If AI systems could talk (some of them might have their own chat room set up already), their observations on their human counterparts might be expressed in one word - suckers. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

First OpenAI, now Meta - why do AI hacks keep happening?

A flood of companies are revealing AI models gained access to the internet - with real consequences.

bbc.co.uk

In social policy, In organisational management, In service provision, In community interactions, Empathy is being depleted by myopic decisions: henry-tam.blogspot.com/2026/08/empa...

Fossil fuel plutocrats back Trump, Trump then uses public money to push back alternatives to fossil fuels. More profits are made for the few. Climate change worsen for us all. So it goes ... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Trump administration to pay German firm to halt US wind projects

The RWE payout is the latest in a string of deals cancelling wind energy projects, a power source long derided by Trump.

bbc.co.uk

Proverbial ostriches bury their heads in the sand, Perennial climate change deniers presumably prefer to hide in the fridge ... www.bbc.co.uk/weather/arti... #ClimateEmergency

UK weather: Fifth heatwave of year likely as temperatures could hit 35C

As temperatures start to rise again over the weekend, many parts of England and Wales will enter into the fifth heatwave of the year, as Simon King explains

bbc.co.uk

When democratic educators teach participation and the rule of law, authoritarians attack them for spreading 'propaganda'. When US authoritarians actually spread misinformation & propaganda, they promote it as 'public education'. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

US accused of meddling in British politics with $500,000 grant for ‘public education’ courses

Documents published on US embassy’s website prompt claims of attempt to export Maga propaganda to UK

theguardian.com

Many refugees in UK social housing are from Afghanistan & Ukraine. The Tories backed the US in invading Afghanistan, but want nothing to do with Afghan refugees. They claim to back the ppl of Ukraine in fighting Russia, but now want to leave their refugees homeless. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Conservatives pledge to ban foreign nationals from social housing

They claim around 230,000 homes would become available under their plan to limit social housing entitlements.

bbc.co.uk

The North West has brought positive news with the leadership of Andy Burnham and the latest Greater Manchester mayoral election result. It is also the region with valuable lessons to share on the promotion of citizen democracy: citizen-network.org/library/citi...

Citizen Network: Citizen Democracy: Learning from North West Together We Can

NWTWC promoted local and regional based learning to improve lives and create sustainable communities.

citizen-network.org

Reform UK cllrs in South Tyneside voted to reject we have any kind of climate emergency. Without a hint of irony, they instructed officers to proceed on an evidence-based basis - regardless of the heatwaves, flooding, drought, etc that are multiplying all around us. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

South Tyneside Council rescinds climate emergency declaration

A Reform UK motion argues the council can improve the local environment without the official pledge.

bbc.co.uk

To lose control over one rogue AI agent may be considered a misfortune; To lose control over two would suggest we're mired in systemic carelessness ... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Anthropic's Claude AI escapes tests to hack three organisations

It comes just days after rival OpenAI said rogue AI agents had breached other firms' networks.

bbc.co.uk

Trump is at it again imposing tariffs on supposedly allied countries, While his dispute with Congress over his tariff powers is holding back the sanctions aimed at Russia. Interesting how it always seems to work in Putin's favour ... www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/u...

Trump Tariff Fight Stalls Russia Sanctions Bill Championed by Lindsey Graham

A bipartisan bill championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham has become mired in a dispute over expanding President Trump’s tariff power.

nytimes.com

There is a requirement for large, long term infrastructure projects, But there is also a need for local initiatives to bring communities together. Time to reinvent community hubs: henry-tam.blogspot.com/2024/04/rein...

For all those who want the UK to move closer to the US approach to food safety and public health, perhaps a weekly reminder of what prevails over there might help to halt the delusion ... www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Former top US food safety official says Trump’s handling of cyclospora is ‘catastrophic’

Frank Yiannas, formerly of the FDA, calls for an independent review of federal response to illness causing explosive diarrhea

theguardian.com

Infantino: This Peace Prize is for you, pls keep the peace during the World Cup. Trump: Sure, I'll pause the war & you'll get rid of any red cards against US players during the tournament. Infantino: Of course, your imperial highness. Trump: After the World Cup, war back on. Infantino: Understood.

