Month: September 2023
Geopolitical discussions over developing states
Over the past decade China has doled out hundreds of billions of dollars in loans for much-needed infrastructure projects as part of its Belt and Road initiative, which has come under criticism for saddling many nations with heavy debts. The United States and its allies have recently tried to counter China’s growing influence with their
Europe nuclear sanctions on Iran
Under the 2015 accord, Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions. The accord bars anyone from buying, selling or transferring drones and missiles to and from Iran. The agreement envisaged a “transition day” eight years later, when remaining ballistic missile
Elon Musk: Taiwan belongs to China
Beijing claims self-governed Taiwan and tensions between the two have ratcheted up over the past year. Just this week, China conducted air and naval drills around Taiwan, in what has become a routine show of military might around the island. Taiwan said that it had detected more than 40 Chinese military aircraft and about 10
iPhone 12 over radiation claims
The World Health Organization has previously sought to allay fears about radiation emitted by mobile phones. It says on its website there is no evidence to conclude that exposure to low level electromagnetic fields is harmful to humans. The American tech giant suggested the radiation findings were a result of that testing regime, and that
TikTok fined over data privacy
There remains an investigation under way about whether TikTok has illegally transferred data from the EU to China. TikTok is owned by Beijing firm ByteDance. Irish regulators have fined TikTok €345m (£296m) for violating children’s privacy. The complaint concerned how the social media app handled children’s data in 2020 – particularly around age verification and
Tesla Reinvention
In a bid to extend its lead, Tesla is closing in on an innovation that woThe company pioneered the use of huge presses with 6,000 to 9,000 tons of clamping pressure to mold the front and rear structures of its Model Y in a “gigacasting” process that slashed production costs and left rivals scrambling to
Strike on Russia’s equipment supplies into the peninsula
Strikes in Crimea, which is Russia’s central logistics hub for its forces in southern Ukraine, have become routine in recent months amid Kyiv’s counteroffensive to reclaim territory occupied by Russian forces. Attacks have struck military targets in a push to weaken Moscow’s defenses and disrupt Russia from transporting equipment, weapons, and troops from mainland Russia
Chinese defence minister Li Shangfu no seen in weeks
The abrupt cancellation of Li’s trip follows China’s unexplained replacement of Foreign Minister Qin Gang in July after a prolonged absence from public view and a shake-up of the leadership of the People’s Liberation Army’s elite Rocket Force in recent months, moves that have raised questions about the Chinese leadership’s decision-making. Li, 65, was due
New Sanction package against Russia
The sanctions package is one of the biggest by the State and Treasury departments and is the latest to target people and companies in countries, notably NATO member Turkey, that sell Western technology to Russia that could be used to bolster its war effort. The purpose of the action is to restrict Russia’s defense production
Meeting on AI regulation
The forum was convened by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and included the tech leaders as well as civil rights advocates. The power of artificial intelligence – for both good and bad – has been the subject of keen interest from politicians around the world. In May, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the company