Californiaโs failed AI safety bill is a warning to Britain
What can London learn from Sacramento’s doomed attempt to regulate the existential risks posed by powerful AI?
Intelligence
Russia paying people to vote against joining EU, Moldova warns
Moscow has built a “mafia-style” network to distribute cash ahead of a critical referendum on the country’s future, top Moldovan officials told POLITICO.
Putinโs war economy faces pain if Saudis sink global oil prices
A Saudi move to grab market share will squeeze the Kremlin’s finances, experts argue.
Biden approaches limits of influence on Israel
After a year of effort, the U.S. may be unable to stop full-scale regional war.
EU warns of โdangerous regional warโ as Iran and Israel trade blows
Tehran launches hundreds of missiles at Tel Aviv as Israeli forces enter Lebanon.
Israel risks a long fight in Lebanon
The 1982 invasion โ that turned into a long occupation โ was also originally styled as a mission to push back militants.
Russiaโs FSB protected Evil Corp gang that carried out Nato cyber-attacks
NCA says cybercriminal gang used family links to spy agency to shield members targeted by US authoritiesA prolific Russian cybercriminal gang carried out attacks against Nato countries at the behest of state intelligence services and used family links …
Commission discloses disagreements between general-purpose AI providers and other stakeholders
The Commission disclosed disagreements between general-purpose model providers and other stakeholders in the first Code of Practice plenary on general-purpose artificial intelligence (GPAI) yesterday (30 September).
SAP chief warns EU against over-regulating artificial intelligence
Christian Klein, head of blocโs biggest software firm, warns against further curbs on AI models
US officials quietly backed Israelโs military push against Hezbollah
The officials urged caution and stressed the need for diplomacy. But the timing was right for such a military shift, they concluded.
Israel launches โlimitedโ ground operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon
The IDF said its troops are conducting “localized” raids near the border, in a significant escalation of its conflict with the Iran-backed group.
Target Iran: Israel seizes its moment to reshape the Middle East
Prime Minister Netanyahu warns Iran’s clerics their days are numbered and boasts there is “nowhere” Israel cannot target.
Trust issuesโฆ AIโs double-edged sword cuts a fine line for modern journalism [Advocacy Lab Content]
The rise and integration of artificial intelligence into our daily lives is no longer a futuristic fantasy, but new data shows AI in the media sector might do more harm than good.
Academics to chair drafting the Code of Practice for general-purpose AI
A range of academics, from Turing award-winner Yoshua Bengio to PhD candidates have been named chairs and vice-chairs of working groups that will draft a Code of Practice on general-purpose artificial intelligence (GPAI), according to a Monday (30 Sept…
In a tumultuous world, we rely on the United Nations more than ever โ but it is failing | Jamal Benomar
There should be leadership but instead we see grandiose initiatives and a reluctance to address fundamental flawsJamal Benomar is a former UN undersecretary generalThe United Nations Summit of the Future has concluded, but the real and present world re…
Mission Possible: Working together to reshape the future of cancer care
Q&A with Greg Rossi, Senior VP, Head of Oncology Europe and Canada at AstraZeneca.
Israel on โhigh alertโ for possible retaliation after killing of Hezbollah chief
Hassan Nasrallah’s death is fanning fears of a wider war in the Middle East, which has seen increasing hostilities over the past week.
Washington is glad Nasrallah is gone, but bracing for more violence
The White Houseโs initial reaction to the news was positive, even as it scrambled to figure out if this could spur wider war in the Middle East.
Trump vows to negotiate Ukraine-Russia deal thatโs โgood for both sidesโ during Zelenskyy meeting
In his first face-to-face meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in more than four years, Donald Trump said heโd work with Ukraine and Russia to find a solution thatโs โgood for both sidesโ to end the war and emphasized he has strong relationships with both the Ukrainian president and Russian President Vladimir Putin. โWe have a very [โฆ]
Moldova accuses Russia of trying to rig its EU referendum
The Kremlin is deploying disinformation and cash as Moldova heads to the polls, Chiศinฤu’s national security chief tells POLITICO.
After US, Europe probes Chinese car software
Brussels is in the hot seat to act on cyber-hacking threats stemming from Chinese connected cars.
