• Macron Wants an EU-Wide Ban on Social Media

• Iran War Puts Climate Crisis on Hold and Drives Global Coal Demand to Record High

• Antarctic Ice Sheet Has Been Gaining Ice Since 2020

Macron Wants an EU-Wide Ban on Social Media

France’s failed attempt to ban social media for under-15s has not deterred President Emmanuel Macron. He now wants to take the fight to Brussels and push for an EU-wide ban. “I believe it has now become essential to go further and, through a new European legislative text, harmonise a ban on access to social media platforms for children under the age of 15,” Macron wrote. According to him, the measure is needed to protect all children in the Union, writes EU Perspectives.

France had advanced a bill that would have stopped under-15s from opening social media accounts and required platforms to close existing ones. In August, however, the French Constitutional Council ruled that the ban restricts “freedom of expression and communication in a manner that is neither necessary nor proportionate to the objective pursued.” Because the law would force everyone, including adults, to prove their age, it also infringes on the right to privacy. Macron had already vowed that the ruling would not stop him from banning social media for young people before next year’s elections. He is now seeking not only a national fix but a unified European approach.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is working on a social media plan that would apply across Member States and a special European commission has recommended a phased, age-based approach. Von der Leyen has promised to present related plans in her State of the Union address next week.

But there is still no consensus among governments; the main disagreement is the upper age limit. For example, Greece plans a restriction for under-15s, while Denmark is considering a higher threshold with possible parental exceptions. Similar measures are under discussion in Germany, Austria, Poland, Spain, Norway, Portugal, Cyprus, Italy, Sweden and elsewhere. The European Parliament backs a ban under 16, with the option for 13–15-year-olds to use social media with explicit parental consent. As of this spring, only Estonia and Belgium oppose an EU-wide ban. The Czech Republic and Hungary also show little movement on national plans.

Critics of age verification warn that requiring every European to upload a passport, ID or facial scan to private companies would create serious privacy and security risks and erode online anonymity (see here, here, here, here, here). Moreover, a social media ban would probably not solve the very problems it is intended to address. On the contrary, according to children’s rights organisations, it is quite likely that such a restriction could drive children and young people into the darker and far more dangerous corners of the internet.

A European citizens’ initiative, “Stop Killing The Internet: No Digital ID & No Age Verification,” has now been launched to collect signatures against mandatory identity and age checks online. Organisers argue that protecting children must not mean identifying every internet user. The petition has one year to gather at least one million signatures across the EU so it can be submitted to the European Parliament and the Commission.

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Iran War Puts Climate Crisis on Hold and Drives Global Coal Demand to Record High

The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that global coal consumption will rise by 1.2 per cent this year, reaching a new record of 8.94 billion tonnes, even though the agency had previously predicted that demand for fossil fuels would fall. The agency cites the war in the Middle East, which has caused gas prices to rise, as the main reason for the growth in coal demand. A strong El Niño is also having an impact, as the weather has been warmer than usual and the resulting heavy use of air conditioning has increased coal consumption, reports The Telegraph.

“Although virtually no coal shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the disruption has nonetheless affected coal markets by pushing up natural gas prices due to the plunge in liquefied natural gas shipments through the Strait,” the agency explained, adding that this has encouraged the use of coal-fired power stations in countries with a large number of gas-fired power stations and spare coal-generating capacity. Asian countries and many developing nations are contributing particularly significantly to coal demand, while the US has also sought to increase coal production in recent years.

“Although virtually no coal shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the disruption has nonetheless affected coal markets by pushing up natural gas prices due to the plunge in liquefied natural gas shipments through the Strait,” the agency explained, adding that this has encouraged the use of coal-fired power stations in countries with a large number of gas-fired power stations and spare coal-generating capacity. Asian countries and many developing nations are contributing particularly significantly to coal demand, whilst the US has also sought to increase coal production in recent years.

But the IEA’s forecasts for coal demand go even further: the agency also predicts even greater demand next year if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

It is worth noting that producing one kilowatt-hour of energy from coal releases roughly one kilogram of CO₂, which is about twice as much as with gas. In other words, the war in the Middle East is putting the climate crisis on hold, even though there is a serious panic over reports that August was the hottest month in recorded history and that temperatures were 1.65 °C higher than in the pre-industrial era.

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Antarctic Ice Sheet Has Been Gaining Ice Since 2020

According to a new study published in the journal Nature, satellite data show that the net loss of Antarctic ice slowed since 2016 and turned into a net gain since 2020. It is worth noting that since around the year 2000, it has been reported that the total mass of the Antarctic ice sheet has been decreasing, which has raised global sea levels.

Researchers used climate data and models to show why the Antarctic ice-mass trend recently reversed. The main reason is higher precipitation, which causes more snow and ice to accumulate on the surface. This increased precipitation is driven by stronger atmospheric rivers (ARs) and westerly winds, as well as reduced sea ice. Since 2020, these atmospheric rivers have become more frequent and intense, particularly on the Antarctic Peninsula and in Queen Maud Land and Wilkes Land, leading to a strong regional increase in ice mass. Surface mass balance (SMB) and atmospheric rivers (ARs) are greater in summer, especially on the Antarctic Peninsula and in the western Weddell Sea. In winter, SMB is higher along most of the Antarctic coastline, except West Antarctica.

Consequently, sea ice loss accounted for about 11 per cent of the recent winter increase in surface mass balance (about 3 per cent in summer). Overall, the rise in surface mass balance has been large enough to offset ongoing ice loss from discharge. According to the authors, this is not a short-term anomaly but the start of a significant mass-gain trend.

These quotes highlight:
- the value of various individual freedoms, including freedom of speech and thought, academic freedom, freedom over one’s personal way of life, etc.
- the importance of value-based governance, and the dangers and harm of corrupt practices.

1. Samuel Adams, statesman (1722-1803)

2. Lord Acton, historian, and politician (1834-1902)

   

3. James Madison, 4th President of the United States (1751-1836)

• Tens of Thousands of Britons are Being Arrested for Online Posts

• British Banks Have Closed the Accounts of a Far-Left News Site

• Full Circle: Car Manufacturers Address EV Concerns With Petrol Engines

Tens of Thousands of Britons are Being Arrested for Online Posts

The UK campaign group Big Brother Watch has published a report has published a report on the state of freedom of expression in the country. It highlights that the authorities have arrested at least 62,199 people over the past five years for ‘offensive’ online communication. Of these, 18,520 were charged and 12,292 were convicted, often simply for viewing a post.

The online regulations carrying the threat of criminal penalties are enforced quite differently from region to region. Some police forces have exercised this power more vigorously than others. For example, Cumbria Police arrested 25.7 people per 10,000 residents over a five-year period – approximately 2.5 times the national average. Neighbouring Northumbria arrested just 1.9 people per 10,000 residents. Sussex Police made 10.7 arrests per charge, while Staffordshire made just 0.2.

Some have been arrested simply for allegedly watching a derogatory video on TikTok, while others for making a speech at a protest. Activists argue that some of the arrests are justified, such as the need to stop threatening messages from partners in cases of domestic violence. On the other hand, the broad scope and vagueness of the law have been accompanied by excessive zeal on the part of the police to apply the rules in everyday interactions. As an example, the report highlights a case where West Midlands Police visited a teenage girl, accusing her of posting a picture of a teacher on TikTok accompanied by negative comments. The girl was required to hand over all her devices to the police and to attend an interview voluntarily. She was threatened with arrest if she refused. What is curious, however, is that the girl had neither created, shared nor even commented on the video. The investigation was later closed without any action being taken, and the police explained that they were ‘investigating alleged malicious communications offences’.

Another absurd case concerns private messages. Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine were arrested for complaining in a WhatsApp group chat about their daughter’s primary school. The couple were detained for around 11 hours on suspicion of harassment and malicious communication. In the end, they were ordered to pay 20,000 pounds in damages. The third, and perhaps best-known, case involves Lucy Connolly, who was sentenced to a full 31 months in prison for her messages. In July 2024, she had posted a message following the Southport murders – in which a man of Rwandan parentage cold-bloodedly killed three young girls – calling for hotels housing asylum seekers to be set on fire.

Big Brother Watch emphasises that all these cases involve both the political left and the right, although each side believes that it is their freedom of speech that is under the greatest threat. In reality, however, it is everyone’s freedom of expression that is at risk, regardless of their political views. “This slide into illiberalism is not the result of a crackdown by a newly installed dictator. Rather, Britain is sleepwalking into authoritarianism, inch by inch,” the report states. Every government has introduced new restrictions on online speech, which consistently undermine both privacy and anonymity on the internet. Each government has presented this as a solution to the problems arising from the internet and social media. “Quick fixes have been sought in response to real tragedies, instead of addressing their underlying causes. In the long term, this approach will diminish everyone’s freedom,” stated Big Brother Watch.

Toby Young, head of the Free Speech Union, has often helped defend those facing legal proceedings for their words. Young wondered: “Why are the authorities spending so much time policing our tweets when they could be policing our streets? Shoplifting, mobile phone theft and sexual offences are all on the rise, yet the police seem increasingly obsessed with catching thought criminals.” According to Toby Young, arrests for online offences alone have a deeply restrictive effect, despite the fact that only one in five people arrested on these grounds are convicted. “People up and down the country dare not say what they think about a whole range of issues for fear that a couple of plainclothes officers wearing rainbow lanyards will knock on their door at four in the morning.”

Furthermore, developments in the UK suggest that even stricter restrictions are on the cards. The government has announced plans for a social-media ban for under-16s, whilst there are plans to grant them the right to vote and allow them to join the armed forces. The only way the authorities can block children from accessing large parts of the internet is by requiring all around 68 million British users to provide proof of identity. There are also calls to subject virtual private networks to age verification, but these are vital tools for dissidents, whistleblowers and journalists around the world. In any case, such measures are increasingly reminiscent of China’s Great Firewall, rather than Western democracy.

The report also highlights that due to age verification requirements, even works by famous artists, stories about British history, videos from mainstream political parties and much more have been blocked. Many small forums and websites have been forced to close down due to the requirements of the Online Safety Act. Age restrictions are being systematically applied to a much wider range of topics than the law actually requires, and ‘disinformation’ and ‘child protection’ are being used to justify ever-tighter control over online communication. For example, in Reddit communities, discussions about horror films or clips from certain films have been placed behind age restrictions; as have advice on how to support a chemotherapy patient, an alcoholic or a victim of domestic violence; and even specific pieces of music, such as the Moody Blues’ 1986 track ‘Your Wildest Dreams’.

