The European Commission “ignored” censorship concerns as it moved forward with the implementation of a sweeping digital platform law that free speech advocates say could impact everyone from Christian preachers to TikTokers. On Monday, the European Commission released its first-ever review of the Digital Services Act (DSA), a law that empowers it to impose significant financial penalties on tech companies that it says are not doing enough to combat so-called disinformation or take down “illegal content.” Alliance Defending Freedom International, which has warned that the Digital Services Act could bring about a “global censorship regime,”  told The Daily Wire that it was disappointed with the commission’s report. “I think the concerns on free speech are very substantive, and they need a robust response, and we feel that the European Commission has not actually conducted a robust review in the sense of actually inviting all voices and all partners to the table,” Dr. Adina Portaru, a senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom International, told The Daily Wire in a phone interview from London. “The DSA can impact anyone, can impact content creators and influencers and preachers and political dissidents and any kind of content online can be regulated by the DSA through its architecture,” she added. The act relies on cooperation from non-governmental organizations that advise lawmakers whether someone’s online writings would be considered illegal. There would also be a high burden for reporting violations on tech companies. In certain circumstances, American tech companies may be fined up to 6% of their global revenue if they violate specific conditions. The Monday assessment from the European Commission asserts that the act is in accordance with the “fundamental rights” recognized in the commission’s charter and that the act is “content agnostic.” “It does not define what should be considered illegal or harmful content, it only establishes procedural obligations and safeguards where such content appears online,” the assessment said. Portaru said that the “content agnostic” claim was a smokescreen and that the definition of illegal content in the act was broad enough to have global implications. “Illegal content is defined in such a loose way as anything that is not in accordance with EU law or any law of any member state at any time. It can be today or in one week, depending on how the national laws change,” she said. The Alliance Defending Freedom International led a letter signed by over 100 free speech experts in October urging the European Commission to address their concerns with the act. Another 50 non-governmental organizations signed a letter in September expressing concerns about the act. Instead of bringing them to the table, the commission claimed to have broad consensus around the act when it was actually interpreted unilaterally, Portaru said. “The European Commission had the opportunity to step into this space and constructively engage with these concerns coming from the U.S, as well as Europeans,” she said. “It failed to do so.” Asked about whether the commission was concerned about free speech, Portaru said “they just simply ignored it.” The commission did respond to Alliance Defending Freedom International in a November 14 letter viewed by The Daily Wire that claimed it was committed to “upholding the right to freedom of expression and information” and asserting that the act was content neutral. “The DSA ensures that lawful content protected by the fundamental right of freedom of expression, is safeguarded by establishing due process and transparency online. The DSA clarifies what online platforms are required to do when they moderate content to prevent the arbitrary removal of lawful content,” the commission wrote. In a statement to The Daily Wire, a spokesman for the European Commission claimed that concerns about censorship were “completely unfounded.” “The aim of our digital legislation, including the DSA, is to ensure that the Internet is a safe place. One that protects our fundamental rights. One where illegal content like terrorism or child abuse have no place,” the spokesman said, adding that online platforms have a role to “assess and mitigate risks to the freedom of expression.” The spokesman added that the act provided a mechanism for people to challenge if their content has been removed. Despite the European Commission’s claims, American officials have raised concerns about how the Digital Services Act could impact the United States. In September, European Union Ambassador Andrew Puzder said that he would be making formal submissions to the commission for changes to the act. “The Europeans believe that [the rules] are less restrictive and less targeted than the U.S. believes, and I think we’re going to need to sit down and go through these acts with some care,” he told the Financial Times. That followed reports in August that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had directed diplomats to lobby against the Digital Services Act. “Posts should focus efforts to build host government and other stakeholder support to repeal and/or amend the DSA or related EU or national laws restricting expression online,” Rubio wrote in a cable obtained by Reuters. Apart from broader censorship concerns, many European countries have already become notorious for restrictions placed on political and religious speech. For example, Finnish parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen has faced a six-year-long legal battle for conveying her beliefs in Christian views of sexuality online. Pro-life advocates have been punished in Britain for silently praying and German citizens can be punished for insulting politicians.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its website to suggest that autism could be caused by infant vaccinations — a major agency shift from past administrations. “The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism,” the site now reads. The CDC also now says that studies “supporting a link have been ignored by health authorities,” and Health and Human Services (HHS) “has launched a comprehensive assessment of the causes of autism, including investigations on plausible biologic mechanisms and potential causal links.” The site was updated on Wednesday. CDC.gov Before HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn into office, the CDC firmly stated that autism does not have any links to vaccination. The CDC website, for example, previously said, “Studies have shown that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD).” Right now, DailyWire+ annual memberships are fifty percent off during our Black Friday sale. Join now at dailywire.com/blackfriday. The CDC also previously stated that “no links have been found between any vaccine ingredients” and autism. The current site stresses the HHS investigation into autism causes and notes that many parents believe their child’s autism was in some way related to vaccination (emphasis added): It is critical to address questions the American people have about the cause of autism to ensure public health guidance is adequately responsive to their concerns. Approximately one in two surveyed parents of autistic children believe vaccines played a role in their child’s autism, often pointing to the vaccines their child received in the first six months of life (Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP), Hepatitis B (HepB), Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), Poliovirus, inactivated (IPV), and Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV)) and one given at or after the first year of life (Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)). This connection has not been properly and thoroughly studied by the scientific community. As part of his investigation into the massive spike in autism cases, Kennedy announced back in September that acetaminophen use during pregnancy is tied to an increased risk of autism. Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in Tylenol, one of the most widely used medications globally for pain relief and fever reduction. But in late October, Kennedy said he did not have sufficient evidence to back up a definitive link. “The causative association between Tylenol given in pregnancy and perinatal periods is not sufficient to say it definitely causes autism, but it is very suggestive,” he said. At the time, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary told The Daily Wire he had already sent out a “Dear doctor” letter to all U.S. physicians about the association. “We have an epidemic of autism that has increased 400% in the recent decades and we don’t have a known cause,” he said. “Now this may be a cause, but when you have enough evidence to suggest an association and you have no other plausible cause, we have a duty to notify parents and doctors.”  

