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Tamsin Paternoster

The Cube

World Cup's biggest viral fakes, AI videos and false quotes

From fake clips of Norway's Erling Haaland to fabricated images used to allege that Argentina rigged the tournament, misinformation spread alongside some of the 2026 World Cup’s biggest matches.

The Cube

Fact check: False claims target referee after Egypt World Cup exit

Screenshots of temporary edits to François Letexier's Wikipedia page have been used to support claims that Egypt's match against Argentina was rigged.

The Cube

Fact check: No evidence links HAARP to Europe's recent heatwaves

As Europe experiences another spell of extreme heat, social media users are once again claiming that a US military programme is manipulating the weather and causing the continent's high temperatures. Available evidence does not support the claim.

The Cube

MEPs called for probe into FIFA boss Infantino, not whole parliament

Viral posts falsely claim that the European Parliament called for an investigation into FIFA's President Gianni Infantino.

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The Cube

From AI to greenlash: How is climate disinformation evolving?

Experts say climate disinformation is evolving to increasingly focus on picking apart green policies. In the background, other developments include a surge in AI-generated content of natural disasters.

The Cube

Fake videos exploit Germany's East-West divide before key elections

Researchers say a coordinated influence campaign they suspect to be linked to Moscow is impersonating German media to exploit East-West divisions ahead of Germany's September state elections.

The Cube

AI images falsely claim Kyiv monastery strike was staged

Posts circulating in several languages falsely claim that photographers were waiting on rooftops to capture the moment a strike hit Kyiv’s UNESCO-listed Perchersk Lavra monastery.

The Cube

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

Millions have viewed videos claiming that children are being sold through coded advertisements on the popular second-hand online marketplace Vinted. What's behind the rumours?

The Cube

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

French politicians have drawn ideological battle lines over air conditioning as Europe struggles with record-breaking temperatures. What do experts say about the debate?

The Cube

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

Watching tense, fast-paced football games requires focus, but so does consuming World Cup content online, because false images surrounding the tournament are becoming increasingly common.

The Cube

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

A dispute between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US President Donald Trump has sparked debate about her standing with voters.

Europe in Motion

Ten years after Brexit: Europeans more positive about the EU

Polling from Pew Research shows favourable views of the EU have increased since Brexit, even as national polling indicates support for some eurosceptic parties is at a high.

Europe in Motion

Europe looks at banning social media, and girls are most impacted

As the UK joins a growing list of countries looking at banning or severely curbing children's access to social media, data shows girls have higher levels of problematic social media use than boys across Europe.

The Cube

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

FIFA says World Cup ticket prices reflect US market rates and help prevent scalpers from profiting. But experts and consumer groups say the comparison with US sports leaves out important context.

The Cube

Viral Dua Lipa wedding photos were AI-generated

A series of fake images purporting to show pop star Dua Lipa celebrating her wedding in the Sicilian town of Palermo have fooled users and even some digital media outlets.

The Cube

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.

The Cube

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.

The Cube

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.

The Cube

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.

The Cube

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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