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Saudi Arabia, India Strengthen Cooperation in the Field of Space for Peaceful Purposes

The agreement was part of the official agenda of the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Kingdom - SPA
The agreement was part of the official agenda of the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Kingdom - SPA
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Saudi Arabia, India Strengthen Cooperation in the Field of Space for Peaceful Purposes

The agreement was part of the official agenda of the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Kingdom - SPA
The agreement was part of the official agenda of the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Kingdom - SPA

The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Space Agency (SSA), signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of the Republic of India, represented by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), with the aim of enhancing cooperation in the field of space for peaceful purposes.
According to a press release issued by the SSA, the agreement was part of the official agenda of the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Kingdom. It was signed on behalf of the Saudi side by Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Space Agency Abdullah Alswaha and on behalf of the Indian side by Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in the presence of a number of officials from both sides, SPA reported.
The memorandum of understanding aims to enhance cooperation in areas such as satellite capacity development, the advancement of space sciences and exploration, and the practical application of space technologies to serve various sectors. It also seeks to stimulate research and development, entrepreneurship, and academic engagement in the space technology sector.
In a statement following the signing ceremony, Alswaha affirmed that the partnership in the field of space for peaceful purposes between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of India represents an important step toward strengthening collaboration in space exploration and the development of space technologies. This partnership will contribute to economic diversification, promote sustainable growth for both friendly countries, and help build a future founded on innovation and science.
CEO of the Saudi Space Agency Dr. Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi explained that the memorandum represents a significant strategic step toward the development of joint projects that enrich knowledge, support progress in the space sector, and enhance the standing of both countries in this field at the regional and global levels.
He pointed out that the memorandum of understanding comes as part of the broader international cooperation efforts adopted by the Kingdom, aiming to harness space-related technologies in the service of development and scientific discovery.
This partnership is expected to contribute to a qualitative leap in the development of capabilities and skills in both friendly nations, raise the level of scientific, research, and technical cooperation in the space sector, and stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship in this vital field.

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Report: France Aims to Ban Under-15s from Social Media from September 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron holds a press conference during a European Union leaders' summit, in Brussels, Belgium December 19, 2025. (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron holds a press conference during a European Union leaders' summit, in Brussels, Belgium December 19, 2025. (Reuters)
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Report: France Aims to Ban Under-15s from Social Media from September 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron holds a press conference during a European Union leaders' summit, in Brussels, Belgium December 19, 2025. (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron holds a press conference during a European Union leaders' summit, in Brussels, Belgium December 19, 2025. (Reuters)

France plans to ban children under 15 from social media sites and to prohibit mobile phones in high schools from September 2026, local media reported on Wednesday, moves that underscore rising public angst over the impact of online harms on minors.

President Emmanuel Macron has often pointed to social media as one of the factors to blame for violence among young people and has signaled he wants France to follow Australia, whose world-first ‌ban for under-16s ‌on social media platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok ‌and ⁠YouTube came into force ‌in December.

Le Monde newspaper said Macron could announce the measures in his New Year's Eve national address, due to be broadcast at 1900 GMT. His government will submit draft legislation for legal checks in early January, Le Monde and France Info reported.

The Elysee and the prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reports.

Mobile phones have been banned ⁠in French primary and middle schools since 2018 and the reported new changes would extend that ban ‌to high schools. Pupils aged 11 to ‍15 attend middle schools in the French ‍educational system.

France also passed a law in 2023 requiring social platforms to ‍obtain parental consent for under-15s to create accounts, though technical challenges have impeded its enforcement.

Macron said in June he would push for regulation at the level of the European Union to ban access to social media for all under-15s after a fatal stabbing at a school in eastern France shocked the nation.

The European Parliament in ⁠November urged the EU to set minimum ages for children to access social media to combat a rise in mental health problems among adolescents from excessive exposure, although it is member states which impose age limits. Various other countries have also taken steps to regulate children's access to social media.

Macron heads into the New Year with his domestic legacy in tatters after his gamble on parliamentary elections in 2024 led to a hung parliament, triggering France's worst political crisis in decades that has seen a succession of weak governments.

However, cracking down further on minors' access to social media could prove popular, according to opinion ‌polls. A Harris Interactive survey in 2024 showed 73% of those canvassed supporting a ban on social media access for under-15s.

Technology

Poland Urges Brussels to Probe TikTok Over AI-Generated Content

The TikTok logo is pictured outside the company's US head office in Culver City, California, US, September 15, 2020. (Reuters)
The TikTok logo is pictured outside the company's US head office in Culver City, California, US, September 15, 2020. (Reuters)
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Poland Urges Brussels to Probe TikTok Over AI-Generated Content

The TikTok logo is pictured outside the company's US head office in Culver City, California, US, September 15, 2020. (Reuters)
The TikTok logo is pictured outside the company's US head office in Culver City, California, US, September 15, 2020. (Reuters)

Poland has asked the European Commission to investigate TikTok after the social media platform hosted AI-generated content including calls for Poland to withdraw from the EU, it said on Tuesday, adding that the content was almost certainly Russian disinformation.

"The disclosed content poses a threat to public order, information security, and the integrity of democratic processes in Poland and across the European Union," Deputy Digitalization Minister Dariusz Standerski said in a letter sent to the Commission.

"The nature of ‌the narratives, ‌the manner in which they ‌are distributed, ⁠and the ‌use of synthetic audiovisual materials indicate that the platform is failing to comply with the obligations imposed on it as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP)," he added.

A Polish government spokesperson said on Tuesday the content was undoubtedly Russian disinformation as the recordings contained Russian syntax.

TikTok, representatives ⁠of the Commission and of the Russian embassy in Warsaw did not ‌immediately respond to Reuters' requests for ‍comment.

EU countries are taking ‍measures to head off any foreign state attempts to ‍influence elections and local politics after warning of Russian-sponsored espionage and sabotage. Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in foreign elections.

Last year, the Commission opened formal proceedings against social media firm TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, over its suspected failure to limit election interference, notably in ⁠the Romanian presidential vote in November 2024.

Poland called on the Commission to initiate proceedings in connection with suspected breaches of the bloc's sweeping Digital Services Act, which regulates how the world's biggest social media companies operate in Europe.

Under the Act, large internet platforms like X, Facebook, TikTok and others must moderate and remove harmful content like hate speech, racism or xenophobia. If they do not, the Commission can impose fines of up to 6% ‌of their worldwide annual turnover.

Technology

Saudi National Cybersecurity Authority Launches Service to Verify Suspicious Links

Saudi National Cybersecurity Authority Launches Service to Verify Suspicious Links
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Saudi National Cybersecurity Authority Launches Service to Verify Suspicious Links

Saudi National Cybersecurity Authority Launches Service to Verify Suspicious Links

The National Cybersecurity Authority has launched the “Tahqaq” service, aimed at enabling members of the public to proactively and safely deal with circulated links and instantly verify their reliability before visiting them.

This initiative comes within the authority’s strategic programs designed to empower individuals to enhance their cybersecurity, SPA reported.

The authority noted that the “Tahqaq” service allows users to scan circulated links and helps reduce the risks associated with using and visiting suspicious links that may lead to unauthorized access to data. The service also provides cybersecurity guidance to users, mitigating emerging cyber risks and boosting cybersecurity awareness across all segments of society.

The “Tahqaq” service is offered as part of the National Portal for Cybersecurity Services (Haseen) in partnership with the authority’s technical arm, the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE). The service is available through the unified number on WhatsApp (+966118136644), as well as via the Haseen portal website at tahqaq.haseen.gov.sa.