Pope Francis, sensing he is close to death, moves to protect his legacy
The battle to succeed Pope Francis is likely to be highly politicized, particularly given the pontiff’s recent clash with Catholic U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
public
British MPs already want a vote on sending troops to Ukraine
Labour MPs โ and opposition lawmakers too โ are asking for a parliamentary say on any British escalation.
Pacte vert : le revirement de Macron indigne ses alliรฉs
Lโoffensive antirรฉglementation du prรฉsident a semรฉ le doute sur son hรฉritage ร matiรจre dโรฉcologie et suscitรฉ la colรจre de nombreux membres de son propre parti.
Looser state aid rules aim to stoke clean tech demand
A European Commission draft sets out ways for governments to subsidize and boost clean-tech investments.
Stรฉphane Sรฉjournรฉ is on a nuclear mission as EU industry chief
With Germany embroiled in political and economic difficulties, nuclear advocates see an opportunity to score points in Brussels.
Stรฉphane Sรฉjournรฉ, en mission pour le nuclรฉaire au sommet de lโEurope
Les difficultรฉs politiques et รฉconomiques de l’Allemagne sont une bonne occasion de marquer des points ร Bruxelles en matiรจre nuclรฉaire, estiment ses partisans.
Angry farmers push Poland away from Ukraine
After nearly three years of war in Ukraine, protests by Polish farmers are opening up social and political fractures in a once-unshakeable alliance.
Macronโs U-turn against EU green rules triggers internal revolt
The French president’s anti-regulation push has thrown his environmental legacy into doubt and angered many in his own party.
New shooting in Brussels leaves 1 dead
The attack at the Clemenceau metro station is the latest in a series of violent incidents rocking the city.
The US said Ukraine would meet with Russia to discuss peace. That was news to Kyiv.
โI do not know what it is,โ said Ukraineโs President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Senator Warner: Democratsโ โbrand is really badโ
Ideological purity and cultural disconnect cost the party the last election.
Republicans struggle with unified response to Trumpโs plan for Ukraine peace talks
Lawmakersโ reactions underscore the challenge Republicans face as they try to make sense of the administrationโs efforts to end the Ukraine war.
1 in 3 Europeans have tried illegal substances. Which country is battling the worst drug problem?
Cannabis and cocaine are the most commonly used drugs in the EU, but several others pose a threat to public health.
Britain dances to JD Vanceโs tune as it recasts AI security institute
After the U.S. VP blasted โhand-wringing about safety,โ Britainโs safety institute gets a new look. References to AI creating โunequal outcomesโ are out.
EU warns of โimmediateโ retaliation against Trumpโs reciprocal tariffs
Brussels has strengthened its trade defense arsenal since a skirmish in U.S. President Donald Trumpโs first term.
Security is the new safety
SNEAK PEEK โย ย The U.K. AISI drops โsafetyโ for โsecurityโ as it rebrands for the Trump era. โย DSIT and Anthropic ink a new partnership. โย Whatโs happened to the porn review? Good morning and happy Friday, This is Tom, unable to find where Iโve hidden my wifeโs Valentineโs card. You can get in touch with your news, [โฆ]
IA et tรฉlรฉcoms : itโs a match!
AU MENU โ Le deal gagnant-gagnant des opรฉrateurs tรฉlรฉcoms avec des IA gรฉnรฉratives. โ Les datacenters ont les yeux plus gros que le ventre, selon RTE. โ Protection des donnรฉes : la CNIL se rode face aux modรจles dโIA, avec Mistral pour cas pratique. Bonjour ร toutes et ร tous, nous sommes vendredi 14 fรฉvrier. [โฆ]
Les 30 couples de pouvoir les plus influents en 2025
A lโoccasion de la Saint-Valentin, POLITICO a listรฉ les couples les plus influents de lโannรฉe.
The EUโs strategy to counter Trumpโs tariffs: An iron fist in a velvet glove
Brussels has strengthened its trade toolkit since Donald Trumpโs first term. But it would need the broad support of EU countries to strike back hard.
Brussels power couples โย 2025 edition
Love is in the air in the halls of power.
