TECHNOLOGY
MPs question UK Palantir contracts after investigation reveals security concerns | Palantir
UK MPs have raised concerns about the government’s contracts with Palantir after an investigation published in Switzerland highlighted allegations about the suitability and security of its products.
The investigation by the Zurich-based research collective WAV and the Swiss online magazine Republik details Palantir’s efforts, over the course of seven years, to sell its products to Swiss federal agencies.
Palantir is a US company that provides software to integrate and analyse data scattered across different systems, such as in the health service. It also provides artificial intelligence-enabled military targeting systems.
The investigation cites an expert report, internal to the Swiss army, that assessed Palantir’s status as a US company meant there was a possibility sensitive data shared with it could be accessed by the US government and intelligence services.
British MPs have voiced concerns over the US data company in light of the report.
“Palantir … is an organisation that the British government, in terms of the NHS, in terms of contracts, should stay very far away from … I think the Swiss army is right to be suspicious,” said the Labour MP Clive Lewis.
The government “needs to undertake transparent due diligence” on the conduct of Palantir and other big tech companies, said Rachael Maskell, the MP for York Central.
“I know there were certainly questions in the NHS about Palantir’s capabilities. It’s clearly been handed a lot of money to do the federated data platform. I, as a politician, want to know that these companies are making ethical choices. And if they’re not – whether around weaponry, minerals or the climate – I think we as parliament should be given greater transparency around this.”
The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer (third from left), tours the Palantir headquarters in New York in February. Photograph: Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images
The year-long investigation is based on freedom of information requests to Swiss government departments. It details how Palantir went on a seven-year “shopping trip” trying to convince Swiss authorities to use its products and was rejected at least nine times by different agencies.
In response to a query from the Guardian, a Palantir spokesperson said: “There is no basis to the claim in the report by the Swiss army about potential access to sensitive data and no truth to it whatsoever.
“We run a business that is predicated on the trust of our customers, which means we also do everything possible – from contractual, procedural, to technical controls – to ensure that our customers are in full control of their data, their operations and their decisions when using Palantir software.”
In 2020, in the early days of the pandemic, Palantir pitched its services to Swiss health authorities – while touting its work with the NHS, which had just begun to use its tools to manage Covid-19 data.
“We are already doing this in other countries, such as Great Britain, but we feel a special obligation to Switzerland and the federal chancellor,” it wrote.
Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) ultimately chose not to work with Palantir in managing the pandemic. The exact reasons for this were redacted: it hired a competitor instead. In meeting minutes obtained by the journalists, the office stated: “Problem: Communications. FOPH demands that Palantir be questioned.”
At the same time, Palantir was trying to win contracts with the Swiss army. These meetings began in 2018. In 2020, it submitted a bid for the “IT system of the army’s intelligence service” and was rejected for unspecified reasons.
In 2024, it tried again. By this time, the UK’s Ministry of Defence had signed its first £75m contract with Palantir for data tools. After a meeting between Palantir’s European head and a Swiss army commander, the army commissioned an internal report to evaluate the products Palantir was offering.
That report, authored by army experts, concluded that it remained unclear – based on their information about Palantir’s products – whether or not US intelligence would be able to access data shared with Palantir as it was a US company, despite Palantir’s official reassurances otherwise.
The finding is “explosive”, wrote the journalists. “Firstly, because it comes from a high-ranking body of the army and, secondly, because the Swiss Federal Department of Defence (VBS) employs certified cryptologists.”
Experts in the Swiss army also found other issues with Palantir’s offerings to the military, both in terms of its cost and the fact that using Palantir’s technologies might require Palantir specialists to be permanently onsite, which could “limit the army’s ability to act in crisis situations”.
The Swiss army decided not to contract Palantir. Less than a year after it commissioned the report, the UK military would sign a £750m deal with Palantir to “boost military AI and innovation”.
WAV and Republik’s findings have generated debate across Europe, especially in Germany. The head of Germany’s domestic intelligence service, Sinan Selen, warned European security services to be cautious in any use of US software in public comments last week without naming Palantir specifically.
An activist dressed as the US president, Donald Trump, takes part in a protest against Palantir in Berlin in September. Photograph: Omer Messinger/Getty Images
Several German states including Bavaria, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg in recent months have chosen Palantir analysis software for their police forces or, as is the case with North Rhine-Westphalia, paved a legal path toward using it or comparable services.
The MP Konstantin von Notz, an intelligence expert with the opposition Greens and former head of Germany’s parliamentary oversight committee for the secret services, has been vocal in his opposition to Palantir.
In an emailed statement to the Guardian after the Swiss revelations, Von Notz underlined his view that the German interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt, who has said he is reviewing whether to allow police across the country to use the US software, “must finally say goodbye to Palantir”.
Von Notz welcomed the Swiss decision to do without the “highly controversial US company which has close ties to Donald Trump”.
