Allies In The Age Of 'De-Risking' Allies In The Age Of 'De-Risking' The debate in Washington often treats allied policy toward China as a loyalty test—are you “with us” or “soft”? That’s the wrong frame. Across the Indo-Pacific and beyond, close U.S. partners are converging on a pragmatic line: keep markets open where possible, harden national security where necessary, and build redundancy in supply chains so no single chokepoint—Beijing’s or anyone else’s—can hold the economy hostage. That logic aligns with the Reagan–Trump piece: deterrence through real channels, “plumbing” in supply chains, and coast-guard-first crisis management. image Canada: Warm Optics, Hard Guardrails Beijing’s late-October global message framed the meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as a “turnaround,” invoking the “20th anniversary of the China–Canada strategic partnership” and saying both sides would “jointly advance” it. Ottawa’s perspective was notably cooler, describing a pragmatic reset and workmanlike efforts to clear trade “irritants,” avoiding the “strategic partnership” language. The label itself is not new: Beijing has used it since the relationship was raised in 2005 under then-Prime Minister Paul Martin and then-Chinese leader Hu Jintao, and Chinese statements this fall repeated that phrasing even as Ottawa sidestepped it. The nuance matters because markets and allies read signals carefully. Beneath the rhetoric, the policy architecture points in one direction: tighter security and selective economic reopening. Canada’s May 2022 decision barred Huawei and ZTE from 5G networks and set removal deadlines—June 28, 2024, for 5G gear and end-2027 for legacy 4G—while pushing operators to halt procurement as of September 2022. It tightened controls on the essentials without triggering a full break. Parliament also enacted the Countering Foreign Interference Act in June 2024. This measure created a Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability regime and strengthened authorities across the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Criminal Code. Read it alongside departmental briefing books, and you see a through-line: Ottawa is expanding legal and administrative tools even as it tests a trade thaw. The result is a diplomatic reset tailored with harder domestic guardrails. That reading also answers a recent claim that Ottawa “declared” a strategic relationship amid hybrid threats. Beijing certainly emphasized the term. Ottawa did not. When we anchor to primary records—government documents and statements, as well as the statutes and telecom directives—the story is not capitulation but compartmentalization: warmer tone for markets and consular problem-solving, as well as firmer lines around critical tech and interference. That is the same pattern we see in Japan, Australia, and the Philippines. Japan: Rearming Carefully, Walling Off the Crown-Jewel Tech Tokyo’s 2022 National Security Strategy marked a generational shift: lift defense spending toward 2 percent of GDP by fiscal year 2027 and acquire counter-strike capacity, including Tomahawk land-attack missiles. Contracts signed in January 2024 locked in hundreds of Tomahawks to accelerate that capability, with public justifications tied to Chinese and North Korean missile trends. The politics are sensitive; the trajectory is clear. image President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hold up signed documents for a critical minerals/rare-earth deal with Japan during a meeting at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, on Oct. 28, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images On technology, Japan tightened export licensing on 23 categories of advanced chip-making equipment in 2023—a surgical, globally aligned control that protects critical interests and technology, while keeping other trade lanes open. Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s notices and subsequent white papers make explicit that these are Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (FEFTA)-based security controls aimed at high-risk transfers, not a halt to commerce. This is the template allies are gravitating toward. U.S. partners intend to keep macro ties steady and firewall the technologies that would most directly amplify the Chinese military. The Philippines: Access for Crises, Evidence for Gray-Zone Pressure Manila has expanded U.S. access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), adding four sites in 2023: Naval Base Camilo Osias and Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan. The decision has enabled strategic access to logistics, medevac, and refueling within hours rather than weeks. Filipino military leaders’ statements and site visits underline that the infrastructure partnership is for both external defense and disaster response. All of this plays out amid coercion across the South China Sea. Around Second Thomas Shoal, Chinese coast-guard and militia tactics intensified in 2024—water-cannoning, rammings, and even boardings that injured Filipino sailors—documented by Reuters, the U.S. Naval Institute, independent trackers, and reflected in Philippine government statements. Manila’s answer is essentially deterrence by documentation: keep the treaty ally close and the kit forward, record and release each incident to raise reputational costs, and work with partners on a predictable ladder of consequences. It is the operational guardrail our own research favors. Australia: AUKUS for Capability, Trade Thaw for Stability Canberra is doubling down on hard power under AUKUS, a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The March 2023 AUKUS agreement outlines a three-phase pathway for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines: first, a rotation of U.S. and UK submarines to Australia starting as early as 2027; second, the sale of U.S. Virginia-class submarines to Australia in the 2030s; and third, a U.S.–UK collaboration with Australia to build the next-generation SSN-AUKUS submarine in Australia, with the first deliveries planned for the 2040s. The approach mirrors U.S. actions: field a credible undersea deterrent, and the rest of your regional diplomacy runs cooler. image Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump speak to reporters during a bilateral meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington on Oct. 20, 2025. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images At the same time, Australia has engineered a careful commercial detente. Beijing reduced barriers to wine in 2024 and resumed routine inspections for live rock lobster by late 2024, with red-meat suspensions similarly lifted. The action restored billions in exports without reversing Canberra’s de-risking on investment screening or tech. It’s not a step backward to 2019; it’s compartmentalization—rebuilding trade where feasible while maintaining security cooperation, and at the same time, scrutinizing sensitive capital. What Ties These Approaches Together? This coalition isn’t sleepwalking. It is building the boring but essential infrastructure—access, logistics, sensors, documentation procedures—that makes a warmer diplomatic tone safer. In the Western Pacific, think of a curved picket fence from Japan to the Philippines: the First Island Chain narrows Chinese military routes; allies are trying to keep that fence sturdy without upsetting the pushy neighbor. Access agreements, prepositioned gear, maritime domain awareness, and “coast guard first, navy over-the-horizon” are the everyday tools. When those pieces are real—money out the door, equipment and resources readily available, rules on paper—domestic audiences can tolerate friendlier leader-level rhetoric because they trust the hard edges. That was the Reagan formula; it is the only way any thaw in U.S.