According to Big Brother Watch, freedom of speech in the UK is in desperate need of protection. The laws affecting it should be assessed and reviewed in their entirety, and measures implemented instead that would restore the laws and culture of free speech. Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, concluded: “Thousands of people are being arrested for controversial speech, online jokes and non-violent protest. People have even been arrested for holding blank pieces of paper, and urged by the police to take ‘online thinking skills’ courses. Enough is enough.”

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British Banks Have Closed the Accounts of a Far-Left News Site

The Canary, a far-left British news website, has been left without its bank accounts. It first claimed in June that Lloyds had stopped providing it with banking services, and now claims it has also lost its Metro Bank account. The Canary has suggested that it fell victim to political forces and noted how major banks were restricting the transactions of organisations and individuals supporting Palestine, reports The Telegraph.

The Canary claims that Lloyds gave no prior warning, no explanation and no opportunity to challenge the decision. Last week, it announced that it had lost access to a second bank account – this time frozen by Metro Bank. Following the freezing of its second bank account, The Canary has stated that it has no choice but to suspend operations, although thewebsite remains operational.

The news site has operated since 2015, actively supporting far-left politics. Co-founder Kerry-Anne Mendoza explained at the time that they sought to fill the gap left by the absence of ‘left-wing mass media’. It has remained true to its activist roots, mobilising readers against selected ‘enemies’. In recent years it has heavily criticised, for example, current Prime Minister Andy Burnham – portrayed as the ‘acceptable face’ of the ruling elite – as well as Israel, described in a recent article as a ‘genocidal land-grabbing project’.

According to Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, such account closures in the UK are neither the first of their kind nor isolated. In 2020, for example, Barclays closed two accounts held by the Christian charity Core Issues Trust after the LGBT community targeted it over its views on conversion therapy. But the best-known case dates from 2023, when Coutts ceased providing services to politician Nigel Farage. An investigation into that case revealed that, although the account was not closed directly because of his political views, documents showed the bank had complaints about his ‘xenophobic, chauvinistic and racist views’ and considered them ‘at odds with our stance’.

Of course banks insist account closures are never politically motivated. Yet people and organisations whose views are strikingly similar have repeatedly been left without bank accounts. “Censorship by debanking has not just a financial cost, nor just a democratic cost, but a significant human cost too. That’s why it’s so powerful. Few people are so determined to express their most unpopular opinions that they will risk their livelihoods to do so,” writes Carlo.

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Full Circle: Car Manufacturers Address EV Concerns With Petrol Engines

Car makers plan to launch a new type of extended-range electric vehicle on the US market, trying to solve Americans’ worries that EV batteries might run out of power. The approach is straightforward: an electric car gets a petrol engine that charges the battery when needed, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Hyundai, Ford and Jeep (via Stellantis) intend to introduce these plug-in extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs). They are fully electric cars fitted with a petrol-powered generator that recharges the battery as required. Drivers therefore avoid being stranded with a flat battery if there’s only a petrol station nearby. Hyundai has announced that its next-generation Santa Fe SUV will offer an EREV version in 2027 with around 600 miles of range. Ford has said it will revive the F-150 Lightning as an EREV after ending production of the pure-electric version last December because it was unprofitable.

Micky Bly, Stellantis’s head of powertrains, sees this as a workable solution and aims to bring the Jeep Grand Wagoneer EREV to the US market by the end of this year or early next year. The Ram 1500 REV will follow, pairing a large battery with a V6 petrol engine for up to 690 miles of range - more than twice that of a typical US electric car. Bly notes that the industry had rushed toward fully electric vehicles to meet regulations, but EREVs could provide a compromise that works for both regulators and customers.

EREVs differ from existing plug-in hybrids, which use a battery mainly for short electric range. An EREV is primarily an electric car; the petrol engine acts solely as a generator. Driving feel remains similar to a pure EV, including strong acceleration, even while the generator charges the battery. However, motoring experts believe it is likely that an EREV will cost more than an equivalent petrol-powered vehicle, and perhaps even more than a fully electric vehicle. The technology also adds complexity and will require fresh customer education, so it remains an open question whether customers will embrace this new and complex, albeit intriguing, technology.

The industry has already scaled back ambitions for a predominantly electric market by the 2030s. Higher prices and range anxiety - largely tied to charging infrastructure - deter many buyers. In theory, EREVs should ease range and charging concerns, especially for larger vehicles that need big batteries and long charge times. In any case, car manufacturers are hopeful that customers will not reject electric vehicles with extended range, although they have expressed uncertainty as to whether consumers are willing to pay more for them.

• The European Union Wants to Burden Europeans With New Taxes

• Volkswagen to Cut 100,000 Jobs by the End of the Decade

• COVID: Pfizer and the CIA Already Referred to Herd Immunity as Early as 2020

The European Union Wants to Burden Europeans With New Taxes

On Wednesday, European Council President António Costa warned governments that the situation would worsen if Member States failed to agree on new EU-wide taxes to fund the Union’s next seven-year budget. The European Commission has previously proposed taxes on carbon imports, emissions, uncollected electronic waste, corporate profits and tobacco products, reports Politico.

Costa urged Member States to soften their positions ahead of the 15 October summit, where he intends to narrow down potential taxes. “Our priority is to try to finalise the basket of new own resources as early as October,” he said, so that it becomes clear how much needs to be collected from each Member State. But the issue of EU-wide taxes remains one of the most complex, as countries are reluctant to grant the Commission greater taxing powers or to accept new levies that would hit some states harder than others. An agreement on these “own resources” is still needed now to make an overall budget deal easier in December, before the 2027 elections in France, Spain and Italy risk complicating negotiations.

According to the Commission’s proposal last year, five new taxes were envisaged, totalling €66 billion per year. These covered carbon imports, emissions, uncollected electronic waste, corporate profits and tobacco products. Most have met resistance from governments, and any new tax requires unanimous approval. On Wednesday, for example, Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden rejected a potential EU tobacco tax, saying it would disproportionately affect Luxembourg.

Costa warned that failure to agree on new taxes would lead to either budget cuts or higher national contributions. “We have only two ways: reduce our ambitions on security, defence, competitiveness, cohesion and agriculture … or increase national contributions, which is also a problem for all Member States,” he explained.

Neither option would please the camps. Northern countries, led by Germany, already complain that their contributions are too high. Southern and eastern countries, by contrast, demand more EU funds for agriculture and regional development.

European ministers will discuss the new taxes on 22 September in Brussels.

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Volkswagen to Cut 100,000 Jobs by the End of the Decade

German carmaker Volkswagen announced on Thursday that it will cut a total of 100,000 jobs by the end of the decade – an additional 50,000 on top of the 50,000 previously announced. Management and the trade unions have already agreed on the plan. The company says it urgently needs to “systematically align workforce levels with economic realities”, reports Deutsche Welle.

The Volkswagen Group (which includes Audi and Porsche) says the 100,000 redundancies account for roughly 15 per cent of its total worldwide workforce. In addition, Volkswagen stated it cannot guarantee the long-term future of four major plants in Germany: Hanover, Emden, Zwickau and Neckarsulm.

VW CEO Oliver Blume said the decision sends “a strong signal for the future of the Volkswagen Group”. The plan also includes a restructuring programme aimed at faster decision-making and cutting the number of subsidiaries and shareholdings by about one-third. Multi-billion-euro investments in research and development are planned to boost competitiveness.

VW has not yet published details of the redundancy timetable or the regional breakdown. But the company has said it will focus more on North America and aims to expand exports to the Global South.

VW has struggled for some time. The the climate transition to switch to electric cars has been costly and EV sales remain sluggish and demand is growing slowly. Although this commitment has been somewhat relaxed, VW’s overall sales remain weak. Added pressure comes from US tariffs and fierce competition from China.

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COVID: Pfizer and the CIA Already Referred to Herd Immunity as Early as 2020

Senator Rand Paul has published new documents concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. These include the minutes of a CIA meeting on 7 May 2020. At that meeting, CIA Chief Operating Officer Andy Makridis and Dr Scott Gottlieb – former FDA Chair and then a Pfizer board member – discussed herd immunity to the coronavirus, writes the Brownstone Institute.

The report states: “On ‘herd immunity’, Dr Gottlieb dismisses the two major studies from Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties showing high seroprevalence. He believes that nationally, seroprevalence is around 20–25 per cent, which is insufficient for herd immunity at an R₀ (BRR) value of 3.”

It is worth noting that as early as April 2020, Dr Jay Bhattacharya had published a study identifying a seroprevalence rate of 2.8 per cent. This was much higher than estimates given at the time. Bhattacharya was later condemned, hounded and discredited for speaking out about a ‘forbidden’ truth. He explained that the coronavirus mortality rate was very low and its prevalence very high, concluding that the pandemic could be overcome without major disruption.

A document has now come to light in which Gottlieb, then a Pfizer board member, told the CIA that the virus was spreading much faster than expected and that every infected person infects three more. This would essentially have meant 67 per cent herd immunity. Given such rapid spread and the resulting immunity, the pandemic would have become endemic within a few weeks if everything else had remained the same.

Publicly, however, Gottlieb said the opposite. On 17 April 2020, he wrote on Twitter that the national infection rate was 5 per cent. A few months later, he reported that national seroprevalence was only 8 per cent – meaning that by April 2020 only a few people had been exposed, with isolated exceptions such as Arizona, where Gottlieb estimated the figure may have been closer to 15-25 per cent.

In any case, the CIA document shows that Gottlieb and the CIA privately believed as early as May 2020 that the virus was spreading rapidly and extensively, that the mortality rate was fairly low, and that herd immunity would be achieved quickly. This information was kept secret for six years until Senator Rand Paul disclosed it in August 2026.

These quotes highlight:
- the value of various individual freedoms, including freedom of speech and thought, academic freedom, freedom over one’s personal way of life, etc.
- the importance of value-based governance, and the dangers and harm of corrupt practices.

1. Aristotle, philosopher (384-322 BC)

   

2. Bertrand Russell, philosopher (1872-1970)

   

3. Patrick Henry, American statesman (1736-1799)

   

• EU designates ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox under DSA

• Research: Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Contain Fungal Toxins

• Syrian patriarch in Germany: 32 kids, nearly €100,000 in benefits

EU designates ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox under DSA

The European Commission announced on 31 August that ChatGPT is a Very Large Online Search Engine (VLOSE) as defined in the Digital Services Act (DSA), while Reddit and Roblox are Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs). According to the Commission, these services reach at least 45 million average monthly users in the EU, thereby meeting the threshold.