This is Follow the Money, our weekly series that unpacks the earnings, business, and scaling strategies of African fintechs and financial institutions. A new edition drops every Monday.
From January 2026, sending ₦50,000 ($34.14) through your bank app could cost you ₦100 in transfer fees. Not because banks suddenly changed their pricing, but because the Nigerian government has changed who pays for electronic transfers.
Five years after replacing stamp duty with the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), Nigeria is reintroducing stamp duties, according to new budget documents, and the shift will change how everyday transfers work. Introduced in 2020, EMTL imposed a flat, one-off ₦50 charge on electronic transfers of ₦10,000 ($6.83) and above, paid by the receiver, as part of the government’s push to diversify revenue away from oil and tap into Nigeria’s booming e-payments market, which hit ₦1 quadrillion in 2024.
However, under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, EMTL has been renamed stamp duty and expanded to include duties payable on chargeable instruments, including tax stamps, electronic tagging, electronic receipts, and certificate issuance.
“Compliance with the approved Regulations governing the administration of Stamp Duties will be enforced to ensure full collections over the medium term,” the Nigerian government wrote in a budget document.
For transfers, the ₦50 charge will no longer be a one-off deduction on funds received. From 2026, the obligation shifts to the sender, turning stamp duty into an additional cost layered on top of existing transfer fees.
While the shift from EMTL to stamp duty rewrites who bears the cost of digital payments, it also makes what was once an invisible deduction on money received become a visible, repeated expense on every transfer sent, reshaping consumer behaviour, fintech pricing models, and the government’s long-term bet on electronic payments as a dependable revenue stream.
How it affects transfers
Today, most bank customers already pay transfer fees: ₦10 for transfers below ₦5,000; ₦25 for transfers between ₦5,001 and ₦50,000; ₦50 for transfers above ₦50,000.
From 2026, sending ₦10,000 or more will cost between ₦75 and ₦100 per transfer, depending on the amount. While the money received stays whole, the sender pays more in transfer fees.
For businesses, this technically removes the need to pass on an extra ₦50 deduction to customers receiving payments. For PoS agents, who often bake every possible charge into withdrawal fees, it eliminates the extra ₦50 deduction on transfers above ₦10,000. This increases the transfer burden for transaction initiators, unlike before, when it was split between both the receiver and sender.
For fintechs like OPay and PalmPay, which built growth on cheap or outright free transfers, transactions above ₦10,000 will now come at an extra cost to senders. Digital payments in Nigeria grew because they were fast, simple, and relatively affordable. Each new layer of fees chips away at that advantage. While stamp duty will help fund the growing needs of governance, Nigerians will pay for it, ₦50 at a time, every time they send money, across all platforms.
The numbers
EMTL is a small but growing source of government revenue. It generated ₦219.11 billion ($149.61 million) in 2024, beating its ₦174.24 billion ($118.98 million) projection. Between January and July 2025 alone, it had already earned ₦211.75 billion ($144.59 million), over 92% of its ₦228.85 billion ($156.27 million) full-year target.
That growth was driven largely by the extension of the levy to fintech platforms such as OPay, PalmPay, and Moniepoint. Initially, EMTL applied only to banks. Since December 2024, fintech transactions have been brought fully into the net
With the expanded stamp duty regime, the government is projecting ₦456.07 billion ($311.42 million) in revenue in 2026, rising to ₦579.82 billion ($395.92 million) in 2027 and ₦752.45 billion ($513.79 million) in 2028. These figures are already baked into medium-term budget planning, making stamp duty a key pillar of fiscal certainty.
Also, under EMTL, revenue was shared between the federal government (15%), state governments (50%), and local governments (35%). Under the new tax law, the federal share drops to 10%, while states take 55%.
Replacing EMTL with stamp duty is part of a broader package of tax reforms set to take effect in January 2026. “The new tax laws were enacted to improve tax collection and grow non-oil revenue,” the government said in a new budget document.
The extra ₦50 people have to pay is insignificant in isolation, but multiplied across millions of daily transfers, it adds up to hundreds of billions for the government, and steadily erodes affordability for Nigerians who rely on digital payments to move money quickly and cheaply.
Exchange rate used: ₦1,464.5/$
Uber and Lyft will start testing Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxis in London in 2026, joining Waymo and local startup Wayve as companies that will have autonomous vehicles in the city next year.
Lyft CEO David Risher said in a post on X and LinkedIn that Lyft will start testing once it receives local regulatory approval. His company “plans to scale to hundreds” of Baidu’s electric RT6 SUVs from there, though he did not lay out a timeline for commercial launch.
Uber announced it plans to test the vehicles there next year as part of its own deal with Baidu, which the companies announced in July. The company said it expects to start testing in the first half of 2026.
The twin London rollouts are the latest in a series of robotaxi tie-ups that have seen Uber and Lyft strike deals with Baidu, Waymo, and many others in order to stand up operations in cities around the world.