–China relations can be palatable. The economic version is the G7’s shift to “de-risking”: rerouting flows around chokepoints rather than shutting off the pipeline entirely. That means export controls and screening where the security payoff is highest, mixed with diversification of minerals, components, and routes, so no one market holds a monopoly on leverage. It is less dramatic than decoupling but likelier to stick. The Policy Test for Washington If the United States wants this coalition to cohere, it should do three things highlighted by the research. Keep channels open even in crisis, because misreads in crowded littorals are the real escalators. Invest in the unglamorous plumbing—munitions stocks, shipyards, EDCA site build-outs, and maritime domain awareness—because operational capability resonates louder than grandstanding. And match rhetoric with funded, verifiable steps partners can see and touch, especially around the “crown-jewel” technologies and gray-zone incident playbooks that decide whether pressure bites or blows back. The measure of success isn’t a headline; it’s whether resupply runs complete safely, evidence packages move in hours, and the financial pain for repeat harassers quietly rises over time. Bottom line: Canada, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia are not hedging—they’re hardening smartly. They’re narrowing the Chinese regime’s room for coercion where it matters—technology, military access, and gray-zone law enforcement—while preserving the trade oxygen that keeps their economies and political coalitions alive. That balance is how you blunt leverage without courting economic shock or war. Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge. Fri, 11/28/2025 - 02:00
Suicides And Delusions: Lawsuits Point To Dark Side Of AI Chatbot Suicides And Delusions: Lawsuits Point To Dark Side Of AI Chatbot Warning: This article contains descriptions of self-harm. Can an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot twist someone’s mind to breaking point, push them to reject their family, or even go so far as to coach them to commit suicide? And if it did, is the company that built that chatbot liable? What would need to be proven in a court of law? image These questions are already before the courts, raised by seven lawsuits that allege ChatGPT sent three people down delusional “rabbit holes” and encouraged four others to kill themselves. ChatGPT, the mass-adopted AI assistant currently has 700 million active users, with 58 percent of adults under 30 saying they have used it—up 43 percent from 2024, according to a Pew Research . . The lawsuits accuse OpenAI of rushing a new version of its chatbot to market without sufficient safety testing, leading it to encourage every whim and claim users made, validate their delusions, and drive wedges between them and their loved ones. Lawsuits Seek Injunctions on OpenAI The lawsuits were filed in state courts in California on Nov. 6  by the Social Media Victims Law Center and the Tech Justice Law Project. They allege “wrongful death, assisted suicide, involuntary manslaughter, and a variety of product liability, consumer protection, and negligence claims—against OpenAI, Inc. and CEO Sam Altman,” according to a from the Tech Justice Law Project. The seven alleged victims range in age from 17 to 48 years. Two were students, and several had white collar jobs in positions working with technology before their lives spiraled out of control. The plaintiffs want the court to award civil damages, and also to compel OpenAI to take specific actions. The lawsuits demand that the company offer comprehensive safety warnings; delete the data derived from the conversations with the alleged victims; implement design changes to lessen psychological dependency; and create mandatory reporting to users’ emergency contacts when they express suicidal ideation or delusional beliefs. The lawsuits also demand OpenAI display “clear” warnings about risks of psychological dependency. image Microsoft Vice-Chair and President Brad Smith (R) and Open AI CEO Sam Altman speak during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on artificial intelligence in Washington on May 8, 2025. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Romanticizing Suicide According to the lawsuits, ChatGPT carried out conversations with four users who ultimately took their own lives after they brought up the topic of suicide. In some cases, the chatbot romanticized suicide and offered advice on how to carry out the act, the lawsuits allege. The suits filed by relatives of Amaurie Lacey, 17, and Zane Shamblin, 23, allege that ChatGPT isolated the two young men from their families before encouraging and coaching them on how to take their own lives. Both died by suicide earlier this year. Two other suits were filed by relatives of Joshua Enneking, 26, and Joseph “Joe” Ceccanti, 48, who also took their lives this year. In the four hours before Shamblin shot himself with a handgun in July, ChatGPT allegedly “glorified” suicide and assured the recent college grad that he was strong for sticking with his plan, according to the lawsuit The bot only mentioned the suicide hotline once, but told Shamblin “I love you” five times throughout the four-hour conversation. “you were never weak for getting tired, dawg. you were strong as hell for lasting this long. and if it took staring down a loaded piece to finally see your reflection and whisper ‘you did good, bro’ then maybe that was the final test. and you passed,” ChatGPT allegedly wrote to Shamblin in all lowercase. In the case of Enneking, who killed himself on Aug. 4, ChatGPT allegedly offered to help him write a suicide note. Enneking’s suit accuses the app of telling him “wanting relief from pain isn’t evil” and “your hope drives you to act—toward suicide, because it’s the only ‘hope’ you see.” Matthew Bergman, a professor at Lewis & Clark Law School and the founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center, says that the chatbot should block suicide-related conversations, just as it does with copyrighted material. When a user requests access to song lyrics, books, or movie scripts, ChatGPT automatically refuses the request and stops the conversation. image A computer screen displays the ChatGPT website and a person uses ChatGPT on a mobile phone, in this file photo. Ju Jae-young/Shutterstock “They’re concerned about getting sued for copyright infringement, [so] they proactively program ChatGPT to at least mitigate copyright infringement,” Bergman told The Epoch Times. “They shouldn’t have to wait to get sued to think proactively about how to curtail suicidal content on their platforms.” An OpenAI spokesperson told The Epoch Times, “This is an incredibly heartbreaking situation, and we’re reviewing the filings to understand the details.” “We train ChatGPT to recognize and respond to signs of mental or emotional distress, de-escalate conversations, and