AI-driven digital manipulation ‘tested’ Dutch election integrity, researchers warn

There was intense digital interference during last year's Dutch parliamentary elections, with generative AI political content playing an increasing role and producing vast engagement, according to the Dutch Hybrid Election Integrity Observatory. [Continue Reading]

Argentine farmers look forward to the EU and Mercosur agreement

EU and Mercosur are set to sign a long-awaited free trade deal in Paraguay on Saturday, creating a vast tariff-cutting zone linking Europe and South America. Argentine exporters say they’ll save tens of millions yearly as a 20% EU meat-import tariff is immediately removed. [Continue Reading]

'Cautiously optimistic' or 'no progress'? - players divided on Slam demands

As players demand greater reward from the Grand Slams, some are optimistic about progress. Others are not so sure. [Continue Reading]

South Korean church’s ‘special force’ targets young Australians amid crackdown at home

A controversial church facing possible disbandment over religious-political collusion in South Korea is aggressively expanding its presence across Australia by targeting young people at universities and shopping centres, according to a former member who has accused the group of weaponising fear to shield it from criticism. The Shincheonji Church of Jesus, founded in 1984 by Lee Man-hee, who claims to be the second coming of Jesus Christ, has an estimated 200,000 followers in the East Asian... [Continue Reading]

Taiwan and US seal deal to lower tariffs, boost chip investment

Washington seeks improved access to strategic chip industry of island nation, over which China claims sovereignty. [Continue Reading]

Sydney awaits ‘soggiest weekend of summer’ as Victorian authorities defend flash flood warnings

Floods predicted for NSW south coast after severe storms dumped 180mm in six hours on Victoria’s Lorne and Wye River, washing cars into the sea on the Great Ocean RoadFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAuthorities have defended the timing of warnings for holidaymakers along Victoria’s surf coast who were hit by an “unprecedented” downpour on Thursday, as Sydney awaited its “soggiest weekend of summer” to date.Weatherzone forecasters predicted 20mm of rainfall was possible in Sydney on both Saturday and Sunday, which would be a record for the... [Continue Reading]

Canada’s Carney hails ‘strategic partnership’ in talks with China’s Xi

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney seeking to reset ties with Beijing amid global tensions and US tariffs. [Continue Reading]

Australia declares child social media ban victory as 4.7m accounts closed

The figures are the first to show the scale of the landmark ban since it was enacted in December. [Continue Reading]

Police shoot dead man armed with bow and arrow in NSW

The incident at Gunnedah near Tamworth is the third fatality involving police in the state this yearGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA man armed with a bow and arrow has been shot dead by police in New South Wales as they carried out a welfare check – the third fatality involving officers this year.Authorities attended the man’s house in Gunnedah near Tamworth on Friday at 1.40pm after receiving a call about concerns for his welfare. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]

China’s 7,000-year-old sunmao woodwork leads to world’s most efficient DNA editing tool

How to beat the United States in gene editing? A research team from Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences had struggled with this question for three years, with no results. Then they decided to draw inspiration from an ancient woodwork tradition and cut DNA like wood. It led to a gene-editing tool with unprecedented efficiency. In the Chinese mortise-and-tenon joint technique known as sunmao, no nails or glue are used. Instead, a protruding “tenon” on one piece fits securely into... [Continue Reading]

TikTok to tighten age checks in Europe

TikTok will start rolling out new age-detection technology across Europe in the coming weeks, it said, as the ByteDance-owned platform faces regulatory pressure to better identify and remove accounts belonging to children under 13. [Continue Reading]

US declares phase two of Gaza ceasefire, but what did phase one deliver?

The US has announced 'phase two' in Gaza, but most phase one points never materialised on the ground. [Continue Reading]

Khamenei regime will not be able to keep control of Iran, says dissenting film-maker

Jafar Panahi, director of Palme d’Or winner It Was Just an Accident, says Iranian leaders want to destroy countryThe Khamenei regime will not be able to maintain control over Iranian society after the violent suppression of the latest wave of protests, one of the country’s leading film-makers has predicted.“It is impossible for this government to sustain itself in this situation,” the director Jafar Panahi told the Guardian. “They know it too. They know that it will be impossible to rule over people. Perhaps their only goal right now is to bring the country to the verge of complete collapse and... [Continue Reading]

Michael Carrick warned that two Man Utd stars will be ‘exposed’ by Man City

'You know they're going to get exposed in one-against-ones.' [Continue Reading]

‘Easy way or hard’: Trump issues new demand for Hamas demilitarisation

US raising pressure on Hamas to disarm as phase 2 of ceasefire deal launches while Israel yet to act on withdrawal, aid. [Continue Reading]

Taiwan Strikes Trade Deal with Trump, Vows More U.S. Chip Factories

The Trump administration agreed to lower tariffs on Taiwanese goods, while Taiwan said it would invest more in U.S. manufacturing. [Continue Reading]

Canada Breaks With U.S. to Slash Tariffs on Some Chinese Electric Vehicles

China will in turn cut its own tariffs on Canadian canola products, Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada said in Beijing on Friday. [Continue Reading]

Malaysia rules 15-year-old fit to stand trial in 2025 school murder of Yap Shing Xuen

The 15-year-old male student accused of murdering his schoolmate at a school in Malaysia’s Selangor state has been declared fit to stand trial, following a psychiatric evaluation. His lawyer, Kitson Foong, informed the press that he conveyed the report’s findings to the Magistrate’s Court during closed-door proceedings on January 16. The court subsequently ruled that the accused is fit to stand trial and enter his defense. According to the lawyer, the psychiatric report also recommended the teen... [Continue Reading]

Minister to meet X representatives to discuss Grok images

Minister of State with responsibility for ArtificiaI Intelligence Niamh Smyth is due to meet representatives of the social media platform X today to discuss its measures to tackle the generation of sexualised images of women and children by its AI chatbot Grok. [Continue Reading]

TikTok to strengthen age-verification technology across EU

Move comes as calls for Australia-style social media ban for under-16s grow around worldTikTok will begin to roll out new age-verification technology across the EU in the coming weeks, as calls for an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s grow in countries including the UK.ByteDance-owned TikTok, and other major platforms popular with young people such as YouTube, are coming under increasing pressure to better identify and remove accounts belonging to children. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]

Hong Kong’s finance chief warns of market volatility, pledges support for families

Hong Kong’s capital market is likely to experience significant fluctuations this year owing to intensifying geopolitical risks, the city’s finance chief has warned, stressing the need for caution in financial management. Six weeks before the government unveils its annual budget, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po pledged to consider whether there is scope to adjust child allowance to encourage more births, after a Post report revealed that Hong Kong’s registered births hit a record low last... [Continue Reading]

Hollyoaks confirms race to save Ste as Lucas takes shocking revenge

The race is on. [Continue Reading]

Watch: Leavitt calls Irish journalist 'left-wing hack'

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called an Irish journalist a "left-wing hack" during a heated exchange at a press briefing yesterday. [Continue Reading]

Traitors fans fume at Faithfuls and say ‘only one deserves to win’

‘The best in the castle.’ [Continue Reading]

Death of Filipino worker in southern NSW referred to AFP

A NSW coroner has referred the death of a young worker to the AFP for further investigation. [Continue Reading]

A Tale of Two Meetings: Trump Chooses Oil Over Democracy

Two conversations this week confirmed that President Trump backs the remnants of Nicolás Maduro’s regime over the Venezuelan opposition seeking to hold elections. [Continue Reading]

Julio Iglesias denies sexual abuse claims of two former female employees

Women allege Spanish singer subjected them ‘to inappropriate touching, insults and humiliation … in atmosphere of control’The Spanish singer Julio Iglesias has broken his silence over allegations that he sexually abused two women who worked in his Caribbean mansions, saying he has never “abused, coerced or disrespected any woman”.The 82-year-old entertainer, whose career spans six decades, had been accused by two female former employees who allege they had been sexually assaulted and subjected “to inappropriate touching, insults and humiliation … in an atmosphere of control and constant harassment”. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]

Photos: Power outages leave people in freezing conditions in Kyiv

People enduring freezing apartments and snow-covered streets due to limited power in Ukraine's war-stricken capital. [Continue Reading]

'Focus on petrol: Trump never talked about democracy nor the Venezuelan people'

François Picard welcomes Venezuelan author Vicente Ulive‑Schnell who offers a thoughtful assessment of recent geopolitical developments in Venezuela, following the US military operation, and the realities of Venezuelans under sustained political repression and economic hardship. As Washington engages with both opposition figures and representatives of the Maduro government, it is questionable at best whether external pressure and shifting international priorities genuinely translate into a path to democracy for the Venezuelan people. [Continue Reading]

Live: Bad blood to boil over as Tszyu takes on Zerafa

Nikita Tszyu and Michael Zerafa are set to end years of bitter rivalry in a hotly anticipated middleweight fight at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, with former NRL hard man Nelson Asofa-Solomona making his boxing debut. Follow live. [Continue Reading]

Ex-South Korean Leader Gets Prison Term in First Ruling Over Martial Law

A court handed down five years in prison to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing multiple trials stemming from his short-lived imposition of martial law. [Continue Reading]

China warns of ‘honey trap’ risks in defence sector after official jailed for espionage

Chinese state security authorities recently warned of “honey trap” risks in the defence and technology sectors, citing a case in which a public official was blackmailed into surrendering state secrets following a trip abroad. A social media account affiliated with the National Administration of State Secrets Protection published an article on Wednesday stating that personnel in the military industry were becoming targets of honey traps by foreign intelligence agencies and provided details of a... [Continue Reading]

'Mental strength therapy' - Joshua returns to gym

British heavyweight Anthony Joshua returns to the gym following the recent car crash which killed two of his close friends and team members. [Continue Reading]

South Korea’s former president found guilty in martial law case

A South ‍Korean court ‍has sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in jail. [Continue Reading]

Japanese and Italian PMs discuss defence and trade in Tokyo on Meloni's birthday

Japan and Italy upgraded their relationship to a special strategic partnership, emphasizing economic and energy security and marking 160 years of diplomatic ties. [Continue Reading]

Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize winner gives her medal to Donald Trump

Trump has made it clear in the past he hopes to receive the award one day. [Continue Reading]

‘He’s literally my baby’: Meet the cat dads in touch with their feline side

Statistics show there are now almost as many male cat owners as female. [Continue Reading]

Why access to Venezuela’s ‘heavy’ oil is ‘tremendous’ news for US refiners

The type of oil held by Venezuela makes it particularly lucrative for US refineries, analysts say. [Continue Reading]

Football : Ligue 1 clubs PSG and Lille look to bounce back after French Cup defeats

Following their disappointing exits from the Coupe de France in round 16, both Paris Saint-Germain and Lille are eager to bounce back in the league. The sports recap of the day with FRANCE 24 journalists and a summary of world sports news, both on and off the field. [Continue Reading]

Hong Kong marathons throughout the years – SCMP archive

The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon attracts tens of thousands of people from all over the world every year but the sporting event had humble beginnings in the city. When Hong Kong held its first international marathon in 1969, there were only 28 participants. In this collection of pictures, we look at how the annual running event has grown throughout the years. [Continue Reading]

Devastated Debbie violently attacked as tensions explode in early Coronation Street ITVX release

Poor Debbie! [Continue Reading]

Emmerdale brings back another character after 6 years in ITVX release as Graham mystery deepens

Graham returned from the dead last week. [Continue Reading]

Rivalries & records - Australian Open key questions

Era-defining rivalries continue and career Grand Slams could be unlocked as the Australian Open starts on Sunday. [Continue Reading]

Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia plan defence pact as US-Iran row threatens Middle East

As tensions between the United States and Iran threaten to plunge the Middle East into chaos again, regional military powers Turkey and Pakistan have revealed they are planning a tripartite defence partnership with Saudi Arabia. Thursday’s disclosure comes as Iran’s neighbours await clarity on US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 25 per cent tariff on the Islamic Republic’s trading partners earlier in the week – a measure which threatens to disrupt supply chains across the region. The... [Continue Reading]

RTÉ's Hurley to take up new job at I-RES REIT

Mari Hurley, who announced she was leaving RTÉ yesterday, is taking up a new job as Chief Financial Officer at Irish Residential Properties REIT, the country's Ireland's largest private residential landlord. [Continue Reading]

Hong Kong government’s cargo-tracking digital platform launched with 2,300 firms

A digital logistics platform developed by the Hong Kong government that offers real-time cargo tracking has been launched, with some 2,300 companies registered with the system. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Friday the new Port Community System would streamline transport data and improve transparency for users. The system integrates sea, land and air data and uses artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology to provide instantaneous cargo tracking services,... [Continue Reading]

Outrage Grows Amid Child Abuse Case and Agricultural Struggles

A recent case of alleged child abuse in Malaysia has ignited significant outrage across social media platforms, drawing attention to the larger issues surrounding child exploitation. A man previously convicted of child abuse has reportedly been arrested again, this time for allegedly forcing his 10-year-old son to shoplift essential items. The incident occurred in Bahau, Negeri Sembilan, where police were informed about the theft after the child was apprehended while attempting to steal a small pack of instant coffee. Investigators have uncovered a disturbing pattern of exploitation involving the child's father, who is accused of coercing his son to steal... [Continue Reading]

Trump threatens to use Insurrection Act in Minnesota: What it means

Trump threatened to invoke the rarely used act if officials failed to quell protests against ICE agents. [Continue Reading]

South Korea’s ex-president Yoon sentenced to 5 years in first of 8 trials over martial law

South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol was on Friday sentenced to five years in prison in the first of eight trials related to charges over his decision to impose martial law at the end of 2024. In one of the trials, Yoon is accused of imposing the law to lead a rebellion. If he is convicted, he could be sentenced to death. [Continue Reading]

Multiple Legal Battles Rage Amid Rising Tensions Over Social Media and Governance

A group of parents, led by mother Ellen Roome from Gloucestershire, is pursuing legal action against TikTok, seeking accountability after the tragic deaths of their children. The lawsuit, initiated in the Superior Court of Delaware, alleges that children including Roome's son, Julian "Jools" Sweeney, participated in a dangerous activity known as the "blackout challenge" promoted on the platform. This challenge reportedly led to their fatalities, raising concerns about TikTok's role in promoting harmful content to children. Roome expressed her hope that the courts would hold TikTok accountable for the adverse effects of its algorithm, which have attracted scrutiny for allegedly... [Continue Reading]