Israel destroys targets across Syria as Russian vessels desert Tartus naval base
Moscow says it is taking the “necessary steps” to ensure the security of its military bases.
Satellites
Top advisers say EU should ban solar geoengineering โฆ for now
The bloc’s scientific advisers say the EU should push for an international treaty regulating the controversial technologies.
Syrian rebels storm into Damascus, claim Assad has fled
Assad had been in power for 25 years and his family ruled Syria for half a century.
Europeโs troubled Vega rocket finally launches satellite
It is the first launch for the lightweight rocket since December 2022, when it failed to reach orbit in its maiden commercial flight.
Landmark space mission set to create artificial solar eclipses using satellites
Two satellites in Proba-3 mission expected to be launched on Wednesday in India and will work in tandem to study sunโs coronaFinal preparations have begun for a landmark space mission that will use satellites flying in close formation to create artific…
Trump victory boosts the โcase for spaceโ in Europe, says European Space Agency chief
Europe should be in a position to compete with the U.S. in space, said Josef Aschbacher.
Elon Musk reportedly makes surprise appearance on Trump-Zelenskyy call
X chief, who campaigned hard for Trump, spoke to Ukraine leader after being handed phone by president-electElon Musk reportedly made a surprise guest appearance on a call between Donald Trump and the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, solidifying…
Musk joined Trumpโs war call with Zelenskyy
The tech tycoon looks set to wield foreign policy influence in the new U.S. administration.
The law barring Trump from pulling out of NATO is โnot airtight,โ expert says
The guardrail against the next president leaving the alliance is shakier than you think.
5 things to know about defense chief Andrius Kubiliusโs European Parliament hearing
New defense commissioner warned of Russian threat, underlined America’s distraction with China, and pushed the EU to spend big on protecting itself.
Chinaโs โmind-bogglingโ space capabilities worry US, says Space Force chief
Beijing’s tech is more concerning than reports of Russian space nukes, said General B. Chanceย Saltzman.
Hungary flirts with Putin and snubs NATO meeting
NATO diplomats based in Budapest wanted to chat with Hungary about its ambiguous policy toward the Atlantic alliance, but were ignored.
Muskโs reported contacts with Putin trigger anxiety in Washington
The Democratic lawmakers join NASA chief Bill Nelson in calling for a confirmation of bombshell report revealing alleged regular contact between the mogul and Moscow.
Musk has been in secret contact with Putin since 2022, says bombshell new report
The Russian president even asked the billionaire for a Starlink favor.
Elon Musk pushes for an American technopoly
Stumping for Trump, the tycoon is embracing a progress-for-its-own-sake vision of the future. Guess who benefits?
We need a a whole-of-society approach to intelligence
If Western countries are to withstand the aggression waged by various rivals and their proxies, sharing insights from the front line is the only way forward โ and today, that includes businesses.
US investigating leak of classified documents on Israelโs attack plans: Reports
The documents, marked top secret, describe satellite images of Israeli preparations for a potential strike on Iran, according to media reports.ย
Meet Elon Muskโs man in Washington
The SpaceX billionaire is forging new ties with a federal telecom official who could help funnel billions of dollars to his company if Trump is elected.
Wars are won with code, says German military AI maker
Helsing is riding the wave as Europe seeks defense tech leadership.
Asteroid mission aims to save humans from the fate of the dinosaurs
Europe’s Hera mission will help figure out how to deflect an asteroid before it hits Earth.
Inside the US intel dilemma on Gaza a year after Oct. 7
Current and former officials say the US has long struggled to collect intelligence on Hamas.
Russia and Chinaโs cooperation in the Arctic is a rising nuclear threat
While Beijing and Moscow have been working to establish a strategic foothold in the region for more than a decade, Washington and Brussels are just now waking up to the danger.
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…
Russia-Ukraine war live: Zelenskyy warns of โnuclear terrorโ amid threat of Russian strikes on energy facilities
Ukraine president claims Russia is using Chinese satellites to photograph facilities it is intending to strikeRussia plans to maintain defence spending at an historic high in 2025, Bloomberg News reports, suggesting that the Kremlin intend to continue …
Survive review โ smart, surrealist disaster flick filled with arresting dream-like imagery
Low-budget limitations work in this French thrillerโs favour, in which Earth is turned upside down At one point in this smart, low-budget French disaster movie/post-apocalyptic thriller, teenager Ben (Lucas Ebel) pees into an unplumbed toilet dumped in…
Lithuaniaโs Andrius Kubiliusย named defense and space commissioner
He will work on developing the European defense union and boosting our investment in capacity,โ said Ursula von der Leyen.
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.
Trump could turn Elon Musk into an American oligarch
Muskโs potential foray into government would represent a striking development for the billionaire.
