The significant move was the latest part of founder Daniel Ek’s strategy to withdraw catalogs from Spotify in protest against his €600 million (£520 million) investment in military AI company Helsing.
In June, Ek’s venture capital firm, Prima Materia, spearheaded a funding round for the defense tech firm. Helsing’s software leverages AI to analyze battlefield sensor and weapon system data, facilitating real-time military decision-making. Additionally, they plan to develop their own military drone, the HX-2. Ek also serves as chairman of Helsing.
The band has announced their participation in Music for Genocide, a new initiative where over 400 artists and record labels are removing their music from Israeli streaming platforms.
In a statement, the band expressed:
In light of the substantial investments made by CEOs in companies unrelated to the initiative and engaged in producing military drones and AI technologies for fighter jets, the band has made separate requests to labels to remove their music from Spotify across all regions.
We believe that the historical effectiveness of artists’ actions during apartheid in South Africa serves as a precedent for addressing the war crimes and genocide currently perpetrated by the state of Israel, which underscores the moral duties of artists.
Moreover, the financial strain on artists has now combined with moral and ethical burdens, ultimately affecting the hard-earned income of fans and the creative endeavors of musicians.
Enough is enough.
Alternative methods must be explored.
になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do. A spokesperson for Spotify stated, “Spotify and Helsing are entirely separate entities.”
They further clarified that Helsing “has no involvement in Gaza” and that their operations “are focused on protecting Europe against threats from Ukraine.”
In a statement, Helsing asserted, “Currently, Helsing’s technology is not deployed in war zones outside of Ukraine, which is misleading.”
“Our technology is utilized in European countries for deterrence and to defend against Russian assaults on Ukraine.”
Australian psych-rock group King Gizzard and Canadian post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor, alongside US alternative acts Deerhoof and Manchester’s Wu Lyf, have also joined in this effort.
In contrast to these bands, large-scale attacks cannot showcase their music on popular platforms like Bandcamp. After transitioning to Bandcamp, King Gizzard’s extensive catalog filled the top 27 spots on the site.
The No No Music for Genocide initiative features artists such as MJ Lenderman, Amyl and the Sniffers, Rina Sawayama, Jockstrap, Keiyaa, John Glacier, Erika de Casier, Smerz, and Wednesday. These artists have either modified their release territories or requested geo-blocking for their music.
Massive Attack has amplified their message through Instagram posts.
In 1991, the tragedy of apartheid violence in South Africa was alleviated from a distance through public boycotts, protests, and artists withdrawing their work. Complicity with such a regime was deemed unacceptable. The same principle applies to the state of Israeli atrocities in 2025. Many musicians are responding to the recently launched @Filmworkers4Palestine campaign, endorsed by 4,500 filmmakers, actors, industry workers, and institutions, supporting issues from @bds.movement, @NomusicForGenocide, and more. We urge all musicians to convert their grief, anger, and artistic contributions into consistent, rational, and impactful actions, aiming to end the suffering imposed on Palestinians for far too long.
Massive Attack, alongside Brian Eno, kNeecap, and Fontaine DC, have established a coalition of artists advocating for Palestinian rights, defending musicians against the threat of silence or the risk of career setbacks enforced by organizations such as the Israeli UK Lawfare Institute (UKLFI), which reportedly led Bob Billan in a controversial performance.
This coalition informed The Guardian: “This unified action aims to provide solidarity to artists who endure daily in the face of genocide, yet are apprehensive about using their platforms to voice their concerns due to the pervasive censorship in the industry and highly organized external legal pressures.”
Donald Trump holds executive order announcing the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
On January 20, a crowd at a stadium in Washington, D.C., erupted in cheers as U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order pulling the United States out of the Paris climate accord on stage. of order He said the move was to prioritize “America first.” But environmental groups condemned the decision, saying that withdrawing the world's second-largest greenhouse gas emitter from the agreement would simultaneously cede U.S. influence in international negotiations to rival clean energy giant China. , argued that it would make climate change even worse.
