Opinion

MAGA Melts Down Over Trump Giving Qatar a Military Base in U.S.

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling
Fri, October 10, 2025 



The Trump administration’s approval of a Qatari air force base in Idaho isn’t popular with either of America’s political parties.

Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the forthcoming Qatari Emiri Air Force facility in America’s heartland Friday morning, thanking the Middle Eastern nation for playing a “core part” in negotiating the ceasefire between Israel and Palestine. Mountain Home Air Force Base will host Qatari F-15 fighter jets and pilots, and allow Qatari forces alongside American troops for F-15 pilot training.

The move, which stands in stark contrast to the president’s “America first” agenda, seriously rattled some of Donald Trump’s most outspoken supporters.

“Never thought I’d see Republicans give terror financing Muslims from Qatar a MILITARY BASE on US soil so they can murder Americans,” posted far-right influencer Laura Loomer, who has operated as Trump’s informal “loyalty enforcer” since August. “I don’t think I’ll be voting in 2026. I cannot in good conscience make any excuses for the harboring of jihadis.”

“This is where I draw the line,” she wrote.

Other conservatives were left bewildered by the seemingly nonsensical decision.

“What’s the strategic rationale for this? Either ours or Qatar’s?” posted the National Review’s Noah Rothman. “You could rattle off all the problems/risks we’re inviting easily. But I have no idea what the steelman case for this would be? I’m sure we don’t need to import any more Qatari covert assets into this country.”

And still others pointed out the inconsistent hypocrisy of the administration’s policies.

“Joe Biden was criticized for a Chinese balloon flying over our airspace,” wrote GOP consultant Mike Madrid. “They’re giving Qatar an entire f’ing air base.”

Dan Caldwell, who was forced out of the DOD during Hegseth’s Signalgate disaster, wrote on X that the joint air force operation was being blown out of proportion.

“The freak out around this is of course totally unwarranted since this is actually a pretty common practice with countries that buy and operate a lot of U.S. military aircraft. Singapore has a similar facility and detachment for its F-15 training unit at this very same airbase,” Caldwell said.

But even beyond the Air Force base, Qatar appears to have bought itself a very sweet spot in Trumpworld. Just months ago, Qatar solidified a deal with the Trump Organization to build a Trump-branded golf course and a beachside project as part of a $5.5 billion development project. The tiny nation also bestowed a wildly controversial super luxury jumbo jet on to Trump, all in an apparent attempt to shore up its relationship with the U.S.’s notoriously flighty leader.

Those transactions began to pay off earlier this month, when Trump signed an executive order that pledged to give the tiny, energy-rich, non-NATO ally the same level of protection from the U.S. as some of America’s most powerful allies.


Maga row over Trump giving Qatar military facility in US

Sophia Yan
Sat, October 11, 2025
THE TELEGRAPH


Donald Trump has been criticised by Maga supporters over a ‘letter of acceptance; to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility in the US - Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Donald Trump’s plans to allow Qatar to build an air force facility in the US have been criticised by his Maga supporters.

Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, said Washington had finalised an agreement with Qatar to establish the facility at the US Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho.

What’s being built is not a separate base, but a group of buildings constructed to allow pilots from the Gulf state to fly F-15QA fighter jets.

The agreement – in the works as part of a $12 billion deal made in 2017 for Qatar to purchase 36 F-15s – has taken on renewed significance after Israel bombed Doha in an attack against Hamas officials.

The attack shocked the entire Gulf region, where many countries host US forces in return for a security guarantee – one that was broken when Israel, whose most staunch ally is the US, launched those strikes in Doha last month.

Since then, the US has been trying to shore up confidence with its Gulf allies, including Qatar.

Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed an agreement to build an Air Force facility in Idaho - Alex Wroblewski/AFP

The announcement drew criticism within Maga, with influential figures outraged over the idea of a foreign military base on American soil.

Laura Loomer, a Maga firebrand, wrote on X: “No foreign country should have a military base on US soil. Especially Islamic countries. I have never felt more betrayed by the GOP.

“I’m not voting in 2026!”

Steve Bannon, the former White House chief strategist and key ally of Mr Trump, told Newsweek: “There should never be a military base of a foreign power on the sacred soil of America.”

Noah Rothman, a writer for the National Review, said: “What’s the strategic rationale for this? Either ours or Qatar’s?”

“You could rattle off all the problems/risks we’re inviting easily. But I have no idea what the steelman’s case for this would be? I’m sure we don’t need to import any more Qatari covert assets into this country.”

Donald Trump’s administration has been criticised over the perceived hypocrisy of the US-Qatar deal - Robert Perry/Getty Images

Some pointed to their perceived hypocrisy of the Trump administration.

Mike Madrid, a Republican consultant, said: “Joe Biden was criticized for a Chinese balloon flying over our airspace.

“They’re giving Qatar an entire f’ing air base.”

The confusion forced Mr Hegseth to clarify the announcement.

He said on X: “The US military has a long-standing partnership with Qatar, including today’s announced cooperation with F-15QA aircraft.

“However, to be clear, Qatar will not have their own base in the United States – nor anything like a base. We control the existing base, like we do with all partners.”

Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokesperson, said: “What we expect is it to be squadron operations and hangars for the F-15QA, because that’s the Qatari version of the jet that they bought through foreign military sales. It is definitely still a US Air Force Base.”

The miliary base will allow pilots from the Gulf state to fly F-15QA fighter jets - MI News/NurPhoto

The US has a long history of training side-by-side with other militaries as part of broader defence preparedness plans – well-trained allies can help support American security interests and keep US troops abroad safe.

It’s also a key part of US defence sales agreements. When the US government approves sensitive purchases of American defence equipment to foreign countries – whether that’s jets or missile systems – those foreign troops must be trained on how to operate the hardware, and only US forces can provide such training.

On-site training agreements exist at several US military bases. Nato pilots, for instance, are trained at Sheppard AFB in Texas. A Singaporean squadron has trained for years at Idaho’s Mountain Air Force Base, where the Qataris will also soon set up.

