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☆ Meta's plan to stop AI from ruining elections is about to get its first big test
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The company is adding labels to AI content and new ad restrictions to improve transparency. Now, the EU Parliament elections will put the social networking platform to the test. Meta released a statement on Sunday outlining a new plan to ensure election integrity with the EU Parliament elections taking place June 6 through 9. It also signed the Tech Accord, which aims to prevent deceptive AI content on major platforms in the 2024 elections. While all posts are subject to the same policy guidelines, Meta is taking extra steps to monitor AI content, according to the statement.

Persons: —, it's, Meta, Marco Pancini, Pancini, Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak Organizations: Meta, Service, Facebook, Tech Accord, UK Locations: EU

☆ Sweden clears final hurdle in bid to join NATO after Hungary approves accession
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Joshua Berlinger | Stephanie Halasz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Of the 194 members of parliament who voted, just six rejected Sweden’s accession. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed that Sweden will join the alliance now that all allies have approved Sweden’s bid to join. As NATO states, Finland and Sweden will enjoy the protection granted under Article 5 of the treaty that established the alliance – which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack against all. While most NATO members quickly approved Finland and Sweden’s applications, Hungary and Turkey held out for some time. Video Ad Feedback Turkish parliament approves Sweden's NATO membership bid 01:05 - Source: CNNShortly after the Turkish vote, Orban told NATO chief Stoltenberg that his government would also support Swedish membership.

Persons: CNN —, Vladimir Putin, Ulf Kristersson, Viktor Orban, Sweden’s, ” Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Orban, Stoltenberg, Putin, Luke McGee, Lauren Kent Organizations: CNN, NATO, Stockholm, Swedish, Gripen, “, United, Russia, Ukraine, Union, EU, Sweden’s, Budapest, Kyiv Locations: Budapest, Hungary, Swedish, “ Sweden, Sweden, United States, Atlantic Treaty, Eastern Europe, Russia’s, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Stockholm, EU, Europe, Israel

☆ A college is removing its vending machines after a student discovered they were using facial recognition technology
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A university in Canada is expected to remove a series of vending machines from campus after a student discovered a sign they used facial recognition technology. The smart vending machines at the University of Waterloo first gained attention this month when Reddit user SquidKid47 shared a photo. Stanley investigated the smart vending machines, discovering that they're provided by Adaria Vending Services and manufactured by Invenda Group. Canadian publication CTV News reported that Mars, owner of M&M's, owns the vending machines. AdvertisementIn response to the student publication's report, the director of technology services for Adaria Vending Services told MathNEWS that "an individual person cannot be identified using the technology in the machines."

Persons: SquidKid47, Stanley, MathNEWS, Adaria, MathNews, we've, Rebecca Elming, TikTok Organizations: University of Waterloo, Business, University, Waterloo, Ars Technica, Adaria Vending Services, Invenda Group, CTV News, Data, Invenda, Guardian, DePaul University Locations: Canada, China

☆ Battle for the Red Sea expands with U.S. strikes, EU stepping up its efforts against Houthis
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Defense officials tell CNBC as of February 21, there have been at least 59 attacks on commercial shipping interests in the Red Sea. But the EU said the Red Sea moves reflect the need for a stronger European presence in protecting ships from Houthi attacks. Trade leaders have urged more countries to join the military effort in the Red Sea. A war of misinformation in the Red Sea crisis also continues. On February 2 in Brussels, Borrell informed Yemeni Prime Minister Bin Mubarak about the plans to launch a new EU maritime operation in the Red Sea and about its mandate.