Trumpโs campaign has earthly problems. But heโs focusing on outer space.
The approach is supported by top National Guard leaders, lawmakers and top leaders in both parties from states with space missions.
Ukraine can join NATO even if Putin occupies its land, Czech president says
The former NATO general cited West Germany as a historical comparison.
Donโt go head-to-head with Musk on space internet, satellite CEO tells Europe
Europe should look beyond space internet and start planning for a military-grade surveillance system instead.
After a whirlwind 5 years, Bretonโs back for more
POLITICO looks back on the French commissioner’s first stint at the Berlaymont.
Putin threatens retaliation if US deploys long-range missiles in Germany
Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to deploy missiles within striking distance of the West should the U.S. move forward with its missile deployment in Germany.
EUโs IRISยฒ satellite plan runs into mega complications against SpaceXโs Starlink
Elon Musk’s Starlink is stealing a march on the EU’s fledgling alternative.
How Europe screwed up its rocket program
One successful test launch doesn’t mean that Europe’s struggles in the space race are over.
Europe’s new Ariane 6 rocket releases satellites, marking successful first launch
On Tuesday, the much-delayed inaugural flight of the European Space Agency’s most powerful rocket to date launched from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The take-off is hoped to bring an end to a difficult time for European space efforts.
Ariane 6 rocket successfully launches, flight in progress
The launch marks a big success for Europeโs space program.
Europe smarts as SpaceX bags key satellite launch contract
Launching a weather satellite with SpaceX and not Ariane 6 is a “surprising” decision, said Josef Aschbacher, director general of the European Space Agency.
Ukraineโs โpeopleโs satelliteโ wreaks havoc on Russian targets
Ukrainian military intelligence has been using the satellite to target Russian troops, weapons and logistics.
Farage let the cat out of the bag โ NATO expansion was just an excuse for Putin
Putin was going to do whatever he wanted regardless of what NATO and the EU did or didnโt do โ he would have just come up with another excuse to make war, another great lie.
Russia threatens โconsequencesโ for US over Crimea missile strikes
“What exactly โ time will tell,โ Kremlin spokesperson warns Washington.
Ukraine war briefing: Russia blames US for deadly Ukrainian attack on occupied Crimea
Moscow says responsibility for strikes using US-supplied Atacms missiles โborne above all by Washingtonโ. What we know on day 852Russia claimed on Sunday that the US was responsible for a Ukrainian attack on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula in whi…
Weatherwatch: satellite weather data plays growing role in saving lives
Eumestat early warning system helps predict climate trends and forthcoming extreme weather events in Europe and AfricaEarly warning systems for adverse weather are increasingly important in saving lives and preventing economic disasters. Thirty countri…
How to watch the EU election like a Pro
4 days, 27 votes โ itโs a European election bonanza!
Rishi Sunakโs snap election sparks chaos and anger
Rage mounts against PM as blindsided Conservative MPs and activists fear Sunak has scored an own goal.
Worldโs first wooden satellite built by Japan researchers
The world’s first wooden satellite has been built by Japanese researchers who said their tiny cuboid craft will be blasted off on a SpaceX rocket in September.
โCrystal clearโ that Europe needs a Starlink-like secure satellite program, says space boss
“We have to have a secure connectivity program,” said the European Space Agency’s director general.
Pentagon says Russia โlikelyโ launched space weapon
Revelation comes as countries haggle over space war rules at the United Nations.
Commissionerโs offering of EU โsolidarityโ with Iran creates storm
“European solidarity? With whom. And with whose money?” one MEP asked.
Iranโs President Ebrahim Raisi dies in helicopter crash
Raisi had been tipped as a possible successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Ukraine war briefing: US and most EU countries to boycott Putin swearing-in ceremony
US spokesperson says no envoy will attend because Russian presidentโs election was not โfree and fairโ. What we know on day 804The US and most EU nations will boycott a Kremlin ceremony to swear in Vladimir Putin for a new six-year term as president on…
Macron meets Xi: Two emperors on the edge of two warsย
Amid arguments over electric cars, cognac and Ukraine, the French presidentโs dinner with Xi Jinping may not be much fun.ย
GPS jamming is a โside effectโ of Russian military activity, Finnish transport agency says
Finnair has stopped flights to one Estonian city thanks to the signal interference.
Brussels slams Berlinโs โill-foundedโ effort to delay EU satellite project
Germany’s Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck wants to suspend the IRIS2 satellite project; the EU isn’t giving way.
Next-generation farming, sowing the seeds of data-driven agritech success [Advocacy Lab Content]
From seeds to satellites, agriculture has come a very long way. Today’s farms increasingly deploy drone technology, 5G mobility, and soil monitoring solutions from the deep tech sector.
