Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Elon Musk is under fire after publicly backing a far-right political party in Germany, suggesting the current government should not be re-elected over its position on the current migrant crisis in Europe.
Israel—a terrorist state committing genocide in Palestine backed by the US, Canada, and the UK—has just destroyed the office building of the Belgian Agency for Development Cooperation in Gaza as retaliation a day after Belgium announced it would continue to fund the vital humanitarian work of UNRWA.
If you are a citizen of any EU Member State, I implore you to consider signing the Tax-the-Rich citizens' initiative: https://www.tax-the-rich.eu/
The idea is to tax the super rich and then use the money for climate transition. :blobcathappypaws:
This is an official EU citizens' initiative, meaning that if it reaches certain thresholds, it will have to be considered by the EU institutions. That's a really powerful tool, if actually used.
"The EU has just sent formal letter to Elon Musk over "indications" that Twitter/X is “being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the EU" in the wake of Hamas’ attacks on Israel."
“Would you like to use the browser by Company X, or the browser by the company that survives on half-a-billion dollars a year from Company X, or the browser by the company that gets paid an estimated $20 billion a year by Company X even though it can survive without it?”
We desperately need a web browser by an independent organisation funded by EU taxpayer money and maintained for the common good.
Folks, the reason #Facebook/ #Instagram/ #Meta/ Zuckerberg hasn’t launched #Threads in the #EU isn’t because the EU is determined to protect your privacy, it’s because the EU is determined to protect The Single Market (peace be upon it) from anticompetitive behaviour. It’s because they’re using Instagram to launch Threads and sharing data between them (and not with EU startups that might want to use that data too). It’s #antitrust, not #privacy. It’s markets, not people.
🚨 Another EU mass surveillance attempt. Will kill privacy on web. Must not pass. 🚨
“[A]ll web browsers distributed in Europe will be required to trust the certificate authorities and cryptographic keys selected by EU governments.
These changes radically expand the capability of EU governments to surveil their citizens by ensuring cryptographic keys under government control can be used to intercept encrypted web traffic across the EU.”
Knowing US MAGA Republicans, Donald Trump, and House Speaker Mike Johnson have procedurally blocked all US military aid to Ukraine, Putin is depleting Ukrainian Air defenses by overwhelming it with missiles; 110+ Russian rockets last night alone across Ukraine!
Putin and the Republicans will leave the Ukrainians defenseless against the Russian barbaric onslaught!
Was away for a week visiting my parents. Don’t get to see them nearly enough, in no small part thanks to our lovely “European Values” meaning they have to jump through more hoops to come visit us in Ireland than they can manage at their age. You see, we don’t really see non-Europeans as human in Europe. They’re something less. A potential threat.
I may have an EU passport and pass for white but I never forget that. In fact, I think about it every time I miss my parents.
@bookstodon
I use #Linux as the main OS on my computers, but also use Windows 10 on one.
For the sole reason to download the #ebooks I buy.
I play the occasional Windows-only game as well, but those I can do without.
I can't do without ebooks.
I really, really wish there was an open standard for getting any ebook, with or without #drm, onto any device without having to rely on a single piece of software from one company. #EU, do something! #DailyRant#PetPeeve#ADE#AdobeDigitalEditions
🚄 What if you could travel through the EU for a month for free?
This year we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Single Market, which allows us to enjoy free movement of goods, capital, services and people across the #EU.
That’s why we are giving away 10 prizes of two rail passes to explore Europe’s rich cultural heritage for a month.
1/ Finnish government to make announcement on gas pipeline leak in Gulf of Finland.
According to Gasgrid Finland, the only possible reason for the unusual pressure drop in the Balticconnector pipeline is a hole in the pipe, which has only been in use for a few years.
Personal note: I'm assuming that the fact that there's a need for an announcement, is an indication of sabotage being suspected.
#FediBlock snarfed.org and brid.gy for bridging fediverse folks to Bluesky against their will (and in likely contravention of GDPR in the EU) with typical Silicon Valley techbro sense of entitlement:
“[O]pt in results in far fewer users, and users are critical for a bridge to be useful.”¹
The European Commission has published an official list of services offered by ‘gatekeepers’ that must comply with obligations under the new Digital Markets Act. Companies now have six months to comply with the rules.
"It’s frankly scandalous that #Russia, after having terminated the Black Sea grain initiative, is blocking and attacking Ukrainian ports. This must stop."
I totally agree. #NATO must send the navy to open the #BlackSea ports. But of course, they are all words and no action, scared of boogeymen #Putin and his mafia state of #terrorists. What a bunch of cowards NATO turned out to be. Totally useless.
EU just passed a resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza.
2 countries voted against
8 countries abstained
17 countries voted for
I'm truly disgusted by Sweden abstain vote. It's truly sad to see the country that used to be a model for peace, human rights and humanity turn into a coward with no respect for any of those.
I'm sure they will also reject the ruling of ICJ in case they vote against Israel.
As Prof. John Curtice observes (after his latest polling), showing around 80% of likely labour voters are pro-EU:
'Labour does have to realise it will find itself back in office off the back of an electorate that is three-to-one in favour of joining the EU'.
Whether or not this means #Labour may be thinking about how to re-engage with the #EU, rejoining, of course, is not something we can just wish to happen, the EU would need to agree & that willingness is hardly a foregone conclusion!
Today, we have opened five non-compliance investigations under the Digital Markets Act.
It concerns:
🔹Alphabet’s rules on steering in Google Play
🔹Alphabet’s self-preferencing in Google Search
🔹Apple’s rules on steering in the App Store
🔹Apple's choice screen for Safari
🔹Meta’s ‘pay or consent model’
"Right-wing politicians have launched a bid to block the passing of the #EU’s flagship nature protection law, which scientists have described as a “cornerstone of food security and human health”.
Derailing the law could come at significant cost to farmers, who are facing increasingly uncertain conditions due to climate #breakdown and #biodiversity loss."
Elon Musk angers German government with post backing far-right party - UPI.com (www.upi.com)
Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Elon Musk is under fire after publicly backing a far-right political party in Germany, suggesting the current government should not be re-elected over its position on the current migrant crisis in Europe.
Google Search, Whatsapp, and TikTok on list of 22 services targeted by EU’s tough new DMA (www.theverge.com)
The European Commission has published an official list of services offered by ‘gatekeepers’ that must comply with obligations under the new Digital Markets Act. Companies now have six months to comply with the rules.