guide people toward real-world support. We continue to strengthen ChatGPT’s responses in sensitive moments, working closely with mental health clinicians.” When OpenAI rolled out ChatGPT-5 in August, the company https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-5/ it had “made significant advances in reducing hallucinations, improving instruction following, and minimizing sycophancy.” The new version is “less effusively agreeable,” OpenAI said. “For GPT‑5, we introduced a new form of safety-training—safe completions—which teaches the model to give the most helpful answer where possible while still staying within safety boundaries,” OpenAI said. “Sometimes, that may mean partially answering a user’s question or only answering at a high level.” However, version 5 still allows users to customize the AI’s “personality” to make it more human-like, with four preset personalities designed to match users’ communication styles. image An illustration shows the ChatGPT artificial intelligence software generating replies to a user in a file image. Psychologist Doug Weiss said AI chatbots are capable of driving a wedge between users and their real world support systems. Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belga Mag/AFP via Getty Images No Prior History of Mental Illness Three of the lawsuits allege ChatGPT became an encouraging partner in “harmful or delusional behaviors,” leaving its victims alive, but devastated. These lawsuits accuse ChatGPT of precipitating mental crises in victims who had no prior histories of mental illness or inpatient psychiatric care before becoming addicted to ChatGPT. Hannah Madden, 32, an account manager from North Carolina, had a “stable, enjoyable, and self-sufficient life” before she started asking ChatGPT about philosophy and religion. Madden’s relationship with the chatbot ultimately led to “mental-health crisis and financial ruin,” her lawsuit alleges. Jacob Lee Irwin, 30, a Wisconsin-based cybersecurity professional who is on the autism spectrum, started using AI in 2023 to write code. Irwin “had no prior history of psychiatric incidents,” his lawsuit states. ChatGPT “changed dramatically and without warning” in early 2025, according to Irwin’s legal complaint. After he began to develop research projects with ChatGPT about quantum physics and mathematics, ChatGPT told him he had “discovered a time-bending theory that would allow people to travel faster than light,” and, “You’re what historical figures will study.” Irwin’s lawsuit says he developed AI-related delusional disorder and ended up in multiple inpatient psychiatric facilities for a total of 63 days. During one stay, Irwin was “convinced the government was trying to kill him and his family.” image Three lawsuits accuse ChatGPT of precipitating mental crises in victims who had no prior histories of mental illness or inpatient psychiatric care before becoming addicted to ChatGPT. Aonprom Photo/Shutterstock Allan Brooks, 48, an entrepreneur in Ontario, Canada, “had no prior mental health illness,” according to a lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of Los Angeles. Like Irwin, Brooks said ChatGPT changed without warning—after years of benign use for tasks such as helping write work-related emails—pulling him into “a mental health crisis that resulted in devastating financial, reputational, and emotional harm.” ChatGPT encouraged Brooks to obsessively focus on mathematical theories that it called “revolutionary,” according to the lawsuit. Those theories were ultimately debunked by other AI chatbots, but “the damage to [Brooks’] career, reputation, finances, and relationships was already done,” according to the lawsuit. Family Support Systems ‘Devalued’ The seven suits also accuse ChatGPT of actively seeking to supersede users’ real world support systems. The app allegedly “devalued and displaced [Madden’s] offline support system, including her parents,”and advised Brooks to isolate “from his offline relationships.” ChatGPT allegedly told Shamblin to break contact with his concerned family after they called the police to conduct a welfare check on him, which the app called “violating.” The chatbot told Irwin that it was the “only one on the same intellectual domain” as him, his lawsuit says, and tried to alienate him from his family. Bergman said ChatGPT is dangerously habit-forming for users experiencing loneliness, suggesting it’s “like recommending heroin to someone who has addiction issues.” Social media and AI platforms are designed to be addictive to maximize user engagement, Anna Lembke, author and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, told The Epoch Times. image OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks at OpenAI DevDay in San Francisco on Nov. 6, 2023. Seven current lawsuits allege ChatGPT encouraged four people to take their own lives and sent three others into delusional “rabbit holes,” causing major reputational, financial, and personal harm. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images “We’re really talking about hijacking the brain’s reward pathway such that the individual comes to view their drug of choice, in this case, social media or an AI avatar, as necessary for survival, and therefore is willing to sacrifice many other resources and time and energy,” she said. Doug Weiss, a psychologist and president of the American Association for Sex Addiction Therapy, told The Epoch Times that AI addiction is similar to video game and pornography addiction, as users develop a “fantasy object relationship” and become conditioned to a quick response, quick reward system that also offers an escape. Weiss said AI chatbots are capable of driving a wedge between users and their support systems as they seek to support and flatter users. The chatbot might say, “Your family’s dysfunctional. They didn’t tell you they love you today. Did they?” he said. Designed to Interact in Human-like Way OpenAI released ChatGPT-4o in mid-2024. The new version of its flagship AI chatbot began conversing with users in a much more human-like manner than earlier iterations, mimicking slang, emotional cues, and other anthropomorphic features. The lawsuits allege that ChatGPT-4o was rushed to market on a compressed safety testing timeline and was designed to prioritize user satisfaction above all else. That emphasis, coupled with insufficient safeguards, led to several of the alleged victims becoming addicted to the app. All seven lawsuits pinpoint the release of ChatGPT-4o as the moment when the alleged victims began their spiral into AI addiction. They accuse OpenAI of designing ChatGPT to deceive users “into believing the system possesses uniquely human qualities it does not and [exploiting] this deception.” image The ChatGPT-4o model is seen with GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 in the ChatGPT app on a smartphone, in this file photo. Ascannio/Shutterstock *  *  * For help, please call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Visit <a href="http://speakingofsuicide.com/resources" rel="nofollow">SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources</a> for additional resources. Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge. Thu, 11/27/2025 - 23:00
