Post WWII Soviet famine still haunts Moldova, 80 years on


Issued on: 27/03/2026 -

FRANCE24

15:57 min


Eighty years ago, Moldova was struck by a famine that killed more than 150,000 people. Long shrouded in silence, this episode remains a blind spot in the country's history. But gradually, survivors' accounts, combined with the work of researchers, have shed light on a tragedy largely orchestrated by the Soviet authorities of the time. FRANCE 24's Maria Gerth Niculescu and Bastien Renouil report.

According to some estimates, as many as 2 million people died in the Soviet famine. The highest proportion of deaths was recorded in Moldova, where 10 percent of the population perished between 1946 and 1947. Hundreds of thousands more were affected by severe malnutrition and disease, many of them children.

The famine was largely blamed on the ramifications of the end of World War II and a bad drought. But there is growing evidence that perhaps an equal cause came directly from the Soviet authorities. Historians delving into the archives point to the regime's grain requisitions. In many villages, the quotas were so high that people were not even allowed to keep enough grain to survive themselves.

Eighty years on, those who either remember what happened, or have heard stories from family members, continue to suffer a collective trauma. In a country still torn between its Soviet legacy and its European aspirations, the need to remember the famine is essential to those wishing to counter any nostalgic narratives of the USSR.

BY: Maria GERTH-NICULESCU
Bastien RENOUIL

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for HOLODOMOR

What Taiwan's imprisonment of opposition figure Ko Wen-je means for its political landscape


Taiwanese opposition figure Ko Wen-je was sentenced this week to 17 years in prison, ending his bid for the 2028 presidential election and removing a prominent centrist from the political stage. Analysts say the ruling could reshape the island’s political dynamics, with implications for both domestic alignments and cross-strait relations.


Issued on: 28/03/2026 - FRANCE24
By:  Natasha LI

Former mayor of Taipei and 2024 presidential candidate Ko Wen-je leaves the Taipei District Court on March 26, 2026. © I-Hwa Cheng, AFP

A Taipei court on Thursday sentenced former mayor and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je to 17 years in prison on corruption charges, along with the deprivation of civil rights for six years, dealing a major blow to both the opposition figure and his fledgling Taiwan People’s Party (TPP).

The ruling bars Ko from running in the 2028 presidential election, effectively derailing his ambitions to position himself as a “third way” alternative in Taiwan’s deeply polarised political landscape.

Ko, one of three front-runners in the 2024 presidential election, finishing third with 26.46 percent, was convicted on charges including bribery, misappropriation of political donations and breach of trust. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of more than 28 years, but the court handed down a combined term of 17 years.

Ko has maintained his innocence throughout the investigation and trial. Following the verdict, the ex-mayor of Taipei denounced the case as politically motivated, declaring he would “never surrender”.

The case

At the centre of the case is the “Core Pacific City” redevelopment project in Taipei, where prosecutors alleged that Ko accepted bribes in exchange for approving an increase in building density.

The court found him guilty on bribery charges, imposing a 13-year sentence for that count alone. Prosecutors had initially alleged over NT$17 million (€460,838) in illicit payments, though the court recognised NT$2.1 million (€56,927) as sufficiently substantiated.

Ko was also convicted in a separate political donations case tied to the 2024 election, involving allegations that funds were misreported or diverted through private channels, as well as the misuse of foundation funds for campaign-related expenses.

The case has unfolded over nearly two years. Ko was first named as a defendant in 2024, detained for months, and later released on bail under strict conditions, including travel restrictions and electronic monitoring.

Legal experts say the appeals process could take years, meaning the case may not be resolved before the next presidential election cycle.

Under Taiwan’s Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act, candidates sentenced to 10 years or more in prison are barred from running for president – even if appeals are ongoing – effectively sidelining Ko from the 2028 race.
Political persecution or rule of law

Ko’s allies and party members have framed the case as “political persecution” by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

READ MORETaiwan tensions: China-Japan row hits trade and travel amid escalating rhetoric

The TPP has called for mass protests on Sunday, while party chairman Huang Kuo-chang condemned the ruling as a “politically motivated verdict based on fabricated charges”.

“There are numerous irregularities,” said Wu Jing-qin, professor of law at Aletheia University, pointing to how certain evidence was handled and noting that some materials relied upon by prosecutors were indirect and, in his view, insufficient to support serious corruption charges.

Wu also highlighted broader structural issues in Taiwan’s legal system, including prosecutorial discretion and the use of pre-trial detention, which he said raises questions about proportionality and due process in high-profile cases.

However, other observers reject claims of political interference.

“It has been deliberately framed as political retaliation by the TPP,” said Chang Hung-lin, executive director of Citizen Congress Watch, a parliamentary watchdog. “But at its core, this is still a judicial process about whether there is sufficient evidence.”