Persons: Mason, Torm Thor, Good Hope, Peter Stano, Josep Borrell, Mark Montgomery, Sen, John McCain, Steven Lamar, Hussein, Azzi, Stano, Houthis, Borrell, Bin Mubarak, Rashad Al, Carl Bentzel, Bentzel, Tesla Organizations: European Commission, United States Central Command, Command, U.S, CNBC, European Union's Naval Force, EU, French Navy, Prosperity, Prosperity Guardian, EU Commission, Navy, Foundation, Defense of Democracies, Senate Armed, NATO, U.S . Central Command, UK, Prosperity Guardian . Trade, American Apparel and Footwear Association, Central Command, Yemeni, Presidential, Council, UN, Federal Maritime, Foreign Shipping, State Department, FMC, Walmart Locations: Aden, Iranian, Yemen, Red, Libyan Coast, Good, Somalia, European, EU, U.S, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, Houthi, Europe, Suez, Belize, Brussels, Yemeni, United States, Egypt, Germany, Israel

☆ Russia’s presidential election is nearing. We already know who the winner will be
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Russia is nearing a presidential election that is all but certain to extend Vladimir Putin’s rule throughout this decade and into the 2030s. The president’s dominance over the Russian electoral system has already been reinforced as the election looms. Voting will be held from Friday March 15 until Sunday March 17, the first Russian presidential election to take place over three days. The region makes up more than a third of Russia’s total territory but has only about 5% of its population. In order to vote against Putin, you just need to vote for any other candidate,” Navalny said on February 8.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Alexey Navalny, Maxim Shemetov, Joseph Stalin, Putin’s, Dmitry Medvedev, ” Callum Fraser, Nikolay Kharitonov, Leonid Slutsky, Vladislav Davankov, Davankov, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Boris Nadezhdin, Yekaterina Duntsova, Duntsova, Leonid Volkov, Volkov, Vladimir Nikolayev, euphemistically, Abbas Gallyamov, Gallyamov, Alexey Navalny –, –, ”, ” Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, “, “ Putin, Don’t Organizations: CNN, Russian, Duma, Federal, Reuters, Kommersant, CEC, Royal United Services Institute, Communist Party, Slutsky, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, Kremlin, Freedom, Putin, Levada, EU, Foreign Affairs Council, European Union Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russia’s, Soviet, AFP

☆ 2 years into the war, Ukrainian soldiers urge allies to keep supporting them or Europe will be next
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Two Ukrainians fighting for their country urged Ukraine's allies to keep supporting it, two years after the bloody conflict began in earnest. Despite this, the war shows no sign of ending, and war fatigue is notable in some Ukrainian allies. AdvertisementAnother soldier, callsign Local, told BI that "it's very important to help Ukraine and support Ukraine because Ukraine is like a first step to Europe. He said supporting Ukraine gives the US big returns in weakening Russia for a modest investment. AdvertisementMeanwhile, Ukrainian soldiers have warned they are low on critical ammunition and weaponry, resulting in rationing, losses, and deaths.

Persons: Ukraine's, Artem, —, it's, William J, Burns Organizations: Business, Republicans, Local, Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine, NATO, EU, CIA, US Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Europe, Poland, Ukraine's, England, Lithuania —, Russia, Avdiivka

☆ Opinion: Who is winning? Gen. Petraeus on Ukraine war, two years in
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

CNN —Two years into the Ukraine war, the tide has shifted, and Russian forces have some momentum, according to retired US General David Petraeus. Michal Dyjuk/AP/FILELast weekend Gen. Petraeus was at the Munich Security Conference, the leading global national security conference that was attended by pretty much every European leader and by top American officials – including Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. BERGEN: At the Munich Security Conference, what was the mood like? BERGEN: Who’s winning the war in Ukraine? BERGEN: What’s going on in Ukraine looks a lot like World War I, in the sense that it’s trench warfare, minefields, machine guns.