TECHNOLOGY
How Energy Software Development Services Strengthen Reliability and Continuity in the Power Sector
Reliability and continuity have become defining priorities for Europe’s power sector. As energy systems grow more interconnected and regulated, the margin for error continues to shrink. Businesses depend on uninterrupted energy supply, regulators expect transparency and traceability, and consumers increasingly perceive stability as a baseline requirement rather than a differentiator.
In this environment, reliability is no longer secured solely through physical infrastructure. Digital systems play a critical supporting role, enabling energy providers to coordinate operations, manage complexity, and maintain continuity across increasingly distributed and data-intensive environments.
Reliability as an Organisational Challenge, Not Just a Technical One
Modern energy providers operate within a complex ecosystem shaped by fluctuating demand, regulatory obligations, and growing volumes of operational data. While technical failures remain a concern, many reliability risks stem from organisational fragmentation rather than infrastructure alone.
Disparate systems, inconsistent data flows, and limited visibility across departments can weaken operational awareness and slow decision-making. When information does not move efficiently between teams responsible for generation, distribution, compliance, and reporting, continuity becomes harder to maintain, even in otherwise well-structured organisations.
Digital solutions address this challenge by improving coordination, standardising processes, and ensuring that accurate, timely information is available where it is needed. Rather than replacing human expertise, software supports clearer oversight and more informed decision-making.
How Custom Energy Software Development Services Support Operational Stability?
Effective energy software development services focus on aligning technology with how organisations actually operate. Custom software solutions are designed around real workflows, responsibilities, and regulatory requirements, enabling energy providers to manage operations more predictably and with fewer disruptions.
By supporting planning, reporting, monitoring, and cross-department coordination, custom platforms reduce uncertainty and improve operational resilience. Incremental digitalisation allows organisations to modernise legacy environments without interrupting critical processes, ensuring continuity while capabilities evolve.
Generic, one-size-fits-all tools often struggle to accommodate the regulatory and organisational complexity of the energy sector. In contrast, custom-built solutions adapt to the realities on the ground, supporting long-term stability rather than short-term fixes. When digital systems reflect established processes and operational logic, they become an integral part of maintaining reliability rather than an additional source of risk.
The Role of Industry Experience in Energy Digitalisation
Industry understanding is a decisive factor in delivering reliable digital solutions. Energy sector digitalisation requires more than technical competence; it demands familiarity with regulatory constraints, asset-intensive operations, and the importance of business continuity.
Technology partners with sector experience are better positioned to translate operational requirements into practical, scalable systems. By focusing on usability, data accuracy, integration, and long-term maintainability, experienced teams help organisations strengthen cooperation across departments and reduce dependency on manual workarounds.
Companies such as Softech approach energy digitalisation as a support function for business operations, building software that reinforces coordination and continuity rather than disrupting existing workflows. This pragmatic approach ensures that digital solutions enhance reliability through better collaboration and operational clarity.
Continuity Through Intelligent Cooperation
A reliable power system depends as much on cooperation as on resources. Digital platforms that improve transparency and align processes across organisational boundaries help energy providers maintain service continuity in a changing environment.
Well-designed software solutions make it easier to anticipate issues, respond to change, and ensure consistency between what energy providers deliver and what consumers and regulators expect. By strengthening cooperation between systems, teams, and stakeholders, digital tools contribute directly to the resilience of the power sector.
As energy markets continue to evolve, reliability and continuity will remain central concerns. Energy software development services that prioritise operational alignment, industry understanding, and long-term partnership will play an increasingly important role in supporting stable, sustainable energy systems.
Airtel Africa has announced that its Undergraduate Tech Scholarship (2025/2026) has opened applications in Nigeria. The program, championed by Airtel Africa Foundation, targets 100 undergraduate students enrolled in selected public universities.
Airtel explained that the programme is dedicated to supporting undergraduates studying ICT and technology-related courses. The mission is to help remove financial barriers and strengthen Nigeria’s future digital workforce.
“This scholarship is part of the broader Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship, a pan-African initiative focused on expanding access to STEM education for young Africans from underserved backgrounds,” it said.
The program, which will receive applications from December 18 to December 14, is open to 100-level students from the following seven public universities in Nigeria:
- University of Lagos (UNILAG).
- University of Nigeria (UNN).
- Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU).
- University of Benin (UNIBEN).
- Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).
- University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).
- Tai Solarin University of Education (TASEUD).
Selected beneficiaries of the Airtel Africa Tech Scholarship will receive support throughout their undergraduate study. This includes tuition coverage, monthly stipends, accommodation support and study materials.
This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to apply for the scholarship.
Also Read: How to onboard and submit your final-year project on the NERD portal.
Eligibility Status
Applicants who meet the following criteria are qualified to apply for the scholarship.