Prosecutors have also dismissed allegations of bias, maintaining that the investigation followed standard procedures and was based on evidence.

Both the prosecution and Ko plan to appeal the conviction.
Death of a party

Ko’s conviction raises existential questions for the TPP, widely seen as built around his personal appeal.

WATCH MORETaiwanese voters reject attempt to recall China-friendly lawmakers

“Without a consequential figure like Ko, the TPP will become completely dependent on the KMT (Kuomintang, Taiwan's main opposition party),” said Yeh Yao-yuan, a Taiwan politics specialist at the University of St. Thomas.

He noted that Taiwan’s party competition tends to favour larger, established parties, making it difficult for smaller parties to maintain independent influence over time.

Chen Fang-yu, associate professor of political science at Soochow University, described the party as structurally fragile and centred around a single leader. “This is a one-man party, with the entire organisation revolving around Ko … their support base will only continue to dwindle,” he said.

He added that the party now has little leverage: “The TPP has no bargaining chips anymore … it has no other choice but to cooperate further with the KMT.”

These dynamics reflect a broader pattern in Taiwan, where smaller parties often struggle to sustain themselves without aligning with one of the two major political camps.
Return to two-party dominance

With Ko removed from the political stage, analysts say Taiwan may be drifting back toward dominance by its two main parties: the DPP and the KMT.

Ko’s TPP, founded in 2019, emerged as an alternative force, carving out a space between the two dominant blocs.

“Taiwan’s political environment is structurally unfriendly to smaller parties,” said Chang Chun-hao, a professor of political science at Tunghai University in Taiwan, pointing to the island’s electoral system and political culture. While third parties can emerge, sustaining long-term support without aligning with one of the major camps remains difficult.

Highlighting Taiwan’s electoral system, Chang Hung-lin said single-member districts tend to concentrate competition among leading candidates, limiting opportunities for third parties to gain representation without coordination with larger parties.

Yeh added that voter behaviour reinforces this dynamic. Strategic voting often leads voters to support the most viable candidates rather than smaller alternatives, further entrenching the dominance of major parties.

WATCH MOREChina seas: A new Cold War brewing?

Combined with the high costs of campaigning and limited access to resources, these factors create persistent barriers to long-term independent growth for smaller political organisations.

“Taiwanese politics has always been dominated by the two major parties, yet there remains a 30 to 40 percent segment of the electorate that supports neither,” Chen said, noting that while some of TPP’s supporters may switch over to voting for the DPP or the KMT, others will remain on the fence.
Cross-strait relations

Ko had long positioned himself as a pragmatic middle ground between the DPP’s China-sceptic stance and the KMT’s more engagement-oriented approach, appealing to voters across the political spectrum while maintaining flexibility on cross-strait issues.

His absence narrows Taiwan’s centrist space and reinforces a political environment increasingly dominated by the two major parties. Yeh noted that as smaller parties lose influence, the space for centrist positions on cross-strait issues is likely to shrink.

These shifts in Taiwan’s internal political balance carry implications beyond domestic competition. Beijing has long taken an active interest in Taiwan’s political landscape, viewing it as a key factor in shaping cross-strait relations and advancing its strategic objectives.

READ MOREWhy China is bringing out the big guns for military drills around Taiwan

“Despite not being a part of it, China has always played a role in Taiwanese politics,” Chang Hung-lin said, noting Beijing’s influence in past elections.

From Beijing’s perspective, Chang Chun-hao suggested Ko’s sentencing may be seen as favourable to its Taiwan policy, arguing that “this means that the KMT can now lead the dance in its alliance with the TPP”.

Still, analysts say Beijing’s broader approach is unlikely to change significantly. Chen said, “If one proxy fails, they will find another.”

Amnesty warns 2026 World Cup across North American risks becoming ‘stage for repression’

Amnesty International warned on Monday that this summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico risks becoming a “stage for repression”, urging FIFA and host nations to protect rights. FIFA said it aims to ensure all participants feel safe, included and free to exercise their rights.


Issued on: 30/03/2026 
By: FRANCE 24

A FIFA World Cup trophy is displayed at the Akron Stadium, where it arrived as the second part of its tour in Zapopan, Mexico, February 28, 2026 © Ulises Ruiz, AFP

Amnesty International warned this summer's football World Cup, spread across three North American countries, risks becoming a "stage for repression" in a report published Monday.

The London-based human rights organisation's report -- "Humanity Must Win" -- called on both FIFA and host countries the US, Canada and Mexico to take urgent action to protect fans, players and other communities.

FIFA has promised a tournament where everyone "feels safe, included and free to exercise their rights".

But Amnesty said that pledge sits in "stark contrast" to conditions on the ground in all three host nations, especially the US, which hosts three-quarters of the 104 matches.

