Author: Rachel Maddow

The United Nations has voted to establish a 40-member international scientific panel to examine the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence, a decision that passed despite firm opposition from the United States. The resolution was approved by the UN General Assembly in a 117-2 vote, with the U.S. and Paraguay voting against it and Tunisia and Ukraine abstaining. Russia, China and several European nations supported the measure. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the initiative as a crucial milestone in building a shared global understanding of AI. He said the new body would provide independent, science-based analysis at a time when…

There was a clear message coming out of Brussels this week: if NATO is to remain strong, Europe will need to shoulder more of the burden. While both American and European officials appear to agree on that principle, their reasons for doing so are not entirely the same. Speaking at a meeting of NATO defence ministers, US Under Secretary of War Eldridge Colby called for what he described as “NATO 3.0.” In his view, that means European allies taking primary responsibility for the conventional defence of the continent. According to Colby, Europe should provide the bulk of the forces needed…

A Devastating Day in Tumbler Ridge At least nine people have died following a shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, marking one of the deadliest school attacks in Canada in decades. Police confirmed that six victims were found inside the school building, while another person died en route to hospital. The suspected gunman was also discovered dead at the scene with what authorities believe to be a self-inflicted injury. In addition to those killed, two more bodies were located at a nearby residence believed to be connected to the incident. Investigators have not yet explained how those…

Invoking the Fifth Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee during a deposition on Monday. Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence at a federal prison camp in Texas for sex trafficking, pleaded her Fifth Amendment rights in a video call with lawmakers. The committee is investigating individuals connected to Epstein who may have helped facilitate his abuse of minors in the 1990s and 2000s. Clemency as a Condition for Testimony Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, told lawmakers that she would be willing to testify if US President…

Melting Ice Opens the Arctic to More Ships As global temperatures rise, Arctic sea ice is disappearing faster than ever, opening shipping routes that were previously frozen year-round. Cargo vessels, fishing boats, and even some cruise liners are now navigating these northern waters, but this surge in traffic comes at a steep environmental cost. Ships emit black carbon, or soot, which settles on ice and snow, darkening the surface. This reduces the reflective ability of ice, causing it to absorb more heat and accelerate melting. “It ends up in a never-ending cycle of increased warming,” says Sian Prior, lead adviser…

Voters Deliver a Strong Mandate Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appeared headed for a decisive victory in Sunday’s snap election, with early media projections showing her ruling bloc securing a two-thirds majority in the lower house. If confirmed, it would mark the Liberal Democratic Party’s strongest showing since 2017, during the tenure of her mentor, former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Estimates suggest the LDP won around 300 of the chamber’s 465 seats, comfortably regaining its majority and potentially doing so without the support of junior coalition partners. LDP secretary general Shunichi Suzuki said voters had endorsed Takaichi’s “responsible, proactive fiscal…

Italy and Germany Projects Dropped Automotive Cells Company (ACC), a major European battery venture, has officially abandoned plans to build electric vehicle battery gigafactories in both Italy and Germany. The decision follows weaker-than-expected growth in demand for electric vehicles, according to Italy’s metalworkers’ union UILM. The union said ACC management confirmed that the proposed factory in Termoli, Italy, will not go ahead, and that plans for a similar facility in Germany have also been scrapped. Both projects had already been on hold since 2024 as the company reassessed its strategy. EV Demand Falls Short of Expectations ACC, which is backed…

Pressure Builds to Apply the Same Standards to All Suppliers From January 2027, companies importing oil and gas into the European Union will have to meet strict monitoring, reporting and verification rules tied to methane emissions from their suppliers. Now, a group of US lawmakers is urging Brussels not to weaken those requirements or carve out exemptions for American energy producers if US standards fall short. In a letter seen by Euronews, 24 members of Congress argue that the EU’s methane regulation is a vital tool to curb gas flaring and venting. Methane, they note, is a powerful climate pollutant…

Alphabet Slide Sets the Tone Wall Street moved sharply lower on Thursday after shares in Alphabet fell more than 4%, pulling major US indexes into the red and unsettling markets well beyond equities. The S&P 500 dropped 1.2%, marking its sixth loss in seven sessions since hitting a record high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 606 points, while the Nasdaq slid 1.5% by mid-morning in New York. Alphabet weighed heavily on the market despite reporting quarterly profits that beat expectations. Investors instead focused on the company’s warning that spending on equipment and other investments could surge to about $180…

SpaceX-xAI Deal Redraws the Balance Elon Musk’s SpaceX has surged to a valuation of $1.25 trillion (€1.06tn) following its merger with artificial intelligence company xAI, bringing it strikingly close to Tesla’s market value and reshaping the hierarchy of Musk’s businesses. Tesla is currently valued at about $1.58 trillion (€1.34tn), just 26% higher than SpaceX’s latest private valuation. On paper, the shift means a larger share of Musk’s personal wealth is now tied to rockets and AI than to electric cars. The merger values SpaceX at $1 trillion (€847bn) and xAI at $250 billion (€212bn). It builds on last year’s deal…