Persons: Peter Bergen, ”, David Petraeus, Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Lord Andrew Roberts, ” David Petraeus, Michal Dyjuk, Petraeus, Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken, Alexey Navalny’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, Gen, PETRAEUS, I’ve, Olaf Scholz, Jens Stoltenberg, Tobias Schwarz, they’ll, Who’s, I’m, Vladimir Putin, Alexey Navalny, we’re, didn’t, Thomas Peter, –, Zelensky, can’t, what’s, There’s, Sergei Supinsky, it’s, Andrew Roberts, Biden, Donald Trump’s Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, Trump Administration, CNN, Munich Security Conference, Conference, Supreme, NATO, Munich, Reuters, Republicans, Kremlin, Russian Federation, Kherson –, Tactical Missile Systems, Pentagon, Getty, Congress, Munich Security, PETRAEUS Locations: New America, Ukraine, United States, Afghanistan, Iraq, Avdiivka, BERGEN, Munich, Europe, Russia, Russian, Spain, Moscow, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kherson, Ukrainian, Swedish, Donetsk, Sevastopol, Crimea, North Africa, Egypt, Kremlin, St, Petersburg, Moldova, Transnistria, Baltic, Soviet Union, AFP, ” BERGEN

☆ Russia was ridiculed at the start of the war. Two years on, it has reasons to be confident
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Internal political frictions and the replacement of popular military chief General Valerii Zaluzhnyi has also fueled concerns over military strategy going forward. "I think for Ukraine, there's really quite minimal difference between a president who can't deliver lethal aid and a president who won't deliver lethal aid. Russia's President Vladimir Putin listens while then-U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in Helsinki, Finland, in 2019. Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles while visiting an aviation plant on February 21, 2024, in Kazan, Russia. "The dispute over mobilization is happening at a time when most authorized U.S. military aid is close to exhausted and Congress has yet to pass a new aid package."

Persons: Moscow —, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, there's, James Nixey, that's, Putin, Donald, Trump, Nixey, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Brendan Smialowski, Alexei Navalny, Kurt Volker, he'd, Avdiivka, Volker, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, David Kirichenko, Kirichenko Organizations: Anadolu, Getty, Kyiv —, U.S, Russian, AFP, NATO, CNBC, Analysts, Institute for, Russia, Manpower, Kremlin, Center for, Armed Forces of, Bloomberg Locations: Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Kyiv, Avdiivka, Eurasia, Helsinki, Finland, West, U.S, Russian, Kazan, Donetsk, Armed Forces of Ukraine

☆ As Ukraine marks two years since Russia’s invasion, Europe is facing difficult questions
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Arguably most important among those questions: How long can it practically sustain such draining financial support for Ukraine? The United Kingdom, arguably the major security player in the region, has also pledged more than $15 billion to Ukraine since 2022. This is an alarming prospect for European officials who already believe Putin is digging in and trying to wait out the West. In the run-up to the US presidential election, the question of what happens to European security without America will inevitably be asked. Europe simply doesn’t have the manufacturing heft right now to independently serve Ukraine over the next 12 months.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Money, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ursula von der Leyen, Joe Biden, Stefan Rousseau, Donald Trump, White, Trump, Putin, Thomas Peter, ” Organizations: CNN, Ukraine, Bakhmut, European Union, NATO, EU, Kiel Institute, US, Parliamentary, Getty, White House, DC Locations: Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine, Europe, Ukraine, Avdiivka, United States, Kyiv, EU, Kiel, United Kingdom, Ukrainian, AFP, NATO, America, Kramatorsk, Brussels, China, Beijing

☆ Opinion: Trump’s making America irrelevant to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( David A. Andelman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

He formerly was a foreign correspondent and bureau chief for The New York Times in Europe and Asia and for CBS News in Paris. CNN —Madeline Albright famously called America the “indispensable nation.” Is former President Donald Trump making America the irrelevant nation? The first steps toward a new direction for such a Europe — without America — are already being taken. Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu/Getty ImagesVon der Leyen has also said that upping European defense production would be a top priority for her second term — not to mention sorting through vastly divergent budgets of the various countries. Still, as a bloc, Europe at about 85 billion euros ($92 billion) has already passed the United States at 66.2 billion euros ($71.6 billion) in total commitments to Ukraine.

