Iran has issued fresh threats to target American interests across West Asia, warning that US‑linked firms and strategic assets could face retaliation as the broader conflict with the United States and its allies continues to escalate. Tehran’s statements, including warnings from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps about attacks on regional operations of major US companies, underscore deepening tensions across the Gulf and Middle East amid ongoing hostilities.


Iran Issues a New Threat to Attack American Interests in West Asia

As political tensions rise between Europe and the United States under Donald Trump’s second presidency, more and more Europeans are seeking to reduce their dependence on American tech giants. From grassroots efforts to government policy shifts, momentum is building toward what leaders and citizens alike call “digital sovereignty”.At a modest market stall in Berlin, run by the charity Topio, volunteers are helping locals purge their smartphones of US-linked software. “Before, it was just privacy geeks. Now, it’s politically aware people who feel exposed,” Topio founder Michael Wirths told&nbsp;Reuters while helping a customer install a Google-free version of Android.The change in sentiment reflects a wider European re-evaluation of reliance on American tech in everything from cloud storage and search engines to messaging apps and social media platforms.Donald Trump’s return to office and his administration’s open criticism of European allies have rattled confidence across the continent. Trump’s retreat from Europe’s security commitments, a newly launched trade war, and incendiary comments by Vice President JD Vance accusing EU governments of censorship have only deepened concerns.A growing cohort of users is now turning to European providers. Berlin-based Ecosia, a green search engine, has seen EU traffic rise 27 per cent year-on-year, while Swiss-based ProtonMail reported an 11.7 per cent jump in use across Europe. Messaging app Signal also recorded a 7 per cent monthly increase in March.<h2>Digital sovereignty gains ground</h2>The term “digital sovereignty” has become central to European tech discourse, encompassing both personal data protection and national security. At the Berlin Summit 2025, experts and policymakers called for coordinated investments in indigenous digital infrastructure to “avoid path dependencies” on US and Chinese platforms.“We are witnessing a blurring of the boundaries between economic and political control,” Maria Farrell, a UK-based internet regulation expert, told&nbsp;Reuters. “People who never questioned it before, like my hairdresser, are now asking which email provider they should switch to.”Regional and national governments are acting. Germany’s federal coalition has committed to expanding open-source software and homegrown cloud solutions. In Schleswig-Holstein, public sector IT is now required to run exclusively on open-source platforms.Berlin even funded Ukraine’s internet access via French firm Eutelsat instead of Elon Musk’s Starlink, a subtle but symbolic pivot away from American platforms.<h2>Big tech still dominates, for now</h2>Despite the shift in sentiment, US tech giants retain overwhelming market dominance. Google attracted 10.3 billion visits from EU countries in February, compared to Ecosia’s 122 million, and Alphabet earned roughly $100 billion from the Europe, West Asia, and Africa region in 2024 alone.Even providers promoting independence rely on the very infrastructure they seek to avoid. Ecosia and France’s Qwant both rely partly on Microsoft’s Bing or Google’s search results. Cloud services remain heavily dependent on US-owned data centres and networking infrastructure.Digital rights groups warn that total separation for now is unrealistic, because currently, from push notifications to content delivery networks, US infrastructure is deeply embedded.&nbsp;<h2>Regulation, not just resistance, is key</h2>While some users seek individual digital alternatives, experts argue real change will require political will and regulatory action. They suggest that the region needs regulation to restore competition and reduce dependence.US companies are responding. Microsoft has announced new products, such as the Microsoft Sovereign Cloud and External Key Management, aimed at supporting European digital independence.“We’ve operated in Europe for over 40 years,” CEO Satya Nadella said in a recent post. “We are committed to unlocking sovereign ways for Europe to run its own digital infrastructure.”Whether these efforts are viewed as solutions or strategic placation, one thing is clear: Europe’s call for sovereignty is no longer limited to policymakers but is resonating across society.

Surge in interest for local alternatives signals rising concerns over data privacy, sovereignty, and political influence.

