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Irish Independent
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
MEP Ciarán Mullooly admits using AI for part of letter to Ursula von der Leyen which quoted Swedish House Mafia lyrics
The Midlands-North West MEP said AI was used to summarise 25 pages of research for a letter that called on the EU to deliver more aid to Gaza. He denied that the fictional story of a young girl called 'Gazi', who the letter said lived in Rafah, and the use of lyrics by house music group, Swedish House Mafia, were AI-generated. Will you tell her, 'Don't you worry, don't you worry child, see heaven's got a plan for you'? Will you assure her that Europe remembers its promise? Mr Mullooly said those sections were 'based on' the contents of 1,000 emails sent to him in relation to Gaza, including one which he said quoted the lyrics of Don't You Worry Child. It was first reported by The Journal that the former RTÉ broadcaster had used AI to write part of the letter in which Mr Mullooly said a 12-year-old girl called Gazi and her family had been displaced and asked Ms von der Leyen: 'Will you tell her, 'Don't you worry, don't you worry child, see heaven's got a plan for you'? Will you assure her that Europe remembers its promise, that we will not let another generation of children perish when we have the means to act?' Speaking to RTÉ's Drivetime, Mr Mullooly said he asked Ms von der Leyen in a meeting last year 'why the European Commission and the European Parliament and all the agencies had not moved to stop the slaughter and the bloodshed in Gaza'. Mr Mullooly said his team then began researching potential measures that would not require the agreement of member states. 'I had 25 pages of research put in front of me in the parliament about three weeks ago and I said to my colleague, 'I want a summary of this for a letter to (Ms) von der Leyen'. And we used AI at that stage to complete the first part of the letter.' The second half of the letter, which has gotten the most attention today with the Swedish House Mafia reference, in particular, was actually composed by a member of my team He said this section 'looked at four questions', including what actions the European Commission and United Nations could take. 'And I completed that and I used that summary, I read every line of it, I looked at the references and I was quite happy with that. So, the first half of the letter was generated by AI,' he said. 'The second half of the letter, which you have quoted and has gotten the most attention today with the Swedish House Mafia reference, in particular, was actually composed by a member of my team who read 1,000 emails from people sent to my office on the issue of Gaza.' Mr Mullooly said his colleague read and summarised the emails 'in what has been described today, I suppose, as fiction but is actually written based on some of the information given to him by those [emails]'.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump scores win in appeals court, allowing tariffs to stay in place
An appeals court has temporarily lifted the blockade of almost all tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, which had been ordered by a lower court. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which issued the stay, is now reviewing the case, an order said on Thursday. The parties have been asked to submit further statements, the court said. Trump's administration had earlier taken legal action against the decision of the Court of International Trade in New York, which had declared almost all of the president's tariffs to be unlawful. Just before the appeals court order was issued, the White House had sharply criticized the court's ruling and had said legal action had been initiated against it. The judges had "brazenly abused their judicial power to usurp Trump's authority," his spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in Washington. The US government, she said, was once again confronted with an example of judicial overreach. The United States has recorded a trade deficit on goods every year since 1975, she pointed out. "President Trump is delivering on his promise to fix this problem," Leavitt said in defending the US tariff policy. Trump's justification for introducing the high tariffs was legally sound and based on common sense, she claimed. She said it was right for the president to have declared a national emergency when it came to issues like the drug fentanyl or the trade deficit. In the interest of the country, the US Supreme Court must ultimately put an end to the matter, she said, adding that Trump will continue his trade policy. He also has other legal powers to impose tariffs, Leavitt stressed. On Wednesday, the trade court ruled that Trump did not have the authority to impose extensive tariffs by invoking an emergency law. The relevant tariffs would be revoked and their application permanently prohibited, the court ordered. The decision affects almost all tariffs imposed by Trump's administration. While the decision was a major setback for Trump's aggressive trade policy, the order of the appeals court is now a first success for the US president - but not final. The legal dispute is likely to make its way through the courts. It is also not the only ongoing legal dispute over Trump's tariffs. The European Commission on Thursday declined to comment on the first ruling. Trump unexpectedly threatened the European Union with punitive tariffs of 50% starting on June 1, before postponing the measures shortly afterwards to allow for negotiations. Talks on a possible deal are under way, with both sides hoping to find a solution by July 9, when Trump's suspension expires. A spokesman for the German Economy Ministry also said it was not possible to comment on legal proceedings in the United States. "We remain confident that a mutually acceptable solution can be reached in the negotiations between the European Commission and the US government," he said. The initial court ruling affected almost all tariffs imposed by Trump's administration, including the punitive levies introduced on what the US president termed Liberation Day in early April, as well as certain tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
White House accuses court of abuse of power over tariff ruling
