America is coming for Britain's social media censors
In 2021, after the barbaric Islamist murder of Sir David Amess MP, the response of Britain's political class was as baffling as it was shameful: it decided to ramp up censorship of the internet. Somehow, MPs' vital personal safety came to be equated with the nebulous concept of 'safety' online, along with the protection of 'democracy' from hurty words and unapproved opinions. The Online Safety Act (OSA) was born, handing vast new powers to Ofcom to 'regulate' what could be said online.
Well, that was then, and this is now. Twitter, the most influential platform for political news, has become X, and its new owner Elon Musk has made online free speech his mission. The Trump administration has done the same, and with Britain increasingly viewed in MAGA-world as something of a police state, this has set up a clash with the new regime in Washington.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
35 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Trump's tariff czar reveals the four countries on verge of trade deals…including a 'nasty' one
President Donald Trump 's top trade negotiator shared that the U.S. may be close to finalizing tariff deals with several major partners in coming weeks. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC that an imminent deal could be struck with the E.U. after Trump threatened increasing the 'nasty' union's rate to 50 percent earlier this month. Greer also shared that he has been in nearly constant contact with India 's top trade representative, claiming to have calls with them 'every day.' In addition, the trade rep. revealed that he plans on forwarding negotiations with Malaysia and Vietnam at the upcoming Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) meeting next week. He also said he will be talking to E.U. representatives at the gathering. Though not all news has been positive; China, Greer said, has 'violated' a trade agreement made with the U.S. in Geneva earlier this month - echoing a major complaint highlighted by Trump the same day. A handshake agreement between the world's two largest economies came earlier this month and was widely seen as a way to tamper tensions between the pair. China was hit with a tariff rate in excess of 145 percent earlier this year before the agreement, but the rate then came down to around 30 percent. Trump said he expects to talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping during an Oval Office press conference with DOGE leader Elon Musk on Friday. 'I'm sure that I'll speak to President Xi and hopefully we'll work that out, but its a violation of the agreement,' he said. The president said he is sure they will talk as the countries remain at odds over trade. Earlier in the day the 78-year-old commander in chief sent off a salvo on Truth Social lambasting China for violating the Geneva deal. 'Two weeks ago China was in grave economic danger! The very high tariffs I set made it virtually impossible for China to trade into the United States marketplace which is, by far, number one in the world,' his post began. 'We went, in effect, cold turkey with China, and it was devastating for them. Many factories closed and there was, to put it mildly, 'civil unrest,'' it continued. 'The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, has totally violated its agreement with us.' The agreement made between Greer, Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent and some top Chinese officials in Geneva in May stipulated that the two countries would unwind tariffs and trade restrictions on certain critical minerals. Greer accused China of slow-walking that process during his interview Friday. 'The Chinese are slow-rolling their compliance, which is completely unacceptable and it has to be addressed,' he stated. Soon after, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in D.C., Liu Pengyu, hit back at the claims. 'Recently, China has repeatedly raised concerns with the US regarding its abuse of export control measures in the semiconductor sector and other related practices,' they said in a statement. 'China once again urges the US to immediately correct its erroneous actions, cease discriminatory restrictions against China and jointly uphold the consensus reached at the high-level talks in Geneva.' The spokesperson's complaint comes after a Reuters report that the U.S. ordered some companies to stop shipping goods to China without certain licensing. Products ranging from semiconductors, chemicals, software and aviation equipment are among the restricted items, sources shared. The president announced a 90 day pause on some tariffs earlier this year, with many steep rates coming back into effect this summer if U.S. trade partners do not sign deals. Vietnam was hit especially hard by the White House's 'Liberation Day' tariff announcement in April. On a massive board showcasing the rates to be imposed held aloft by Trump on stage, Vietnam was slapped with one of the highest tariffs at 46 percent. Malaysia, meanwhile, was hit with a 24 percent rate under Trump's reciprocal tariff plan while India faces a 27 percent rate. Earlier this week, Trump was dealt a devastating blow, albeit a temporary one. A three-judge panel at the U.S. New York-based Court of International Trade ruled that parts of the president's tariff regime was unlawful. The ruling argued that Trump had wrongfully invoked an emergency law to justify the levies. Erupting with frustration, some in the White House vented that the move was akin to a 'judicial coup' against the president's executive authority. The pause was short-lived, though, after an appeals court issued a stay on the panel's ruling that have allowed the tariffs to remain. The appeals court demanded to hear from the Trump administration and the litigating parties, Democratic-led states and a group of small businesses. The case remains ongoing, though the White House has multiple tools at its disposal to implement tariffs in other ways if the court rules against it.
NBC News
37 minutes ago
- NBC News
Targeting DOGE, labor group puts up billboards warning of heat deaths at national parks
LAS VEGAS — On West Bonanza Road near Martin Luther King Boulevard, not far from the glittering casino lights of the Strip, motorists pass a dire message for the upcoming summer tourism season. A billboard mimicking a postcard from one of the most extreme places on the continent reads: 'Greetings from Death Valley National Park,' before a more sinister warning: 'Heat deaths rise. Safety staff cut. Made possible by D.O.G.E.' It's one of around 300 billboards placed across Arizona, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida by More Perfect Union, a nonprofit labor advocacy organization seeking to bring attention to staffing cuts brought on by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The National Parks Conservation Association, an independent advocacy organization, estimates that around 2,500 employees — roughly 13% of the National Park Service's staff — took buyouts or accepted early retirements or deferred resignations as part of DOGE's efforts to significantly slash the size of the federal government. There are concerns that deep cuts across the National Park Service could jeopardize public safety. 'In far-flung places like Death Valley, park rangers are there to help maintain your safety,' said Faiz Shakir, More Perfect Union's founder and executive director. 'If you pass out from heat exhaustion, they're the ones making sure you're taken care of.' In Nevada alone, 19 billboards are on display in Las Vegas and Reno, highlighting the public safety risk of heat-related illness and death for park visitors this summer. Death Valley National Park extends from eastern California to Nevada and is about a 2.5-hour drive from Las Vegas. The area is often known as the hottest place in North America, with temperatures often reaching 130 degrees Fahrenheit or higher in the summer.
The Independent
39 minutes ago
- The Independent
AP PHOTOS: An AP photographer captures the moment an Israeli airstrike slammed into Gaza City
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference.
