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BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union lawmakers called on Thursday for an independent investigation into allegations of vote-rigging in Serbia and demanded that EU funds be cut off if the authorities in Belgrade fail to cooperate with the inquiry or are found to be implicated in election irregularities. The governing Serbian Progressive party of populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić won the Dec. 17 parliamentary and municipal elections, securing 129 seats in the 250-seat assembly. The opposition Serbia Against Violence coalition finished a distant second with 65 seats. The resolution has angered Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić. Vučić’s ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his failure to enforce EU sanctions on Moscow have dismayed many.

Persons: Aleksandar Vučić, watchdogs, “, ”, Ana Brnabić, ” Brnabić, Vladimir Putin, ___ Dusan Stojanovic Organizations: —, Union, Serbian Progressive, Serbian, Violence, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Parliamentary, of Europe, Serbia’s National Assembly Locations: BRUSSELS, Serbia, Belgrade, Europe, Strasbourg, France, Moscow

☆ Former Albanian Navy Port to Take in Migrants Sent on From Italy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Floirian GogaSHENGJIN, Albania (Reuters) - An Albanian port that was once home to the country's navy is set to receive African, Asian and Middle East migrants sent on from Italy as part of a deal that has drawn criticism from human rights groups. Migrants who arrive in Italy would be taken by boat to the ex-navy port of Shengjin, now a popular tourist destination on Albania's scenic northern Adriatic seacoast. I feel a spiritual obligation because my children were raised in Italy," said Mhill Marku, an Albanian ex-military officer whose four children live in Italy. The U.N. high commissioner for human rights chief said last week the plan raised concerns about arbitrary detention and living conditions for migrants. The Rwanda scheme was declared unlawful in November by non-EU Britain's Supreme Court and the government has introduced legislation it hopes, when passed, will override human rights concerns.

Persons: Goga, Mhill Marku, Marku, Florian Goga, Ivana Sekularac, Mark Heinrich Organizations: European Union, Migrants, Reuters, European, EU Locations: Goga SHENGJIN, Albania, Albanian, Italy, Balkan, European, EU, Shengjin, Gjader, Brussels, Albania's, British, Rwanda, East Africa, France

☆ EU tells Hungary its 'sovereignty' law violates EU law
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Hungary's new law on "protecting national sovereignty", which the ruling Fidesz party said was necessary to protect against foreign political interference, violates European Union law, the European Commission said on Wednesday. The Hungarian legislation violates EU laws on democracy and the equal rights of EU citizens, the data protection law and several rules applicable to the internal market, the Commission said. The legislation came as nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has clashed repeatedly with the European Union over democratic rights in Hungary, stepped up his party's campaign ahead of European Parliament elections next June. Under the law, a separate authority to explore and monitor risks of political interference will be set up. If it does not address the grievances stated in the letter, the Commission may decide to send a reasoned opinion - a formal request to comply with EU law - as a next step in the procedure.

Persons: Viktor Orban Organizations: Union, European Commission, European Union Locations: Hungary, Hungarian

It's the kind of obstruction of key policy objectives for which Orbán has become notorious within the European Union. “We are the sand in the machinery, the stick between the spokes, the splinter under the fingernail,” Orbán said in a speech to tens of thousands of supporters in 2021. Now, frustrated EU officials are trying to determine what Orbán seeks to achieve with his obstructionist strategy, and how they might overcome it. But with his veto power, the nationalist leader will have plenty of further opportunities to sow discord within the EU. Widely considered to be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in the EU, Orbán has been accused by his critics of promoting Moscow’s interests over those of his EU and NATO allies, and of preparing to lead his country out of the EU entirely.