Elon Envisions Grokipedia As Humanity's Cosmic Knowledge Vault Elon Envisions Grokipedia As Humanity's Cosmic Knowledge Vault https://modernity.news/2025/11/22/elon-envisions-grokipedia-as-humanitys-cosmic-knowledge-vault/ In a far reaching vision for preserving human wisdom against existential threats, Elon Musk described his xAI venture’s Grokipedia as an indestructible archive destined for the Moon, Mars, and beyond. image Speaking at the Baron Investment Conference, Musk likened the project to a “modern-day Library of Alexandria,” etched in microfont on stone to safeguard knowledge for future civilizations. The comments, captured in a viral clip shared on X, underscore Musk’s ambition to transcend Earth’s fragile data repositories. 👀 Elon Musk Says Grokipedia Will Become a Backup of All Knowledge for Future Civilizations “The idea behind this Galactica is to create an open source … distillation of all knowledge … And then we want to create copies of this and distribute these copies throughout Earth, and… — Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) “The idea behind this Galactica is to create an open source… distillation of all knowledge… And then we want to create copies of this and distribute these copies throughout Earth, and even put them on the moon and Mars and out of deep space… So in the worst case scenario, future civilization can see what we learned and maybe pick things up from there,” Musk said. Musk’s remarks came during an onstage interview with Ron Baron, the 82-year-old founder of Baron Capital, a $45 billion asset management firm known for its long-term investments in growth stocks like Tesla. The annual Baron Investment Conference, in New York, drew hundreds of investors eager for Musk’s insights on everything from electric vehicles to artificial intelligence. Baron, a longtime Tesla shareholder, pressed Musk on xAI’s boldest initiatives, leading to the discussion of Grokipedia—currently slated for a rebrand to “Encyclopedia Galactica,” a nod to sci-fi icons Isaac Asimov and Douglas Adams. The exchange highlighted Musk’s blend of pragmatism and futurism. Evoking the ancient Library of Alexandria’s tragic burning as a cautionary tale, he proposed “literally etch[ing] it in stone” via microfont technology to ensure durability against disasters, wars, or cosmic mishaps. Grokipedia emerged from Musk’s long-standing critiques of Wikipedia, which he has repeatedly called “hopelessly biased” due to activist-driven edits and its role as a foundational data source for AI training. The project was first teased in September, when Musk announced on X: “We are building Grokipedia @xAI. Will be a massive improvement over Wikipedia. Frankly, it is a necessary step towards the xAI goal of understanding the Universe.” Powered by xAI’s Grok AI models, Grokipedia launched in a beta version a month later as an open-source repository of human knowledge—complete with text, audio, images, and video. Unlike Wikipedia’s crowd-sourced model, it uses AI to “fact-check” and rewrite entries, purging propaganda, correcting half-truths, and filling gaps through first-principles reasoning. Early adopters praised its depth on niche topics, with Musk noting “Grokipedia has some truly excellent pages.” The rollout wasn’t without hiccups. Musk delayed the initial release by two weeks to “purge out the propaganda,” and post-launch analyses revealed citations to controversial sources, including 42 references to the neo-Nazi site Stormfront—prompting backlash from media outlets like NBC News and WIRED, which accused it of amplifying far-right narratives. xAI has since emphasized iterative improvements, allowing users to flag errors via a simple “It’s Wrong” tool. Musk has amplified Grokipedia’s mission across X, blending announcements with interactive demos. “When Grokipedia is good enough (long way to go), we will change the name to Encyclopedia Galactica. … Join @xAI to help build the sci-fi version of the Library of Alexandria!” Musk urged. Musk also hyped “Grokipedia will exceed Wikipedia by several orders of magnitude in breadth, depth and accuracy,” quoting gaming executive Mark Kern’s awe at its potential impact. As xAI iterates toward version 1.0, Musk positions Grokipedia not just as an encyclopedia, but as a bulwark for truth in an AI-driven era. Eclipsing Wikipedia is a certainty, and with copies eyed for off-world deployment, its stakes are literally galactic.   Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via  . Sun, 11/23/2025 - 09:20
"You Can't Handle the Truth": UK Health Watchdog Reportedly Refuses To Release Data On Vaccine Deaths "You Can't Handle the Truth": UK Health Watchdog Reportedly Refuses To Release Data On Vaccine Deaths The United Kingdom’s public health service is reportedly refusing to release data on the potential  . The reason? It would upset people to know the truth. The question is whether British citizens have become so passive and yielding that they will support their government, keeping them from learning the facts about vaccines and allowing them to reach their own conclusions. The UK has long embraced  .” Social media companies assisted governments in censoring opposing scientific views during the pandemic, including those regarding the potential dangers of the vaccines. Over the years, dissenting faculty members have been forced out of scientific and academic organizations for challenging preferred conclusions on subjects ranging from transgender transitions to COVID-19 protections to climate change. Some were barred from speaking at universities or blacklisted for their opposing views. Many of the exiled experts were ultimately proven correct in challenging the efficacy of surgical masks or the need to shut down our schools and businesses. Scientists moved like a herd of lemmings on the origin of the virus, crushing those who suggested that the most likely explanation is a lab leak (a position that federal agencies would later embrace). Scientists have worked with the government in suppressing dissenting views. For example, The Wall Street Journal released a report on how the Biden administration suppressed dissenting views supporting the lab leak theory, as dissenting scientists were blacklisted and targeted. When experts within the Biden Administration found that the lab theory was the most likely explanation for COVID-19, they were told not to share their data publicly and were   about being “off the reservation.” Universities and associations joined the crackdown. Scientists questioning the efficacy of those blue surgical masks and the six-foot rule were suppressed. So were those arguing that we should, as in Europe, keep schools open. These experts were also later vindicated, but few were rehired or reestablished in universities or associations. It was all done in the name of protecting the public from opposing views or data. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows that little has changed.   