The host goes back to Joy Reid's 2016 commentary

'I had my team dig in very quickly'

The path that led to Snarky Puppy becoming one of the most celebrated modern ensembles began with a small circle of musicians at the University of North Texas who were hungry to explore something new. The group was formed in Denton in 2004 under the leadership of bassist and composer Michael League, who pulled together fellow students for a project that would combine funk, jazz, rock, and world music with a level of musicianship that demanded respect from the very beginning. Snarky Puppy started out recording and performing wherever they could, building their foundation through constant rehearsal, relentless playing, and The post Complete List Of Snarky Puppy Songs From A to Z appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

Thousands of ancient Arabic texts have returned to their rightful place in the legendary Saharan trade city of Timbuktu after years of safe-keeping further south. Having undergone extensive digitization, fear that the content of the manuscripts may not survive the centuries due to security concerns or funding have abated somewhat. Mali was once the center […] The post Timbuktu’s Medieval Manuscripts Return Home After a Decade Away Safe from Insurgents appeared first on Good News Network.

Books reading recommendations Musical Magic: Five SFF Stories About the Power of Song Tales about finding your voice and singing your heart out. By Ratika Deshpande | Published on November 20, 2025 Photo by Kati Hoehl [via Unsplash] Comment 0 Share New Share Photo by Kati Hoehl [via Unsplash] I don’t have a particularly good voice, so I’ve always envied those who can create magic with their singing—who sound melodious even when they’re humming a tune as they work around the house. The act of singing connects our bodies and our emotions, transforming our innermost workings into something external, something to be shared; there’s something so primal about it, when you think of how prevalent song is in nature. I always find it interesting to read about characters who are profoundly connected to songs and music—what powers can arise out of voice and melody? How might such a gift be put to use? And how painful is it to be separated from that magic? Here are five stories that consider these questions: “I Will Sing Your White Bones Home” by Cat Hellisen Dying in battle against the finless is a thing of glory, but dying for the love of a finless is not something that Osam had thought her brother Diev would ever do. But he is gone now. Their mother is planning a ghost-wedding for Diev so that further deaths can be avoided in the fight against the finless. She can’t see his ghost, but Osam can, and he tells her that he doesn’t want to marry another ghost. Instead, he has a different request, something that feels impossible—a request that requires song and painful sacrifice. Will Osam’s love for her brother prove adequate for the task, or will the pain be too great to bear? An immersive, melancholy, and deeply evocative story. “The Vessels of Song” by Avram Klein The great Badchen Yankel and his troupe of musicians were on their way to play at a wedding when they decided to take rest at a ramshackle inn. The place wasn’t in good condition but would have to do, for they were cold and tired and their journey was not yet over. So it’s no fault of their own when they find themselves battling the shaydim—or demons, as the Christians call them—instead of enjoying a warm place to rest for the night.  …and if you provide sufficient zlotys, he’ll tell you what happened next, for the Badchen Yankel is not only a klezmer who can create songs to destroy the shaydim, but also a storyteller whose skillful tales make people more than happy to meet his price. “On the Origin of Song” by Naim Kabir Letters, transcripts, notes, testimonies and reports gradually reveal the story of Ciallah Daroun, a scholar from the Plateau who is excited to discover the world and wants to know the origins of Song—a force that in our world would be the equivalent of artificial and natural energy—and why his people cannot Sing in the way that Men and Beasts encountered during his explorations can. He is a simple scholar, but to the rest of the world, his comes from a race of people who cannot think, let alone conduct scholarship, which is enough to put them on guard and pursue him out of fear. As one peruses these documents, the story that emerges is dark and sad, a story of judgement, and prejudice resulting from misinformation, fear, and baseless stereotypes. “As the Prairie Grasses Sing” by Sarah L. Edwards On a trip with her father, Ghemma gets the chance to observe and share brief interactions with wild animals. She reaches out to them out of curiosity, but her father is keeping an eye out—watching to see if she can understand them, like her mother does. For Ghemma speaks with signs, not spoken words. Her mother lives in fear because her ability to speak to animals scares other people. Does Ghemma possess a similar connection with other creatures? Her parents don’t know. For Ghemma, only nine, it’s not something she had considered to be very different from speaking with signs. But now, as she feels the weight of her father’s desire that she be one of them—that hopefully, she’ll sing the way her father does—Ghemma is forced to consider—does she want to speak? Does she want to sing, be like her father? Or does she want to be like her mother? Is it even possible to choose either option? “Do As I Do, Sing As I Sing” by Sarah Pinsker Guerre’s people cultivate koh with the help of cropsingers. They trade their harvest with the Osa people, who raise goats for milk. Both the koh and the milk are essential to the people’s survival and the community’s wellbeing depends upon this balance this creates. One day, people come to her village in a flying machine and inform the villagers of her cousin’s passing. Aro had been chosen by them several years earlier to be trained in cropsinging. Now, he’s gone and the village’s current cropsinger is failing. They need to train someone else and Guerre passes their little test, with no idea of what’s in store for her future. Acco, her brother, volunteers to join her, but he’s rejected. At that moment, the siblings’ paths diverge completely. While Guerre learns the science of plants and undergoes intense, life-threatening training—for it takes months to cultivate a field through singing—Acco leaves for The City. He returns with a “gift” that promises ease for the village, but which could actually bring about the destruction of cropsingers and the village’s harmony with the Osa people. Guerre is worried, but how can she reach out to her brother without dismissing his work, while also preserving her own?[end-mark] The post Musical Magic: Five SFF Stories About the Power of Song appeared first on Reactor.

