NHS deal with AI firm Palantir called into question after officials’ concerns revealed Exclusive: in 2025 briefing to Wes Streeting, officials warned reputation of tech firm behind US ICE operations would hinder rollout of data system in UK

The problem with these Palantir deals is not primarily data security.

It's the fact we are creating single points of failure in the NHS, armed forces, and police. Palantir has massive leverage over essential information and logistics systems. A bad idea....

www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

YouTube video by Channel 4 News More scandal for Starmer over vetting of another aide’s links to sex offender

Almost impossible to get across how strongly a former foreign office head must feel about Antonia Romeo's potential appointment as cabinet secretary to make this intervention (from 11 mins in or so)

youtu.be/4QCFOKd8hlg?...

Palantir's Swiss Exit Highlights Global Data Sovereignty Challenge | NewsCase Switzerland's military has terminated its contract with Palantir Technologies Inc. following a security audit. The review concluded that U.S. intelligence ag

"Switzerland’s military has terminated its contract with Palantir… following a security audit… concluded that U.S. intelligence agencies could potentially access sensitive Swiss defense data… significant reputational warning for the data analytics firm"

www.newscase.com/palantirs-sw...

#R4Today

Massive ancient oak

If you live in Great Britain or are just visiting, type in the places you are going to, and find extraordinary trees to view

Searchable by species, location & age

ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk/tree-search/...

"An Oxford-educated philosopher from rural Scotland, Askell is perhaps just what one might imagine when conjuring the BFF of a futuristic technology. With her bleach-blond punk haircut, puckish grin and bright elfin eyes, she could have come to the company’s heavily guarded San Francisco headquarters straight from a Berlin rave, via an old forest road in Middle-earth. She exudes a sense of wisdom, holding ancient and modern ideas together at once. Yet she’s also a protein-loading weight-lifting buff who favors all-black outfits and clear opinions, not a robed oracle speaking in riddles."

Wie das Wall Street Journal über 37-Jährige Frauen mit Doktortitel schreibt:

Für Medienschaffende ist der Umgang mit der extremen Rechten zugegebenermaßen nicht immer einfach. Aber ein Lifestyle-Interview mit Chrupalla sprengt jeden journalistischen Rahmen. Hier wird nicht nur eine Plattform geboten, sondern extrem rechte Politik aktiv normalisiert. 🤯

A slide showing that students can do about the state of the world these days: •Peaceful protests (but only one of many ways) •Write letters (or call) to your elected leaders and reps •Vote in local, provincial and national elections •Run for office •Write op-eds or letters in media •Post on social media & follow inspiring people •Get involved in your local community, volunteer for NGOs •Donate money (even tiny $) to good causes •Take courses •Read, read, and read more (especially history) •Listen to podcasts, watch inspiring films •Do art, poetry, theatre, film, dance, sing – joy is resistance •Go outdoors & reconnect with nature •Rest when you need to - rest is resistance

Everytime I teach global health these days, young people express their dismay at the state of the world and the pathetic leadership we see in most places

They invariably ask me, "What can we do??"

These days, I go prepared with this list (slide below that anyone is welcome to use)

The water wars are coming

The exceeding of #PlanetaryBoundaries is also a crisis of geopolitics, as @peterfrankopan.bsky.social sets out

unherd.com/2026/02/the-...

Quacking Treason

Public profiles of Jeffrey Epstein going back 20+ years present a near perfect description of a massive, hostile foreign intelligence operation directed at the USA and NATO and other allies.

Why was this so widely ignored? What was Mandelson’s involvement? What next?

A 🧵 /1.

FT exclusive:

“The US state department is set to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities across Europe to disseminate Washington’s policy positions and challenge perceived threats to free speech.”

via @annasophiegross.bsky.social and colleagues

How Palantir infiltrated the state At a moment of national emergency, the government handed our data to Peter Thiel’s controversial company

In light of Peter Mandelson’s resignation from the Lords, his involvement with US tech firm Palantir is being questioned.

Last year, Liberty’s Mark Wilding investigated Palantir’s lucrative UK government contracts:

Epstein’s activity was across politics, public opinion formation, scientific research and technology, finance, defence and national security. Evidently designed to influence, manipulate, steal highly sensitive information, and undermine. /2.

“I look at the performative hand-wringing, all the ‘OMG can’t believe Starmer appointed him despite all this!’ and I feel I’m in a parallel universe. Starmer appointed him BECAUSE of, not despite it. To be our interface with a corrupt WH that operates in precisely the same way. Everyone understood.”