“This is an issue where the United States and the Trump administration are shooting themselves in the foot,” he says. David Waskow at the World Resources Institute, a global environmental nonprofit organization. “That would be ignoring the United States.”
This is the second time President Trump has withdrawn the United States from the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement is a landmark agreement reached in 2015 to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial averages. It took three years for the initial withdrawal in 2017 to be formalized under UN treaty provisions, and the US only left for a few months before former President Joe Biden rejoined the country in 2021.
The deal now requires a year for withdrawal to be formally recognized, at which point the U.S. will be the only major economy not part of the deal. Other countries that have not signed are Libya, Yemen and Iran.
“This is definitely not good news for international climate action,” he says. Li Shuo At the Asian Social Policy Institute in Washington, DC. Unlike the United States' first withdrawal, this second withdrawal came at a time when the country's ambitious emissions reduction ambitions were already facing geopolitical, social, and economic obstacles. he says. Last year saw record levels of global emissions, while average global temperatures rose above 1.5°C for the first time.
A U.S. withdrawal would leave the country with no leverage to drive further emissions cuts, potentially creating an excuse for countries around the world to scale back efforts to tackle climate change. “The momentum of climate change around the world was declining even before President Trump was elected,” Lee said.
But Waskow said the U.S. withdrawal does not mean “the bottom has dropped” in global climate action. Countries responsible for more than 90 percent of global emissions are still committed to the Paris Agreement. Wind and solar energy, electric vehicles, batteries and other clean technologies also play a much bigger role in the global economy now than they did when the U.S. first left, he said.
“The rest of the world is also transitioning to clean energy,” he says. Manish Bapna at the Natural Resources Defense Council, a U.S. environmental advocacy group. “This doesn't stop that transition, it slows it down.” But it raises questions about what role the U.S. will play in shaping that future, he says.
Looming is China, which controls many of the key clean energy industries, from solar panels to batteries, and is increasingly exporting its technology to the rest of the world. “The United States would not only be ceding influence over how those markets are formed, but also the duration of those markets,” Waskow said. “I don't think other countries think of the United States first when they think about who they should engage with.”
The global retreat from climate action also comes as the new Trump administration moved quickly to reverse, abandon, or block the policies of its predecessor in a flurry of executive orders issued on its first day in office. These include banning federal permits for wind energy and reversing policies introduced by Mr. Biden to promote electric vehicles. Other plans aim to expand fossil fuel development on federal lands, coastal waters and Alaska and increase natural gas exports to settle further orders. I declare It's a “national energy emergency.” “We train, baby, we train,” he said in his inaugural address.
TCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision this week to resign as leader of the Liberal Party brings the impending general election, which will be held amid political turmoil caused by President Donald Trump's “America” policies. The race for leadership has begun against the backdrop of the Deaf general election. First, there is “economic nationalism.” It also gave Tesla CEO Elon Musk an opportunity to insert himself into yet another country's political turmoil.
Since Prime Minister Trudeau's resignation on Monday, Mr. Musk has repeatedly posted about Canadian politics on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, which he acquired for $44 billion in 2022. He celebrates Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's ouster, interacts with Canada's right-wing influencers, and has praised a video by Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poièvre.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk have promoted the idea of Canada becoming part of the United States, but all major Canadian party leaders, including Mr. Poilievre, reject this idea. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on Tuesday that there is “no snowball effect” for President Trump's proposal to become a reality.
“Miss, you're no longer the Governor of Canada, so it doesn't matter what you say,” Musk tweeted late Tuesday night.
Musk's post symbolizes a widening of his attempts to influence global politics over the past year, during which he has allied himself with a number of right-wing populist leaders and sought to influence far-right influence. It has expanded its power and persistently voiced conservative dissatisfaction. After spending more than $200 million to support President Trump's reelection campaign, he positioned himself as a key figure in determining U.S. policy and forcing foreign leaders to take Trump's provocations seriously. Ta.