‘In the AI field, there will be an increasingly fragmented regulatory environment’
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has publicly rejected Elon Musk’s $97 billion unsolicited bid, explaining to attendees at a Paris summit on AI that the company is not for sale. OpenAI is controlled by a nonprofit board bound to its original mission of safely bu…
Kremlin: Ukraine can be part of peace talks โ but main players will be US and Russia
โOur main counterpart in this process is Washington,โ Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Europe lacks a master plan for Donald Trumpโs new world disorder
There is a “mix of fear and denial,” according to one European official who spoke to POLITICO.
US reins in demands on Ukraine amid alliesโ outcries
โEverything is on the table,โ the Defense secretary said with no mention of concessions he demanded the day before.
Trumpโs Ukraine bombshell puts British support to the test
Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to be a โsteadfastโ backer of Ukraine. But Britain is cash-strapped and struggling to build links.
RFK Jr. now runs Americaโs health agencies
The United States Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a 52-48 vote Thursday to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. He will be sworn in later today.
How are fertility treatments handled around the EU?
With the U-turn of Poland’s public funding for IVF treatment, all EU member states now support this fertility treatment. However, the conditions and waiting times vary among the 27.
At least 28 injured after car hits union rally in โsuspected attackโ in Munich โ video
A 24-year-old Afghan man has driven a car into a trade union demonstration in Munich, injuring at least 28 people including children, some of them critically, according to German police. The Bavarian state premier, Markus Sรถder, told reporters the inci…
Trump kept Germanyโs Scholz in the dark about his Ukraine peace plan
Based on talks with Trump, Scholz had expected Washington to continue its support for Kyiv, he told POLITICO
BBC’s Shipping Forecast, 100 years of positive waves: ‘Our national lullaby’
Broadcast since 1925 on public radio in the UK, the Shipping Forecast provides weather forecasts for maritime areas around the British Isles twice a day. The poetic-sounding bulletin has a loyal following that extends far beyond the sailing community.
Reynolds hits โresetโ on competition
SNEAK PEEK โย The government is giving the CMA a โresetโ. The CMA will try to show itโs got the message. โย Peter Kyle explains the U.K.โs AI summit statement snub. โย MPs pick up where peers left off on copyright. Good morning and happy Thursday, This is Tom, back home. You can get in touch with [โฆ]
Intelligence artificielle : Keep on rolling, rolling !
AU MENU โ Le jour dโaprรจs, la petite musique de la dรฉrรฉgulation de lโIA continue de monter. โ Un rapport parlementaire pointe les avantages de Starlink pour connecter les trains. โ Nouveau retard au dรฉcollage pour la PPLย anti-fast fashion. Bonjour ร toutes et ร tous, nous sommes jeudi 13 fรฉvrier, et vous lisez Tech Matin [โฆ]
Starlink looks pale in comparison with what Europeans can get
SNEAK PEEK โ Has Elon Muskโs Starlink got a shot in Europe? Not really. โ The withdrawal of the EUโs AI liability rules has fans and critics. โย Thereโs a new report about the price tag of the Eurostack. Good morning and welcome to Morning Tech. Hi, this is Pieter, back in Brussels after frantic days [โฆ]
Trumpโs uphill battle to make NATO allies hit his mega defense spending target
There is broad agreement to boost defense spending โ but the U.S. president’s call for 5 percent of GDP is too much for most European countries.
Ukraine war briefing: Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, say European ministers
If we canโt join Nato we must build our own, says Zelenskyy; Russian trial begins over explosion that crippled Kerch bridge. What we know on day 1,086 Nothing about ending Russiaโs war against Ukraine should be decided without the Ukrainians, Europea…
UK PM vows ‘new towns’ in England to alleviate housing crunch
The government said in a press release that it was considering more than 100 sites across England for the new urban areas. The towns will be ‘well-designed, beautiful communities with affordable housing, GP [doctor’s] surgeries, schools and public tran…
Vance enters the world stage. Can he speak for Trump?
The vice president faces a perennially difficult task as he attempts to take the MAGA mantle.
