Author: Trainee Reporter

France: The French competition authority has fined Google 250 million euros ($272 million) after breaching content licensing commitments with media firms. According to the French competition watchdog, the fines were imposed as part of further benchmarks in a 2019 lawsuit filed against the United States tech giant and other online platforms by organisations representing French magazines and newspapers. Media accused tech firms of making billions from their content without sharing revenue with aggregators. In 2021, Google was fined 500 million euros ($592 million) by the authority for failing to negotiate in good faith. The brawl appeared to be settled in…

Ireland: Leo Varadkar, Prime Minister of Ireland, has announced that he is giving up his position as PM and leader of the governing party of Fine Gael. Varadkar confirmed that he is stepping down from power at a press gathering outside the Government Buildings in Dublin, and defined his term as ‘the most fulfilling time of my life.’ The Taoiseach said that his reasons for resignation were ‘both personal and political.’ He considers that a new party leader will be better equipped to contest the next general elections. The PM stated that, “I believe this government can be re-elected and…

China: The government of China has condemned international critics for denouncing Hong Kong’s safeguarding national security law, Article 23. Hong Kong’s Legislative Council unanimously passed the Article 23 national security law. The new security law drew widespread criticism over its implications for fundamental freedoms in the Chinese-ruled city. The safeguarding national security law, which follows China’s National Security Law passed in 2020, penalises a range of crimes, including treachery, subversion, treason, theft of state secrets, foreign interference and espionage. The new ruling includes lengthy prison sentences for these crimes. According to Hong Kong’s leader John Lee, the new dimensions were…

United Kingdom: The government of the UK has announced that now fifteen synthetic opioids, along with fentanyl, are under strict control. This move aims to curb drug-related deaths in the UK and ensure that those who supply these substances face tougher penalties. Following guidance from the Advisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), 15 additional synthetic opioids, including 14 nitazenes, were listed as Class A drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. These substances carry highly addictive and extremely harmful side effects, which pose a high risk of accidental overdose. It seems to be a widespread problem in other…

Netherlands: Scientists from the Netherlands have claimed that they eradicated HIV from infected cells, using 2020 Nobel Prize-winning Crispr gene-editing technology. The gene-editing tool, known as Crispr-Cas, effectively acts as scissors that can cut DNA at specific points, letting unwanted genes be removed or new genetic material be presented into cells. According to the authors of the study, they aim to invent a vital and secure Crispr-Cas system that desires an all-inclusive HIV antidote for various HIV strains that are inactivated across different cellular contexts. In the Netherlands, researchers from Amsterdam University Medical Centre said that they formed a powerful…

United Kingdom: David Cameron, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, has confirmed that the largest UK-funded aid to Gaza crossed the border and is now being distributed by the United Nations (UN). The aid, which includes more than 2000 tonnes of food, is being distributed by the World Food Programme (WFP) on the ground. Additionally, 150 tonnes of relief items such as blankets and tents arrived and will be circulated by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). Furthermore, a UK field hospital run by UK-Med arrived in Gaza and is now functional, delivering life-saving care. Fortified wheat flour…

Armenia: Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, has issued an ultimatum to Azerbaijan, warning that Armenia would be on the brink of war unless a settlement is reached on the return of four Azerbaijani villages. The villages were under Armenian control since the 1990s. They were of strategic importance as they lay on the main road connecting Yerevan with the Georgian border. Pashinyan underscored in a conference with residents of border areas the haste of resolving the dispute, revealing that failure to fix it could lead to armed conflict by the end of the week. There can be disastrous outcomes…

Hong Kong: The Legislative Council of Hong Kong has unanimously passed the Safeguarding National Security Law, which grants the government expanded powers to suppress dissent. The law includes new provisions on treason, espionage, sedition, state secrets, and external interference. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, John Lee, stated that, “Today is a historic moment for Hong Kong.” He further added that the law would become effective in March, which would penalise five major crimes. This law grants the government more power to quash dissent. It is widely perceived as the latest step in a sweeping political crackdown that was triggered by…

United Kingdom: The government of the UK has announced funding for Artificial Intelligence (AI) businesses to deliver net zero with innovative technologies. This backing will enable British innovators working at the forefront of AI technologies to use their expertise in the field to help cut carbon emissions in important sectors, promote the use of renewable energy and increase efficiency in various sectors. Several projects were approved to support the green transition in the UK. These projects vary from enhancing weather forecasting to aid solar energy production, to developing AI-powered software to assist consumers and businesses in reducing energy costs. A…

United States: NVIDIA, the American multinational technology company, has announced Project GR00T, a general-purpose foundation model for humanoid robots. The firm also introduced Jetson Thor, a new computer for humanoid robots, along with upgrades to its Isaac robotics platform. Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, stated that, “Building foundation models for general humanoid robots is one of the most exciting problems to solve in AI today. The enabling technologies are coming together for leading roboticists around the world to take giant leaps towards artificial general robotics.” ‘GR00T’ is an acronym that stands for ‘Generalist Robot 00 Technology.’ Robots that are…