Ukraine offers to send 150 firefighters to help California battle wildfires
Kyivโs offer comes after Donald Trump Jr. last week took a swipe at Ukraine over the fires.
social media
Putinโs passport trap: The Cubans caught in Moscowโs endless war
“As Russian citizens, we have to stay on the front โ until the end,โ one recruit said.ย
Zelenskyy offers Ukraineโs help to fight California wildfires after Trump Jr post
Ukrainian president says 150 firefighters are ready to be deployed, days after Donald Trump Jr accused LAโs fire department of donating supplies to UkraineVolodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is ready to assist those affected by the devastating wildfir…
UK can be โAI sweet spotโ: Starmerโs tech minister on regulation, Musk, and free speech
Technology secretary Peter Kyle has the task of making Britain a leading player in the AI revolution, but says economic growth will not come at the cost of online safetyWith the NHS still struggling, a prisons crisis still teetering and Britainโs borro…
How Elon Musk has meddled in European affairs
From bashing Keir Starmer to promoting the AfD, the X owner is not shy about interveningA limited โ at best โ understanding of the continent of Europe and its component countries has not prevented the worldโs richest man from intervening in the domesti…
โEach year you delay giving a phone is a big winโ: child screen-time solutions from around the world
From stringent legislation to grassroots action, Australia and Spain lead the way in tackling childrenโs use of mobile phones and tabletsIf the advent of the affordable mobile phone has given parents a new way to stay in touch with their ยญchildren, it …
Zuckerberg urges Trump to stop the EU from fining US tech companies
Comparing the bloc’s antitrust penalties to tariffs, the Meta boss argued that Brussels is “screwing with” American industry.
Worldโs cartoonists on this weekโs events
Drawing the top stories around the globe.
Musk, Meta fuel far-right attack against EU tech โcensorshipโ
Far-right lawmakers feel empowered to step up their attacks against EU social media rules.
Israel has killed many more people in Gaza than reported, top health study says
More than 64,000 people in Gaza died violent deaths between October 2023 and June 2024.
Commission under pressure over Microsoft dependency, Meta fact-checks, and Muskโs politics
New age checks in French porn, the CJEU’s GDPR enforcement spree, and the latest manoeuvres of Europe’s social media giants, all in today’s Tech Pro newsletter.
The post Commission under pressure over Microsoft dependency, Meta fact-checks, and Musk…
How to trigger Trump: Britainโs cozy China trip risks Americaโs anger
“Weโve now got someone who’s incredibly hostile to China coming into the White House,โ said a bank lobbyist.
Elon Muskโs man in the European Parliament
Independent MEP Fidias Panayiotou met the billionaire in 2023 and has taken his line on some big political issues, from Ukraine to digital rules.
Musk praises AfD leader, reiterates support German far-right party
In his latest meddling in European politics, Elon Musk, a fervent ally of US President-Elect Donald Trump, wielded his influence to reaffirm his support of rising far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), backing on Thursday leader Alice Weidel o…
Danish PM wants talks with Trump over Greenland
Trump has not yet responded to the overture, according to the Danish premier.
When Elon met Alice: 9 weird moments from Muskโs German far-right chuckle-fest
God! Martians! A “communist” Hitler! It was heavy on oddness and light on policy as the X owner and the AfD co-leader hit it off.
Elon Musk heaps praise on AfDโs Alice Weidel during live talk on X
X owner and far-right politician appear to agree on everything, as Musk faces accusations of meddling in German electionElon Musk has praised the co-leader of Germanyโs far-right Alternative fรผr Deutschland party, as he repeated his claim that โonly th…
Musk hosts love-fest with far-right AfD chief on Xย
Tech billionaire backs Alice Weidel as โleading candidateโ to run Germany โ but gets her name wrong.
Russian bots boosted NATO critic ahead of Croatian election, researchers say
โOne seemingly inauthentic Facebook account identified by researchers was found to post over 100 times a day,” the Centre for Information Resilience noted.
Franceโs top tabloid sparks outrage with photo of grieving Le Pen
The image appeared to show the far-right figure in tears onboard an airplane.
Brussels will be watching whether Musk breaks EU law in far-right livestream
Up to 150 experts in Brussels and Seville will be checking whether Musk’s livestream interview boosts the German far right.
US foreign affairs committee lauds Trumpโs expansionist rhetoric
“President Trump has the biggest dreams for America and itโs un-American to be afraid of big dreams,โ the committee wrote online.
Romania sets new election date, but risks same result
Unless he is banned, ultranationalist Cฤlin Georgescu seems very much in the race for a presidential rerun in May.
Meta studying EU impact of end to fact-checking, says French minister
Meta stunned the social media world Tuesday with its announcement that it would abandon professional fact-checking in the US in favor of user-generated ‘Community Notes.’
