Paris prosecutors say they requested information about algorithm, not private data, from Musk's X
The office said X has not officially responded to its request.
Elon Musk's X denounced the investigation as politically motivated earlier on Monday.
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EU says China's links with Russia now 'determining factor' in ties
BEIJING: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warned on Thursday (Jul 24) that China's ties with Russia were now the "determining" factor in its relations with the European Union, as she wrapped up a tense summit in Beijing that also saw China agree to speed up exports of rare earth minerals to the bloc. China's leadership has sought to draw the European Union closer as it positions itself as a more reliable partner than the United States and a bedrock of stability in a troubled world. But while nominally intended to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties, the EU has made clear there are deep divisions over trade, fears that cheap, subsidised Chinese goods could overwhelm European markets and Beijing's tacit support for Russia's war against Ukraine. Brussels says China's deepening political and economic relations with Moscow since the 2022 invasion have helped Russia's economy weather sweeping Western sanctions. Beijing denies that claim. Wrapping up that summit, von der Leyen told a news conference in Beijing that the bloc had made clear that the issue was now the "determining" factor in its relations with China. She and European Council President Antonio Costa expressed "our expectations that China would follow up on our concerns and the expectation that it would use its influence to bring Russia to accept a ceasefire, to come to the negotiation table, enter peace talks and put an end to the bloodshed", von der Leyen said. She also said the bloc agreed with Beijing to an "upgraded" mechanism for Chinese exports of rare earth minerals - another key sticking point in ties. China dominates the global industry for extracting and refining rare earths. Since April, it has required licences to export some of the strategic materials, triggering anxiety among businesses worldwide. "If there is a delay ... we have now established a mechanism where the companies can immediately ask us to mediate and to find out why there's a delay on the delivery of the critical raw materials," von der Leyen said. And Costa said the officials had raised human rights concerns with Chinese counterparts. "DEEPEN COOPERATION" China, in contrast, framed Thursday's summit as a way for the bloc and Beijing to deepen trust in a turbulent world. Welcoming von der Leyen and Costa at Beijing's ornate Great Hall of the People, President Xi Jinping said "the more severe and complex the international situation is, the more important it is for China and the EU to strengthen communication, increase mutual trust and deepen cooperation". "The challenges facing Europe at present do not come from China," he said, calling on both sides to "make correct strategic choices". Costa also stressed to the Chinese leader that the EU wanted to see "concrete progress on issues related to trade and the economy, and we both want our relationship to be ... mutually beneficial". Chinese Premier Li Qiang told the EU leaders in a separate meeting that "close cooperation" was a "natural choice" for the two major economies. "As long as both China and the EU earnestly uphold free trade, the international economy and trade will stay dynamic," he said. CLIMATE AGREEMENT In rare agreement, China and the EU vowed to "step up" efforts to address climate change. The warming planet is historically an area of convergence between Brussels and Beijing, with both willing to cooperate on combating climate change. Chinese and European leaders agreed on enhancing bilateral cooperation in energy transition and committed to accelerating global renewable energy deployment, a joint statement said. The EU also flagged its yawning trade deficit with China that stood at around US$360 billion last year and which von der Leyen described as "unsustainable". Beijing dismissed those concerns, insisting that Brussels must "rebalance its mentality", not its economic ties with China. If EU concerns were not addressed, "our industry and citizens will demand that we defend our interests", von der Leyen told Premier Li. The EU has imposed hefty tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China, arguing that Beijing's subsidies unfairly undercut European competitors.
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Errol Musk eyes Bosnia for research hub on gravity and space
SARAJEVO :South African businessman Errol Musk, the father of billionaire Elon Musk, visited Bosnia this week to assess its potential as a location for a research institute on gravity, space-time and longevity, months after saying he planned to base it in Dubai. The elder Musk, a 79-year-old engineer who is estranged from his son, was quoted by Bosnia's Klix news portal as saying he had been offered a location in the United Arab Emirates but was advised to try the Balkans by a friend there originally from the region. "I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised by what I found. The economy, the availability of things, the behavior of people. I spent a few days here and thought - this is idyllic," the news portal quoted the South African businessman as saying. "My initial idea was that the UAE was ideal, but now that I've seen this ... I'd say this is much better." The Chamber of Commerce of Bosnia's autonomous Bosniak-Croat Federation said it had highlighted the country's educated workforce and economic potential in a presentation to Errol Musk on Wednesday. He said he had not spoken to Bosnian government officials about what he said was a private initiative to investigate the "four realms of longevity, fusion, space-time and gravity". He feared any over-controlling governments and wanted to attract people who were not "already brainwashed and think that such things are not possible", adding that he had also visited Austria and Serbia. Bosnia, once part of Socialist Yugoslavia, consists of a Bosniak-Croat Federation and Serb Republic linked by weak state authorities. An international envoy oversees it to prevent a return to fighting between its Serbs, Croats and Muslims which tore it apart in 1992-5. Errol Musk said he had not investigated Bosnia's political system or discussed a potential investment there with his son, but would try to persuade him. ($1 = 0.7387 pounds)
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EU approves counter-tariffs on US goods, says trade deal within reach
BRUSSELS: The European Commission said on Thursday (Jul 24) a negotiated trade solution with the United States is within reach - while EU members voted to approve counter-tariffs on €93 billion (US$109 billion) of US goods in case the talks collapse. The 27-nation bloc's executive has repeatedly said its primary focus is on reaching a deal to avert 30 per cent US tariffs that US President Donald Trump has said he will apply on Aug 1. "Our focus is on finding a negotiated outcome with the US ... We believe such an outcome is within reach," an EU spokesperson said in response to reporters' questions. Alongside negotiations, the Commission has pressed on with plans for potential countermeasures, merging two packages of proposed tariffs of €21 billion and €72 billion into a single list and submitting this to EU members for approval. The rate would be up to 30 per cent, designed to mirror US tariffs, EU sources said. Diplomats said EU countries overwhelmingly approved the measures on Thursday, which the Commission later confirmed. The first package of countermeasures would enter force on Aug 7, with tariffs on soybeans and almonds delayed until Dec 1, an EU official said. The second package would enter force in two stages on Sep 7 and Feb 7. So far the EU has held back from imposing any countermeasures, despite Trump's tariffs already covering 70 per cent of EU exports. EU member states authorised the first package of countermeasures in April, but these were immediately suspended to allow time for negotiations. CLOSING ON DEAL The EU and United States now appear to be heading towards a possible trade deal, according to EU diplomats, which would result in a broad 15 per cent tariff on EU goods imported into the US, mirroring a framework agreement Washington struck with Japan. Trump would still need to take any final decision. The White House said discussions of a deal should be considered "speculation". Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro told Bloomberg News the report from the EU should be taken with "a grain of salt". French Finance Minister Eric Lombard and Italian Industry Minister Adolfo Urso told a joint press conference in Paris they were not aware of a draft agreement, Urso adding he would only pass judgment when one was reached. There was little information available about what the EU would offer the United States to secure a deal. One EU diplomat said the bloc was not looking at a pledge of investment in the United States, as Japan has agreed. Another said the EU might reduce some of its own duties. Its current import duty for cars is 10 per cent. Under the outlines of the potential deal, the 15 per cent rate could apply to sectors including cars and pharmaceuticals and would not be added to long-standing US duties, which average just under 5 per cent. There could also be exemptions for sectors such as aircraft, lumber as well as some medicines and agricultural products, which would not face tariffs, diplomats said.
