Europe
Ukraine's ousted defence minister insists on being reinstated
Ukraine's ousted defence minister insists on being reinstated Ukraine's ousted defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has refused to accept an alternative post in Volodymyr Zelensky's government, insisting he wants his job back. He thanked the president, but said there were only three positions in the state - in addition to soldiers on the battlefield - which determine the course of the war: president, defence minister and commander-in-chief. Zelensky said he had offered Fedorov several posts, including deputy prime minister. Last week's removal of Fedorov - who is praised for transforming the armed forces - triggered mass protests. Zelensky was later forced to sack commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who conflicted with Fedorov.
Berry picker finds mystery WW2 plane wreckage in Poland
More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. An identification number suggests the plane featured one of the iconic Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy . A hiker's recent berry-picking trip in the woods along the northern Polish-German border yielded more than a basket of fruit.
The EU Fines Google 1 Billion for Prioritizing Its Own Services in Search
The European Commission claims that Google boosted its own apps and products to the top of search rankings to the detriment of its competitors. The European Commission has levied a $1 billion penalty against Google over alleged competition law violations. An EC investigation found that Google had abused its dominance in the European Union's search and app store markets to funnel people toward its own apps and services, in violation of the EU's Digital Markets Act . The body has ordered Google to refrain from giving preferential treatment to its own services--such as shopping, accommodations, transport, and flights--in search rankings. Google must also allow app developers to communicate and transact with users outside the Play Store, where it takes a commission on sales .
Burnham calls 20% business rates cut for English pubs a first step
Pubs, clubs and live music venues in England will be given a 20% cut to business rates from April, which the government estimates will save firms around £1,100 next year. In his third policy announcement since becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham called the plan a first step to help businesses, and said pubs in particular need to know that the cavalry is coming. It will cost £100m and be funded by a review of tax relief on firms such as vape shops which do not make a positive contribution to local communities, the government said. Some hospitality firms welcomed the move but others in the industry, such as hotels and restaurants, questioned why the 20% cut would not extend to them. Pubs have now had two rounds of relief - a 15% cut in April and a further 20% which will come into force next year.
Has Russia helped Iran target CIA sites in the Gulf?
What is Iran's Pickaxe Mountain? Has Russia helped Iran target CIA sites in the Gulf? When US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Secretary Sergey Lavrov on Thursday in Manila, on the margins of a summit of Southeast Asian nations, Moscow's war on Ukraine was officially the top agenda item. But the meeting between Rubio and Lavrov was held under the shadow of fresh reports suggesting that Russia might be playing a more active role than it has publicly acknowledged in Iran's attacks on United States military sites in the Middle East. Three days into the war, on March 3, The Washington Post reported that a CIA station in the US embassy in Riyadh had been targeted, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Google fined 890m by EU for favouring its own apps over rivals
Google has been fined €890m (£759m) by the EU for allegedly abusing its power by favouring its own apps and services over those from rivals. It is the first major action against the tech giant under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark law aimed at curbing the power of the world's biggest tech companies. The Commission argued Google's practices limited consumer choice and gave its own services an unfair advantage over rivals. But the firm criticised the decision, arguing the EU's requirements could damage services used by millions of European customers. To comply, we are having to strip away real-time Search features Europeans love - like instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights and restaurants - and dismantle safety protections on Google Play, said Google's president of global affairs Kent Walker.
Amazon gaming boss predicts future where players no longer need consoles
Amazon's head of gaming Jeff Gattis has told the BBC he believes the rising cost of tech means people will turn to streaming games online rather than buying new consoles. He said the tech has developed a lot in recent years, making it more viable than it used to be - but accepted some people will still buy their own hardware. While cloud gaming has long been billed as the future of video games, previous efforts have failed to gain widespread adoption - leading to the high-profile closure of Google Stadia in 2023. Many firms already offer this as part of their subscription services, including giants Sony and Microsoft, but people continue to favour installing games on their own machines. Gattis' comments come as Amazon has announced it is integrating its cloud gaming service Luna into the Prime Video app to sit alongside its shows and films.
EU hits Google with new 1bn fine, saying it broke digital antitrust rules
The European Union has fined Google 890 million euros ($1bn), saying the technology giant broke digital antitrust rules by steering users of Google Play and its search engine towards its own services and apps at the expense of rivals. Thursday's penalty is the latest in Brussels' crackdown on Big Tech, which has seen the bloc lead the world in reining in the largest firms from Silicon Valley to Beijing. The European Commission, the bloc's executive branch, said it was acting in the interest of consumers. "The best products should succeed because they're better, not because they're owned by the company running the search engine. And European consumers have a right to be told by app developers where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store owner does not get a cut," said Teresa Ribera, the commission's executive vice president for clean, just and competitive transition.
'Let's enjoy the ride' says Elon Musk, as AI fears mount
'Let's enjoy the ride' says Elon Musk, as AI fears mount As AI continues to evolve at breakneck speed, and developers warn of models going rogue, Elon Musk says people should simply enjoy the ride. The boss of SpaceX told The Economist, external while he remains concerned about risks posed by advancements in AI and robotics, the most likely outcome is incredible abundance for all. Musk said his philosophical conclusion after fearing for AI's threat to humanity was to look on the bright side. He said progress has come so quickly even if I wanted to stop it, I couldn't. The interview was recorded the day before OpenAI's revelation on Tuesday that some of its most advanced AI models hacked a start-up after it lost control of them during a security test .