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Europe Decoded

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Fact check: Is the EU planning to censor access to the internet?

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Is shipping to the EU now more expensive for consumers?

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Viral fake AI-image shows Macron kneeling before Thai king

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AI images falsely claim Kyiv monastery strike was staged

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What's behind the viral claims of child trafficking on Vinted?

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Self-styled 'experts' increasingly influencing opinion on social media

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Does the UK really have the highest prime minister turnover in Europe?

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Air con or not? The facts behind the politicised battle to stay cool

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Fact check: Were you fooled by these fake World Cup images?

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The truth behind the viral video of a drone interceptor

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EU proposes tax overhaul to cut business costs by €8 billion a year

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Meloni-Trump spat: What do the polls say about Meloni's popularity?

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10 years of Brexit: Which campaign claims have come true?

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Can EU countries restrict or ban Israeli settlement imports?

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Misinformation targets Trump and European leaders at G7

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An influencer and a bishop among EU-sanctioned pro-Russian actors

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Fact check: Is the EU fining member states that don't accept migrants?

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Do pricey World Cup 2026 tickets reflect the market, as FIFA says?

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Viral Dua Lipa wedding photos were AI-generated

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Can French prosecutors review 70,000 child abuse cases in five weeks?

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No, Mbappé hasn't made sexual harassment allegations against Macron

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Amid widespread protests, Albanian island project sparks fake claims

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Uncensored AI: The chatbot spreading conspiracies about Europe

As more people turn to AI to help them verify information, an "alternative" AI chatbot is actively being used by conservative influencers to spread disinformation.

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Misinformation around Henry Nowak murder sends police into hiding

Police officers forced into hiding, manipulated images and disputed claims about the weapon used to murder 18-year-old student Henry Nowak are all part of a wave of misinformation surrounding the case.

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How Iran-linked accounts faked Irish, Scottish profiles to sway public

Researchers say that social media accounts affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps posed as Scottish and Irish nationals in order to cultivate their following, before switching their narrative to spread pro-Iranian discourse online.

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Misleading videos flood social media following Champions League final

Amid real images of violent celebrations in Paris following PSG's victory against Arsenal, many misleading and miscaptioned images have also emerged to push an anti-immigration narrative.

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Climate experts say heatwave misinformation is fuelling online abuse

Misleading claims about Europe's record heatwave in May have followed familiar climate-change denial narratives, as scientists say that misinformation can help fuel online hostility.

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Monetisation still available to EU-sanctioned figures on social media

Researchers from the Dutch non-profit WHAT TO FIX found monetisation tools were still active on social media accounts linked to three individuals sanctioned by the EU over pro-Russian interference activities. Several accounts have since been removed.

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Did the EU-Mercosur deal allow contaminated coffee into Europe?

Posts by French and Polish politicians have falsely connected a rejected shipment of Brazilian coffee to the EU-Mercosur trade deal.

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Fact check: Viral hantavirus map does not show confirmed cases

A map circulating online has been used to falsely suggest that the hantavirus is spreading rapidly in Europe, but its creator says it was intended to track news coverage.

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Viral posts distort Kaja Kallas’ remarks on China and Russia

Online posts have taken Kallas’ comments on China out of context.

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Can France's Canal+ legally blacklist stars for criticising owner?

In response to a petition signed by French film professionals protesting against the ever-growing hold of conservative businessman Vincent Bolloré on France's media industry, the group's CEO threatened to blacklist them. But is such a threat legal and could it undermine freedom of speech?

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Fact-check: 'Claqueurs' not paid to back Merkel at European Parliament

Some MEPs and online users claimed that guests who attended and applauded former German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a ceremony at the European Parliament were staged attendees. They weren’t.

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No, the US hasn't announced a total withdrawal of troops from Europe

Amid real reports of the US scaling back its military presence in European countries, there are also false claims that Washington is removing the entirety of its personnel from the continent.

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A large scale disinformation campaign is targeting Armenia's election

For several months, Armenia has been the target of a wide-ranging Russian disinformation campaign ahead of its parliamentary elections in early June. Researchers say the operation is among the most extensive in recent years. The Cube examines how and why false claims have been circulating.

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Viral posts falsely claim Eurovision winner was secretly bought

Posts claiming that the infamous pan-European music competition was rigged gained significant traction online, amidst wider scrutiny about the contest's voting rules and promotional campaigns.

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MEP and far-right influencers barred from UK rally: What's the reason?

The UK government barred seven individuals from entering the UK, stating that their presence is "not conducive to the public good". But on what grounds and what does this decision mean in practice?

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Fact check: Is the EU about to restrict the use of VPNs?

Claims that the EU could restrict the use of VPNs have spread widely online in recent weeks, prompting concerns among some users about digital freedoms and online privacy. However, they seem to have stemmed from a misunderstanding.

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Deepfake Meloni clips distort relations between Italy and Israel

Several viral deepfake clips have spread online with misleading claims about Italy’s relationship with Israel.

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From 'staged' to Israel: Hantavirus misinformation runs rampant online

Misinformation about hantavirus has run rampant on social media, with online users reviving viral COVID-19 theories to spread fake news about the outbreak.

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Why are Russian embassy antennas raising concerns in Europe?

