Latest in Politics
Associated Press
28 minutes ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Denmark seeks to make it illegal to spread deepfake images, citing concern about misinformation
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark is taking steps toward enacting a ban on the use of 'deepfake' imagery online, saying such digital manipulations can stir doubts about reality and foster misinformation. The government said in a statement published Thursday that a 'broad cross section' of parties in parliament support greater protections against deepfakes and a planned bill is expected to make it illegal to share them or other digital imitations of personal characteristics. Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt, in a statement, said that it was 'high time that we now create a safeguard against the spread of misinformation and at the same time send a clear signal to the tech giants.' Officials said the measures are believed to be among the most extensive steps yet taken by a government to combat misinformation through deepfakes, which refers to highly realistic but fabricated content created by artificial intelligence tools. Deepfakes usually come in the form of pictures or video but can also be audio. They can make it appear that someone said or did something that they didn't actually say or do. Famous figures who have been depicted in deepfakes include Taylor Swift and Pope Francis. Authorities in different countries have taken varying approaches to tackling deepfakes, but they've mostly focused on sexually explicit images. U.S. President Donald Trump signed bipartisan legislation in May that makes it illegal to knowingly publish or threaten to publish intimate images without a person's consent, including deepfakes. Last year, South Korea rolled out measures to curb deepfake porn, including harsher punishment and stepped up regulations for social media platforms. Supporters of the Danish idea say that as technology advances, it will soon be impossible for people online to distinguish between real and manipulated material. 'Since images and videos also quickly become embedded in people's subconscious, digitally manipulated versions of an image or video can create fundamental doubts about — and perhaps even a completely wrong perception of — what are genuine depictions of reality,' an English translation of a ministry statement said. 'The agreement is therefore intended to ensure the right to one's own body and voice.' The proposal would still allow for 'parodies and satire' — though the ministry didn't specify how that would be determined. It said that the rules would only apply in Denmark, and violators wouldn't be subject to fines or imprisonment — even if some 'compensation' could be warranted. The ministry said that a proposal will be made to amend Danish law on the issue this summer with an aim toward passage late this year or in early 2026. Any changes must abide by the country's international obligations and European Union law, it said.
Wall Street Journal
28 minutes ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Supreme Court Upholds Texas Age Verification Law for Online Porn Content
The Supreme Court said a Texas law requiring certain websites hosting sexual content to verify their viewers' ages is constitutional. In a 6-3 decision, the court upheld the Texas law, one of at least 21 that have passed on the state level in recent years requiring age verification for users seeking to access pornographic content online.
New York Times
29 minutes ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Birthright Citizenship Case Has Some Unusual Quirks
The birthright citizenship case is unusual, and not only because it is not really about birthright citizenship. At the case's argument in May, the justices mostly focused on whether injunctions entered by three federal trial judges blocking President Trump's plan to end the practice were too broad. But when the court set this case down for argument, it did not grant review of a petition. That meant it was hard to know the precise question before the court. That's because the case lacked the 'question presented' that must appear on the first page of petitions seeking Supreme Court review. When the justices agree to hear a case, they do so to resolve the question on the petition. But in this case, the court did something quite unusual: It agreed to hear arguments on three emergency applications seeking partial stays of the injunctions. Such emergency applications do not typically include a 'question presented' page, and the three at issue in the birthright citizenship cases did not. Such applications, moreover, are all but uniformly handled by the justices based only on written filings, without oral argument. Not this time. The case was unusual in another way. The justices scheduled arguments at a special session of the court, in May, about two weeks after the last day for argument noted on the court's annual calendar. Hearing arguments on days other than those on the court's calendar is rare, though there have been scattered exceptions. The court added a day last year in April, for instance, to consider the case on presidential immunity. Hearing arguments after April is especially uncommon. There were arguments in May 2020, as the coronavirus was raging and the justices questioned lawyers by phone. But even those arguments concluded on May 13. Indeed, it has not been since 2010 that the court heard an argument so late in the term, which as a formal matter lasts from the first Monday in October until the day before the following one. That year, the justices scheduled a special session in September to hear a second argument in the Citizens United campaign finance case, acting fast because the law at issue required the court 'to expedite to the greatest possible extent' any challenges.
