Why is the UK only loaning back Ghana’s looted “Crown Jewels”?

The UK is set to return some of Ghana's significant cultural artefacts, including a gold peace pipe, that were looted from the Asante king's court 150 years ago.

2024 01 25T114649Z 1611864194 RC2ZO5ARPJ02 RTRMADP 3 BRITAIN GHANA TREASURES Scaled
A view of a Cast gold badge, worn by the Asantehene's (king's) 'soul washer' as a badge of office, Asante, Ghana, before 1874, in this undated handout picture obtained by Reuters. The Trustees of the British Museum/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE
author profile picture

Paolo Natale

Front of mind

Article Card thumbnail

The Deepfake Dilemma: Can technology and law catch up with AI fakes?

Detection tools are flawed, regulation lags behind, and platforms evade responsibility. Dr Áine MacDermott argues only a mix of smarter tech, stronger laws and human-centred defences can counter the deepfake threat.

A familiar face on a video call. A trusted voice giving instructions. A social media post quoting a senior executive. Increasingly, these may not be real at all. Thanks to artificial intelligence, deepfakes, convincing but fabricated videos, images and audio, are spreading fast, and their consequences are serious. Dr Áine MacDermott, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics at Liverpool John Moores University, warns that organisations and governments must act now.
READ MORE Continue reading The Deepfake Dilemma: Can technology and law catch up with AI fakes?
Article Card thumbnail

India’s political troubles explained

Rahul Gandhi calls out the ECI for “vote theft,” but the Commission demands proof or apology.

On August 7, 2025, Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of enabling “vote theft” during the 2024 general elections. He pointed to alleged irregularities in voter rolls in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura constituency, citing thousands of duplicate entries, invalid addresses, bulk registrations, and faulty photographs. Gandhi labelled the claims as the result of six months of research by his team and demanded transparency, including access to digital voter lists and CCTV footage.
READ MORE Continue reading India’s political troubles explained