Amnesty described the US as facing a "human rights emergency" under the Trump administration, marked by mass deportations, arbitrary arrests and what it called "paramilitary-style" Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

The acting director of ICE said last month the agency will be "a key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup".

This comes despite anger at the killing of two American citizens who were protesting aggressive ICE raids in Minneapolis in January.

'Pay the price'

Amnesty said none of the published host city plans address how fans or local communities will be protected from ICE operations.

Fans from four nations taking part this summer -- Ivory Coast, Haiti, Iran and Senegal -- face US travel bans and LGBTQ+ fan groups from England and across Europe have said they will not attend matches in the US, citing risks to transgender supporters in particular.

"This World Cup is very far from the 'medium risk' tournament that FIFA once judged it to be, and urgent efforts are needed to bridge the growing gap between the tournament's original promise and today's reality," the report said.

FIFA said earlier this month the 48-team tournament -- the biggest World Cup in history -- will proceed "as scheduled" with all teams taking part, despite uncertainty over Iran's presence due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The global football governing body, which has been heavily criticised over its decision to award a newly created "Peace Prize" to President Trump in December 2025, stands to earn $11 billion from the tournament cycle.

"While FIFA generates record revenues from the 2026 World Cup, fans, communities, players, journalists and workers cannot be made to pay the price," said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty's head of economic and social justice.

"It is these people -- not governments, sponsors or FIFA -- to whom football belongs, and their rights must be at the centre of the tournament."

The World Cup kicks off on June 11 at the Mexico City Stadium with the final scheduled for July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

European nations warn over Israel’s planned expansion of death penalty


Britain, France, Germany and Italy on Sunday voiced deep concern over Israeli plans to expand the use of the death penalty in a bill expected to be voted on next week. The Council of Europe’s rights body also opposed the draft law, warning it would significantly broaden capital punishment.


Issued on: 29/03/2026 
By: FRANCE 24

Members of the Knesset applaud as President Donald Trump addresses the body, Israel's parliament, Oct. 13, 2025, Jerusalem © Chip Somodevilla, AP

Britain, France, Germany and Italy expressed "deep concern" on Sunday over Israeli plans to extend the application of the death penalty in a bill due to be voted into law next week.

Their statement came the same day the Council of Europe rights body also issued a statement against the draft law.

"We... express our deep concern about a bill that would significantly expand the possibilities to impose the death penalty in Israel and that could be voted into law next week," said a joint statement by the countries' foreign ministers.

"We are particularly worried about the de facto discriminatory character of the bill.

"The adoption of this bill would risk undermining Israel's commitments with regards to democratic principles."

The far-right government is due to put its bill to a second and third reading in the Knesset -- the Israeli parliament -- on Monday. If it passes, it will almost certainly face a legal challenge and go before the Supreme Court.

Also Sunday, Council of Europe chief Alain Berset issued an appeal to Israelover the draft law.

"The Council of Europe opposes the death penalty in all places and in all circumstances," he said.

"The texts currently under examination in the Knesset would represent a grave step backwards from Israel's long-standing de facto moratorium," he added, calling on the authorities to abandon the planned law.'

Israeli bill proposing death penalty for ‘terrorists’ clears first parliamentary vote

Mandatory death sentences

While the death penalty exists for a small number of crimes in Israel, it has become a de facto abolitionist country: the last person to be executed was the Nazi Holocaust perpetrator Adolf Eichmann in 1962.

The amendment, called for by Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, would introduce mandatory death sentences for certain offences.

In February, a dozen UN rights experts argued that this would introduce two tracks for the death penalty in Israel.

"By removing judicial and prosecutorial discretion, they prevent a court from considering the individual circumstances, including mitigating factors, and from imposing a proportionate sentence that fits the crime," they said.

In the occupied West Bank, their statement said "the death penalty would be imposed by military courts under military law for terrorist acts causing the death of a person, even if not intended".

In Israel and occupied East Jerusalem, meanwhile, capital punishment would continue to be applied only under Israeli criminal law and only for the "intentional killing of Israeli citizens or residents".

The independent experts are mandated by the UN Human Rights Council but do not speak on behalf of the United Nations.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Dubious AI detectors drive 'pay-to-humanize' scam

Washington (United States) (AFP) – Feed an Iranian news dispatch or a literary classic into some text detectors, and they return the same verdict: AI-generated. Then comes the pitch: pay to "humanize" the writing, a pattern experts say bears the hallmarks of a scam.


Issued on: 30/03/2026 - FRANCE24

A crop of fraudulent AI detection tools risk adding another layer of online deception. © Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP


As AI falsehoods explode across social media, often outpacing the capacity of professional fact-checkers, bogus detectors risk adding another layer of deception to an already fractured information ecosystem.