UK dances to Vanceโs tune
SNEAK PEEK โ Where does the Paris summit leave the U.K.โs AI policy? โย MPs tackle the data bill, amendments and all. โย Patrick Vallance sets out his plan to remake science. Good morning and welcome to Wednesday, This is Tom, heading back to London from a gloomy City of Light. Come and say hi if youโre [โฆ]
The big fat Greek plot to defraud the EU
โFarmers” raked in millions of euros for land they didnโt own or work.
Bulgaria facing health tax increase, as budget deficit risks Euro exclusion
Health contributions in Bulgaria make up 8% of salaries, while in Germany they reach 14% and in Romania 10%. Medics insist a public debate on financing the health system should be launched
Von der Leyen launches worldโs largest public-private partnership to win AI race
“The AI race is far from over,” von der Leyen said in her speech, before proceeding to announce further investments in the tens of billions.
EU makes โฌ20B push into computing power for AI
Bloc aims to catch up with U.S. and China in global AI race.
Time to sign?
SNEAK PEEK โ JD Vance lands in Paris as the U.K. tries to get on message.ย โย Peter Kyle says an AI bill will avoid upsetting voluntary agreement with AI labs. โย The U.K.โs own mini-summit kicks off in London. Good morning and happy Tuesday, This is Tom, coming to you from a cold press room in [โฆ]
Spain pushes to double EU budget to over โฌ2 trillion
Madrid wants governments to be jointly liable for borrowing huge amounts of money to boost the bloc’s coffers.
Paris follows a cut-price Olympics with a low-cost AI summit
France is hosting a global artificial intelligence summit that costs far less than the U.K.’s 2023 affair.
As Trump torches overseas aid, will Britain step up?
Britain used to lead the world on international development. But in the era of right-wing populists, its Labour government is now treading carefully.
Les 9 personnalitรฉs ร suivre au Sommet pour lโIA ร Paris
Les universitaires peuvent avoir autant dโinfluence que les โtech brosโ pour inciter les dirigeants politiques ร investir dans cette technologie puissante et ร en dรฉfinir les garde-fous.
Macron picks close ally to lead court that could decide Le Penโs fate
Richard Ferrand’s appointment drew criticism even before being made official.
The 9 AI power players at the Paris AI Action Summit
Academics can be as influential as tech bros in swaying policymakers to both invest in and set guardrails for the powerful technology.
5 times politicians were humiliated by WhatsApp leaks
Numerous UK politicos have found their group chats getting two ticks โ from the entire British public.
Gonorrhea cases hit record high as STIs soar in Europe
Cases of syphilis and gonorrhea rose significantly from 2022 to 2023.
I asked to see Ursula von der Leyenโs texts to Pfizerโs boss and she went to court to stop me. Why the secrecy? | Alexander Fanta
Billions in EU Covid funding have gone unaccounted for. By hiding its business behind personal messaging, Brussels is dodging public scrutinyFor weeks during the height of the Covid pandemic in early 2021, the European Commission president, Ursula von …
Britain ditches AI declaration, pitches for cash
SNEAK PEEK โ As the AI Action Summit kicks off, the U.K. is tempted against signing its main declaration. โ Peter Kyle takes his investment pitch to Paris. โ Back at home, thereโs a backlash against the Home Office over encryption. Good Monday morning, This is Tom in Paris. You can get in touch with [โฆ]
Sommet sur lโIA : Mistral gagnant
AU MENU โ Au Sommet sur lโIA, le champion Mistral bien dรฉcidรฉ ร prendre la lumiรจre. โ LโIA au garde-ร -vous ร lโEcole militaire. โ Le dรฉputรฉ Eric Bothorel part ร lโassaut du rรฉseau X. Bonjour ร toutes et ร tous, nous sommes lundi 10 fรฉvrier et cโest le grand jour : le Sommet franรงais sur [โฆ]
France braces for trial of surgeon accused of sexually abusing hundreds of children
Joรซl Le Scouarnec has been charged with the rape or sexual assault of 299 patients from 1989 to 2014The biggest child abuse trial in French history will open in Brittany this month amid anger that a surgeon was allegedly able to attack hundreds of youn…
Franceโs great AI hope sees opportunity in Chinaโs chatbot success
Mistral AI co-founder says China’s artificial intelligence breakthrough offers inspiration for Europe in the global AI race.
