Trump caught lying about date of phone call to Governor Gavin Newsom
04:55
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President Donald Trump attempted to one-up California Governor Gavin Newsom in their war of words, by releasing his own screenshots to Fox News to "prove" they had spoken on the phone Monday. However his own call log proved he was in the wrong, with no phone call occurring that date -- and Fox News dishonestly spun the error. Meanwhile, Newsom takes a leaf out of Trump's social media playbook, by using AI videos to make jabs. Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.
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France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
AI-powered disinformation spreads online amid Los Angeles protests
Since June 6, Los Angeles has been rocked by protests and clashes with law enforcement, after more than 40 migrants were arrested downtown by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The events have escalated into a confrontation between Donald Trump and the California leaders after the US President deployed National Guard troops against protestors on June 7, overriding the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom. In this context, several internet users have circulated misleading or erroneous content using artificial intelligence tools. AI-generated selfie video of National Guard soldier On June 9, an alleged National Guard soldier, who identified himself as Bob, posted a selfie video on TikTok that garnered more than 770,000 views. The 'soldier' is seen smiling and offering a 'behind-the-scenes' look at troops preparing for deployment to 'gas' protesters. The second scene of the video features 'Bob' during the clashes, decrying the throwing of 'oil-filled balloons' at law enforcement. It turns out that the video is fake. There are several indications that it was generated using artificial intelligence. For instance, in the video's first scene, one of the badges that should display the soldier's rank shows nonsensical characters. AI still struggles with creating coherent text. Another inconsistency is a strangely placed traffic light on the left side of the image, which is partially obscuring another traffic light. We found another anomaly in the video's second scene. A police car displays an incorrect acronym, LAPC. The Los Angeles Police Department's actual acronym is LAPD. The TikTok account that posted the video, 'maybenotquitereal', is a parody. Its bio states that the user produces "satirical" content. However, this disclaimer isn't visible in the video featuring the supposed National Guard soldier. As seen in the comments, many users believe the video is genuine. Some urge "Bob" to "stay safe" and thank him for 'protecting the country', while another pro-protester online user criticises him for "hurting the citizens" he was supposed to "protect". Did California's Governor share fake National Guard photos? An AI fact-check error On June 9, California Governor Gavin Newsom posted photos on social media showing National Guard soldiers seemingly asleep on the ground. "You sent your troops here without fuel, food, water or a place to sleep. Here they are — being forced to sleep on the floor, piled on top of one another. If anyone is treating our troops disrespectfully, it is you, Donald Trump,' Newsom wrote. However, a user quickly challenged Newsom's claim in the comments, asking, "Why are you posting fake news?" The user backed up this assertion with a screenshot of an image verification performed by ChatGPT. According to the AI, the photograph was taken on August 19, 2021, at Hamid Karzai Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, during the fall of the Afghan capital to the Taliban. The image was reportedly part of a series titled "Afghanistan Evacuation [Image 1 of 3]," published on Dvids, a US military image bank. As explained by BBC Verify journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh, ChatGPT's analysis is inaccurate. A reverse image search (here's how to do one) traces the origin of the images to an exclusive publication by a local media, the San Francisco Chronicle, on June 9, 2025. No instances of these photos appear on Google before this date. Furthermore, our team conducted a search on the Dvids website, where ChatGPT claimed the photos come from, using the AI's suggested title, "Afghanistan Evacuation [Image 1 of 3]." The search yields photographs unrelated to those published by Gavin Newsom. The reliability of image origin verification by chatbots like ChatGPT and Grok varies significantly. Search results from these AI can change depending on when the query is made, as demonstrated by a recent X thread where several users asked Elon Musk's Grok AI to identify the source of the photos. In an analysis initiated on June 9 at 22:55, Grok determined that photographs shared by Gavin Newsom were taken in Kabul on August 19, 2021, just like ChatGPT. In this analysis, the chatbot even deemed the use of these photos in 2025 to criticise the troop situation in Los Angeles as "misleading". However, the same analysis performed at midnight on June 10 yielded a different outcome. While Grok still suggested the photo was taken in Afghanistan in 2021, it no longer entirely ruled out the possibility that it could date from 2025. Finally, an analysis run on June 10 at 5:23 provided the correct result, attributing the photograph's origin to the San Francisco Chronicle. A search conducted by our team in English on ChatGPT on June 10 at 17:46 also yielded an accurate result, crediting the San Francisco Chronicle as the source of the photographs.