The Commission assesses ChatGPT as an artificial intelligence system that interacts with users and responds to queries by searching the web. ChatGPT is therefore a hybrid service that, under the DSA, is classified as an online search engine. Reddit is essentially a discussion-based platform where users can create, share and interact with content within topic-based communities. The Commission considers Roblox an immersive gaming and creation platform where users can create and publish games, as well as play games created by others. On all of these services, users are able to distribute third-party content to the public, which brings them under the DSA.

Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, explained: “These new designations mean that ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox will now be held to a higher standard of scrutiny and accountability in the European Union, in line with their significant impact on our citizens and society. We continue to monitor the digital landscape closely and will not hesitate to designate any platform that meets the threshold for enhanced supervision under the Digital Services Act.”

The Commission has given the services four months to comply with the DSA’s additional requirements and obligations. Consequently, by January 2027, they must, for example, be able to assess and mitigate systemic risks stemming from their service and algorithmic systems “related to the dissemination of illegal content, the negative effects on minors, users’ physical and mental well-being, fundamental rights, electoral processes and public security”.

Where the DSA applies, the Commission has the power to investigate whether the services and systems are functioning properly. It consideres itself competent to monitor compliance with the DSA in cooperation with Coimisiún na Meán (for ChatGPT) and the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) (for Reddit and Roblox). The former is the Digital Services Coordinator in Ireland and the latter in the Netherlands, where the services in question are established.

The list of designated digital platforms and search engines currently includes a total of 28 services, including, for example, AliExpress, Amazon Store, Booking.com, Instagram, WhatsApp, X and YouTube as platforms, and Bing and Google Search as search engines.

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Research: Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Contain Fungal Toxins

The University of Parma in Italy and Cranfield University in the UK published a joint study, examining plant-based meat substitutes and drinks sold in the UK. All contained at least one natural mycotoxin. Concentrations remained below the EU’s recommended limit values; however, researchers question whether regular consumption in large quantities might lead to cumulative effects over time, reports Science Daily.

Researchers analysed 212 plant-based meat alternatives (PMBA) and plant-based beverages (PBB) available in UK shops, including burgers, plant-based chicken pieces, vegan sausages, and oat, almond and soya drinks. Every product contained at least one of nineteen mycotoxins, with some containing several. Mycotoxins are toxic compounds naturally produced by fungi. They may be particularly common in plant-based products, as many ingredients – such as grains, legumes and seeds – can become mouldy during cultivation and storage.

Mycotoxin levels in all tested products remained below the EU’s recommended limit values, which researchers say demonstrates the quality of the UK food industry. The concern is not the amount in a single product. Previous studies show that constant exposure to small amounts of mycotoxins – for example, as part of a completely plant-based diet – can accumulate over time and potentially cause health problems. Severe exposure has been linked to liver and kidney damage, a weakened immune system and cancer.

Andrea Patriarca, Senior Lecturer in Mycology at Cranfield University, explained that mycotoxins occur naturally in food and cannot be completely avoided. “As consumers, we should not be frightened or deterred from enjoying a variety of products. However, a significant concern arises when new foods enter the market, as there are currently no established regulations to monitor mycotoxins.” Patriarca added that the university is working closely with the food industry to help implement mycotoxin management within food safety standards.

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Syrian clan patriarch in Germany: 32 kids, nearly €100,000 in benefits

According to the Saxon LKA (state criminal police), a Syrian refugee family lives in Leipzig, where the patriarch leads 3 wives, under Islamic customs, 32 children and 25 grandchildren. With this family structure, media calculations based on the statutory child benefit rate put the theoretical annual total at nearly 100,000 euros. Even if five of the children are already adults, the figure for the remaining minors still approaches about 85,000 euros a year, according to reports including Remix News.

Beyond the financial cost, the family’s criminal record also raises state expenses. Roughly two-thirds of the core family members have criminal records, and court files link the man’s adult sons to serious offences. In March 2023, Bilal (21), who held no driving licence, caused a crash near Eilenburg that killed four people before he fled. A court later sentenced him to 3.5 years under youth criminal law, but he remained free during the appeal and was arrested again for driving without a licence. Victims’ lawyer Jan Siebenhüner said Bilal showed no remorse. Bilal’s older brothers Mohamed and Rami are also known to police. In 2022 Mohamed received 4.5 years for an assault on a tram passenger and involvement in the sale of about 5 kg of methamphetamine. Rami faces accusations of violence, drug dealing and social-security fraud.

According to lawyer Siebenhüner, family members resist deportation by citing family-protection rules that limit the separation of families with children and the deportation of minors. Bilal arrived in Germany around 2015 as an unaccompanied minor to join his father. His refugee status remains in place while legal proceedings continue.

This case forms part of a broader pattern in Germany in which some migrants exploit family and paternity rules to secure higher benefits or residency rights. False-paternity claims have been documented particularly among men from West African countries, though the practice is not limited to any single region.

• Europeans Prioritise Cost of Living – Parliament Focuses on Climate and AI

• Portugal Has Banned Burqas and Niqābs in Public Spaces

• Musk’s xAI is Taking Users to Court

Europeans Prioritise Cost of Living – Parliament Focuses on Climate and AI

According to the Eurobarometer spring 2026 survey, Europeans see the cost of living, the economy, employment and security as key issues the European Parliament should prioritise. They rate digitalisation, artificial intelligence and gender equality as far less important, even though these feature among the Parliament’s priorities.

A Eurobarometer survey by the European Parliament (April–May 2026, all 27 EU Member States) shows that economic concerns have become Europeans’ top worry in recent years. The cost of living, inflation and rising prices rank highest, with 47 per cent wanting the Parliament to tackle them as a priority. The economy and employment came second (35 per cent), followed by EU defence and security (34 per cent). Public health (30 per cent) and poverty (25 per cent) followed.

Notably, climate change has fallen to a relatively low priority, with only 22 per cent of respondents – less than a quarter – considering it important. It is most frequently cited by Swedes (49 per cent) and Danes (45 per cent). The same applies to gender diversity, which was highlighted by only one in ten people (10 per cent). Only 6 per cent cited religious freedom as important, and 5 per cent the right to asylum. Digitalisation and artificial intelligence ranked last on the list of important issues, mentioned by only 9 per cent of Europeans.

The European Parliament, however, lists these as key issues until the 2029 elections: competitive and sustainable prosperity; external affairs, trade and neighbourhood; defence, security, internal affairs and crisis management; structural and social policies; health, climate and environment; and democracy, tech sovereignty and consumer protection. While some of these match citizens’ top concerns, others appear to focus on the issues that are least relevant to europeans.

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Portugal Has Banned Burqas and Niqābs in Public Spaces

On 18 August, Portuguese President António José Seguro signed a law banning face-covering garments in public places, including burqas and niqābs worn by Muslim women. The measure, proposed by the opposition party Chega, was approved by parliament in July, reports EU Perspectives.

The ban applies in public spaces such as streets, public services, businesses, sports events and demonstrations. Exceptions allow face coverings for health, professional, artistic, security or weather-related reasons, as well as in places of worship, on planes and in diplomatic settings. Under the law, fines range from 150 to 3,000 euros, depending on whether the breach was negligent or deliberate. A separate penalty applies to anyone who forces another person to cover their face through violence, threats or abuse of power.

Although the law does not mention any specific religion, it is widely understood to target the burqa and niqab primarily. It distinguishes between women forced to wear a face covering and those who choose to do so voluntarily. A woman who wears one of her own free will may be fined, while if she was forced to wear a veil, the person exerting pressure may face punishment.

France was the first European country to introduce such a measure in 2011, banning garments that cover the entire face in public. Belgium, Bulgaria, Austria and Denmark also regulate face coverings in public places in various ways.

According to Amnesty International Portugal a ban on face coverings is more likely to restrict women’s participation in society than to promote their independence. Amnesty argues that although earlier versions’ direct references to Islam have been removed, the law still violates the rights of Muslim women. But it is worth noting that the European Court of Human Rights ruled on France’s ban in 2014 (S.A.S. v. France). The Court accepted France’s argument that showing one’s face may be necessary for social coexistence, agreed the ban served the legitimate aim of protecting the rights and freedoms of others, and recognised the measure as proportionate, granting states wide discretion on the issue.

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Musk’s xAI is Taking Users to Court

Elon Musk’s xAI has adopted a highly unusual and aggressive strategy by suing users of its AI Grok. The aim is to counter legal disputes in which alleged victims are suing the xAI because Grok generated child sexual abuse material, reports Politico.

For example, xAI sued two users, claiming they breached the platform’s terms of service by using Grok to generate pornographic images of children. One is Arkansas-based photographer Russell Bloodworth, who faces over 100 criminal charges for allegedly using Grok to transform his professional photographs of children into child sexual abuse material. “[Bloodworth’s] actions were a calculated scheme to weaponise the Plaintiff’s tool for criminal ends, exposing real victims to profound and lasting harm, whilst exposing the Plaintiff to significant legal risk and reputational damage,” states xAI’s complaint. Bloodworth has pleaded not guilty.

In a second lawsuit, xAI sued Terry Wayne Harwood, a South Carolina man also accused of using Grok to create child sexual abuse material. Harwood has been charged with the sexual exploitation of a minor.

Through these actions, the company seeks to hold users liable for “all reasonable costs” incurred by xAI in related legal proceedings, including damages for “reputational harm.” In other words, xAI aims to shift the costs arising from Grok-related disputes onto those who caused them.

The company must defend itself in several court cases concerning nude or explicit images generated by Grok. It faces at least two further class-action lawsuits. There are also at least four individual lawsuits linked to Bloodworth’s alleged offences, and according to the plaintiffs’ representative more are expected. In all cases, it is alleged that xAI does not employ adequate safeguards to prevent non-consensual sexual deepfakes.

According to John Coyle, a professor of law at the University of North Carolina and a specialist in commercial contracts and litigation, it is very rare for a company to enforce its terms of service through the courts. In his view, other companies tend not to act this way, primarily because it harms the brand’s reputation.

To date, xAI has generally suspended or closed accounts for breaches of its terms of service and reported abusive and sexual material to the authorities. In 2026 alone, xAI sent approximately 74,000 such reports, leading to more than 240 arrests.

These quotes highlight:
- the value of various individual freedoms, including freedom of speech and thought, academic freedom, freedom over one’s personal way of life, etc.
- the importance of value-based governance, and the dangers and harm of corrupt practices.

