Madrid Times

“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says European nations will deliver firepower to Ukraine through U.S. weapons purchases, while the decision to supply long-range Tomahawks rests solely with President Trump.

AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai

Leaders convene to pitch AI as a pillar of national sovereignty amid UAE’s push for digital transformation

Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack

The notorious FCKGW key originated from a Volume Licensing Key, leaked before XP’s release, not reverse-engineered

China’s lesson for the US: it takes more than chips to win the AI race

As Washington doubles down on export controls and tariff pressure to stymie China’s technological ascent, Beijing is quietly reshaping the rules of engagement. Rather than cede the AI and tech race to U.S. dominance, China is leaning int...

French Political Turmoil Elevates Marine Le Pen as Rassemblement National Poised for Power

Triple prime ministerial collapse and parliamentary paralysis open the door for Le Pen’s far-right party as a stabilising force

The Davos Set in Decline: Why the World Economic Forum’s Power Must Be Challenged

Once hailed as a forum for cooperation, the WEF now faces existential questions about legitimacy, democracy, and its obsession with global control.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has declared that Hungary will not adopt the euro, saying the European Union is falling apart and that deeper monetary integration would tie Hungary too closely to a fracturing bloc.

Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing

The newly elected mayor of a town in western Germany was in a critical condition after being found with multiple stab wounds on Tuesday, authorities said. Iris Stalzer, 57, dragged herself back into her house after being stabbed around ...

Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.

Governments around the world are using major consulting firms to facilitate and justify corruption — commissioning reports that encourage the waste of taxpayer money on useless projects designed to enrich favored contractors. Incidents l...

BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China

In September the Chinese automaker sold over eleven thousand vehicles in the UK, capturing 3.6 % of the market despite exclusion from subsidies

Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026

Planned ban covers non-regular passenger services at key crossings to curb security risks and irregular migration

Wave of Complaints Against Apple Over iPhone 17 Pro’s Scratch Sensitivity

Users and tech reviewers report that Apple's new iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models are highly prone to scratches, especially on the new orange and blue finishes, prompting the company to issue a formal response five days after launch.

UAE Tops Global Ranking for Most Expensive Internet in 2025, While Romania Enjoys the Cheapest Rates

New data show vast global disparities in broadband costs, with Emirati users paying over 400 times more per megabit than Romanians

Tech Weekly roundup

Tech Investor Orlando Bravo Warns AI Valuations Have Entered Bubble Territory

Thoma Bravo co-founder cautions that sky-high expectations are misaligned with fundamentals despite strong corporate backing

Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote

His ANO party leads with nearly 35% as coalition talks with right-wing allies begin

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction

Judge Subramanian imposes over four years behind bars and a half-million-dollar fine after guilty verdict on Mann Act charges

Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire

New album, cinema release, and full catalog ownership drive Swift’s expanding economic influence

Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work

OpenAI CEO predicts superintelligent systems by 2030 and sees huge disruption in job tasks

Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms

A months-long voyage by the GUGI-operated vessel has loitered above key cable junctions linking the British Isles and Europe, prompting intensified naval monitoring and calls to harden undersea infrastructure

Gold Tops $3,800 an Ounce as U.S. Shutdown Fears Fuel Safe-Haven Surge

Bullion reaches a new record high amid expectations of Fed rate cuts and mounting risk from a looming government funding lapse

Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024

Younger travellers, rising demand and sustainability investments fuel an industry surge

China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence

The move fuels debate over technology transfer, supply chain sovereignty, and industrial strategy in Europe

U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech

Ambassador urges EU to prove its laws do not unfairly target U.S. firms—or to amend them

Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out

Over €110 billion in new fund targets heighten pressure on underperforming firms in a saturated landscape

Super Typhoon Ragasa, the year’s most powerful tropical cyclone, barreled towards millions of people in southern China

Super Typhoon Ragasa, the year’s most powerful tropical cyclone, barreled towards millions of people in southern China after killing at least 14 people in Taiwan and leaving scores more missing, and lashing Hong Kong with ferocious winds...

Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk

New large-scale research combining genetic and observational data shows that even light drinking raises the likelihood of dementia

UBS Settles French Tax Evasion Case for €835 Million After Years of Legal Appeals

Swiss bank accepts reduced penalty following Supreme Court’s directive to reassess financial sanctions in long-running cross-border tax case

Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement

Danish authorities describe the Copenhagen airport incident as the most serious attack to date on critical infrastructure, amid suspicion of Russia after similar airspace and cyber breaches across Europe

Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing

U.S. president signals Kyiv could regain all Russian-held territory with stronger Western support

Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show

European firms and governments take bolder roles at TADTE 2025, pointing to a shift in defence cooperation amid China-Taiwan tensions

Wow: Erika Kirk forgives the killer of Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson.

"Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do." "That young man. I forgive him."

Rise of Huge Balconies in Chinese Homes Fuels Urban Lifestyle Shift

The increasing trend of huge balconies in residential buildings reflects shifting living preferences in China amidst urbanization.

New Eye Drops Show Promise in Replacing Reading Glasses for Presbyopia

Study finds pilocarpine-diclofenac drops improve near vision rapidly, with effects lasting up to two years

EU Set to Bar Big Tech from New Financial Data Access Scheme

Meta, Apple, Google and Amazon likely excluded from FiDA regulation as EU seeks data sovereignty and fairness in finance

Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme

Future Combat Air System faces breakdown as Berlin eyes proceeding without Paris over workshare and leadership disputes

Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports

Heathrow, Brussels and Berlin among those affected after provider’s systems are hit overnight

Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle

Tennis legend opens up about life after exit, substance abuse, panic attacks and prostate cancer in *Heartbeats*

When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell

Jason Burke’s The Revolutionists revisits the rise, operations and demise of one of Europe’s most infamous left-wing militant groups

JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability

Recent observations rule out hydrogen-rich atmospheres and suggest nitrogen-dominated possibilities, with further data expected by end-2025