Persons: David A, Madeline Albright, Donald Trump, Alexey Navalny’s, Vladimir Putin, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Joe Biden, ” haven’t, Mette Frederiksen, ” Frederiksen, Ursula von der Leyen, Europe’s, Christine Wormuth, Peter, Paul, Kaja Kallas, Dursun, Leyen, Emmanuel Macron’s, Macron, David Lammy, unflinchingly, who’s, ” Kallas, Alar Karis, ” Karis, we’re, Der Spiegel, ” Organizations: CNN, French Legion of, The New York Times, CBS News, Trump, Republicans, NATO, Security, Danish, America, Africa Command, Getty, Germany’s Kiel Institute, US, Union, Munich Security Conference, British, Labour Party, Estonian, Politico Europe, Kremlin, “ Locations: Europe, Asia, Paris, America, Russia, Russian, Ukraine, “, United States, Munich, Berlin, Brussels, Poland, Estonian, Anadolu, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, France, Russia’s, Sweden, Britain, German

☆ China's biggest banks are finally getting scared by the West's sanctions against Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Bank of China have stopped the transactions since the start of 2024, Alexey Poroshin, the general director of investment and consulting firm First Group, told Izvestia. In December, the US also authorized secondary sanctions targeting financial institutions that help Russia skirt sanctions. Chinese banks are tightening compliance checks with Russian businesses because they fear getting caught up in the West's increasingly restrictive sanctions regime against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Bank of China did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. In particular, Russian firms trading internationally have become more dependent on Chinese institutions and the Chinese yuan since some Russian banks withdrew from the SWIFT global financial-messaging system .

Persons: —, Alexey Poroshin, Poroshin, Dmitry Peskov Organizations: Russia, Service, Commercial Bank of, China Construction Bank, Bank of, First Group, Union, Industrial, Bank of China, Business, SWIFT Locations: Russia, Commercial Bank of China, China, Bank of China, —, Ukraine, India, West, Beijing

☆ Middle East escalation fears spike as Houthis launch most damaging attack yet
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group's responsibility for the attack, calling it their most severe yet. The group claim to support Palestinian civilians amid Israel's retaliatory military campaign in the Gaza Strip. Simultaneously, fighting is raging between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip with no sign of abating despite diplomatic efforts by a number of countries. INTERNATIONAL WATERS RED SEA, YEMEN - NOVEMBER 20: This handout screen grab captured from a video shows Yemen's Houthi fighters' takeover of the Galaxy Leader Cargo in the Red Sea coast off Hudaydah, on November 20, 2023 in the Red Sea, Yemen. EU foreign ministers called in a joint statement for an immediate humanitarian pause that would lead to a lasting cease-fire.

Persons: Mohammed Huwais, Yemen's, Yahya Saree, Saree, Charles Myers, CNBC's, Myers, Hungary —, Israel's, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, hasn't, Mohammed Abed Organizations: Hamas, Afp, Getty, U.S . Central Command, Global Advisors, SEA, Galaxy Leader Cargo, Handout, Security, Palestinian Locations: Israel, Sanaa, Gaza, Red, Belize, Gulf, Aden, Iranian, Yemen, U.S, Gulf Aden, Rafah, Gaza's, YEMEN, Red Sea, Lebanon, Iran, Beirut, Hungary

☆ Navalny’s mother asks Putin to release her son’s body in video filmed outside Arctic penal colony
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Joshua Berlinger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Alexey Navalny’s family has made a direct plea to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the release of the Russian dissident’s body, five days after he died behind bars in a penal colony. Standing in the snow outside the facility where her son was imprisoned, Lyudmila Navalnaya addressed Putin directly, saying she has not been told where Navalny’s body is. Navalny’s lawyer tried to call a number on the building’s door, but he was told the body was not there. Navalny’s lawyer tried to call a number on the building’s door, but he was told the body was not there. Two days later, Navalnaya was rebuffed in person at the morgue, Yarmish said, adding that staff refused to say whether the body was inside.

