Latest news with #BILD
Mint
07-08-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Is Gaza really starving to death? Israeli President slams Hamas' ‘lies' amid German media ‘expose'
Israeli President Isaac Herzog called out what he described as Hamas-led "staging efforts", citing recent investigative reports from leading German newspapers that revealed "fake" images from hunger-stricken Gaza. During a visit to Tallinn on Wednesday, Isaac Herzog held up two photos: one of Israeli hostage Eviatar David; and another of Rom Breslavsky, who appeared in a recent Hamas video. Herzog juxtaposed these with a now-controversial image from Gaza showing Palestinians holding empty pots in front of a food distribution center. He also showed a photograph wherein a photographer could be seen, what he said, "staging Gaza people to show that they are lacking food while there is food there behind them. This is a staging effort." "I highlighted the hypocrisy of Hamas' lies," Herzog said in a post on X. "I showed proof of Hamas' PR campaign, with a recently published staged photo of Gazans with empty food pots," he added. He accused the United Nations of "holding hundreds of trucks which it is failing to distribute." Herzog urged the international community to resist falling for such distortions. "We do not deny the humanitarian need in Gaza," he said, "but we ask the world not to fall for Hamas' lies. Condemn Hamas and tell them: You want to move forward? Release the hostages." He emphasized that Israel has drastically increased its humanitarian aid efforts, saying, 'In the last week alone, we've brought in 30,000 tons of aid -- 30 tons by air yesterday alone. The UN has almost 800 trucks they could distribute — and failed to do so. So a lot could have been done.' Isaac Herzog's remarks follow revelations from the Suddeutsche Zeitung, which published an "expose" showing how Hamas uses staged imagery to sway international opinion. There has been significant media attention over the last few days regarding reports by two German-language papers - BILD and Süddeutsche Zeitung - that accuse Gaza-based press photographers of staging photos of starving civilians. They highlighted "The issue of staged photos or photos taken out of context came," the Jerusalem Post reported. The BILD report focused on a widely circulated photo of desperate Gazan women and children empty holding pots and pans. According to the investigation, professional photographers -- some working with international news agencies -- were found directing civilians to pose with empty pots and in fabricated scenarios meant to convey starvation. "At least some of the images were presented in a false or misleading context," the paper concluded. One such photographer, identified by Bild as Anas Zayed Fatiyeh, was hired by Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency. The manipulation of war photography triggered alarm within Germany's press circles. The German Journalists' Association (DJV) issued a statement warning of "manipulation attempts through professionally produced press photography." DJV Chair Mika Beuster noted that "all parties involved in this war -- including media and intelligence services -- are using the power of imagery like never before to shape public perception." A historian and visual documentation expert interviewed by Suddeutsche Zeitung added that while not all such images are outright fakes, they are often "positioned a certain way or paired with misleading captions that tap into our visual memory and emotions." (With inputs from agencies)
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gaza aid distribution site photos are staged for emotional effect, German media claims
The BILD report focuses on a widely circulated photo of desperate Gazan women and children holding pots and pans in front of a food distribution site. There has been significant media attention over the last few days regarding reports by two German-language papers - BILD and Süddeutsche Zeitung - that accuse Gaza-based press photographers of staging photos of starving civilians. The issue of staged photos or photos taken out of context came to a head at the end of July when the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said that a picture of a Gazan youth being portrayed as starving is actually suffering from a genetic disease. TheBILD report focuses on a widely circulated photo of desperate Gazan women and children holding pots and pans in front of a food distribution site. Except photos taken by others at the same site show that the hoard is actually standing opposite freelance photographer Anas Zayed Fteiha, commissioned by the Turkish news agency Anadolu, BILD argues. The pots and pans are not being held up to the food distribution site, but the photographer, which Bild claims is staging for means of propaganda. Undistributed photos show Gazans calmly receiving aid Additionally, BILD adds that his photos at the Gaza aid distribution site show mainly women and children, but that other photos at the same site show mostly adult men calmly waiting for and receiving food. Fteiha did not distribute these ones. "I assume that many of these pictures with starving and sick children are simply staged or come from other contexts," emeritus history professor and photography expert Gerhard Paul told SZ. Paul, who has been researching images from Israel and Gaza for 25 years, said the photos are not fake, but "people are presented in a certain way or provided with a falsifying caption to mobilize our visual memory and emotions." Paul told SZ that he and his students at the University of Flensburg recreated the scenes from images of various wars in three dimensions in order to understand the situation depicted, which is often not easy to understand from the two-dimensional image. "Where is the photographer? Who is standing around him?" he asks. "What do the people depicted in the picture see? Do they see what we suspect, for example a food distribution? Or are they facing photographers?" "The images also have an additional function," Paul explained. "They are intended to overwrite the brutal images of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Many people don't even remember these pictures. Hamas is a master at staging images." However, he stressed that the journalists and photographers in Gaza are in a dangerous position, and due to their proximity to Hamas terrorists, cannot move freely. "Little bypasses Hamas," Christopher Resch of Reporters Without Borders told SZ. Resch also told SZ that the concept of photographers staging photos is not unique to Gaza, and is not necessarily problematic. "I don't think it's reprehensible when a photographer instructs people to stand here and there with their pots," he said. "As long as it approximates reality." Nevertheless, BILD's report stressed that the photographer in question - Fteiha - is not exactly unbiased in his photojournalism. He posts videos to social