safeguarding concerns” around Esol classes – specifically, the presence of migrant adults in proximity to schools. Glasgow City Council took a strong stance in response to “social media speculation around family learning opportunities” and the protest at Dalmarnock …