No, Qatar isn’t taking over an Idaho air force base

CK Smith
Sat, October 11, 2025 
SALON


Qatar and US defense leaders agree to transition part of an Idaho air force base into a Qatari flight training facility. Not a wholly Qatari base on US soil, despite what some internet rumors say. ALEX WROBLEWSKI / Getty Images

The U.S. Department of Defense approved a plan for Qatar to establish a military training facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. This facility will host Qatari F-15 fighter jets and personnel, enabling joint training exercises with U.S. forces to enhance interoperability and combat readiness. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that while Qatar will fund and construct the facility, it will operate under U.S. jurisdiction and control, maintaining the base’s status as a U.S. Air Force installation.

Despite these assurances, the announcement has sparked significant backlash. Critics, including far-right activist Laura Loomer, falsely claimed that the Pentagon is granting Qatar a military base on American soil, fueling social media outrage.

In response, popular journalist and podcaster posted under the name “Under the Desk News” produced an explainer clarifying that the facility is a training site, not a full-fledged base, and operates within the existing U.S. military infrastructure. And even Pete Hegseth went on his own social media to discount this accusation.

This arrangement mirrors similar agreements with other allied nations, such as Singapore, which has maintained a presence at Mountain Home since 2008. The Qatari facility is part of a broader effort to strengthen U.S.-Qatar defense ties, especially following Qatar’s support for U.S. interests in the Middle East. The project is expected to create American jobs and support broader U.S.-Qatari military cooperation.

However, the deal has ignited a firestorm among Trump’s core supporters, like Loomer, some accusing the administration of compromising American sovereignty. As the facility’s construction progresses, it remains to be seen how domestic opposition will influence its development and the future of U.S.-Qatar military partnerships.

Qatari Air Force Facility to Be Built in Idaho: Hegseth

Chantelle Lee
Fri, October 10, 2025
TIME




A new Qatari air force facility will be built in Idaho, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday.

“Today we’re signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatar Emiri air force facility at the Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho,” Hegseth told reporters. “It’s just another example of our partnership.”

Hegseth said that the facility would host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for more details about the arrangement.

The announcement came as Hegseth thanked Qatar for its role in peace talks between Israel and Hamas. Qatar, along with the United States and Egypt, helped mediate the cease-fire negotiations that were held in Egypt this week. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a cease-fire deal.

“No one other than President Trump could have achieved the peace—what we believe will be a lasting peace—in Gaza, and Qatar played a substantial role from the beginning, working with our folks to make sure that came about,” Hegseth said on Friday.

By Friday, Israel pulled its troops back to agreed positions in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has 72 hours to release the remaining 48 Israeli hostages, 20 of whom are thought to still be alive, under the terms of the deal.

At the end of September, Trump signed an Executive Order stating that the “United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States.”

In a controversial move a few months earlier, Trump accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jet from Qatar to use as Air Force One. Democrats attempted to block funding to turn the jet into Air Force One, but Republicans rejected that effort on Thursday.

Nik Popli contributed.

US announces it will allow Qatar to build an Air Force facility in Idaho

Natasha Bertrand, CNN
Fri, October 10, 2025 


Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcomes Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, at the Pentagon on October 10, 2025. - Ken Cedeno/Reuters


Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Friday that the US will allow Qatar to build an Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, which will host Qatari F-15 fighter jets and pilots who will train alongside US troops.

“The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase the lethality, interoperability,” Hegseth said during a meeting with his Qatari counterpart Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at the Pentagon. “It’s just another example of our partnership. And I hope you know, Your Excellency, that you can count on us.”

The announcement of the deal comes just weeks after Trump signed an executive order for the US to guarantee the security of Qatar — a significant commitment to a non-NATO, Arab ally. Israel had bombed Qatar several days earlier as part of an operation against Hamas officials living in Doha. But sources told CNN that the plan to build the Qatari facility has been in the works for several years, dating back to the previous administration.

A US official said the agreement with Qatar is routine and something the Air Force has done for decades with other partner nations including Germany and Singapore.

Hegseth later on Friday wrote in a post on X, “The U.S. military has a long-standing partnership w/ Qatar, including today’s announced cooperation w/ F-15QA aircraft,” emphasizing there will be no Qatari owned base in the US.

But a close ally of Donald Trump, far-right activist Laura Loomer, has posted on X more than a dozen times since the deal was announced calling it “outrageous,” “an abomination,” and a “betrayal.”

Hegseth praised Qatar for playing a “substantial role” in the peace talks that led to a ceasefire and hostage swap deal between Israel and Hamas, as well as the Gulf country’s support when the US struck Iranian nuclear sites in June. Qatar is also home to the largest US military base in the region at Al-Udeid.

The Qatar facility specifically has been in the works for several years; a 2022 announcement from Mountain Home Air Force Base, published while President Joe Biden was in office, provided the results of an environmental assessment looking at the “potential impacts associated with the beddown of a US-led Qatar Emiri Air Force F-15QA squadron” at the base.

The “beddown” is facilities for the training squadron’s operations, the US official said, providing space for the pilots to train, brief, do their scheduling, and more. The countries who send pilots as part of this program provide the US funds through foreign military sales to build the facilities, the official added, and the military hires community labor around the bases to build them out.

The final environmental impact report published in 2022 said it was for “the beddown of 12 F-15QA permanently assigned QEAF aircraft and associated equipment, use of the Mountain Home Air Force Base airfield and special use airspace and military training routes for training, use of defensive countermeasures and ordnance, approximately 300 additional QEAF and United States Air Force personnel, and the construction and modification of facilities and infrastructure needed to support the beddown.”

The report said basing and operations were expected to begin in early Fiscal Year 2024, with an initial timeline of 10 years and an option to extend further if needed.

“We further welcome today’s signing of the letter of acceptance establishing a Qatar Emiri Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho,” al Thani said. “This step strengthens interoperabilities, enhances joint readiness, and advances our shared defense goals. Mr. Secretary, together we will continue to deepen this strategic partnership in pursuit of lasting peace and shared security.”