media saying "f*** Israel" and works for a news agency that speaks directly to the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who has had ties to Hamas. As a result of the investigation, the German Press Agency and Agence France Press told BILD that they will no longer work Fteiha and would carefully check the pictures of other photo reporters as well, whereas Reuters says his photos "meet the standards of accuracy, independence and impartiality." "Despite his bias, his photos are published by major outlets like CNN, BBC, and Reuters," Israel's foreign ministry seethed in its response to the two reports. "With Hamas controlling nearly all media in Gaza, these photographers aren't reporting, they're producing propaganda." "This investigation underscores how Pallywood has gone mainstream with staged images and ideological bias shaping international coverage, while the suffering of Israeli hostages and Hamas atrocities are pushed out of frame," the ministry concluded. The Jerusalem Post watched the video taken from the aid destruction site a few days ago, shared by Al Jazeera Arabic. It is worth noting that the same setting of the women and children with pots and pans is seen in the video, and they are receiving food, so it is possible that the photo by Fteiha was taken before the aid workers arrived. Solve the daily Crossword
CBC
01-08-2025
- Business
- CBC
Some Edmonton builders see up to 20% cost increases as tariff war continues
Social Sharing Construction experts say it's too soon to say how swiftly Edmonton's industry will be hit as U.S. President Donald Trump unveils a new set of tariffs — but some builders say they've had to deal with sharp increases of up to 20 per cent on supplies. "Since the tariffs and the announcements came out, we have been seeing lots of uncertainty," Issam Saleh, owner of Edmonton-based Vivid Homes, told CBC on Friday. "Our customers that we've been working with, they have been extremely cautious in terms of closing a deal." Trump signed an executive order on Thursday boosting tariffs from 25 per cent to 35 per cent on Canadian goods that don't comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). "Our prices have escalated and increased, I would say, about 20 per cent," Saleh said, adding that sales have been impacted. "And then every time we go back to the customers about these prices, it just sends another negative vibe for them to close the deal. Scott Fash, CEO for Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) Alberta, said the situation is multifaceted and that costs may arise as a result of Canada's response to the U.S. imposing tariffs. "It's not the U.S. tariffs that impact the cost of housing. It's the Canadian tariffs that we put on in response to the U.S. tariffs. So us putting tariffs on a whole bunch of the U.S. products that we purchased to then build a home," Fash said. "That's where we're going to potentially see the impacts on housing costs, and in Canada and Alberta." Fash said much of the impact is from things like washers, dryers, stoves, HVAC systems and plumbing. Close to 70 per cent of the gypsum used to make drywall is also imported from the U.S. Fash said the federal government will need to be mindful on how it carves out exemptions for construction input costs. "Knowing we need to respond, but … selective in a way that's not going to hurt the person trying to buy a house." For some like Charles St-Arnaud, chief economist at Alberta Central, the central banking facility and trade association for. Alberta's credit unions, the overarching impact may not be as bad as it seems. "As more and more businesses do the paperwork and the heavy lifting to get their CUSMA compliance certificate .... the share of our exports that are submitted to tariffs will continue to to move lower," St-Arnaud said. However, St-Arnaud said tariffs still don't bode well for the construction industry. "The impact will be mainly on increased construction costs, in an area where already we're dealing with affordability issues, is not helping to provide a cheaper supply on the market." Long-term impacts Edmonton commercial contractor Jen Hancock with the Alberta Construction Association is optimistic about the long-term impacts of the tariffs. "With all the uncertainty, you see people hedging bets, raising prices, just little bits and pieces here and there, but that starts to layer on top of each other, projects become more expensive," Hancock told CBC. "Companies aren't going to lower their price, if they've been hedging their bets around tariffs, if they can get that money. So the uncertainty that's being created in the market right now is actually probably permanently raising construction costs, which isn't great for owners and it's not great for companies."
7NEWS
28-07-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Audi says it needs to 'get back on track', and a sports car will help it
Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. 'I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now,' said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. 'We've needed the last two years to clean up.' An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that 'Audi is our crisis case' and calling its current models 'okay – average'. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more 'clarity' in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an 'identity builder' that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also 'a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between'. Mr Döllner even said, 'I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment,' referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: 'Audi must become a different company.' Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: 'I think we're passing the low point.'
Perth Now
28-07-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Audi says it needs to 'get back on track', and a sports car will help it
Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. 'I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now,' said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. 'We've needed the last two years to clean up.' An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that 'Audi is our crisis case' and calling its current models 'okay – average'. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more 'clarity' in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an 'identity builder' that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also 'a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between'. Mr Döllner even said, 'I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment,' referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: 'Audi must become a different company.' Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. Supplied Credit: CarExpert China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: 'I think we're passing the low point.' MORE: Everything Audi
