Russians Turn To VPNs And Multiple Devices As Internet Restrictions Tighten In a café known for its free Wi-Fi and strong coffee, a Russian interior designer connects to a virtual private network (VPN) to access WhatsApp and communicate with friends abroad. Moments later, she disconnects the VPN to purchase a railway ticket because certain Russian websites block users who conceal their location. She then switches to a second phone to check messages on MAX, a state-backed messaging platform. Her routine reflects a growing reality for many Russians as internet restrictions intensify across the country. Since authorities expanded online controls this…
Author: Kanika Sharma
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Britain And Japan Agree £18 Billion Investment And Technology Partnership Britain and Japan are set to strengthen economic and technological cooperation through a series of agreements worth more than £18 billion. The package is expected to support tens of thousands of jobs as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Sunday. The agreements reflect growing collaboration between the two countries across investment, infrastructure, clean energy, advanced technology and industrial development. They are also expected to reinforce long-term economic ties ahead of wider international discussions at the G7 summit in France. Major Investment Commitments Announced A…
Foreign Investors Trim Japanese Equity Holdings Amid Tech Sector Concerns Overseas investors sold Japanese equities for a second consecutive week through June 6, as concerns over elevated technology stock valuations and broader global market uncertainties prompted profit-taking. The latest outflows came after weaker-than-expected earnings from Broadcom raised questions about the sustainability of the technology-driven rally that has fuelled gains in global markets. Investor sentiment was also affected by a stronger-than-expected United States jobs report, which reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve could maintain higher interest rates for longer. At the same time, escalating tensions in the Middle East added to…
EU Strengthens ETS2 Price Controls Ahead Of 2028 Launch The European Union has agreed to strengthen safeguards designed to control prices in its upcoming carbon market for heating and transport fuels. The move follows concerns from several member states that the emissions-cutting mechanism could lead to higher fuel costs for consumers and fuel opposition to climate policies. Negotiators representing EU countries and the European Parliament reached the agreement on Wednesday evening. The revised measures aim to provide greater market stability while maintaining the bloc’s long-term emissions reduction objectives. Stronger Market Stability Measures Under the agreement, additional carbon permits will be…
U.S. Tariffs On Semiconductors Not Imminent As Government Focuses On Reshoring The United States is not expected to impose new semiconductor tariffs immediately, according to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. However, he stressed that tariff protections remain an important tool for strengthening domestic chip manufacturing and encouraging the return of semiconductor production to the country. Speaking at a memory chip plant expansion project operated by Micron Technology in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., Greer said any measures resulting from the government’s Section 232 national security investigation must be carefully implemented. He noted that the timing and scale of tariffs would…
Bipartisan Senators Seek Tighter Rules On AI Chip Production For Chinese Firms A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has urged President Donald Trump’s administration to strengthen export control measures governing advanced artificial intelligence chip production. The lawmakers argue that existing rules may still allow Chinese companies to gain access to cutting-edge computing capabilities through overseas subsidiaries and indirect manufacturing arrangements. The request follows recent action by the Trump administration to close a potential loophole involving the export of advanced chips, including those produced by Nvidia. Officials moved to address concerns that Chinese companies operating through subsidiaries outside China could obtain…
White House Accelerates AI Use For National Security The White House has announced plans to speed up the development and deployment of artificial intelligence across national security operations while maintaining restrictions on unlawful surveillance activities. The move reflects growing interest in the role of advanced AI systems within intelligence and military functions, as policymakers seek to balance innovation with oversight. President Donald Trump outlined the administration’s position in a national security memorandum, stating that the United States would expand the responsible use of AI across intelligence and warfighting domains while remaining aligned with American values. Administration Pushes Faster AI Adoption…
SpaceX IPO Access Restrictions Raise Concerns for China and Hong Kong Investors Investors in mainland China and Hong Kong may face challenges participating in the highly anticipated SpaceX initial public offering (IPO) after the company’s website and IPO marketing documents were found to be inaccessible in both markets on Friday, according to a Reuters review. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, is seeking to raise $75 billion through its public offering, making it the largest IPO globally. The deal would value the company at approximately $1.75 trillion and place it among the ten most valuable publicly listed companies in the United…
TSMC Races To Meet AI Demand Amid Global Semiconductor Boom Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, is working aggressively to keep pace with surging demand driven by the artificial intelligence boom, with Chief Executive Officer C.C. Wei warning that supply constraints remain a challenge across the semiconductor industry. Speaking at the company’s annual shareholder meeting in Hsinchu on Thursday, Wei said customer demand for AI-related chips continues to exceed available supply, placing pressure on manufacturers throughout the global technology supply chain. “We are already working very hard,” Wei told reporters after the meeting. “Customer demand is…
European Parliament Adopts Qwant As EU Pushes Tech Sovereignty Agenda The European Parliament will replace Google with the French search engine Qwant, marking another step in Europe’s effort to reduce dependence on US technology providers and strengthen home-grown digital alternatives. The move comes as the European Union advances a broader strategy aimed at boosting domestic capabilities in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and semiconductor production. The decision coincides with the European Commission’s unveiling of new legislative proposals designed to reinforce Europe’s technological sovereignty and narrow the gap with major competitors in the United States and China. EU Unveils New Technology Strategy…