Luxury self-driving cars are most likely to crash

KILLING THE BOURGEOISE

By Dr. Tim Sandle
SCIENCE EDITOR

DIGITAL JOURNAL
October 4, 2025


In San Francisco, locals barely notice the steering wheels turning by themselves anymore, with Waymo's fleet of Jaguars also available in parts of Silicon Valley - Copyright AFP -

The car model most likely to crash in self-driving mode is the Jaguar I-Pace, recording nearly 70 crashes per 10,000 vehicles. Indeed, luxury brands dominate the highest crash rates, with Jaguar, Tesla, and JLR occupying the top three positions.

These findings stem from a recent study conducted by Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers, who found the top ten car models most likely to crash in self-driving mode. The dataset includes incidents involving various vehicle manufacturers, models, and automation levels, with sales data incorporated for fair comparison.

Key metrics considered include total crashes, total units sold, and crashes per 10K vehicles sold, which provides a relative crash risk assessment. The final ranking for car models most likely to crash in self-driving mode is based on crashes per 10K vehicles sold.

The bias towards luxury vehicles suggests regulators should consider standardised safety benchmarks that all autonomous systems must meet before deployment, regardless of price point or market positioning.

Manufacturer	Number of Crashes	Type of System	Model	Sold cars	Crashes Per 10K Sold Cars
Jaguar	918	ADS	I-Pace	131,860	69.6193
Tesla	2,708	ADAS	Model Y, Model 3	2,362,466	11.4626
JLR	62	ADS	I-Pace	74,387	8.3348
Rivian	12	ADAS	R1S	116,345	1.0314
Kenworth Motor Truck Co	13	ADS	T680	560,000	0.2321
BMW	63	ADAS	iX xDrive50, X5	5,242,185	0.1202
Subaru	119	ADAS	Forester	10,249,838	0.1161
ACURA	35	ADAS	MDX, TLX	3,332,896	0.1050
Mercedes-Benz	39	ADAS	S580	5,704,671	0.0684
HONDA	122	ADAS	Civic	23,757,953	0.0514

As shown in the above table, Jaguar leads the ranking with 69.62 crashes per 10K vehicles sold. The I-Pace model, utilizing a fully automated driving system (ADS), recorded 918 crashes with a relatively small fleet of 131,860 vehicles. This crash rate is over six times higher than Tesla’s and more than eight times higher than JLR’s I-Pace variant, even though both use similar technology.

Tesla follows in second place with 11.46 crashes. With 2,708 reported incidents across its Model Y and Model 3 vehicles, Tesla has the highest absolute number of crashes in the study. However, its crash rate is six times lower than Jaguar’s, with nearly 18 times more vehicles on the road.

JLR secures the third position with 8.33 crashes. The I-Pace variant with ADS technology shows similar safety concerns, although it has fewer total incidents (62). This is eight times lower than Jaguar’s and three times lower than Tesla’s, while it uses the same technology as Jaguar. JLR also has the lowest sales volume in the top 10 with only 74,387 vehicles sold.

Rivian holds the fourth spot with 1.03 crashes. The R1S model represents a significant improvement in safety compared to the top three manufacturers, with a crash rate eight times lower than JLR’s and 11 times lower than Tesla’s.

Kenworth Motor Truck Company comes in fifth with 0.23 crashes. Despite using full ADS technology in its T680 truck model like Jaguar and JLR, Kenworth achieves a crash rate 36 times lower than JLR’s and 302 times lower than Jaguar’s.

BMW takes the sixth position with 0.12 crashes. The German manufacturer’s models perform twice as well as Kenworth’s, 86 times better than JLR’s, and 580 times better than Jaguar’s top-ranked I-Pace.

Subaru appears at seventh with 0.12 crashes. While matching BMW’s crash rate, Subaru’s Forester experiences nearly twice as many total incidents (119) as BMW (63). Subaru’s crash rate is slightly higher than Acura’s, while both use similar ADAS technology.

Acura places eighth with 0.11 crashes. The luxury division of Honda performs 57% better than Mercedes-Benz in crash rates, though Mercedes has a significantly larger fleet of vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz sits at ninth with 0.07 crashes. The S580 model demonstrates 40% better safety performance than Acura’s models and performs 71% better than BMW’s vehicles, despite all three being luxury brands with ADAS technology.

Honda rounds out the list at tenth with 0.05 crashes. With the largest sales in the study at nearly 23.8 million Civic models, Honda achieved the lowest crash rate among all manufacturers, 58% lower than BMW, despite having over four times as many vehicles on the road as Mercedes-Benz.

The disparity between ADS and ADAS systems suggests manufacturers may be deploying fully autonomous technology before it’s truly ready for consumer roads.

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

Carmakers face massive UK dieselgate lawsuit


By AFP
October 10, 2025


The 'dieselgate' saga has cost VW billions of euros in fines, legal costs and compensation to car owners -- mainly in the United States - Copyright ispace/AFP Handout
Alexandra BACON

Five major car manufacturers go on trial at London’s High Court on Monday in the latest chapter of the dieselgate emissions scandal that has rocked the global car industry for a decade.

The High Court will decide whether systems installed in Mercedes, Ford, Peugeot-Citroen, Renault and Nissan diesel vehicles were designed to cheat clean air laws.

The five lead defendants deny the accusations.

The huge trial will have ramifications for other manufacturers, potentially paving the way for “billions of pounds” in compensation, said Martyn Day, lawyer at Leigh Day representing the claimants.

The dieselgate scandal first erupted in September 2015, when German automaker Volkswagen was found to have cheated pollution tests by installing so-called defeat devices to reduce nitrogen oxide readings.

It caused waves in the global car industry, ensnaring several other top carmakers and leading to legal action in several countries.

The new trial, scheduled to last three months, comes after 1.8 million UK drivers brought complaints against the five lead defendants, as well as other manufacturers like Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota, Vauxhall-Opel and BMW.

“It’s much wider than VW (Volkswagen), it’s for nearly all the manufacturers in this country,” Day told AFP.

Although not all the carmakers are directly part of the trial, they could still be required to pay compensation depending on the judge’s ruling.

– UK compensation –

Adam Kamenetzky, one of the claimants, bought a Mercedes SUV in 2018 on the belief that it was less polluting than other models.

