Inside Google Cloud

The former president claims the companies have unfairly censored him and other conservatives. A tech industry trade group called the class action lawsuit "frivolous."

The French Competition Authority imposed a fine of 500 million euros on Google on Tuesday for not having negotiated in good faith compensation for the media for the use of its news content, something a national law requires.

Commercial flights to the Canary Island have been called off due to an "accumulation of ash" in the air. A recent volcanic eruption on the island has forced the evacuation of thousands of residents.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai announces that the tech giant will invest $1 billion over the next five years to allow for faster and more affordable internet access and support entrepreneurship in Africa. Internet reliability is a problem in Africa where less than a third of the continent's 1.3 billion people are connected to broadband, according to the World Bank. But the continent, where nearly half the population is under 18, is a promising market.

A large cloud of ash spews from the main cone of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the island of La Palma in the Canaries, in images captured by researchers from the Spanish Geological and Mining Institute (IGME).

While Chinese papers hail the country's launch of a $233 million biodiversity fund, the Guardian warns that China is rowing back on its commitment to reduce carbon emissions. We also look at the tragic deaths of three migrants who were hit by a train in south-western France. Meanwhile, employees from Google and Amazon call on their companies to abandon a project with Israel. We end with the most striking winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards.

Experts question whether Google's planned $1 billion investment in Africa stands to benefit the continent in the long term. Instead, some see it as another avenue for big tech companies to acquire budding start-ups.

Benefitting from soaring demand for online ads, Google's parent company Alphabet reported nearly $19 billion in profits between July and September, up 68 percent from the same period last year. Microsoft's earnings also beat expectations, while French consumers are gearing up for some price hikes at the bakery.

A Moscow court ordered Google's parent company Alphabet Inc. to pay a new fine for not deleting content Russia considers illegal. The move comes as state officials seek to rein in tech giants.

A leading EU court has rejected an appeal by Google over a fine for demoting rival shopping services. The penalty was the first of three antitrust penalties.

Google suffered a resounding defeat in its appeal of a €2.4bn European Union competition fine in a judgment that bolsters the bloc's crackdown on the growing power of Silicon Valley.

Europe has just marked the second anniversary of Gaia-X. It's a cloud data project intended to help the continent achieve "digital sovereignty," but many companies remain skeptical or have simply never heard of it .