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Business Standard
30 minutes ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
MEA rejects 'illegal' tribunal's supplemental award on Indus water dispute
India on Friday has rejected the 'supplemental award' issued by a "so-called Court of Arbitration", which was set up in violation of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. In a detailed five-point statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) denounced the tribunal as "illegal" and its proceedings as "per se void". 'Today, the illegal Court of Arbitration, purportedly constituted under the Indus Waters Treaty 1960, albeit in brazen violation of it, has issued what it characterises as a 'supplemental award' on its competence concerning the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,' the MEA said. No legal recognition for the tribunal Reiterating its long-standing position, the government said it does not recognise the legitimacy or legal standing of the arbitral body. 'India has never recognised the existence in law of this so-called Court of Arbitration, and India's position has all along been that the constitution of this so-called arbitral body is in itself a serious breach of the Indus Waters Treaty,' the MEA added. It stated that any award or decision by such a forum 'is illegal and per se void'. Indus Waters Treaty placed in abeyance 'Following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, India has in exercise of its rights as a sovereign nation under international law, placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism,' the MEA noted. India clarified that it is not bound by any treaty obligations while the agreement remains suspended. The ministry further underlined that no court — certainly not an "illegally constituted" one — has jurisdiction to question India's sovereign decisions. India terms arbitration a 'charade' backed by Pakistan India accused Pakistan of orchestrating this move to avoid accountability for its alleged role in promoting terrorism. 'This latest charade at Pakistan's behest is yet another desperate attempt by it to escape accountability for its role as the global epicenter of terrorism,' the MEA said. The statement went on to add, 'Pakistan's resort to this fabricated arbitration mechanism is consistent with its decades-long pattern of deception and manipulation of international forums.' India's conditions for resuming treaty commitments India has made it clear that the Indus Waters Treaty will remain suspended until Pakistan dismantles all terrorist infrastructure and funding networks, and takes concrete steps to eliminate terrorism from its soil. India has also conveyed to Pakistan and the international community that any terror incident in India with links to Pakistan will be considered an act of escalation warranting a military response. Background on the Indus Waters Treaty Signed in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty allocates the waters of six rivers between India and Pakistan. According to the agreement, Pakistan is allowed to use the waters of the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, while India retains exclusive use of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers. As part of the treaty, both countries agreed on terms that allow dam construction, data sharing and other cooperative measures. India has often described its adherence to the treaty as a goodwill gesture despite continued provocations from across the border. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said, 'Blood and water cannot flow together', indicating that terrorist acts will directly affect the future of such cooperative agreements.
USA Today
30 minutes ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump announces another peace deal, this one in eastern Congo
The U.N. accuses Rwanda of supporting rebels who have taken over large swathes of the Democratic Republic of Congo - home to valuable minerals. WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump is set to announce an accord between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda that the administration hopes will lead to peace in the eastern African nation and pave the way for U.S. investment. Trump said he arranged a treaty between the nations in a June 20 post on social media, in which he credited Secretary of State Marco Rubio for helping to bring the nations together. He will host the countries' top diplomats in the Oval Office. "First time in many years, they're going to have peace. It's a big deal," Trump said at a June 27 news conference. Rubio will host a signing ceremony between Democratic Republic of the Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe at the Department of State immediately beforehand on June 27. The seizure of large parts of eastern Congo by the M23 rebel group has killed more than 7,000 people this year alone and displaced more than 450,000 others. The area is home to the DRC's valuable mineral deposits. The U.N. Security Council called on Rwanda to end its support for the rebels in a February resolution that urged the two countries to reengage in diplomatic talks. Rwanda denies backing the rebels. The Biden administration sought to resolve the conflict but was unable to secure a deal before the one-term president left office. Trump's administration hopes the resolution will bring about an end to a broader conflict that has resulted in the displacement of more than 7 million people. Conflict in eastern Congo over in the three decades since the Rwandan genocide has led to an estimated 6 million deaths. More than 18,000 Congolese refugees resettled in the U.S., in 2023, according to the Department of Homeland Security. It was the leading country of nationality for refugees accepted by the United States that year and over the preceding decade. State Department deputy spokesman Tommy Piggott said at a June 26 briefing the signing is a "significant milestone" but "peace on paper must be matched by implementation on the ground." The State Department spokesman said the agreement includes respect for territorial integrity, a prohibition of hostilities, disarmament, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons and a regional economic framework. The deal is central to the administration's approach to conflict reduction around the globe. By enabling and facilitating economic investment in war-torn countries such the DRC and Ukraine, the Trump administration hopes it can unlock lasting peace agreements. "A durable peace in the Great Lakes region will open the door for greater U.S. and broader Western investment, which will bring about economic opportunities and prosperity," Rubio said on April 25 as he announced the framework agreement. "It's, as they call it, a win-win for everyone involved." Businessman Massad Boulos, the administration's senior advisor for Africa and father-in-law of the president's younger daughter, Tiffany Trump, is working to secure a critical minerals deal with the DRC that could billions in U.S. investment to the country. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has substantial reserves of gold, cobalt, and high-grade copper that have been inaccessible due to the security risks and underdeveloped infrastructure, the International Trade Administration says. Cobalt is used to make the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that are used in electric vehicles, laptops, tablets and smartphones.