As political tensions rise between Europe and the United States under Donald Trump’s second presidency, more and more Europeans are seeking to reduce their dependence on American tech giants. From grassroots efforts to government policy shifts, momentum is building toward what leaders and citizens alike call “digital sovereignty”. At a modest market stall in Berlin, run by the charity Topio, volunteers are helping locals purge their smartphones of US-linked software. “Before, it was just privacy geeks. Now, it’s politically aware people who feel exposed,” Topio founder Michael Wirths told Reuters while helping a customer install a Google-free version of Android. The change in sentiment reflects a wider European re-evaluation of reliance on American tech in everything from cloud storage and search engines to messaging apps and social media platforms. Donald Trump’s return to office and his administration’s open criticism of European allies have rattled confidence across the continent. Trump’s retreat from Europe’s security commitments, a newly launched trade war, and incendiary comments by Vice President JD Vance accusing EU governments of censorship have only deepened concerns. A growing cohort of users is now turning to European providers. Berlin-based Ecosia, a green search engine, has seen EU traffic rise 27 per cent year-on-year, while Swiss-based ProtonMail reported an 11.7 per cent jump in use across Europe. Messaging app Signal also recorded a 7 per cent monthly increase in March. Digital sovereignty gains ground The term “digital sovereignty” has become central to European tech discourse, encompassing both personal data protection and national security. At the Berlin Summit 2025, experts and policymakers called for coordinated investments in indigenous digital infrastructure to “avoid path dependencies” on US and Chinese platforms. “We are witnessing a blurring of the boundaries between economic and political control,” Maria Farrell, a UK-based internet regulation expert, told Reuters. “People who never questioned it before, like my hairdresser, are now asking which email provider they should switch to.” Regional and national governments are acting. Germany’s federal coalition has committed to expanding open-source software and homegrown cloud solutions. In Schleswig-Holstein, public sector IT is now required to run exclusively on open-source platforms. Berlin even funded Ukraine’s internet access via French firm Eutelsat instead of Elon Musk’s Starlink, a subtle but symbolic pivot away from American platforms. Big tech still dominates, for now Despite the shift in sentiment, US tech giants retain overwhelming market dominance. Google attracted 10.3 billion visits from EU countries in February, compared to Ecosia’s 122 million, and Alphabet earned roughly $100 billion from the Europe, West Asia, and Africa region in 2024 alone. Even providers promoting independence rely on the very infrastructure they seek to avoid. Ecosia and France’s Qwant both rely partly on Microsoft’s Bing or Google’s search results. Cloud services remain heavily dependent on US-owned data centres and networking infrastructure. Digital rights groups warn that total separation for now is unrealistic, because currently, from push notifications to content delivery networks, US infrastructure is deeply embedded. Regulation, not just resistance, is key While some users seek individual digital alternatives, experts argue real change will require political will and regulatory action. They suggest that the region needs regulation to restore competition and reduce dependence. US companies are responding. Microsoft has announced new products, such as the Microsoft Sovereign Cloud and External Key Management, aimed at supporting European digital independence. “We’ve operated in Europe for over 40 years,” CEO Satya Nadella said in a recent post. “We are committed to unlocking sovereign ways for Europe to run its own digital infrastructure.” Whether these efforts are viewed as solutions or strategic placation, one thing is clear: Europe’s call for sovereignty is no longer limited to policymakers but is resonating across society.

Surge in interest for local alternatives signals rising concerns over data privacy, sovereignty, and political influence.

Europe pushes for digital independence amid growing backlash against US tech firms

US attorney general William Barr has blasted American firms with Chinese links for 'kowtowing' to Beijing.

Barr took aim at Hollywood companies, including Walt Disney Co on Thursday as well as large technology firms like Apple, Alphabet's Google and Microsoft Corp over company actions with China.

The companies and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment. Apple declined to comment.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-mulls-travel-ban-on-92-million-members-of-communist-party-of-china-report-313607">US mulls travel ban on 92 million members of Communist Party of China : Report</a>

"Corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Apple have shown themselves all too willing to collaborate with the (Chinese Communist party)," Barr said.

He added that Hollywood has routinely caved into pressure and censored their films "to appease the Chinese Communist Party."

"I suspect Walt Disney would be disheartened to see how the company he founded deals with the foreign dictatorships of our day," Barr said in a speech at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Michigan.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-action-on-risks-posed-by-tiktok-likely-in-weeks-white-house-313604">Trump administration action on risks posed by TikTok likely 'in weeks': White House</a>

Barr chided US companies for being too willing to take steps to ensure access to the large Chinese market.

"The Chinese Communist Party thinks in terms of decades and centuries, while we tend to focus on the next quarterly earnings report," Barr said. "America’s big tech companies have also allowed themselves to become pawns of Chinese influence."

Barr’s was the latest attack on China from President Donald Trump’s administration before his November re-election bid.

