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Thirty Years of Surveillance Ends Without Finding the Threat Germany Claimed Existed

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LOS ANGELES, June 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the Church of Scientology International released the following statement:

The truth is simple: The threat never existed.

For nearly 30 years, Germany’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution subjected the Church of Scientology and thousands of Scientologists to intelligence surveillance under the claim that the religion represented a threat to democracy.

Today, that surveillance ends exactly where it always should have ended: with the complete failure of the allegations on which it was built.

After decades of investigations, intelligence operations, informant recruitment, infiltration attempts, political campaigns, blacklisting, “sect filters,” public warnings and extraordinary state scrutiny, German authorities have produced no extremist network, no conspiracy against the state, no campaign to undermine democracy, no acts of violence and no evidence that Scientologists were ever the threat they were portrayed to be.

Because the truth is simple: The threat never existed.

What did exist was 30 years of institutionalized discrimination directed at a peaceful minority religion and the people who practiced it.

Scientologists in Germany lost jobs, careers and business opportunities because of their faith. Families were stigmatized. Children of Scientologists faced discrimination in schools. Artists, professionals and public figures were attacked and ostracized solely because of their religious beliefs. Government-backed “sect filters” spread throughout German public and private life, warning employers and institutions away from Scientologists as though ordinary religious association itself constituted danger.

And all of this was justified through a narrative that has now completely collapsed.

Not because investigators lacked time.

Not because authorities lacked resources.

But because the allegations themselves were false from the beginning.

During these same decades, Scientology continued to gain recognition, protection and vindication throughout the democratic world.

In 1993, following one of the most extensive examinations ever conducted of a religious organization, the United States Internal Revenue Service granted full religious recognition to Scientology Churches and related entities.

In 1997, Italy’s Supreme Court recognized Scientology as a religion and rejected efforts to criminalize its practices.

In 2007, Spain’s National Court affirmed Scientology’s status as a religion entitled to the protections of religious freedom under European law.

In 2013, the United Kingdom Supreme Court unanimously condemned discrimination against Scientologists as “illogical, discriminatory and unjust” while recognizing Scientology chapels as places of religious worship.

In 2016, after an 18-year prosecution filled with sensational allegations, Belgian courts fully acquitted Scientology and condemned the proceedings themselves as fundamentally incompatible with basic human rights protections.

At the same time, courts and governments across Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia recognized Scientology and protected the rights of Scientologists as members of a legitimate religion.

Meanwhile in Germany, the surveillance apparatus continued.

Even as courts repeatedly ruled against discriminatory actions tied to these policies.

Even as internal findings acknowledged the absence of evidence.

Even as multiple German states quietly discontinued surveillance after finding no actionable wrongdoing.

Even as international human rights organizations, foreign officials and major media questioned Germany’s treatment of Scientologists.

History has shown the danger that arises when governments and institutions systematically distort the beliefs of a minority religion in order to justify exceptional treatment against it. Once suspicion replaces evidence and propaganda replaces objectivity, constitutional protections themselves begin to erode.

That is the true lesson of this history.

Because this was never simply about Scientology.

It became a test of whether democratic societies would uphold religious liberty when political fear, stigma and opportunism made doing so unpopular.

Now, after nearly 30 years, the final result stands in stark contrast to the rhetoric that fueled this campaign.

No democracy was saved.

No hidden conspiracy uncovered.

No constitutional threat exposed.

Only the reality that an enormous machinery of surveillance, suspicion and discrimination had been directed against a peaceful religious community that was innocent of the claims used to justify it.

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution’s announcement does not erase the damage inflicted on thousands of Scientologists over three decades.

But it does mark the collapse of one of the longest-running campaigns of state-sponsored religious discrimination in modern democratic Europe.

History has now rendered its verdict.

And that verdict is not on Scientology.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thirty-years-of-surveillance-ends-without-finding-the-threat-germany-claimed-existed-302808136.html

SOURCE Church of Scientology International

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DIGITIMES Intelligence: Chip Controls Are Reshaping China’s Auto Supply Chain — BYD Shows What Comes Next

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September 7, 2026

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TAIPEI, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The global automotive industry is entering a new phase in which semiconductors are becoming as strategically important as batteries, motors and manufacturing scale. As vehicles evolve into software-defined, AI-enabled platforms, chips increasingly determine everything from power management and cockpit functions to advanced driver-assistance systems. At the same time, geopolitical tensions and technology restrictions are pushing automakers to rethink where those chips come from — turning semiconductor supply into a strategic issue for the global auto industry.

