Threads
Stories that unfold over weeks: where things stand, what has changed and what comes next.
Latest changes
Monday 21 September
EU proposes A-to-G energy and water labels for data centres
The European Commission proposed an A-to-G energy and water efficiency rating scheme for data centres above 500 kilowatts, requiring reporting to an open EU database from 2027. It adds an environmental dimension to the bloc's AI infrastructure build-out.
G7 foreign ministers demand Iran stop arming Houthis at UNGA
G7 foreign ministers issued a statement on 21 September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly demanding Iran stop arming the Houthis and condemning attacks on Saudi Arabia and civilian shipping.
Reuters-Ipsos poll puts Trump approval at career-low 32% before midterms
A four-day Reuters-Ipsos poll completed on 21 September puts Trump at a career-low 32% approval, with 17% backing his handling of living costs, as fuel prices from the Iran conflict weigh on Republican support ahead of the 3 November midterms.
Austria leads 11 EU states calling for 12-month pause on new legislation
Austria is leading 11 EU countries in demanding a 12-month moratorium on new EU legislation, arguing for a "year of simplification" and competitiveness checks on future proposals. The signatories also want a stocktake of existing law before any new rules.
Russian retaliation hits ten Ukrainian regions, damages Danube grain route
Russian drone and missile strikes hit ten Ukrainian regions overnight into 21 September, damaging apartments and a university in Zaporizhzhia, killing one in Lozava, and setting fire to food warehouses near Odesa.
Brzoska submits anti-scam-ad report to Polish lawmakers with 150% penalty proposal
InPost founder Rafał Brzoska submitted a report to Polish lawmakers on 21 September proposing mandatory advertiser identity checks and a 150% penalty on fraudulent ad revenues, escalating Poland's campaign against Meta over scam advertisements.
Trump seeks Belarus potash deal to replace Canadian fertilizer imports
Trump announced talks for a potash import agreement with Belarus to replace Canadian fertilizer purchases amid the bilateral trade dispute. The move would engage Minsk, a state under EU sanctions, potentially undercutting Western sanctions coordination.
OpenAI urges US-led global technical standards for frontier AI
OpenAI published a blog post on 21 September urging the United States to lead an international effort on technical standards for frontier AI, including systems capable of recursive self-improvement, with common measurements and incident reporting protocols.
US lawmakers draft defence-bill provisions restricting Nvidia chip sales to China
US lawmakers included provisions in the draft defence bill that could restrict advanced Nvidia chip sales to China, requiring export tracking and allowing Congress to block certain shipments. Semiconductor firms are lobbying to strip the measures before the bill advances.
Sánchez unveils 12-month AI roadmap with gigafactory and oversight call
Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez said in Madrid on 21 September that AI "cannot be self-regulated" by its developers, backing a 12-month roadmap that pairs oversight with an AI gigafactory and Barcelona Supercomputing Centre models for climate and health.
Commission proposes data-centre energy and water efficiency disclosure rules
The European Commission proposed on 21 September rules requiring data centres in Europe to disclose how efficiently they use energy and water. The initiative reflects concern over resource consumption as electricity and fuel prices remain a core competitiveness issue.
Trump says he is choosing between military strikes or a deal with Iran
Trump stated on 21 September he is deciding between military strikes, economic pressure, or a deal with Tehran, and expressed openness to meeting Iranian President Pezeshkian at the UN General Assembly in New York.
Kallas calls for EU members to reinforce Red Sea naval mission
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged member states on 21 September to deploy additional naval assets to Operation Aspides in the Red Sea, framing the mission as protecting commercial traffic rather than joining Yemen's ground war.
Le Monde-led investigation reveals scale of US "remigration" deportations
A cross-border investigation by 72 journalists across 23 media outlets, led by Forbidden Stories and published by Le Monde on 21 September, reports that the US "remigration" bureau has deported over 25,000 foreigners to third countries.
Merz confirms he will remain Chancellor, rejecting resignation calls after CDU defeats
Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated on 21 September he will not resign after the CDU fell to 4.9% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and lost Berlin to Die Linke.
US and China agree to formalised AI safety dialogue and incident notification line
US and Chinese officials agreed on 21 September to formalise a bilateral AI safety dialogue and establish an incident notification line for national-security-level AI events, with a follow-up meeting planned in Shenzhen in roughly two months.
Irish DPC fines Google €403 million over location-data processing
Ireland's Data Protection Commission fined Google €403 million on 21 September for unlawful location-data processing in its web and app activity features, ordering compliance within six months.
Czechia reinstates fuel price caps and trims diesel excise from 1 October
Czechia will reinstate price caps on gasoline and diesel from 1 October, with a temporary diesel excise cut to the EU minimum through October. The measures follow national petrol prices at their highest since August 2022.
EU Red Sea naval mission raises alert level
The EU's Red Sea naval mission raised its alert level on 21 September as Houthi forces consolidated control around Bab al-Mandab and fighting intensified near Yemen's maritime chokepoints.
AfD wins Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state election
Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) secured 38.1% of the vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, making it the strongest party. This outcome pushes the CDU below the 5% threshold, marking its first exclusion from the state parliament.
