In the face of geopolitical uncertainty and U.S. hostility, “momentum for EU enlargement appears to be growing,” said Politico. Iceland and Norway, both founding members of NATO, have access to the EU’s single market via its European Economic Area but are the only Nordic countries outside the bloc. Now, Reykjavík looks set to announce the date of its promised referendum on whether to restart frozen membership talks. 

What did the commentators say?
Iceland applied to join the EU in 2009, at the peak of the country’s financial crisis. But after the economy stabilized and flourished, an incoming center-right government froze membership talks in 2013. But shockwaves caused by President Donald Trump’s recent threats to neighboring Greenland are now pushing Iceland “closer to the EU,” said Xenia Heiberg at Euractiv. Icelanders are being forced to evaluate bloc membership “not as an economic choice” but as a “question of long-term defence and geopolitical alignment.” 

Iceland is the only NATO member without an army, relying on a defense agreement with the U.S. for security. That, more than the economic benefits, is “warming public attitudes” about joining the bloc, said Politico. The sense of urgency increased last month when Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Iceland joked that the strategically important Arctic country would become the U.S.’s “52nd state.” 

A “flurry of visits” from EU politicians to Iceland and vice versa have taken place amid growing concerns. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently hosted Iceland’s Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir in Brussels (pictured above). Their partnership “offers stability and predictability in a volatile world,” said von der Leyen.

Norway, the “closest nonmember country to the EU,” has voted no in two referendums on joining the bloc, said the Financial Times. But with Trump’s tariffs and the war in Ukraine, Norway is suffering as a result of its outside status. “We are acutely aware that the delta between EU membership and EEA membership is increasing,” said Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide last fall.

What next?
Iceland’s path to EU membership “isn’t straightforward,” said Politico. Even if Icelanders vote yes in a referendum on restarting talks, there would need to be another on membership. That could be a “high bar to clear.” Norway’s leadership has, for now, ruled out another EU debate. But Oslo is closely watching Iceland’s referendum.

The Trump administration has long trumpeted its goal to automate its operational capacity through artificial intelligence models. But as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth moves to offload certain human operations into the realm of the algorithm, one tech firm has emerged as a counterbalance to the White House’s vision for an artificially intelligent military: Anthropic, which “cannot in good conscience” allow Hegseth’s Pentagon to use its AI models without limitations, said CEO Dario Amodei. 

‘Bold stand on ethical grounds’
Despite believing in the “existential importance” of using AI to protect the U.S. and “defeat our autocratic adversaries,” Anthropic has identified a “narrow set of cases” including mass domestic surveillance and “fully autonomous weapons” wherein AI can “undermine, rather than defend, democratic values,” Amodei said in a company statement. Hegseth’s allegedly retaliatory move to blacklist Anthropic is "inherently contradictory” for labeling the company a security risk and simultaneously “essential to national security.” 

Hegseth's “heaviest-handed way you can regulate a business” marks a “landmark moment” for how the Pentagon “interacts with our cutting-edge technology developed on U.S. soil” in general, said Katie Sweeten, a former Justice Department official who coordinated the relationship between the DOJ and the Pentagon, at Politico. While Amodei's company faces a government ban, his “main rival,” OpenAI's Sam Altman, "struck his own deal” to fill Anthropic's Defense Department role, said CBS News. 

By “refusing to bow” to a White House intent on “bullying private companies into submission,” Amodei is “taking a bold stand on ethical grounds,” said The Atlantic. While the company’s competitors “jockey for dominance” in the field, Anthropic has “distinguished itself by emphasizing safety.” 

Negotiation vs. regulation
Anthropic is “rightly concerned” that its products could be used for “unsafe or malicious” ends, said former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall at The New York Times. But the company is wrong for trying to use “contractual terms” to either “prevent the misuse of its products” or at least “deflect responsibility.” But Anthropic also has the option to not sell to the government at all. The government, meanwhile, “cannot be expected to negotiate provisions” like Anthropic is asking for with all its partners, which would be a “nightmare to administer and unenforceable.” What, then, could be “appropriate” to address this debate? “Regulation by Congress.”

Giraffe calf Mumbi makes her public debut at Germany’s Opel Zoo. Born 10 days ago after a gestation of 15 months, the reticulated giraffe was given a Kenyan name to reflect her origins in Africa, where only 21,000 of the endangered species remain.
Andreas Arnold / DPA /Alamy Live News

There’s no one way to do spring break. Embrace the snow and take a ski trip. Disappear off-grid to a remote locale. Flee the cold and head to the beach. Let these ideas inspire your bespoke getaway.

Race down the slopes
Sure, you are on spring break, but it's still a winter wonderland at Canada’s Club Med Québec Charlevoix. This mountain escape offers “crisp air” and a “place to truly unwind,” said Fodor's Travel. The slopes overlook the St. Lawrence River, and because the property is all-inclusive, lift passes, group ski lessons for kids, teens and adults, and unlimited ski-in/ski-out access are included in every stay.

Savor the great outdoors
In the heart of Chile’s spectacular Torres del Paine National Park is Hotel Las Torres Patagonia (pictured above), a family-owned lodge giving guests the chance to choose between dozens of different guided experiences, each showing a different side of Patagonia. Torres del Paine’s “rugged wilderness” is a “dreamscape,” filled with grasslands, “jagged granite peaks” and “glacier-fed lakes,” making it a “rewarding” spot for hikers, said Afar. 

Hit the sand and links
Everything you need for an “unforgettable tropical escape” can be found at Tryall Golf & Beach Club, Montego Bay, Jamaica, said Forbes. There’s a world-class golf course, a beach club, tennis and pickleball facilities, and a luxurious spa, plus an untouched, private stretch of shoreline that’s more than a mile long. It’s the perfect location to splash around or plop a chair, soak up the sun and watch the waves.