Persons: —, Viktor Orbán, Orbán, ” Orbán, Donald Tusk, “, ”, Péter Krekó, ” Krekó, “ Orbán, Daniel Freund, Freund, it’s, he's, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, “ He’s, he’s, Krekó, Vladimir Putin’s Organizations: NATO, European Union, EU, Conservative Political, Green, United, U.S, Trump, Germany, Political Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Brussels, Polish, Ukraine, Budapest, Germany, France, Italy, Europe, United States, Washington, Netherlands, Union

LONDON (AP) — Sinn Fein Vice President Michelle O'Neill is poised to make history Saturday by becoming the first Irish nationalist leader of Northern Ireland as the government returned to work after a two-year boycott by unionists. Northern Ireland was established as a unionist, Protestant-majority part of the U.K. in 1921, following independence for the Republic of Ireland. The return to government came exactly two years after a DUP boycott over a dispute about trade restrictions for goods coming into Northern Ireland from Great Britain. Northern Ireland’s 1.9 million people were left without a functioning administration as the cost of living soared and public services were strained. The new changes included legislation “affirming Northern Ireland’s constitutional status” as part of the U.K. and gives local politicians “democratic oversight” of any future EU laws that might apply to Northern Ireland.

Persons: Sinn, Michelle O'Neill, O'Neill, Brexit, ” O’Neill, Sinn Fein Organizations: Irish, Republic of Ireland, Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, Northern Ireland Assembly, Stormont Assembly, Irish Republican Army, Windsor Locations: Northern Ireland, Northern, Ireland, Republic of, Government, Stormont, Great Britain . Northern, Belfast

LONDON (AP) — The U.K. government on Wednesday published the details of a deal that has broken Northern Ireland’s political deadlock and should — barring a major upset — restore the regional government in Belfast after almost two years on ice. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesThat angered Northern Ireland’s British unionists, who said the east-west customs border undermined Northern Ireland’s place in the U.K. In February 2022, the Democratic Unionist Party walked out of Northern Ireland’s government in protest. The new changes go farther, eliminating routine checks and paperwork for goods entering Northern Ireland and making legal tweaks designed to reassure unionists that Northern Ireland’s position in the U.K. is secure. The Northern Ireland Assembly then can meet to elect a speaker, followed by the nomination of a first minister and a deputy first minister.

Persons: Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Fein Organizations: European Union, EU, Northern Ireland, U.K, Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, Northern Ireland’s, Windsor Framework, Northern, Northern Ireland Assembly, Sinn, Irish Republican Army Locations: Belfast, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Northern, Northern Ireland’s, Ireland

☆ Northern Ireland power-sharing could resume within days, after two-year hiatus
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Eve Brennan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Sinn Féin won the most seats in the elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly last year. Post-Brexit trade rules imposed customs checks on goods moving to Northern Ireland from the UK’s mainland. A deal known as the Northern Ireland Protocol was agreed to allow Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, to remain within the EU market so that it could trade goods freely across its land border with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state. Unionists in Northern Ireland, like the DUP, are in favor of remaining in the United Kingdom, whereas nationalists, like Sinn Féin, are in favor of the unification of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland. “The people of Northern Ireland are best served by a power-sharing government in Stormont as outlined in the Good Friday Agreement.

Persons: Jeffrey Donaldson, Sinn Féin, Brexit, Sinn, Donaldson, “, ”, ” What’s, Northern Ireland Chris Heaton, Harris, Heaton, ” “, Sinn Féin’s, Michelle O’Neill, Tánaiste, Micheál Martin –, Martin, Claire Cronin, Biden Organizations: CNN, Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, Sinn, Northern Ireland Assembly, Northern, Protocol, Irish, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Union, BBC Radio, Stormont, State, Government, Northern Ireland Executive, Assembly, Foreign Affairs, Defence, Executive Locations: Northern Ireland, Ireland, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Belfast, Republic of, Westminster, Northern, Stormont –, Stormont

☆ Apple was just forced to crack open its App Store — but the changes are already being called 'hot garbage'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Apple just did something unthinkable: it opened up its App Store. AdvertisementApple's absolute rule over the App Store has just been broken for the first time since its launch in 2008. Developers in the EU could previously only sell apps through Apple's App Store. It means developers can simply bypass the App Store. Did... did Apple just introduce the equivalent of Unity's runtime install fee... but for all iOS app developers in the EU?!

Persons: —, Peter Kafka, Apple, Tim Sweeney, Tim Sweeny, Rachel Luna, Stringer Apple, Sweeney, Nikita Bier, Eric Seufert, Heracles Capital, Seufert, Ashley Gullen, Z7KMiWEqmD — Ashley Gullen Organizations: Apple, Service, European Union, Digital, Epic, Microsoft, Valve, Heracles, European, Unity, European Commission Locations: iPhones, EU

☆ EU's Centre-Right Expects to Nominate Von Der Leyen for Second Term - EPP's Caspary
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN (Reuters) - The European Union's main centre-right alliance will nominate Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as European Commission president at a congress in March if she wants to continue in the post, a senior EU lawmaker told Reuters. Von der Leyen, a German Christian Democrat, has not yet said publicly whether she wants a second stint at the helm of the EU executive after her current term expires later this year. "The EPP will nominate Ursula von der Leyen as its lead candidate for the European elections at its European Congress on March 6 and 7," Caspary said, adding, "If that's what she wants." Being nominated as the EPP's lead candidate would mean von der Leyen would also be its nominee for Commission president. Caspary's comments add strength to the widespread assumption among diplomats and officials in Brussels that von der Leyen will seek and receive a second term as Commission president.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, Von der, Daniel Caspary, Caspary, Leyen, der Leyen, Andreas Rinke, Andrew Gray, Nette Nöstlinger, Rachel More Organizations: BERLIN, Reuters, Christian Democrat, European People's Party, EPP Locations: Brussels

BRUSSELS (AP) — Lawmakers on the European Parliament’s environment committee on Wednesday backed a proposal to relax rules on genetically modified plants produced using so-called new genomic techniques, prompting strong criticism from environmental groups. But lawmakers agreed Wednesday to create two different categories and two sets of rules for genetically modified plants produced using NGTs. Those considered equivalent to traditional crops would be exempt from GMO legislation, but other NGT plants would have to follow current requirements. The committee agreed that all NGT plants should remain prohibited in organic production. It aims to ensure that what is developed does not breach EU citizens’ rights to health and environmental protection.”

Persons: “, Jessica Polfjard, Eva Corral, ” Organizations: — Lawmakers, European Union, Environment, Public Health, Food Safety, EU, Greenpeace Locations: BRUSSELS

☆ Apple has a cheeky new plan to protect its App Store
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Courts and regulators around the world are trying to get Apple to open up its App Store. AdvertisementEuropean regulators say Apple needs to open up its App Store, and a new law that goes into effect in March is supposed to make that happen. The company will give itself the ability to review each app downloaded outside of its App Store. Apple also plans to collect fees from developers that offer downloads outside of the App Store, said people familiar with the company's plans. But it also makes an enormous amount of money from the App Store.

Persons: —, Apple, Sideloading Organizations: Apple, European Union, Service, Meta, Spotify, Street, Google

☆ Spotify to begin in-app sales on iPhone in Europe after new EU law requires Apple to allow it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Spotify said Wednesday it will update its iPhone app in Europe to allow users to buy in-app subscriptions and audiobooks. In most regions, Apple's App Store rules prohibit companies such as Spotify from billing users directly within the app. Apple says app makers should instead use Apple's App Store billing service, which takes a cut of up to 30%. Spotify said it will use the new regulation to allow users to subscribe to Spotify Premium, allow users to buy audiobooks, and run promotional campaigns, all within the app. The company will also allow iPhone users to directly download other Spotify apps from its website, such as Spotify for Artists, it said.