Persons: CNN — Alexey Navalny’s, Vladimir Putin, Lyudmila Navalnaya, Putin, ” Navalnaya, Navalny, Navalny “, ”, Navalnaya, Kira Yarmish, Yarmish, Navalny’s, Novichok, Yulia Navalnaya, “, Dmitry Peskov, Alexey, Don’t, Oleg, ministry’s, Oleg Navalny Organizations: CNN, Staff, European Union Foreign Affairs, EU, Munich Locations: Russian, Putin’s, Soviet, Russia, Germany

☆ Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine is dead: Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Victoria Butenko | Al Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Maxim Kuzminov, a Russian pilot who dramatically defected to Ukraine by flying his helicopter across the border, is dead, according to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR). A source at Ukraine’s GUR confirmed to CNN the body of the man found in Spain was that of Kuzminov, but would not comment on how he had died. The shooting took place in a neighborhood where some Russian and Ukrainian expatriates have settled since the war began, according to the Villajoyosa city hall press office. When Kuzminov flew into Ukraine, the two other Russian service members on board the Mi-8 helicopter with him did not know what was happening. “I contacted representatives of Ukrainian intelligence, explained my situation, to which they offered this option: ‘Come on, we guarantee your safety, guarantee new documents, guarantee monetary compensation, a reward,’” the pilot said.

Persons: CNN — Maxim Kuzminov, Ukraine’s GUR, Dmitry Peskov, Sergey Naryshkin, Russia Legion –, Kuzminov, ” “, Maxim, ‘, ’ Kuzminov, Kyrolo Budanov, Budanov, “, ” Budanov, GUR, ’, I’m, ”, ” Kuzminov, Victoria Butenko, Andrew Carey, Al Goodman, Madrid Organizations: CNN, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Spanish Civil Guard, Civil Guard, Ukraine’s, Russian Foreign Intelligence, RIA Novosti, Russian TV, Russia Legion, Armed Forces of, EU, Legion, Kyiv, Radio Liberty Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Alicante, Villajoyosa, Spain, Alicante province, Russia, Moscow, ” “ Ukraine, Armed Forces of Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ Europe needs to invest 'much more' in defense because the region is 'not totally secure': Thales CEO
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailEurope needs to invest 'much more' in defense because the region is 'not totally secure': Thales CEOPatrice Caine, chairman and CEO of Thales, addresses the question of whether EU nations are doing enough to help in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Persons: Patrice Caine Organizations: Thales Locations: Russia, Ukraine

☆ Apple reportedly faces its first EU antitrust fine
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Apple blocked rivals from telling users about cheaper options, the EU is expected to say next month. Apple is expected to be fined by the European Union for the first time, according to reports by the Financial Times and Bloomberg. The EU is set to impose a penalty of about 500 million euros ($539 million) in early March, the FT reported. AdvertisementThe EU is expected to find that Apple placed “unfair trading conditions” on rivals to its Apple Music service, per the reports. The streaming company claimed Apple’s App Store rules “purposely limit choice and stifle innovation” by imposing a 30% commission on app developers.

Persons: Daniel Ek, Apple didn’t Organizations: Apple, European Union, Financial Times, Bloomberg, EU, Apple Music, Spotify, Digital Markets, Business Locations: EU

Many world leaders blamed President Vladimir Putin and his government for Navalny’s death Friday at age 47. Navalny’s team said he was “murdered,” and charged that officials' refusal to hand over his body was part of a cover-up. Yarmysh said that Navalny's mother and his lawyers weren't allowed into the morgue in Salekhard on Monday morning. The U.S. and British ambassadors also mourned Navalny's death at a memorial in Moscow. Over 50,000 people have submitted requests to the Russian government asking for Navalny's remains to be handed over to his relatives, OVD-Info said.

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Kira Yarmysh, Lyudmila Navalnaya, ” Yarmysh, Vladimir Putin, Navalny’s, “, ”, Yarmysh, weren't, Ivan Zhdanov, “ lackeys, Navalny's, Navalny, ” Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya Organizations: Investigative, Kremlin, Authorities, Russia’s Federal, Service, European Union Locations: Salekhard, Russia, U.S, Moscow, Russia’s, Kharp, Germany, Brussels