1. John Adams, 2nd President of the United States (1735-1826)

   

2. Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of the United States (1743-1826)

   

3. Murray Newton Rothbard, economist and political theorist (1926-1995)

Her faith now lies with the next generation, for whom she hopes to leave behind enough data to analyse, as to what could have been done differently and what could have been the alternatives to the policies that came to be implemented. Unfortunately, she says, those who enforced policies like lockdowns are not willing to engage in any debate, and keep calling the harms inevitable – which they were not.

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Please see also our full interview with Prof Sunetra Gupta, of which this is but an excerpt:

• Half of Britons Feel That Freedom of Speech Has Declined

• Portugal’s Largest Solar Power Station Has Gone Into Insolvency

• Pavel Durov Criticises French Free-Speech Charges

Half of Britons Feel That Freedom of Speech Has Declined

According to a survey commissioned by the civil liberties organisation Liberty and carried out by Deltapoll, involving more than 2,000 respondents, 51 per cent of Britons say their confidence in the Government’s ability to protect their right to express views (even when those views disagree with the Government) has worsened over the last two years. Only 10 per cent felt that this confidence had improved, reports GB News.

Of those surveyed, 42 per cent said the ability to express controversial political views without facing legal consequences had deteriorated. Only 9 per cent felt this ability had improved, whilst 39 per cent felt the situation had stayed the same. Almost four in ten people, or 39 per cent, felt that the ability to speak freely on important issues had deteriorated, as had their understanding of what is permitted and what is prohibited under UK law.

Liberty attributes this outcome to government measures. These include entry bans on eleven individuals due to speak at the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally, as well as on left-leaning political commentators Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker. Liberty also points to the arrest of around 3,000 people showing support for “Palestine Action” under counter-terrorism legislation.

Liberty’s director, Akiko Hart, said that the UK’s previous Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, failed to demonstrate leadership or consistency on freedom of speech. This, in turn, has fuelled claims of a two-tier approach by the police. Hart explained: “Free speech is a fundamental right that benefits us all, and a healthy democracy depends on people feeling confident that they can express themselves freely and disagree with one another.” She added that, as the country is home to many different cultures and opinions, disagreements are inevitable, and opinions which may upset or offend some people are unavoidable. “This makes it all the more important for the new Prime Minister to adopt a non-partisan approach to free speech and move away from greater restrictions,” Hart stated. Liberty concludes that the UK’s new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, should take these findings as a warning and also protect the public’s right to express offensive or insulting views, rather than focusing only on protecting people from hate speech.

According to a spokesperson for the Home Office, freedom of speech and the right to protest are fundamental rights that the government protects. “But there is a clear difference between expressing a view and engaging in unlawful behaviour such as inciting hatred or violence, which it is right that we address,” the spokesperson clarified.

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Portugal’s Largest Solar Power Station Has Gone Into Insolvency

The company operating Portugal’s largest solar power station, a 220-megawatt facility in Alcoutim, has run into financial difficulties. The Algarve project, which cost 175 million euros, failed to generate sufficient revenue. The plant has been plagued by fires, falling sales prices and a legal dispute with a Chinese contractor, reports The Resident.

The solar power station’s owner, the Portuguese company Solara4 - whose parent company is Welink Energy Portugal 2 UK Limited, registered in the UK - has declared insolvency and plans to sell the station to new investors. According to a report by the consultancy firm BDO, the insolvency was caused by a combination of factors: the solar power station generated far less energy than expected, it was hit by technical faults and fires, and wholesale electricity prices fell. The latter was influenced by the rapid expansion of solar energy production on the Iberian Peninsula, which, during periods of oversupply, has driven selling prices down to zero in some cases and occasionally even into negative territory. Consequently, the Alcoutim power station’s revenues have been significantly lower than initially forecast.

At the same time, the power station has experienced several fires over the past year, which have damaged equipment, disrupted production and increased maintenance costs. Some incidents were linked to equipment faults, such as problems with inverters, which rendered part of the power station inoperable for a long period. In May, it was also reported that 10 per cent of the plant was out of operation because dry vegetation was awaiting clearance.

In addition, the Alcoutim solar power station was caught up in a €143 million dispute with CTIEC, a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned enterprise China National Building Material Group Corporation. The power station signed a construction contract with CTIEC in 2017, and although some work remained unfinished, the station’s parent company, Welink, decided to terminate the contract with it in 2023. According to Welink, the Chinese company had itself withdrawn from the project. CTIEC subsequently initiated legal proceedings, demanding payment of debts from the solar farm. Hugo Paz, Welink’s director for the Iberian Peninsula, said that the contractor had not fulfilled all its obligations, but acknowledged that technical problems, low prices and declining revenues had made debt restructuring unavoidable.

According to Welink, the solar power station cannot remain economically viable as an independent business. The company has therefore sought to improve the situation and proposed combining solar power generation with wind power and battery storage. This would have provided both additional revenue and enabled the sale of electricity at more favourable market prices. An extension was therefore planned, comprising 25 wind turbines with a total capacity of 165 MW and approximately 50 MW of additional solar power generation capacity, together with a potential 100 MW battery farm. However, this hybrid project faced serious opposition from environmentalists. According to the Environmental Agency, the wind turbines would have threatened the nesting sites of nearby eagles and other protected bird species. Solara4 amended the project, proposing alternatives with 23–25 wind turbines situated further away from the eagles’ nests, but the Environmental Agency has not yet responded to this.

Management of the power station has now been transferred from the Irish company Welink Investments to the renewable energy firm Exus. In collaboration with the consultancy firm Enertis, the plan is to identify the necessary investments to improve production.

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Pavel Durov Criticises French Free-Speech Charges

Criminal proceedings against Telegram founder Pavel Durov remain ongoing in France. They began in 2024 with his arrest. Durov is accused of “complicity in crimes committed by others.” On X, the Telegram owner wrote: “In an unprecedented move, the French authorities have accused the head of a major platform of crimes committed by its users.” He sharply criticises the charges and argues that the real aim is to force Telegram to abandon its principles, according to Reclaim The Net.

French authorities claim the company’s ‘crime’ is that it does not moderate content. In other words, France objects to Telegram’s refusal to censor content or hand over user data. The most serious charge is that Durov runs a platform enabling organised groups to carry out illegal transactions. If found guilty, this alone could mean ten years in jail and a fine of 500,000 euros.

Durov stated that the proceedings against him and his company have lasted two years and that the investigation “makes less sense with each passing year.” The charges, he says, show authorities trying to shift blame for their own failures onto Telegram and force it to become a tool for “illegal censorship or surveillance.” He wrote: “Over the last two years, we have seen a pattern emerge in multiple countries: Telegram is quietly asked to grant political favours — such as illegal censorship or surveillance. When we refuse, local media and ‘non-governmental’ organisations launch orchestrated campaigns portraying Telegram as a cesspool of crime, from child pornography to terrorism.”

According to him, Telegram’s moderation is no worse than that of other major platforms. But these campaigns create the impression that Telegram must be restricted, while officials claim concern for crime and children’s welfare. However, this applies only to platforms that refuse secret political demands. Those that comply, by contrast, face little scrutiny.

Durov therefore regards France’s accusations as an unfair and politically motivated punishment for the platform’s refusal to submit to the authorities.

• Australia’s Teen Cocial Media Ban Built on Flawed Report

• China is Making Leaving the Country a Privilege Granted by the Authorities

• EU Wants Ceuta Minors Sent Back — Spain Moves the Children Inland Instead

Australia’s Teen Cocial Media Ban Built on Flawed Report

The analysis that championed the Australian social media ban contains references to academic articles that do not actually exist. The authors deny that these references were fabricated by AI, although they admit to having used ChatGPT during the editing process, The Guardian reports.

This is a report commissioned last year by the Australian authorities for 3.48 million dollars (approx. 2.98 million euros) from the Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS) in the United Kingdom. The company tested several age-verification technologies that platforms could use to prevent anyone under the age of 16 from accessing them. One chapter of the report discusses emerging technologies and cites several research papers on potential new age-verification solutions.

The Australian Senate is currently considering a proposal to further strengthen the social media ban legislation. During the proceedings, a statement was submitted claiming that the analysis contained at least two erroneous references. “The citations … appear to be AI hallucinations, rather than being based on real sources,” the statement reads. Guardian analysis later identified at least six further incorrect references. These include mistakes in Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), which refer to works that do not exist or are incorrect in content. Some references list an author, journal or year of publication that matches no known work. Materials were also found which did not contain what the report claimed they did.

An ACCS spokesperson initially denied that artificial intelligence had been used in compiling the report and attempted to correct the errors by providing new references to the studies on which the report was allegedly based. However, errors were also found in these new references. For example, one new reference gave the publication date as March 2025. The author of that paper confirmed it had only been published in June 2025, so it could not have been accessed in March. Moreover, ‘Jamil’, listed as lead author, had never been among the authors, and ACCS had incorrectly summarised the article. Another cited article, ‘Weber et al. 2011’, could not be found in the journal said to have published it. ACCS then claimed that the study had been cited by Monash University and provided a university paper in which, however, no reference to Weber’s work could be found.

Subsequently, ACCS admitted that artificial intelligence had been used, but only to rewrite paragraphs more succinctly. A spokesperson maintained that AI had not been used for the cited materials; every reference had been checked to ensure it was relevant, accurate and that the links worked. But when links were discovered whose metadata showed they originated from ChatGPT, ACCS was ultimately forced to admit AI use in the report. It argued, however, that the ChatGPT metadata meant the use of artificial intelligence had already been disclosed, and since these specific links were correct, this did not constitute a problem.

Officials explained that they met with ACCS, which argued that the errors were due to links that had previously worked having broken in the meantime. Officials said it would be extremely difficult to verify this claim retrospectively. They also noted that only “a handful of errors” were found in the report, which comprises approximately 1,000 pages and a 26-page list of sources.

Professor Christian Downie of the School of Regulation and Global Governance at the Australian National University explained that if reports submitted to the authorities contain citation errors - AI or otherwise - this could lead to incorrect decisions and erode public confidence. What is remarkable about the current case is that Australia’s approach to social media bans and age verification has been closely watched across the world, with many countries following or considering its example, including the European Commission and the European Parliament. One after another, countries are announcing plans to ban or restrict social media for young people and introduce age verification, such as France, Denmark, Spain, Austria, Norway, Cyprus, Italy, Poland, Ireland, Greece, the USA, the UK, Japan, the UAE,Brazil, Turkey, Nepal, Russia, etc. But if the Australian authorities made their decision based on incorrect data, all the others are following suit at a rapid pace.

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China is Making Leaving the Country a Privilege Granted by the Authorities

At the end of July, China’s State Council published a document stating that border control officials may require travellers to provide additional information and documents on the reasons for their travel in order to “protect the country’s sovereignty and interests”. The rules, which take effect on 15 September, introduce stricter passenger checks and new grounds for restricting Chinese citizens’ ability to leave. These rules are seen as an extension of state control over citizens, writes France24.