Canada: Big get for Democrats
We took Trump literally, not seriously, about the push to make Canada the 51st state.
PMQs: Starmer beats Badenoch as she tries the Musk playbook
The prime minister dismissed Tory attacks over child protection as politically opportunistic.
There is little the US can do to constrain Elon Musk. But here are some ideas | Robert Reich
The tech billionaire is not the first person in history to be seduced by the thrill of unconstrained powerElon Musk repeatedly asserts, without evidence, that the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, covered up the abuses of young girls by gangs compo…
Albaniaโs TikTok ban raises rule of law questions
Planned nationwide embargo on TikTok is an “abuse of power” and will suppress free speech, opposition warns.
Ukraine war briefing: Trump sympathises with Russian stance against Ukraine joining Nato
President-elect says he understands Moscowโs feelings about having โsomebody right on their doorstepโ; Biden to announce weapons package. What we know on day 1,049See all our Ukraine coverageDonald Trump has said he sympathises with the Russian positio…
13 times Elon Musk meddled in politics
The X owner and Donald Trump pick will never, ever stop posting โ governments be damned.
Trudeau to Trump on annexation plans: โNot a snowballโs chance in hellโ
The Canadian leader struck back at the president-electโs internet taunts.
Donโt eat your Christmas trees, Belgiumโs food agency warns
The cautionary note comes after the city of Ghent promoted eating Yuletide trees to reduce waste.
Danish PM says Greenland is still not for sale as Donald Trump Jr. arrives
Mette Frederiksen stresses that America doesn’t call the shots on the strategically important Arctic island’s future.
Zuck goes full Musk, dumps Facebook fact-checking program
Meta will replace it with so-called community notes like on the X platform. The content moderation changes won’t be rolled out in the EU for now.
To see how Trump will control the US media, look at Viktor Orbรกnโs Hungary | Owen Jones
Nick Cleggโs departure is likely to see Meta following Xโs tilt towards the right. It leaves the way open for an insidious hollowing out of democracyWill democracy survive a second Trump presidency? A change of senior personnel at a social media compan…
Social media fuelling rising terror threat in France, says minister
Bruno Retailleau says threat has never been greater, as country marks decade since Charlie Hebdo attackThe threat of a terrorist attack on France is being fuelled by social media and has never been greater, the countryโs interior minister has said, 10 …
Starmer hits back as Musk steps up attacks on British government
Elon Musk has been targeting the Labour government for several weeks on his X social media platform. He accused British Prime Minister Keir Starmer of being an ‘accomplice’ to child grooming gangs. Starmer condemned Musk’s ‘lies and misinformation.’
Pressure mounts on EU to use legal weapons against Muskโs interference
European Commission says it will study whether X gives unfair boost to far right in German election.
Donald Trump Jr. heads to Greenland as his father eyes the Danish territory
The island is strategically located but apparently not for sale.
What a non-handshake tells us about Syriaโs new ruler
Ahmed Hussein al-Sharโaโs hands-off diplomacy is setting off alarm bells โ as it should.
Musk โreadyโ to provide Meloni with Starlink secure comms
News of the talks comes shortly after the Italian PM visited President-elect Donald Trump in Florida.
Macron says Musk is backing a โnew international reactionary movementโ
The French president also said his country would remain a strong U.S. ally.
โI was stunnedโ: man claims Florence karaoke bar banned Neapolitan song
Enraged customerโs video triggers social media debate over linguistic and cultural discrimination in ItalyA debate over linguistic and cultural discrimination has erupted in Italy after a man was allegedly banned from singing a Neapolitan song at a kar…
Musk savages Farage, calls for new Reform UK leader
In his latest intervention into British politics, the tech billionaire says Farage “doesnโt have what it takes.”
Two Algerian TikTok influencers arrested in France on charges of inciting violence
Two Algerian men have been arrested in France following allegations they published posts inciting violence on social media platform TikTok. The arrests come amid strained relations between France and its former colony, in the wake of the arrest of Fre…
Olaf Scholz chides Elon Musk: โDonโt feed the trollโ
German chancellor answers X owner’s attacks in newspaper interview with German weekly Stern.
Farage rejects Tommy Robinson after Musk backs far-right firebrand
Musk’s support for controversial rabble-rouser sparked a backlash among British politicians.
How do you solve a problem like Elon Musk?
The “chameleon” tech billionaire is one of the most powerful politically connected people in the world. Europe’s governments are still working out how to deal with being on his bad side.
Elon Musk told to stick to US politics after latest UK blast
Health Minister Andrew Gwynne says X owner should prioritize “issues on the other side of the Atlantic.”
Musk warns of lawsuits over media coverage of Tesla Cybertruck explosion
The Tesla CEO has been defending the Cybertruckโs safety on X after the New Yearโs Day explosion.
