ICIJ

Merck & Co. is challenging journalists' efforts to obtain pricing data for the cancer drug Keytruda in Austria's Constitutional Court. The dispute involves a freedom-of-information campaign by Austrian outlets profil and Der Standard, part of the Cancer Calculus investigation, which revealed Keytruda as the country's largest hospital medication expense.

Senator Maggie Hassan is questioning Merck about its patent and pricing practices for the cancer drug Keytruda, alleging the company uses excessive patents to delay cheaper alternatives. The letter highlights concerns that Merck's strategies have kept prices high and limited patient access, with an investigation suggesting the new injectable version could delay competition until the 2030s.

A businessman accused of ordering the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia is on trial in Valletta. Yorgen Fenech, arrested in 2019, faces complicity and criminal association charges after years of legal delays and denies the accusations. The 2017 assassination, which sparked global outrage, is the focus of the trial, with family members and officials present.

Cyprus' Independent Anti-Corruption Authority has referred former President Nicos Anastasiades to prosecutors over alleged abuse of power, including influencing investigations into political payments, intervening in a Russian oligarch’s citizenship application, and obstructing an anti-money laundering probe. The referral stems from a 2022 book by Makarios Drousiotis, a former aide turned investigative journalist, and follows a two-year investigation involving witness interviews and a 16,000-word summary of findings. Anastasiades denies wrongdoing.

Studies suggest reducing doses of cancer drugs like Keytruda could save $30 billion annually and improve patient access. Merck changed Keytruda's dosage from weight-based to fixed, but research indicates lower doses may be equally effective, while Merck disputes these findings. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services supports de-escalating treatments if evidence confirms safety and efficacy.

Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, a Trump administration intelligence adviser, previously assisted her father in securing at least $12 million from Renaissance Capital, a Russian investment bank linked to the Kremlin, through her role as president of an offshore company. Kennedy claims her involvement in the dispute over a 2008 agreement was 'pro forma' and denies knowledge of the business dealings.

The article 'Donate to ICIJ' encourages readers to support the organization's journalism efforts. It is a call to action for financial contributions to sustain their work.

The U.S. and its Five Eyes intelligence partners warn that China's military intelligence is using online job platforms to target officials, journalists, and academics for sensitive information. The goal is to gain strategic advantages by acquiring privileged military, political, and economic intelligence. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) reported being targeted after an investigation into China's transnational repression tactics.

Mexican federal authorities seized vials labeled as Keytruda during a raid to dismantle a counterfeit medication ring, with five vials found in a March operation alongside other illicit drugs and items. Merck, the drug's manufacturer, cannot confirm the vials' authenticity, and the high cost of Keytruda has driven counterfeit production, leading to patient harm.

Fidelity Investments opened a brokerage account for Jeffrey Epstein in mid-April 2019, which received over $5 million before being closed in late May 2019, weeks before Epstein's arrest on sex trafficking charges. The account details were revealed through a document briefly published by the United States Justice Department, which later removed it.

ICIJ investigated how Merck & Co. and other pharmaceutical companies used a dense web of patents to extend market exclusivity for Keytruda, a cancer drug, delaying affordable alternatives and keeping prices high. The analysis revealed strategies like patenting minor drug modifications and combinations to reset exclusivity periods, while price variations and lawsuits in Latin America highlighted patient struggles.

Bitcoin ATMs face government crackdowns in Canada, Tennessee, Minnesota, and Indiana, with Bitcoin Depot filing for bankruptcy. Crypto firms like Kraken, Gemini, and Cumberland DRW have supplied billions in bitcoin to ATM operators despite authorities warning about their use in scams. Investigations reveal continued large-scale transfers to ATM companies after allegations of criminal activity.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists hosted a live Q&A discussing its Cancer Calculus investigation, which examines how pharmaceutical industry practices related to patents, pricing, and billing affect access to cancer treatments. The event featured ICIJ reporter Sydney P. Freedberg, health economist Bill Pajerowski, and digital producer Carmen Molina Acosta.

Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, a Trump administration intelligence official and ally of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, is leaving two key government roles. She cited returning to the private sector and family priorities as reasons for her departure, though sources indicated her decision involved disagreement with Trump's military involvement in Iran.

Bitcoin Depot, the former largest crypto ATM operator with 9,700 kiosks, filed for bankruptcy due to stringent compliance obligations and restrictions. The company cited challenges from increased regulations and investigations into scams facilitated by crypto ATMs, which led to $389 million in consumer losses reported to the FBI in 2025.

Olena Oblamska, also known as Lola Ferrari, was extradited from Thailand to the U.S. to face conspiracy charges related to a $340 million cryptocurrency fraud scheme involving the platform Forsage. Prosecutors allege Forsage operated as a Ponzi and pyramid scheme, with Oblamska as one of its four founders. Vladimir Okhotnikov, another alleged founder, is linked to Forsage's operations and a film featuring Kevin Spacey, while facing charges in the U.S. and Georgia.

The Trump administration's reinterpretation of banking rules allows major crypto firms to obtain national banking licenses with minimal federal oversight, limiting state regulators' ability to enforce compliance. This shift has left state authorities like Maine's Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection unable to address consumer complaints or scrutinize companies like Coinbase and Fidelity Digital Assets, which have converted to federally chartered banks.

Violeta Chuc Sam's family in Guatemala discusses her mother Francisca Violeta Sam Colop's struggle to access Keytruda, a cancer drug, highlighting systemic barriers. The story is part of the Cancer Calculus investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and partners, examining Keytruda's global pricing impacts.

Tunisian authorities are seeking to dissolve the parent company of ICIJ partner Inkyfada, with a three-judge panel set to examine the request at Tunisia's Court of First Instance. The move is part of a yearslong campaign against the organization, according to Reporters Without Borders.

The United States has revoked tourist visas for five board members of Costa Rica’s leading newspaper La Nación, which critics describe as an unprecedented move that could threaten free speech. The Trump administration has previously revoked visas for officials in multiple countries, but this is the first instance targeting media executives.