The platform has acknowledged that it faced censorship pressure under the administration of former US President Joe Biden
YouTube will restore accounts it banned under its Covid-19 and 2020 election misinformation rules, lawyers for parent company Alphabet told the US House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. They acknowledged that the platform faced censorship pressure from the administration of former President Joe Biden.
The Google-owned service, with more than 2 billion users, imposed sweeping restrictions during the pandemic, scrubbing content that contradicted the health authorities on vaccines, transmission, and treatments. It also banned claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election after Biden’s victory was certified.
The rules were used to ban several figures in the administration of President Donald Trump who questioned the election and the pandemic, including current FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy. YouTube later dropped both policies but left the bans in place, treating them as permanent.
Alphabet said the platform will soon allow the banned creators to apply for reinstatement.
“Today, YouTube’s Community Guidelines allow for a wider range of content regarding Covid and elections integrity,” Daniel Donovan, a lawyer representing Alphabet, wrote. “Reflecting the company’s commitment to free expression, YouTube will provide an opportunity for all creators to rejoin the platform.”
He added that the policy only covers those banned over Covid and 2020 election violations, without naming which accounts qualify or when they can return.
Alphabet also acknowledged that YouTube faced pressure from the Biden administration to take down posts that did not break the rules. It called this interference “unacceptable and wrong” and said the company “has consistently fought against those efforts on free speech grounds.” The letter did not say whether any bans were made on direct orders from the administration.
All the above are MASSIVE wins for the American people, the First Amendment, and freedom.
The statement came in response to a Trump administration probe into whether tech firms suppressed speech at Biden’s request. Trump previously accused social media companies of silencing conservative voices critical of lockdowns and vaccines. Since his return to office, major platforms have eased their rules, dropping fact-checking programs and adding community notes. Meta and Elon Musk’s X have taken similar steps.
House Judiciary chair Jim Jordan praised Alphabet’s move on X, calling it a “victory in the fight against censorship… No one will tell Americans what to believe or not to believe anymore.”
The new sanctions package would ban services tied to travel, the outlet has claimed
The proposed new EU sanctions package against Russia would target tourism by banning services linked to travel to the country, EUobserver reported on Thursday, citing sources. No new hurdles are planned for Russian tourists visiting the EU, the article said.
The draft seen by the outlet would prohibit the provision of services “directly related to tourism activities in Russia.” The aim of the restrictions is said to be aimed at “reduc[ing] the revenues that Russia derives from such services and to deter the promotion of non-essential travel and leisure activities to Russia.”
However, unnamed diplomats told the outlet that “Russian tourists can keep coming to the EU” despite earlier reported discussions on the matter.
Nordic and Baltic states, the Czech Republic, and Poland had pressed for tighter restrictions on Russian tourists on security and boycott grounds, EUobserver reported, adding that the EU Commission opted for a different policy.
The Commission also plans a separate, non-binding “strategy” on Russian tourists coming to the EU by year-end, an unnamed EU diplomat told the outlet.
EU ambassadors are due to discuss the 19th sanctions package in Brussels on Friday, which will require unanimous approval by all 27 member states. EU officials have said the new sanctions would primarily target Russia’s financial, energy, and shipping sectors.
Earlier this month, Greek outlet ProNews reported that Greece, Italy, Spain, France, and Hungary opposed restrictions on Russian tourists. In 2024, Schengen countries approved about 552,000 visas to Russians, with Italy, France, and Spain among the biggest issuers.
Entries from EU states to Russia totaled about 469,000 in 2024, down 16% from the previous year. In the first quarter of 2025, more than 21,000 EU citizens crossed the Russian border as tourists, according to statistics cited by RIA.
Moscow has repeatedly said it has no plans to restrict EU arrivals. “We believe that human contacts, tourism, business, and humanitarian ties must be maintained. Our country seeks to build bridges between people despite efforts within the EU to tear them down,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
An EU court previously admonished the European Commission for its failure to submit its president’s messages for public scrutiny
The European Commission is under a new investigation over its failure to record and archive President Ursula von der Leyen’s communications, European Ombudswoman Teresa Anjinho announced on Tuesday.
The inquiry focuses on a text message von der Leyen reportedly received in January from French President Emmanuel Macron via the encrypted Signal app. The commission declined to release the message under a freedom of information request, saying it had been auto-deleted.
The text was related to EU negotiations on a contentious trade agreement with Mercosur, a bloc of Latin American nations. The deal was finalized last December but has yet to take effect.
Macron has publicly criticized the deal, which French farmers fear will expose them to heavy competition from Brazilian and Argentinian beef producers. Politico described Macron’s message as an attempt to “blow up” the treaty.