Elon Musk faces UK backlash after boosting far-right activist Tommy Robinson
X owner and Donald Trump ally accused of spreading “poison” after he backs jailed activist.
Ridley Scott is a genius film-maker who can do anything โ even start a political crisis in Malta
It wouldnโt be a press tour without the Gladiator II director saying something contentious, and now heโs managed to upset big cheeses on the Mediterranean islandFor a while, it looked as if Ridley Scott was going to get through the Gladiator II press c…
Biden: Investigators checking for links between New Orleans attack, Las Vegas Tesla explosion
No such connection has yet been uncovered, the president said.
Trump says New Orleans attack confirms his rhetoric on crime
President-elect says his administration will โfully support the City of New Orleans.โ
โNobody was tricked into voting for Trumpโ: Why the disinformation panic is over
Eight years ago, Trump and Brexit sparked fears social media was corroding reality. Now, that narrative is crumbling.
Ukraine war briefing: New Yearโs Day drone strike kills two in Kyiv
Explosions boomed across the morning sky as Ukraineโs air force warned of incoming drones. What we know on day 1,044See all our Ukraine war coverage Russia launched a New Yearโs Day drone strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Wednesday, killing…
Cutting off Russian gas to EU will have โdrasticโ impact, Slovak PM warns
Top Putin ally has threatened to retaliate against Kyiv.
Olaf Scholz urges voters not to let social media owners decide Germany’s election โ video
In his New Year’s Eve address, the chancellor appealed to his fellow Germans to vote in snap polls in February. His message follows Elon Muskโs recent endorsement of the far-right party Alternative fรผr Deutschland (AfD) on X. Without mentioning Musk or…
Germanyโs Olaf Scholz blasts back at Elon Musk in New Yearโs address
Billionaire’s animosity toward German mainstream politicians and his affection for the AfD could bode poorly for Germany’s next government.
Scholz: German election won’t be decided by ‘owners of social media channels’
Scholz: German election won’t be decided by ‘owners of social media channels’
Hollywood legend backtracks after jibe at Malta caused uproar
Maltese politicians were not entertained by Ridley Scott’s remark.
2024 by the numbers โ from victims of war to a warming planet
Out with the old, in with the … old. Familiar trends characterized a year of elections and bloodshed.
Olaf Scholz: German election โwill not be decided by social media ownersโ
Chancellorโs New Yearโs Eve address follows Elon Muskโs endorsement of German far-right party AfD on XThe German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has urged voters not to let the โowners of social media channelsโ decide next yearโs snap election, after Elon Mus…
Croatiaโs firebrand president dominates election, poised for second term
Often compared to Donald Trump, Zoran Milanoviฤ secured a substantial victory in the first round of the country’s presidential election. That should worry the EU.
Berlin accuses Elon Musk of trying to influence German election โย video
The German government has accused Elon Musk of trying to meddle in the countryโs election campaign with repeated endorsements of the far-right party Alternative fรผr Deutschland (AfD). The South African-born entrepreneur, who has been named by Donald Tr…
Ukraine war briefing: Russia vows to retaliate after state media reportedly blocked on Telegram in EU
Moscow says the move is โcensorshipโ and that it reserves the right to โrespond in the same mannerโ. What we know on day 1,041Russia has vowed to retaliate after the channels of its state media were apparently blocked on the popular Telegram social med…
Musk calls AfD โlast spark of hopeโ for Germany in op-ed in Welt
Billionaire entrepreneur’s backing of the far-right party has triggered a backlash in the run-up to snap elections in Germany set for Feb. 23.
POLITICO London Playbook awards 2024
From minister of the year to WTF moment, Westminster’s essential newsletter picks the winners of 2024.
Slovak PM Fico offered to host Moscow-Kyiv peace talks, Putin claims
“Why not?” Russian president asked reporters. “For us it’s an acceptable alternative.”
Hundreds protest in Syria after Christmas tree set alight
Ruling HTS say they have detained the arsonists and promised to restore the tree.
Magdeburg attack fuels disinformation and mistrust in German leaders
Ahead of the February election, governing politicians are under fire over security failures while the far right is attempting to capitalize.
The heart of British democracy is a crime hotspot
Britainโs symbol of power has an uncomfortable reputation for high levels of criminality.
Can the UKโs โPrince of Darknessโ really become its Trump whisperer?
Some worry that Mandelson will see Trump 2.0 as something to be weathered rather than a revolution in U.S. politics that will have long-lasting ramifications.
Get ready for turf battles among Trumpโs many foreign envoys
Does the United Kingdom need a special envoy and an ambassador?
Saudis โhad asked for extradition of suspect in Magdeburg attackโ
Riyadh warned Germany โmany timesโ about danger posed by Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, source saysA source close to the Saudi government has told Agence France-Presse that Saudi authorities previously requested the extradition of the main suspect in Frid…
How Putin won the Romanian election
Voters on NATOโs eastern flank were already ripe for Moscowโs manipulation, after decadesย ofย misrule.
