France EU Canada

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed banning children under 13 from accessing social media, online games and chatbots. “I am aware that many perceive the power of Big Tech as overwhelming and impossible to roll back. I disagree,” said the EU executive on Wednesday during her annual State of the European Union speech in Strasbourg. Von der Leyen said that under her proposal “mini accounts” chaperoned by guardians would be granted to kids aged 13-15.The EU’s 27 member nations will now vote on the proposal, which could spark tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has long criticized Europe’s tech regulations.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says a scorching summer has shown the EU needs new tools to tackle climate change. During her State of the European Union address on Wednesday, von der Leyen proposed a European Heatwave Plan and the establishment of a firefighting fleet. She also highlighted that heatwaves across Europe have led to over 35,000 additional deaths and that rivers like the Danube and Rhine were drying up. A study by the World Weather Attribution group links these extreme conditions to climate change. She has commended emergency responders and urged them to design new capabilities to address climate instability.