Ukraine war briefing: Russian fighter jet crashes off Crimea
US pushes exporters to cut off clients who might sell weapons parts on to Russia; Zelenskiy insists Putin a threat to Nato countries. What we know on day 765See all our Russia-Ukraine war coverageA Russian SU-35 Flanker fighter jet has crashed into the…
EU formally approves extraordinary, one time satellite launch from US territory
EU member states on Tuesday (19 March) agreed on a deal that will see EU Galileo satellites launched from US territory in a last-ditch effort and extraordinary measure to save their space programme.
EU agrees US deal to launch satellites with Elon Muskโs SpaceX
The EU will get the right to post security guards at a U.S. spaceport to protect its Galileo satellites.
Musk is building spy satellite network for US intelligence agency: sources
SpaceX is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites under a classified contract with a US intelligence agency, five sources familiar with the program said.
Europe must quicken green efforts after election, EU climate chief says
The bloc should โfocus just as much and probably moreโ on climate in the coming years, Wopke Hoekstra told POLITICO.
Politicians must not ignore security threats in space
Increased military reliance on space brings new threats and challenges along with it, and Western policymakers need to urgently adapt.
More Tetris than Dune: Inside French Space Commandโs war game
France is conducting space military exercises pitting the fictional nations of Mercury and Arnland against each other.
Biden plans intel brief for Trump, despite his history with leaks
Itโs standard practice to share classified information with presidential nominees, but the decision to brief Trump if he becomes the GOP nominee this year is loaded with political and potentially legal risks.
EU, US draft strict conditions for launch of Galileo satellites from American soil
Brussels and Washington are close to greenlighting the launch of European navigation satellites from US territory this year to avoid service disruption, after two years of delay, Euractiv has learnt.
Serbia rebukes Croatia minister for calling Vuฤiฤ a Russian โsatelliteโ
Serbia’s leader must decide which side he’s on โ Russia’s or the EU’s, Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grliฤ-Radman said.
Taiwanโs leadership โextremely worriedโ US could abandon Ukraine
A congressional delegation assured senior officials that the U.S. โwill stand firmlyโ with the island regardless of the results of the U.S. presidential election.
Musk and Assange follow Putin, Trump and Stalin as Nobel Peace Prize nominees
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has also been nominated for this year’s prize.
Russiaโs nuclear space weapon a risk for all, says German Space Command chief
“Nobody would survive an action like that,” Major Generalย Michael Traut said.
Biden says thereโs no mistake: โPutin is responsible for Navalnyโs deathโ
Saying heโs โoutragedโ by the death, Biden tells Congress to โstep upโ and pass supplemental aid to help Ukraine.
Why Russia wonโt have its anti-satellite weapon in space anytime soon
Itโs unclear if Russia has the capability to successfully launch a nuclear anti-satellite device into orbit, people familiar with the issue say.
Russia seen as highly unlikely to put a nuclear warhead in space
The space-based weapon US intelligence believes Russia may be developing is more likely a nuclear-powered device to blind, jam or fry the electronics inside satellites than an explosive nuclear warhead to shoot them down, analysts said on Thursday (15 …
Russia using Muskโs Starlink, Ukraine army intelligence says
“This is starting to become systematic,” says Defense Intelligence of Ukraine.
Space wars: Europeโs master plan to counter Elon Muskโs Starlink
The Starlink satellite system is crucial for the Ukrainian military, but there are problems.
LEAK: EU Commission mulls options for boosting R&D in dual-use technologies
The European Commission will propose several options for promoting research and development (R&D) related to technologies with dual-use potential, namely, those that can be used for both civil and military purposes, such as drones and satellites.
How to watch Taiwanโs election like a pro
The vote lies at the heart of a battle between Washington and Beijing for influence in the South China Sea.
Telecoms: Commission mulls market deregulation, infrastructure resilience, spectrum governance
According to information gathered by Euractiv, the draft proposal of the Commission’s long-awaited telecom white paper could including market deregulation, cloudification, infrastructure resilience and spectrum.
Sanctions arenโt working: How the West enables Russiaโs war on Ukraine
The EU is pointing the finger at Chinese suppliers, but itโs Western companies that make the most critical components used in Russiaโs arsenal of weapons.
Is Europeโs new satellite initiative already outdated?โฏย
Sovereign communication and satellite capabilities are core to the security of European nations. The European satellite constellation IRISยฒ, however, risks being overtaken before it even launches
Israelโs appetite for high-tech weapons highlights a Biden policy gap
The Israel-Hamas war has brought a boom in cutting-edge military technology from U.S. makers โ and a brewing diplomatic headache for the White House.
