Iran Restores Some Internet Access After Weeks-Long Shutdown
After nearly three weeks of an extreme internet shutdown, some of Iran's 92 million citizens are beginning to regain online access, though it appears to be tightly controlled, according to BBC Persian. The country cut off internet access on January 8, a move widely seen as an attempt to suppress the flow of information regarding a government crackdown on protesters.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the internet was blocked in response to what he described as "terrorist operations." However, independent analysis indicates that much of the country remains effectively cut off from the outside world.
UK Prime Minister Visits China to Strengthen Ties
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrived in China for a three-day visit, the first by a British prime minister in eight years, according to BBC News. Starmer aims to strengthen trading and cultural ties between the two nations after years of strained relations.
The Prime Minister, who is scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping, stated that the trip will bring benefits to the UK and emphasized the importance of maintaining a "strategic and consistent relationship" with China, the world's second-largest economy. However, he has faced criticism from opponents at home regarding the risks China poses to the UK's national security and Xi Jinping's human rights record.
EU Urged to Strengthen Defense Capabilities
Europe must urgently improve its defense capabilities and make NATO "more European to maintain its strength," according to the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. Kallas warned that the US has shaken the transatlantic relationship to its foundation.
Speaking at a defense conference, Kallas stated that the US would continue to be Europe's partner and ally, but emphasized that no great power had ever "outsourced its survival and survived." Tensions with the US arose after President Donald Trump's controversial suggestion of taking over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. Nato leader Mark Rutte prompted a backlash when.
Government Launches Free AI Training for UK Adults
The UK government has launched a series of free AI training courses designed to help people learn how to use the technology at work, according to BBC Technology. The online lessons offer advice on prompting chatbots and using them for administrative tasks.
The government aims to reach 10 million workers by 2030 through this initiative, calling it the most ambitious training scheme since the launch of the Open University in 1971. While many courses are free, others are subsidized. However, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) cautioned that workers will need more than just basic chatbot prompting skills as the workforce adapts to the growth of AI. "Skills for the age of AI can't be," the IPPR stated.
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