Magdeburg mourns victims of Christmas market attack โ video
A Saudi national alleged to have carried out a deadly attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg, which killed five and injured more than 200, had warned on social media that ‘something big will happen’. The 50-year-old doctor is in p…
Teenโs murder drives Albania to ban TikTok for aย yearย
Prime Minister Edi Rama blamed the Chinese-owned platform for inciting violence after a schoolboy was stabbed to death.
German far right brings political edge to Magdeburg attack site
Martin Sellner, an Austrian popular with Germany’s far-right, posted on social media that the suspect “hated Islam, but he hated the Germans more”.
The post German far right brings political edge to Magdeburg attack site appeared first on Euractiv.
Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv strikes Russia in major drone attack 1,000km from frontline
High-rise residential buildings hit in Russian city of Kazan but no casualties reported; Zelenskyy reveals meetings with CIA chief. What we know on day 1,033 See all our Ukraine war coverage Ukraine staged a major drone attack on the Russian city of Ka…
Albania to shut down TikTok for one year after fatal school stabbing
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Saturday announced the shutdown of TikTok for at least one year from 2025. The decision comes after a 14-year-old student was stabbed to death by a classmate last month in a fight that had started on social media.ย
Magdeburg mourns Christmas market dead
Saudi national, alleged to have killed five and injured more than 200, had issued a warning on social mediaA Saudi national alleged to have carried out a deadly attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg, which killed five and injured…
Report ties Romanian liberals to TikTok campaign that fueled pro-Russia candidate
A campaign from a governing center-right party may have been hijacked to benefit far-right candidate Cฤlin Georgescu, snoop.ro report shows.
Albania bans TikTok for a year after fatal stabbing of teenager last month
Prime minister announces move after meeting with parentsโ groups and teachers over social media fearsAlbania has announced a one-year ban on TikTok following the killing of a teenager last month that raised fears over the influence of social media on c…
Deadly Christmas market car attack in Germany: what we know so far
Witnesses say scenes in eastern German town of Magdeburg โreminiscent of a warโ after vehicle ploughs into crowd, leaving at least two dead and 68 injuredFull report: two killed and scores injured in Germany as car ploughs into crowd at Christmas marke…
Outrage as Elon Musk claims โonly AfD can save Germanyโ
German health minister calls US billionaireโs intervention weeks before election โundignified and problematicโ Elon Musk has caused outrage in Berlin after appearing to endorse the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative fรผr Deutschland.Musk, who has bee…
Trump ramps up EU trade war threat unless bloc buys American oil and gas
If the EU doesn’t cough up, “it is TARIFFS all the way!!!” U.S. president-elect roars.
Zelenskyy calls Putin a โdumbassโ
Ukraine leader also hit out at Russian president during Thursdayโs European Council summit in Brussels, calling him โcrazy.โ
Trumpโs 7 most eye-opening European ambassador picks
A former convict, a Broadway producer, two billionaires and his son’s one-time fiancรฉe. Meet the U.S. president-electโs eclectic transatlantic envoys.
Zuckerberg: Itโs โsadโ that EU is left behind on AI
Meta’s chief executive points to EU regulation for delaying or halting the Big Tech rollout of artificial intelligence services.
UK election watchdog wants new donation laws to counter Elon Musk
Controversial X owner reportedly considering a massive donation to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.
Trump: Making Canada the 51st state is a โgreat ideaโ
The U.S. president-elect continues to bait Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Elon Musk is โright behind us,โ boasts Farage
Brexiteer says X owner was ‘very generous with his time’ in Mar-a-Lago meeting โย and floats prospect of snaring some Musk cash.
Britainโs Winston Churchill shortage
Westminster is becoming a local place for local people โ and that means fewer star politicians.
World War III is already underway. In Ukraine.
Three years in, Russiaโs invasion has drawn in dozens of countries.
As Trump sues, the free press braces
First Amendment advocates worry about an emboldened Trump using civil litigation to target journalists he dislikes.
Spain introduces bill to combat online fake news
Minister calls bill demanding digital platforms publicly correct false information โgood news for democracyโSpainโs leftwing government has announced a bill extending a requirement to publish corrections to posts by digital platforms and social media i…
TikTok probed by EU over alleged interference in Romania election
Chinese social media platform suspected of failing to tackle risks of manipulation linked to Russia
EU meets the moment on TikTok and the Romanian election
Commission will probe the platformโs protections against foreign interference and election meddling.
Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv accuses Moscow of recklessness after oil tanker sinks in storm
One dead while second tanker in distress in Black Sea near occupied Crimea. What we know on day 1,027Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of recklessness on Sunday after one oil tanker sank and a second vessel ran aground in the Kerch Strait between main…