Persons: gatekeepers, Tim Cook, Morgan Stanley, Erik Woodring Organizations: Spotify, Apple, Markets, SEC, Artists, App Locations: Europe

☆ Von Der Leyen Confident All EU States Will Agree on Aid Package to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Gabriela BaczynskaBRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's chief executive voiced confidence on Wednesday that all 27 member states will agree to jointly extend more financial aid to Ukraine. Hungary has resisted agreement on an aid package, raising the possibility of the other 26 countries giving funds to Ukraine under separate bilateral deals with Kyiv. But Ursula von der Leyen, who heads the executive European Commission, told EU lawmakers: "I am confident that we will find a solution by 27." EU leaders last month agreed to start accession talks with Ukraine but Hungary vetoed granting 50 billion euros($54 bln) in aid for Kyiv through 2027. The prospect of 26 countries giving aid to Ukraine under separate bilateral deals with Kyiv is one alternative that is under discussion.

Persons: Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS, Ursula von der Leyen, Viktor Orban, Tassilo Hummel, Bart Meijer, Gabriela Baczynska, Timothy Heritage Organizations: European Commission, EU, Russian, European, Commission, Kyiv Locations: Ukraine, Hungary, Brussels, Hungarian, Budapest

☆ EU Lawmakers Raise Alarm Over Slovakia's Criminal Law Reforms
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - European Union lawmakers said on Wednesday they had "deep concern" over Slovakia's planned criminal code changes and shutting a special prosecutor's office, piling on criticism of the government's plan to fast-track the changes. The European Parliament, in a resolution approved by 496 of the 630 lawmakers who voted, said the changes needed more scrutiny and called on the European Commission to take action "to safeguard the rule of law and judicial independence". Slovak President Zuzana Caputova has threatened to veto the legislation, although Fico's government will be able to override her move. According to Slovak media, 40 people have been sentenced while another 130 are being investigated or tried. The EU's justice commissioner Didier Reynders said in mid-December the Commission could take action against Slovakia if it enacts criminal law changes that violate EU laws.

Persons: Robert Fico's, Zuzana Caputova, Didier Reynders, Jan Kuciak, Fico, Daniel Lipsic, Jason Hovet, Ros Russell Organizations: Reuters, Union, European Commission, European Union, The, USP Locations: Western, Poland, Hungary, United States, EU, Slovak, Slovakia, Prague

The proposal to classify AI systems by four levels of risk — from minimal to unacceptable — was essentially intended as product safety legislation. That changed with the boom in generative AI, which sparked wonder by composing music, creating images and writing essays resembling human work. Foundation models give generative AI systems such as ChatGPT the ability to create something new, unlike traditional AI, which processes data and completes tasks using predetermined rules. Resistance to government rules for these AI systems came from an unlikely place: France, Germany and Italy. “The race should be for the best AI regulations, not the first AI regulations."

Persons: —, Bard chatbot, “ Rather, won’t, ”, Nick Reiners, “ there’s, Reiners, Sam Altman, Thierry Breton, ” Reiners, Kent Walker, Iverna McGowan, McGowan, Altman, OpenAI, Alpha, it's, ” Dragos, “, “ We’re Organizations: European Union, Eurasia Group, European Commission, Microsoft, Mistral, Elon, Center for Democracy and Technology, EU Locations: European, U.S, China, Brussels, France, Germany, Italy, Europe, German, Romanian

Foundation models like the one built by Microsoft (MSFT.O)-backed OpenAI are AI systems trained on large sets of data, with the ability to learn from new data to perform various tasks. In a meeting of the countries' economy ministers on Oct. 30 in Rome, France persuaded Italy and Germany to support a proposal, sources told Reuters. Until then, negotiations had gone smoothly, with lawmakers making compromises across several other conflict areas such as regulating high-risk AI, sources said. France-based AI company Mistral and Germany's Aleph Alpha have criticised the tiered approach to regulating foundation models, winning support from their respective countries. Other pending issues in the talks include definition of AI, fundamental rights impact assessment, law enforcement exceptions and national security exceptions, sources told Reuters.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Thierry Breton, Geoffrey Hinton, Alpha, Mistral, Mark Brakel, Supantha Mukherjee, Josephine Mason, Alexander Smith Organizations: Technology, Intelligence, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Foundation, Microsoft, European Commission, Mistral, Lawmakers, Life Institute, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, California, U.S, Rights STOCKHOLM, BRUSSELS, LONDON, France, Germany, Italy, Rome, Spain, Belgium, Stockholm