- The Fellowship will only apply to students admitted into any one of the 7 participating public universities (UNILAG, UNN, ABU, UNIBEN, OAU, UNILORIN, and TASUED).
- Applicants must not be recipients of any scholarship or grant that caters to indigent students.
- Only open to 100-level students.
- The Candidate must demonstrate financial need to be eligible for the program.
- Scored a minimum of 230 in JAMB.
- Possess 5 credits, including English and mathematics, in one sitting.
- Applicants must have JAMB results and an admission letter, a School ID card and a WAEC or NECO certificate/ result to be shortlisted.
- Applicants must be pursuing any of the following STEM courses. Information Technology, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Computer Technology, Data Science, Software engineering, Library and Information Science, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Telecommunication Engineering, and other tech or ICT-related fields.
Documents needed
Applicants will need to upload scanned copies of the following as part of the application:
- A recent passport-sized photograph of the applicant in JPEG format (not more than 200kb).
- University admission letter
- Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) result
- O-Level Result(s)/ A-Level /OND /NCE Result(s), as applicable.
How to apply
1. Onboarding
Step 1: On your device, type the URL – https://bit.ly/airtelfellowship2025– to access the scholarship portal, and click on ‘Apply Now.’
Step 2: Click on ‘Register’ to create an account.
Airtel Africa Foundation – Onboarding
Step 3: Supply necessary details and create a strong password. Ensure the email is active. Then, click on ‘Register.’
Step 4: Verify your account via the email sent to the email address provided.
2. Application
Step 1: Locate the portal and log in with your email and password.
Step 2: Click on the four dashes at the top left-hand corner, then ‘My Account+,’ then click on ‘My Profile.’
Airtel Africa Scholarship – Application
Step 3: Click on ‘Personal Information’ to supply the necessary biometric data, such as name, NIN, marital status, and phone number. Click on ‘Update’ to save your progress.
Step 4: Click on ‘Additional Information’ to supply personal details such as address, nationality, academic referee, next of kin and parents’ details. Click on ‘Update’ to save your progress.
Step 5: Click on ‘Passport Photograph’ to upload the picture from your device.
Note that the photograph must be in colour and of a size of 450px by 450px. The background should be a plain light colored background, and it must present a full head from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin. Click on ‘Upload file’ to save your progress.
Tip: Click here to resize your picture to 450px by 450px online.
Step 6: Click on ‘Secondary Level’ to provide details of your secondary education status and schools attended. Save your progress by clicking on ‘Update.’
Step 7: Click on ‘O-Level Details,’ and provide details of at least 5 credits of your O-Level result. You are to type the subject name, followed by a space and the grade. For instance: Biology A1. Click on ‘Update’ to save your progress.
Airtel Africa Scholarship – Application
Step 8: Click on ‘Undergraduate Level’ and provide details of your undergraduate education, including entry details and current status. Click on ‘Update’ to save your progress.
Step 9: Click on ‘Documents’ to upload the necessary documents for the scholarship. Documents required for uploading are university admission letter, UTME result, School ID card and O’ Level Result(s)/ ‘A’ Level /OND /NCE Result(s), as applicable.
Note that the documents are expected to be either JPEG, MS Word (.doc or .docx) or PDF format and no larger than 500kb in size.
Step 10: Click on ‘Bank Details’ to provide your bank account name and account number. Tap on ‘Add Account’.
Note: For ‘Sort Code,’ you can visit your bank branch to ask for their sort code.
Airtel Africa Scholarship – Application
Also Read: Complete guide on how to apply for the NYSC YouthCred loan.
3. Submission
Here is where you’ll complete your Airtel Fellowship Application and review your submissions.
Step 1: On your profile, click on ‘Active Scholarships’.
Step 2: Then, click the ‘View/Apply’ beside the Airtel Africa Fellowship/2025 Airtel Fellowship Program.
Step 3: You’ll be directed to the Airtel Fellowship homepage. Click on ‘Apply Now.’
If you’re yet to supply the necessary details or upload all required documents, you’ll be asked to make adjustments. But if you’ve supplied all necessary details, you’ll see a notification with the heading ‘Profile Complete!’
Airtel Africa Scholarship – Submission
Step 4: Tick the box to confirm the authenticity of the information supplied.
Step 5: Scroll down to review the information supplied. Once self-vetted, click on ‘Apply’ to submit your application.
What’s next after submission?
You’re advised to keep checking your profile time-to-time for the next line of action.
As in previous editions of such scholarship programs, you’ll likely be required to print an Attestation letter from your profile. This will be signed by your HOD, then re-upload the signed copy on your dashboard.
The Airtel Foundation pointed out that it will consider gender diversity as part of the selection criteria.
Chinese robotaxis could be set to hit UK roads in 2026 as ride-sharing apps Uber and Lyft announce partnerships with Baidu to trial the tech.
The two companies are hoping to obtain approval from regulators to test the autonomous vehicles in London.
Baidu’s Apollo Go driverless taxi service already operates in dozens of cities, mostly in China, and has accrued millions of rides without a human behind the wheel.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said the news was “another vote of confidence in our plans for self-driving vehicles” – but many remain sceptical about their safety.
“We’re planning for self-driving cars to carry passengers for the first time from spring, under our pilot scheme – harnessing this technology safely and responsibly to transform travel,” Ms Alexander said in a post on X.
Uber said in June it would bring its plans to trial UK driverless cars forward as the government sought to accelerate framework to allow pilots of small autonomous “bus and taxi like” commercial services in 2026.
“We’re excited to accelerate Britain’s leadership in the future of mobility, bringing another safe and reliable travel option to Londoners next year,” it said of its Baidu partnership on Monday.
Lyft said in August it would look to deploy driverless taxis in the UK and Germany as part of a European agreement with Baidu.
It already operates “autonomous rides” in Atlanta, US – where Uber also operates a robotaxi service through its partnership with Waymo.
Lyft chief executive David Risher said in a post on X on Monday London passengers would be “the first in the region to experience Baidu’s Apollo Go vehicles”.
But both firms still need to convince regulators.
Mr Risher said if green lit, Lyft’s initial fleet of dozens of Baidu Apollo Go cars would begin testing next year “with plans to scale to hundreds from there”.
But Jack Stilgoe, professor of science and technology policy at University College London, said driverless cars “can’t just scale up like other digital technologies”.
“There’s a big difference between having a few test vehicles using public streets as their laboratory and a fully-developed, scaled-up system that becomes a real transport option for people,” he told the BBC.
Self-driving vehicles have often been lauded as the future of transport, with some claiming they make fewer errors than human drivers.
But many people remain uneasy about the safety of taxis without a human operator.
Almost 60% of UK respondents to a YouGov poll in October said they would not feel comfortable riding in a driverless taxi under any circumstances.
Many also expressed a lack of trust in the tech, with 85% saying they would opt for a cab with a human driver if given the same price and convenience.
Instances of autonomous vehicles making mistakes, trapping passengers in cars and causing traffic jams or accidents also continue to make headlines.
Self-driving taxi operator Waymo reportedly suspended its service in San Francisco on Saturday after some of its vehicles stopped working during a power cut.
Prof Stilgoe said amid concerns about their safety, as well as privacy and the potential to add to congestion, the UK should lead in “setting standards for the technology”.
“London has been really successful at getting cars out of its city centre,” he said.
“When it comes to traffic, the only thing worse than a single-occupancy car is a zero-occupancy one.”
Uber and Lyft are both planning to launch driverless taxi trials in London in 2026, in separate partnerships with Chinese tech giant Baidu.
The move reinforces the UK‘s role as Europe’s leading testbed for commercialising robotaxis, fuelled by the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 which provides a legal framework for driverless car liability.
It also sets the scene for the competing trials between US and Chinese autonomous giants for the first time in a European capital, following Alphabet-owned Waymo’s recent start of supervised tests in London.
Lyft’s boss, revealed the trials would use Apollo Go RT6 vehicles that are “purpose-built for rideshare”. Pic: Reuters
David Risher, Lyft’s boss, revealed the company’s trials would use Apollo Go RT6 vehicles that are “purpose-built for rideshare”.
“We expect to start testing our initial fleet with dozens of vehicles next year – pending regulatory approval,” Risher said.
The company “plans to scale to hundreds from there,” he added.
Baidu is racing against rivals like Waymo, owned by Google parent Alphabet, whose cars have already been seen on London’s streets.
Fully autonomous UK trials are contingent on the government finalising driverless car regulations and giving companies the go-ahead to operate.
London-based start-up Wayve is also preparing to launch driverless trials in 2026, using investment of about $1bn (£750m) led by SoftBank Group and Uber, as it tests its “mapless” AI technology on London’s complex streets.
London’s new driverless car boom mirrors a broader global surge as Baidu and WeRide expand operations in the US, Middle East and Switzerland.
For Lyft, the UK trial serves as a cornerstone of its international expansion following its $200m (£148m) acquisition of the European taxi app FreeNow this year.
Waymo self-driving cars have been seen on London’s streets. Pic: Waymo
Driverless cars on the streets of London
London, often associated with the famous black cab, should see simultaneous tests of self-driving cars next year.
The UK’s 2024 automated vehicles act shifted legal responsibility for incidents from the person in the car to the “authorised self-driving entity.”
Self-driving taxis have become a regular feature on San Francisco’s roads and recently launched in Tokyo.
Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Driver’s Association told Sky News in October that he wasn’t currently concerned about competition with driverless taxis.
“It’s a novelty, it is a gimmick. It is the solution that we don’t need. Who needs a driverless cab?” he said.
He did not think Londoners would trust the taxis, let alone “put their kids in one to go to school”.
‘Why is this thing going in a circle? I am getting dizzy,’ says the passenger Mike Johns.
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In response, Waymo told Sky News it “provides hundreds of thousands of rides every week in the US and shared in May of this year that we’ve provided over 10,000,000 fully autonomous rides to the public”.
But releasing self-driving taxis hasn’t come without bumps in the road.
In December 2024, a “dizzy” robotaxi passenger nearly missed his flight after his cab started driving around in circles.
A 2024 study also found that while self-driving cars are safer than those driven by humans most of the time, this wasn’t the case when it is dawn, dusk, or the vehicle is turning.
During low-light conditions at dawn or dusk, they were more than five times more likely to have an accident than a car driven by a human.
TECHNOLOGY
Travel nightmare as US airspace hits maximum capacity, triggering widespread flight delays
Airports throughout the US have been overwhelmed with holiday flyers, sparking nationwide delays on one of the busiest travel days of the year.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed a traffic flow restriction starting Monday afternoon in 21 major air travel centers, including flights out of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, Boston, Miami, and Minneapolis.
At major airports, flights will likely see a departure delay of up to two hours to space out the overwhelming volume of planes flying over the US starting at 12pm ET and lasting until 6pm Monday evening.
An hourly limit has been set up on how many flights can cross the FAA’s Flow Constrained Area (FCA) boundary, a specific zone over or around the US created by the agency marking flight routes which get too busy during certain times of year.
Between 12pm and 1pm, the FAA expects the average flight to see 25-minute delays, however, those hourly slowdowns will grow to 76 minutes between 3pm and 4pm.
Maximum delays for flights traveling through the FCA are expected to reach one hour and 57 minutes.
Federal officials have designated Monday’s FCA as FCAMA5, a region which typically includes flights traveling near the Caribbean during peak travel seasons.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) has estimated that over 122 million Americans will be traveling at least 50 miles between December 20 and January 1, 2026, a new record for the holiday season.
A holiday traveler waits for her flight amid major airport delays due to high volumes of flyers before Christmas (Stock Image)
Other major US travel regions being affected by the Monday restrictions include Salt Lake City, Houston, Jacksonville, Cleveland, Denver, Oakland, Kansas City, Memphis, and Seattle.
Eleven airports throughout Canada have also been impacted by the FAA’s holiday travel announcement, including Toronto Pearson International Airport, Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport.
Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA, said: ‘Our advice is to plan ahead. Book early, allow extra time to reach your destination, and think about travel insurance if you’re flying during winter weather.’
The auto club group noted that eight million Americans are expected to fly during the final 13 days of 2025. That’s more than 180,000 more people than last holiday season.
The FAA’s FCAMA5 zone is expected to be a hotbed of activity, and major delays, this week as multiple cities in Florida rank as the most popular destinations for holiday travelers.
In their annual report, AAA revealed that Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami were the top three domestic destinations for holiday travelers this year.
Meanwhile, Cancun, Mexico and the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana were the top travel getaways internationally this week.
Due to the overwhelming demand to reach these vacation spots, the FAA will be holding planes on the ground until their assigned slot is called to take off and enter that airspace.
The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed flight restrictions in 21 US travel centers, including JFK Airport (Pictured), causing delays on flights of up to two hours (Stock Image)
As of 10am, over 1,200 flights entering or exiting the US have been delayed, with most of these early flights coming from or flying to India, Indonesia, and Australia.
For travelers heading to the airport this week, AAA recommended flyers regularly check their flight status before leaving home and also sign up for airline alerts.
Travelers are also urged to arrive at the airport early, allowing at least two hours for domestic flights and three hours if you’re leaving the US.
Due to the massive crowded expected as airport throughout the US, passengers should also pack smart and keep any vital medications, chargers, and a change of clothes in their carry-on bags.
With delays and potential cancellations now expected throughout the day, flyers should also go over their chosen airline’s policies on rebooking flights and refunds for any cancelled trips.
TikTok Shop has rolled out a new feature that allows users to purchase digital gift cards, making it easier to help friends and family buy from the millions of products on the app.
The feature was strategically launched during the holiday season — a high-stakes period for the company’s shopping division as it aims to prove its value in the market. This move into digital gifting positions TikTok Shop to compete more directly with e-commerce giants like Amazon and eBay, both of which offer gift card options. TikTok Shop has also recently expanded into luxury retail, another move to solidify its footing in e-commerce.
Users can load the gift cards with anything from $10 to $500. What sets these cards apart is the ability to personalize them using a wide variety of animated designs. There are also animations for thank you cards, birthdays, weddings, and other occasions.
Gift cards are delivered via email, and recipients must have a TikTok account. Once redeemed, the card’s value is instantly credited to their TikTok Balance. Recipients can reply with a thank-you note or even send a gift card in return.
However, the gift cards can only be purchased in the U.S. for now.