In the last two years, taxpayers spent $524 million in food stamp payments mostly for fast-food restaurants, according to data from the office of Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.  Of that, about 90%—or $475.2 million—was spent at fast-food restaurants in California from June 2023 through May 2025, according to Ernst’s office.  Ernst, who regularly calls out government waste, is the chairwoman of the Senate DOGE Caucus, short for Department of Government Efficiency—an office within the White House that has targeted spending reductions.  The intent behind the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, was to provide meat, fruits, and vegetables to needy families. However, Ernst’s office contends that Congress created new loopholes in 1977 for “hot food,” meaning food stamps could be used to buy food at restaurants. Currently, nine states participate in the SNAP Restaurant Meals Program.  The intent was to allow homeless individuals who lack access to kitchens or food preparation facilities to purchase prepared meals using food stamps. However, over the years, eligibility was expanded to include disabled and elderly individuals, along with their spouses.  Previously, participation was limited to a small number of restaurants within select counties, according to Ernst’s office. However, the program has ballooned mostly in California, where state officials and the Biden-controlled U.S Department of Agriculture authorized more than 5,800 restaurants to accept SNAP benefits.  In addition to California, eight other states opted into SNAP’s Restaurant Meals Program—Arizona, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia. Participating restaurants must be located in an approved state, sign an agreement with that state, and be authorized by the USDA to accept SNAP benefits.  Ernst is set to introduce a bill, McStopping Chains from Using SNAP EBT to Make Entrees Act, or the McSCUSE ME Act of 2025, in a Senate floor speech Thursday. The legislation would limit the program to homeless, elderly, and disabled participation, and limit vendor eligibility to restaurants with healthy prepared food options. It would also increase public reporting requirements. The California Department of Social Services did not respond to an inquiry from The Daily Signal for this story, but has a link to participating restaurants on its website, which includes most national fast-food chains serving pizza, burger, and fried chicken eateries among the more than 5,000 options.  The amount of SNAP benefits spent on the restaurant program in other states is small by comparison, according to numbers from Ernst’s office over the two-year period. Though, the amount doesn’t always correlate with the size of the state. In Arizona, $41.4 million was spent in SNAP benefits at restaurants over two years. In New York, it was $3.6 million. In Michigan, $1.3 million. Rhode Island spent $995,900, Massachusetts spent $649,000, and Illinois spent $479,000. In Virginia, the amount totaled $308,500, while in neighboring Maryland, a comparative paltry $8,699 in SNAP dollars was spent over the two years at restaurants.   The post How Tax Dollars Heavily Subsize Fast-Food Dining in California appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Aaand ... Scene: Harvard (Finally) Sends Summers Packing Over 'Wingman' Epstein