IT industry

Ukraine's defense ministry says its forces struck six strategic oil refineries deep inside Russia in a single week, with targets up to 1,600 km behind the front line. Kyiv describes the campaign as a response to Russian attacks, saying every hit facility supplies fuel to Russia's defense industry and occupation forces. The claim has drawn wide attention as evidence of Ukraine's growing long-range strike capability against Russia's energy sector.

Germany is placing military rearmament at the centre of its economic strategy, with defence spending framed as a new engine for industrial growth. Observers are debating whether this pivot can revive Europe's largest economy while meeting NATO pressure and security concerns tied to the war in Ukraine.

Donald Trump is reportedly considering restricting or banning exports of diesel from the United States. A move of that kind would aim to keep more fuel at home for American consumers, but it could tighten global diesel supply, push up prices abroad and draw pushback from refiners who rely on overseas sales. Officials and industry groups are watching closely for a final decision.

Tech industry leaders have appealed to the United Nations, asking global institutions to regulate the artificial intelligence technology they helped create. The call, reported by AP, frames AI oversight as a matter of humanity's safety, placing the issue before international bodies such as the UN Security Council rather than leaving control to individual companies or governments alone.

Germany has for the first time formally committed to phasing out fossil fuels, setting a target date of 2045. The pledge marks a significant step in the country's climate policy, aligning its energy transition goals with an explicit exit from coal, oil and gas. Reaction has focused on how Europe's largest economy will deliver the shift while keeping industry competitive and energy supply secure.

Experts say a plan backed by Donald Trump to license Patriot missile production for Ukraine, rather than supply the systems directly, could take years to implement. Setting up licensed manufacturing would require technology transfers, industrial agreements and training, raising questions about whether such an arrangement could help Ukraine's air defenses in the near term.

Ireland's Data Protection Commission has fined Google €403 million for breaching the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, according to the Irish Times. The penalty from Google's lead European regulator ranks among the larger GDPR fines issued to a major technology company, and the ruling is likely to fuel ongoing debate about how EU watchdogs police the data practices of large US platforms.

Leading figures from the artificial intelligence industry are set to meet President Trump at the White House for discussions on the technology's future. The meeting comes as prominent voices in AI have issued stark warnings about potential risks posed by increasingly powerful systems. Details of the agenda and who will attend have not been confirmed, but the talks are expected to cover regulation, safety and American competitiveness in the sector.

Anthropic has released Claude Sonnet 5.5, a new version of its mid-tier AI model built for faster response times. The company positions the update as a speed improvement over previous Sonnet models, aimed at developers and businesses using the model in everyday applications. The launch is drawing attention across the AI industry, where rapid model releases have become the norm among competing labs.

Dutch chip-equipment maker ASML has said it is not selling its chipmaking machines in Europe, warning that the region risks falling behind the United States, China and India in the semiconductor industry. The remarks have drawn attention in India and China, where ASML's role in global chip supply chains is a sensitive topic amid ongoing export-control tensions and competition to build domestic chip manufacturing capacity.

The Trump administration has sharply scaled back federal fuel economy requirements for new cars, loosening standards that had pushed automakers toward greater efficiency and lower emissions. The rollback of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy rules means new vehicles can consume more gasoline than previously mandated, a move likely to draw opposition from environmental groups and possible legal challenges, while offering relief to automakers facing compliance costs.

SpaceX is reportedly targeting an unusually rapid launch cadence for its Starship program, with three flights planned within roughly five weeks. The plan would mark a significant step up in pace for the reusable rocket system as SpaceX pushes to iterate quickly on successive test flights. Space industry watchers are debating whether the schedule is realistic given range availability, hardware readiness and regulatory approvals.

New Ukrainian intelligence indicates Russia is expanding its military cooperation with North Korea and Iran. According to the report, the partnerships involve continued weapons transfers and defense-industrial ties supporting Russia's war effort in Ukraine. The disclosure comes as Kyiv seeks to highlight the international networks sustaining Moscow's invasion and to press allies for stronger responses.

