Cost of living, social care and capping profits 300726
Some 2025 deaths 020126
Some 2026 deaths 080726
Pope Leo XIV encyclical on AI – ‘Magnifica humanitas’ 25 May 2026 [The 135th anniversary of ‘Rerum novarum’ by his predecessor Pope Leo XIII in 1891.]
Pope Leo’s ‘Magnifica humanitas’: AI must serve humanity not concentrate power – Vatican News
King Charles III speech to US Congress 29 April 2026
King’s speech to US Congress 290426
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/dirty-business – the alarming and appalling story of water company pollution
Public utility regulators 260822
Energy-environment challenge 1973 & 2023 031023
for AI and copyright theft latest see
UK Government report and ministerial statement 18 March 2026:
The government has changed its position and no longer plans to require copyright holders to ‘opt out’ their works from AI training. The written ministerial statement ‘Copyright and AI progress’ that accompanied the report is at Written statements – Written questions, answers and statements – UK Parliament
UK Chancellors and Foreign Secretaries who became PM 241022
Elizabeth Mavor – Ready for revival 030222
WHO KNEW?
1 The 2026 World Happiness Index was launched on 19 March 2026 and ranks 147 of the world’s (193 UN member) countries. Once again Finland comes top – for the ninth year running – while the United Kingdom drops from 23rd to 29th. Germany moves up to 17th place, with the US one place higher than last year at 23rd; Ireland is two places higher than last year at 13th, Austria two places lower at 19th.
Full report and data are available at World Happiness Report 2026: Full Rankings & Key Findings (happierlivesinstitute.org)
2 On 20 February 2026 US Supreme Court, in striking down global tariffs, says Trump exceeded his authority. [Sources: Various including Reuters https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-supreme-court-rejects-trumps-global-tariffs-2026-02-20/]
3 ‘… [Europe’s] economic decline is eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of
civilizational erasure. The larger issues facing Europe include activities of the
European Union and other transnational bodies that undermine political liberty and
sovereignty, migration policies that are transforming the continent and creating
strife, censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition, cratering
birthrates, and loss of national identities and self-confidence.’ [Source: United States National Security Strategy, November 2025, p25]
4 Trump accuses Xi and China of ‘conspiring against the US’ with Russia and North Korea 3 September 2025 [Sources: Bloomberg.com News, NY Post, BBC R4 Today 6.00am, Independent and many others; for example, https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/china/china-military-parade-xi-putin-kim-jong-un-latest-news-b2818922.html]
5 ‘But there’s an irony in that £5bn cut [in disability benefits]: that number is almost exactly the sum in 1997 that Gordon Brown seized in a windfall on privatised utilities to spend on Labour’s new deals for young people, disabled people, lone parents and the over-50s: it was spent with singular success in getting people into jobs. This time, analysts say that £5bn cut will get relatively few off benefits while mostly inflicting a brutal hit on families such as Emma’s.’ [Source: Polly Toynbee, Guardian article 21 March 2025]
6 ‘Populism is largely due to unhappiness. But whether populists are on the left or the right depends on trust. People who trust others veer to the left, those who do not veer to the right.’ [Source: Global GHI World Happiness report 2025, executive summary of chapter 7]
7 renewable energy and net zero policies have led to the deindustrialisation of Britain [Richard Tice, deputy leader, Reform; Source: BBC R4 News at 6.00pm 120225]
8 Tony Blair, in the foreword to the Tony Blair Institute report ‘The climate paradox’ launched on 29 April 2025, echoed criticism of net zero made by the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch. He wrote “any strategy based on either ‘phasing out’ fossil fuels in the short term or limiting consumption is a strategy doomed to fail.” [Sources: Guardian 290425 and https://institute.global/insights/climate-and-energy/the-climate-paradox-why-we-need-to-reset-action-on-climate-change]
9 The World Trade Organization (WTO) launched its 2025 forecasts for global trade on 16 April 2025. This includes services as well as merchandise.
Summary and full report available at https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news25_e/tfore_16apr25_e.htm
10 The UK Climate Change Committee (which reports to Parliament) published its latest progress report on adaptation on 30 April 2025.
Summary and full report available at
https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/progress-in-adapting-to-climate-change-2025/