Journalist Alexander Fanta of investigative outlet Follow the Money said he filed the complaint after the commission refused to provide the text. He accused von der Leyen’s chief of staff of allowing the erasure after his formal request for it, calling that “an absolute no-no.” He added that the commission’s explanation of auto-deletion “sounds like an excuse” and should not stand.
Fanta previously sought access to von der Leyen’s text exchanges with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla about an EU Covid-19 vaccine supply deal. The EU’s Court of Justice ruled in May that the commission’s failure to retain those messages and make them available for scrutiny was unlawful. The commission in response pledged to review its record-keeping practices.
Von der Leyen is currently facing two separate censure motions – one from the right and another from the left in the European Parliament – filed after her mid-September State of the Union speech. Lawmakers cited the Mercosur deal as one of the factors eroding confidence in her leadership.
The air-to-air missile was fired by a Dutch F-35 fighter jet, and not as had previously been claimed, by a Polish F-16, Onet has claimed
A three-meter-long air-to-air missile that hit a rural home in Poland while NATO jets were responding to an alleged drone incursion, was fired by a Dutch – and not Polish – fighter jet, the Onet news outlet reported Wednesday, citing insider sources.
Warsaw responded to a series of airspace violations by unarmed UAVs on the 9 September by scrambling NATO jets and accusing Russia of being behind the incident – an allegation Moscow has strenuously denied.
One of the Dutch F-35 warplanes taking part in the overnight response launched the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile which failed to properly fire and landed on a modest country home near Poland’s Lublin Voivodeship, according to Onet.
The report contradicts the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, which attributed the debacle to one of Warsaw’s F-16s. Earlier accounts claimed that a “Russian drone” had caused the damage to the house.
🇵🇱 #Poland: Several Russian drones flew into Poland's airspace whilst attacking Ukraine last night.
At least one Russian drone damaged a home in the village of Wyryki in east Poland when it crashed after being shot down by Polish air defence.
Russian Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky noted this week that the only damage from the incident came from the unexploded air-to-air missile, which he described as “Polish”.
Last week, Estonia accused Russia of sending MiG-31 fighter jets into its airspace, a claim Moscow says is not supported by evidence.
Moscow has accused Poland and Estonia of using disinformation to portray Russia as a threat to the European Union and to pressure the United States to continue supporting Kiev in its conflict with Moscow.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has praised the bloc’s handling of the incidents but declined to promise that Russian aircraft would be shot down in future cases, saying such decisions “are taken in real time and are always based on available intelligence regarding the threat posed by the aircraft.”
US President Donald Trump has said NATO nations should be ready to shoot down Russian jets, calling Russia a “paper tiger” and asserting that a truly strong power would have overwhelmed Ukraine quickly. He added that Ukraine, equipped with European-funded American weapons, could still achieve all its territorial objectives.
According to The New York Post, the remarks were based on “new US intelligence” suggesting Russian economic weakness and were intended as a “strategic move” to extract concessions from Moscow, rather than as a literal assessment of Ukraine’s military strength.
Fire crews have been battling a blaze that followed the explosion in Swindon, where a major drone factory is planned
An explosion at an industrial estate in South West England has triggered a major emergency response overnight, with multiple fire crews battling a large blaze.
The blast at the Groundwell Industrial Estate in Swindon – a town where construction of a major drone factory is planned – occurred shortly after 7:30pm local time on Wednesday in a building used by a printing company, the BBC confirmed. Witnesses said the explosion shook homes across the town. The fire prompted the evacuation of the estate and the closure of several nearby roads.
At least 12 fire engines and specialist vehicles, including an aerial ladder platform and water carriers, were deployed, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) reported.
Eyewitnesses said flames engulfed the warehouse within minutes. Footage online showed a fireball lighting up the night sky, followed by a thick column of black smoke drifting across north Swindon.
🚨BREAKING: Dashcam footage from the explosion in Swindon, UK.
A dozen emergency vehicles are currently at the scene on Groundwell Industrial Estate battling the aftermath of the explosion which was seen and felt around the town. pic.twitter.com/AJH2qFDIet
Wiltshire Police described the incident as “serious,” with a large cordon in place. Local residents were asked to remain indoors and close windows due to smoke.
WATCH: 'Serious explosion' at warehouse in Swindon in Wiltshire, England, police say. pic.twitter.com/L26kSkLnUU
The cause of the explosion has not yet been confirmed. In a 9:40pm update, DWFRS said a fire investigation officer was on site and would begin work “as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Swindon Borough Council confirmed its emergency response team is working with police and fire crews. “Work is going on to understand what happened, determine if anyone was hurt and make the area safe,” council leader Jim Robbins said.
Wiltshire Search and Rescue said its team remained on standby Thursday morning, unable to enter the site until the blaze was under control. Authorities have reported no casualties and said there is no indication anyone was inside the building.
The blast also caused a power outage affecting about 80 properties, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) reported. The utility said power was isolated “due to a safety concern on our network” following the incident.