Aliko Dangote says a Kenyan court ruling will not stop the planned launch of his refinery project in the country, though it may affect activities at the site. The statement, reported by Reuters, suggests the billionaire industrialist intends to press ahead with the venture despite legal challenges, while acknowledging the ruling could disrupt on-the-ground operations.

The Trump administration is moving to roll back federal fuel economy standards, a policy change with direct consequences for American drivers. Weaker standards could mean cheaper vehicles upfront but higher gasoline consumption and costs at the pump over time, while also affecting automakers' production plans and US emissions goals. Coverage, including from PBS, is focused on explaining what the change means practically for consumers and the wider auto industry.

Anthropic has signed a $12 billion deal with Akamai for AI computing capacity, according to Bloomberg. The agreement makes Akamai, long known for its content delivery network, a major infrastructure supplier to one of the leading AI labs. Commenters are discussing the size of the commitment and what it signals about how much computing power AI companies now need to build their models.

An ASML executive has said the Dutch chipmaking equipment giant currently sells no machines within Europe, despite being headquartered in the Netherlands. The company's lithography systems go overwhelmingly to customers in Asia, particularly Taiwan and South Korea. The remark highlights Europe's lack of advanced chip manufacturing and is fuelling debate about the continent's semiconductor strategy and reliance on Asian fabs.

Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices has agreed to acquire World Labs, the artificial intelligence startup founded by AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li, in a deal valued at $8.2 billion. The acquisition marks one of the largest purchases of an AI company to date and signals AMD's push to expand beyond chips into artificial intelligence. Observers are weighing what the deal means for competition in the AI industry.

China has introduced new travel restrictions that are causing concern among major technology companies and skilled workers, particularly in fields like artificial intelligence. Observers say the rules could complicate international business travel and the movement of expertise in and out of the country, raising questions about how multinationals and Chinese tech talent will adapt to the tightened controls.

CNBC's Daily Open newsletter highlights a growing split in the artificial intelligence world: some of the technology's own creators are publicly warning about AI's dangers, while companies continue investing heavily in data centres, chips and other infrastructure to expand it. The piece frames the tension between safety concerns and the commercial race as a defining issue in the sector right now.

Italy and the Czech Republic are preparing a joint call for the European Union to relax its rules on carbon permits and energy supply, according to a Reuters report. The push signals growing resistance within the bloc to strict emissions trading requirements as governments weigh energy security and industrial costs. It adds to debate over how far the EU should go in easing green regulations.

India's space sector is opening to private companies, and startups are now playing a growing role in launches, satellites and space services alongside the state space agency. DW News examines whether these young firms can help turn India into a global space power, a question drawing wide attention as the country's commercial space ambitions accelerate.

SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission is drawing attention as the company's latest dedicated smallsat rideshare flight, a format that carries dozens of satellites from multiple customers into orbit on a single Falcon 9 launch. Details of payloads and timing are limited, but the Transporter series has become a staple for small satellite operators seeking affordable access to space.

The Trump administration is moving to roll back clean car regulations that were designed to reduce climate-warming emissions from vehicles. The plan would weaken emissions standards for cars and light trucks, reversing one of the flagship US climate policies of recent years. Environmental groups are expected to oppose the move, while automakers face uncertainty over which rules will apply.

US lawmakers are reportedly struggling to craft policies that keep up with the rapid spread of artificial intelligence, with one account describing the challenge as something that 'dumbfounds us all'. The story, circulated by several US outlets, highlights Congress's difficulty in regulating technology that is reshaping industries faster than legislation can be written. No specific bill or lawmaker is named in the available coverage.

OpenAI has decided to hold back the release of a new AI model, citing safety concerns, according to a Reuters report. The move means the model will undergo further evaluation before it is made available to the public. The decision comes amid ongoing debate in the tech industry about how quickly advanced AI systems should be deployed and what safeguards are needed.

Sam Altman, chief executive of OpenAI, is scheduled to brief the United Nations Security Council next week on artificial intelligence, according to Reuters. The session would place the head of one of the world's leading AI companies directly before the body charged with international peace and security, as governments weigh how to regulate advanced AI. Details of the briefing's agenda and who requested it were not immediately available.