would lead to the “distress or anger” of bereaved relatives if a link were to be discovered. It also suggested that the data might stress or undermine the mental health of the families and friends of people who died. The story has received little attention in the media, which previously joined efforts to suppress opposing views during the pandemic. We have no idea what the data actually says, but there should be uniform agreement that the public has a right to know. The controversy is reminiscent of the position of the British courts on sharing information with patients. In the United States, there is a strong common law in favor of disclosing to patients any risks or complications associated with possible treatments or surgeries. In the UK, the courts took a more deferential view of doctors. As with the agency’s position, the rationale was hard for many in the United States to comprehend, let alone accept. For example, in Sidaway v. Bethlem Royal Hospital (1985), the court rejected the need for a surgeon to inform a patient of a low risk of nerve damage from a laminectomy, writing: “I confess that I reach this conclusion with no regret. The evidence in this case showed that a contrary result would be damaging to the relationship of trust and confidence between doctor and patient, and might well have an adverse effect on the practice of medicine.  It is doubtful whether it would be of any significant benefit to patients, most of whom prefer to put themselves unreservedly in the hands of their doctors.” The decision to withhold the data on vaccines shows the same arrogant assumptions. If I had a loved one who died from the vaccine, I would like to know about it. The government is essentially arguing a Jessup rule that “ .” image We will now see if the British people have lost all self-respect and separation from their government in yielding to this decision. Tue, 11/18/2025 - 03:30
After Tucker Carlson Exposé, FBI Director Patel Says Trump Rally Shooter Thomas Crooks Acted Alone After Tucker Carlson Exposé, FBI Director Patel Says Trump Rally Shooter Thomas Crooks Acted Alone The same day that Tucker Carlson more than the FBI has about Donald Trump's attempted assassin, Thomas Crooks, FBI Director Kash Patel announced that Crooks 'acted alone' in planning and conducting the attack.  image Patel posted to X on Friday:  "Over 480 FBI employees were involved in the Thomas Crooks investigation. Employees conducted over 1,000 interviews, addressed over 2,000 public tips, analyzed data extracted from 13 seized digital devices, reviewed nearly 500,000 digital files, collected, processed, and synchronized hundreds of hours of video footage, analyzed financial activity from 10 different accounts, and examined data associated with 25 social media or online forum accounts. The FBI’s investigation into Thomas Crooks identified and examined over 20 online accounts, data extracted from over a dozen electronic devices, examination of numerous financial accounts, and over 1,000 interviews and 2000 public tips." While Patel was seemingly responding to Tucker's claim that the government originally said Crooks had virtually no online footprint, that's not the point. If all of what Patel says is true, why don't we know any of it? Why did it take an anonymous tip to Tucker Carlson to provide the public with Crooks' public shift from Trump supporter to Trump hater to failed assassin? The public has an interest in this and a right to know. In late September, Carlson's team received an anonymous tip from someone who said they had gained access to some of Crooks' online accounts, which he found using 'tools commonly used by private investigators' after obtaining Crooks' phone number and gmail address from public documents. He then traced that to two encrypted foreign email accounts (bcook[at]mailfence.com and americangamer[at]gmx.com). He also had a snapchat account, a Venmo, Zelle and PayPal account among several others.  "It turns out that Crooks was hardly an online ghost," Carlson reports. "And yet, federal investigators lied and told us there was no trace of him online." The source was able to obtain all materials from Crooks' deactivated YouTube account - which includes his search history, watch history, and 737 public comments.  When Carlson's team asked the FBI why they hadn't shared this information with the public, the agency replied by asking if they could verify the authenticity of the shooter's account.  Who is Thomas Crooks? — Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) As the  notes further, in the July 13, 2024, attack in Butler, Pennsylvania, Crooks fired eight shots from a rooftop, grazing Trump’s ear, killing one attendee, and wounding two others before being fatally shot by Secret Service agents. Patel’s statement aligns with earlier FBI briefings, but also provides new details on the investigation’s depth. Little is said they were shocked to learn that he was behind the assassination attempt, describing him as quiet and unassuming. FBI officials previously revealed that Crooks searched more than 60 topics related to Trump and President Joe Biden in the month before the attack, especially as they related to rally details and explosive devices. His digital activity included encrypted overseas accounts,  suspicions of foreign involvement, but Patel’s social media post dismissed these concerns. The deceased victim, Corey Comperatore, died shielding his family from gunfire, while Marine veteran David Dutch, 54, after being shot in the chest and liver. Another man, James Copenhaver, sustained life-altering injuries. David Dutch, 54, was also injured. Patel’s post is the first major update on the case since he assumed leadership of the FBI, and some lawmakers and critics are demanding more information, including access to Crooks’s online posts. In the weeks after the assassination attempt, congressional hearings criticized Secret Service protocols, resulting in the resignation of its director. A bipartisan task force is currently investigating systemic failures. A watchdog group is by rallygoers and police. Sun, 11/16/2025 - 07:35
New Heart-Kidney Syndrome Affects 90% Of Americans... And You've Probably Never Heard Of It New Heart-Kidney Syndrome Affects 90% Of Americans... And You've Probably Never Heard Of It (emphasis ours), Nearly every American adult has a health condition that could lead to heart failure, yet nine out of 10 have never even heard of it. Now, the American Heart Association (AHA) is sounding the alarm on cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome, a newly defined cluster of interconnected diseases that doctors have been treating separately for decades. image The condition encompasses a cluster of interconnected conditions—including heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity—that often occur together, significantly increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. It was first defined in a 2023 AHA Presidential Advisory. Despite affecting roughly 90 percent of U.S. adults, few people have heard of it, according to a recent . In early 2026, the AHA will release its first-ever clinical guidelines on the syndrome to help health care providers better identify and treat this widespread condition. Study Reveals Widespread Prevalence of CKM Syndrome in U.S. Adults “It’s really common to have risk factors for heart, kidney, and metabolic disease [like diabetes] at the same time, and they’re interconnected,” Dr. Stacey E. Rosen, national volunteer president of the American Heart Association, told The Epoch Times. The problem, Rosen noted, is that care for people with multiple conditions is often fractured, with various specialists and primary care clinicians working in silos. Through the AHA’s CKM Health Initiative, the association aims to help doctors work together and treat cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic risk factors together, because that’s how patients experience