Why Britainโs โdeepfake electionโ never happened
The U.K. dodged a predicted deluge of AI-generated misinformation. That doesn’t mean its politicians can rest easy.
Iranians indicted in connection with Trump campaign hack
The indictment could be unveiled as soon as Friday.
AI regulation in the UK: A lost opportunity?
As the EUโs Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act comes into force, early indications suggest that the UK could miss out on a golden opportunity to follow suit, write Steven Farmer, Scott Morton, and Mark Booth.
Emmanuel Macronโs lonely battle to defend the EU-Canada trade deal
French lawmakers, and even Macronโs new ministers, want to stop CETA โย but that doesnโt mean they will be able to.
Building a future-proof regulatory system
Simpler, faster, better โ let’s not miss the opportunity to revamp the EU pharmaceutical regulatory framework to transform lives.
Israelโs message to Hezbollah is falling on deaf ears
What was meant to preempt escalation into a full-blown war is having quite the opposite effect, despite both sides knowing full well that another war would make the conflict of 2006 look like a skirmish.
Trump rips FBI, suggests apparent assassination attempts may have been tied to Iran
The former president made the accusation without evidence.
Zelensky tells UN that Russia plans to attack Ukraine’s nuclear plants, warns of โdisasterโ
Ukraineโs President Voldymy Zelensky on Wednesday told the United Nations General Assembly that he has received an โalarmingโ intelligence report indicating that Russia is planning to attack the countryโs nuclear power plants, warning it could lead to…
Austrian election offers far right a springboard back to power
A win for the Freedom Party Sunday would expand Central Europe’s Putin-friendly bloc.
Elon Musk denies โromantic relationshipโ with Giorgia Meloni after New York lovefest
Tech billionaire had said Italy’s PM was “even more beautiful inside than outside.” She hailed him as a โprecious genius.โ
Commission collects over 100 AI Pact signatures, but future remains uncertain
Over 100 organisations have signed the European Commissionโs artificial intelligence (AI) Pact, voluntary commitments that pave the way for compliance with the AI Act.ย ย
Fico takes de facto control of Slovak parliamentโs intelligence oversight committee
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more the Spanish government being forced to withdraw its 2025 draft budget bill, drama in the Czech government, and so much more.ย
Fico takes de facto control of Slovak parliamentโs intelligence oversight committee
Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government coalition has de facto seized control of the parliamentary committee overseeing the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS), traditionally led by the opposition, leading to fears about its impartiality and ability to i…
Inside the break between the US and Israel over how to handle Hezbollah
It marked the first time in almost a year that the U.S. and Israel so starkly disagreed on how to handle Hezbollah.
Peter Kirchschlรคger: ‘Big Tech firms have consistently shown little concern about harming people and violating their rights’
In an article for Le Monde, ethics professor Peter Kirchschlรคger urges the European Union’s institutions not to rely on big American technology companies to regulate artificial intelligence.
Sweden accuses Iran over โrevengeโ messages after 2023 Qurโan burnings
Prosecutors say Iranians hacked SMS operator to send thousands of texts whose โaim was to create divisionโSwedish prosecutors have accused Iranโs intelligence service of hacking an SMS operator in 2023 to send messages encouraging people to take reveng…
Sweden accuses Iran of cyberattack aimed at taking ‘revenge’ on Quran burning
Around 15,000 messages ‘calling for revenge’ against desecrators of Islam’s holy book were sent in the summer of 2023. Sweden’s intelligence service determined that a hacker group had been acting ‘on behalf of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.’
The US government is keeping tabs on Americans headed to Ukraineโs war zone
The previously unreported DHS monitoring effort aims to scrutinize Americans who joined the fight in Kyiv โ and identify if any could pose a threat when they return home.
โPrecious geniusโ Elon Musk love-bombs โbeautifulโ Giorgia Meloni at think tank awards
The tech billionaire and the Italian PM exchange pleasantries at glitzy Washington gala dinner, while Atlantic Council staffers fume.