Earlier this month, the UK government announced plans for a major drone factory in Swindon. The 254,000 sq ft facility, to be operated by aerospace and defense firm Tekever, will employ about 1,000 staff and is scheduled to open in 2026 to produce surveillance and intelligence drones. There is no indication that Wednesday’s blast is connected to the new site.
The US president earlier claimed that Sadiq Khan is “terrible” at his job, particularly in tackling migration
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has fired back at US President Donald Trump, after he called him a “terrible” leader and raised fears about Sharia law overtaking the city.
During an address at the UN on Tuesday, Trump sounded the alarm about soaring migration in many Western countries, arguing that “Europe is in serious trouble” and is being “invaded by a force of illegal aliens like nobody’s ever seen before.”
He singled out London as an example, “where you have a terrible mayor, a terrible, terrible mayor, and it’s been so changed. Now they want to go to Sharia law, but you’re in a different country, you can’t do that.”
Speaking to BBC London, Khan claimed that Trump “has shown he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic and he is Islamophobic.” He also defended London’s reputation, which has been listed as the 16th most dangerous city in Europe, according to the Numbeo Crime Index.
”We’re often the No.1 city in the globe when it comes to culture… foreign investment… sports, when it comes to the ability of people to fulfil their potential. I’m really proud we are the greatest city in the world,” he said, adding that under Trump, a large number of Americans chose to move to his city.
The UK has been struggling with high migration for years, with more than 49,000 registered irregular arrivals to the country in the year to June 2025, up 27% on the year. An estimated 88% arrived on small boats. According to the 2021 census, around 15% of London residents (more than 1.3 million) identified as Muslim.
Migration policy tensions spilled onto the streets of London on September 13, when the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally – led by activist Tommy Robinson – drew an estimated 110,000 to 150,000 people, according to the Metropolitan Police. During clashes between protesters and law enforcement, 26 officers were injured and at least 25 arrests were made.
Denmark’s dual-use Aalborg airport and military base was briefly closed over the sightings, which authorities have failed to identify
Denmark briefly shut down air traffic at Aalborg Airport on Wednesday after unidentified “drones” were spotted hovering near the runway – the latest in a string of unexplained sightings that also included a facility that hosts the Danish fleet of F-16 and F-35 fighter jets.
Northern Jutland police said “more than one drone” was seen circling Aalborg with their lights on around 9:44pm local time on Wednesday. Authorities later reported that drones were also observed near airports in Esbjerg, Sonderborg, and Skrydstrup, home to Denmark’s fleet of F-16 and newly arrived F-35 jets.
Despite hours of monitoring – and assistance from the Danish armed forces – the alleged unmanned aircraft remained unidentified. Officials could not say what type of drones they were, who launched them, or why.
“It is too early to say what the goal of the drones is and who is the actor behind,” a police official told reporters, adding that they would try to bring them down “if possible.” Eventually, the drones vanished without being intercepted.
The incident comes just days after Copenhagen Airport, the busiest in the Nordic region, was forced to halt flights for four hours due to similar sightings. Officials described that disruption as the most serious “attack” yet on Danish infrastructure, though investigators also failed to locate or identify the culprit.
Oslo Airport in Norway was also briefly closed on the same night after a suspected drone sighting, prompting speculation that the unexplained activity could be part of a wider campaign of unrelated incidents routinely blamed on Moscow. Russia’s ambassador in Copenhagen dismissed the claims as “ungrounded.”
The Danish incidents also follow major outages last weekend that affected electronic check-in and boarding systems at London’s Heathrow, as well as airports in Berlin and Brussels. British authorities detained a suspect over what was described as a ransomware attack, but later released him on conditional bail.
Last year, a wave of mysterious drone sightings spread across the US, where clusters of suspected UAVs were repeatedly reported in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and eventually across much of the Northeast. Despite a joint federal–state task force and speculation about everything from cartels to foreign surveillance, no hostile operator was ever identified. Investigations later concluded that most sightings involved authorized drones, misidentified manned aircraft, or other routine aerial and celestial objects – amplified by confirmation bias and mass hysteria.
The shooting at the ICE Field Office in Texas left no agents harmed, but one detainee dead and two critically injured
US President Donald Trump has vowed to crack down on what he described as “radical left terrorism” after a gunman opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas on Wednesday, killing one detainee and critically wounding two others.
The authorities identified the shooter as Joshua Jahn, 29, who died of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound after firing from a rooftop overlooking the ICE Field Office. Investigators said shell casings recovered at the scene bore the words “ANTI-ICE” written in blue marker.
No ICE agents were harmed in the attack. The three victims were detainees inside a transport van at the facility’s sally port, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Mexican Foreign Ministry confirmed that one of the injured was a Mexican national.