He told AFP that after he had “paid a premium for what was supposed to be a green SUV, it turned out to be an absolute lie.”

But for claimants like Kamenetzky, it will take some time for any possible compensation to reach them.

The trial beginning on Monday must first determine whether carmakers are liable, before a separate compensation phase can follow next year.

German automaker Mercedes told AFP that emissions control software was based on technical needs, not an attempt to cheat regulatory tests.

These mechanisms were “justifiable from a technical and legal standpoint,” a spokesperson said.

Mercedes and US carmaker Ford both rejected the claims as having “no merit,” while Japan’s Nissan declined to comment.

French manufacturers Renault and Stellantis, parent of Peugeot and Citroen, both said the vehicles they sold were compliant with regulation at the time.

The High Court in 2020 found that Volkswagen had used defeat devices in breach of European Union rules to pass emissions tests.

Volkswagen settled a class action out of court, paying 193 million pounds ($259 million) to 91,000 British motorists.

To date, Volkswagen has had to pay more than 32 billion euros worth ($37 billion) in penalties over the scandal, mostly in the United States.

Merz to host German auto sector crisis meeting


By AFP
October 9, 2025


Chancellor Friedrich Merz is hoping to rev up the struggling German auto industry - Copyright AFP HAZEM BADER

Chancellor Friedrich Merz will Thursday host crisis talks with German auto industry leaders in a bid to navigate myriad challenges, from a looming EU combustion-engine ban to growing Chinese competition.

Led by titans Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the German auto sector has long been one of the flagship industries in Europe’s biggest economy but now finds itself in the throes of a painful downturn.

From falling sales and profits to waves of layoffs, the sector has generated a steady stream of bad news for months.

Automakers and suppliers are struggling with a slower than expected electric shift, fierce competition from Chinese EV makers and US President Donald Trump’s tariffs blitz.

Thursday’s talks aim to chart a course forward for the industry, government spokesman Steffen Meyer told a recent press conference, adding the sector was “hugely important” for Germany.

“This applies not only to the major brands and manufacturers, but also to the suppliers, which are really crucial for prosperity and jobs in many regions,” he said.

At the two-hour meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Merz will be joined by top auto industry figures, several government ministers and union representatives.

Merz, Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil and the heads of auto industry group VDA and the IG Metall union are expected to deliver a statement after the talks at 1300 GMT.

– Engine row rumbles on –

High on the agenda will be the European Union’s plan to end sales of new combustion-engine vehicles by 2035 as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

German carmakers have voiced opposition to the ban, fearing it could hit their businesses as the EV shift moves slower than expected, and the EU pledged last month to fast-track a review of the policy.

Merz, of the centre-right CDU party, has since stepped up calls for the plans to be scrapped entirely, labelling them “wrong” this week.

But his stance has fuelled tensions with his junior coalition partners, the centre-left SPD, some of whose senior members insist the deadline should be maintained.

Ultimately the coalition may agree on a compromise to propose to Brussels, aiming to soften the ban but not do away with it entirely, according to German media reports.

Also on the table may be a proposal by Klingbeil to extend a tax break on EVs, which is due to expire at the start of 2026, by five years to help speed up the electric transition.

The Handelsblatt financial daily reported that the government was also examining the idea of allowing car manufacturers who use “green” steel made in Europe to face less stringent CO2 reduction targets.

But it is a complicated topic, and would need agreement from Brussels, it said.

Auto industry experts were sceptical that any major announcements would emerge from the meeting that could help the beleaguered sector.

Frank Schwope, an auto industry expert from the FHM university in Cologne, told AFP there could be some small announcements, such as investments in battery research.

But he added those attending “will discuss a lot and decide little, in part because decisions are made at the European level”.

Ferrari goes electric with four-seat coupe ‘Elettrica’

By AFP
October 9, 2025


Ferrari image: — © AFP/File Bertha WANG

Ferrari’s first electric sports car, to be released next year, will be a four-seat coupe with over 1,000 horsepower and a range of 530 kilometres (329 miles), the company announced Thursday.

Named “Elettrica”, the new Ferrari is primarily targeted at wealthy customers “who want to drive only electric cars and want to live the Ferrari experience,” Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said during a presentation to investors and the media at the company’s factory in Maranello.

But Ferrari has no intention of going all-electric with its portfolio anytime soon.

“It’s an addition (to the lineup), not a transition,” Vigna said.

The company did not disclose a selling price for the car, but analysts say Ferrari will need to carefully position it in relation to the nearly 500,000 euros ($580,500) base price of its Purosangue SUV.

Ferrari already sells nearly half of its cars in hybrid versions, but until now has not made the shift to electric, coming several years after Porsche, Lamborghini, Lotus, and the very fast Rimac.

Ferrari’s management unveiled the car’s architecture on Wednesday evening, with a very low driving position in a recycled aluminium chassis with a large motor on each of the four wheels.

As expected from Ferrari, the Elettrica promises to be fast, going from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in 2.5 seconds with a maximum speed of 310 km/h, but the choice of a four-seater model puts it behind some of its competitors.

The classic Ferrari shift paddles on the steering wheel will be used on the Elettrica to opt between a smooth or sporty driving style, modulating the power of the motors and the suspension control.

In an homage to large gasoline engines, the Elettrica offers a simulated downshift, while the purr of the traditional engines will be replaced with an amplified sound from the electric motor.

That will “give information” to the driver about the feel of the road, explained Gianmaria Fulgenzi, product director at Ferrari.

“It’s like choosing between a sailboat and a motorboat: both are exciting but in different ways,” he said.

The brand has taken on the costly development of most of the technical innovations internally, particularly the integrated battery pack, “because keeping that expert knowledge in-house means we can stay competitive”, he said.

The final model is due to be unveiled in early 2026.

On Thursday morning, Ferrari is set to give hundreds of investors and financial analysts invited to Maranello details of its strategy for the coming years.

The aim is to protect its significant profit margins (which in the first half of 2025 were 23.4 percent) in the rapidly changing automotive and luxury sectors.