Image Credits:TikTok Shop
TikTok said it plans to add features that let users personalize gift cards more. By early 2026, users will be able to record or upload video messages to attach to their digital gift cards. A company spokesperson said the experience will also include an “interactive unboxing that captures their reaction in real-time,” but declined to share further details.
The launch of digital gift cards comes on the heels of a significant milestone for TikTok Shop: Over the four days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the app recorded sales of more than $500 million in the U.S.
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October 13-15, 2026
However, despite this achievement, TikTok Shop faces uncertainty as the sale of the app’s U.S. operations to an American investor group looms. If a sale doesn’t occur, TikTok faces a potential ban in the country. President Trump has extended the deadline to January 23, 2026, leaving the app’s future in the U.S. hanging in the balance.
Elon Musk spent Sunday being driven through Dubai’s streets by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. It wasn’t a joyride. The Tesla and SpaceX chief was there cementing partnerships that signal where global tech power is shifting — away from increasingly hostile Western markets and toward the Middle East’s open chequebook.
The visit included back-to-back meetings with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Hamdan in Dubai, focused on artificial intelligence, space exploration, and advanced technologies. According to Sheikh Hamdan’s X (formerly Twitter), the Crown Prince personally toured Musk through the city, discussing “space, technology and humanity” before ending at his majlis in Nad Al Sheba.
The timing reveals everything. Musk’s net worth hit between $648 billion, according to Bloomberg, and $749 billion, according to Forbes, this month, making him the first person to cross $700 billion. But while his wealth soars, his companies face mounting resistance elsewhere. Tesla sales collapsed 50% in Europe in April 2025 amid boycotts tied to Musk’s political alignment. In the US, the Cybertruck stumbles. Meanwhile, Dubai moves forward with the Dubai Loop.
Announced at February’s World Government Summit, the 17-kilometer underground transit system will feature 11 stations and transport over 20,000 passengers per hour at speeds up to 160 km/h. It is being developed through a partnership between Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority and Musk’s The Boring Company. Operations are expected to begin in Q2 2026, according to UAE AI Minister Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, who attended Sunday’s meetings alongside Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed and Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed.
This isn’t exploratory. It’s execution. While US and European regulators debate AI governance and antitrust actions, the UAE builds. Sheikh Hamdan emphasized that the country’s legislative frameworks, strategic partnerships, and investment in human capital continue to inspire innovation — code for “we move fast without the friction you’re facing elsewhere.”
Musk praised the UAE’s achievements in technology, AI, and space. His companies already have operational ties in the country, including space collaborations between Dubai and SpaceX and infrastructure work with The Boring Company. But this weekend’s meetings suggest both sides are doubling down. The UAE wants to cement its position as the Middle East’s undisputed tech hub. Musk wants partners who can move quickly and invest heavily while his Western markets grow complicated.
Tesla is losing the European market — here’s why
Despite, battery-electric vehicle sales across Europe growing, Tesla’s sales shrunk.
What we’re watching is geographic diversification disguised as a partnership. As regulatory environments tighten in the West and consumer sentiment shifts, the Gulf presents an alternative: less oversight, more ambition, faster timelines. Whether that produces better outcomes remains to be seen. But the capital is flowing, the projects are launching, and Musk is showing up in person.
The broader implication? The Middle East isn’t just participating in the global tech race anymore — it’s competing to host it.
December 22, 2025
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TECHNOLOGY
Your last chance to see a shooting star in 2025: Ursid meteor shower peaks tonight – here’s the best time to see it
Tonight may be your last chance to see a shooting star in 2025 – and you won’t want to miss it.
The Ursid meteor shower will reach its dazzling peak this evening, sending bright fireballs flashing through the sky.
Arriving just after the Winter Solstice, this is the perfect opportunity for budding stargazers to witness the celestial action without staying up all night.
And, with the waxing crescent moon only at five per cent of its maximum illumination, there couldn’t be a better chance to see the year’s final meteor shower.
The Ursid meteor shower will continue until December 26, but it will be at its most active tonight.
It is not typically the year’s most impressive meteor shower, with around 10 shooting stars every hour.
However, the Ursids can still offer patient sky-gazers a few surprises, with rates of 25 or more meteors in good years.
Here’s everything you need to know to see the final meteor shower of the year.
Tonight will be the last chance to see shooting stars in 2025 as the Ursid Meteor shower reaches its peak. Pictured: Ursid meteors seen over Essex
What is the Ursid meteor shower
Although it looks like meteors fall to Earth, they are actually the product of Earth sweeping up debris.
As these chunks of rock and dust hit our atmosphere at speeds up to 43 miles per second (70 km/s), friction generates enough heat to vaporise them in a flash of light.
As Earth passes through big clouds of debris left by passing comets, the number of meteors we see dramatically increases in a period known as a meteor shower.
