Trump announces $500B AI investment
AI development is a significant part of the Trump administrationโs tech policy proposals.
Technology
EU regulator backs away from allowing lone pilots to fly airliners
Airlines want to cut the number of pilots to save money, while unions are opposed. The EU Aviation Safety Agency is in the middle.
EUโs Clean Industrial Deal to cover six themes from energy prices to trade
The contours of a mammoth industrial decarbonization strategy are taking shape ahead of its Feb. 26 unveiling.
Desperate for peace, Ukraine embraces Trump
The Trump presidency “might not be good โ but it will be much better than under Biden,” a former Ukrainian cabinet minister says.
Zelenskyy excoriates Europe in Davos speech
Ukrainian president calls on European politicians to “be more than just bystanders” who are “reduced to posting on X after an agreement has already been made.”
Starmer warns of online radicalization in wake of Southport murders
UK prime minister signals threat posed by “loners, misfitsโ and โyoung men in their bedroom.”
Poland fumes over US block on AI chips
Poland styles itself as a key US ally, but the chip restriction threatens to impact its ambitious military expansion on Putin’s border.
Trump signs executive order to give TikTok extension
The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the sell-or-ban law.
Le Monde, French newspaper of record, quits Elon Muskโs X
Negatives clearly outweigh the positives, says editor-in-chief.
EU hate speech guidelines get folded into the Digital Services Act
The code of conduct on countering illegal hate speech online+ will now formally become part of the EU’s content moderation framework.
Trump could sign TikTok order in the Rotunda
The social media platformโs CEO is expected to be present, along with lawmakers who want to ban it.
Europe needs to adapt or it will get left behind
Boldly aiming for โstrategic interdependence,โ the EU should embrace interconnectedness where prudent while building autonomy where it can.
TikTokโs back: App thanks Trump as it returns for US users
Trumpโs proposal exerted pressure on the entire tech ecosystem that makes TikTok available to U.S. users, including app store operators and service providers like Oracle which hosts its servers.
Leaked memo reveals alarming German warnings over Trump
Trump’s second term will bring a โmaximum concentration of power with the president,โ Germany’s ambassador to the U.S. warns in confidential document obtained by Reuters.
Get ready for Trumpโs executive order onslaught
The incoming president is trying to deliver on a long list of Day One promises.
TikTok goes dark in the US
โWe are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office,โ the company said in a notice on the app.
London’s use of facial recognition is surging, despite technology’s flaws
This technology, which tracks ‘undesirable’ individuals, is increasingly common in the British capital’s businesses and nightclubs. But it has been met with criticism.
The Davos Man is back
… and heโs running America.
EU asks X for internal documents about algorithms as it steps up investigation
Muskโs company has been accused of manipulating systems to give far-right posts and politicians greater visibilityThe European Commission has asked X to hand over internal documents about its algorithms, as it steps up its investigation into whether El…
Russia and Iran move to strengthen military ties
The two countries sign a 20-year treaty covering areas ranging from defence and technology to energy and trade.
Trump and Xi talk TikTok, fentanyl and trade in Friday call
The call occurred just hours before the Supreme Court upheld a law set to ban TikTok in the U.S.
USย Supreme Court upholds law to sell or ban TikTok
Starting Sunday, if the company is not sold, app stores and cloud providers who continue to host it will face billions of dollars in fines.
Scholz: Elon Musk is a danger to European democracy
Musk “endangers the democratic development of Europe,” Scholz raged.
Russian hackers target WhatsApp accounts of ministers worldwide
FSB-linked Star Blizzard attempts to lure email recipients to click on QR code that gives access to WhatsApp accountRussian state-linked hackers have targeted the WhatsApp accounts of government ministers and officials around the world with emails invi…
European Parliament finally devises plan to force lawmakers to actually turn up
Debate after debate, MEPs often speak to an empty chamber. A trial next week could change all that.
As Macron courts Musk, Paris quits X
The city of Paris said the lack of moderation has made using the platform “impossible.”
UKโs Starmer to sign 100-year treaty with Zelenskyy in Ukraine
British leaderโs trip comes at a key moment, with peace talks on the horizon as Donald Trump returns to power and threatens to shake up the dynamics of war.
How the Commission might wean itself off its Microsoft dependency
The Commission’s heavy reliance on American technology has raised security and privacy concerns.
The post How the Commission might wean itself off its Microsoft dependency appeared first on Euractiv.
Germany aims to allow military to shoot down suspected spy drones
Germany’s rulers are facing mounting security risks as suspicious drone activity intensifies over military and industrial sites.