The White House has sharply criticized a federal court's ruling that deemed large parts of the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump to be unlawful. The judges of the relevant US Court of International Trade in New York had "brazenly abused their judicial power to usurp the authority of President Trump," Trump's spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in the US capital, Washington. The US government, she said, was once again confronted with an example of judicial overreach the previous evening. The United States has recorded a trade deficit on goods every year since 1975, she pointed out. "President Trump is delivering on his promise to fix this problem," Leavitt said in defending the US tariff policy. Trump's justification for introducing the high tariffs was legally sound and based on common sense, she claimed. She said it was right for the president to have declared a national emergency when it came to issues like the drug fentanyl or the trade deficit. Leavitt suggested that the White House would comply with the judicial order. At the same time, she also said that the government had initiated legal action against it. In the interest of the country, the US Supreme Court must ultimately put an end to the matter, she said. The government spokeswoman expressed optimism about winning the case in court. Nevertheless, she said Trump will continue his trade policy. He also has other legal powers to impose tariffs, Leavitt stressed. On Wednesday, the trade court in New York ruled that Trump did not have the authority to impose extensive tariffs by invoking an emergency law. The relevant tariffs would be revoked and their application permanently prohibited, the court ordered. The decision affects almost all tariffs imposed by Trump's administration. The legal dispute is now expected to make its way through the courts. The European Commission on Thursday declined to comment on the ruling. Trump unexpectedly threatened the European Union with punitive tariffs of 50% starting on June 1, before postponing the measures shortly afterwards to allow for negotiations. Talks on a possible deal are under way, with both sides hoping to find a solution by July 9, when Trump's suspension expires. A spokesman for the German Economy Ministry also said it was not possible to comment on legal proceedings in the United States. "We remain confident that a mutually acceptable solution can be reached in the negotiations between the European Commission and the US government," he said. The court ruling affects almost all tariffs imposed by Trump's administration, including the punitive levies introduced on what the US president termed Liberation Day in early April, as well as certain tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China. While the decision was a clear defeat for Trump, the legal dispute is set to continue. Observers do not rule out the possibility that an appeals court will temporarily reinstate the measures. In the meantime, the trade situation remains tense.
Irish Examiner
9 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Fake discounts and pressure tactics: How Shein has become the target of Ireland's consumer watchdog
Chinese fast fashion brand Shein is usually in the news because of its poor human rights and environmental record. This week, its anti-consumer practices came under the spotlight. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), along with the European Commission and national consumer authorities in Belgium, France and The Netherlands have called on Shein to rectify several practices on its platform that potentially breach EU consumer law. Shein routinely uses fake discounts, which seem to offer better deals by showing price reductions, but these reductions are not actually based on prior prices, as required by EU law. They also use pressure tactics: using false deadlines to make consumers feel they have to act now or lose out on a bargain. The consumer body says the site also displays incomplete and incorrect information about a consumer's rights to return goods and receive refunds. There's also deceptive labelling, where it's suggested the product offers something special when in fact the relevant feature is required by law. Misleading claims is another issue. This is where the site gives false or deceptive information about the sustainability benefits of certain products. And if you want to contact Shein with questions or complaints, you're going to have trouble finding its contact details — another potential breach of consumer law. The CCPC says information has been requested to assess the company's compliance with further obligations, including those around product rankings, ratings and reviews, and third-party sellers. Shein now has one month to propose commitments on how it will address the identified consumer law issues. Picture: Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Last April, Shein was designated as a Very Large Online Platform under the Digital Services Act. Shein then had four months to comply with the most stringent obligations applicable to these platforms. These include the obligation to assess and mitigate any systemic risks stemming from its services. The European Commission is currently carrying out a preliminary Digital Services Act investigation of Shein that concerns, among other things, the presence of illegal content and goods on Shein's marketplace, the transparency of its recommender systems and measures to mitigate risks relating to consumer protection, public health and users' wellbeing. The ongoing investigation, which is being carried out through the European Commission's Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) network is co-led by the CCPC, together with consumer authorities in Belgium, France and The Netherlands under the coordination of the European Commission. Shein now has one month to propose commitments on how it will address the identified consumer law issues. Depending on its reply, the CPC may enter a dialogue with the company, and if it does not address the concerns identified, national authorities may take enforcement measures to ensure compliance. Any resultant fines will be based on the company's annual turnover in the relevant member states. Patrick Kenny is a member of the CCPC. He says consumers should