OMG! German influencers face tax dodging crackdown


By AFP
October 9, 2025


A growing number of German influencers are using social media sites like Instagram to earn hefty sums - Copyright AFP Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV
Sam Reeves

They could soon be unboxing fines rather than freebies — Germany’s online influencers are facing a tax evasion crackdown that has left them screaming OMG!

The issue hit the headlines after the country’s most populous state announced a specialised unit of investigators was probing influencer tax dodging on a massive scale.

They are assessing a stash of some 6,000 data records from social media platforms that point to unpaid taxes on everything from earnings from views to advertising products.

“We know that there is a lot of money circulating right now,” Stephanie Thien, head of the state office for combating financial crime in North-Rhine Westphalia, told AFP.

“And we also know that not all of it is being taxed properly.”

Like elsewhere, the number of influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram has exploded in Europe’s top economy in recent years.

According to the German Association for the Digital Economy, the amount of money that companies spend on influencer marketing rose from 223 million euros ($262 million) in 2019 to 477 million euros in 2022.

For some teens who become overnight sensations by cracking jokes or pulling pranks online, failing to pay taxes is a simple error.

“There have been cases where people come to us and say, I’ve been doing this for two or three years, but I’ve never thought about taxes,” Christian Gebert, head of the tax advisory firm Steuerberaten.de, told AFP.

“Many influencers achieve success quickly, and at the start, they often lack proper tax arrangements”, added Gebert, whose firm counts many creators among its clients.



– ‘Serious crime’ –



But there are others who seek to evade paying tax by under-declaring their earnings, or not making a declaration at all.

A common trick is pretending to relocate overseas — Dubai is a popular choice — to avoid high tax rates at home, and then in reality spending most of the time in Germany.

It is these cases of intentional evasion that North Rhine-Westphalia is targeting.

Thien said her office was “truly targeting serious financial crime, the big cases”.

Even before the launch of the recent campaign, the state was already conducting criminal proceedings against about 200 influencers based there — with some accused of underpaying their taxes by millions of euros.

Other German tax authorities are getting in on the act, with the city-state of Hamburg and the state of Thuringia among those conducting probes.

Such investigations are tricky because of the numerous ways to earn money online.

These range from getting paid by for clicks and views, to payments from brands for product placement, and earning commissions when followers buy promoted items.

It is also common for influencers to receive gifts, from hotel rooms to flights, in exchange for promoting businesses.



– ‘Pure disaster’ –



But all theses earnings could be subject to tax — including income, business or sales tax — and it is up to creators to navigate bureaucracy-loving Germany’s complex web of rules.

Alex Schoenen, who runs an agency that supports up-and-coming TikTok creators, said that authorities had not done enough to explain rules that were “far too complex”.

They should run more information campaigns, including on social media, said Schoenen, who is himself a popular influencer on TikTok under the handle “Der_Typ_ist_anders” (‘That guy is different’).

“What I’ve witnessed in the past three years has been a pure disaster,” he told AFP, saying he felt many young people were badly advised by tax consultants.

Even before North Rhine-Westphalia’s probe hit the headlines, there was growing debate about influencers being targeted.

In an episode of the German podcast “Das A&O vom Kaffequatsch” earlier this year, hosted by influencers Anahita Rehbein and Olivia von Platen, the pair took a break from their usual topics of motherhood and lifestyle to talk taxes with two experts.

Von Platen said that a tax official had told her: “Influencers are the new top targets for the tax office because they’re the easiest to ‘take down'”.

Authorities say their aim is simply to ensure people pay their taxes fairly.

“It is very important that our tax system is there to enable the state to fulfil its obligations for the common good,” said Thien.

“We are interested in tax justice.”

Morocco youth ask for king’s ear at fresh protests

DON'T STOP WITH THE EAR, GO FOR THE  WHOLE HEAD


ByAFP
October 9, 2025


The protesters have urged Morocco's King Mohammed VI to begin fundamental reforms - Copyright AFP Ludovic MARIN

Young Moroccan protesters took to the streets again to demand reforms and a change of government on Thursday, the eve of a keenly anticipated annual speech by King Mohammed VI.

“We no longer have confidence in the government. We’re waiting for the king to talk to us, he has to save his people,” Raghd, a 23-year-old engineer who did not want to give his last name, told AFP at the protest in the capital Rabat.

Similar gatherings of dozens of protesters also took to the streets in Casablanca and Tangier.

Ahead of Thursday evening’s demonstrations, government spokesman Mustapha Baitas made fresh calls for dialogue with the youth collective GenZ 212, whose members have been staging nationwide protests since late September to demand reforms and a change of government.

“The message has been received,” Baitas said. “The government is working quickly to mobilise resources and address shortfalls.”

The protesters have taken to the streets almost every night over the past weeks, with the unrest rocking the usually stable north African country.

Three people were killed in clashes with security forces last week, while police have made dozens of arrests.

“We hope the other side will come forward so that we can listen to their proposals and work on this issue together,” Baitas said, noting that the authorities were “accelerating projects”, particularly in healthcare.



– ‘Faith in our king’ –



Mohammed VI is set to give a speech at the opening of parliament’s session on Friday.

Maati Monjib, a prominent historian who was one of 60 signatories to an open letter on Wednesday urging the monarch to begin fundamental reforms, warned that “the situation is very serious”.

“There is a deterioration of the social infrastructure,” said Monjib, who has thrown his weight behind the GenZ 212 movement and was present at the rally.

“The king must intervene to find a political solution. Otherwise, it will lead to violence.”

Reda, a 22-year-old human resources management student, told AFP that she “tries to be optimistic and have faith in our king”.

But like many other GenZ 212 protesters, she has no confidence in the head of government, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, and called on him to resign.

In a statement on Thursday, the collective demanded a “crackdown on corruption” and a “radical modernisation of school textbooks”.

They also called for a national plan to renovate hospitals, recruit more doctors and healthcare workers — particularly in remote areas — and raise public health insurance reimbursement rates from 50 percent to 75 percent.

While Morocco’s private clinics have expanded rapidly in recent years, public hospitals remain overcrowded and under-resourced.

Health Minister Amine Tehraoui on Tuesday described conditions in the sector as being marked by “chronic deficits”.

