President Macron accuses US of undermining EU investigations into Big Tech

Yttrium, a rare earth metal essential for various technologies including aircraft engines and semiconductors, is predominantly controlled by China, which raises concerns about supply chain vulnerabilities for the US. This situation is exacerbated by ongoing geopolitical tensions between the two nations.

More than a century ago, the U.S. government faced a significant scandal involving manipulated photographs of the president, which nearly resulted in a national ban on fake images. This incident highlights the longstanding concerns surrounding photographic authenticity that have persisted since the inception of the medium.

A significant disruption occurred in worldwide markets due to a data-center issue in a Chicago suburb, which was first noted at 9:41 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, coinciding with the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. This incident unfolded while Wall Street was largely inactive, raising concerns about market stability during a critical trading period.

Google has withdrawn its 2024 antitrust complaint against Microsoft concerning Azure licensing, coinciding with the European Union's initiation of a probe into Azure and AWS under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This decision reflects a shift in strategy as the EU intensifies scrutiny on major tech firms' market practices.

French President Emmanuel Macron has criticized the European Union for its slow response to investigations into American Big Tech companies, attributing this delay to pressure from the United States regarding the Digital Services Act (DSA). Macron's remarks highlight concerns over the EU's regulatory effectiveness in the face of external influences.

The European Commission has received a notification from Apple indicating that Apple Ads and Apple Maps likely meet the thresholds set by the Digital Markets Act (DMA). However, Apple asserts that these services should not be designated as 'gatekeepers' under the DMA framework. This development raises questions about the classification of major tech services in the EU regulatory landscape.

President Trump is actively pursuing a trade agreement with Taiwan aimed at expanding U.S. chipmaker operations, particularly encouraging major Taiwanese firms like TSMC to enhance their presence in the U.S. and assist in training American workers in high-tech manufacturing.

The European Commission announced that it received notification from Apple indicating that Apple Ads and Apple Maps likely meet the thresholds set by the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple contends that these services should not be classified as 'gatekeepers' under the DMA framework.