Austria recently expelled three Russian diplomats over alleged espionage activities in Vienna. Researchers, journalists and former intelligence officials say that antenna systems on Russian diplomatic buildings could be the source of the worry.

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Has Amsterdam banned meat adverts to avoid offending Muslims?

The Dutch capital recently banned adverts depicting meat products, with European far-right figures claiming the reason behind the move is to appease Muslims. The Cube uncovers the truth behind the measure.

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False images link Leipzig attack suspect to Antifa and AfD

Doctored images and videos of unrelated protests have circulated online after a deadly car attack in Leipzig, falsely suggesting the suspect was linked to Antifa or the AfD.

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Right-wing broadcaster shares fake magazine cover of French politician

Political commentators mocked Yaël Braun-Pivet, president of France’s National Assembly, for featuring on the cover of tabloid magazine "Closer" on 4 May, except that the image was made by AI.

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Can US law stop Trump from withdrawing troops from Europe?

A 2026 US defence law does not prevent troop withdrawals from Europe, but imposes consultations and justifications for major cuts that make such a move more difficult.

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No, the Netherlands didn't 'legalise illegal migration'

The Dutch Senate recently rejected a hardline asylum bill, which some are interpreting as overruling the notion that irregular migrants are "illegal" in the eyes of the law.

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No, Spain isn't handing out thousands of euros to regularised migrants

Madrid's regularisation programme has been a breeding ground for misinformation ever since it was announced earlier this year.

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Debunking claims Ukraine ambassador stole wine at WHCD shooting

Social media users have misleadingly claimed that viral footage shows Ukraine's ambassador to the US stealing bottles of champagne from vacant tables, amid the chaos following the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

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Crans-Montana fire: Who covers victims’ medical costs?

After the deadly New Year’s Eve fire in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, tensions are rising after Switzerland sent invoices to the victims' families. What’s behind the bills?

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Conspiracies abound after White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting

US President Donald Trump is no stranger to theories alleging that attempts on his life are false flag operations.

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What do we know about claims of Iranian protesters facing execution?

US President Donald Trump claims he helped save these eight Iranian female protesters from execution, whilst social media users claim the image is AI-generated. What do we know about the women pictured?

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Can migrants legalised by Spain settle in other EU countries?

Under Sánchez's programme, undocumented migrants who have lived in Spain for at least five months can apply for a one-year temporary residence permit, which has opened the door to disinformation.

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Does Zelenskyy have a stolen painting in his office?

Claims circulating online suggest Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is displaying a stolen piece of art in his office. But analysis of the footage and its origins shows the allegation is false and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.

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Winning Hungary's election hasn't stopped false claims about Magyar

Misleading posts misrepresent the Hungarian prime minister-elect by using old clips out of context.

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Deepfakes of frontline Ukrainian soldiers aim to undermine morale

Moscow is using AI-generated videos of Ukrainian soldiers to portray the country as weak and undermine trust in its central command.

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What do we know about the ABINSK ship, and why wasn't it stopped?

The ship recently docked at an Israeli port and is en route to Turkey despite allegations it is carrying wheat from Russian-occupied Ukraine.

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Fake footage allegedly shows Zelenskyy-Epstein friendship

The Ukrainian president is a key target of disinformation narratives, with many online users pushing false claims of links between Jeffrey Epstein and other Western leaders.

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Did Apple remove Lebanon’s villages from its maps?

Claims that the US tech giant, Apple, intentionally erased settlement names in southern Lebanon recently went viral. The tech giant says they were never included.

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Bulgaria prepares for disinformation ahead of snap elections

Disinformation researchers warn that Bulgaria has "one of the most permissive information environments" for non-democratic malign manipulation within Europe.

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Does a video show Israeli soldiers pushing bodies from a rooftop?

Footage appearing to show Israeli soldiers handling bodies on a rooftop in the West Bank has gone viral, amassing millions of views. However, the video is old and dates back to September 2024.

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No, the EU hasn't set up a UK harmonisation office in Brussels

It's true that the UK is seeking closer ties with the EU, almost 10 years after the Brexit referendum, but certain claims about how they intend to realign are false.

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Russian propaganda unit targets Hungary’s elections

A fabricated claim that Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar plans to reintroduce mandatory military conscription is spreading online, with researchers linking it to Storm-1516, a well-established Russian disinformation campaign targeting elections across Europe.

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Fact-checking JD Vance's claims that Brussels is 'harming Hungary'

Is Brussels crippling the Hungarian economy and making Budapest less energy independent? JD Vance’s speech in Budapest makes several misleading claims.

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Orbán's Fidesz bypassing Meta's advertising rules, researchers warn

Meta blocked political advertisements on Facebook and Instagram in October, but misinformation researchers warn that the ban has pushed political ads by Orbán's Fidesz underground.

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Old Paris riot footage resurfaces under fake claims

The video has reemerged online in recent days, but it actually shows riots that took place in December 2022, in the aftermath of a fatal shooting against Paris' Kurdish community.

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Why did Italy deny US bombers access to an Italian airbase?

Claims circulating online suggest Italy denied US military aircraft access to the Sigonella base in Sicily for political reasons linked to the war in Iran. However, official statements and reporting from multiple sources indicate the situation is more procedural than political.

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