EU rules for advanced AI are step in wrong direction, Google says
Google and Meta are leading the charge against a โcode of practiceโ governing tools like Gemini, ChatGPT and Llama.
EU considers giving countries wiggle room to boost defense spending
The move would allow governments with overstretched budgets more flexibility under the bloc’s debt and deficit rules.
The โGaza-ificationโ of the West Bank
With a cease-fire holding in Gaza, Israel shifts its war to the West Bank.
The real significance of Trumpโs tariffs
It represents another major effort to expand presidential authority.
Israel withdraws troops from key Gaza corridor under fragile cease-fire
Concerns are growing about talks on the second phase of the cease-fire deal.
The Future of Temporary Protection in Tรผrkiye: Return of Syrians after the Fall of Assad
Dr. Ayลe Dicle
Ergin, Assistant
Professor, Bilkent University Faculty of Law
Photo credit: Henry
Ridgwell, Voice of America news, via Wikimedia
Commons
As of today, the vast majority of
approximately 2.8
million Syrians in Tรผr…
Inside USAIDโs undoing
Aides to the president and Elon Musk suspected USAID officials were trying to go around a funding freeze.
France opens probe into Muskโs X over algorithm
Investigation is over allegations the social media company manipulated its algorithm, Paris public prosecutor’s office says.
EU must propel global climate momentum to fill the gap left by Trump
Europe has the potential to play an important role, but it will have to move fast, and be smart and more united than before.
Georgia ramps up restrictions on media, NGOs with drastic new laws
The fresh restrictions come amid a political crisis over disputed elections and the government’s reversal on its EU membership bid.
Teams pull out of รtoile de Bessรจge cycling race after car enters course
Ineos Grenadiers among teams to withdraw in FranceVehicle came towards the peloton at a roundaboutSeveral teams have pulled out of the รtoile de Bessรจges cycling race in France after a car came towards the peloton at a roundabout during the third stage…
Cocaine cash propels Brussels gang wars to dangerous heights, drugs czar says
The globalization of the illicit narcotics trade is hampering investigators โ but Brussels needs to score some quick societal wins, says Belgium’s drug commissioner after wave of shootings.
What does Trump really want from Canada?
โThe current game is maximum chaos,โ one industry leader says of the current state of Canada-U.S. relations
Tony Blair picks his Labour rising stars
The former U.K. prime minister has quietly been meeting Labour’s new MPs โ and he’s not the only Blairite who’s at it.
Britain led the world on AI safety. Now itโs waiting for Trump.
Labour promised tough new rules for the worldโs leading AI developers. But as Trump returns, ministers are thinking again.
Europe needs a โCERN for AIโ, but canโt risk tech tunnel vision [Advocacy Lab Content]
Europe needs to develop trustworthy AI, focused on transparency, explainability, and reliability. Robust AI systems must be trusted by the public and industry โ but much more investment is needed.
Man launches fight against fine for loudspeaker call at French station
The outraged passenger hires a lawyer to dispute the fine over a public phone call in Nantes.
Note to our readers, from CEO Goli Sheikholeslami and Editor-in-Chief John F. Harrisย
POLITICO has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Letโs set the record straight.
Putinโs disinformation networks flood social media in bid to skew German election
A Kremlin-backed campaign is trying to influence voters ahead of Feb. 23 poll, according to government report obtained by POLITICO.
Like an episode of The Wire: Brussels gang wars spiral out of control
โMafiaโ shootings with Kalashnikovs trigger alarm in the city as politicians convene an emergency meeting.
Man launches fight against fine for loudspeaker call at French station
The outraged passenger hires a lawyer to dispute the fine over a public phone call in Nantes.
LโUE engage un cabinet de lobbying proche de Trump pour survivre ร la guerre commerciale
DCI Group a รฉgalement travaillรฉ pour le gouvernement de lโAzerbaรฏdjan, la junte militaire birmane et des compagnies pรฉtroliรจres.