Outside the United States, most of Mr. Musk's attention has been focused on the United Kingdom, where he has recently reignited the uproar over a child sex abuse scandal while promoting anti-immigration views, calling Prime Minister Keir Starmer a “rapist.” “I'm doing it,” he accused. British”. Mr. Musk is also exerting influence on Germany's upcoming elections. Supports far-right, anti-immigration AfD party In an editorial, he hosted leader Alice Weidel for a livestream interview on his platform.
Musk's meddling in European politics has prompted leaders in Britain, France and Germany to speak out against his election interference and misinformation. Now it looks like it's Canada's turn to deal with the world's richest man.
While Musk remains in the background, Prime Minister Trudeau's Liberal Party is likely to hold a leadership election to replace Musk as prime minister, followed by a general election soon after.
Enliven Poièvre
In a series of posts after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned, Musk expressed support for Poièvre, whose Conservative Party is widely expected to dominate Canada's general election after three years in Liberal government. There is. Musk's posts to his more than 200 million followers have already drawn comments from major political party leaders, highlighting how important he is as the country faces this year's political turmoil. Indicates whether it has the potential to become an element.
Canada's left-wing NDP leader Jagmeet Singh responded to Musk's tweet, saying, “Elon Musk and other billionaires support Pierre Poièvre because if he wins, they will… Because it will make you richer,” he posted.
In the days of Poilievre Asked about support for Mr. Musk “It would be great if we could convince Mr. Musk to open some factories here in Canada,” he said at a press conference Thursday. He also mentioned Musk's ambitions for space travel.
“My 3-year-old son wants to go to Mars, so I think Mr. Musk is the right person to reach out to him,” Poièvre said. “If I had a chance to meet with Mr. Musk, I would say, 'How can we create an economy that brings hundreds of billions of dollars of investment back to Canada?'”
Mr. Poièvre fits the mold of other conservative politicians who have appealed to Mr. Musk. He was once known as a combative, baby-faced lawmaker nicknamed “Skippy” by other members of Congress, but in recent years he has ditched his glasses and tie and taken on a more populist personality. Poilievre, an Alberta native, has positioned himself as an opponent of “Prime Minister Trudeau's woke authoritarian policies.” used for conspiratorial rhetoric About “Globalist Elite” and Promises to reduce immigration While blaming the Liberal Party for economic inflation.
Many of Poièvre's points revolve around the adoption of virtual currencies, cuts to government funding, and a new punitive government position with the power to withhold government subsidies to universities that don't protect free speech. It's reminiscent of ideas that Musk himself might promote, such as creating a “guardian of the world.” We are committed to protecting freedom of speech on campus. Poilievre also Support ban on trans women It promised to cut funding from women's bathrooms, locker rooms and sports, and cut funding to Canada's national public broadcaster and news organizations.
Musk posted a 2023 clip of Poièvre eating an apple while disdainfully answering questions from a local news editor, calling it a “masterpiece.” The billionaire also praised Poièvre's video talking about spending cuts and inflation. In a third post, Musk tweeted, “Great interview,” sharing Poilievre's remarks. Talking with right-wing commentator Jordan PetersonIn it, the Conservative leader promised “the biggest crackdown on crime in Canadian history.” Mr Poièvre's interview with Mr Peterson drew condemnation from both the Liberal Party and the NDP over the fact that it was sponsored by a US-based Christian anti-abortion group.
According to opinion polls taken before Prime Minister Trudeau resigned, the Conservative Party has great advantages And Canada this year, even if Last month's survey It has been shown that only 37% of Canadians view Poièvre himself favorably.
Despite Musk's support, Poièvre may also face a balancing act over how closely to work with Trump, who remains an unpopular figure in Canada. According to a public opinion poll during the US presidential election, Only 21% of Canadians support it While Trump was re-elected, another poll in November showed that About 19% of Canadians trust Musk's opinion. about their country's politics.