The rules apply if border officers find that a person has presented forged documents or false information. In such cases, the person may be barred from entering or leaving the country. Chinese citizens who, in the authorities’ view, obtained travel documents by fraud, or left or entered illegally, may face a travel ban of six months to three years on top of standard penalties. The same can apply to those who “violate” rules on technology imports and exports if the breach threatens China’s industrial or technological security. A ban may also be imposed on citizens deemed to have engaged in illegal activities abroad or threatened national security. Beijing has used travel bans before, including on the two founders of the Chinese AI firm Manus after Meta planned to buy it for $2 billion. The authorities later blocked the takeover and after that agreed to lift the ban.

The new rules also affect foreign nationals. They may be barred from entering China for one to five years if they provided false information or made false claims in a visa application or on entry. Critics say this poses the greatest risk to those who have renounced Chinese citizenship, also Taiwanese.

However, border guards now have clear authority to check whether a traveller’s declared purpose is genuine. China already tightly controls overseas travel; civil servants are often required to hand over their passports to employers. The new rules have therefore sparked debate over whether foreign travel will remain feasible once they take effect.

According to Henry Gao, a law professor at Singapore Management University, the provisions are highly problematic. In some cases they allow authorities to impose a travel ban without notifying the citizen or giving reasons - for example, if notification could harm national security or a criminal investigation. Challenging such a decision then becomes extremely difficult. Gao concluded: “Taken together, these regulations represent another major step in transforming the right to leave China into a privilege granted at the discretion of the state—a marked departure from the relative liberalization that began in the 1990s.”

Although the rules mainly target those entering and leaving China, experts note they may strengthen Beijing’s ability to pressure Chinese citizens over activities abroad. Gao points out that China has long required reporting of crimes committed by its citizens overseas, mainly serious offences until now. The new rules extend this to a much wider and more ambiguous range of acts. People who campaign for human rights abroad may therefore face punishment on return, and their family members are also at risk. The rules give border guards greater discretion against Chinese citizens. While most countries allow border officers to restrict entry, limits on citizens’ departure are usually confined to specific legal grounds, justified, and open to court challenge.

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EU Wants Ceuta Minors Sent Back — Spain Moves the Children Inland Instead

Spain has agreed to transfer underage migrants who arrived in Ceuta during the recent influx to the mainland. At the same time, the European Commission has joined calls from Spain’s right-wing politicians to send all migrants remaining in Ceuta back to Morocco, including minors, reports The Guardian.

The Spanish exclave of Ceuta was hit in late July by a massive wave of illegal immigration from Morocco. In just two days, tens of thousands of people entered Ceuta, and although the majority returned to Morocco within a few days, many have remained in the exclave. Madrid regards the unaccompanied children who reached Ceuta as a particularly serious issue. Under Spanish law, they are automatically entitled to protection and must be placed in the care of the child-protection authorities in the region of arrival.

According to the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, there are around 2,500 unaccompanied minors in Ceuta. However, the charity Save the Children estimates the figure at around 4,000. According to the organisation, the majority have been living and sleeping on the streets of Ceuta because there is no space at the city’s children’s reception centre. The centre has a capacity of just 29 minors, and Madrid has now decided to relocate the 500 most vulnerable of them to the mainland. According to the authorities, the majority of these are girls, and they will be placed in the care of non-profit organisations and child-protection agencies without custody being transferred to regional authorities. With this decision, the authorities have made a complete U-turn on their previous stance, under which they had promised that no one would be relocated from Ceuta to the mainland.

However, Spain’s right-wing parties, which form a majority in many local councils, are demanding the return of all irregular migrants, including minors. According to the right-wing People’s Party, the best place for a child is with their family, and if Europe says that all those who have arrived illegally should be sent back, then the government should not hesitate or decide otherwise.

Spain made this decision just a few days after the European Commission announced on 18 August that, under EU law, all migrants should be returned to Morocco. Spokesperson Markus Lammert said at a press conference that the priority for the Spanish and Moroccan authorities is currently to maintain control and ensure that all those who remain illegally are swiftly returned to Morocco. According to Lammert, thousands of migrants remain in Ceuta, and Morocco has confirmed that it will take them all back, including unaccompanied minors. Lammert explained: “We continue to stress that the expectation is that all those who remain in Ceuta illegally will be returned.” Lammert added that, under EU law, it is possible to return unaccompanied minors as well, and the Commission is encouraging Spain to cooperate with Morocco to this end.

According to figures from Spain’s Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, in March 2026 there were 21,104 young people aged between 16 and 23 in the state’s care, of whom approximately 3,500 were under the age of 17. Around 50 per cent were from Morocco, while girls accounted for only 8 per cent of the total.

These quotes highlight:
- the value of various individual freedoms, including freedom of speech and thought, academic freedom, freedom over one’s personal way of life, etc.
- the importance of value-based governance, and the dangers and harm of corrupt practices.

1. Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States (1911-2004)

   

2. Alexander Hamilton, statesman (1755-1804)

   

3. Aldous Huxley, writer (1894-1963)

   

• Fauci’s Ex-Adviser Pleads Guilty in COVID Records Conspiracy

• The BMJ Retracted a Scientifically Sound Vaccine Study

• UK Taxpayers Have Paid £1 Billion to Switch Off Wind Farms This Year

Fauci’s Ex-Adviser Pleads Guilty in COVID Records Conspiracy

The US Department of Justice’s Maryland office announced on 18 August that David M. Morens, a former employee of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), had pleaded guilty in federal court to a conspiracy charge involving concealing documents during the coronavirus pandemic. More specifically, the charge covered conspiracy aimed at obstructing compliance with the Federal Records Act and requests relating to coronavirus research grants made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

From 2006 to 2022, David M. Morens, 78, served as a senior scientific adviser to the director of NIAID – who at the time was Anthony Fauci – and advised senior staff on policy matters. He drafted recommendations and solutions that influenced the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and guided staff on epidemiological studies and infectious disease issues. Morens also gathered information from grant recipients and researchers to verify facts about the coronavirus. By virtue of his position he was aware of prior NIH and NIAID coronavirus research and relayed information to NIAID leadership.

According to court documents, Morens conspired with at least two accomplices to commit multiple acts of fraud during the coronavirus pandemic and has now pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy covering these charges. He admitted that during the coronavirus pandemic he had agreed with two accomplices to defraud the United States after the NIH terminated funding for the project ‘Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence’ (see also here). The grant was terminated based on claims that COVID-19 originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China (see also here, here, here, here, here). NIAID awarded the grant to a company and the first accomplice, who had passed sub-award funds on to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Morens, however, together with a second accomplice, promised to help the first accomplice secure renewed funding for the bat coronavirus project and to do everything possible to refute claims of a laboratory leak of the coronavirus. Anticipating that such correspondence might be made public under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Morens agreed in writing with his accomplices to conceal their communications. To do so, they used Morens’s personal Gmail account instead of his official NIH email (see also here). In private emails, the parties exchanged NIH information and discussed how to influence the NIH to fund a certain company. They sent each other drafts of letters intended for NIH leadership and relayed information to a high-ranking NIAID official through covert channels. All of these were government documents that should have been created, stored and exchanged via the government’s official systems.

Furthermore, Morens admitted that he and his first accomplice had also discussed the payment of illegal gratuities, and that the accomplice had given Morens wine as a gift for his ‘behind-the-scenes shenanigans’. In return for the gift, Morens rendered a ‘worthy’ favour by writing a scientific commentary for a medical journal which claimed that COVID-19 was of natural origin. The same accomplice offered Morens other valuable benefits, such as dinners at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, New York and Washington.

Morens’s attorney, Tim Belevetz, stated that by pleading guilty, Morens has taken responsibility for his actions and intends to continue to do so.

The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland estimates that Morens could face up to five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to defraud the United States. However, actual sentences for breaches of federal law are usually lighter than the maximum penalties.

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The BMJ Retracted a Scientifically Sound Vaccine Study

The British Medical Journal (BMJ) is accused of undermining scientific integrity after retracting a 2024 article by Dutch researchers that suggested Covid-19 vaccines might contribute to excess mortality. No errors, malice or falsified data were found, but the work allegedly did not “reflect the scientific consensus” and focused too heavily on vaccination’s negative effects. The study’s authors believe the reason is political, reports The Telegraph.

Dutch researchers published the study in 2024, finding that excess mortality in 47 Western countries totalled 3,098,456 people between 2020 and 2022. Excess deaths were recorded in 41 countries (87%) in 2020, 42 (89%) in 2021 and 43 (91%) in 2022. The peer-reviewed paper concluded that excess mortality remained consistently high across all three years and appeared independent of COVID-19 containment measures and vaccines. Researchers called this unprecedented and urged further investigation. After a nine-month review, BMJ Public Health initially accepted the study as accurate and fit for publication.

Shortly after publication, the BMJ issued a clarification noting concerns about the article’s quality, originality and messaging. It stressed that the paper neither investigated nor proved any causal link between COVID-19 vaccines and mortality. The Princess Máxima Centre in Utrecht, where three of the authors worked, agreed to investigate. The centre found no evidence of malice, fabrication or falsification, yet judged the work misleading and selective. It said the article had a “negative effect on confidence in science” and a “negative impact on society” as it paid disproportionate attention to vaccination’s possible negative effects, citing supportive literature while under-citing alternative interpretations.

The BMJ has now retracted the study, citing “misinformation in the discussion regarding the possible causes of excess mortality” and the fact that “the limited nature of the original work by the authors was not sufficiently described.” Two authors, Professor Gertjan Kaspers and Dr Minke Huibers, also requested the retraction because they feared misinterpretation could harm public health. They did not, however, accept that the paper contained false data.

A BMJ spokesperson stated that peer review is imperfect and that the journal values post-publication scrutiny. “Overall, the journal concludes that the discussion of causes of mortality is imbalanced, lacks rigour, and includes misinformation. We gave the lead author an opportunity to correct the conclusion but her proposed correction did not go far enough, and the problems with the work’s originality could not be fixed. We did not retract the paper because of the wider reporting of the work. This is not a criterion for retraction,” explained the spokesperson.

Dr Saskia Mostert (who has left the Princess Máxima Centre) and independent critics, including Professor Ronald Meester of probability theory at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, have written to the BMJ asking for the decision to be reviewed. Mostert said the publication was met with “irrational and blind fury” she could not have anticipated. Meester stated there were no scientific grounds for retraction and suggested external pressure may have played a role, though the source remains unclear. “Hence the real reason must be political. Very sad, really, for science. I do not see how we can take science seriously anymore when editors are willing to make decisions for these kinds of reasons,” he remarked. The letter to the BMJ argued: “Retraction is disproportional and raises serious questions about the extent to which political considerations played a part in your decision. Critics say the move undermines the credibility of published research and “sets a terrible precedent in these times of increasing political pressure on scientists.”

Dr Jona Walk, a Dutch researcher in immunology and infectious diseases, supports this view. She believes the BMJ withdrew the article mainly because of how it was covered in the media. “There were no methodological, data or analysis flaws in the paper,” she confirmed. “The real reason for retraction can be found in their earlier ‘expression of concern’: the editors disagreed with how the paper was presented in the media - not by the authors themselves, but by journalists. That is a political and not a scientific reason,” Walk wrote on X.

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UK Taxpayers Have Paid £1 Billion to Switch Off Wind Farms This Year

This year’s figures from the UK show that taxpayers have already paid £1 billion (€1.17 billion) for the wind energy surplus. The country reached this figure two months earlier than last year, according to GBN.

According to Wasted Wind, a subsidiary of Octopus Energy, £21 million (€24.6 million) in wind energy compensation was paid on 2 July alone. In total, the UK has already spent £1.02 billion (€1.19 billion) on such compensation this year - £300 million (€351 million) more than during the same period last year.

This is compensation paid by the state when remotely located wind farms generate more energy than the grid can handle. The state pays wind farms to reduce output. At the same time, other parts of the country may face shortages that must be met with gas-fired electricity, raising costs further.

Last year, the total compensation paid by taxpayers was £1.45 billion (€1.70 billion). Network operator Neso forecasts that next year’s figure could reach £3.2 billion (€3.74 billion), while Octopus warns that by the end of the decade it could hit £10 billion (€11.7 billion) a year.

• Frederiksen: Islamists Inside Europe are the Real Threat

• Norway Uncovers Large Family Networks Using False Identities for Residence Permits

• French Court Blocks Under-15 Social Media Ban

Frederiksen: Islamists Inside Europe are the Real Threat

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen addressed the Folketing on Wednesday, answering questions about migratory pressure on the European Union’s external borders and the migrant influx that hit the Spanish exclave of Ceuta. Frederiksen explained that while Russia poses a threat to Denmark, the main problem is that Islamist enemies are already growing from within Europe.

Frederiksen emphasised that, of the undemocratic forces, Russia is the greatest external enemy, but enemies have already begun to emerge from within Europe itself. She explained: “These foreigners who have come to Europe; they are supporters of Hamas; they are the people who carry out terrorist attacks against European societies; they are the people who do not recognise fundamental European values; they are the people who support some of the darkest forces in this world. Europe is therefore under threat. The problem is that we are being threatened both from outside and now from within, but this does not stem from a disagreement between the Danish and Spanish governments, but from people of Islamic background who, unfortunately, do not wish to see an open, free European society.”

She stated that illegal migration is a serious threat to the whole of Europe, and that the current asylum system is unsustainable, inhumane and devastating Europe. “A completely new approach is needed to eliminate the incentives that only benefit cynical human traffickers,” she said, adding that migration must be brought under control. On the EU’s solidarity, she explained that if solidarity means assistance to send back illegal immigrants and foreign criminals, Denmark is fully in solidarity — though this is not what is generally meant by the term. At the same time, Frederiksen noted that Denmark is opposed to the EU’s migrant relocation scheme and will not participate in it.

Frederiksen was critical of Spain’s migration policy and stated that “we fundamentally disagree with the Spanish government on the issue of foreigners”. According to her, Denmark is completely opposed to the legalisation of illegal migrants in Europe — something Spain did recently when it opened a process that attracted more than 1 million applications to regularise the status of undocumented migrants. “This is a decision that I oppose in every way and by every possible means,” Frederiksen affirmed. Denmark should not have to pay the price for decisions made in Spain. “Denmark must be protected from uncontrolled immigration; Denmark must be protected from Russia; and Denmark must be protected from those forces that wish to suppress our values and way of life, regardless of where those forces come from,” she stated.

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Norway Uncovers Large Family Networks Using False Identities for Residence Permits

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (Utlendingsdirektoratet, UDI) has uncovered several large family networks that fraudulently obtain residence permits by submitting false information and claim state benefits. The largest networks comprise 20–50 people, and several have operated in Norway for more than 20 years, reports NRK.

The first network is said to have begun as long ago as 25 years ago, with the first people arriving around the year 2000, and new ‘family members’ joining ever since. A second network was discovered by chance during a criminal investigation into honour-based violence, in which the accused was found to hold a different nationality from the one he had used to apply for asylum.

According to Camilla Torgersen, section chief at the UDI, the aim of such networks is to gain access to rights they would not otherwise have, including substantial income from benefits. As a result, the authorities do not know who has actually been granted a residence permit or even citizenship in Norway. In her view, this also poses a security risk, as a false identity can form a basis for criminal activity and unjustified benefit income.

According to the UDI, the majority of the networks uncovered originate from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Somalia. These are societies where the family and the clan are the main social institutions and where loyalty to one’s own network is strong. When applying for asylum, applicants conceal information about their family and social status. Upon arrival in Norway, their mobile phones are often empty and contain no information about where they come from or whom they know there. Consequently, uncovering such networks is extremely difficult, and accurate information often only emerges once they have lived in Norway for several years.

Many of these networks are linked to resource-strong clans involved in large-scale business operations and whose leaders are highly educated and well-known in their home countries. Some of these leaders have had their own militias and contacts with radical organisations and movements, as well as links to other European countries. Huge money transfers from these networks to their countries of origin have also been uncovered.

According to Torgersen, many members of these networks are nevertheless allowed to remain in Norway despite having been caught lying. This is often because citizenship granted to children cannot usually be revoked, as children must not be punished for their parents’ actions. Consequently, the parents are also often granted permission to remain. Other common reasons why a Norwegian residence permit is retained include the person’s health, the length of time spent in the country and successful integration. Residence permits are also revoked; for example, in one network of around 60 people, 30 no longer hold a Norwegian residence permit and many of them have also been deported.

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French Top Court Strikes Down Under-15 Social Media Ban

France’s Constitutional Council ruled ruled that the ban on children under 15 using social media restricts freedom of expression and communication. The Council explained that while protecting children online is justified, the provisions “restrict freedom of expression and communication in a manner that is neither relevant, necessary nor proportionate to the objective pursued”.

The Council also found that the law does not set out clear rules on how people should prove their age or what the penalties are. Moreover, as all individuals – including adults – would be required to prove their age, there is insufficient guarantee that everyone’s right to privacy will be upheld. The Council noted that the legislator had failed to take parents’ rights into account, as there was no provision to revoke or amend the ban. Furthermore, the law did not provide any scope to take other circumstances into account, such as the child’s maturity, reports Deutsche Welle.

The ban on social media for children and young people is one of the key political initiatives of President Emmanuel Macron’s second term, which French lawmakers approved last month. Under the law, from 1 September, children under 15 would not have been permitted to open social media accounts, and platforms would have had until the start of 2027 to close existing accounts. In addition, the same law banned mobile phones in secondary schools – these provisions were not overturned by the Council.

President Macron has instructed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to review the bill and resolve the issues raised by the Constitutional Council. The President’s aim remains for the ban on social media for children and young people to come into force before the 2027 presidential election in France.

These quotes highlight:
- the value of various individual freedoms, including freedom of speech and thought, academic freedom, freedom over one’s personal way of life, etc.
- the importance of value-based governance, and the dangers and harm of corrupt practices.

1. George Orwell, writer (1902-1950)

   

2. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, philosopher (1712-1778)

   

3. Margaret Thatcher, politician (1925-2013)

   

• US Drastically Curtails Childhood Vaccinations

• Fauci Lied About COVID-19 Vaccine Safety for Pregnant Women

• British Transport Police to Trial Facial Recognition in London Underground Stations

US Drastically Curtails Childhood Vaccinations

On Monday, 10 August, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that curtails childhood vaccinations, spreads the remaining doses over more visits and aims to phase out combination vaccines.

In accordance with the presidential order, the Department of Health and Human Services compiled a comprehensive assessment comparing the US vaccination programme with those of other developed countries. Upon signing the order, Trump explained: “America has recommended more childhood vaccines than any peer nation, and even twice as many doses as some European countries – and even more than that.” He emphasised that in the US, children are often required to receive as many as 72 doses; for example, newborns are vaccinated against hepatitis B, although he claimed this vaccine should not be administered before the age of 14 or 15. The Department of Health also found that most countries do not impose a direct obligation to vaccinate children; rather, high vaccination rates are achieved through trust and education. In the US, however, many states have introduced strict vaccination requirements that make vaccination a prerequisite for attending school.

The President therefore confirmed a plan to bring the US vaccination programme into line with scientific evidence and the practices of other countries. He also stated that programmes and government funding must support parents’ freedom, to the greatest extent possible, to choose whether to vaccinate their children and against which diseases. “Effective immediately, my administration is recognising the gold standard childhood vaccine recommendations for only 11 core vaccinations against the most serious and dangerous diseases, along with the MMR, which will hopefully be split up,” said Trump.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy noted that the administration is finally acting on the basis of the work that has been done and the evidence available. “We will preserve access to vaccines, strengthen safety monitoring, expand research, provide doctors and parents with better information, and restore informed consent and parental choice to their rightful place in American medicine,” Kennedy affirmed.

More specifically, the directive recommends vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus, and varicella for all children. For high-risk groups, the recommendations also include respiratory syncytial virus monoclonal antibodies, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococcal B, meningococcal ACWY, and dengue. Decisions regarding hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, influenza, and COVID-19 should generally be based on shared clinical judgement.

The directive also stipulates that, going forward, it must be possible to administer core vaccines as single-component vaccines. Combined vaccines should not be prioritised, although they should remain available where clinically indicated. For example, the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine must be administered in three separate doses once such products become available. “We want it in three separate vaccinations given at separate times. Together, there could be a possibility that they’re quite lethal, whereas separately they appear not to be lethal at all, but simply very effective,” Trump stated. Other vaccines should also, where possible, be administered during separate medical appointments. In other words, the US no longer favours a system where, for example, the flu vaccine is administered in the right arm and the COVID-19 vaccine in the left. Not to mention situations where, after a single visit, a child has to cope with vaccines for multiple diseases. Instead, Trump is insisting that if, for example, vaccines against five pathogens are scheduled within a single year, they must all be administered during separate medical appointments.

Finally, the Trump administration is requiring states to review local vaccination recommendations, particularly those relating to compulsory schooling. There are also plans to strengthen parents’ right to decide on their child’s vaccination. To this end, the order instructs the Department of Justice to challenge state laws that conflict with parental rights, freedom of religion, accommodation for people with disabilities and equal protection.

The current directive has already been met with a flood of criticism. According to some medical associations and pharmaceutical companies, the US’s current vaccination programme is based on evidence gathered over decades and takes into account the health needs of Americans. Dr Aaron Milstone of the American Academy of Paediatrics said that the main consequence of the policy is “confusion for parents” and conflicting messages may lead parents to delay vaccination. The pharmaceutical company Merck explained that there is no scientific evidence to support the benefits of administering the MMR vaccine in three separate doses. On the other hand, administering individual doses increases the number of injections and may result in delayed or missed vaccinations. These specialists believe that Trump is mistaken on the number of doses and that the recommended schedule leaves children at risk of preventable diseases.

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Fauci Lied About COVID-19 Vaccine Safety for Pregnant Women

The US Senate has obtained a work phone belonging to Anthony Fauci, former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), who helped shape and promote the coercive COVID-19 measures and restrictions, including pushing for all pregnant women to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Fauci claimed that the vaccines were completely safe for pregnant women and that “there are no signs of risk”, yet private messages indicate he worried they might be linked to miscarriages, according to the New York Post.

In January 2021, Fauci messaged Rochelle Walensky (then CDC director) and Vivek Murthy (then surgeon general nominee) about possible dangers for women following the two-dose vaccination during pregnancy. Fauci wrote: “I asked around a bit more and another issue came up that you need to be aware of. Since many people experience a significant cytokine storm and fever after the second dose, this could theoretically be associated with miscarriage in the first trimester.” Walensky replied that the first-trimester concerns were “definitely a good point, especially after the second dose.”

A few days later, on 3 February, Fauci said in a JAMA broadcast that the FDA “has so far found – and we must be cautious – but so far there are no warning signs regarding pregnant women.” Months later, as White House medical adviser, he also stated: “Tens and tens and tens of thousands of women who have been monitored by the CDC and who were vaccinated whilst pregnant – there is absolutely no indication whatsoever that there is any increase in adverse events in a pregnant woman who was vaccinated compared to a pregnant woman who was not vaccinated... It’s really one of those things that’s not even a close call. It really is quite clear that pregnant women should get vaccinated.”

Messages between Fauci, Murthy and Walensky also show that when the WHO advised against the Moderna vaccine for pregnant women, Murthy wrote on 26 January 2021: “I was surprised to see the WHO issue such a strong statement saying they do not recommend Moderna for pregnant women. That’s a strong statement to make and potentially quite damaging to public confidence among pregnant women.”

The messages from Fauci’s phone were released by Senators Rand Paul and Ron Johnson. The phone holds more than 34,000 text messages and 522 voicemails, and according to Senator Johnson, it is too early to say whether any data was deleted, but the investigation into Fauci will continue.

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British Transport Police to Trial Facial Recognition in London Underground Stations

The British Transport Police (BTP) has announced that it is expanding its trial of real-time facial recognition cameras and will install them in London Underground stations. The trials began in February this year and will run until November. During this period, the cameras will be trialled at several Underground and train stations, with the first facial recognition system being installed at Victoria Underground station, according to Biometric Update.

The BTP use camera systems installed in station waiting rooms, where the recorded footage is fed into an algorithm and compared against police or court wanted lists. If the system flags a potential match, the result is reviewed by a police officer, who decides whether to intervene.

The aim of the pilot at metro and train stations is to assess whether real-time facial recognition is effective on the rail network, how it affects public safety, and how the public reacts. The BTP hopes to use facial recognition to identify dangerous criminals travelling on the rail network, as the equipment is planned for installation at stations where a wanted person is most likely to pass through.

According to the BTP, images of anyone not on the wanted list will be deleted immediately. Alert images, however, will be retained for 24 hours. The police point out that video recordings from standard cameras are deleted after 31 days. Furthermore, the transport police have promised to clearly mark all locations where facial recognition cameras are in use and to provide additional information via a QR code; those who do not wish to enter the detection zone will be offered an alternative route.

The Conservative Party in the UK wants the police to make even greater use of facial recognition technology. For example, the police should always check images of suspects against facial recognition systems whenever there is footage or a photograph from any CCTV camera, mobile phone or doorbell camera; in other words, the police should be obliged to use facial recognition in every relevant case. According to a spokesperson for the Home Office, the government has already invested heavily in facial recognition systems and the current measures “are already turning the tide on crime”.

These quotes highlight:
- the value of various individual freedoms, including freedom of speech and thought, academic freedom, freedom over one’s personal way of life, etc.
- the importance of value-based governance, and the dangers and harm of corrupt practices.

1. Edmund Burke, statesman, and philosopher (1729-1797)

   

2. Charles Mackay, writer (1814-1889)

   

3. Francis Bacon, philosopher and statesman (1561-1626)

   

• US Senate Panel Holds Fauci in Contempt

• Burnham to Scrap Net Zero Rules for Public Contracts

• Meta Ordered to Pay Half a Billion Dollars Over Child Harms in New Mexico

US Senate Panel Holds Fauci in Contempt

The US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has approved a motion by Senator Rand Paul to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after the former senior health official refused to answer questions during a Senate hearing, invoking his constitutional right to remain silent more than a hundred times. The hearing was intended to investigate Fauci’s actions and statements during the coronavirus pandemic, reports Reuters.

Senator Paul wrote in the contempt resolution that Fauci had been summoned to give evidence at the Senate committee’s hearing on 29 July. According to Paul, he was to “”to provide testimony concerning matters under consideration by the Committee, including the origins of COVID-19, risky life sciences research, and your tenure as a Federal government employee.” Fauci appeared before the committee and delivered only a prepared statement, but refused to answer most of the questions. In doing so, he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than a hundred times, under which a person has the right to remain silent so as not to incriminate themselves.

In his motion to hold Fauci in contempt, Paul argues that the right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment was not justified, particularly regarding questions about the period covered by President Joe Biden’s full and unconditional pardon, granted on his final day in office. Biden pardoned Fauci for any offences he might have committed or been involved in by virtue of his office from 1 January 2014 to 19 January 2025. Paul further explained that, during the July hearing, he had repeatedly given Fauci the opportunity to respond and warned that failure to do so could result in a charge of contempt of Congress. Fauci refused and remained silent. According to Fauci, Paul had summoned him solely to force him to admit something that would support the senator’s promises to put him in prison.

Senator Paul has now obtained the committee’s approval to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress. However, such cases typically also require the full Senate’s consent, which would likely need a 60-vote majority. This would presuppose Democratic support, which is highly unlikely in Fauci’s case.

At the same time, Paul has noted that, in his view, a full Senate vote is not necessary, as he has referred the case, together with the legal grounds, directly to the Department of Justice. Should the proceedings continue, the case will reach the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, which will decide whether to seek an indictment from a grand jury.

Furthermore, three states – Louisiana, Florida and Alabama – have launched investigations into Fauci’s actions, and President Biden’s pardon does not preclude state-level charges.

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Burnham to Scrap Net Zero Rules for Public Contracts

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to scrap the ‘net zero’ requirements for public procurement contracts. The government now believes that taxpayer-funded procurement contracts are burdened by excessive social requirements, including environmental ones. It is therefore necessary to scale these back to promote economic growth, reports The Telegraph.

Under the government’s plan, from January onwards, the only social requirement for companies in the UK’s £385 billion (€449 billion) public procurement market will be to create jobs and develop skills. The government is abandoning the current lengthy list of requirements, which includes a rule that bidders for major public contracts must commit to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Companies must set out their actions in a carbon reduction plan.

According to First Secretary of State Louise Haigh, the government wishes to focus on creating new jobs and developing skills. “We are stripping back what’s known as social value to focus it ruthlessly on that priority. For too long, [public] procurement has tried to tick too many boxes. If you prioritise everything, then you’re prioritising nothing,” Haigh said. She explained that there are currently a huge number of conditions relating to carbon neutrality and the environment. But among the so-called social requirements, however, are also a host of provisions that are almost impossible to verify – for example, how a company combats domestic violence or improves high streets. The long list of social rules has ultimately become rather vague. Haigh added that large companies could exploit the system, whilst small and medium-sized enterprises were left out due to the complexities involved.

Prime Minister Burnham has stated that he wishes to focus on local economic growth. In public procurement, the plan is therefore to award more points to companies that create local jobs paying above the minimum wage and offer work experience.

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Meta Ordered to Pay Half a Billion Dollars Over Child Harms in New Mexico

A court in the US state of New Mexico ruled that Meta had caused a “public nuisance” that harmed children’s mental health and ordered Meta to pay $567 million (€492 million) for the harms caused. It also required Meta to redesign safety features on Facebook and Instagram, reports Deutsche Welle.

This is the second major fine a New Mexico court has imposed on Meta. In March, the company was ordered to pay $375 million (€326 million) after a jury found it had breached the state’s consumer protection law by misleading the public about the safety of its platforms for children. In total, New Mexico is seeking $942 million (€818 million) from Meta.

Meta has five years to pay the latest sum. Roughly three-quarters ($420 million/€365 million) will fund mental health treatment for young people. The rest will support prevention projects, screening programmes and other services.

The court also ordered Meta to change the technical architecture of Facebook and Instagram. Measures include usage time limits for teenagers, tighter controls on notifications, stronger safeguards for adult-minor interactions, better monitoring of artificial intelligence, and improved handling of child sexual abuse cases. Meta must work with schools on a flagging system for underage users and delete data it holds on children under 13. The court directed Meta to improve age verification, including through AI-based solutions, while complying with data-protection rules that limit collecting children’s personal data solely for age checks.

Meta has said it will appeal the ruling. “We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content,” the company stated, adding that it remains confident in its record of protecting teenagers online.

Although the New Mexico award is substantial, it is still only a fraction of Meta’s annual profit of roughly $60 billion (€52 billion).

Later the explorers discover that the planet is not lifeless after all and come upon a society managed by a unique system of government, in that no government officially exists in it – as it turns out, a society lacking identifiable lawmakers and consequently those to hold accountable robs people of means to oppose them or overthrow their power. The social functioning of Eden is based on meticulous information control, characterised by keeping different social strata in separate information spheres, so as to ensure that society does not deviate from the course charted by its creators and leaders. Furthermore, the explorers discover traces of an attempt to improve the genetic characteristics of the species inhabiting the planet, but the experiment has gone wrong – with the individuals deformed as a result now excluded from society, and the very existence of the experiment systematically hushed up.

Lem did not elaborate much on this particular work of his, and it is therefore difficult to say to what extent were the novel’s plot and setting inspired by the Communist regime under whose grip the author lived whilst writing the story. Suggestions of a totalitarian society are, however, obvious; the flawless and ceaseless production of a single, vague object without any real purpose serves as an excellent metaphor for it – the aim is not the result, but the repetition of a deliberately meaningless act the whole society is subjected to. In other words, the aim is no other than to strip people of meaning – through an activity which they know is devoid of consequences, an activity with no ‘soul’. It is also worth remembering that, as a young Jewish man born in Lviv – then part of Poland – Lem had witnessed the Nazi occupation before even suffering the Soviet regime, and had survived only thanks to forged documents procured by his parents.

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The danger of absolute security

Distinguishing between fantasy and science fiction literatures, Lem undoubtedly belongs to the latter. And even there, the focus of his works is not really on science fiction as such, but on the moral and ethical choices of a man in the light of hypothetical futures. Lem claimed that, for him, science and philosophy were inseparable. Today, as technologies surrounding us are developing more rapidly and widely than ever, Lem’s works – though written decades ago – have thus only gained in relevance.

I have never quite understood why, when discussing new technologies, the norm is to automatically treat them as progress. What, for example, is really our personal advancement by using a smartphone or LLM? “I’m looking forward to the day when I can put a tablet in my child’s hands – something that develops her,” a father remarked to me a few years ago whilst queuing at a computer repair shop. I shrugged. No doubt, many of the new technologies have created new opportunities and benefits for us. But the point Stanisław Lem and his fellow thinkers are making is to go beyond the realm of practical problems a particular technological innovation can solve for us, and ask whether and how will the innovation affect our human nature.

For example, in the novel Return from the Stars, Lem tells the story of Hal, an astronaut returning from a long space voyage, who feels out of place in a society that has changed dramatically in his absence (i.e. technology has advanced beyond his recognition). More than anything else, he is deeply confounded by the society’s new and extreme pursuit of absolute safety. Accidents have been eliminated in society, and all aggressive impulses in people have been neutralised thanks to a surgical procedure carried out at birth. In this respect, the book bears resemblance to another well-known science fiction novel, Arthur C. Clarke’s The City and the Stars, in which the young protagonist flees the City governed by outmost orderliness and security, but deprived of what we would call humanness. Both authors are hence asking, at what point does the absolute elimination of danger itself become an act of violence or a shackle.

From this, one might also turn to classical thinkers and philosophers – Tacitus, for one, states in Book XV of his Annals that ‘the desire for security is the enemy of every great and noble undertaking’, whilst Seneca, in his work entitled On the Shortness of Life, writes that ‘there is no reason to suppose that a man whose hair is grey and whose face is wrinkled has lived a long life – he has merely existed for a long time’. Lem similarly points out that when security and material comfort become the primary values of a society, personal freedom and willingness to take risks will inevitably recede to the background. The seemingly noble aim of eliminating all risks from a person’s life thus ends up stifling both their self-fulfilment and personal contentment, for our zest for life as well as our capacity to dream and imagine are inevitably linked to unpredictability and uncertainty, and thus also to smaller or greater kinds of risk. In Return from the Stars, one of the protagonist’s colleagues, Olaf, concludes: “They have killed the human in people. /…/ To be human, one needs the ability to weigh up everything at once, if necessary. We are capable of this. They [the people of the new age] are not. And that is why they fear us.”

The question of moral responsibility

In his best-known work, Solaris, Lem seems to be reflecting, against the backdrop of the general narrative, on how everything in the world is interconnected – and not necessarily in any esoteric sense of the word, but in the simple realisation that the impact of changes taking place in a society is very rarely confined only to the sphere in which they directly occur. If, once again, considering the handy example of the

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• Three US States Open Probes into Fauci Over COVID Claims

• Apple Challenges UK Over iCloud Backdoor Demand

• California Democrats Back Tax on Billionaires

Three US States Open Probes into Fauci Over COVID Claims

Authorities in Louisiana, Alabama and Florida have launched probes into Anthony Fauci, the former influential public health official and architect of COVID-19 policy. The investigations rely on newly revealed documents showing that, in private, Fauci did not view the COVID-19 situation as critical, yet publicly recommended policies that suspended people’s fundamental rights and freedoms.

According to Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, Fauci lied when he claimed not to remember many details of his actions. New documents, including his pandemic-era diary, have now emerged. For example, in 2020 Fauci publicly told Congress that COVID-19 was 10 times deadlier than the flu, yet his diary shows that privately he assessed it’s lethality as not significantly different. Murrill has said her office will examine whether Fauci committed any criminal offences that could be charged under state law, according to The Epoch Times.

Senator Tommy Tuberville, the Republican candidate for Governor of Alabama, has also stated that Alabama would investigate Fauci. He promised to determine whether it would be possible to bring Fauci to Alabama, put him on trial and “see if we can put this man in prison.”

In addition, Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier announced at the end of July that he was launching an investigation. Uthmeier wrote that “Fauci’s lack of candor before Congress was unbelievable” and that it was long overdue to uncover the truth about the COVID-19 pandemic. “If he lied, and it resulted in physical and economic harm to countless Americans, billions of taxpayer dollars in ‘medical expenses’, and learning loss for our next generation, there should be accountability,” Uthmeier explained.

The decisions by the three states followed a Senate hearing at which Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and a key architect of US COVID-19 policies, was due to give evidence on his controversial decisions and public statements. However, Fauci refused to answer the senators’ questions, invoking the Fifth Amendment, under which no one is required to give evidence that might incriminate them.

In light of the states’ plans, it is worth noting that on his final day in office President Joe Biden granted Fauci a full and unconditional pardon for any offences he may have committed or been involved in by virtue of his office from 1 January 2014 to 19 January 2025. This pardon protects Fauci from federal prosecution but not from state prosecutors. He could still face charges if a breach of state law is established. At the same time, legal experts note that the statute of limitations for some state charges may already have expired.

For the time being, according to Senator Rand Paul, Fauci faces a possible charge of contempt of Congress for invoking the Fifth Amendment when refusing to answer questions before a Senate committee. “It’s against the law to obstruct a congressional investigation. There will be repercussions for your refusal to testify,” Paul told Fauci.

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Apple Challenges UK Over iCloud Backdoor Demand

Apple has challenged the UK government’s latest attempt to create a so-called backdoor to access users’ encrypted data after the UK Home Office demanded that Apple grant access to users’ encrypted iCloud data, according to Reuters.

The UK had previously made the same demand, seeking a backdoor that would have granted access to the data of both British and US customers. It withdrew this demand last year following several months of negotiations with US President Donald Trump’s administration. However, the British authorities subsequently issued a new ‘technical capability notice’ to Apple, which excluded US users but still required a backdoor for British users.

Apple filed a claim with the UK Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which has the authority to investigate allegations that UK intelligence services have acted unlawfully. According to media reports, the aim of the lawsuit is to challenge the UK government’s authority to issue ‘technical capability notices’ under the Investigatory Powers Act. This is a law that obliges companies to provide information to law enforcement agencies concerning, amongst other things, terrorism and child sexual abuse. To this end, companies may be required to grant access to customer data even if the information is encrypted.

Apple has confirmed that it has filed the lawsuit but has declined to provide further details. Previously the company has stated that it has never created a backdoor in its services and never will.

A spokesperson for the UK government explained that the government does not comment on legal proceedings and neither confirms nor denies individual reports. The spokesperson added that the UK supports strong encryption and robust privacy protection, “but it ‌is also vital that law enforcement can access communications when necessary and proportionate to protect the public from terrorism, serious crime, and child sexual abuse.”

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California Democrats Back Tax on Billionaires

Thee California Democratic Party’s executive committee narrowly voted in favour of Proposition 40, which would impose a one-off 5 per cent wealth tax on the assets of the state’s approximately 200 billionaires. If the November referendum also passes, those who were California residents on 1 January 2026 with a net worth of $1 billion (€867 million) or more will have to pay five cents for every dollar of taxable net worth to Sacramento, with payments due in 2027, reports Politico.

According to the explanatory notes for Proposition 40, the one-off 5 per cent tax would apply to taxpayers and trusts whose assets exceed $1 billion (€867 million) and California’s ultra-wealthy would have the option to defer payment for five years. Assets include companies, securities, works of art, collections and intellectual property. The only exceptions are real estate, pensions and retirement accounts. 90 per cent of the tax revenue is planned for healthcare and 10 per cent for food aid or education.

The initiative is led by the large healthcare workers’ union, Service Employees International Union United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), which estimates the tax would raise $100 billion (€86.7 billion). The union says the money would help offset cuts to federal healthcare funding, with some funds also going to education and food aid.

Progressive lawmakers such as Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Ro Khanna have previously backed the measure. Sanders has expressed firm support for a 5 per cent wealth tax on the 200 billionaires whose combined wealth totals about $2 trillion (€1.73 trillion). “This is a model that should be emulated throughout the country, which is why I will soon be introducing a national wealth tax on billionaires,” wrote Sanders. He argues that in a democratic society “we cannot continue to tolerate a rigged economy in which 60% of our people live paycheck to paycheck - struggling to pay for housing, food and health care while the top 1% now owns more wealth than the bottom 93%. We must not continue a trend in which, over the past 50 years, $79 trillion (€68.5 trillion) in wealth in our country has been redistributed from the bottom 90% to the top 1%.”

Opposed to the measure are Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra, the California Teachers Association, the California Professional Firefighters Association, the California branches of Planned Parenthood and many others. They argue the tax would have undesirable consequences. For example, it is likely to prompt the ultra-wealthy to move their assets out of the state. The tax would also harm the state’s budget, economy and future. It is noteworthy that Governor Gavin Newsom also opposes the ultra-wealthy tax. But at the same time, he advocates a federal tax on billionaires, which he calls the ‘modern-day Buffett Rule’, under which the ‘elite’ would pay at least the same tax rate as everyone else. With a national tax, no one would be able to flee to avoid paying within the US.

Many of California’s famous billionaires seem to have already taken steps to move assets or residency out of the state. For example, reports say Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Google’s co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have been actively buying property in Florida. Some had already begun acquiring properties outside California even before the proposal was tabled last October, reportedly such as Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and Palantir; venture capitalist Keith Rabois; Amazon’s Jeff Bezos; and Oracle’s Larry Ellison.