While even reliable AI detectors can produce false results, researchers say a crop of fraudulent tools has emerged online, easily weaponized to discredit authentic content and tarnish reputations.

AFP's fact-checkers identified three such text detectors that claim to estimate what percentage is AI-generated. The tools -- prompted in four languages -- not only misidentified authentic text as AI-generated but also attempted to monetize those errors.

One detector, JustDone AI, processed a human-written report about the US-Iran war and wrongly concluded it contained "88% AI content." It then offered to scrub any trace of AI for a fee.


"Your AI text is humanizing," the site claimed, leading to a page where "100% unique text" was locked behind a paywall charging up to $9.99.

Two other tools -- TextGuard and Refinely -- produced similar false positives and sought to monetize them.
'Scams'

AFP presented its findings to all three detectors.

"Our system operates using modern AI models, and the results it provides are considered accurate within our technology," TextGuard's support team told AFP.

"At the same time, we cannot guarantee or compare results with other systems."

JustDone also reiterated that "no AI detector can guarantee 100 percent accuracy."

It acknowledged the free version of its AI detector "may provide less precise results" due to "high demand and the use of a lighter model designed for quick access."

Echoing AFP's findings, one user on a review platform complained that "even with 100% human-written material, JustDone still flags it as AI."

AFP fed the tools multiple human-written samples -- in Dutch, Greek, Hungarian, and English. All were wrongly flagged as having high AI content, including passages from an acclaimed 1916 Hungarian classic.

The tools returned AI flags regardless of input -- even for nonsensical text.

JustDone and Refinely appeared to operate even without an internet connection, suggesting their results may be scripted rather than genuine technical analysis.

"These are not AI detectors but scams to sell a 'humanizing' tool that will often return what we call 'tortured phrases'" -- unrelated jargon or nonsensical alternatives -- Debora Weber-Wulff, a Germany-based academic who has researched detection tools, told AFP.
'Liar's dividend'

Illustrating how such tools can be used to discredit individuals, pro‑government influencers in Hungary claimed earlier this year that a document outlining the opposition's election campaign had been entirely created by AI.

To support the unfounded allegation, they circulated screenshots on social media showing results from JustDone.

The tools tested by AFP sought to lure students and academics as clients, with two of them claiming their users came from top institutions such as Cornell University.

Cornell University told AFP it "does not have any established relations with AI detector companies."

"Generative AI does provide an increased risk that students may use it to submit work that is not their own," the university said.

"Unfortunately, it is unlikely that detection technologies will provide a workable solution to this problem. It can be very difficult to accurately detect AI-generated content."

Fact-checkers, including those from AFP, often rely on AI visual detection tools developed by experts, which typically look for hidden watermarks and other digital clues.

However, they too can sometimes produce errors, making it necessary to supplement their findings with additional evidence such as open-source data.

The stakes are high as false readings from unreliable detectors threaten to erode trust in AI verification broadly -- and feed a disinformation tactic researchers have dubbed the "liar's dividend": dismissing authentic content as AI fabrications.

"We often report on misinformers and other hoaxsters using AI to fabricate false images and videos," said Waqar Rizvi from the misinformation tracker NewsGuard.

"Now, (we are) monitoring the opposite, but no less insidious phenomenon: claims that a visual was created by AI when in fact, it's authentic."

burs-ac/dw

© 2026 AFP

Life with AI causing human brain 'fry'

New York (AFP) – Heavy users of artificial intelligence report being overwhelmed by trying to keep up with and on top of the technology designed to make their lives easier.


Issued on: 30/03/2026 - FRANCE24

Too many lines of code to analyze, armies of AI assistants to wrangle, and lengthy prompts to draft are among the laments by hard-core AI adopters.

Consultants at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) have dubbed the phenomenon "AI brain fry," a state of mental exhaustion stemming "from the excessive use or supervision of artificial intelligence tools, pushed beyond our cognitive limits."

The rise of AI agents that tend to computer tasks on demand has put users in the position of managing smart, fast digital workers rather than having to grind through jobs themselves.

"It's a brand-new kind of cognitive load," said Ben Wigler, co-founder of the start-up LoveMind AI. "You have to really babysit these models."

People experiencing AI burnout are not casually dabbling with the technology -- They are creating legions of agents that need to be constantly managed, according to Tim Norton, founder of the AI integration consultancy nouvreLabs.

"That's what's causing the burnout," Norton wrote in an X post.

However, BCG and others do not see it as a case of AI causing people to get burned out on their jobs.

A BCG study of 1,488 professionals in the United States actually found a decline in burnout rates when AI took over repetitive work tasks.
Coding vigilance

For now, "brain fry" is primarily a bane for software developers given that AI agents have excelled quickly at writing computer code.

"The cruel irony is that AI-generated code requires more careful review than human-written code," software engineer Siddhant Khare wrote in a blog post.

