Napster, the brand notoriously connected to music piracy before reemerging as a subscription music service, has been sold to Infinite Reality for $207 million (€192m).

The tech startup announced it had bought Napster in hopes of transforming the streaming service into a social music platform where artists can connect with fans and better monetize off their work.

“The internet has evolved from desktop to mobile, from mobile to social, and now we are entering the immersive era,” said Napster CEO Jon Vlassopulos. “Yet, music streaming has remained largely the same. It’s time to reimagine what’s possible.”

Among its plans to update Napster, Infinite Reality said it will create virtual 3D spaces that will allow fans to attend concerts, and give musicians or labels the ability to sell digital and physical merchandise.

Artists will also receive a wider range of metrics and analytics to better understand the behavior of platform users.

“We can think of no better use case for our technology than putting it in the hands of music artists who are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,” said Infinite Reality Chief Business Officer Amish Shah.

Napster was launched in 1999 by Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker and quickly became the first significant peer-to-peer file-sharing application. It kicked off a wave of pirating software and applications, later followed by the likes of LimeWire.

Napster filed for bankruptcy in 2002 and was shut down after the record industry and rock band Metallica sued over copyright violations. Rhapsody later bought the brand in 2011 and relaunched it as a music streaming service.

World leaders will gather in Paris on Thursday for a high-stakes summit on Ukraine and to lay the groundwork for long-term security guarantees.

According to the Élysée Palace, 31 countries, including NATO allies, EU member states, and non-EU countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Norway are expected to attend.

On Wednesday evening, Macron will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris for a working dinner ahead of the summit.

“France will make the pursuit and reinforcement of military and financial support for Ukraine its top priority,” said the Élysée Palace in a statement sent to the press.

What is the ‘Coalition of the Willing?’

The summit’s primary goal is to finalise what security guarantees European nations are willing to offer — including whether they will consider deploying peacekeeping troops on the ground in Ukraine, still embroiled in Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year.

France, the UK and Ukraine are also reportedly working on presenting a peace treaty to the US, which will likely be discussed on Thursday.

The countries that agree to this deal would form a “coalition of the willing”.

Thursday’s summit comes at a pivotal moment as the United States announced it had brokered a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea.

French officials, however, remain cautious. “There’s still a long way to go,” the Élysée Palace warned, describing the agreement as a “first step” but insufficient for a lasting ceasefire.

Paris insists that all efforts are being conducted in full coordination with Washington. “All this is being done in complete transparency with our American partners,” the Élysée stated, with Macron set to brief US President Donald Trump on the summit’s outcomes.

Tensions have been escalating between the US and the EU. On Tuesday, Trump’s top national security officials laid bare their disdain for Europe in a top-secret group chat that was leaked when a journalist was mistakenly added to the conversation.

“I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s pathetic,” said US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, leaving EU officials fuming.

What are the key discussion points?

One of the summit’s primary goals is to bolster aid to Ukraine, with each participating country expected to outline what it is prepared to do.

Another focus will be securing a “complete ceasefire,” accepted by Ukraine, but on which Russia has yet to state its position.

But France remains sceptical of any Russian promises. “We know what kind of cheating and manipulation Russia has already shown itself capable of,” an Élysée source remarked.

Thirdly, to provide long-term support for the Ukrainian army as Europe’s “first line of defence… to prevent further Russian aggression,” said Macron’s entourage.

The most sensitive issue, however, will be the possible establishment of a “reassurance force.”

This could involve deploying peacekeeping troops, an option strongly backed by France and the UK.

The question of whether to send peacekeeping troops is a thorny subject among the 27-nation bloc, with countries such as Italy and Poland opposing this outcome.

FINAL NOTICE: IMO STATE GOVERNMENT TO BEGIN DEMOLITION OF OLD TIMBER MARKET, WETHDRAL ROAD, TOMORROW

Following the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum to vacate, the Imo State Government, through the Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA), will commence a demolition exercise at the Old Timber Market tomorrow (Tuesday, 25 March, 2025). This action is aimed at clearing the premises.

During a final visit to serve as a reminder, the General Manager, Hon. Frank Nkem , toured the premises and engaged with the leadership to reiterate the need to comply with the notice to vacate the illegal occupation, which had expired.

The government expressed concern over how the area has allegedly become a breeding ground for criminal activities, including gunrunning, drug peddling, and other unlawful practices.

Despite the official relocation of traders to the Naze Industrial Market many years ago, a remnant of the traders has remained recalcitrant, refusing to comply with the relocation directive.