Fifty-three people are dead or missing after a migrant boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast on Friday, according to the UN migration agency, the International Organization for Migration. The incident, which occurred north of Zuwara, left only two survivors. This tragedy comes as hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers have already died attempting to cross the central Mediterranean route this year, as reported by The Guardian.
In other international developments, French President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe to assert itself on the world stage, warning that the continent faces a "wake-up call" due to growing threats from China, Russia, and the United States. Speaking to a group of European newspapers, Macron emphasized the need for Europe to act like a "power" in areas such as economy, finance, defense, security, and democratic systems, ahead of an upcoming EU summit in Brussels, as reported by BBC World.
Meanwhile, the European Union has told Meta that it breached its rules by blocking rival AI chatbots from WhatsApp and must make "urgent" changes. The EU's decision follows Meta's move on January 15 to restrict access to its AI assistant, Meta AI, on the messaging app. The European Commission argued that WhatsApp is an "important entry point" for AI chatbots like ChatGPT and that Meta was abusing its dominant position. A Meta spokesperson, however, told the BBC that the EU had "no reason" to intervene and that the company believed the EU had "incorrectly" assumed WhatsApp Business was a key way that people use chatbots, as reported by BBC Technology.
In Japan, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a landslide victory in a snap election, with her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) gaining a decisive majority of 316 out of 465 seats. The victory provides Takaichi with an opportunity to address the country's economic challenges, including sluggish growth, a massive public debt, and an aging and shrinking workforce, as reported by BBC Business. Some observers believe she has the chance to change the course of the Japanese economy.
Finally, the UK government awarded contracts to a record supply of renewables projects, including 157 solar developments across England, Scotland, and Wales. This move is expected to boost the country's clean power goals. The results have been welcomed by climate and clean energy groups, who see solar as a relatively cheap way to reduce the UK's reliance on fossil fuels during the summer months. However, some local communities oppose such large developments, as reported by BBC Business. The West Burton solar farm planned for the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire border has become the largest ever to win a government contract.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment