World

After the Bondi Beach attack on Sydney’s Jewish community, a blizzard of false claims and conspiracy theories raced across social media—many amplified by AI systems positioned as authoritative sources. An examination by the European Broadcasting Union’s Spotlight Network shows how misinformation eclipsed verified reporting in the crucial first hours, sowing confusion about what happened, who was involved and even whether the attack was real. On Sunday, Dec. 14, two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi…

‘Ground zero’ for aid cuts: Rohingya children in Cox’s Bazar face hunger, lost schooling as funding collapses At a nutrition center in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, a seven-month-old girl named Ahshiya clings to life. She weighs just 4.7 kilograms—little more than an average one-month-old. Her mother, 21-year-old Sajida Begum, fled Myanmar after soldiers attacked her village and burned their home. Now, inside the world’s largest refugee camp, she is battling HIV, diabetes and dengue fever while trying to keep her daughter fed.…

The M23 armed group said it will withdraw from the strategic eastern Congolese city of Uvira at the request of U.S. mediators, a move that could ease immediate tensions after its rapid advance last week cast doubt on a newly signed peace deal between the governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The Rwanda-backed militia announced it “will unilaterally withdraw its forces from the city of Uvira, as requested by the U.S. mediators,” according to a statement signed by its coordinator, Corneil Nangaa. The…

BERLIN — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said talks in Berlin with envoys for U.S. President Donald Trump were “not easy” but delivered “real progress” on security guarantees that could underpin a path to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Meeting for a second day with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Zelensky said the discussions were “productive” and “detailed,” while acknowledging that “we still have different positions” on core issues, including territory. Kyiv’s…

Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion (€8.5 billion) lawsuit against the BBC, alleging the broadcaster defamed him by editing his 2021 speech to supporters ahead of the U.S. Capitol riot and violating Florida consumer protection law. The complaint, filed in federal court in Miami, seeks damages “in an amount not less than $5,000,000,000” for each of two counts: defamation and violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. Trump previously signaled the suit was imminent, accusing the BBC of having “put…

Sydney’s Bondi Beach was quiet and grieving as investigators on Monday said the two alleged gunmen who opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration were likely inspired by the Islamic State group and had recently traveled to the Philippines. The attack killed 15 people in Australia’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years and is being investigated as an act of terrorism targeting the Jewish community, police said. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said early evidence points to a father-and-son team who “aligned…

Bondi Beach Hanukkah shooting probed as terror attack; Israel’s envoy urges protection for Jewish Australians SYDNEY — Dozens queued along Sydney’s Bondi Beach to lay flowers and light candles for the victims of the weekend’s Hanukkah festival shooting, as Australia opened a terrorism investigation and Israel’s ambassador called for stronger protection of the country’s Jewish community. Police said 16 people were dead, including one of the alleged gunmen, after two attackers opened fire on Sunday in Australia’s worst mass…

Fifteen people, including a 10-year-old girl, were killed in the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney, which police have declared a terrorist incident targeting a Hanukkah celebration. Authorities said the shooting, believed to have been carried out by a father and son, struck on the first day of the Jewish festival of lights and left a cross-section of the city’s communities in mourning. Police said the victims ranged in age from 10 to 87. Another 42 people, including four children, were taken to hospitals across Sydney, according…

France and Italy are pushing to delay a final European Union vote on the Mercosur trade agreement, a last-minute intervention that threatens to derail a pact 25 years in the making and billed as the EU’s largest deal by tariff relief. The move comes days before European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is due in Brazil to sign the agreement with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, and amid heightened pressure on the bloc to show unity. Supporters say the EU-Mercosur deal would diversify European trade away from…

Australia defended its record on combating anti-Semitism after an attack that drew national attention, saying it has robust laws and community protections in place as police investigate the incident. Officials condemned the violence and said authorities are working with community leaders to reassure the public and gather information. Law enforcement agencies did not immediately release details about the motive, injuries or suspects, and urged anyone with relevant information to come forward. The government pointed to…