As in the U.S., many of the Canadian political accounts Musk is associated with tend to be respected conservative media influencers, which Musk spreads to his millions of followers. are.
In one post this week, Musk shared misleading claims about Trudeau from far-right media entrepreneur Ezra Levant, which were later corrected by a community note. Levant publishes the website Rebel News, whose contributors include British anti-Muslim extremist Tommy Robinson, Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes and former top commentators. face goldiewas fired after appearing on a neo-Nazi podcast. Musk also exchanged tweets with Lauren Southern, an early “alt-right” Canadian influencer and former Rebel Media host who gained notoriety by creating anti-immigrant YouTube videos. promote of white supremacist “The Great Successor” conspiracy theory.
Jordan Peterson is another Canadian touchstone for Musk. In addition to sharing Peterson interviews with Poièvre and exchanging the occasional tweet, Musk appeared on Peterson's show last year. In it, the tech mogul claimed that his transgender child “died” after receiving gender-affirming care and was “killed by a wake-up mind virus.” . Vivian Wilson, Musk's transgender daughter, responded that Musk's characterization was wrong and that her father was absent.
Musk also frequently interacts with Canadian marketing professor Gad Saad at X. Gad Saad has developed an online following through his books and podcast appearances attacking what he calls “the parasitic ideas that are destroying the Western world.”
“I read your insightful book on the parasitic wake-mind virus,” Musk tweeted on Third last year. “It gave me nightmares.”
Musk celebrates Prime Minister Trudeau's resignation
While Mr. Musk has expressed support for Mr. Poièvre, he is relishing Mr. Trudeau's fall from grace. On Wednesday, he shared an AI-generated meme of Donald Trump playing a sad violin in the background of Trudeau's resignation speech, and also responded to an old tweet of his own in which he predicted Trudeau would lose power. did.
Musk has expressed opposition to Trudeau multiple times in recent years over issues such as COVID-19 safety restrictions, most notably in 2022 when he shared a meme comparing Trudeau to Hitler. It was. Musk deleted the tweet after being criticized by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Holocaust Museum, but as recently as December he again called for Trudeau's political ouster.
Prime Minister Trudeau had been a target of right-wing media long before the Musk attack, with far-right commentators such as former Fox News host Tucker Carlson portraying him as some kind of socialist dictator and of Canada as a dystopian hellscape. He dedicated a corner to drawing like this.
Within Canada, the reasons for Trudeau's resignation are more complex. Although he maintained a progressive glow internationally, many Canadians across the political spectrum came to find Mr. Trudeau's personality sinister and hypocritical. domestic scandal. Rising cost of living, inflation and fatigue with the minority Liberal government lost significant support from his party. The recent collapse of the cabinet, the failure of last year's by-elections and the threat of a no-confidence vote ended up being a death sentence for his leadership.
Amid regulator scrutiny over big tech companies’ relationships with artificial intelligence startups, Microsoft is stepping down from its observer role on OpenAI’s board, and Apple will no longer appoint executives to similar positions.
Microsoft, the primary funder of ChatGPT developer, announced its resignation in a letter to the startup, as reported by the Financial Times. The company stated that the resignation, as a mere observer with no voting rights on board decisions, is effective immediately.
Microsoft highlighted the progress made by the new OpenAI board post the eventful departure and reinstatement of CEO Sam Altman last year. The company mentioned that OpenAI is heading in the right direction by emphasizing safety and nurturing a positive work culture.
“Considering these developments, we feel that our limited observer role is no longer essential,” stated Microsoft, which has invested $13 billion (£10.2 billion) in OpenAI.
However, Microsoft reportedly believed that its observer role raised concerns among competition regulators. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority is reviewing whether the deal equated to an “acquisition of control,” while the US Federal Trade Commission is also investigating View Partnerships.
While the European Commission opted out of a formal merger review regarding Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI, it is examining exclusivity clauses in the contract between the two entities.