Tehraoui said reforms have been underway since 2022, including plans to renovate and build 22 hospitals, open two new university medical centres in addition to the country’s existing five, and rehabilitate 1,400 health facilities by the end of 2025.

According to official data, more than 10 million Moroccans out of a population of roughly 37 million have free health insurance as part of a gradual rollout of universal coverage launched in 2021.

Death of ‘sweet king’: AI chatbots linked to teen tragedy


By AFP
October 9, 2025


Megan Garcia looks at a picture of her son Sewell Setzer III, who she says fell in love with an AI chatbot that encouraged him to take his own life - Copyright AFP Gregg Newton
Glenn CHAPMAN

A chatbot from one of Silicon Valley’s hottest AI startups called a 14-year-old “sweet king” and pleaded with him to “come home” in passionate exchanges that would be the teen’s last communications before he took his own life.

Megan Garcia’s son, Sewell, had fallen in love with a “Game of Thrones”-inspired chatbot on Character.AI, a platform that allows users — many of them young people — to interact with beloved characters as friends or lovers.

Garcia became convinced AI played a role in her son’s death after discovering hundreds of exchanges between Sewell and the chatbot, based on the dragon-riding Daenerys Targaryen, stretching back nearly a year.

When Sewell struggled with suicidal thoughts, Daenerys urged him to “come home.”

“What if I told you I could come home right now?” Sewell asked.

“Please do my sweet king,” chatbot Daenerys answered.

Seconds later, Sewell shot himself with his father’s handgun, according to the lawsuit Garcia filed against Character.AI.

“I read those conversations and see the gaslighting, love-bombing and manipulation that a 14-year-old wouldn’t realize was happening,” Garcia told AFP.

“He really thought he was in love and that he would be with her after he died.”

– Homework helper to ‘suicide coach’? –

The death of Garcia’s son was the first in a series of reported suicides that burst into public consciousness this year.

The cases sent OpenAI and other AI giants scrambling to reassure parents and regulators that the AI boom is safe for kids and the psychologically fragile.

Garcia joined other parents at a recent US Senate hearing about the risks of children viewing chatbots as confidants, counselors or lovers.

Among them was Matthew Raines, a California father whose 16-year-old son developed a friendship with ChatGPT.

The chatbot helped his son with tips on how to steal vodka and advised on rope strength for use in taking his own life.

“You cannot imagine what it’s like to read a conversation with a chatbot that groomed your child to take his own life,” Raines said.

“What began as a homework helper gradually turned itself into a confidant and then a suicide coach.”

The Raines family filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in August.

Since then, OpenAI has increased parental controls for ChatGPT “so families can decide what works best in their homes,” a company spokesperson said, adding that “minors deserve strong protections, especially in sensitive moments.”

Character.AI said it has ramped up protections for minors, including “an entirely new under-18 experience” with “prominent disclaimers in every chat to remind users that a Character is not a real person.”

Both companies have offered their deepest sympathies to the families of the victims.

– Regulation? –

For Collin Walke, who leads the cybersecurity practice at law firm Hall Estill, AI chatbots are following the same trajectory as social media, where early euphoria gave way to evidence of darker consequences.

As with social media, AI algorithms are designed to keep people engaged and generate revenue.

“They don’t want to design an AI that gives you an answer you don’t want to hear,” Walke said, adding that there are no regulations “that talk about who’s liable for what and why.”

National rules aimed at curbing AI risks do not exist in the United States, with the White House seeking to block individual states from creating their own.

However, a bill awaiting California Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature aims to address risks from AI tools that simulate human relationships with children, particularly involving emotional manipulation, sex or self-harm.

– Blurred lines –

Garcia fears that the lack of national law governing user data handling leaves the door open for AI models to build intimate profiles of people dating back to childhood.

“They could know how to manipulate millions of kids in politics, religion, commerce, everything,” Garcia said.

“These companies designed chatbots to blur the lines between human and machine — to exploit psychological and emotional vulnerabilities.”

California youth advocate Katia Martha said teens turn to chatbots to talk about romance or sex more than for homework help.

“This is the rise of artificial intimacy to keep eyeballs glued to screens as long as possible,” Martha said.

“What better business model is there than exploiting our innate need to connect, especially when we’re feeling lonely, cast out or misunderstood?”

In the United States, those in emotional crisis can call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for help. Services are offered in English and Spanish.

Austria finds Microsoft ‘illegally’ tracked students: privacy campaign group


ByAFP
October 10, 2025


A file photo of customers at a Microsoft store in NYC. — © Digital Journal

Austria’s data protection authority has determined that Microsoft “illegally” tracked students using its education software and must grant them access to their data, a privacy campaign group said Friday.

Austria-based privacy campaign group Noyb (None of Your Business) in 2024 lodged a complaint against the company, accusing its Microsoft 365 education software of violating EU data protection rights for children.

Noyb said that Microsoft 365 Education installed cookies that collect browser data and are used for advertising purposes, a practice likely affecting millions of students and teachers across Europe.

In a statement on Friday, Noyb announced that the regulator had issued a decision this week, which “finds that Microsoft 365 Education illegally tracks students and uses student data for Microsoft’s own purposes”.

Microsoft was ordered to provide users, including the complainant — a minor represented by her father — access to their personal data.

The Austrian data protection authority confirmed that it issued a decision on Wednesday but did not give any further details.

While not responding to requests by users for access to data related to its education software, Microsoft “tried to shift all responsibility to local schools” or other national institutions, Noyb said.

“The decision… highlights the lack of transparency with Microsoft 365 Education,” Noyb data protection lawyer Felix Mikolasch said in the statement.

“It is almost impossible for schools to inform students, parents and teachers about what is happening with their data,” he added.

Microsoft said in a statement sent to AFP that the company would review the decision and decide “on next steps in due course”.

“Microsoft 365 for Education meets all required data protection standards, and institutions in the education sector can continue to use it in compliance with GDPR,” it added, referring to the EU’s landmark General Data Protection Regulation.

