[helmholtz]

Is this journalism? The first sentence itself is incorrect.

> But since reports have been surfacing for a while now that [...].

Well, what about it? You cannot start a sentence with "But since" and not offer a what it means.

[Veen]

It's probably bad editing. I'd guess that the original sentence made sense, but they changed the end without going back to change the beginning. It happens often when writers and editors are in a hurry.

[dmitshur]

It seems to read okay if the word "but" is removed, maybe that's the typo.