be allowed to shop without being put under pressure by fake deadlines or misled by fake discounts. They also need clear information about how consumers can contact the company, how to return an item and receive a refund. In this case, the CCPC and the CPC network have identified several practices that could mislead consumers or undermine their consumer rights. "E-retailers and online marketplaces have a legal obligation to provide transparent and honest information about the products they sell, and consumers' rights around returns. The CCPC takes any breaches of the law very seriously and looks forward to constructive engagement with Shein during the course of this investigation.' Boots Ireland pleaded guilty to breaking sales-pricing legislation. File picture The big problem with Shein is, of course, its contribution to ecological degradation and abusive labour practices. A recent BBC investigation into the online retailer found workers were routinely spending 75 hours a week bent over sewing machines — in contravention of China's own labour laws. In 2023, the company admitted to finding two cases of child labour in its supply chain. The company's runaway success has been built on selling dresses and tops that cost next to nothing, which is a seductive business model in an era of runaway inflation on almost everything else. But i n a world in climate crisis, how we choose to spend our money today has a direct impact on the lives of others. Buying cheap clothes that don't last is getting more and more difficult to justify. Meanwhile, the CCPC has also been busy bringing Irish-based retailers into line with sales pricing legislation. In the Dublin District Court on Monday, Boots Retail (Ireland) Limited pleaded guilty to breaking this legislation. The pharmacy and beauty chain was ordered by Judge Anthony Halpin to pay €1,000 to the Little Flower Penny Dinners charity and to pay the costs of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. Section 1 of the Probation of Offenders Act "is to be applied upon compliance with the court order". The prosecution was brought by the CCPC against Boots Ireland following online sweeps conducted over the 2023-2024 winter sales season, including Black Friday. CCPC chair Brian McHugh: 'Businesses need to be able to compete for consumers openly and honestly on price.' This case forms part of the first wave of prosecutions under sales pricing legislation introduced in 2022, after Lifestyle Sports, DID Electrical, and Rath-Wood also pleaded guilty to breaking the same legislation in March of this year. The law requires traders to base any discount on the lowest price in at least the previous 30 days, and to display this price clearly on any price tag or advertisement. Suppose, for example, a product is priced at €1,649 from December 23, 2024, to January 24, 2025. On January 25, 2025, until February 8, 2025, the price of the product is increased to €1,949. On February 9, 2025, the price is reduced to €1,579 with an indicated prior price of €1,949 in the price reduction announcement, despite the lowest price in the previous 30 days before this reduction being €1,649. If a trader increases the price of a product for a short period before immediately reducing the price back to its previous price, the trader can't use this briefly-increased price as the prior price in its price reduction announcement, as this is not the lowest price in at least the previous 30 days. Chairperson of the CCPC, Brian McHugh, pointed out that misleading sale discounts harm consumers and harm competition. 'Businesses need to be able to compete for consumers openly and honestly on price. Transparency around sales discounts allows consumers to make informed decisions about their purchases and to shop with confidence.'
RTÉ News
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
MEP used AI to compose letter to von der Leyen on Gaza
Midlands North-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly has confirmed that he used artificial intelligence to write a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging the EU to deliver more aid to Gaza. It was reported his letter contained a story of a young girl who lives in Rafah, which turned out to be fictional - while at another section lyrics from the band 'Swedish House Mafia' were used without reference. Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, Mr Mullooly said his motivation was "looking for measures that did not include the [EU] member states actually agreeing - because that's the problem. "That's the frustration in Brussels... the attitude of Germany and other states where for a long, long, time we couldn't get even a review of the [EU-Israel] Trade Agreement." He said that around three weeks ago, 25 pages of research were put in front of him in the European Parliament and that he asked his colleague to produce a summary of it for a letter to Mrs von der Leyen. He said AI was used to complete the "first part of the letter...I read every line of it, I looked at the references, and I was quite happy with that," he said. Mr Mullooly said the second half of the letter has received most attention and refers to a song by the 'Swedish House Mafia' group. He said it was composed by a member of his team who had read 1,000 emails from people sent to his office on the subject of Gaza. His staff member summarised those "in what has been described today as fiction, but it's actually written based on some of the information given to us by those emails," he said. One of the 1,000 "real life" emails contained a lyric from a 'Swedish House Mafia' song, which states: "Don't you worry, don't you worry child, see heaven's got a plan for you". Mr Mullooly said: "I had no idea what that was about. "I asked a colleague in the office to use AI or any other references to explain to me - and I have to be honest, I am not a fan of 'Swedish House Mafia' - and it had to be explained to me where it came from. "It [the quote] was included in an email which came to me from Gaza and to me, it summed up, when I read it, the vulnerability of the children involved, the way their lives have been turned upside down, from the comfort of their parents, to a situation where we've lost 15,000 children. "Innocent children, and I was trying to bring that point home to Ursula von der Leyen.