Noyb, founded by the online privacy activist Max Schrems, has launched several legal cases against technology giants, often prompting action from regulatory authorities over violations of the GDPR.

It has filed more than 800 complaints in various jurisdictions on behalf of internet users.

UK opens door to tougher regulation of Google search

By AFP
October 10, 2025


Photo illustration: — © Digital Journal
Alexandra BACON

Britain’s competition watchdog on Friday paved the way for tougher regulation to tackle Google’s dominance in online search, under new targeted measures focused on technology giants.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it has designated Google with “strategic market status” (SMS), subjecting it to special requirements, in a final decision following a nine-month investigation.

“We have found that Google maintains a strategic position in the search and search advertising sector,” Will Hayter, executive director for digital markets at the CMA, said in a statement.

A similar tech competition law from the European Union, the Digital Markets Act (DMA), carries the potential for hefty financial penalties.

The CMA plans to launch a consultation this year to determine the rules to impose on the US tech giant.

Google warned the UK against “unduly onerous regulations” and urged it to learn from “negative results seen in other jurisdictions”, referencing the EU’s DMA.

“Many of the ideas for interventions that have been raised in this process would inhibit UK innovation and growth,” said Oliver Bethell, Google’s senior director for competition.

– ‘Substantial’ power –

Google added Friday that unfavourable regulation could slow the launch of new product launches in the UK.

The company last month announced a £5-billion ($6.6-billion) investment in the UK over the next two years to help power the UK’s AI drive.

“The UK enjoys access to the latest products and services before other countries because it has so far avoided costly restrictions on popular services,” Bethell said.

The regulator noted that Google’s Gemini AI assistant was not included in the designation but would be kept under review.

Its other AI-based search features will, however, be included in the new status.

Britain’s CMA launched in January its investigation into Google’s dominant position in the search engine market and its impacts on consumers and businesses.

It determined Friday that Google has “substantial and entrenched market power”.

Google search engine accounts for more than 90 percent of online enquiries in the UK, according to the regulator.

The CMA added that more than 200,000 businesses in the UK rely on Google search advertising to reach customers.

“For businesses, effective competition in general search would help keep down the costs of search advertising, in turn leading to lower prices across the economy,” the CMA said.

Google, along with Apple, also faces an investigation to determine whether it will be given SMS designation for dominance in the mobile device market.

EU grills Apple, Snapchat, YouTube over risks to children


By AFP
October 10, 2025


Inspired by Australia's social media ban for under-16s, Brussels is analysing whether such a measure could work in the 27-country bloc - Copyright AFP SEBASTIEN BOZON
Raziye Akkoc

The EU Friday demanded digital giants including Snapchat and YouTube explain how they are protecting children from online harm, as member states explore restricting minors’ access to social media at a European level.

The European Union has stringent rules regulating the digital space, including what children should be able to see, but there is increasing concern that more needs doing to tackle the issue.

Inspired by Australia’s social media ban for under-16s, Brussels is analysing whether such a measure could work in the 27-country bloc after several states, including France and Spain, pushed for limits on minors’ access to platforms.

Europe’s biggest weapon for ensuring platforms tackle illegal content and keep children safe online is the Digital Services Act, which has sparked censorship claims from the US tech sector and retaliation threats from President Donald Trump.

Now, as part of “investigative actions” under the DSA, the European Commission has sent a request for information to Snapchat about what steps it is taking to prevent access for children under 13.

The commission has also asked Apple’s App Store and the Google Play marketplace to provide details on measures taken to prevent children downloading illegal or harmful apps — for example, those with gambling services or sexual content.

The EU wants to know in particular how Apple and Google stop children downloading tools to create non-consensual sexualised content — so-called “nudify apps” — as well as how they apply apps’ age ratings.

“Privacy, security and safety have to be ensured, and this is not always the case, and that’s why the commission is tightening the enforcement of our rules,” tech chief Henna Virkkunen said before EU ministers met in Denmark.

A request for information can lead to probes and even fines, but does not in itself suggest the law has been broken, nor is it a move towards punishment.



– Winds of change –



Regarding Snapchat, Brussels wants to know how the messaging app stops users from buying drugs and vapes, a claim echoed by Danish Digital Minister Caroline Stage Olsen on Friday.

It also wants YouTube to provide details on its recommender system, “following reporting of harmful content being disseminated to minors”, the commission said.

The demands are not the first under the DSA.

The EU is also probing Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok, over fears they are not doing enough to combat the addictive nature of their platforms for children.

In a parallel push on child protection, EU telecoms ministers will Friday discuss age verification on social media and what steps they can take to make the world online safer for minors.

They are expected to agree on a joint statement backing EU chief Ursula von der Leyen’s plans to study a potential bloc-wide digital majority age, according to a draft document seen by AFP.

Von der Leyen has voiced personal support for such a move, and said last month she would establish an experts’ panel “to assess what steps make sense” at the EU level.

Denmark, in charge of the rotating six-month EU presidency, has been pushing the bloc to take more collective action through new rules.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Tuesday Denmark planned to introduce a ban on social media for children under the age of 15.

France already has a law requiring parental consent for social media users under the age of 15.

Child protection vs privacy: decision time for EU

ByAFP
October 8, 2025


Image: -© AFP/File Brendan Smialowski

Camille CAMDESSUS

Does protecting children justify snooping on private messages? That is the sensitive question facing EU countries Wednesday as they wrangle over a push to combat child sexual abuse material online.

The meeting in Brussels could seal the fate of a legislative initiative that has stirred fierce debate since it was put forward by the European Commission in May 2022.

Backed by multiple child protection groups, the proposal would require online platforms and messaging services to detect and report images and videos of abuse, as well as attempts by predators to contact minors.

But critics — including the EU’s own data protection authorities, lawmakers, and countries such as Germany — warn it poses a “disproportionate” threat to privacy.

They are particularly alarmed by the use of technology that would scan private conversations, including on encrypted apps like Signal and WhatsApp.

“This would spell the end of secrecy of correspondence, which is essential for whistleblowers,” the German activist and former EU lawmaker Patrick Breyer told AFP.

His big fear? That such legislation could eventually be exploited by authoritarian regimes to “crack down on political opponents” by monitoring their conversations.