German army deserts X as Berlin vs. Elon Musk feud rumbles on
“The objective exchange of arguments is becoming increasingly difficult” on the platform formerly known as Twitter, says defense ministry.
Classes remain cancelled at Eindhoven University of Technology following weekend cyberattack
Classes remain cancelled at Eindhoven University of Technology following weekend cyberattack
US SEC sues Elon Musk over Twitter purchase disclosures
โMusk underpaid Twitter investors by more than $150 million for his purchases of Twitter common stock during this period,โ the SEC said.
Big tech is picking apart European democracy, but there is a solution: switch off its algorithms | Johnny Ryan
The latest actions of Musk and Zuckerberg are a sign of things to come, but the EU already has the power to give people back controlElon Muskโs latest attempts at direct political interference illustrate the grave danger that Europe is facing. He has s…
NATO to deploy drones, aircraft to counter wave of Baltic Sea cable attacks
Baltic Sea country leaders are meeting in Helsinki after a series of incidents involving energy and data cables.
โDonโt allow you to go to the bathroomโ: big techโs call center workers in Greece on strike
Workers at Teleperformance, customer support company for Apple, Google and Netflix, accuse it of union busting and surveillanceCall center workers for some of the worldโs biggest tech companies including Apple, Google, Microsoft and Netflix are accusin…
EU warns US over new AI chips blocks
Export restrictions on cutting-edge microchips will affect some EU countries, including Poland.
Will the EU fight for the truth on Facebook and Instagram?
As Meta abandons third-party factchecking in an ostensibly political move, the future of facts elsewhere remains murkyFactcheckers had no doubt about the real audience for the news this week โ delivered via Mark Zuckerbergโs medium of choice, the awkwa…
Swedenโs race to develop drone โswarmโ tech
EU countries are racing to keep up with the rapid development of drone technology, spurred by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The post Sweden’s race to develop drone ‘swarm’ tech appeared first on Euractiv.
Dude, whereโs my robot? Europe trails Korea, US
Draft document obtained by POLITICO exposes Europe’s tech lag.
Germanyโs Baerbock cautions on Syria as EU signals sanctions relief
Syria’s transitional government โsounds good so far,” Germany’s foreign minister told POLITICO โ but actions speak louder than words.
Starmer banks on AI as UKโs savior as growth agenda falters
Rishi Sunak positioned the U.K. as a world-leader on AI safety. Keir Starmer is adopting a more boosterish stance.
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.
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.
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.
Ukraine war briefing: Western allies pledge $2bn in military aid for Ukraine
Aid promised at Ramstein meeting covered air defence, information technology, demining, naval forces, air forces and artillery. What we know on day 1,052See all our Ukraine coverage Continue reading…
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.
UK presses ahead with gene editing plans despite EU warnings
Environment secretary tells FT that moves to adopt technology are โthe right thing to doโ
Musk โlying like hellโ over AfD interview, says ex-EU tech leader
Thierry Breton says EU is not trying to censor tech chiefโs discussion with Alice Weidel of German far-right partyA former EU leader on tech has accused Elon Musk of โlying like hellโ by claiming the bloc was trying to stop an interview the owner of X …
Musk examines how to oust Starmer as UK prime minister before next election
Technology billionaire interested in building support for another political party, notably Reform UK
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.
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…
UK plan to adopt gene editing technology clashes with EU deal
Agriculture industry sounds alarm over missing out on what was hailed as Brexit benefit
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.
NATO sends a fleet to guard Baltic Sea cables
The decision follows a spate of suspected sabotage incidents on underwater cables.
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.
Meta adds Ultimate Fighting Championship boss to board as it courts Trump
UFC chief Dana White is a key ally of the incoming U.S. president.
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.
5 green targets EU countries will (mostly) miss in 2025
EU countries are behind on most, if not all, their sustainability commitments.
Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy says nearly 15,000 Russian troops have died in Kursk
Russiaโs defence ministry claims capture of Kurakhove, a Ukrainian logistics hub which Russian forces have been advancing toward for months. What we know on Day 1,048.See all our Ukraine coverageUkrainian president, Voldymyr Zelenskyy, said that almost…
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.
Emmanuel Macron joins growing criticism of Elon Musk in Europe
French president accuses worldโs richest man of intervening directly in continentโs democratic processesEmmanuel Macron has added his voice to a growing chorus of European criticism of Elon Musk, accusing the worldโs richest man of intervening directly…
Russia will send advanced space tech to North Korea, Blinken says
The Kremlin also “may be close” to recognizing North Korea as a nuclear power, says U.S. top diplomat.