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Nov 30 (Reuters) - EU countries and EU lawmakers on Thursday agreed to rules to protect laptops, fridges, mobile apps and smart devices connected to the internet from cyber threats following a spate of such attacks and ransom demands in recent years around the world. It sets out cybersecurity requirements for the design, development, production and the sale of hardware and software products. They must be more transparent on the security of hardware and software products for consumers and business users, and report cyber incidents to national authorities. Importers and distributors will have to verify that products conform with EU rules. The Commission has said the cybersecurity rules could save companies as much as 290 billion euros ($316 billion) annually versus compliance costs of about 29 billion euros.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jose Luis Escriva, Foo Yun Chee, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Commission, Manufacturers, EU, Thomson Locations: Rights BRUSSELS

☆ Biden campaign prepares legal fight against election deepfakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Donie O'Sullivan | Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

In recent months, the campaign has spun up the internal task force, dubbed the “Social Media, AI, Mis/Disinformation (SAID) Legal Advisory Group,” part of a broader effort across the campaign to counter all forms of disinformation, TJ Ducklo, a senior adviser to the Biden campaign, told CNN. It aims to have enough prepared to be able to run a campaign-wide tabletop exercise in the first half of 2024. Existing US election law prohibits campaigns from “fraudulently misrepresenting other candidates or political parties,” but whether this prohibition extends to AI-generated content is an open question. Any political advertiser that uses deepfakes in ads on Facebook or Instagram will need to disclose that fact, it said. The Meta report details how some social media platforms are grappling with how to handle deceptive uses of AI.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Biden, ”, Arpit Garg, TJ Ducklo, Garg, Maury Riggan, “, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Hany Farid, —, Meta, Darren Linvill Organizations: CNN, Department of Homeland, Social Media, European Union, Digital Services, Republicans, Federal, Republican National Committee, Democratic National Committee, University of California, Facebook, Clemson University’s, RNC Locations: European, Florida, Berkeley, United States

Meta announced the service for Facebook and Instagram last month. The ad-free service cost 9.99 euros ($10.90) monthly for Web users and 12.99 euros for iOS and Android users. Contrary to this law, Meta charges a 'privacy fee' of up to 250 euros per year if anyone dares to exercise their fundamental right to data protection," NOYB data protection lawyer Felix Mikolasch said in a statement. NOYB filed the complaint with the Austrian Data Protection Authority. The complaint will likely be forwarded to the Irish data protection watchdog which oversees Meta because it has its European headquarters in Ireland.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Meta, Max Schrems, Felix Mikolasch, NOYB, Foo Yun Chee, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Meta, Facebook, EU, Austrian Data Protection, Netflix, YouTube, Google, Thomson Locations: Rights BRUSSELS, Europe, Austrian, Europe's, Vienna, Ireland, Brussels

[1/2] An illuminated Google logo is seen inside an office building in Zurich, Switzerland December 5, 2018. Walker said Europe should aim for the best AI rules, not the first AI rules. "We've long said that AI is too important not to regulate, and too important not to regulate well. The race should be for the best AI regulations, not the first AI regulations." Business group DigitalEurope and 32 European digital associations last week warned the EU against over-regulating foundation models.

Persons: Arnd, Kent Walker, Walker, Foo Yun Chee, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Union, European Commission, Technological, Business, Thomson Locations: Zurich, Switzerland, Rights BRUSSELS, Europe

☆ EU Executive's Jourova Says No Talks About Ukraine Without Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A deputy head of the European Union executive said on Tuesday she would find "unacceptable" any talks about the war in Ukraine that would not include Kyiv or envisage the country giving up territory. The European Commission's vice-president Vera Jourova also said she would be "disappointed" if a Dec.14-15 summit of EU leaders refused to endorse proposals for more financial aid to Kyiv and a recommendation to launch accession talks with Ukraine. The Czech EU Commissioner who worked on her own country's EU entry nearly 20 years ago offered Kyiv a sympathetic ear recalling how difficult it was to meet European accession requirements. She said that, under President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukraine was finally ready to overcome endemic corruption. She said that unanimous backing of all the 27 EU countries would be needed to enact it.