In recent months, US-China ties have dipped to their lowest ebb in decades, strained over issues ranging from the global coronavirus pandemic and China's massive trade surpluses, to Beijing’s suppression of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, its military buildup in the South China Sea and treatment of minority Muslims.

Barr suggested that Apple iPhones "wouldn't be sold (in China) if they were impervious to penetration by Chinese authorities." He suggested American tech companies were imposing a "double standard."

"If they stand together, they will provide a worthy example for other American companies in resisting the Chinese Communist Party’s corrupt and dictatorial rule."

Barr noted after China imposed a new national security law on Hong Kong, Facebook, Google, Twitter In and LinkedIn, announced that they would temporarily suspend compliance with governmental requests for user data.

US attorney general William Barr has blasted American firms with Chinese links for 'kowtowing' to Beijing. Barr took aim at Hollywood companies, including Walt Disney Co on Thursday as well as large technology firms like Apple, Alphabet's Google and Microsoft Corp over company actions with China.

US attorney general William Barr has blasted American firms with Chinese links for 'kowtowing' to Beijing. Barr took aim at Hollywood companies, including Walt Disney Co on Thursday as well as large technology firms like Apple, Alphabet's Google and Microsoft Corp over company actions with China. The companies and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment. Apple declined to comment. Also read| US mulls travel ban on 92 million members of Communist Party of China : Report "Corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Apple have shown themselves all too willing to collaborate with the (Chinese Communist party)," Barr said. He added that Hollywood has routinely caved into pressure and censored their films "to appease the Chinese Communist Party." "I suspect Walt Disney would be disheartened to see how the company he founded deals with the foreign dictatorships of our day," Barr said in a speech at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Michigan. Also read| Trump administration action on risks posed by TikTok likely 'in weeks': White House Barr chided US companies for being too willing to take steps to ensure access to the large Chinese market. "The Chinese Communist Party thinks in terms of decades and centuries, while we tend to focus on the next quarterly earnings report," Barr said. "America’s big tech companies have also allowed themselves to become pawns of Chinese influence." Barr’s was the latest attack on China from President Donald Trump’s administration before his November re-election bid. In recent months, US-China ties have dipped to their lowest ebb in decades, strained over issues ranging from the global coronavirus pandemic and China's massive trade surpluses, to Beijing’s suppression of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, its military buildup in the South China Sea and treatment of minority Muslims. Barr suggested that Apple iPhones "wouldn't be sold (in China) if they were impervious to penetration by Chinese authorities." He suggested American tech companies were imposing a "double standard." "If they stand together, they will provide a worthy example for other American companies in resisting the Chinese Communist Party’s corrupt and dictatorial rule." Barr noted after China imposed a new national security law on Hong Kong, Facebook, Google, Twitter In and LinkedIn, announced that they would temporarily suspend compliance with governmental requests for user data.

US attorney general blasts American firms for 'kowtowing' to Beijing

Tech companies clashed with internet service providers over whether a landmark 2015 net neutrality order barring the blocking or slowing of web content should be scrapped by the US &nbsp;Federal Communications Commission.

A group representing major technology firms including Alphabet and Facebook urged the FCC to abandon plans to rescind the rules barring internet service providers from hindering consumer access to web content or offering paid &quot;fast lanes.&quot;

The Internet Association said in its filing with the FCC that dismantling the rules &quot;will create significant uncertainty in the market and upset the careful balance that has led to the current virtuous circle of innovation in the broadband ecosystem.&quot;

The rollback would harm consumers, added the group, which also represents Amazon.com , Microsoft , Netflix, Twitter, and Snap.

Major internet service providers including AT&amp;T, Comcast, and Charter Communications urged the FCC, however, to reverse the rules enacted during former President Barack Obama&#39;s administration, even as they vowed not to hinder internet access.

Verizon Communications said the Obama order had &quot;injected uncertainty into the marketplace, restricted innovation, and chilled investment.&quot; It called the prospect of future rate regulation &quot;a toxic approach if the goal is to encourage investment or the entrance of new competitors into the market.&quot;

Comcast said the order &quot;represented an unfortunate, unnecessary, and profoundly unwise wrong-turn for the broadband economy and consumers more broadly.&quot; AT&amp;T said the FCC in 2015 &quot;grossly exaggerated the need for public-utility-style regulation while ignoring its costs.&quot;

White House spokesman Sean Spicer declined to weigh in, noting the FCC was an independent agency.

