How Privacy Is Being Shredded in the Name of Safety, Steering Europe Toward Economic Gridlock, and an Abusive Relationship With China

Good morning! It's Friday, August 22, 2025, and this week we’re exposing how European banks are channeling their inner Gestapo.

We’re unraveling a bold plan to nudge reluctant Europeans toward electric vehicles.

And we’re sharing a study that illustrates how Europe's bold divorce from Vladimir Putin's Russia has propelled the continent into an abusive entanglement with China, and much more…

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Just imagine: You're chatting with a friend on WhatsApp about a controversial news story, maybe venting about the government's latest blunder. Next thing you know, your phone's AI is peeking over your shoulder, flagging your words as "suspicious" and reporting you to the police.

Sounds like dystopian fiction? Welcome to Europe's 2025 reality, where vague buzzwords like "hate speech" and "disinformation" are the thin veil for a massive power grab on your privacy, free speech, and even your hard-earned cash. READ MORE

The European Union is reportedly crafting legislation to compel rental companies and corporate fleets to switch entirely to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030, effectively accelerating the bloc's 2035 ban on new combustion-engine cars.

Given that European EV adoption lags at 12% in 2024, this smells a lot like government overriding voluntary consumer choices, ignoring the wisdom of millions of individuals who choose otherwise. READ MORE

Europe's decisive break-up with Vladimir Putin's Russia was intended to foster security across the EU. Yet the continent enters another abusive relationship. China’s near-monopoly on solar panels and other green technologies exposes Europe’s vulnerabilities in supply chains.

This ironic dependency shift from one abuser to another underscores Europe’s challenges of achieving resilience in a geopolitically fraught energy landscape. This comprehensive study on EU energy vulnerability delves deep into these dynamics.

Europe faces accusations of hypocrisy as its inaction on Gaza reveals deep-seated biases against Palestinians. The EU's failure to leverage its economic influence over Israel, despite condemning similar aggressions in Ukraine, underscores a dehumanizing logic rooted in colonial legacies and racial hierarchies that persist today.

This double standard not only erodes Europe's moral authority but also exposes how historical guilt has not fully translated into equitable global justice. The Guardian’s commentary delves into this dynamic.

A few decades back, it seemed unlikely that the U.S. economic system would start echoing China's approach. However, during President Trump's administration, federal authorities have ramped up their involvement in steering business operations.

These steps highlight a growing trend toward state-led capitalism, where public officials exert substantial influence over corporate strategies. Read more about this story In the Wall Street Journal.

President Donald Trump's repeated assertions that the United States has provided $350 billion in aid to Ukraine while Europe has contributed only $100 billion are inaccurate, as European countries have actually allocated more aid, approximately $195 billion compared to the U.S.'s $134 billion since the war began in 2022. Read more about this story on CNN.

A 47-year-old man from Liverpool, arrested on suspicion of racially abusing Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during a Premier League match at Anfield, has been banned from all UK football stadiums and restricted from approaching designated venues as part of his bail conditions. Read more about this story on BBC.

An open-air screening of the film Barbie in a Paris suburb was cancelled after young Muslim men threatened town hall officials, accusing the movie of promoting homosexuality and undermining women's integrity. Read more about this story on Telegraph.

From a dramatic retelling of Amanda Knox’s wrongful murder conviction to a sweeping romance unfolding across Europe - here is the best of TV and film this week.

In an era where cryptocurrencies make headlines, remote work has shattered traditional borders, and AI is reshaping economies, few books feel as eerily prophetic as The Sovereign Individual: Mastering the Transition to the Information Age by James Dale Davidson and William Rees-Mogg.

Published back in 1997, this groundbreaking work isn't just a historical curiosity—it's a roadmap to understanding and thriving in our hyper-connected world, igniting your imagination and equipping you with insights that could change how you navigate the 21st century.