Russia stockpiling ballistic missiles for winter strikes on Ukrainian grid
Russia has curtailed ballistic missile strikes since August to conserve weapons for late-autumn attacks on Ukraine's heating and power infrastructure, according to Pollar's newsroom pipeline. Kyiv is reinforcing its power grid in response.
European intelligence chiefs warn Russia could test NATO defences within months
Intelligence directors from the Czech Republic, Latvia, and Sweden warned on 21 September that Moscow is preparing expanded sabotage campaigns and potential border incursions to test NATO's mutual defense commitments. The warning adds urgency to EU security protocol discussions.
Volkswagen works council calls for coordinated European industrial strategy
VW's works council urged company management and policymakers on 21 September to take stronger action to support Europe's car industry, citing high energy prices, Chinese and US EV competition, and green-transition regulatory pressures.
The Left Party leads in Berlin state election
Die Linke finished first in Berlin with approximately 25-26% of the vote, ahead of the CDU. AfD made gains to become the third-largest party, intensifying coalition formation challenges in the capital.
ECB's Panetta ties AI distributional effects to inflation and labour outlook
ECB Executive Board member Fabio Panetta said on 21 September that central banks must understand how AI gains are distributed, as outcomes will shape demand, inflation, productivity and labour markets.
Germany cuts energy taxes on fuel from 1 October through year-end
Germany will cut energy taxes on petrol and diesel by €0.14 per litre from 1 October through end-2026, responding to national averages near €2.43/litre for diesel. The temporary cut eases pressure on logistics and industrial operators without addressing underlying supply costs.
VW works council and IG Metall demand EU protection from Chinese EV competition
VW works council chief Daniela Cavallo and IG Metall leader Christiane Benner called on 21 September for stronger EU protection against Chinese EV and battery imports, citing state-subsidised competition threatening European jobs.
IRGC shoots down US MQ-1 drone over Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guards aerospace force announced on 21 September it tracked and destroyed a US MQ-1 drone operating over the Strait of Hormuz. The downing followed Iran's warning that Washington is preparing to resume strikes on Iranian territory.
United Russia wins 57.5% in State Duma election
Preliminary results from Russia's Central Election Commission show the ruling United Russia party secured 57.54% of the vote in the three-day parliamentary election. Independent monitors and European officials criticized the ballot for barring genuine anti-war candidates.
Irish EU presidency circulates digital omnibus draft easing GDPR for AI training
A draft prepared under Ireland's EU Council presidency and reported on 21 September would amend GDPR via a 'digital omnibus' to make AI-training data processing lawful under legitimate interest without consent.
Trump called off planned strikes on Houthi positions
President Trump called off planned US strikes on Houthi positions at the last minute, Reuters reported on 21 September. The decision preserves a 2025 ceasefire understanding with the Houthis while keeping US military focus on the separate Iran front.
DSA complaint filed with Dutch ACM alleging Meta monetised EU-sanctioned accounts
Dutch digital rights group WHAT TO FIX filed a complaint on 21 September with the Netherlands' ACM alleging Meta allowed 11 Facebook accounts linked to EU-sanctioned entities to retain monetisation tools despite repeated warnings, requesting investigation under the DSA.
Trump declines military support for Yemeni president al-Alimi
Trump spoke with Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi on 21 September but did not pledge US military support against the Houthis, despite Alimi's request for backing around Bab al-Mandab. The call leaves Saudi-backed Yemeni forces without direct US combat commitment.
Trump weighs strikes or deal with Iran ahead of UNGA
Trump stated on 21 September he is deciding between military strikes, economic pressure, or a deal with Tehran, and expressed openness to meeting Iranian President Pezeshkian at the UN General Assembly in New York.
Czech Finance Ministry plans refinery windfall tax through 2027
The Czech Finance Ministry announced on 21 September a planned windfall tax on refineries, levying 50% of margin increases above 2025 levels through 2027, with expected annual proceeds of about $260m.
Trump publicly demands energy ceasefire in 21 September social media post
Trump posted on social media on 21 September that a "large number" of Russian diesel refineries had been "blown up" and urged an end to the war, publicly escalating pressure on Kyuk to halt refinery strikes. He linked the attacks to global fuel price increases.
Mistral and European AI firms reject US labs' frontier slowdown calls
Mistral and other European AI firms publicly rejected on 21 September US rivals' calls for a coordinated slowdown of frontier-model development, arguing that invoking safety risks entrenching incumbent dominance.
Trump threatens 'very heavy tariffs' on EU over Canada-Europe alignment
Trump warned on 21 September that a closer economic partnership between Canada, the EU, and the UK could be treated as a 'hostile act' by Washington, threatening 'very heavy tariffs' on Europe if he judges Canadian-EU moves unfriendly.
Twenty countries and EU call for global AI oversight body
A joint declaration by twenty countries and the EU urged governments and companies to keep AI under human direction, share incident reports, and develop common standards. It proposed an international institution to set standards and verify compliance.
Bessent says China engaged on Iran pressure, asked to constrain Houthis
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on 21 September that China is actively engaged in pressuring Iran, and Beijing was separately asked to help constrain the Houthis. The disclosure adds a Chinese channel to the US-Iran diplomatic stalemate.