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Syrian army, Kurdish-led SDF accuse each other of ceasefire violations

Al Jazeera

How many Syrians have returned? A ceasefire between the Syrian army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) appears to be largely holding, even as the two sides have accused each other of violating its terms. The army on Sunday said the SDF launched multiple drone attacks in the Aleppo countryside, while the United States-trained Kurdish forces on Monday accused the army of targeting a Kurdish-majority city near the Turkish border. An initial four-day ceasefire between the Syrian army and the SDF was extended by 15 days soon after it expired on Saturday night. The official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the SDF launched more than 25 explosive drones on the army positions in the Aleppo countryside on Sunday, breaching the newly extended ceasefire.


EU investigates Elon Musk's X over Grok AI sexual deepfakes

BBC News

EU investigates Elon Musk's X over Grok AI sexual deepfakes The European Commission has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's X over concerns its AI tool Grok was used to create sexualised images of real people. It follows a similar announcement in January from the UK watchdog Ofcom. Regina Doherty, a member of the European parliament representing Ireland, said the Commission would assess whether manipulated sexually explicit images have been shown to users in the EU. A previous statement from X's Safety account said the social media platform had stopped Grok from digitally altering pictures of people to remove their clothing in jurisdictions where such content is illegal. But campaigners and victims said the ability to generate sexually explicit pictures using the tool should have never happened in the first place, and Ofcom said its investigation would remain ongoing.


Deepfake 'Nudify' Technology Is Getting Darker--and More Dangerous

WIRED

Sexual deepfakes continue to get more sophisticated, capable, easy to access, and perilous for millions of women who are abused with the technology. Open the website of one explicit deepfake generator and you'll be presented with a menu of horrors. With just a couple of clicks, it offers you the ability to convert a single photo into an eight-second explicit videoclip, inserting women into realistic-looking graphic sexual situations. "Transform any photo into a nude version with our advanced AI technology," text on the website says. The options for potential abuse are extensive.



Greece biscuit factory fire leaves at least three dead

BBC News

At least three people have been killed and two others are still missing after a fire broke out at a food factory near the central Greek city of Trikala, officials say. The blaze began in the early hours of Monday at a Violanta biscuit factory, where 13 workers were on site, according to local media. Eight people managed to escape, while firefighters later recovered three bodies from the building. Drone footage showed thick smoke billowing from the fire. A powerful explosion was reportedly heard before it broke out but an investigation into the cause of the blaze is ongoing.


Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,432

Al Jazeera

Could Ukraine hold a presidential election right now? Will Europe use frozen Russian assets to fund war? How can Ukraine rebuild China ties? 'Ukraine is running out of men, money and time' More than 1,300 apartment buildings in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, were still without heating following Russia's missile and drone attacks on Saturday, according to Mayor Vitalii Klitschko. Over the past week alone, Russia launched more than 1,700 attack drones, at least 1,380 guided aerial bombs, and 69 missiles on Ukraine, mainly targeting the energy sector, critical infrastructure, and residential buildings, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.


Father of alien archaeology says the pyramids were not built by human hands... and claims he has proof

Daily Mail - Science & tech

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Sundance screening sparks online row: 'Sussex Squad' brand claims event failed to sell out as'lies' despite photos showing'rows of empty seats' Mick Jagger's family launch desperate hunt for missing relative: His granddaughter's partner vanishes in Cornwall after wandering streets Forensic video analysis of Alex Pretti's final 30 seconds exposes'John Wayne gun' question that can't be ignored Sinister truth about Celine Dion's song All By Myself: Singer's producer reveals bombshell secrets of her 26-year age gap marriage... that he swore not to tell until her husband René died The nastiest clique in Hollywood have had their dirty secret outed... there's no coming back from this: MAUREEN CALLAHAN Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo'creeped a lot of people out' says anonymous Oscar voter amid Wicked snubs John Fetterman's own WIFE turns on him over ICE as Senator comes under fire for his silence on shooting of Alex Pretti Lauren Sanchez turns heads in a red skirt suit as she holds hands with billionaire husband Jeff Bezos at Schiaparelli's Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week show Olivia Wilde blasts'inauthentic and unrealistic' sex in modern film and claims it has'been that way for a long time' - despite featuring racy scenes in Don't Worry Darling Sandra Bullock's Blind Side costar Quinton Aaron is'fighting for his life' in hospital after falling at home Seedy underbelly of America's exclusive golf clubs... as cart girls expose ultra-rich world of sex scandals and drunken debauchery Real estate mogul is sensationally found GUILTY of murdering football coach's son outside mall Kelly Clarkson on verge of QUITTING: Staff are all starting to say same thing backstage... as friends let slip the only way she could be convinced to stay Panicking realtors are drowning in unsold homes in America's'most extreme' market. They blame'the Joe Rogan effect' Father of alien archaeology says the pyramids were not built by human hands... and claims he has proof READ MORE: Egypt's Great Pyramid construction rewritten as new evidence exposes how it was actually built The belief that the pyramids were not built by human hands has fascinated conspiracy theorists for decades. No one promoted that idea more persistently than Swiss author Erich von Däniken, often described as the father of ancient alien archaeology. Von Däniken, who died this month aged 90, argued that extraterrestrial visitors played a direct role in helping ancient Egyptians construct monuments that would otherwise have been impossible. In his 1968 bestseller'Chariots of the Gods,' he claimed alien'astronauts' visited early civilizations, including the ancient Egyptians and Mayans, and shared advanced technology.


The Instant Smear Campaign Against Border Patrol Shooting Victim Alex Pretti

WIRED

Within minutes of the shooting, the Trump administration and right-wing influencers began disparaging the man shot by a federal immigration officer on Saturday in Minneapolis. Within minutes of Alex Pretti being shot and killed by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis on Saturday, the Trump administration, backed by right-wing influencers, launched a smear campaign against the victim, labeling him a "terrorist" and a "lunatic." Pretti, 37, was killed during a confrontation with multiple federal immigration agents. Pretti was an American citizen and a registered nurse who worked in the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a colleague who spoke to the Guardian . Video from a bystander shows Pretti was attempting to help a woman who had been pepper sprayed by an immigration agent when officers tackled him.


'British FBI' to take over terror and fraud probes in reforms to police

BBC News

'British FBI' to take over terror and fraud probes in reforms to police A new national police force is being created to take over counter-terror, fraud, and criminal gang investigations. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the new National Police Service (NPS), described as a British FBI, would deploy world class talent and state of the art technology to track down and catch dangerous criminals. It will bring the work of existing agencies such as the National Crime Agency and regional organised crime units under the same organisation, buying new technology such as facial recognition on behalf of all forces. Mahmood said policing was stuck in a different century and the new body will form part of a series of police reforms she will unveil on Monday. The NPS will cover England and Wales but be able to operate in the wider UK, setting standards and training.


Israeli drone strike kills two children collecting firewood in Gaza

Al Jazeera

How much is US support for Israel costing Trump? What is a Palestinian without olives? Why are Gaza's homes collapsing in winter? Two children have been killed in an Israeli attack in northern Gaza in the latest violation of its ceasefire deal with Hamas in the Palestinian enclave. Medical sources in Gaza on Saturday said the children belonging to the same family were killed when an Israeli drone struck civilians gathering firewood near Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.