Critical Role

Critics are raising alarm over what they describe as 'clearly illegal' US election interference in Brazil, warning that American political pressure is undermining Brazil's sovereignty and its democratic processes. Observers are calling for accountability and scrutiny of Washington's role, as the controversy fuels debate over foreign meddling ahead of Brazilian electoral politics.

Documents show the Department of Homeland Security, under then-Secretary Kristi Noem, signed a multi-million dollar agreement on her final day in the role to purchase five aircraft from a company owned by one of her political donors. The timing of the contract is drawing scrutiny, with critics questioning whether the deal was properly vetted and calling for an investigation into possible conflicts of interest.

New reporting says US reliance on Palantir's artificial intelligence tools contributed to a strike on an Iranian school, reportedly killing schoolgirls. The account attributes the incident to over-trust in automated targeting and insufficient human verification of the AI's output. Critics say the case exposes serious flaws in using commercial AI systems for military decisions, and debate is growing over accountability and safeguards for AI-assisted targeting.

Discussion in Brazil centres on claims that Flávio Bolsonaro intends to seek a presidential pardon to free his father, Jair Bolsonaro, from prison, then appoint him as a minister in a future government. Critics say this would effectively return the former president, convicted over his role in the alleged 2022 coup plot, to real power under his son's name, with the slogan 'never again a Bolsonaro family government' circulating ahead of the 2026 elections.

Friedrich Merz's government is being accused of intensifying Germany's military involvement in Ukraine, in the wake of renewed nuclear warnings from Moscow. Critics say Berlin is deepening its war engagement around Kiev rather than pursuing de-escalation, framing the move as a dangerous escalation in a conflict where Russian leaders have openly brandished nuclear threats against NATO-backed support for Ukraine.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the US government is not a worthy host for the United Nations, according to Iranian media outlets including Islam Times and Mehr News Agency. The remarks add to Tehran's long-standing criticism of Washington's role as host country for the UN headquarters in New York, amid ongoing tensions between the two governments.

Economist Steve Hanke has publicly attacked Jared Kushner over his involvement in diplomacy related to Russia, accusing him of having more conflicts of interest than can be counted. Hanke's criticism adds to concerns about Kushner's business ties in the Middle East and his unofficial role in foreign policy discussions.

Attention is turning to the growing practice of workers being paid to train AI and robotic systems that could eventually replace their own roles. Critics are calling the arrangement absurd and questioning the ethics of asking employees to help automate their jobs, while the debate highlights tensions over the future of work and automation's impact on livelihoods.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is being ridiculed online with the Monty Python song 'Brave Sir Robin' after a visit linked to RAF Fairford in England, as debate grows over US involvement in the conflict with Iran. Critics use the mocking nickname 'Whiskey Pete' to question his courage and judgement amid rising tensions.

A new report says Israel is deploying advanced facial recognition technology and other surveillance tools to track, monitor and catalogue Palestinians without their consent, and to guide military operations. Critics are sharing the findings with sarcasm directed at surveillance firm Palantir, questioning the role of Western tech companies in enabling Israel's monitoring of Palestinians in the occupied territories.