Les 100 premiers jours de von der Leyen : ce quโelle a promis, ce que รงa implique et ce quโelle va vraiment faire
La prรฉsidente de la Commission promet de procรฉder rapidement ร des rรฉformes profondes. Quelle est la crรฉdibilitรฉ de son projet ?
AI has a โspecial placeโ in French government, says new AI and digital minister
“AI will take on a very special place in my work” as a member of the new French government, said newly-appointed Secretary of State for artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies Clara Chappaz.
Draghi is right: To rebuild competitiveness, Europe must reimagine its approach to innovation
To reap the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI), the EU needs to change its regulatory approach, invest in research and development (R&D) and infrastructure, and skills, writes Google’s Matt Brittin.
Health care helps to stabilize democracies, Gastein chief says
SNEAK PEEK โ Austriaโs Clemens Martin Auer stresses the role of health care in democracies ahead of a major health policy summit in the Alps. โย The European Medicines Agency recommended two updated Covid-19 vaccines โ but targeting different variants. โย Hungaryโs secretary of state for health will present the Hungarian presidencyโs program on health to Parliamentโs [โฆ]
โHeโs a very, very handsome manโ: Meet the ex-pop star turning heads in the UK Treasury
Former Clean Bandit member Neil Amin-Smith is one of Chancellor Rachel Reevesโ most trusted advisers.
Von der Leyenโs first 100 days: What sheโs promised, what it means and what sheโll really deliver
The Commission president is promising to move quickly with far-reaching reforms. How credible is her plan?
Reenvisioning Europeโs digital sovereignty
Von der Leyen’s current dominant position presents an opportunity to turn the bloc into a global-facing innovation powerhouse.
Far-right AfD eyes further electoral gains in key German state of Brandenburg
Ballot being seen as referendum on Olaf Scholzโs government ahead of next autumnโs general electionThe far-right Alternative fรผr Deutschland party is hoping to come top in an election in the German state of Brandenburg on Sunday, three weeks after maki…
Sicily: fear of foreign actors prompts security request for wreck of luxury yacht
Officials concerned about sensitive hard drives of tech mogul Mike Lynch, who died in sinking of BayesianItalian authorities have confirmed a request for additional security around the wreck of the luxury yacht Bayesian, which sank in August killing se…
US builds up naval, troop presence near Alaska amid Russian activity
The actions follow a series of Russian air operations that skirted Alaskan airspace and as Russian and Chinese warships conducted joint exercises across the Pacific.
Ukraine war briefing: Telegram banned from official Ukrainian devices amid Russian spying fears
Ukrainian security council restricts appโs use on government and military devices after intelligence agency says Russia can snoop on users and messages. What we know on day 941See all our Ukraine war coverage Continue reading…
Metaโs Nick Clegg tears into Rishi Sunakโs AI doomerism
The Meta exec and former deputy PM said Britain had โwasted a huge amount of timeโ focusing on the gloomy risks of artificial intelligence.
European Parliament study: AI liability directive should cover general-purpose AI, expand to software
The European Parliament Research Service (EPRS) recommended that liability regulation include general-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) products and a broader legal instrument for software liability, in a study released on Thursday (19 September).
Middle East pager attacks ignite fear of supply chain warfare
The operations in Lebanon and Syria could spark a global reckoning over vulnerabilities faced by tech companies with global manufacturing operations.
Adult-content creators call for inclusion in AI policy talks
Adult industry stakeholders are looking to influence artificial intelligence (AI) regulations to protect content creators’ rights amid emerging issues like AI-generated pornography, deepfakes, and age verification challenges.
Inside Trumpโs electoral firewall
If the former president wins the East Coast trio of Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, he will go back to the White House.
Tech policy: 20 people to meet at Labour conference
We break down the 20 figures inside and outside government shaping Labourโs tech policy.
UNโs high-level advisory body wants international scientific AI panel
The High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the United Nations (UN) shared its awaited report on global AI governance today (19 September), proposing several new international institutions.
Creator of Kamala Harris parody video sues California over election โdeepfakeโ ban
The complaint argues laws signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom violate free speech rights.
Does America want Ukraine to defeat Russia? It doesnโt look that way.
The presidentโs foreign policy legacy will be shaped by a looming decision in Ukraine.
