World Echo

As the video opens, Democratic Texas State Representative James Talarico appears to stand in front of a Texas flag, beaming. "Radicalised white men are the greatest domestic terrorist threat in our country," the US Senate candidate seems to say into the camera. As a voice whispers "white men," Talarico continues: "So true. So true." But Talarico never filmed that video. Instead, the clip is an AI-generated ad from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the party's Senate campaign arm, featuring a computer-altered Talarico reciting social media posts he wrote years ago. The words "AI-generated" show up in easy-to-miss font in the lower right-hand corner. The realistic video is among a vanguard of "deepfake" advertisements that some campaigns are already deploying ahead of November's midterm elections, taking advantage of AI tools that are improving at a breakneck pace. The ads are being introduced into a media lands...

More than 1,900 people have ​been killed and ‌at least 20,000 injured in Iran ​since the ​start of United States and Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic, ​said Maria Martinez of ​the International Federation of Red Cross and ​Red Crescent ​Societies (IFRC) on Friday, citing figures ‌provided ⁠by the Iranian Red Crescent. Martinez said the Iranian ​Red ​Crescent ⁠continued to serve as the ​only nationwide ​humanitarian ⁠organisation operating across the country ⁠amidst ​the escalating ​conflict. Meanwhile, Iran said that 237 women and more than 200 children have been killed over the past 25 days in the US-Israeli attacks. Read: US, Iran could meet for direct talks in Pakistan ‘very soon’: German FM According to figures released by the government’s Information Centre, the head of Iran’s Emergency Organisation said the casualties included more than 200 people under the age of 18 and 237 women. Over 4,000 women and 1,600 minors were injured since the start of the war, he added...

European powers accused Russia of helping Iran target United States forces in the Middle East war and said they would raise the issue on Friday with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in France. Rubio is joining the second day of the gathering of ministers of leading Western democracies, taking place amid wars in Iran and Ukraine, economic uncertainty and mounting unease over unpredictable US foreign policy under President Donald Trump. The ministers are also expected to discuss the Strait of Hormuz, the critical Gulf waterway for the transport of oil and gas, which Iran has effectively blocked, spiking energy prices and roiling financial markets. Two Western security sources and a regional official close to Tehran told Reuters that Moscow has been providing satellite imagery to Tehran and has also helped Iran upgrade its drones to emulate the equivalent versions used by Russia against Ukraine. Other media outlets have also reported that Russia is ai...

Ukraine and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement on defence cooperation that lays the foundation for future contracts, technological cooperation and investments, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday. During an unannounced visit to the Gulf, Zelenskiy said he hopes to bolster support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, which is now in its fifth year, as the war with Iran raises uncertainty over whether Washington will restrict its military supplies. We have reached an important Arrangement between the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on defense cooperation. The document was signed ahead of our meeting with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.… pic.twitter.com/j3aXzLXSNr — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 27, 2026 Zelenskiy said the framework agreement was signed ahead of a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "We are ready to share our expert...

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held a summit in Pyongyang on Thursday, where the two leaders signed a friendship treaty, North Korea's state media KCNA reported. The two countries signed agreements on cooperation in various sectors, including diplomacy, agriculture, education and public health, KCNA said. At a banquet, Kim said Lukashenko's visit to Pyongyang, the first state visit by a Belarusian president since the two countries established diplomatic relations, was meaningful for upgrading bilateral relations between the two countries. Read: Ukraine signs deal with Saudi Arabia on defence cooperation, Zelenskiy says Further, Lukashenko told Kim that the bilateral relations "are developing at a very fast pace" and the leadership of the two countries shared the same views on international affairs, KCNA said. The summit brought together two leaders, both under international sanctions, who have provided crucial backing for...

At least 24 people died after a passenger bus carrying around ​40 passengers plunged into the Padma ‌River while attempting to board a ferry in Bangladesh, officials said on Thursday. The accident occurred ​on Wednesday when the bus lost ​control approaching a ferry at Daulatdia ⁠in Rajbari district, about 100 kilometres from Dhaka. The bus overturned and sank ​nearly nine metres into the river, according to police and the Fire Service and Civil ​Defence. Read More: Five teenage cousins killed in road crash Rescuers recovered 22 bodies from inside ​the submerged bus, including six men, 11 women ‌and ⁠five children, Fire Service official Talha Bin Zasim said. Twenty-four people have been confirmed dead so far, including two women who ​died after ​being rescued, ⁠he said. Four fire service units and 10 divers were leading ​the search and rescue efforts, supported ​by ⁠the army, police, coast guard and local authorities. Officials fear more passengers may still be ⁠missing. ​Hund...