Author: Mike Potter

The European Union’s approach to tackling Foreign Influence and Manipulation Interference (FIMI) highlights the serious attention placed on combating disinformation, particularly in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and broader geopolitical tensions. The European External Action Service (EEAS) reports that, between December 2022 and November 2023, it detected and documented 750 instances of foreign information manipulation and interference. This equates to approximately two false narratives being propagated every day, underscoring the scale and frequency of disinformation activities that need to be addressed. The contrast with U.S. efforts is evident, as the U.S. has been criticized for having a less effective…

Christmas is meant to be the time for tinsel, mince pies and The Muppets Christmas Carol, not a trip to A&E. But when routines are different, the house is full of fairy lights (some on their absolute last legs) and the oven is in overdrive, you can see how it happens. There is lots you can do to keep the whole family safe over the holidays, though. “We want people to have fun at Christmas,” says research manager at The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), James Broun. “You’re not going to be having fun if you’re going to…

The love story behind the biggest scandal to ever hit the European Parliament — and the cozy, transactional world in which it took place. Eva Kaili and Francesco Giorgi had left nothing to chance. The duo that would later become the most famous — many would say infamous — couple in the European Union capital had been gearing up for this moment for years. As Qatar prepared to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, they were among the Gulf state’s fiercest advocates in Brussels, defending its record on human rights and fending off criticism of its treatment of migrant workers.…

New York. 23/6. With the clock ticking on when he must report to prison, former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon on Friday threw in an emergency motion to the Supreme Court to hold off his sentence. The high court asked prosecutors to respond to Bannon’s application by Wednesday afternoon. Bannon’s motion comes after a federal judge ruled he must begin his four-month prison sentence on July 1. He was found guilty two years ago on two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 select committee. The political persecution of political opponents to the Democratic party’s rule and its weaponization questions…

The terrorist attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall in March 2024, which left 140 people dead, has sparked a crackdown on central Asian workers living in Russia, and put the relationship between the region and Russia under increasing strain. The four suspected gunmen under arrest are all citizens of Tajikistan, a central Asian nation that was once part of the Soviet Union. Following the Crocus City attack, Russian police started rounding up and deporting workers who are originally from Tajikistan, as well as from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The attack, which Russia has blamed on Ukraine, also sparked massive police raids, document checks of migrants…

America’s permanent representative to NATO has stressed that the U.S. and its transatlantic partners are preparing for a Russian expansion of its war on Ukraine into allied territory, though she has stressed that such a threat is not “imminent.” U.S. ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday that Russia remains “the pre-eminent threat that we’re grappling with,” though added: “We do not see an imminent threat to NATO territory.” “NATO is not sitting on its hands,” Smith added. “It’s not waiting for any possible contingency. Instead, it’s preparing for all contingencies.” Newsweek has contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry by email…

Israel will take “into account” US concerns over its planned offensive in the crowded city of Rafah, where more than a million civilians are sheltering from Israel’s war on Gaza, the White House said Monday. Tensions have risen between Israel and its chief backer the United States over the heavy civilian death toll in the Gaza Strip, and especially over Israeli plans to send ground forces into the southern city. But the two sides had a “constructive engagement on Rafah” during two hours of video conference talks, attended by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, the White…

New York — The University of Pennsylvania’s board of trustees held an emergency meeting Thursday, and the powerful Wharton Board of Advisors that leads the university’s prominent business school called for a leadership change at the university, as school president Liz Magill faces scathing criticism over her performance at a House hearing earlier this week. Magill remained president after the hastily arranged board gathering concluded Thursday, a source familiar with the proceedings told CNN. But Magill faced a rebellion from Wharton’s leaders, and a growing coalition of donors, politicians and business leaders who denounced her testimony. During Tuesday’s House hearing, Magill, along with the presidents of…

Earlier this week, ADM reported that the US State Department has approved the potential sale of AUKUS Pillar One-related Training and Training Devices and related equipment to Australia. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notification valued the potential deal at “up to” US$2 billion (A$3.05 billion). In response to ADM’s request for further details the Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) said the new Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case will enable the purchase of required items and services in support of the Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program over the next decade. ADM understands the FMS case was submitted to US Congress on 1 December and while no money has…

A listeria outbreak linked to peaches, plums and nectarines has sickened 11 people in seven states, and one person has died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC estimates there are 48 million cases of foodborne illness in the U.S. every year. For Meghan Elarde, a case of food poisoning turned her into a cautious shopper. “I got so violently ill. It was frightening,” she told CBS News. She said the experience caused her to become “way more concerned” about her groceries. Now, she buys hydroponic lettuce — leaves that are grown in water instead of soil —…