Russian election interference efforts targeting Harris campaign, Microsoft finds
The new effort, which involves spreading fake videos discrediting Harris and her campaign, is the latest foreign interference linked to Russia in recent weeks.
Russians and Ukrainians helping train same side in Sudanโs war
Intelligence officers say retired pilots from Ukraine and snipers from Russia are both working with Sudanese Armed Forces
Labor unrest threatens to upend Harrisโ economic pitch
Tens of thousands of Boeing workers went on strike last week, with other strikes looming โ including one that could spell economic disaster for the country, and for Kamala Harrisโ campaign.
Security experts see latest Trump close call as โa failure, 100%โ
Trump, however, said the Secret Service did an โabsolutely outstandingโ job.
EU forms investors club amid tech doom and gloom
Investors are tipped to co-invest in capital-intensive tech alongside the EU’s fund.
US is navigating a โdangerous threat environment.โ Itโs different from any other election cycle.
The second apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump is the latest peril in a race that has been defined by anger and threats.
US sanctions Georgian officials for undermining democracy
Dozens of government politicians and their families could now face travel bans.
Ukraine brushes off links to wannabe Trump assassin
Volodymyr Zelenskyy sends “best wishes” to the Republican candidate, while the International Legion dismisses any connection with Ryan Wesley Routh.
UKโs Starmer praises Italyโs Meloni for โremarkable progressโ in stemming illegal migration
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday praised Italian PM Giorgia Meloni for her efforts to go after gangs that profit from illegal immigration, which have resulted in a 60-percent drop in the number of illegal migrants arriving in Italy by sea. Sta…
Madrid denies claims of โplotโ to assassinate Maduro
The Spanish government has categorically rejected Venezuelaโs claims that two of its citizens arrested by the countryโs secret services on Saturday were part of Spanish intelligence and planned to carry out attacks, including an attempt to assassinate …
Finnish horse enthusiast is an EU tech front-runner
Henna Virkkunen is well placed to nab a key European Commission post on tech or innovation.
RT running covert military supply operation for Russian forces, US says
The state-backed media outlet has been sending weapons to Russian units, including sniper rifles and suppressors, body armor, night vision equipment and drones, according to State.
Meta to push on with plan to use UK Facebook and Instagram posts to train AI
Move to use shared posts follows information commissioner concerns and sets collision course with EU over privacy Mark Zuckbergโs Meta is to go ahead with controversial plans to use millions of UK Facebook and Instagram posts to train its artificial in…
Russia kicks out 6 British diplomats over spying claims
Hours before Keir Starmer meets Joe Biden to discuss Ukraine, Moscow accuses London of escalatory actions.
โDragon-Bearโ: How China and Russiaโs spy operations overlap in Europe
Beijing is recruiting agents among EU politicians who have demonstrated fealty to Moscow, underscoring their alignment, according to a senior European intelligence official.
China uses LinkedIn to recruit academics for espionage, Czech intelligence warns
China poses a fundamental threat to Euro-Atlantic civilisation and is using various channels, including LinkedIn, to establish contacts and gain influence and know-how, the Czech Security Information Service (BIS) has warned.
Google hit with European privacy probe over its AI system
Regulators are cracking down on tech firmsโ development of artificial intelligence systems over data protection concerns.
Irish data protection watchdog probes Googleโs processing of personal data for AI training
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) launched a cross-border inquiry into Google’s compliance with privacy laws in processing EU citizen’s data for its artificial intelligence (AI) model PaLM 2, according to a Thursday (12 September) press release.
ย โWeโre the only plane in the sky:โ 9/11 on board Air Force One
Where was the president in the eight hours after the Sept. 11 attacks? The strange, harrowing journey of Air Force One, as told by the people who were on board.
Pokรฉmon is a Western intelligence tool, Belarus claims
Minsk defense official rails against Japanese augmented reality game.
Unresolved questions over Xโs deal with Ireland to halt AI data processing
Despite the conclusion of the Irish Data Protection Commission’s (DPC) court proceedings against social media platform X, questions about its Artificial Intelligence (AI) data practices and compliance with EU data protection laws remain.