"It is very scary to commit to hundreds of lines of AI-written code because there is a risk of security flaws or simply not understanding the entire codebase," added Adam Mackintosh, a programmer for a Canadian company.

And if AI agents are not kept on course by a human, they could misunderstand an instruction and wander down an errant processing path, resulting in a business paying for wasted computing power.
'Irritable'

Wigler noted that the promise of hitting goals fast with AI tempts tech start-up teams already prone to long workdays to lose track of time and stay on the job even deeper into the night.

"There is a unique kind of reward hacking that can go on when you have productivity at the scale that encourages even later hours," Wigler said.

Mackintosh recalled spending 15 consecutive hours fine-tuning around 25,000 lines of code in an application.

"At the end, I felt like I couldn't code anymore," he recalled.

"I could tell my dopamine was shot because I was irritable and didn't want to answer basic questions about my day."

A musician and teacher who asked to remain anonymous spoke of struggling to put his brain "on pause", instead spending evenings experimenting with AI.

Nonetheless, everyone interviewed for this story expressed overall positive views of AI despite the downsides.

BCG recommends in a recently published study that company leaders establish clear limits regarding employee use and supervision of AI.

However, "That self-care piece is not really an America workplace value," Wigler said.

"So, I am very skeptical as to whether or not its going to be healthy or even high quality in the long term."

© 2026 AFP

Hungarians' growing anger at living in EU's 'most corrupt state'

Vienna (AFP) – Hungarian leader Viktor Orban's officially declared wealth is fairly modest: some savings and a jointly owned villa in Budapest. But voters in what Transparency International deems the EU's most corrupt country believe otherwise.


Issued on: 29/03/2026 - RFI

A billboard featuring Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reading “Let’s get together against the war” stands beside a poster depicting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky labelled “Hazard”, in Budapest on 27 March 2026, ahead of Hungary’s general election on 12 April. AFP - ATTILA KISBENEDEK

They may make Orban pay in a general election on 12 April that could spell an end to his 16-year rule.

The wealth amassed by Orban's inner circle is fuelling the increasingly palpable frustration of a population grappling with sluggish growth, high inflation and worsening public services.

"The government's communication machine worked well as long as our economic situation remained relatively good," Zoltan Ranschburg, a political analyst at the Republikon think tank, told the French news agency AFP.

But it has not been good for years, he added.

"It's our money, not theirs. But they are spending it as if they were the sole owners," Gabor Szebenyi, an 81‑year‑old retired history teacher told AFP at an opposition rally.

He denounced what he called "feudalism" that has taken root in the Central European country of nearly 10 million people.

Independent lawmaker Akos Hadhazy, one of Hungary's leading anti‑corruption crusaders, said graft has drained the equivalent of €2.84 billion from state coffers every year since 2016.

Police guard an entrance to the sprawling Hatvanpuszta manor owned by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's father near Budapest © Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP

'The frontman'

"These are not isolated cases – this is simply the way the system is functioning," Hadhazy told AFP.

While Orban claims to live modestly, several members of his family have grown spectacularly rich since his return to power in 2010.

His father Gyozo Orban, who is 85, owns several building material companies as well as the historic Hatvanpuszta estate he had rebuilt into a luxurious manor worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Protected by high walls, the sprawling domain close to the premier's home village has two swimming pools and its own wildlife park, as well as extensive outbuildings, according to drone footage published by independent media.

EU summit fails to rally Orban behind stalled Ukraine loan

"In reality, the father is merely Viktor Orban's frontman," Hadhazy said.

Orban's son-in-law Istvan Tiborcz has become one of Hungary's most influential entrepreneurs through public lighting contracts won by his former company Elios. The deals were partly financed by the EU – until the EU anti-fraud office OLAF found serious irregularities.

Tiborcz has since switched to real estate and tourism.

Orban's childhood friend Lorinc Meszaros, a former plumber, has become Hungary's wealthiest man worth $4.8 billion according to Forbes magazine, with an empire of construction, energy, banking and media firms thriving on public contracts.

Fat of the land: Hungarians are furious at how Prime Minister Viktor Orban's family have grown rich © Alexander NEMENOV / POOL/AFP

Frozen EU funds

"On paper there is competition (for public contracts), but in fact the winner is always known in advance," a construction contractor told AFP on condition of anonymity at a site near Budapest.

Working in the sector for three decades, the man said public tenders are often decided in advance.

"Those at the bottom of the chain do the work and get paid last – sometimes months later," he said, adding he was ready to throw in the towel and sell his machinery.

"I'm so angry," he said, adding that while those in power lead "luxurious lives" and travel by private jets, small businesses "are struggling to survive".

The anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International has labelled Hungary as the EU's most corrupt country alongside Bulgaria in its Corruption Perceptions Index.