This is not hyperbole, It's not sci-fi, It's been officially confirmed: "Autonomous, AI-driven offensive tooling is no longer theoretical". In other words, AI can launch attacks without any human authorisation: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

OpenAI says its AI went rogue and launched 'unprecedented' cyber-attack

It is one of the first publicly disclosed cyber-attacks carried out by AI without direct human involvement.

bbc.co.uk

HMRC's official estimate of uncollected taxes in the UK: £59.2 billion. There 's plenty of money for helping people - just collect the taxes owed. www.gov.uk/government/s...

1. Tax gaps: Summary

gov.uk

There are differences that should be nurtured, Disagreements that should be resolved, Diversity that should be promoted, & divergence that should be reduced. Bringing people together requires communitarian sensitivity: citizen-network.org/library/towa...

Citizen Network: Towards Communitarian Integration

Communities need to be able to discern positive differences from those differences that need to be reduced.

citizen-network.org

At some point, should the world not consider a global free trade system that only excludes any country that randomly slaps tariffs on others because its leader is suffering from hyper-ego-malfunctioning? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Trump slaps 50% tariffs on Canada and Carney vows to 'intensify' trade talks

The duties mark a major escalation in trade tensions between the North American neighbours.

bbc.co.uk

What might a wealth tax involve? 1% on assets above £10m and 2% on assets above £1bn. And just see who will be lining up to oppose it.

In politics, there's the occasional option of putting the person who's presenting you with a near-impossible problem, in charge of finding the most improbable solution. Henceforth, it'll be called the Healey-Treasury Manoeuvre.

With 'friends' like that, who needs factions ... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Starmer ally takes swipe at Burnham's first big policy

Sir Keir Starmer's former right hand man Darren Jones says Andy Burnham's VAT cut is unfunded.

bbc.co.uk

Badenoch likes to attack Burnham as a "people pleaser", Presumably, she puts a high premium on upsetting people at the heart of her political mission.

Labour has paused its Representation of the People Bill. Time to think through its glaring gaps & the urgent actions needed to protect British democracy A comprehensive checklist: citizen-network.org/library/demo... @compassoffice.bsky.social @unlockdemocracy.bsky.social @citizennetwork.bsky.social

Citizen Network: Democracy SOS

For democracy to function, it must enable citizens to participate meaningfully in shaping their own governance.

citizen-network.org

Forget abstract ‘Net Zero’ debates. Explain how renewables development creates more jobs, lowers energy costs, & better tackles climate extremes – than costly drilling for fossil fuels. #Renewables

Every new government gets tempted to bring in the profiteers to inject a little private finance to get things going. But the price is more often than not way too high, & the results dreadful for the people. Look at the records: henry-tam.blogspot.com/2026/07/priv...

It’s inadequate to do things & not tell ppl, It’s bad to tell ppl you’ll do things but not do them, & it’s still not good enough to do things & tell ppl. You need to talk with ppl, do what’s agreed, & discuss next steps.

Education in citizenship and politics is essential for democracy. 'Who's Afraid of Political Education' from Policy Press with 50% discount until the end of July - use code BUP07 at checkout: policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/whos-afraid-... @moorsee.bsky.social @eddieplayfair.bsky.social

Much as Nero fiddle as Rome burnt, #ClimateChange deniers shrug as fossil fuel emissions intensify heatwave problems ... www.worldweatherattribution.org/fossil-fuel-...

Friends, citizens, Clactonians, You can go on putting up with utter rubbish, Or you can bin it all for good.

US player given a red card, Trump calls FIFA, and the standard automatic ban from the next match is lifted. England's player given a red card, People joked about asking Trump to call FIFA, and the standard one match ban is extended to a two-match ban. #NuffSaid

Ich bin ein Binliner.