China sits at the center of that shift. U.S. and allied export controls introduced since 2022 were designed primarily to restrict China’s access to advanced semiconductor technologies and manufacturing equipment. Yet the restrictions have also added urgency to Beijing’s long-running localization strategy. A March 2026 analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) found that the controls have accelerated the adoption of domestic chips and equipment, while strengthening coordinated efforts across government and industry to localize semiconductor design and manufacturing.

The automotive sector is becoming one of the clearest testing grounds for that strategy. Chinese automakers are accelerating efforts to increase domestic chip sourcing as Beijing pushes for greater semiconductor self-reliance across strategic industries. The shift is especially significant because modern electric and intelligent vehicles depend on a broad range of semiconductors — from mature-node power devices and microcontrollers to increasingly sophisticated computing chips for smart-driving systems.

Against this backdrop, a new DIGITIMES Intelligence report identifies BYD as a particularly revealing case of what happens when policy-driven localization meets years of prior corporate investment. Unlike automakers that are only now accelerating their semiconductor strategies, BYD began building in-house chip capabilities more than two decades ago, initially focusing on power-control semiconductors needed for electric vehicles.

That strategy has steadily moved up the semiconductor value chain. BYD’s early work in IGBT and silicon carbide (SiC) power devices helped secure critical electronic-control components for its EV business. Its semiconductor roadmap has since expanded toward higher-compute smart-driving SoCs, culminating in the Xuanji A3, which the DIGITIMES Intelligence report identifies as entering scaled production on a 4nm automotive-grade process.

The difference is not simply chip design. DIGITIMES Intelligence finds that BYD has spent more than two decades building an integrated device manufacturer (IDM) model spanning chip design, wafer fabrication and mass-production deployment, supported by multiple in-house fabs and a dedicated semiconductor engineering organization. That vertical integration gives BYD a different starting point from automakers now entering custom silicon primarily in response to supply-chain pressure.

The strategic value of that investment may ultimately extend beyond cars. DIGITIMES senior analyst Jessie Lin notes that intelligent vehicles and humanoid robots share many of the same foundational technologies, including AI processors, sensors, motors, batteries and control systems. BYD’s accumulated expertise in smart-driving silicon and algorithms could therefore provide a foundation for expansion into robotics and other physical AI applications.

That possibility is becoming more relevant as China accelerates its push into embodied and physical AI. At the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing, more than 300 companies showcased over 2,000 robotics exhibits, with humanoid robots increasingly demonstrated in manufacturing, logistics and household applications rather than simply as prototypes. The growing overlap between China’s EV and robotics ecosystems could make capabilities in batteries, motors, sensors, manufacturing and AI increasingly transferable across the two industries.

BYD’s trajectory also illustrates why the long-term impact of semiconductor export controls is difficult to assess in simple terms. Restrictions can constrain access to frontier technology in the short term, while simultaneously strengthening incentives for domestic substitution and investment. CSIS has argued that although export controls have limited China’s access to some leading-edge technologies, they have also added momentum to domestic semiconductor innovation and localization.

The implications extend beyond BYD or even China’s auto industry. As cars become more dependent on advanced computing, semiconductor capability is increasingly becoming part of automakers’ competitive strategy — alongside software, batteries, manufacturing and supply-chain resilience. The rise of vertically integrated players such as BYD could therefore reshape not only automotive semiconductor sourcing, but also the boundaries between automakers, chipmakers and emerging physical AI companies.

The new DIGITIMES Intelligence report examines BYD’s semiconductor evolution from power devices and SiC to smart-driving SoCs, the structural advantages created by its IDM model, and how those capabilities could position the company as China’s automotive semiconductor localization accelerates and physical AI emerges as a new growth frontier.

For more information: DIGITIMES Intelligence – BYD Semiconductor Report
https://dgt.ms/reportBYDchips_prnewswire

About DIGITIMES

DIGITIMES is a Decision Intelligence platform rooted at the core of the industry, dedicated to helping global decision–makers navigate change and formulate strategies through first–hand insights and AI–driven analysis. We integrate intelligence services, forward–looking research, and influence marketing to provide comprehensive support from insights to execution—continuously defining the future with clarity and serving as a long–term strategic partner for businesses moving forward.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digitimes-intelligence-chip-controls-are-reshaping-chinas-auto-supply-chain–byd-shows-what-comes-next-302871068.html

SOURCE DIGITIMES

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AI, Connectivity and What Comes Next: Inside Asia Innovation Summit 2026

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September 7, 2026

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SINGAPORE, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Globe Teleservices (GTS), a global telecom solutions provider, hosted the Asia Innovation Summit 2026 on 20 August in Singapore, bringing together 50+ industry leaders from 30+ companies across MNOs, technology providers and enterprise ecosystems to discuss the forces reshaping digital communications.