Euronews
6 hours ago
- Euronews
Strikes against Iran: A political manoeuvre or all-out war?
The US ordered the evacuation of non-essential embassy staff and their families from several countries across the Middle East on Wednesday night as tensions in the region continue to escalate. The decision comes amid an apparent impasse in US-Iran nuclear talks, with US President Donald Trump saying he was "less confident" the two countries would reach a deal to reign in Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The US State Department announced it would be partially evacuating personnel from the US embassy in Baghdad to "keep Americans safe, both home and abroad." That comes after US officials told CBS that they had been told that Israel was ready to launch a military operation in Iran and that US military positions in neighbouring Iraq could be the target of a retaliation by Tehran. But is what is happening now just manoeuvres by Iran to protect its nuclear programme, or is the region really facing a scenario of a surprise military strike that could ignite a comprehensive regional war? Euronews takes a look at the complexity of the situation and the possible repercussions on several different fronts; from Gaza to the Red Sea, from Lebanon to Syria. Israel has long warned that Iran's nuclear programme is not peaceful in nature and that if the country were to develop nuclear weapons, Israel could conceivably be the target of a nuclear strike. However, US President Donald Trump issued a direct warning to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to strike Iran, saying unilateral military action was off limits and diplomacy needed a chance to succeed. On the other hand, some of Netanyahu's critics see a military escalation in Iran as securing his political future and having similar impact to the fronts he opened up in Lebanon and Syria. Any war with Iran would not come without a substantial cost to the United States. US bases in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates would all be vulnerable to Iranian missile attacks in the event of a conflict. Commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, said bluntly: "We monitor the depth of the enemy's targets and are prepared for any scenario." Iranian Defence Minister Aziz Nasserzadeh has also warned that any strikes would not go unanswered, vowing to bomb US bases in the region. But is this just rhetoric or would Iran carry out its threats? And it's debatable whether the United States would want to get mired in another long-running conflict in the Middle East so soon after it withdrew its last troops from Iraq after almost eight years in the country. The presence of the US Navy's Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean also raises questions about its role in the event of war. At a time when threats are escalating, the deployment of this fleet seems to enhance Washington's ability to act quickly, but it also makes it a direct target for any Iranian response. Amidst the regional sabre rattling, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fear that their cause will be relegated to the sidelines. This could turn Gaza into a "forgotten issue" in the outbreak of a major regional confrontation, with all the humanitarian costs that this would imply. The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have supported Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023 by targeting what they believed to be Israel-linked shopping in the Red Sea, recently reached an agreement with Washington to stop attacking freight vessels. But there is a strong possibility that if Iran is attacked and launches counterstrikes, that agreement will be forgotten and the Houthis will rearm and start fighting in support of its main financial backer. Another escalation in and around the key Red Sea shopping lanes threatens again to drive up commodity and oil prices and disrupt the flow of goods between countries. Another issue is Lebanon. Despite Israel reaching a ceasefire deal with the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah in November last year, Israeli strikes on Lebanon haven't really stopped, with the IDF allegedly targeting Hezbollah members and facilities. So far, Hezbollah has remained silent on the escalating tensions but, like the Houthis, its main financial backer is Iran. The expectation is Hezbollah will launch solidarity strikes on Israel and while the group was militarily weakened after a year of almost daily cross-border exchanges of fire with Israel, the indications are that Hezbollah maintains a significant offensive capacity which could translate into pressure on Israel's northern front. Iraq stands at a very sensitive point. Armed factions loyal to Tehran, led by the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades, maintain their readiness in anticipation of any military development against Iran, raising urgent questions about whether these factions will be the spearhead in targeting US bases or interests associated with Israel from within Iraqi territory. However, the biggest challenge facing Baghdad is not only taking a decisive stance on the potential crisis, but how to strike a balance between avoiding a destructive confrontation on the one hand, and maintaining fragile security stability on the other. Security reports indicate serious fears that the so-called Islamic State (IS) terror group could resurface, taking advantage of a regional conflict and the potential security vacuum. In this context, Iraq seems at risk of being drawn into a conflict to which it was not a party, but may suddenly find itself at the centre of a battle that exceeds its ability to endure or control its course. Since the assumption of power by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria has been witnessing a gradual shift in its approach to regional and international relations, amid an openness towards the West and hints of an unprecedented rapprochement with Israel. This shift, while still in the process of taking shape, raises a central question: In light of the new understandings, could Syrian territory become a corridor or a platform for any military operations in the event of a conflict? On the other hand, this scenario is not without internal challenges. Remnants of the former regime will seek to exploit the new situation to regain their influence, while the renewed threat of IS poses a real threat to stability. As for al-Sharaa, he faces a fateful test. If regional war breaks out, will he remain on the sidelines or attempt to determine his position in a complex regional equation by picking a side? An alliance with Iran seems unlikely in light of the new political trajectory, as does an alignment against Israel. Between these two "impossibilities," the region is waiting to see how Damascus will position itself in the next phase. Any military strike against Iran would not be a quick or easy operation, but rather a step fraught with enormous strategic and security complications. The outbreak of a confrontation would mean the expansion of its scope to include multiple fronts, widespread disruption of regional balances, and the exposure of vital interests in the Middle East to painful blows. On the Israeli side, Netanyahu may see the battle as an opportunity to escape his internal political and judicial crises - he is facing charges in three separate corruption cases - and achieve personal gains at the expense of the region's stability. As for the US, despite its enormous military power, it is facing a decisive moment, between adopting a deliberate policy of deterrence or being drawn into an open conflict that could cost it dearly, especially in light of the deployment of its military bases in the region surrounding Iran. Iran, already exhausted by Western sanctions and accumulated economic pressures, will be the first to be affected by any war, which threatens to explode the internal situation and widen the circle of popular anger at a time when the country's leadership is facing a double test; maintaining internal cohesion and responding to external threats. A far-right Turkish politician accused of inciting public hatred and hostility went on trial on Wednesday in a case critics view as an effort to suppress opposition to the president. Ümit Özdağ, the leader of the Victory Party, was detained in January over accusations he insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in comments at a party meeting in Antalya. Özdağ was then formally arrested and charged with inciting hatred against migrants. He was blamed for last year's anti-Syrian refugee riots in the central Turkish province of Kayseri, during which hundreds of homes and businesses were attacked. Prosecutors have presented a series of posts from Özdağ's social media as evidence against him. He faces up to four years in prison if found guilty. Meanwhile, the court in Silivri ruled that Özdağ should remain in detention until his next hearing on 17 June. Özdağ, a 64-year-old former academic, is an outspoken critic of Turkey's refugee policies and has previously called for the repatriation of millions of Syrian refugees. Özdağ acknowledged advocating the return of refugees at the opening hearing of his trial at a prison complex on the outskirts of Istanbul. He denied he had incited violence against them and told the court he had worked to calm tensions in Kayseri. In his defence statement, Özdağ maintained that his imprisonment was politically motivated and aimed at silencing him over his criticism of the government's recent effort to end a decades-long conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). "The reason why I am here ... is because I criticised the talks held with the PKK terrorist organisation's chief," Özdağ said. The Victory Party strongly opposes any concessions to the PKK which Turkey, along with many Western states including the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, considers a terrorist organisation. The conflict with the PKK has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths since the 1980s. When the trial opened on Wednesday, Özdağ's lawyers requested more time to prepare and the proceedings were adjourned until next Tuesday. The politician's trial comes amid a widespread crackdown on the opposition to Erdoğan's Justice and Development or AK party. Officials from municipalities controlled by the main opposition, the Republican People's Party (CHP), have faced waves of arrests this year. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained in March over allegations of corruption. İmamoğlu was due in court on Thursday morning to face charges of attempting to influence a witness and attempting to interfere with a trial, but neither he nor his lawyers attended the session. The court rescheduled the trial date for 26 September. Many people in Turkey consider those cases to be politically motivated, according to opinion polls. However, Erdoğan's government insists the courts are impartial and free from political involvement. İmamoğlu is widely viewed as the main challenger to Erdoğan's two-decade rule and is the CHP's candidate for the next presidential election. The election is due in 2028 but could be held earlier.