What makes this book so compelling today, is how spot-on many of its forecasts have proven. If you're ready to embrace the information revolution and position yourself as a "sovereign individual" in this new era, grab a copy today—don't miss out on this timeless classic; it's not just a book, it's your guide to the future.
🇬🇧 English Copy | 🇩🇪 German Copy

European business activity remains resilient despite U.S. tariffs, with the eurozone's composite purchasing managers index reaching a 15-month high for August, surpassing expectations, and the U.K.'s PMI hitting its highest level in a year. Read More

Despite challenges like new tariffs and weak industrial output, Europe's M&A market has shown resilience with a total deal value of US$416 billion in the first half of 2025 across 6,634 transactions.

However, distressed M&A has surged 56.3% in value to US$2.5 billion amid slowing growth, tight financing, high bankruptcies in Germany, and pressures in sectors such as retail and hospitality. This is positioning well-capitalized investors to seize opportunities in vulnerable areas. READ MORE

From defense to infrastructure, Europe’s small-cap stocks are experiencing a surge in investor interest, with money managers indicating that the rally is in its early stages driven by sector-specific opportunities and broader market dynamics. Read more about this story on Business Post.

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Solana has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by becoming the first major blockchain to process over 100,000 transactions per second on its mainnet during a stress test, peaking at 107,540 TPS. Read more

Thailand is rolling out a landmark crypto-to-baht conversion system for tourists, fusing digital asset regulation with e-money infrastructure to energize spending and boost tourism through the 18-month TouristDigiPay pilot program. Read more

European Union-funded projects are leveraging artificial intelligence to speed up discoveries in life sciences, enabling the development of cutting-edge healthcare solutions that address complex biological challenges and improve medical innovations across the continent. Read more

A study highlights the potential of small pond worms in uncovering novel treatments for schizophrenia, offering insights into neurological mechanisms that could lead to breakthroughs in mental health therapies. Read more

Researchers from the University Hospital Zurich have developed a non-invasive blood test that identifies microscopic messages from tumor cells with over 90% accuracy, potentially revolutionizing early detection of brain tumors and other cancers without the need for surgery. Read more

Last week, we got steamed up over Donald Trump, the deal-making showman who's a pro at hyping freedom while strong-arming foreign economies into subsidizing his broke territory. If you missed the fuss, jump into our top-read story from last week, where we pick apart state interventions like Europe’s Putin strangle and Trump's border-meddling Ukraine play.

Watch famed jazz group give spontaneous in-flight performance amid delays

Watch this viral squirrel smell a flower

You can’t unsee these two toddlers fight Taekwando

The U.S. State Department critiques Canada's Online News Act in a human rights report, raising alarms about press freedom implications from requiring tech giants to compensate publishers, resonating with libertarian concerns over government intervention in media and freedom of information. Read Article

Britain plans to deploy troops to Ukraine shortly after a ceasefire to support peacekeeping efforts, reflecting commitments to international stability, while addressing European security interests in the ongoing conflict. Read Article

On August 22, 1138, the Battle of the Standard took place in Northallerton, England, a significant conflict between the English and Scottish forces, notable for its impact on medieval Anglo-Scottish relations.
On August 23, 1939, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed, a non-aggression agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which included a secret protocol dividing Eastern Europe into spheres of influence, significantly impacting the outbreak of World War II.
On August 24, 1572, in France, the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre began, where thousands of Huguenots were killed, significantly impacting religious conflicts in Europe.
On August 25, 1944, Paris was liberated from German occupation during World War II, marking a significant turning point in the war and boosting Allied morale.
On August 26, 1789, the National Assembly of France approved the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, a foundational document of the French Revolution that proclaimed liberty, equality, and fraternity, inspiring democratic movements worldwide.
On August 27, 1791, in Pillnitz, the Declaration of Pillnitz was issued by Austria and Prussia, signaling their intent to intervene in the French Revolution, which heightened tensions leading to the French Revolutionary Wars.
On August 28, 1850, in Weimar, Germany, the opera "Lohengrin" by Richard Wagner premiered, marking a significant moment in European musical history due to its innovative composition and influence on future opera.