Author: Rachel Maddow

Tech Giant Expands Its Footprint in Europe Google invests €5 billion to grow its Belgian data and AI infrastructure, marking a historic milestone for the country’s tech industry. The project will create 300 new jobs, expand digital capacity in Wallonia, and advance Europe’s transition toward carbon-free innovation. The expansion focuses on Google’s Saint-Ghislain campus in Wallonia, which will serve as a key hub for AI and cloud services across Europe. “With today’s announcement, Google strengthens its foundation in Belgium, broadens our investments, and opens new pathways for AI-led transformation,” said Bikash Koley, Vice President for Global Infrastructure at Google. Prime…

The Canary Islands once again broke visitor records despite ongoing overtourism protests and new control measures.Fresh data from August revealed how overcrowded the popular archipelago has become.Visitor numbers surged even as local authorities introduced restrictions to manage excessive tourism.The islands welcomed 1.23 million foreign visitors in August, marking a 6% rise from the same month in 2024.Tourism researchers confirmed this as the highest August figure ever recorded.The increase followed a broader national trend of record-breaking tourism across Spain. Rising Numbers Drive Economic Growth and Public Frustration From January to August 2025, the islands attracted over 10 million international visitors.The Canaries…

Sébastien Lecornu resigned as French prime minister on Monday after only a few weeks in office.His decision marked the shortest tenure for any French prime minister since 1958.President Emmanuel Macron accepted Lecornu’s resignation early Monday morning.The announcement came just hours after Lecornu revealed the first members of his new government. Cabinet Choices Ignite Political Backlash Lecornu faced intense criticism from both allies and opponents after presenting his cabinet.Members of his own political camp questioned his decisions and leadership approach.The conservative Republicans reacted angrily to the appointment of former Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire as defence minister.Opposition leaders accused Lecornu of…

A violent storm ravaged Europe, killing three people and crippling major infrastructure across several countries.Irish police reported a man died in Letterkenny on Friday in a weather-related incident.French officials confirmed two men died as powerful winds hit northern France on Saturday.Storm Amy pounded the UK, Ireland, and Scandinavia with torrential rain and destructive gusts, halting travel across the region. Fierce Winds Devastate France and Belgium Northern France faced hurricane-level winds reaching 131 kilometres per hour as officials issued an orange alert.A man drowned near Étretat, while another died in Aisne when a tree branch crushed his car.Power outages struck 5,000…

Donald Trump praised Hamas after it partly accepted his peace plan to end the Gaza war.Trump said Hamas showed readiness for peace by offering to release hostages and share power with other Palestinians.He demanded Israel stop bombing Gaza immediately so hostages could be freed safely and quickly.The US president posted that discussions on details had already begun to move the process forward. Netanyahu and Mediators React to Ceasefire Effort Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel accepted the “first stage” of Trump’s plan, hinting at the hostage release.His office later stated Israel would end the war only under conditions it previously set.Trump released…

Elon Musk urged his followers on X to boycott Netflix, citing its “woke bias.”He criticized the show Dead End: Paranormal Park for featuring a transgender character named Barney.Musk reposted a meme portraying Netflix as a Trojan horse invading children’s lives. Social Media Posts Fuel the Dispute Musk declared, “Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids,” while amplifying the protest online.He reignited the row by reposting Libs of TikTok’s clip of the animated series.The billionaire repeated his stance across several posts, intensifying backlash against the streaming platform. Personal History and Broader Free Speech Fight Musk has clashed publicly over transgender…

SK Hynix and Samsung gained as OpenAI launched its $500bn global AI infrastructure expansion.Both companies secured roles in supplying high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for OpenAI’s massive Stargate data-centre project.Shares of SK Hynix jumped 10% while Samsung Electronics rose over 3% in Seoul trading. Samsung leads the world in DRAM and NAND flash production, powering everything from servers to smartphones.SK Hynix ranks second in global DRAM output but leads the market in high-bandwidth memory chips.Together, the two dominate over half of the global memory market, shaping pricing, capacity, and technology trends. AI Push Locks in HBM Demand High-bandwidth memory enables Nvidia processors…

Eurozone inflation climbed to 2.2% in September, the highest level since April, according to Eurostat.Services prices grew 3.2%, while food, alcohol and tobacco increased 3.0%, slightly easing from August.Core inflation held firm at 2.3% for the fifth month, signaling persistent underlying price pressures. Energy prices continued to contract, dropping 0.4% compared with a 2.0% fall in August.Estonia posted the highest inflation at 5.2%, with Croatia and Slovakia following at 4.6% each.Cyprus recorded no annual change, while France reported only a 1.1% rise. ECB Maintains Rate Strategy The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged at its September meeting, keeping the…

Zhimin Qian, 47, defrauded more than 128,000 people in China before attempting to launder the illegal cryptocurrency by purchasing property in Britain. Authorities in the UK convicted the Chinese woman for playing a central role in a Bitcoin fraud after the world’s largest cryptocurrency seizure, valued at over 5.5 billion pounds (€6.3 billion). Zhimin Qian, also known as Yadi Zhang, admitted guilt on Monday at London’s Southwark Crown Court for illegally acquiring and holding the cryptocurrency. Investigators from the Metropolitan Police said her guilty plea followed a seven-year investigation into worldwide money laundering. Between 2014 and 2017, Qian orchestrated extensive…

Researchers tested a new cannabis-derived treatment that significantly eased chronic lower back pain without causing dependency. Patients reported marked improvements in pain intensity, mobility, and sleep after using the experimental drug VER-01 for several months. Doctors see the therapy as a potential breakthrough for millions struggling with a condition that remains poorly treated worldwide. Clinical Trial Results Highlight Pain and Function Gains The large-scale study enrolled 820 adults who failed to respond adequately to non-opioid treatments. Participants either received VER-01, developed by the German firm Vertanical, or a placebo for direct comparison. They tracked pain intensity on a 0–10 scale,…