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Received — 4 June 2026 France 24 - Europe

False videos swirl as Albania protests Kushner resort plan

4 June 2026 at 21:49
Thursday marked the fourth consecutive day of protests in Albania, sparked by plans for a proposed billion-dollar luxury resort backed by Jared Kushner, the husband of Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump. Online, however, misleading videos of the unrest are going viral, with social media users sharing old and out-of-context footage falsely presented as scenes from the current demonstrations. Many protesters fear that the Kushner-backed development could devastate a protected wildlife ecosystem.

Massive disinformation campaign underway in Armenia ahead of elections, analysts warn

4 June 2026 at 20:05
One ballot box, two competing battles. In Armenia, voters are heading to the polls to decide the future direction of their country. But beneath the political campaigns lies a far more insidious warfare. Analysts warn that a massive, coordinated network of foreign disinformation - much of it tracing back to Russia - is systematically weaponizing the deep-seated trauma of recent wars. FRANCE 24's Olivia Bizot reports from Yerevan.

A 'rogues' gallery' of notorious figures at Russia's biggest economic conference

4 June 2026 at 19:38
Russia-U.S. talks on economic and energy issues continue despite a pause in Ukraine peace negotiations, Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev told ​Reuters on Thursday, ‌adding he spoke to U.S. counterparts a day earlier. He spoke on the sidelines of the St Petersburg economic summit, where, as FRANCE 24's international affairs commentator Douglas Herbert explains, a veritable 'rogues' gallery' of notorious figures showed up in support of Putin's policies.

Exiled for an anti-war drawing: A Russian family punished for dissent

4 June 2026 at 10:55
It is the moving story of a Russian father and daughter who opposed Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. It all began in March 2022, when 12-year-old Maria drew an anti-war picture at school in response to the invasion launched a month earlier. She was immediately reported by those around her, and the FSB soon visited both her school and her home. Her father was eventually arrested for supporting his daughter and speaking out against the war. He was convicted of discrediting the Russian army. Following his release from a penal colony, he and Maria left Russia and are now refugees in Strasbourg. A report by Elena Volochine, English adaptation by Lauren Bain.

Russia ramps up pressure on Armenia ahead of Sunday's crucial election

4 June 2026 at 09:16
Russia has increased its pressure on Armenia ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections, pulling out virtually all the stops linked to trade should its long-term ally persist in its ambitions to join the European Union. Moscow has threatened to raise gas prices, put measures in place to be able to restrict the Russian import of certain Armenian products and warned it may suspend the country from the Eurasian Economic Union.

Ukrainian attacks kill several in Crimea after Kyiv targets St. Petersburg energy, military sites

4 June 2026 at 05:12
At least four people have been killed in Crimea, Moscow-installed authorities said on Thursday, a day after Kyiv targeted energy and military facilities in Saint Petersburg during Russia's flagship economic forum. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned of a "real" risk of escalation, while Ukraine described the attacks as justified retaliation for intensified Russian strikes on its territory.

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