It highlighted systemic risks in public procurement and limited competition for the largest contracts which make up five percent of Hungary's GDP.

The government rejected the ranking and insists Hungarian procurement rules comply with EU standards.

But the EU has frozen €19 billion in funds destined for Hungary over persistent concerns about corruption and respect for the rule of law.

Opposition leader Peter Magyar, Orban's top rival in the upcoming vote, has pledged to recover the funds if elected and to investigate how the current leaders and their families have grown so rich.

Shocking Hungarian documentary alleges ruling party uses mafia-style intimidation to buy votes and coerce voters

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By bne IntelliNews March 29, 2026

An independent investigative group, DE Action Community, has released a shocking documentary alleging systematic vote-buying in Hungary's poorest settlements, involving local mayors and criminal figures. The film claims the ruling Fidesz operates a coordinated network to exert pressure on vulnerable voters, Hvg.hu writes.

The "Price of a Vote", released on March 26, is based on more than 60 interviews conducted with residents, local officials, and former policemen, many of whom spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

The documentary, which has garnered 1.4mn views in just 72 hours, has reignited debates over the integrity of elections in Hungary. Fidesz is trailing by as much as 20pp in some polls, but many analysts have warned that these forecasts have not factored in wide-scale vote-buying, which could involve as many as 500,000 people, or 6-7% of eligible voters.

According to the investigative journalists behind the project, the film initially aimed to examine instances of vote-buying, commonly reported by independent media around elections, but it evolved into a deeper investigation exposing a broader structure of organised coercion and systemic manipulation targeting Hungary’s most vulnerable populations.

The documentary sheds light not only on extreme poverty in Hungary's northeastern regions but also on a quasi-feudal system that exploits the marginalised communities. It unravels a system designed both to mobilise voters and punish those who refuse to comply.

At the film's premiere, one of the filmmakers noted that the system used by Fidesz is no longer confined to a single ethnic group, namely the Roma population, but to a wider group of those living in horrific conditions. "Vote-buying is just the icing on the cake," Aron Timar said, according to 444.hu.

A former participant in the operation, speaking anonymously, provided an insider account of the network, highlighting the role of underworld figures in orchestrating vote collection.

According to multiple accounts, voters were targeted in various ways: alcohol was used to intoxicate alcoholics, drugs were offered to substance users, and food packages or small cash sums were provided.

Families were sometimes threatened with intervention from child protection authorities, the documentary said. In some cases, families were monitored or escorted to polling stations to ensure their votes supported the ruling coalition. Those who openly opposed Fidesz were reportedly punished through the withdrawal of public services, including heating, water, or access to public work programmes.

The documentary suggests the system could secure 500,000-600,000 votes, primarily in northeastern counties. According to sources featured in the film, local MPs these districts supply funds to local operatives, who distribute payments through mayors, criminal intermediaries, and other actors.

One local man told the journalists that Fidesz reportedly spent HUF150mn (€390,000) to buy votes in a single district in northeastern Hungary during a 2025 mayoral by-election, which had to be repeated twice amid allegations of electoral fraud. Days after the vote, the local tobacco shop had to ask for help to provide change, as it was flooded with HUF20,000 notes, the highest denomination.

The report also claims that drug dealers actively participate in mobilising voters, with many casting ballots in exchange for a single dose of drugs or cash payments ranging from HUF10,000 to HUF20,000. 

Early morning hours reportedly see the highest concentration of irregularities, when organisers transport voters to polling stations. In some cases, voters are accompanied into booths under the pretext of needing "assistance", with operatives even marking ballots on their behalf.

Coordinators managing transport and paying voters may receive millions of forints, while local polling station organisers reportedly earn between HUF35,000-70,000 for a couple of days of "work".

One fixer interviewed boasted he had received HUF12mn, enough to purchase a luxury home in a rural, less developed area. He added that the scale of voter mobilisation in 2026 will be twice that in 2018, with higher stakes, more money, and greater logistical resources involved.

Tisza Party chief Peter Magyar said at a recent press conference that Fidesz is planning to pay HUF50,000 per vote this time and that several billion had been earmarked for the purpose. 

During filming, the journalists said they faced threats from a local enforcer associated with the mayor. A former police officer later explained that in these small settlements, mayors are often quickly informed whenever investigative journalists are present and asking questions around the community. Data is often transmitted to local police or intelligence agencies. 

The documentary closes with a cautionary message from a former coordinator, warning journalists to exercise care when investigating the criminals behind the operation: "You have no idea what they are capable of."

DE Action Community has announced plans to recruit election-day "watchers" to monitor and report suspected irregularities at polling stations. Volunteers would observe from early morning and relay information via live streams on the group's YouTube channel. Participants will receive training and guidance on legal procedures for addressing electoral violations.

Nick Thorpe, the BBC's senior Central and Eastern Europe correspondent for Hungary since 1998, also covered the documentary upon its release and contacted government officials, ministers, and the police for comment. Minister of Regional Development and Public Administration Tibor Navracsics was the only cabinet member to respond, stating that if any irregularities occur, the Interior Ministry should address them, while declining to comment on specific claims.

Thorpe, who speaks the language, recalled remarks made by Prime Minister Viktor Orban in January. Addressing local mayors, he stated, "The outcome of this election depends on your willingness to step up. If you do, we win; if not, we will not win, even if I put my soul into it." Local analysts have suggested that the prime minister was referring to vote quotas set by Fidesz's central headquarters for each constituency leader.

The maritime passages with a chokehold on the global economy

The war in the Middle East has put the Strait of Hormuz in the spotlight. It is one of the world's maritime "choke points" – narrow passages on which global trade depends, putting them at the centre of geopolitical tensions.


Issued on: 29/03/2026 - RFI

A cargo ship pictured in the Strait of Hormuz on 25 February. © AFP - Giuseppe Cacace
01:36


The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow passage between Iran and the Musandam Governorate, an exclave of Oman, around 40 kilometres wide with just two navigable channels. And yet, a fifth of the world’s oil passes through it, coming from the Gulf states and Iran.

Iran partially closed it in response to Israeli-American aggression, but in a letter sent to the International Maritime Organization on 25 March, Tehran announced that "non-hostile" vessels may now use it, provided they comply with safety regulations.

The Marinetraffic website shows commercial traffic around the Strait of Hormuz near the Iranian coast, on 4 March. © AFP - Julien de Rosa

The immediate consequences of its closure were stranded oil tankers, and a global economy under strain.

Speaking to UK newspaper The Guardian, former US defence secretary Leon Panetta lambasted US President Donald Trump’s handling of the situation.

“This is not rocket science to understand that if you’re going to conduct a war with Iran, one of the great vulnerabilities is the strait of Hormuz, and [it] could create an immense oil crisis that could drive the price of fuel sky-high," he said.

“In every national security council I’ve been a part of where we’ve talked about Iran, that subject always came up. For some reason, either they didn’t consider that could be a consequence or they thought the war would end quickly and they wouldn’t have to worry about that.”

He continued: "The problem is he can declare victory all he wants but, if he doesn’t get the ceasefire, he’s got nothing. And he’s not going to get a ceasefire as long as Iran is holding the gun of the strait of Hormuz against his head.”

Iran's foreign minister said on Wednesday that the country was not currently negotiating with the US to end the war and "does not intend" to do so.

Meanwhile, the economic repercussions are already evident: rising energy prices, heightened risks of inflation and extremely volatile financial markets, with the fragility of the dependence on maritime trade laid bare.

Choke points

Additionally, there is the risk of closure of another strategic maritime passage – the Strait of Mandeb on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula, between Yemen and Africa. There, the Houthis – backed by Iran – control the Yemeni coastline, and have already demonstrated their ability to disrupt shipping in the area.

Bab el-Mandeb is a vital artery for trade between Asia and Europe. Given a double blockade, of Hormuz and Mandeb, the global economy would falter.

This passage also leads to yet another crucial point: the Suez Canal, in Egypt.

In 2021, when the container ship Ever Given became stuck there, blocking hundreds of ships, global trade ground to a standstill for several days.

Finally, there is the Strait of Malacca, between Malaysia and Indonesia, which sees 80,000 ships a year pass through it. Like the other choke points, it is difficult to secure and incredibly easy to disrupt – with a drone attack, a mine, even a simple accident.

This article was adapted from the original version in French by Sami Boukhelifa.

Forty new migratory species win international protection: UN body

Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (AFP) – The UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) on Sunday approved the listing of 40 new species for international protection, including the snowy owl featured in the Harry Potter saga.


Issued on: 30/03/2026 - RFI

The Hudsonian godwit is one of 40 species newly listed for international protection 

© Luke Seitz / Cornell Lab of Ornithology/AFP/File

The decision came at the conclusion of the COP15 summit on migratory species in Campo Verde, Brazil, which brought together representatives from 132 countries and the European Union.

It is one of the world's most important global meetings for wildlife conservation.

Also on the new list for protection along with the snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) are the Hudsonian godwit (Limosa haemastica) -- a long-beaked shorebird threatened with extinction -- and the great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran).

The new list featured land mammals like the striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) and other aquatic wildlife such as the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis).

The countries that are party to the CMS are legally obliged to protect species listed as at risk of extinction, conserve and restore their habitats, prevent obstacles to migration and cooperate with other range states.

Campo Verde is in Brazil's biodiversity-rich Pantanal wetlands, in the southern Amazon.

