Author: staff
A video posted on social media shows a despairing Ukrainian soldier panning his camera around to reveal trenches lined with bodies of dead and injured soldiers. These videos reveal the chilling reality experienced by many Ukrainians battling Russian troops on the frontline — a key component of modern-day warfare. However, in reality, this widely shared footage is in fact AI-generated, as verified by forensic AI detection company Sensity AI. Researchers from Sensity warn that deepfakes are being used to manipulate public opinion and undermine trust in the military, off the back of authentic videos of Ukrainian soldiers documenting their daily…
Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul celebrated the news, too, writing on X that “The €90 billion for Ukraine … are coming now,” since “Hungary is back in the European family.” After initially agreeing to the loan in December, Budapest blocked it in February as a dispute flared over the pipeline. Orbán accused Zelenskyy of slow-walking repairs to the infrastructure in retaliation for Hungary’s friendly relations with Russia. Zelenskyy sounded optimistic the cash would finally reach Ukraine. “The unblocking is the right signal under the current circumstances,” he wrote on X on Wednesday. EU ambassadors gave preliminary backing to the package,…
Former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin told Euronews that the European Union must recognise that it needs Ukraine and the lessons it has learnt from the war waged against it by Russia for its own defence. She argued that, if it does not take note of Ukraine’s expertise, the EU’s increased spending on defence will be money down the drain. “When we are building our own defence capabilities and hopefully reaching that 5% target that we have set together in NATO, it also and actually even more so, depends on where we use that money, not only how much [money…
Inflation to rebound Rising energy prices will likely push inflation back toward 3 percent this year and next, the government said — prompting financial markets to expect two European Central Bank rate hikes this year. ECB officials say they won’t overreact to what may be a short-lived blip, but have warned that they will raise rates if they see any signs of inflation taking root again, only four years after the last such shock. German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche — whose past employment at energy giant E.ON has made her a target for criticism from the left and environmentalists —…
Published on 22/04/2026 – 19:06 GMT+2•Updated 19:08 The “Global Sumud Flotilla” is ready to sail to Gaza again, after its previous mission was intercepted last October by Israeli authorities and failed to reach the Strip. Almost a hundred boats with around 1,000 people on board will be involved in the new mission, meant to deliver humanitarian aid in Gaza, bypassing Israeli controls. The new initiative is considered even more dangerous than the last one, given the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The last boats are expected to depart on Saturday from Augusta, Sicily, and join up with other vessels…
Chinese artist Kong Ning presented a new installation, ‘Journey through peace’, in Beijing on Wednesday to mark World Earth Day. She wore a costume made of balloon dinosaurs, with a headset of greenery and a green sphere. The look drew attention from passers-by in a central district, mixing playfulness with a quiet message about the planet. Kong said the outfit invites the Earth to dream, offering a space to rest and recover. She sees it as a way to restore energy needed to sustain human life. The artist has staged wearable works every Earth Day for more than a decade,…
The note, which was included with papers relating to Mandelson’s appointment released on March 11, throws additional light on how Starmer approached questions about Mandelson. The episode has already cost Mandelson, the PM’s chief of staff and the head of the foreign office their jobs and Starmer is facing calls to resign over his handling of the scandal. At the center of the crisis for the government is the issue of whether Starmer took enough care to make sure Mandelson — a known friend of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — was a suitable person to be U.K. ambassador to…
Published on 22/04/2026 – 20:40 GMT+2•Updated 21:06 Thousands of high school and university students marched through the Czech capital on Wednesday to protest against a government plan to overhaul and reduce funding for public radio and television. “We won’t let you take the media,” protesters chanted. Smaller protests were organised across the country. The new coalition government led by populist Prime Minister Andrej Babiš drafted the plan to scrap the fees that individuals, households and businesses pay to access the outlets. Instead, the public media would be fully dependent on the state budget. Critics say that would compromise their independence.…
Cybercriminals hacked a messaging app on the phone of German Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, the second-highest ranking German official, according to a report by Der Spiegel. The magazine reported that Klöckner is among the victims of a recent phishing-style cyberattack targeting the messaging app Signal, amid a broader wave of attacks on European politicians in recent months. The outlet reported that Klöckner was part of a Signal group chat with members of the executive board of the conservative Christian Democratic Union. Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also part of the group, although German domestic intelligence reportedly found no evidence his phone…
By Gavin Blackburn & Matthieu Durand Published on 22/04/2026 – 21:25 GMT+2 A second French soldier died on Wednesday from wounds suffered in a weekend ambush against UN peacekeepers in Lebanon (UNIFIL) blamed on the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, President Emmanuel Macron said. A first soldier, staff sergeant Florian Montorio, was shot dead in the Saturday ambush, for which Hezbollah has denied responsibility. “Corporal Anicet Girardin…brought home yesterday from Lebanon, where he was badly wounded by Hezbollah fighters, died this morning of the consequences of his wounds,” Macron wrote in a post on X. One of three soldiers hurt in the same attack,…