German election frontrunners push for nuclear comeback
Germanyโs nuclear exit was meant to be final. But with energy costs soaring, conservatives are reopening the debate.
Merkel โcould not remain silentโ as she jabs Merz again over far-right AfD vote
Former German leader reiterates swipe at chancellor candidate from her own Christian Democratic Union ahead of Feb. 23 election.
Serbiaโs students are showing the world how to restore democratic hope | Adriana Zaharijeviฤ
An authoritarian regime has been rocked by an anti-corruption movement generating society-wide anger and indignationAdriana Zaharijeviฤ is a philosopher at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of BelgradeWhen a building structure …
Turning aspirations into action for rare disease patients
Inspired by the rare disease communityโs passionate drive to advance policies that provide equitable access to care, UCB spearheaded Aspire4Rare: a global initiative supporting the development of rare disease policies.
The US is โno longer the America we used to know,โ warns Germanyโs Merz
“The way they’re pardoning people who have been sentenced to years in prison, that will have consequences for America,” Merz cautioned.
EU hires Trump-linked lobbying firm to survive trade war
DCI Group has worked with sanctioned organizations, the Azeri government and oil companies.
UKโs Starmer breaks with Trump on Gaza โRivieraโ plan
British prime minister said Palestinians “must be allowed home” to rebuild.
Europeโs illiberal strongmen sit on volcanoes of public discontent
Mass protests in Serbia illustrate that democracy and clean government are precious ideals in bullied societies
Putin ally Schrรถder avoids Nord Stream 2 inquiry after burnout diagnosis
The former German chancellor is suffering from severe exhaustion, lack of energy, concentration and memory problems, his doctor says.
USAID $40bn budget frozen: Int’l aid from UN agencies, NGOs, public/private sector severely impacted
President Donald Trump’s overhaul of US foreign assistance has led to chaos in the aid and development field, leaving hundreds of contractors in a severe financial crunch with some already having to lay off staff and others facing millions of dollars …
Ex-NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg will be Norwayโs finance minister
Former military alliance chief returns to the political fray in Oslo after governing coalition collapsed.
War of attrition strains Ukraineโs army
Ukraine wants Donald Trump’s support, but has suffered thousands of casualties and desertions as it holds the line against Russia.
Ukraine demands โimpartialโ inquiry into death of a citizen in Slovakia
Bratislava and Kyiv have been at loggerheads since the Slovak leadership cut off weapons flows to Ukraine and embraced Moscow talking points.
FBI agents who investigate UFOs worried they could be pushed out in possible purge
The existence of the FBIโs informal working group on the issue has not been disclosed publicly before.
EU risks fragile unity by whacking China to woo Trump
Leaders are negotiating their response to the U.S. presidentโs tariff threats.
UN reports โalarming riseโ in Russia executing Ukrainian soldiers
“Many Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered or were in physical custody of the Russian armed forces were shot dead on the spot,” a monitoring mission says.
France one step closer to 2025 budget as socialists rally behind government
France finally being on track to adopt its budget is also likely to reassure the Commission, which has recently expressed concerns about French public spending.
The post France one step closer to 2025 budget as socialists rally behind government appear…
Sweden says latest Baltic Sea cable cut was not sabotage
“Weather conditions and deficiencies in equipment and seamanship” were behind last month’s disruption, prosecutors say.
South Africaโs president hits back at Trump and Musk over land law
Cyril Ramaphosa defends measures that allow the state to seize land without compensation, after the U.S. president accused South Africa of treating โcertain classes of people VERY BADLY.”
Macron turns to billionairesย to help pay for his legacy
After the rebuilding of the Notre-Dame cathedral, Macron has a new pet project: the Louvre.
German election: AfDโs Weidel doubles down on Holocaust comments
โI find it quite disturbing when the Holocaust is politically instrumentalized,โ far-right leader says.
Czechia battles to safeguard public media independence
excerpt to be added
The post Czechia battles to safeguard public media independence appeared first on Euractiv.