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The Latest Breaking News from FRANCE 24 Observers

What happens when AI generates fake historical photos

Social media users in recent weeks have been circulating an old-timey photo of men standing next to a giant horse. While the photo looks like it came from a bygone era, it was actually generated by artificial intelligence. It is just one of a number of AI-generated images that have…

France 24

These three videos have nothing to do with the clashes in Sudan

Fighting between the army and paramilitary forces has wracked Sudan since April 15, resulting in civilian casualties due to bombings, gunfire, and other forms of deadly violence. In the midst of this crisis, various social media posts are claiming to document events in Sudan using videos as evidence. However, some…

France 24

In Khartoum, corpses litter the streets: ‘The fighting keeps residents from burying them’

The capital of Sudan, Khartoum, has been embroiled in violent clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support forces (RSF) since April 15, leading to scores of casualties. Images received by the FRANCE 24 Observers team show lifeless bodies littering the streets of the city. Our Observer, a…

France 24

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Iran’s hijab war continues with business shutdowns and surveillance cameras

In a new move that some Iranians are calling “religious apartheid”, authorities are refusing services and imposing fines on women who refuse to wear the Islamic headscarf. Iran’s newly appointed police chief has even announced that surveillance cameras and artificial intelligence will be used to detect women without hijabs and…

France 24

‘Bring me his head’: The frightening Twitter hunt for a Saudi dissident in exile

When a former colonel in the Saudi police force, now seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, took to TikTok in mid-March to explain live why he had left the police, internet vigilantes immediately put a price on his head. In the time since, a horde of Twitter accounts has been…

France 24

MH370: Why these two videos don't show what happened to the lost plane

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, prompting a widespread search effort and global concern. In the wake of the tragedy, a number of theories began surfacing online, as people tried to explain the mysterious disappearance. After the release of a new Netflix documentary on the topic in…

France 24

How 'apolitical' Western Youtubers help push Syrian propaganda

Their videos get huge amounts of clicks and profits on YouTube. And their vlogs show a Syria that has turned the page on years of civil war. But these so-called "apolitical" travel influencers are shown around the country by regime-sponsored guides that shape the narrative. One guide who appears in…

France 24

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Poison attacks hit at least 26 Iranian girls' schools in a single day

Iranian officials have said they are investigating the mysterious poisonings of schoolgirls around the country over the past three months. One official has blamed the attacks on unspecified groups opposed to education for girls, but many Iranians believe that the state is itself behind these “chemical attacks”, to intimidate women…

France 24

How one year of disinformation has shaped the narrative of the Ukraine war online

On February 24, 2022, Russia began a full-scale invasion into Ukraine, triggering a war on the ground, but also an information war online. Since then, the FRANCE 24 Observers team has debunked 115 pieces of misinformation that have been shared in photos or videos online. But what are the main…

France 24

‘I never wear a headscarf anymore’: Iranian women continue to defy Islamic regime

In Iran, women are daring to go out without their headscarves in public places, streets, cafes, banks and even airports. For five months, thousands of Iranians have been pouring into the streets to protest against the Islamic regime. While the protests have waned in recent weeks, Iranians – especially women…

France 24

Syrian hospitals overwhelmed with injured after quake: ‘They can't take any more’

Medical personnel and rescue workers have been stretched to their limits after a devastating earthquake hit southern Turkey and northwestern Syria in the early morning of February 6. Opposition-controlled northern Syria has been particularly affected, and doctors report a shortage of medical facilities to treat the injured. The FRANCE 24…

France 24

'There's no one to help us': Syria's rebel-controlled zones in ruins after devastating earthquake

Entire neighbourhoods and villages in northwestern Syria were destroyed after a violent earthquake the morning of February 6 hit Turkey near the border. In between internet outages, several of our Observers in opposition-controlled areas of Syria told us of the heartbreaking scenes as rescue workers struggle to keep up.