Euronews
7 hours ago
- Euronews
How can the EU respond to companies moving their production elsewhere?
German BSH Domestic Appliances group, which owns the Siemens and Bosch brands, has announced the forthcoming closure of a factory in Esquíroz in the north of Spain. More than 650 local jobs are likely to be lost, and production could be relocated to Poland or Turkey. "The situation is really very worrying. This was a company that had proved to be sustainable, a company that had a product that provided services to the rest of Europe and also to Spain, because 80% of the products that came out of this company were then marketed in Spain," Spanish MEP Estrella Galán said. "And now the company has decided to close because of relocation," she added. This is not an isolated case. Relocations are also under way at Audi, Volkswagen and ArcelorMittal. Some MEPs would like the European Parliament to take action to combat deindustrialisation and support the re-industrialisation of Europe, at a time when geopolitical uncertainties are undermining businesses. "We have political instability, we have high energy prices, we have economic uncertainty, we have Donald Trump's tariff war," Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, another Spanish MEP for Renew Europe, told Euronews. "In this case, we have a lack of strategic autonomy. These companies are looking for lower labour costs, they are looking for access to raw materials", Agirregoitia Martínez explained. She recommends simplifying the regulatory and tax framework to support production, innovation and competitiveness in Europe. For her part, Galán is calling for the 25-year-old European directive on collective redundancies to be updated to bring it into line with the "new realities of the labour market". "Within the European Union, we cannot compete between states on the basis of the wage levels that exist in one member state or another," she told Euronews. "It is therefore necessary to reform this directive on collective redundancies and prevent social dumping from being a threat to all workers in the European Union", she adds. Between 2018 and 2020, 72% of French companies that relocated did so in Europe, according to the French national statistics institute (INSEE). The 21-year-old gunman who went to his former school in Graz on Tuesday and shot 10 people dead and injured a further 11 had carefully planned his rampage in advance. That's according to a statement by the public prosecutor's office and the police at a press conference on Thursday. During a search of his house, investigators found a non-functional pipe bomb, notes and plans. According to police, the pipe bomb contained all the components. His notes express regret that he did not have time to properly finalise his plans. A farewell letter was also among the items found, but according to investigators, it does not provide any further information about the perpetrator's motive and reads more like an apology to his family. Investigators also revealed that the young man, who lived with his mother, had lived a secluded life. He was reportedly introverted, withdrew mainly into the virtual world where his main social contact came from and played first-person shooter games. Three years ago, he dropped out of school without graduating. The 21-year-old had no criminal record. Michael Lohnegger, the head of the Styrian state police, explained that the perpetrator entered the school on Tuesday at 9:43 am. He was carrying a rucksack containing a Glock 19 pistol, a sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun and ammunition. He went to the school toilet on the third floor, put on a gun belt, shooting glasses and a headset. There were 400 pupils in the school at the time. The gunman, then heavily armed, went to the second floor and shot indiscriminately at people there and at 10:07 am went back to the third floor toilet where he shot himself. The first police patrol arrived at the school at 10:06 am, by which time the rampage was over and the gunman already dead. Investigators assume that the 21-year-old did not know the young people he shot, although the teacher who was killed had taught at the school at the time the gunman was a pupil there. The police investigation is still ongoing, with a laptop and a USB stick still to be analysed. So far, there are no concrete clues as to the motive for the shooting.
