Communications
Europe’s emerging centers of power
Four thinkers present their predictions for the next new world order.
Russia’s hybrid warfare could cause ‘substantial’ casualties, senior NATO official says
Finland probes Russian shadow fleet involvement in new Baltic cable break
Ex-Starmer aide Sue Gray gets House of Lords consolation prize
Elon Musk is ‘right behind us,’ boasts Farage
As Trump sues, the free press braces
Scotland bans WhatsApp on government phones
EU opens investigation into TikTok and the Romanian election
TikTok presents a major test of how the EU polices foreign interference and election meddling.
Relax Elon — the EU isn’t an immediate threat to Starlink
The IRIS² system will beam encrypted high-speed broadband internet back to governments, spies, militaries and remote regions.
Trump suggests shooting down aircraft above New Jersey as concerns continue
President-elect Donald Trump posted to social media Friday saying the craft seen hovering around parts of New Jersey should be shot down, as lawmakers continue to demand answers.
Why Europe’s health policies must prioritize chronic kidney disease
Undetected Chronic Kidney Disease affects millions in Europe, but it could be preventable, manageable and tackled with the right policies.
EU visitor centers under scrutiny over spiraling costs and sparse attendance
European Parliament’s top bureaucrat called for a review of the project “to assess the causes of the poorer performance.”
Justice Department obtained records of Democrats, journalists during Trump’s first term
During leak investigations, Trump’s DOJ obtained phone and email records of two House Democrats and dozens of congressional staffers.
Ending harmful subsidies will benefit small-scale fishers
WTO members are negotiating new rules that would limit damaging fisheries subsidies. Finalizing these is essential for protecting the health of the fish stocks on which many coastal communities rely.
UK: Too early to lift ban on key Syrian rebel group
Prime Minister Keir Starmer insists ‘no decision is pending’ on removing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s status as a terrorist organization.
TikTok removed 3 influence campaigns during Romania’s elections
Social media firm faces questioning by European Parliament lawmakers over networks that aided Romanian far-right win.
Finnish telecom company hit by cable outage
Authorities said the damages were caused by excavation work and there is no suspicion of a criminal offense.
Elon Musk and Nigel Farage get flirty
Westminster is abuzz with talk of closer ties between the Trump adviser and chief Brexiteer.
Trump promised Jan. 6 pardons. His post-election silence is unnerving loyalists.
His die-hard supporters — as well as some federal judges — are left to speculate about his clemency plans.
European Commission downsizes spokesperson team
Number of spokespeople will drop from 17 to 14, according to a list of names seen by POLITICO.
TikTok’s Romanian reckoning
Regulators suspect foul play in how far-right firebrand Călin Georgescu used the Chinese-owned app to sway voters.
Brussels to mediate between TikTok and Romania as election row builds
Chinese-owned app is under mounting pressure to explain how it handled political content ahead of Romanian vote.
Romania asks EU to investigate TikTok’s election handling after ultranationalist’s stunning win
Bucharest authorities found “various irregularities” with election campaigns on TikTok.
Elon Musk to British MPs: I’ll summon you, actually
Musk takes aim at Commons committee in ‘strange response.’
Donald and Elon can’t get enough of each other
“Elon is probably the only other man in the world who can truly relate to President Trump,” said one person who’s watched them interact.
Finland urges NATO, EU to shield critical networks after undersea cables damaged
Defense minister tells POLITICO that “Russia has [the] capability and willingness to do sabotage in Europe.”
Germany on mysterious broken cables in Baltic Sea: ‘It is sabotage’
Damaged undersea infrastructure has sparked political alarm in Berlin and Helsinki.
New Baltic Sea mystery as probe begins into two damaged cables
Network company executives refuse to rule out sabotage to submarine infrastructure.
As Trump looms large, can Keir Starmer save the world?
Center-left governments across the West are turning to the U.K. PM to provide leadership following Donald Trump’s reelection.