In the case of the Ursids, the meteors are caused by the debris from the comet 8P/Tuttle, a 2.8-mile-wide peanut-shaped chunk of ice and rock which orbits the sun every 13.6 years.
Jessica Lee, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told the Daily Mail: ‘The Earth travels around the Sun in a fixed path each year.
‘The comet 8P/Tuttle also travels around the Sun in a fixed path, and as it comes in close to the Sun, it heats up, shedding more material and leaving a trail of debris in its wake.’
Since this cloud of debris is always in the same place relative to Earth, the shower always occurs at the same time of year.
At their peak, viewers with good conditions can expect to see as many as 10 shooting stars per hour, which may come in groups of bright fireballs like these meteors seen on Christmas Day over Essex
What are meteors?
A meteor is not technically a type of space rock, but rather the bright flash of light produced by falling space debris.
When a small space rock, known as a meteoroid, hits our atmosphere, friction and air pressure create an enormous amount of heat.
Eventually, this heat becomes so powerful that the rock is vaporised in a flash of glowing light.
When the number of meteors dramatically increases for a short period, scientists call this a meteor shower.
How to see the Ursid meteor shower
In addition to always appearing at the same time, meteor showers also always emerge from the same point in the sky, known as their radiant.
Ms Lee says: ‘They appear to originate from a point in the sky in the constellation of Ursa Minor, which is in the northern part of the sky all night long.
‘This is the constellation our north star, Polaris, is part of.’
However, the shooting stars can actually appear anywhere in the sky.
That means it is better to find a location with a wide view of the sky and keep your eyes focused on a point somewhat to the side of the radiant.
‘Travelling somewhere dark would help, with a clear view of lots of the sky,’ adds Ms Lee.
‘You’ll also need to let your eyes adjust to the dark, so don’t look at your phone or any other bright light source. The longer you wait, the better your chances, so make sure you wrap up warm.’
The Ursids will appear to emerge from the constellation Ursa Minor, but could be seen anywhere in the sky. For the best view, look to the North around midnight or in the pre-dawn hours when Ursa Minor (depicted here) is highest in the sky
Upcoming meteor showers
Ursids: 22 December, 2025
Quadrantids: 4 January, 2026
Lyrids: 22 April, 2026
Eta Aquariids: 6 May, 2026
Alpha Capricornids: 30 July, 2026
Dr Shyam Balaji, astrophysics expert at King’s College London, adds: ‘The best time to view the Ursids is during the predawn hours.
‘Since the shower occurs around the winter solstice, you’ll have long nights and plenty of dark skies to enhance visibility.’
Although they are not always the year’s best shower, the Ursids can produce unexpected peaks that go well beyond their normal limits.
Dr Balaji says: ‘The Ursids are generally a sparse meteor shower, producing about 5 to 10 meteors per hour under ideal conditions.
‘However, it has had notable outbursts in the past, such as in 1945 and 1986, when up to 100 meteors per hour were observed. This unpredictability keeps skywatchers interested.’
One of the best parts about watching a meteor shower is that you don’t need any special equipment at all to enjoy it.
In fact, any telescopes or binoculars will only restrict your field of view and make it harder to see the meteors.
Unfortunately, the Met Office weather forecast for tonight does not look exceptionally promising.
Unfortunately, the weather tonight will not be ideal for stargazing. The Met Office forecasts cloud cover (left) and some rainfall (right) around midnight
The next opportunity to see shooting stars will be on the night of January 4, when the Quadrantid meteor shower reaches its peak. Pictured: The Quadrantid Meteors over Northumberland
Fairly heavy cloud cover is forecast over the entire UK until December 24.
However, conditions should remain dry so you may be able to catch a break in the clouds for some late-night star watching.
If you do miss the Ursid meteor shower tonight, the next best opportunity will be the Quadrantids, which reach their peak on January 4.
The Quadrantids are one of the year’s best meteor showers, famous for their intense burst of bright fireballs.
However, the exceptionally short peak lasts only a few hours, making this shower the most challenging to observe.
After that, you will need to wait three months for the Lyrids to reach their peak on April 22.
These will be followed by the Eta Aquariid meteor shower, which peaks on May 6 with around 40 meteors per hour.
Explained: The difference between an asteroid, meteorite and other space rocks
An asteroid is a large chunk of rock left over from collisions or the early solar system. Most are located between Mars and Jupiter in the Main Belt.
A comet is a rock covered in ice, methane and other compounds. Their orbits take them much further out of the solar system.
A meteor is what astronomers call a flash of light in the atmosphere when debris burns up.
This debris itself is known as a meteoroid. Most are so small they are vapourised in the atmosphere.
If any of this meteoroid makes it to Earth, it is called a meteorite.
Meteors, meteoroids and meteorites normally originate from asteroids and comets.
For example, if Earth passes through the tail of a comet, much of the debris burns up in the atmosphere, forming a meteor shower.