Cases of flu-like virus are soaring in China. Should Europe worry?
Experts say seasonal surges are to be expected.
Ireland gets โscrewedโ as EU influence ebbs
Dublin “underperformedโ in its race for the bloc’s top jobs, especially those in economic policy, which it normally covets.
Taiwan suspects China of latest attack on undersea cables
A Cameroon-flagged tanker could not be boarded due to rough seas and steamed on toward South Korea.
Olaf Scholz chides Elon Musk: โDonโt feed the trollโ
German chancellor answers X owner’s attacks in newspaper interview with German weekly Stern.
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.
French telecoms giant that fumed over Starlink used โฆ Muskโs satellites for storm-ravaged island
An Orange lobbyist criticized Starlinkโs post-disaster deployment to Mayotte โย despite his company having used the satellites.
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.
Biden: Investigators checking for links between New Orleans attack, Las Vegas Tesla explosion
No such connection has yet been uncovered, the president said.
Trumpโs world of peril โ and opportunity
This past year reordered domestic politics. 2025 will remake the worldโs geopolitical map.
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.
Strengthen Ukraine so there can be real peace
The main guarantee of peace cannot be Trumpโs โgood will.โ Rather, we must create conditions so that the the enemy simply wouldnโt dare attack again.
Jeff Koons on why he has drawn a red line on AI in art: โI donโt want to be lazyโ
Worldโs most expensive artist, who is exhibiting at the Alhambra in Granada, sees his work as embedded in biology His hands-off approach to the production of his famous balloon dogs and stainless steel rabbits has been criticised in the past but Jeff K…
Can flood of cheap new EVs coming to Europe save its carmakers?
Analysts argue 2024 is minor blip and that lobbying for relaxation of rules could harm industry in long termAffordable new electric family cars โ particularly those that are EU-made โ have been tough to come by in Europe for the past few years. There w…
Wanted: An early-warning system for the end of the world
Some experts believe we could hit catastrophic climate โtipping pointsโ in a matter of years. The U.K. government, with a bit of help from Dominic Cummings, is trying to prepare.
Italian journalist arrested in Iran and held in notorious Evin prison
Cecilia Sala jailed days after two Iranians were detained in Italy and Switzerland for allegedly passing on drone technology
Europeโs Russian energy sanctions have run out of steam. Can Poland fire them up again?
Warsaw wants to use its turn in the EU’s rotating chair to take on Russian imports.
Finland probes Russian shadow fleet involvement in new Baltic cable break
Finnish police said there is reason to believe a ship belonging to Moscow’s sanctions-busting shadow fleet caused the damage.
Estoniaโs city at the โend of the free worldโ stares across a frozen border at Russia
Estonia’s third-largest city is struggling to face off threats from Russia.
Recycling expanded
How chemical recycling could help address Europe’s plastic waste challenge.
Thereโs nothing very new about the new French government
The prime minister has failed his first big test. Despite another bunch of ministers, he hasnโt built a broader political base.
Yet another French government. These are the names you need to know.
Will this one last any longer?
โSecurity through obscurityโ: the Swedish cabin on the frontline of a possible hybrid war
Amid claims of sabotage of undersea cables, a small wooden structure houses a key cog in Europeโs digital connectivityAt the end of an unmarked path on a tiny island at the edge of Stockholmโs extensive Baltic Sea archipelago lies an inconspicuous litt…
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.
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…
EU, Switzerland seal talks on modernized deal
Brussels and Bern have been negotiating the partnership agreement for ten years, with several hiccups along the way.
Von der Leyenโs mission: Stop Europeโs โslow agonyโ of decline
The European Commission president has pledged to boost the EUโs ability to compete with the U.S. and China.
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.
Starmerโs bungled reset is fitting way to end 2024
Five months after winning a landslide victory in the U.K. general election, the PM is struggling to find his voice.
Europeโs economic apocalypse
Stagnation, flagging competitiveness, Donald Trump โ the continent is facing “an existential challenge.”
Poland bans โhostile takeoversโ of key media companies by Orbรกnโs allies
Polish PM wants to protect its major broadcaster TVN from takeovers fueled by proxy capital.
Google Maps car snaps vital clue in Spanish missing person case
Image of man leaning into boot of a car on a street in northern Spain helps lead police to make two arrestsOn a nearly deserted street in northern Spain, the images appeared to show a man hunched over the back of a red Rover car, gingerly loading a bul…
World War III is already underway. In Ukraine.
Three years in, Russiaโs invasion has drawn in dozens of countries.