Author: Rachel Maddow

The United Nations has established a 40-member international scientific panel to study the risks and impacts of artificial intelligence (AI), despite strong opposition from the United States. The announcement comes as former employees from AI companies raise alarms over the technology’s rapid development and potential dangers. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the move a “foundational step toward global scientific understanding of AI,” emphasizing that the panel will provide independent, rigorous insight to help all member states engage on an equal footing, regardless of technological capacity. Panel Mission and Structure The Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence will produce annual…

US and European defence ministers signaled a shared understanding this week: NATO must evolve, with Europe taking on a greater share of the responsibility for its own defence. While both sides agree on the need for change, their reasons are slightly different—Washington seeks to focus more on other global regions, while Europeans are cautious of the unpredictability of the current US administration. US Under Secretary of War Eldridge Colby described the vision as “NATO 3.0,” calling for allies to assume primary responsibility for the conventional defence of Europe. “Europe should field the preponderance of the forces required to deter and,…

A tragic shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia on Tuesday has left at least nine people dead, including the suspected shooter, and several others injured. Authorities say this is one of the deadliest school attacks in Canada in decades. Six victims were discovered inside the school, and another person died while being transported to hospital. The suspected shooter was also found dead on school grounds with what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury. Multiple Locations Impacted During their initial response, RCMP officers entered the school to neutralize the threat and discovered multiple victims. Police later found two…

Refusal to Testify, Offer of a Pardon Trade Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, declined to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee on Monday as part of renewed investigations into Epstein’s network. Appearing via video link from a federal prison camp in Texas, where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, Maxwell repeatedly invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Her legal team said she would only be willing to testify if granted clemency by President Donald Trump. Claims Involving Trump and Clinton Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, told lawmakers that his client is…

Melting Ice Opens the Arctic to More Ships As global temperatures rise, Arctic sea ice is disappearing faster than ever, allowing ships to navigate routes that were previously frozen year-round. While this opens new opportunities for cargo, fishing, and even cruise vessels, it comes with a hidden cost: black carbon, or soot, emitted by ships. This pollution settles on snow and ice, darkening the surface and accelerating melting by absorbing more heat from the sun. “It ends up in a never-ending cycle of increased warming,” says Sian Prior, lead adviser for the Clean Arctic Alliance. Faster Arctic melting can influence…

Landslide victory for the LDP Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is on track for a sweeping win in Sunday’s snap elections, with early estimates suggesting her ruling bloc has secured a two-thirds majority in the lower house. If confirmed, this would be the Liberal Democratic Party’s strongest showing since 2017 under her mentor, the late Shinzo Abe. Media projections indicate the LDP could capture around 300 of 465 seats, up from 198, giving the party the possibility of a super-majority even without its junior partner, the Japan Innovation Party. “We received voter support for Prime Minister Takaichi’s proactive fiscal policies…

Italy and Germany Projects Abandoned Automotive Cells Company (ACC) has officially scrapped plans to build electric vehicle battery gigafactories in Termoli, Italy, and Germany, the Italian metalworkers’ union UILM confirmed. ACC management told the union that both projects, which had been on hold since 2024, will not move forward. Talks with unions are ongoing to determine how the shutdowns will be managed. Slower EV Demand Forces Strategic Shift The company, backed by Stellantis, cited slower-than-expected growth in electric vehicle sales as the main reason for halting the projects. ACC has also been evaluating lower-cost battery technologies, adding to the uncertainty…

Lawmakers Push for Equal Treatment of Energy Suppliers Starting January 2027, all companies importing oil and gas into the European Union must meet strict monitoring, reporting, and verification rules for methane emissions from their suppliers. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas—up to 30 times more damaging than carbon dioxide in the short term. A group of 24 US lawmakers has written to the European Commission urging it not to grant exemptions to American energy producers if domestic US standards fall short. They describe the EU’s methane regulations as a “critical tool” to prevent wasteful venting and flaring of natural gas,…

Alphabet’s Drop Pulls Wall Street Lower Wall Street tumbled on Thursday after Alphabet, Google’s parent company, fell more than 4%, sending major indexes into negative territory. The S&P 500 slid 1.2%, marking its sixth loss in seven trading days, while the Dow Jones dropped 606 points and the Nasdaq fell 1.5%. Investors were rattled despite Alphabet and other companies reporting profits that beat expectations, as the tech giant revealed plans to nearly double spending on equipment and investments to $180 billion (€152bn) this year, far exceeding analyst forecasts. Job Market Worries Deepen Investor Caution US labor reports added to the…

SpaceX Surpasses Expectations as Tesla Faces Pressure Elon Musk’s SpaceX, now merged with his artificial intelligence venture xAI, has reached a $1.25 trillion (€1.06tn) valuation, narrowing the gap with Tesla, which is valued at around $1.58 trillion (€1.34tn). On paper, Musk now generates more wealth from SpaceX than from his electric car company. Tesla’s stock has slipped about 6% in early 2026 following a 16% decline in vehicle deliveries in January and a 3% drop in 2025 revenue — the first annual decline in the company’s history. Competition in China and Europe, combined with the end of U.S. EV tax…