&#39;Paid Prioritisation&#39;

In May, the FCC voted 2-1 to advance Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai&#39;s plan to withdraw the former Obama administration&#39;s order reclassifying internet service providers as if they were utilities.

Pai has asked that if in the event the FCC reverses that order, whether it has the authority or should keep any regulations limiting internet providers&#39; ability to block, throttle or offer &quot;fast lanes&quot; to some websites, known as &quot;paid prioritisation&quot;.

Pai, who argues the Obama order was unnecessary and harms jobs and investment, has not committed to retaining any rules, but said he favours an &quot;open internet.&quot;

The Internet Association said there was &quot;no reliable evidence&quot; that investment by providers had fallen.

Twelve state attorney general including from Illinois and California urged the FCC not to overturn the Obama rules, saying that would &quot;expose consumers to the risk that their internet access will be interfered with and disrupted.&quot;

More than 8.4 million public comments have been filed on the proposal. Pai will face questions on Wednesday on the issue at a US Senate hearing.

Providers say they strongly support open internet rules and will not block or throttle legal websites even without legal requirements.

But some providers have said paid prioritisation may make sense at times, citing self-driving cars and healthcare information.

The Internet Association said it was &quot;open to alternative legal bases for the rules, either via legislative action codifying the existing net neutrality rules or via sound legal theories offered by the commission.&quot;

But it said Pai&#39;s proposal &quot;offers no clear alternatives&quot;.

The clash occurred over whether a landmark 2015 net neutrality order barring the blocking or slowing of web content should be scrapped by the US Federal Communications Commission

Tech companies clashed with internet service providers over whether a landmark 2015 net neutrality order barring the blocking or slowing of web content should be scrapped by the US Federal Communications Commission. A group representing major technology firms including Alphabet and Facebook urged the FCC to abandon plans to rescind the rules barring internet service providers from hindering consumer access to web content or offering paid "fast lanes." The Internet Association said in its filing with the FCC that dismantling the rules "will create significant uncertainty in the market and upset the careful balance that has led to the current virtuous circle of innovation in the broadband ecosystem." The rollback would harm consumers, added the group, which also represents Amazon.com , Microsoft , Netflix, Twitter, and Snap. Major internet service providers including AT&T, Comcast, and Charter Communications urged the FCC, however, to reverse the rules enacted during former President Barack Obama's administration, even as they vowed not to hinder internet access. Verizon Communications said the Obama order had "injected uncertainty into the marketplace, restricted innovation, and chilled investment." It called the prospect of future rate regulation "a toxic approach if the goal is to encourage investment or the entrance of new competitors into the market." Comcast said the order "represented an unfortunate, unnecessary, and profoundly unwise wrong-turn for the broadband economy and consumers more broadly." AT&T said the FCC in 2015 "grossly exaggerated the need for public-utility-style regulation while ignoring its costs." White House spokesman Sean Spicer declined to weigh in, noting the FCC was an independent agency. 'Paid Prioritisation' In May, the FCC voted 2-1 to advance Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's plan to withdraw the former Obama administration's order reclassifying internet service providers as if they were utilities. Pai has asked that if in the event the FCC reverses that order, whether it has the authority or should keep any regulations limiting internet providers' ability to block, throttle or offer "fast lanes" to some websites, known as "paid prioritisation". Pai, who argues the Obama order was unnecessary and harms jobs and investment, has not committed to retaining any rules, but said he favours an "open internet." The Internet Association said there was "no reliable evidence" that investment by providers had fallen. Twelve state attorney general including from Illinois and California urged the FCC not to overturn the Obama rules, saying that would "expose consumers to the risk that their internet access will be interfered with and disrupted." More than 8.4 million public comments have been filed on the proposal. Pai will face questions on Wednesday on the issue at a US Senate hearing. Providers say they strongly support open internet rules and will not block or throttle legal websites even without legal requirements. But some providers have said paid prioritisation may make sense at times, citing self-driving cars and healthcare information. The Internet Association said it was "open to alternative legal bases for the rules, either via legislative action codifying the existing net neutrality rules or via sound legal theories offered by the commission." But it said Pai's proposal "offers no clear alternatives".

Major tech firms, internet providers clash over US net neutrality rules

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Iran Issues a New Threat to Attack American Interests in West Asia

Europe pushes for digital independence amid growing backlash against US firms

US attorney general blasts American firms for 'kowtowing' to Beijing

Major tech firms, internet providers clash over US net neutrality rules