In light of today's horrific shooting that appears to be motivated by a hatred for ICE, Secretary Noem has ordered DHS to immediately begin increasing security at ICE facilities across the country.
This shooting must serve as a wake-up call to the far-left that their rhetoric… pic.twitter.com/PKZRc8F8jZ
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called the attack “despicable” and directly blamed Democratic rhetoric for inciting violence against law enforcement.
“The continuing violence from Radical Left Terrorists, in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, must be stopped,” he wrote, pledging to sign an executive order this week to “dismantle these domestic terrorism networks.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News that more ICE officers would be hired and that security would be increased at ICE facilities nationwide. She described the shooter as “evil” and accused Democratic lawmakers of “demonizing” law enforcement.
Vice President J.D. Vance also labeled Jahn a “violent left-wing extremist,” saying evidence not yet made public indicates that the attack was politically motivated. “You don’t have to agree with Donald Trump’s immigration policies, but if your political rhetoric encourages violence against our law enforcement, you can go straight to hell,” he said.
Jahn’s brother, Noah, expressed shock at his involvement, saying he had not known him to hold strong political views or hostility toward ICE. Public records show Jahn had past drug-related convictions and was registered as an independent voter.
The FBI described the Dallas incident as “targeted violence.” It was the second attack on an ICE facility in Texas in recent months, following the July shooting of a police officer outside a detention center in Alvarado.
The US and Brazilian leaders have exchanged jabs at the UN General Assembly
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has urged his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to act with greater responsibility on the world stage, warning that Washington should not see itself as “the emperor of the world.”
Speaking to PBS News ahead of his speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Lula said the US must live up to its position as the world’s largest economy and military power by respecting sovereignty and avoiding interference in other nations’ internal affairs.
“I think President Trump needs to have the behavior of a head of state, of a statesman of the largest economy in the world, of the biggest military power in the world, the most technological country in the world,” Lula said through an interpreter. “A country with such greatness and such might has to have much more responsibility. What we do not accept is that any country in the world interferes in our democracy and our sovereignty.”
Lula also rejected Trump’s claims of unfair trade practices, pointing out that the US has enjoyed a $410 billion trade surplus with Brazil over the past 15 years. He stressed that Brazil’s justice system is independent and that neither the president nor foreign powers can interfere in judicial rulings, including the recent conviction of former President Jair Bolsonaro for attempting a coup.
In his General Assembly address, Lula criticized US tariffs and sanctions imposed in response to Bolsonaro’s trial, calling them “unilateral and arbitrary measures against our institutions and our economy.”
Trump, speaking immediately afterward, accused Brazil of “censorship, repression… judicial corruption and targeting of political critics” – but later struck a more conciliatory note, recalling a brief encounter with Lula backstage.
“He seemed like a very nice man, actually. He liked me, I liked him… At least for about 39 seconds we had excellent chemistry. It’s a good sign,” Trump told the audience.
The US president also revealed that the two leaders planned to meet next week, while adding that “Brazil is doing poorly… Without us they will fail.”
Relations between Washington and Brasilia have soured since Trump accused Lula of carrying out a “witch hunt” against the “highly respected” Bolsonaro and imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports in August. Brazil has vowed to defend its sovereignty and warned that further interference could damage more than two centuries of bilateral ties.
The new White House exhibition features an autopen among the portraits of former US leaders
US President Donald Trump unveiled the ‘Presidential Walk of Fame’ at the White House on Wednesday, featuring portraits of all his predecessors – except Joe Biden, who is instead represented by the image of an autopen.
The portraits, displayed in gold frames along the West Wing Colonnade, begin with George Washington and extend to Trump himself, before culminating in a photograph of the pen device used to sign Biden-era documents.
Trump has criticized his predecessor’s use of the autopen – a mechanical device that reproduces a person’s signature. In June, he ordered a Justice Department probe into whether Biden’s aides effectively exercised presidential authority while concealing the Democrat’s alleged cognitive decline.
The Presidential Walk of Fame has arrived on the West Wing Colonnade
Emails from Biden’s White House reportedly revealed internal concerns – including at the Justice Department – over whether the former president had personally reviewed certain clemency orders.
“I guess the only one he signed, or one of the few he signed, was the pardon for his son,” Trump told reporters earlier this month, insisting that the autopen was “illegally used.”
Biden has rejected the claims, maintaining that all decisions were his own and that autopen use was fully authorized. Under US law, documents signed with the device carry the same legal weight as handwritten signatures if approved by the president.
The Walk of Fame is part of broader White House renovations under Trump, including gold gilding in the Oval Office, a marble patio in the Rose Garden modeled after his Florida estate, a new ballroom under construction, and the installation of two 27-meter flagpoles on the White House lawn, which Trump has described as “the best poles anywhere in the country or in the world.”