☆ 'China has a lot more to lose': U.S. considering sanctioning Chinese firms aiding Russia's war
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands during a meeting in Beijing on October 18, 2023. The provisions would mark the first direct penalties against Beijing despite long-held Western suspicions over its support for Russia's military operations. So I would hope China would calculate carefully that there are consequences around the corner for supporting Russia's violence and depravity in Ukraine." Asked whether the U.S. is considering similar sanctions on China as those proposed by the EU, U.S. A separate January report found that China has become key conduit in funnelling critical Western tech into Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Sergei Guneyev, Gerald Connolly, CNBC's Silvia Amaro, Connolly, Ben Cardin, Biden, Josep Borrell, Alexei Navalny Organizations: Afp, Getty, Congress, CNBC, Democratic, U.S . House, Foreign Relations, European Union, Beijing, Saturday, Munich Security, EU, U.S, Russia, U.S . National Security Council Locations: Beijing, Munich, GERMANY, The U.S, Russia, Ukraine, China, Washington, U.S

☆ They say not to make big life decisions while grieving. But I moved to Madrid right after my husband's funeral — and it was the right decision.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Margarita Gokun Silver | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Her family had lived as expats in six countries and raised their teenage daughter in Spain. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . A perfect city for the lonely and sadMargarita Gokun Silver celebrated her birthday with her daughter in Madrid. Madrid as my new homeWhen my husband died, Madrid was the first place I thought of as a potential new home. Sure, I could have stayed around Boston, where my husband's family lived, or gone to Florida to join my parents.

Persons: Margarita Gokun Silver, Madrid, —, we'd, wasn't, togetherness, It's, I'm Organizations: Service Locations: Spain, Massachusetts, Greece, Florida, Madrid, Boston

☆ Europe is nervous about a potential Trump win. China sees an opportunity
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

China – which has not condemned Russia’s invasion and claims impartiality in the conflict – has also emerged as a key lifeline for the sanctions-hit Russian economy. In Europe, this has galvanized concerns about China’s own global ambitions and played a role in the European Union’s ongoing push to recalibrate its policy toward China. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell reiterated the EU’s “expectation that China refrains from supporting Russia,” in a meeting with Wang Friday. “As long as war in Ukraine continues, EU policies toward China will move into closer alignment with the US. As president, Trump not only voiced skepticism of the system of US alliances in Europe, but leveraged tariffs on European steel and aluminum, sparking retaliatory measures on US goods from Europe.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Wang Yi, Wang, Donald Trump, Trump, ” Wang, Alexey Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s, “, ”, Noah Barkin, Maxym Marusenko, Putin, Xi Jinping, –, Jens Stoltenberg, Josep Borrell, Christoph Heusgen, Dmytro Kuleba, Xi, hasn’t, It’s, Kuleba, Vladimir Putin, Xie Huanchi, Yu Jie, ‘, Liu Dongshu, “ Wang Yi, China …, ” Liu, Emmanuel Macron, GMF Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Munich, Washington, NATO, German Marshall Fund of, Communist Party, Wang Friday, Bloomberg, CNN, China’s, Ministry, ”, Ukrainian, Security, Beijing, Peace, Getty, ’ Observers, US, Chatham House, City University of Hong, “, White Locations: China, Hong Kong, States, Europe, Ukraine, Beijing, Munich, Moscow, Russia, United States, Russian, Ukraine's Kharkiv, West . China, Taiwan, EU, ”, China’s, Asia, Pacific, ” Beijing, Switzerland, Xinhua, London, Spain, France, City University of Hong Kong’s, Washington, York

☆ Navalny's Widow Joins EU Foreign Ministers as Ukraine War Nears Two-Year Mark
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Gabriela BaczynskaBRUSSELS (Reuters) - The widow of Alexei Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putin's nemesis who died in an Arctic prison last week, joins EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, days before the two-year mark of Russia's war on Ukraine. The Latest Photos From Ukraine View All 91 ImagesNavalny, a 47-year-old former lawyer, rose to prominence campaigning against corruption in Putin's Russia. The ministers are due to discuss military support for Ukraine and what would be the European Union's 13th package of sanctions against Moscow since it unleashed a full-scale invasion of its neighbour on Feb.24, 2022. Inside the EU, Germany has blocked replenishing a military fund used to supply Ukraine saying Berlin was contributing too much compared to other members. One senior EU diplomat said they believed it "will be able to make it in time" and agree the new punitive measures for Feb.24.

