Europe wields new tech law to protect EU election – POLITICO

Some large social media, including Facebook, have been singled out for lacking enough content moderation in less-spoken European languages like Slovak. X, which is already under formal investigation, has slashed its content moderation teams. Under the DSA, major online companies have to meet wide-ranging requirements to crack down on illegal and harmful content, including with … Read more

UK accuses China of cyberattacks on British democracy – POLITICO

The Electoral Commission, Britain’s elections watchdog, announced last year that it had been hit by a complex cyberattack in which its systems were accessed by then-unnamed “hostile actors.” According to a release by Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Monday, the country’s security services found that the commission’s systems were “highly likely compromised by a China state-affiliated … Read more

Putin links Ukraine to Moscow massacre without evidence – POLITICO

“Our military services, our emergency services … our investigators are working on finding out … who gave them transportation, … who gave them weapons,” Putin said, comparing the massacre to Nazi atrocities during the Second World War. The shooting rampage occurred late Friday at the Crocus City Hall theater on the outskirts of Moscow. In … Read more

Moscow massacre sparks battle of blame – POLITICO

Indeed, the Moscow attack is reminiscent of the Islamic State attack in 2015 at the Bataclan theater in Paris, a killing spree that left 90 dead. Friday’s shooting rampage also bore similarities to the 2002 Nord Ost theater siege, when a group of Chechen gunmen and women occupied a packed theater in eastern Moscow and demanded an … Read more

Moscow terror attack: Suspects detained as death toll hits 115

Russian authorities arrested 11 people in connection with Friday’s terrorist attack on a Moscow concert hall, as the death toll in the shooting rampage rose to more than 100. A branch of the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the carnage, one of the most serious attacks Moscow has experienced in recent years. Four of the … Read more

Italy’s Giorgia Meloni called to testify in deepfake porn case – POLITICO

The lawsuit is meant to “send a message to women who are victims of this kind of abuse of power not to be afraid to press charges,” the lawyer added. A deepfake is an image or video that has been digitally manipulated to superimpose a person’s face onto another body. The technology has become increasingly … Read more

Brussels’ spy problem is the tip of the iceberg, says Belgian justice minister – POLITICO

The problem is of course far from new, given Brussels’ role on the international stage. “It is said that espionage is the second oldest profession in the world,” he said. Therefore, European coordination is key and continuously improving, said Van Tigchelt, who currently chairs meetings of the EU’s justice ministers as his country holds the … Read more

Zelenskyy taps ousted commander-in-chief as envoy to UK in ‘compromise’ move – POLITICO

Kyiv has already sent a formal request asking the British government to approve Zaluzhny, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday. Zaluzhny’s pending appointment comes after Zelenskyy removed him from his post as Ukraine’s top military commander last month. The Ukrainian president said at the time he was reshuffling his military leadership … Read more

Jeremy Hunt’s scorched earth budget – POLITICO

Laura Trott, Hunt’s deputy at the U.K. Treasury, has dismissed allegations of foul play as “an excuse to try and wriggle out of Labour’s disastrous £28 billion of unfunded spending.” But in truth Treasury ministers have always looked for ways to hobble their successors — especially in the run-up to an election.  George Osborne, the … Read more

France slashes Olympics opening ceremony crowd size amid terror attack fears

PARIS — France has scaled down the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony which will take place in July on the River Seine, amid concerns over a theoretical Islamist terror attack. Boats carrying each nation’s flag-bearers will pass on the water in the heart of Paris, with 104,000 spectators enjoying the celebration on the waterfront … Read more