submission statement: The Times found Israel kidnapped and killed Iranian general Alireza Asgari while searching for Arad; he had no information. Officials now believe Iran was not involved, attributing prior blame to confirmation bias and fragmented evidence.

paywall: https://archive.ph/94xPI

How anti-EU disinformation adapts across Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine

Hey everyone! We're EUobserver, an independent European newsroom.

We've published a cross-border report examining disinformation campaigns targeting EU enlargement in Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine.

One of the most interesting findings is how the narratives change depending on the audience.

In Moldova, misleading claims focus on agricultural land, sovereignty and economic insecurity.

In Georgia, journalists describe the prominent role of domestic political actors in amplifying anti-Western messaging.

In Ukraine, narratives question the value of EU accession, while audiences inside EU member states encounter claims portraying Ukraine as an economic burden.

The reporting draws on interviews with local journalists, fact-checkers and officials.

How can researchers identify when similar narratives across countries reflect coordinated influence operations rather than independently emerging domestic political debates?

How Alexander Dugin co-opts the European far right (particularly in France and Germany) by promising them the status of continental partners within the “Great Space,” free from Anglo-Saxon domination. An essay by French historian Françoise Thom