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Clara Steitz

Zelensky appoints Canadian MP Chrystia Freeland as an advisor

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the appointment of former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland as an adviser on economic development. To take up the position offered by Zelensky, Freeland will resign from he

Study concludes vitamin D3 does not reduce cancer risk – it’s flawed

In 2019, a study concluded that vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, did not reduce the risk of invasive cancer or major cardiovascular events. Dr. James-Lyons-Weiler explains why the study was flawed and, because of the way the stud

Google and Microsoft to demand “age verification” from Australians

Starting 27 December 2025, Australians using internet search engines such as Google and Microsoft Bing while logged in will be required to verify their age through digital identity checks, including methods such as photo ID, facial recognit

Russia’s facial recognition programme rolls out to primary schools

Facial recognition as a biometric school entry system is already being tested in 20 schools in Russia. Alongside the use of facial recognition, the school grounds are fenced, cameras are installed along the perimeter and entry is through ch

Growing Support for Treaty to Guarantee Free Education for Every Child

Discussions are advancing at the United Nations on a new global treaty to guarantee every child’s right to a free education. Last week, countries gathered at the UN in Geneva to explore ways of strengthening international law around access

“Death by doctor” goes global in 2026

Death by doctor is not painless, peaceful and dignified – on the contrary, it’s painful, horrifying and cruel, Dr. Vernon Coleman writes. Instances of prolonged and distressing deaths are frequent, with a high incidence of vomiting, re-awak

DR Congo: Militia Massacres Civilians Near Kinshasa

(Nairobi) – Militia fighters killed at least 22 civilians and injured many more in an attack in late November 2025 on a village in Kwamouth territory in western Democratic Republic of Congo, Human Rights Watch said today. Witnesses from the

Lebanon: Israel Unlawfully Destroying Reconstruction Equipment

(Beirut) – The Israeli military’s repeated attacks on reconstruction-related equipment and other civilian facilities in southern Lebanon throughout 2025 violate the laws of war and are apparent war crimes, Human Rights Watch said today. Re

Japan’s Economic Timebomb Is About To Hit US Markets, Mortgages & Retirement Savings: What You Need To Know

Japan – one of the world’s leading economies and the largest foreign holder of US Treasury debt – is entering a phase of rising interest rates following three decades of ultra-low borrowing costs. With a debt-to-GDP ratio near a mammoth 235

Substack expands censorship to Australian users

On Wednesday, Australian Substack authors received a message: “Substack is introducing age verification steps for readers in Australia.” “To say that I was flabbergasted is an understatement,” author of Informed Choice Meryl Dorey said, bec

Rule of Law Backsliding in France

On December 9, CIVICUS Monitor, a nongovernmental group assessing civic freedoms globally, downgraded France’s civic space from “narrowed” to “obstructed.” The downgrade is the result of years of attacks on civic space, marked by “escalatin

WHO’s anti-nicotine campaign turns dirty

In mid-November, the WHO held its 11th Conference of the Parties (“COP11”) to the WHO FCTC, which concluded with a series of critical decisions on global tobacco control. Adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003, the WHO Fra

Thailand: Montagnard Activist Extradited to Vietnam

(Bangkok) – Thai authorities forcibly returned to Vietnam the prominent Montagnard human rights activist Y Quynh Bdap, putting him at risk of torture and other serious abuses, Human Rights Watch said today. Thai authorities extradited Bdap,

Cloudflare CEO explains what happened to cause a widespread internet outage

A major global outage at Cloudflare on Tuesday, 18 November 2025, disrupted access to numerous high-profile websites and services, including X (formerly Twitter), ChatGPT, Spotify, Zoom and various forex and CFD brokers, with the incident r