An OpenAI spokesperson mentioned that the startup is adopting a new strategy to engage key partners like Microsoft, Apple, and other investors on a regular basis to strengthen alignment on safety and security.
As part of this new approach, OpenAI will no longer have an observer on the board, meaning Apple will also not have a similar role. Reports had surfaced earlier this month about Apple intending to include App Store head Phil Schiller on its board, but no comment has been received from Apple.
Regulatory scrutiny has intensified on investments in AI startups. The FTC is investigating OpenAI and Microsoft, along with Anthropic, the creator of the Claude chatbot, and their collaborations with tech giants Google and Amazon. In the UK, the CMA is looking into Amazon’s partnership with Anthropic, as well as Microsoft’s ties with Mistral and Inflection AI.
Alex Hafner, a partner at British law firm Fladgate, indicated that Microsoft’s decision seemed to be impacted by the regulatory landscape.
“It’s evident that regulators are closely monitoring the intricate relationships between big tech firms and AI providers, prompting Microsoft and others to rethink how they structure these arrangements in the future,” he commented.
Elon Musk has submitted a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against ChatGPT developer OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, claiming that the startup has deviated from its original goal of developing artificial intelligence for the betterment of humanity.
Musk filed the lawsuit against Altman in February, and the legal process has been progressing slowly in a California court. Up until Tuesday, Musk had not shown any intention of dropping the case. Just a month ago, his legal team filed an objection, leading to the presiding judge stepping down.
Musk’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit did not provide any rationale. A San Francisco Superior Court judge was set to consider arguments from Altman and OpenAI on Wednesday to have the lawsuit thrown out.
The dismissal brought an abrupt end to the legal dispute between two influential figures in the tech realm. Musk and Altman co-founded OpenAI in 2015, but Musk resigned from the board three years later following disagreements over the company’s governance and direction. Their relationship has become increasingly strained as Altman’s prominence has grown in recent years.
Musk’s lawsuit centered on his assertion that Altman and OpenAI breached the company’s “foundation agreement” by collaborating with Microsoft, transforming OpenAI into a predominantly profit-driven entity, and withholding its technology from the public.
OpenAI and Altman contested the existence of such an agreement, citing messages that appeared to show Musk supporting the shift towards a for-profit model. They vehemently denied any wrongdoing and published a blog post in March suggesting Musk’s motivations were rooted in jealousy, expressing regret that a respected figure had taken this course of action.
Musk’s lawsuit raised eyebrows among legal experts, who pointed out that certain claims, such as OpenAI achieving artificial intelligence equivalent to human intelligence, lacked credibility.
Apple has decided to cancel its plans to develop electric cars, as reported by multiple outlets. The project, known as Project Titan, was a secret endeavor that has utilized significant resources over the past decade. During an internal team meeting on Tuesday, company executives unexpectedly announced layoffs and mentioned that many employees would be reassigned to work on generative artificial intelligence, according to reports.
Apple had invested billions of dollars in developing an electric semi-autonomous car under Project Titan, and the decision to scrap the program represents a significant shift from its previous strategy.
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook had hinted at the company’s car plans in an interview, but did not fully commit to delivering the product as anticipated.
Although Apple never officially confirmed plans for a car, the project sparked speculation in the auto and tech industries. The company even hired executives from major car manufacturers like Lamborghini and Tesla, and acquired a self-driving car startup called Drive.ai in 2019.
Apple did not provide any official statement regarding the termination of the program, leaving many employees who had worked on the project surprised and potentially facing job cuts.
The company’s electric vehicle plans have undergone several changes since their initiation in 2014, facing numerous setbacks in attempts to bring the product to market.
In response to Apple’s decision, Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted a salute and cigarette emoji.
Apple is now focusing more on generative AI projects, reallocating researchers and engineers from the automotive field to special projects within the company.
During a quarterly financial results announcement, Cook hinted at Apple’s increased emphasis on artificial intelligence and the introduction of generative AI capabilities for consumers by the year’s end.
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