Biden administration split over Ukraineโs use of US weapons inside Russia
Pentagon and intelligence community caution against deployment of ATACM missiles by Kyiv
Russian espionage, sabotage in Europe now โmore likely,โ Norwegian intel chief warns
Western spy agencies have been increasingly warning of the Kremlin’s hybrid warfare tactics.
France, Germany and UK issue new sanctions over Iran’s missile deliveries to Russia
The European Union on Monday announced that its allies had shared intelligence that Iran had supplied Russia with ballistic missiles, and warned of new sanctions on Tehran.
The EU AI Office needs top scientific talent, not familiar faces
The European Commission shouldnโt hire internally for its lead scientific advisor on artificial intelligence (AI), writes Alex Petropolos and Max Reddel.
Europeโs new normal: High energy bills, fading industry and one chance to fix it
German manufacturers are being strangled. The EU is feeling the pinch. Mario Draghi on Monday warned the EU may be staring at โslow agony.โ
Pour Mario Draghi, lโEurope doit investir 800 milliards de plus si elle veut enrayer son rapide dรฉclin
โNous avons atteint le point oรน, sans action, nous devrons compromettre soit notre bien-รชtre, soit notre environnement, soit notre libertรฉโ, a averti lundi lโancien prรฉsident de la BCE lors de la prรฉsentation de son rapport trรจs attendu.
EU says it has ‘credible information’ that Iran sent ballistic missiles to Russia
The European Union has said it is looking into reports that Iran has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles to use in its war against Ukraine after having received “credible” intelligence from its allies. Although Tehran has rejected the allegation, …
Polish authorities takes down Belarusian and Russian cyber-espionage group
Polish authorities successfully dismantled a cyber-espionage group linked to Belarusian and Russian intelligence services, which had been conducting malicious activities in Poland, reported Polish Minister of Digitization Krzysztof Gawkowski onย Monday…
Draghi says EU must spend twice as much as it did after WWII
AI is an opportunity for Europe while common borrowing is needed to fund defense, former ECB chief says in landmark report. Read the full paper here.
Why the Kremlin loves social media
This weekโs indictment of a social media content firm shows how itโs getting easier and easier for Russia to influence U.S. elections.
CIA, MI6 chiefs laud Ukraine’s incursion into Russia
The heads of the British and American foreign intelligence agencies said Saturday that Ukraineโs surprise incursion into Russia is a significant achievement that could change the narrative of the grinding 2 1/2-year war, as they urged Kyiv’s allies no…
World order โunder threat,โ US and UK spy chiefs warn
MI6 boss Richard Moore and CIA chief Bill Burns said inย an op-ed in the Financial Timesย that there was work being done to “disrupt the reckless campaign of sabotage” across Europe by Russia.
Foreign influence attempts are the new normal for American elections
As attempted foreign interference in elections continues to evolve, so does the response to it. Officials are grappling with questions of how to hold bad actors accountable while preserving trust in the system.
German officials claim Poland sabotaged investigation into Nord Stream explosions
A Polish official denied the accusation, calling it โcompletely unfounded.โ
Estonia says Russian military intelligence behind cyber-attacks
Estonia has revealed that Moscow was behind a series of cyber attacks targeting of several Estonian ministries in 2020, in a rare move that publically accuses another state actor of a cyber-attack.
Home secretary chairs summit on tackling boat gangs
The meeting with intelligence and law enforcement bodies comes days after 12 people died crossing the Channel.
UK signs first international treaty to implement AI safeguards
Also signed by the EU, US and Israel, the declaration aims to mitigate the threats that AI may pose to human rights, democracy and the rule of lawThe UK government has signed the first international treaty on artificial intelligence in a move that aims…
US announces new crackdown on Russian disinformation in 2024 election
The U.S. Justice Department has seized more than 30 web domains that it said were part of a broader, ongoing, surreptitious effort by the Russian government to influence the 2024 U.S. election and American public opinion, federal authorities announced Wednesday.
Irish data privacy watchdog case against X is โstruck outโ
Court proceedings from the Irish Data Protection Commission against X are officially over as of Wednesday (4 September), after the company agreed to permanently stop processing some personal data collected in the EU to train artificial intelligence (AI).