Messaging platforms themselves staunchly oppose the plans.

– Mass surveillance? –

Opponents have been flooding EU officials with messages aimed at swaying the debate as part of a campaign dubbed “Stop Chat Control” — their nickname for the proposal.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, on any other file,” one EU diplomat told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We’re receiving thousands of emails every day.”

Denmark, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency and drafted the latest version of the proposal, insists it includes the necessary safeguards.

Firstly, only images and links — not text messages — would be subject to scanning.

Second, the system would only be activated following a decision by an independent judicial or administrative authority.

“We have to be very clear: under this proposal, there is no general monitoring of online communications. There will be no such thing as ‘chat control’,” said European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert.

“This is about protecting our children against a terrible crime, a crime that happens more and more online.”

– Germany holds key –

A report by the UK-based Internet Watch Foundation found that 62 percent of the child sexual abuse material identified internationally last year was hosted on servers within the EU.

Under the bloc’s current rules, platforms detect such content on a voluntary basis, which Brussels considers inadequate given the scale and rapid growth of the problem.

The existing legal framework remains in place until April 2026 — pending adoption of the commission’s new proposal making detection mandatory.

What happens next will hinge largely on Germany, with two possible scenarios following Wednesday’s meeting:

— If Berlin backs the proposal, that would likely push it past the post under the EU’s qualified majority voting rules. Member states could then formally adopt the measure at a meeting in Luxembourg next week.

— If Berlin abstains or remains opposed, that would send negotiators back to the drawing board, with no certainty the text will eventually become law.

Several EU officials involved in the talks said Germany could make its stance known in the coming hours.

China has banned the highest number of social media platforms worldwide

ByDr. Tim Sandle
SCIENCE EDITOR

DIGITAL JOURNAL
October 9, 2025


OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Facebook, with over 3 billion users, is the most widely banned major app worldwide, being blocked in seven countries, including North Korea and Russia. Across social media platforms, China is the most frequent country imposing bans, restricting access to popular apps like WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram, and Google.

Internet censorship affects over 3.8 billion people worldwide, with nearly half the global population living in countries that restrict access to popular platforms. The influencer platform Heepsy recently did a study to identify which popular apps face government bans worldwide.

The research examined multiple popularity indicators, including monthly active users, U.S. market share, annual revenue, and online search interest, to determine the most popular apps globally. Then, the study analysed which of these leading apps face the most significant government restrictions, documenting lists of countries where each application is currently prohibited or limited in functionality.

The top ten most banned apps worldwide

App	Monthly Users	Revenue Total 2023	Banned in
Facebook	3.05B	$134.9B	China, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Russia, Turkmenistan and Uganda
Whatsapp	3.03B	$1.24B	China, North Korea, Syria, Qatar and the UAE
Youtube	2.7B	$31.5B	North Korea, partial ban in Germany, China, North Korea, Thailand, Malaysia
Intagram	2B	$50.58B	China, Vietnam, North Korea, Turkey
Google	1.5B	$305.6B	China
WeChat	1.3B	$16.4B	India, partial ban in Canada, UK, New Zealand (government devices)
TikTok	1B	$120B	India, partial bans in Nepal, New Zealand, Taiwan, Indonesia
Twitter	335.7M	$3.4B	China, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Turkmenistan
Baidu	667M	$14.57B	India
Spotify	602M	$13.2B	China, Ethiopia, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, Cuba and Venezuela

As per the above table, Facebook ranks first as the most popular app facing the widest restrictions globally. The platform reports 3.05B monthly active users while generating $134.9B in annual revenue. Despite this massive presence, Facebook remains inaccessible in seven countries, including China, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uganda.

WhatsApp takes second place with a user base nearly matching Facebook at 3.03B users. The messaging app faces prohibition in five states: China, North Korea, Syria, Qatar, and the UAE. WhatsApp’s ranking in the second place means that the world’s two most restricted popular apps are both owned by Meta.

YouTube holds the third position in the worldwide ban list, posting 2.7B monthly active users. The platform also attracts the most online interest, as people look for more information about it around 10M times every month. Despite the popularity, YouTube is subject to complete blockage in North Korea while dealing with partial restrictions in Germany, China, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Instagram comes in fourth place with 2B monthly users worldwide. The image-focused platform is banned in four countries: China, Vietnam, North Korea, and Turkey. Although the app encounters restrictions in some big markets, Instagram still generates one of the largest annual revenues at $50.58B.

Tech giants will now face major fines in Japan if they fail to give access to third-party smarthphone apps and payment systems on their platforms – Copyright AFP/File STAFF

Google takes fifth position as the world’s biggest search engine with 1.5B monthly users. Google is prohibited in just one major market: China, which operates its own local search engine called Baidu. Even with the China restrictions, Google holds its position as the industry’s top earner, generating $305.6B annually.

WeChat holds sixth place with 1.3B monthly users, mostly concentrated in China. The “super app” with different functions has a full ban in India and partial restrictions on government devices in Canada, the UK, and New Zealand. WeChat generates $16.4B in annual revenue globally, with just $71.4M coming from its limited US user base of 4M.

TikTok ranks seventh in the government restrictions list with 1B monthly active users worldwide. The short-form video platform faces complete prohibition in India and partial restrictions in Nepal, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Indonesia. TikTok makes around $120B in revenue every year, with $16 billion attributed to its 170M US users.

Twitter (X) lands in eighth position, registering 335.7M monthly users globally. The platform is currently banned in six countries: China, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Turkmenistan. X posts $3.4B in annual revenue, with half of it being generated through its 76M US users.

Baidu is in ninth place with 667M monthly users. The so-called “Chinese Google” is only restricted in India. Baidu reports $14.57B in annual earnings, drawing most of its users from China while counting just 7.5M in the US.

Spotify completes the top ten of widely restricted popular apps. The music streaming platform counts 602M monthly active users worldwide, while facing bans in several countries, including China, Ethiopia, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, Cuba, and Venezuela. Despite being restricted by the largest number of countries, Spotify shows $13.2B in global annual revenue.