BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union (EU) will continue to enforce its digital rules despite U.S. criticism, a senior EU official said, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened higher tariffs on countries imposing such regulations. European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen said on social media platform X that the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) are “sovereign legislations” applying to all online platforms operating in the bloc. “The DSA and DMA are our sovereign legislations,” she said, stressing that the rules are non-discriminatory and apply equally to all companies providing services in the EU. Trump warned on Tuesday that the United States would impose “substantial additional tariffs” and export restrictions on countries that adopt digital taxes or regulations targeting U.S. tech giants.

 

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LONDON (Reuters) - Hundreds of security staff at Britain’s parliament are set to strike over conditions and pay for two days this month, their trade union said on Tuesday. After winning an election last year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party government promised to end a wave of strikes by teachers, railway workers and doctors which caused disruption in 2023-2024. But industrial action has returned this summer at a time of high inflation, which reached its highest in 18 months in July when it increased to 3.8%. Resident doctors in England walked out for five days in July, while London’s Tube network will next week be hit by strikes. The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union will bring the strike action to the Palace of Westminster on September 3 and 10, when its members walk out over issues including pay and annual leave.

 

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BELGRADE (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of protesters have silently marched in Belgrade to commemorate the deaths of 16 people killed when a roof on a renovated railway station collapsed, demanding snap elections they hope would oust President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling SNS party. The protesters, invited by high school pupils, gathered around 7 p.m. (1700 GMT) in front of the old railway station in Belgrade. Sixteen high school pupils walked down the Savski Trg square holding one white rose while names of the victims were read. Protests were held in several other towns including Novi Sad, Kragujevac and Aleksinac. Protests have been mainly peaceful until August 13 when dozens of police officers and civilians were injured in clashes.

 

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ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) - Madagascar ceremonially received three colonial-era skulls from France on Tuesday, 128 years after they were taken from the Indian Ocean nation, including one believed to be that of a Malagasy king beheaded by French troops. Public pressure has grown in recent years for former colonial powers such as France and Britain to return artefacts taken from Africa and Asia. The skulls, presumed to belong to King Toera and two others from the Sakalava ethnic group, were formally handed over to Madagascar at a ceremony held at the French culture ministry in late August.