Persons: Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS, Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin's, Yulia Navalnaya, Putin, Josep Borrell, Navalnaya's, Donald Trump, Viktor Orban, Gabriela Baczynska, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Ukraine, Moscow, NATO, Kremlin, EU, Washington Locations: Russian, Brussels, Ukraine, Munich, Israel, Gaza, Russia, Putin's Russia, Siberia, United States, Europe, U.S, EU, Germany, Berlin, Hungary, Budapest, Kyiv, London, Sahel, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mauritania

LONDON (AP) — The European Union said Monday it is investigating whether TikTok has broken the bloc's strict new digital rules for cleaning up social media and keeping internet users safe. The European Commission, the EU's executive branch, said it has “opened formal proceedings to assess" whether TikTok has breached the Digital Services Act, which took effect last year. The commission is focusing on whether TikTok is doing enough to curb “systemic risks” stemming from its design, including "algorithmic systems" that might stimulate “behavioral addictions." The EU has deemed nearly two dozen of the biggest online and social media platforms including TikTok, as ones that deserve the highest level of scrutiny under the DSA and hefty fines if they fail to comply. The bloc is already investigating Elon Musk’s X, previously known as Twitter, for breaches including failure to curb the spread of illegal content.

Persons: TikTok, ” Thierry Breton, We’ll, Elon Musk’s Organizations: Union, European Commission, Digital Services, DSA, EU

☆ Russia's war in Ukraine is igniting an old debate in Brussels over debt
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Munich, GERMANY — Should we borrow from global markets as one combined entity and raise new debt together? That's the question hanging on the shoulders of EU officials as they promise to spend more on defense amid Russia's onslaught in Ukraine. However, in 2020, the 27 members of the European Union decided that the best way to deal with the financial and extraordinary impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was to jointly raise debt. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said in an interview with Bloomberg that joint bonds would be a good way to boost the bloc's defense capacities. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was also very clear he would not support joint debt at the EU level.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Olaf Scholz, GERMANY —, Alexander de Croo, Kaja Kallas, Christian Lindner, Lindner, Mark Rutte Organizations: European Union, CNBC, Munich Security Conference, Estonian, Bloomberg, Munich Security, Dutch, EU, MSC Locations: Paris, France, Munich, GERMANY, Ukraine, Belgium, Brussels, Russia

☆ EU reportedly set to fine Apple 500 million euros amid antitrust crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Dylan Butts | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The European Commission is set to fine Apple about 500 million euros ($539 million) over alleged breaches of EU competition law, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the matter. Brussels first launched an investigation into allegations that Apple hindered third-party music services on its devices and favored its own Apple Music service, after Spotify filed a formal complaint to regulators in 2019. In most regions, Apple's App Store rules prohibit companies such as Spotify from billing users for subscriptions directly within the app, making them instead use Apple's App Store billing service, which takes a cut of up to 30%. The latest version of the probe focused on whether Apple had restricted apps from informing users about cheaper subscription alternatives outside of its native App Store and thus violated EU competition laws. If imposed, the fine would be one of the most substantial financial penalties the EU has imposed on a major technology company.

Persons: Apple Organizations: European, Apple, Financial Times, Apple Music, Spotify, EU, Google Locations: Brussels, France

☆ The EU opens formal probe into TikTok over online protection of children
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

“The opening of proceedings means that the (European) Commission will investigate TikTok’s functionalities, systems and policies related to certain suspected infringements. It does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation,” a spokesperson for the bloc’s executive arm said in a statement Monday. TikTok’s age verification tools, aimed at preventing children from accessing inappropriate content, “may not be reasonable, proportionate and effective,” the European Commission said in a press release Monday. TikTok has almost 136 million monthly active users in the EU, according to the European Commission. It is the second time in as many months that the commission has launched formal proceedings against a large social media company.

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