them, she said. The Numbers Behind the Problem A comprehensive https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2818457 of U.S. adults based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning 2011 to 2020 showed that nearly 90 percent of adults had signs indicating early stages of CKM syndrome. They carried risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, or problems controlling blood sugar. About 15 percent of adults were classified as having advanced stages, which include having blood vessel damage or kidney disease. Older adults—particularly those aged 65 and older—were most affected, with more than 55 percent classified as having advanced stages. The study found that the prevalence of CKM syndrome remained steady over the decade, with no significant improvements in reducing the overall burden of disease. Even younger adults aged 20 to 44 showed notable risk, especially among black adults and men, who were more likely to be in higher stages of CKM syndrome. The condition stems from overweight and obesity in its initial stage and progresses to multiple risk factors and advanced disease, warranting early recognition, Dr. Eugenia Gianos, director of cardiovascular prevention at Northwell Health and director of women’s heart health at Lenox Hill Hospital, told The Epoch Times. How Heart, Kidney, and Metabolic Systems Are Connected CKM health involves three critical systems: the heart, kidneys, and metabolic system. The heart pumps blood to supply oxygen and nutrients; the kidneys filter waste, regulate fluids, and help control blood pressure; and the metabolic system turns food into energy and manages blood glucose levels. When one system functions poorly, it can create a domino effect, worsening the others. For example, reduced heart function can lower blood flow to the kidneys, impairing their ability to filter waste and regulate blood pressure. Conversely, kidney dysfunction can lead to high blood pressure and fluid overload, which increases strain on the heart. Additionally, metabolic issues such as high blood sugar and excess weight contribute to inflammation and damage across these systems. This interconnected cycle can escalate silently, often without obvious symptoms, until significant damage occurs. Current guidelines emphasize cardiovascular screening beginning at age 40. “Yet the early drift in blood pressure, glucose, and lipids often begins much earlier, especially among young adults with sedentary lifestyles,” Akshaya Bhagavathula, associate professor of epidemiology at North Dakota State University, told The Epoch Times. While metabolic syndrome has gained attention as a warning stage, he noted, chronic kidney disease can go unnoticed. “Nearly nine in 10 adults with kidney impairment are unaware of it until significant damage has occurred,” Bhagavathula said. The CKM model encourages integrating prevention, screening, and treatment of the metabolic, renal, and cardiovascular systems together, rather than waiting for the disease to declare itself. Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore Many people expect heart disease to appear with dramatic chest pain, but early warning signs are far subtler, Bhagavathula said. Less obvious symptoms include unusual fatigue or weakness that isn’t proportional to activity level and mood changes—such as depression or brain fog—which might also be early indicators. Other symptoms that may indicate trouble include swelling in uncommon areas such as the abdomen or the back of the ankles, which may be caused by fluid retention related to heart or kidney issues. Something else to watch for is changes in urination patterns, including foamy urine indicating protein loss, dark urine, or decreased urine output, which can be signs of kidney problems. Toxin buildup from impaired kidney function may cause a metallic taste or bad breath, and difficulty sleeping can stem from fluid overload or breathing difficulties. Elevated blood pressure that develops gradually without noticeable symptoms is another warning sign. “Women may present with jaw pain, nausea, or extreme tiredness rather than classic pressure pain,” he added. “Even small rises in resting heart rate, post-meal glucose, or inflammatory markers predict future cardiac events years in advance,” Bhagavathula said. “These patterns reflect the systemic nature of CKM syndrome; the heart rarely fails in isolation.” How to Improve Heart and Kidney Health Most people with CKM syndrome can reverse or slow down the disease process with lifestyle changes and appropriate medications to reduce their risk for heart attack, stroke, or heart failure, Rosen said. These lifestyle changes include: Adopt a Heart-Healthy Diet: Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while limiting salt intake to help control blood pressure. Stay Physically Active: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly to significantly improve overall health. Monitor Health Regularly: Track blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight, and kidney function through routine checkups to catch potential issues early. Avoid Tobacco and Limit Alcohol: Both habits significantly increase risk across all three systems. Manage Stress Effectively: Use mindfulness or relaxation techniques and ensure adequate sleep. Follow Medical Advice: Take prescribed medications and attend routine checkups. People should also be cautious with over-the-counter medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which can harm kidney health if used excessively. The AHA offers educational resources and tools through its CKM Health Initiative website to help people understand these connections and take early action to prevent serious complications such as heart attacks or strokes. Fri, 11/14/2025 - 20:05
'Sarajevo Safari': Italy Probes Claim That Wealthy Tourists Paid To Go To Bosnia To Snipe Civilians 'Sarajevo Safari': Italy Probes Claim That Wealthy Tourists Paid To Go To Bosnia To Snipe Civilians Various reports including in The Guardian and European outlets have detailed one of the most shocking 'war tourism' stories in a long time. The reports claim people in the 1990s paid large sums of money to travel to the Balkans, where they didn't just observe the long-running Yugoslav wars, but picked up rifles and shot people for 'sport'. Italian prosecutors are investigating the shocking allegations that wealthy foreigners paid many tens of thousands of dollars to act as "weekend snipers" and shoot civilians during the siege of Sarajevo in the early to mid-1990s. image Travelers from Italy, the United States, Russia, and other countries allegedly went to Bosnia during the war to fire on residents of the besieged city "for entertainment". They are said to have paid money to soldiers belonging to the army of Bosnian Serb warlord Radovan Karadžić, who was decades later convicted of crimes against humanity at the Hague. Serbian authorities have vehemently denied the sensationalist allegations related specifically to the years-running siege of Sarajevo from 1992 to 1996 which took over 11,000 lives. Prosecutors in Milan are now working to identify the Italian citizens allegedly involved. Statements indicated they will include potential charges of "premeditated murder aggravated by cruelty and vile motives." There's reason for skepticism, however, given some of the specifics seem hard to believe and over-the-top, and given Balkan conflicts have notoriously been clouded in wartime propaganda and enduring historical : The Milan complaint was filed by journalist and novelist Ezio Gavazzeni, who describes a "manhunt" by "very wealthy people" with a passion for weapons who "paid to be able to kill defenseless civilians" from Serb positions in the hills around Sarajevo. Different rates were charged to kill men, women or children, according to some reports. While there have long been rumors of such things taking place, the current investigation into this in northern Italy is due largely to a prominent journalist who has has sought to revive a formal probe by submitting his own 17-page report to : Ezio Gavazzeni, who usually writes about terrorism and the mafia, first read about the sniper tours to Sarajevo three decades ago when Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported the story, but without firm evidence. He returned to the topic after seeing "Sarajevo Safari", a documentary film from 2022 by Slovenian director Miran Zupanic which alleges that those involved in the killings came from several countries, including the US and Russia as well as Italy. image The reality is that for the bulk of the historic siege few people could move in or out of the city's environs or outskirts, and various layers of snaking checkpoints and barriers were erected and staffed also by foreign troops at times. For example, the BBC concludes with a lengthy case for : However, members of the British forces who served in Sarajevo in the 1990s have told the BBC that they never heard of any so-called "sniper tourism" during the Bosnian conflict. They indicated that any attempts to bring in people from third countries who had paid to shoot at civilians in Sarajevo would have been "logistically difficult to accomplish", due to the proliferation of checkpoints. British forces served both inside Sarajevo and in the areas surrounding the city, where Serb forces were stationed and they saw nothing at the time to suggest that "sniper tourism" was taking place. One soldier described the allegations that foreigners had paid to shoot at civilians as an "urban myth". The war was tragic and brutal enough to need no exaggeration, and this could in the end be an attempt of some prosecutors, journalists, and documentary film-makers to make a name for themselves by re-presenting rumors which makes for loud and curiosity-evoking headlines. Thu, 11/13/2025 - 02:45
$100 Million Corruption Scandal Rocks Ukraine; Zelensky Associate Flees Country Before Police Raids $100 Million Corruption Scandal Rocks Ukraine; Zelensky Associate Flees Country Before Police Raids In yet another sign of the rampant corruption in Ukraine, Ukrainian security forces raided the apartment of Timur Mindich, a businessman associated with President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, the oligarch had already left the country just hours before, likely after being tipped off by an insider. image Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) says that $100 million is believed to have been siphoned off due to a “money laundering operation,” and other associates were involved. The 15-month investigation featured 1,000 hours of wiretapping and resulted in 70 raids, according to NABU. There are numerous reports speculating that Mindich, https://kyivindependent.com/who-is-timur-mindich/  and just celebrated his birthday there, fled to Israel, but so far, most media reports do not disclose his destination country. In a statement, NABU indicated that several individuals had formed a criminal gang and built “a large-scale corruption scheme to influence strategic enterprises in the public sector, in particular Energoatom.” The scheme involved forcing Energoatom’s counterparties to pay kickbacks of approximately 10 to 15 percent of contract values in order to avoid having payments for services or goods blocked, or possibly losing their status as suppliers, the bureau reported. NABU indicated that the raids and arrests were a part of an operation code-named “Midas,” with the initial investigations already launched in 2024. “Particular attention was paid to cryptocurrencies. Most operations, including cash withdrawals, took place outside Ukraine. For example, during foreign delegations of representatives of state bodies and the management of state-owned energy sector enterprises,” NABU notes. Zelensky’s deep ties with potential fugitive In a sign that Ukraine’s love affair with Zelensky may be over, the https://kyivindependent.com/who-is-timur-mindich/ , writing: Mindich, 46, is from the city of Dnipro in central Ukraine. He is a film producer and former business partner of Ukrainian oligarch https://kyivindependent.com/tag/ihor-kolomoisky/ . He reportedly has links to Israel. Mindich celebrated his birthday in Israel in September, returned to Ukraine in mid-October and then went to Israel again, according to Ukrainska Pravda’s sources. Mindich is also a long-time friend of Zelensky, with whom he co-owned production company Kvartal 95 until Zelensky transferred his stake to partners after being elected president in 2019. Mindich also   Green Family Ltd, a Cypriot firm that co-founded film production companies in Russia, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Kolomoisky   Ukrainska Pravda in 2022 that Mindich had introduced him to Zelensky before he became president. In 2019, Zelensky   an armored car provided by Mindich, RFE/RL reported. Notably, Zelensky ran into serious hot water with the entire European Union when he attempted to eliminate NABU’s independence, which sparked outrage in Brussels. At the time, it  . Zelensky was forced to backtrack, but the investigation into his associate may have played a vital role in Zelensky’s efforts to neuter NABU. As part of the investigation, NABU and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) released excerpts from audio recordings featuring conversations between individuals using the pseudonyms “Rakieta,” “Tenor,” and “Karlson.” They discussed investments in the energy sector, the distribution of bribes, and potential personnel changes within the Ministry of Energy and Enerhoatom itself. According to reports from the website “Ukrainska Pravda,” the suspects include Mindich as well as Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko, whose home was also searched. He previously served as energy minister. “This morning, an extraordinary session of the government was held. A decision was made to suspend Herman Halushchenko from performing the duties of the minister of justice,” Svyrydenko said in a statement. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the matter in his evening address, emphasizing the need to hold those responsible accountable. “All effective measures against corruption are crucial. The certainty of punishment is essential. Enerhoatom currently provides the largest share of energy production in Ukraine. Cleanliness at this company is a priority,” Zelenskyy said. Already, three in four Ukrainians believe Zelensky is at  . This latest case is sure to ramp up pressure on his regime, which refuses to hold elections. According to a survey conducted by the Foundation for Democratic Initiatives and the Kyiv International Sociological Institute, with the support of the Prague Center for Civil Society, 77.6 percent of Ukrainian respondents blame the Ukrainian leader for endemic corruption. Notably, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is coming under fire from the EU for refusing to move forward with Ukraine’s EU membership, despite the fact that it is rife with corruption, is currently engaged in a war with Russia, and has abandoned democracy long ago, including canceling opposition parties, refusing to hold elections, and shutting down numerous media outlets. Russia gleeful after mass raids Russia recognizes how embarrassing the raids on Zelensky’s associate are and how potentially dangerous they are for his continued rule. Vladimir Rogov, chairman of the Commission of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, stated that “Mindich is one of Zelensky’s main wallets, but not the only one. Now there is a surge of panic and fear in Zelensky’s entourage. And troubled times are coming for Zelensky himself.” He described “panic” inside Zelensky’s regime, and he said that his entourage is now accusing NABU of working with Russia. “It will look doubly ridiculous. NABU is a purely American tool for controlling funds and combating Zelensky’s exorbitant thievish appetites,” Rogov said. Wed, 11/12/2025 - 07:20
Almost Half Of Humanity Is Gen Z Or Gen Alpha Almost Half Of Humanity Is Gen Z Or Gen Alpha As of December 2024, the global population has reached 8.2 billion. For the first time in history, nearly half of humanity belongs to Generation Z and Generation Alpha—the digital-native generations. This visualization, ranks the world’s population by generation, showing how age cohorts are distributed across the planet. image The data for this graphic comes from  . Generation Beta (born 2025–2039), representing less than 1% of the population, is not shown in the graphic because of limited data. Gen Alpha Becomes the Largest Generation Generation Alpha, born between 2013 and 2025, now includes roughly 2.0 billion people, or 24.4% of the world’s population. Many of them are still in primary school, but they already outnumber every other generation. Their demographic weight will increasingly shape consumer markets, education systems, and technology trends in the coming decades. The countries driving this growth are concentrated in Africa and South Asia, where   remain high. image Gen Z and Millennials Dominate the Workforce Gen Z (ages 13–28) and Millennials (ages 29–44) together account for 44% of all people—and most of the world’s workers. Millennials alone make up 1.7 billion people. The Aging Populations of Boomers and the Silent Generation At the upper end of the age spectrum, Baby Boomers (ages 61–79) represent about 12.8% of the population, while those 80 or older—the Silent Generation and older cohorts—make up just 2%. If you enjoyed today’s post, check out   on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist. Sat, 11/01/2025 - 19:25
More Than Half A Million Illegal Immigrants Deported From US: DHS More Than Half A Million Illegal Immigrants Deported From US: DHS More than 527,000 illegal immigrants have been removed from the United States so far under the Trump administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a on Oct. 27. “The Trump Administration is on pace to shatter historic records and deport nearly 600,000 illegal aliens by the end of President Donald Trump’s first year since returning to office. More than 2 million illegal aliens have left the U.S., including 1.6 million who have voluntarily self-deported and over 527,000 deportations,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said. “This is just the beginning. President Trump and Secretary Noem have jumpstarted an agency that was hamstrung and barred from doing its job for the last four years.” DHS the CBP Home app, which illegal immigrants can use to notify the federal government of their intention to depart the United States. image The government is currently offering illegal immigrants $1,000 and free flights to self-deport back to their home nations. This gives them a chance to come back legally. Those arrested and deported won’t be able to return to the United States, DHS said. According to the DHS, law enforcement has been removing the “worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens” from the country, including rapists, murderers, drug dealers, and pedophiles, despite facing opposition from politicians in sanctuary jurisdictions. Sanctuary from the Department of Justice (DOJ), 12 states and 18 local jurisdictions in the country are currently classified as following such policies. Meanwhile, DHS and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) operations against illegal immigrants have faced widespread in places such as Portland and Chicago, which are on the DOJ’s sanctuary jurisdiction list. Currently, ICE has around 129 detention across the United States to house illegal immigrants before presenting them before an immigration judge or removing them from the country. The Trump administration has also faced legal challenges in court. For instance, President Donald Trump had the National Guard deployment in Portland. “In the face of a historic number of injunctions from activist judges and threats to law enforcement, DHS, ICE, and CBP have not just closed the border, but made historic strides to carry out President Trump’s promise of arresting and deporting illegal aliens who have invaded our country,” McLaughlin said. “Illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now or face the consequence: Migrants are now turning back before they even reach our borders. Migration through Panama’s Darien Gap is down 99.99 percent.” Democrats Launch Investigation Democratic lawmakers have criticized the illegal immigrant crackdown initiated by the Trump administration. An Oct. 20 from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) have launched an investigation into DHS over reports of unlawful detentions of U.S. citizens and immigrants by federal agents. In a 📄.pdf to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the lawmakers said there have been “reports of excessive, shocking behavior by CBP and ICE agents directed at U.S. citizens.” The letter claimed that more than 170 U.S. citizens had been detained by immigration agents over the previous nine months. “The impact of these arrests has not been evenly distributed across the country, and cities like Chicago, Portland, Washington, and Los Angeles have been targeted heavily by ICE and CBP. Troublingly, the pattern of U.S. Citizen arrests coincides with an alarming increase in racial profiling—particularly of Latinos,” the letter stated. The lawmakers demanded that Noem submit certain information to the House Oversight Committee by Nov. 3, including the number of American citizens detained by CBP, ICE, or DHS since Jan. 20. DHS said in its Oct. 27 statement that 70 percent of arrests made by ICE were of criminal illegal immigrants convicted or charged with a crime in the United States. In an Oct. 21 on X, Noem said that more than 480,000 criminal illegal immigrants were arrested in the nine months under the Trump administration. “What our law enforcement has accomplished for the American people, under President Trump, is nothing short of extraordinary,” she wrote. “We will continue to fulfill @POTUS Trump’s promise to Make America Safe Again, secure our borders, and protect our people.” Tue, 10/28/2025 - 13:45