Persons: Vera Jourova, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Viktor Orban, Gabriela Baczynska Organizations: European Union, Ukraine, Czech EU, EU, Kyiv Locations: BRUSSELS, Ukraine, Kyiv, Czech, Hungary

AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken, June 23, 2023. "As European digital industry representatives, we see a huge opportunity in foundation models, and new innovative players emerging in this space, many of them born here in Europe. The signatories, who said just 3% of the world's AI unicorns come from the European Union, backed a joint proposal by France, Germany and Italy to limit the scope of AI rules for foundation models to transparency requirements. They also said the current broad scope of the draft AI rules could clash with existing legislation in certain sectors such as healthcare. The companies also rebuffed calls from creative industries for the AI rules to tackle copyright issues.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, DigitalEurope, Georgina Prodhan, Foo Yun Chee, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Airbus, European Union, Apple, Ericsson, Google, LSE, SAP, Siemens, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, France, Germany, Italy

The latest proposal from EU cybersecurity agency ENISA concerns an EU certification scheme (EUCS) which vouches for the cybersecurity of cloud services and determines how governments and companies in the bloc select a vendor for their business. The document retains key provisions contained in earlier drafts such as a requirement that U.S. tech giants set up a joint venture with an EU-based company to qualify for the EU cybersecurity label. Another provision states that cloud service must be operated and maintained from the EU, while all cloud service customer data must be stored and processed in the EU, with EU laws taking precedence over non-EU laws regarding the cloud service provider. The latest draft sets out the possibility for these tough requirements to be extended to the third highest security level. EU countries are now reviewing the latest draft after which the European Commission will adopt a final scheme.

Persons: OpenAI's, CCIA, ENISA, Alexandre Roure, Foo Yun Chee, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: European, Google, Microsoft, Big Tech, EU, Tech, European Banking Federation, European Savings Banks Group, Association for Financial Markets, Federation, Insurance, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, European Union, EU, Europe

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Nov 22 (Reuters) - EU lawmakers agreed on Wednesday to draft rules requiring Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google, Meta (META.O) and other online services to identify and remove online child pornography, saying that end-to-end encryption would not be affected. EU lawmakers have to thrash out the final details with member states before the draft can become legislation in a process that may be finalised next year. An EU Centre on Child Sexual Abuse will be set up to act as a hub of expertise and to forward reports to the police. To avoid mass surveillance, EU lawmakers beefed up detection orders to allow judicial authorities to authorise time-limited orders to find and delete CSAM. These can only be issued if there is reasonable grounds of suspicion of child sexual abuse.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Foo Yun Chee, Alexander Smith Organizations: Facebook, REUTERS, Rights, Google, European, European Union, EU, Liberal, Thomson Locations: Rights BRUSSELS

A view of the border between Russia and Finland at the Nuijamaa border checkpoint in Lappeenranta, Finland on November 15, 2023. The four border crossings - at Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra and Niirala in southeastern Finland - are normally the busiest points of travel between the two countries. Nearly 100 asylum seekers had entered Finland from Russia on Friday by midday, officials said. Finland shares a 1,340-km (833-mile) border with Russia that also serves as the EU's external border. Finland's ombudsman for non-discrimination said on Thursday Helsinki still had a duty under international treaties and EU law to allow asylum seekers to seek protection.

Persons: Helsinki, Matti Pitkaniitty, Pitkaniitty, Essi Lehto, Anne Kauranen, Terje Solsvik, Gareth Jones Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, European Union, NATO, Kremlin, Helsinki, Thomson Locations: Russia, Finland, Lappeenranta, Finnish, HELSINKI, Vaalimaa, Russia's, Salla, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Moscow, Ukraine, United States

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