France 24

From bus driver to Russian soldier: The journey of an imprisoned Ivorian recruited by Wagner Group

A video posted in early January 2023 showed the leader of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner with a mercenary who was described as Ivorian. By analysing posts shared on social networks and talking to people who knew him at different times in his life, the FRANCE 24 Observers team managed…

France 24

Gas shortage renders Iran’s air quality ‘unbreathable’ due to mazut pollution

In Iran, most households rely on natural gas for their heating and hot water. But amid a cold snap and gas shortages, the population has been paralysed by sub-zero temperatures in many regions around the country. These gas shortages have not only led to widespread power cuts, but also severe…

France 24

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France 24

India: Mob attacks church in a wave of anti-Christian violence

On January 2, a crowd wielding batons descended on a Catholic church in a village in central India. They destroyed the church and even struck police officers who tried to control the enraged mob. The incident was just one of the most recent examples of violence perpetrated against India’s minority…

France 24

'The explosion triggered this nostalgia': Instagram archive documents Lebanon’s rich fashion history

From professional fashion photography to family snapshots, the Instagram account “Lebanese Fashion History” documents Lebanese life via images of the fashion and social upheaval of the late 20th century. Its creator, an Australian fashion designer with Lebanese roots, told the FRANCE 24 Observers team what inspired him to create the…

France 24

Why are fake covers of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo circulating in Russia?

There have been at least six fake covers of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo circulating online, especially on Russian Telegram channels, over the past six months. And Charlie Hebdo isn’t the only magazine targeted – fake covers of numerous international media outlets have also been circulating online since the start…

France 24

‘What they’re doing is called distraction’: Chinese spam dilutes Twitter feeds on protests

As protests spread across China over the country’s tight anti-Covid restrictions, Twitter users searching for information on the affected cities were instead flooded with provocative tweets showing young women in suggestive poses advertising “dating” services.

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France 24

How EU-made shotgun cartridges are being used to repress protests in Iran

An investigation by the FRANCE 24 Observers team has found evidence that shotgun cartridges manufactured by French-Italian manufacturer Cheddite have been used in the repression of protests in Iran. Shotgun cartridges using Cheddite components have been widely used for hunting purposes in Iran since at least 2011, an apparent violation…

France 24

Haiti: In the grip of gangs

More than 150 gangs are active in Haiti, where they impose their law on a powerless state. Most of them are located in the capital Port-au-Prince, which they largely control. Massacres, stray bullets, kidnappings: everyday Haitians are the first victims of their violence. FRANCE 24's Observers investigated their abuses in…

France 24

Investigation: How Iran’s security forces are shooting to kill with ‘non-combat’ shotgun shells

“If you shoot at close range, you can kill.” In a rare interview, a member of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force told the FRANCE 24 Observers team that members of his unit were firing shotguns at protesters’ chests and heads, aiming to kill them. While shotguns firing special ammunition can be…

France 24

Alabama inmates go on strike to protest ‘deplorable’ conditions, unpaid labour

Guards asleep on duty, meagre meals and cells covered in filth: incarcerated people across the southern US state of Alabama have refused to work since September 26 in protest against shocking conditions in overcrowded facilities, including violence, neglect and poor hygiene. The strike has brought prisons, which depend on and…

France 24

Gabon: The high cost of 'low-cost' oil

Puddles of oil in the forests, polluted lagoons, crabs covered in oil: with photos and videos, activists have been denouncing recurrent pollution in western Gabon. In three years, they have recorded ten polluted sites in the Etimboué region, all of them located near the oil fields belonging to the Franco-British…

France 24

Your guide to geolocating photos and videos posted online

Determining whether a scene actually took place where a social media user said it did – also known as geolocation – has become a major part of verifying social media posts. In this article, we take a look at some essential geolocation tools and walk you through a few case…

France 24

Video: Afghan woman cries for help after torture, forced marriage to Taliban official

A young woman cries and pleads for her life. In a 19-minute video published by Afghan media on August 30, a former medical student named Elaha showed images she says came from being beaten, raped and tortured by Saeed Khosty, a former Taliban official, during the past six months. She…

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