Weird and almost universal revisionism today. Even at the time, it was pretty clear that Mandelson wasn't appointed *despite* his dodgy links but *because* of them. Trump's Washington is a dirty swamp. Mandelson was deemed a man able to swim in it. This wasn't a secret. Everybody said it out loud.

The timeline is damning.

While still in office, Mandelson was warned by JPM’s Jes Staley (via Epstein) that sticking with Gordon Brown would be "bad form commercially".

Translation: It would hurt his future earning potential.

He got the message.

Peter Mandelson is telling the truth on one thing: the idea he was bought for a $4k “bursary” or a $75k gift is ridiculous

The real incentive was a post-government payday - one so big he *rejected* a $3–5m-a-year offer

And Epstein enabled that payday

Here’s the evidence. 🧵

Peter Thiel has been open about this for a long time. Trump is a way to break the republic, which can then be replaced by “free economic zones” with oligarchs as dictators and tech as a taskmaster for helpless humans without any rights. (1/2)

A lot going on here and all ugly, but one thing I still can't get my head around is how any British government can do business with Thiel at this point.

Why renewables and electrification hold the keys to EU energy security | Summary Using the low-carbon transition to improve resilience, mitigate geopolitical risks and lower costs

Chatham House : Why #renewables and electrification hold the keys to EU energy security
www.chathamhouse.org/2026/01/why-...

Palantir needs to be obliterated the same as ICE, and Peter Thiel can face the Truth and Reconciliation committee he’s spent his entire life trying to negate.

If we want to fix our country, this is non-negotiable.

For the sake of balance, maybe we should remain open to the possibility that replacing grass with blades of plastic coated in chemicals linked to cancer, thyroid, liver + kidney disease, + inviting our children to play on it is a good idea?

Kendzior HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT (2020) four pages of text on Trump, Epstein, Michael Cohen, death threats to rape victims

Kendzior HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT (2020) four pages of text on Trump, Epstein, Michael Cohen, death threats to rape victims

Kendzior HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT (2020) four pages of text on Trump, Epstein, Michael Cohen, death threats to rape victims

Kendzior HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT (2020) four pages of text on Trump, Epstein, Michael Cohen, death threats to rape victims

On Trump, Epstein, and their social circle of pedophiles. From HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT, written in 2019, before Epstein was indicted.

"The story of Jeffrey Epstein is one that will define our era..."

us.macmillan.com/books/978125...

Editors unite to demand Parliament takes action on SLAPPs Editors from national newspapers including The Guardian and The Times demand action on SLAPPs in next King's Speech.

Really striking going through Epstein disclosures just how often British defamation lawyers are referred to: Schillings; Paul Tweed; oblique suggestions to sue to silence

Why? Because our libel laws let rich and powerful buy silence

Why I signed this last week pressgazette.co.uk/media_law/an...

Judge Biery signed the order with a photo of Liam and two bible verses: The first is "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." The second is simply "Jesus wept."

Astonishing thing for a judge to do.

No water, no heating, no power, -15 degree weather outside.

It is not on the front pages of your newspapers, but Ukraine is living through a humanitarian disaster right now because of Russian bombardment and the world has barely noticed.

Graphic showing Peter Thiel - chair of Palantir Technologies - and some of the powerful figures in his network including Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, Peter Mandelson, Steve Bannon

What’s happening in America is technofascism. It could happen here

Peter Thiel's data company is powering ICE operations in the US. In part 2 of the Nerve’s Palantir series, @carolecadwalla.bsky.social argues that the UK will be next - and we map Thiel’s network🧵
www.thenerve.news/p/technofasc...

Dirty money is buying up democracy I talk to Oliver Bullough about how corruption and money laundering have gone global - and are capturing our politics

"There is a global wave of governments being captured by big money, whether that’s big crypto money or big tech money."

Great to talk to @oliverbullough.bsky.social about how money laundering has gone global - and it's capturing our politics

democracyforsale.substack.com/p/dirty-mone...

Getting off US tech: a guide I’m in the process of dropping US tech services. Here’s how I did it, and options you should consider.

Are you really digitally independent? ⛓️‍💥

In his guide “Getting off US tech”, tech writer and podcaster Paris Marx @parismarx.com breaks down why #DigitalSovereignty matters, and how to get there step by step.

Discover practical, user-friendly alternatives! Full list of apps 👇

Brits: you are nowhere near frightened enough of what's happening in the US right now and what UK politicians are promising with the help of Palantir and friends. From @ markmcposts on IG.