It's been another busy week for The Ferret. Our reports have included a story about the SNP's annual conference hosting the oil giant BP and an energy firm accused of being “the world’s biggest tree burner”, and we revealed that the Home Office may have breached privacy laws after cancelling an international student’s visa.
Other reports included an exclusive revealing that a far right activist linked to a banned neo-Nazi outfit gave a speech at an event in Stirling organised by the white nationalist group, Patriotic Alternative Scotland. We also reported that Aberdeen University has rejected a “working definition” of antisemitism as recommended by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. After a two-year consultation, the university has instead adopted the Jerusalem Declaration of Antisemitism.
There was also the latest FFS Show podcast talking about a claim by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar regarding NHS waiting times, and how misinformation about a Glasgow area led to a new magazine.
Our team of journalists can only do all this with your backing so many thanks for your continued support.
Yours, Billy from The Ferret
Story of the week
An in-depth look at a Ferret investigation
The Home Office used location data from an international student’s mobile phone to detain him for allegedly breaking his visa conditions, after it was seized without consent.
A round up of our investigations in the last seven days
SNP criticised for hosting major polluters at conference The SNP’s annual conference featured exhibits from an oil giant and an energy firm accused of being “the world’s biggest tree burner”.
Plan for eating beavers abandoned after Ferret queries A proposal to investigate eating beavers as a way of limiting their numbers was dropped following inquiries from The Ferret.
Far right activist linked to banned neo-Nazi group gave speech in Stirling The event, which took place last weekend in Stirling, had been organised by the white nationalist group, Patriotic Alternative Scotland.
IHRA definition of antisemitism rejected at Aberdeen University The university adopted the Jerusalem Declaration of Antisemitism instead of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance guidance.
Controversial think tanks host over 40 events at Tory conference Think tanks blamed as the "driving force" behind the UK's current "economic disaster" hosted more than forty events at the Tory conference.
Claim more than 700,000 Scots on NHS waiting list is Half True Ferret Fact Service looks into a claim by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar about NHS waiting times.
The FFS Show
Our misinformation and fact-checking
podcast
The FFS Show 40:
What are the misconceptions about Govanhill?
Ali is back with semi-regular co-host, Paul Dobson, to dissect one of our fact checks.
This week, they looked into a claim by Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, about NHS waiting times.
Then Ali
speaks to Rhiannon Davies about how misinformation in Govanhill, one of Scotland’s most diverse neighbourhoods, led her to set up Greater Govanhill Magazine.
The area is part of first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s constituency, and regularly appears in mainstream media articles in Scotland and beyond.
Rhiannon also takes us through a new collaboration taking place between Greater Govanhill Magazine and The Ferret, looking at health inequalities.
Investigations we've enjoyed from around the world
‘Deeply Worrying’: UK Anti-Abortion Groups Turn Focus to Students Groups are hiring new staff and amping up efforts on social media to try and reach a new generation online. (VICE)
Prisoners ‘may have been refused parole due to fake crimes on files’ Claim comes as Labour, Lib Dems, Greens and SNP add to pressure for those serving ‘inhuman’ indefinite sentences to be freed. (openDemocracy)
Pro-Trump Georgia Officials Plotted to Swipe Voting Data. We Caught Them Emails reveal how a group of county officials in Georgia tasked with protecting the election instead discussed a plan to pull sensitive data — and have taxpayers pay for it. (Rolling Stone)