EU tables new regulation to track climate threats to forests using satellites
The European Commission on Wednesday (22 November) proposed a forest monitoring system that will use satellites to track threats such as climate change-fuelled wildfires and illegal logging.
Oil industry rides into climate summit bigger than ever
Price spikes driven by the war in Ukraine are helping fill the petroleum giantsโ coffers, despite governmentsโ promises of a greener era.
Europeans called to develop reusable spaceships, amid space access crisis
The European Space Agency (ESA) launched a call this week for European companies to develop a re-entry cargo spaceship at a time Europe is unable to send satellites into orbit due to delays with European launchers. The ESA’s Director-General Jose…
Russia withdraws from CFE, NATO countries suspend adherence
SNEAK PEEK โ Russia withdrew from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe: NATO announced the suspension of the agreement in response. โ Britain and Canada push back against a bill to fund the U.S. government next year, saying it would seriously harm maritime defense cooperation between the three allies. โ Europe undermined hopes [โฆ]
So much for strategic autonomy: EU pays Elon Musk โฌ180M to launch its satellites
Europe’s Ariane 6 launcher is very delayed.
Europe takes one small step toward astronaut spaceflight
European Space Agency member countries balked at a manned space program, instead opting for a lower cost cargo mission.
EUโs diplomatic arm slams Russia over North Korea weapon deals
North Korea believed to have made at least 10 arms transfers to Russia since August, delivering a million rounds of artillery.
Bulgaria commits to defense spending spree
SNEAK PEEK โ Bulgaria will boost its defense spending, splashing out on combat aircraft, patrol ships and armored vehicles. โ Andรธya Spaceport has nowย officially opened what it says will be continental Europeโs first launchpad for small and medium rockets. โ The Swedish Defense Materiel Administration signed a $605 million contract to buy American AIM-120 AMRAAM [โฆ]
North Korea outpacing the EU on shell deliveries
SNEAK PEEK โ Intelligence reports indicate that North Korea has delivered a million artillery rounds to Russia โ easily beating the EUโs aim to dispatch the same number to Ukraine. โ The Indian government has reportedly reached out to the French government with a request to buy 26 Dassault-made Rafale fighter jets. โ Five European [โฆ]
EU going cold on extra โฌ20B Ukraine arms fund?
SNEAK PEEK โ EU leaders look unlikely to agree easily on a four-year โฌ20 billion fund to help Ukraine keep sourcing arms and training its soldiers. โ The Commission has opened a consultation on its long-promised European Defence Industrial Strategy. โ Sweden has suggested cutting EU spending on space by โฌ1 billion until 2027 in [โฆ]
European Space Agency mulls extra Ariane 6 cash
SNEAK PEEK โ The European Space Agency is assessing the spiralling costs of the long-delayed Ariane 6 rocket program. โ The German parliamentโs budgetary committee approved โฌ4.4 billion for air defenses and weapons to Ukraine. โ U.S. arms makers are very worried about a possible supply squeeze thanks to wars happening in both Israel and [โฆ]
Itโs time to hang up on the old telecoms rulebook
โIndustrial internetโ powered by mobile networks, along with cloud tech, AI and internet of things, will transform our economy and way of life, bringing smarter cities, energy, health care and more.
How hackers piled onto the Israeli-Hamas conflict
Lower-level cyberattacks are becoming a major feature of the war between Israel and Hamas, and the attacks could ramp up in intensity.
โUnprecedentedโ rail traffic between North Korea and Russia suggests military transfers
US think tank Beyond Parallel observed an increase in freight railcars along the North Korea-Russia border, suggesting likely supply of arms and munitions to Moscow.
Spanish company launches reusable rocket in breakthrough for European space ambitions
Startup PLD Space says launch of Miura-1 is โjust the beginningโ amid European drive to send satellites into orbitSpanish company PLD Space launched its reusable Miura-1 rocket early on Saturday from a site in south-west Spain, carrying out Europeโs fi…
Russia to build naval base in breakaway Georgia region
Abkhazia has already signed an agreement for the new base, according to the region’s leader.
Trump is no ghost of the past โ heโs haunting Ukraineโs present
The war effort risks being held hostage in Washington by a raging partisan budget battle provoked by the former president.
Consensus builds for EU bank to finance shells and tanks
The war in Ukraine has changed Germany’s thinking after it previously opposed the idea.
We donโt know if Elon Musk brought Armageddon closer โ all we know is uncertainty
Historians and public intellectuals arenโt prophets or revolutionaries. They should maintain cool heads and weigh their words carefully.
Erdoฤan asks Elon Musk to build Tesla factory in Turkey
Turkish president also touts future cooperation on AI and space programs.
Worldโs cartoonists on this weekโs events
Drawing the top stories around the globe.