According to a report released ahead of the summit, nearly half (49 percent) of all species catalogued by the CMS are showing signs of declining numbers, and nearly one in four are threatened with extinction on a worldwide scale.

Another major UN assessment, published on Tuesday as the summit opened, warned that migratory freshwater fish populations crucial to river health and sustaining the livelihoods of millions of people are in freefall and risk collapse.

Habitat destruction, overfishing and water pollution from the Amazon to the Danube threaten the very survival of hundreds of species whose epic voyages along the world's great rivers go largely unnoticed.

Last November, Brazil hosted the COP30 climate summit in the Amazonian city of Belem.

© 2026 AFP

 

A new way to measure poverty shows the US falling behind Europe

Copyright Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

By Servet Yanatma

Published on 29/03/2026 - EURONEWS

The time needed to get $1 in international dollars is 63 minutes in the US. This is about twice the average in Germany, France and the UK according to an Oxford University researcher. This suggests that average poverty is significantly higher in the US.

Comparing economies and poverty is challenging, as different measures can lead to different results. Olivier Sterck, an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford, has developed a new way to measure poverty, which he calls “average poverty”.

He finds that “average poverty is substantially higher in the US, even though average incomes are higher than in most Western European countries”.

When Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita is compared between the US and Europe, the figures suggest a striking result: the poorest US state rivals Germany.

In the third quarter of 2024, Mississippi, the poorest US state, had a GDP per capita of €49,780 ($53,872). In Germany, it was €51,304 in 2024 — a gap of only about €1,500.

In purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, the US is in a significantly stronger position than most EU countries, except for Luxembourg and Ireland, as a Euronews Business article shows.

What is ‘average poverty’?

However, Olivier Sterck emphasises that viewing poverty as a spectrum changes the conversation. It reveals what poverty lines miss and why inequality matters so much.

According to Sterck’s research, published on SSRN, an online repository for academic work, “average poverty” is defined as the average time needed to earn $1. “The measure is inclusive, distribution-sensitive, decomposable, and aligns with how both experts and the public conceptualise poverty,” he says.

The $1 is measured in international dollars. This means it buys the same amount of goods and services in any country as a US dollar does in the United States. It is often used alongside purchasing power parity (PPP) data. The “time” refers to a day of life for anyone, at any age and in any circumstance — not just the hours worked by someone with a job.

Time needed to earn $1 in international dollars

As of 2025, the time needed to earn $1 is 63 minutes in the US. This is about twice the average across Germany, France and the UK.

In Germany, Europe’s largest economy, it takes 26 minutes. In France, the figure is 31 minutes, while in the UK it rises slightly to 34 minutes.

These figures suggest that average poverty in the US is about twice that of these three countries.

Using this metric, Sterck finds that global poverty has declined by 55% since 1990. The time needed to earn $1 has fallen from about half a day to five hours.

Average poverty rises in the US, declines in Europe

The new measure also shows that average poverty in the US has increased almost continuously since 1990, despite strong growth in average incomes. In contrast, it has declined over time in most other high-income countries.

For example, in 1990, it took 43 minutes to earn $1 in the US. This was almost the same as in France (42 minutes) and shorter than in the UK (51 minutes). Germany had the lowest time at 34 minutes.

“Take two individuals randomly from the populations of these countries: the expected ratio of their incomes is above 4 in the US, but only about 1.5 in the three European countries. This shows how income levels are much more dispersed in the US.

As a result, there is a higher proportion of individuals with low incomes in the US, and they take more time to earn $1,” Olivier Sterck told Euronews Business.

Growth in average income vs average inequality

According to this metric, the time needed to earn $1 has risen by 20 minutes, or 47%, in the US over the past 35 years. All three European economies recorded declines, with the UK seeing the largest drop.

Why is that? He points out that, in all four countries, average incomes have grown by a little over 1% per year over recent decades, according to World Bank PIP data. However, in the US, average inequality has increased by about 2.2% per year, outpacing income growth.

“This explains why average poverty increased in the US: average inequality grew faster than average income,” he says.

By contrast, in the UK, France and Germany, inequality remained relatively stable, so income growth translated into a reduction in average poverty.

How growing economies become poorer

“How can a rich country’s economy grow and yet become poorer?” Sterck asks, referring to the US in his article for The Conversation.

His answer is simple: inequality.

He notes that poverty can change for two main reasons: incomes rise or fall, or income distribution becomes more or less unequal.

In the US case, average poverty increases even in a growing economy because inequality rises faster than incomes grow.

“And the US has one of the most unequal economies in the world, and by far the most unequal among rich countries. Across all 50 states, inequality has risen sharply since 1990, regardless of political orientation, demographic composition or economic structure,” he writes.

Income inequality, measured by the Gini coefficient, is higher in the US than in major European economies. Higher values indicate greater inequality.