The expert-led panels focused on the key shifts reshaping digital communications, including the convergence of telecom, cloud and OTT, and the rise of Agentic AI in business messaging. Speakers explored the move from campaign-led communication to continuous, intelligent and context-driven interactions, with identity and consent becoming critical to trusted engagement.

The Summit also addressed the changing economics of A2P SMS, as the industry moves from volume-led models towards subscriber engagement, sustainable value and measurable outcomes. Together, the sessions pointed to a clear shift in communication – from delivering messages at scale to creating greater value from every interaction

“Telecom and digital communications are entering a new phase, driven by AI, Network APIs and evolving communication models. The Asia Innovation Summit has become a platform for industry leaders to share perspectives, exchange ideas and collaborate on the opportunities shaping this next phase.” said Ashutosh Agrawal, Group CEO, Globe Teleservices.

With diverse perspectives spanning telecom, technology and enterprise ecosystems, Asia Innovation Summit 2026 reinforced the importance of collaboration in shaping the future of digital communications. The summit served as a forum to share industry insights and identify new opportunities for innovation across Asia and beyond.

About Globe Teleservices

Globe Teleservices Pte. Ltd. is a Singapore-based global telecom solutions provider with a presence across Malaysia, USA, Dubai, Tanzania, Ghana, India and Hong Kong. GTS provides next-gen solutions in A2P monetization, omnichannel messaging, anti-fraud and cloud services. GTS is a member of MEF, GSMA and GLF. Its recognitions include Singapore’s Fastest Growing Companies 2026, 2025 and 2024, AI Initiative of the Year – Malaysia & Telecom Technology Solutions Provider of the Year – Malaysia at the Asian Telecom Awards 2026.

 

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ai-connectivity-and-what-comes-next-inside-asia-innovation-summit-2026-302871082.html

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AIA Australia, Long Service Corporation, New Zealand Police and RMBL Investments Named 2026 Appian APJ Innovation Award Winners

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September 7, 2026

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Four organisations recognised for transforming mission-critical operations through process and AI

SYDNEY, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Appian [Nasdaq: APPN] today announced AIA Australia, Long Service Corporation New South Wales (NSW), New Zealand Police and RMBL Investments as the winners of its 2026 Asia Pacific and Japan Innovation Awards. The Innovation Awards celebrate customers driving AI automation and process transformation with measurable results on the Appian Platform.

The entrants span financial services, government, public safety, land administration and worker entitlements. The four Australian and New Zealand organisations were recognised for leveraging the Appian Platform to accelerate insurance claims, administer portable long service leave at scale, transform non-emergency police case management, and support the growth of investment and lending operations. They demonstrate how organisations can redesign complex processes, connect fragmented data and apply AI to deliver measurable improvements for employees, customers and communities.

“Real innovation earns its place in an organisation by making critical work faster, simpler and more accountable,” said Charlie Hutchinson, SVP Asia Pacific and Japan at Appian. “This year’s winners have moved beyond incremental improvements to redesign the processes at the heart of their operations. They demonstrate the measurable impact that process and AI can deliver when applied to work that really matters.”

The 2026 Appian APJ Innovation Award winners are:

AIA Australia

AIA Australia, a leading life and health insurer that protects the lives of more than 3 million Australians, is transforming claims management through a digital-first approach that makes the claims experience simpler, more transparent and easier to navigate.

Leveraging the Appian platform, AIA has created a connected ecosystem that streamlines interactions between customers, fund partners and claims teams, enabling greater efficiency and more personalised support for its customers when they need it most.

By innovating across the end-to-end claims journey, AIA is strengthening its ability to deliver timely assistance at critical moments while establishing a foundation for ongoing innovation and future growth.

Long Service Corporation (LSC) NSW

Long Service Corporation, working with Deloitte, built a digital application on Appian to administer the NSW Community Services Industry portable long service leave scheme.

The application connects workers, employers and Long Service Corporation through dedicated digital portals supporting registration, identity verification, worker nominations, service returns, payments and notifications. By bringing these functions together in one platform, the application enables Long Service Corporation to administer the scheme more efficiently and at scale. Since its launch in April 2026, more than 2,200 employers have submitted over 8,800 service returns and more than 220,000 workers have been nominated into the scheme. The platform has also processed more than $110 million in levy payments to fund workers’ portable long service leave entitlements.

New Zealand Police

New Zealand Police built a nationwide case management system on Appian for its 105 non-emergency service, replacing separate regional processes previously managed through Microsoft Outlook and shared folders.

The Appian Platform centralises incoming emails and case information, applies 35,000 assignment rules and intelligently directs cases according to factors including offence type and location. The solution has reduced case processing time from up to two weeks to four hours, cut backlogs from approximately 4,000 cases to fewer than 50 during most shifts and saved 18,000 hours annually in email management. It has also enabled the equivalent of at least 10 full-time employees to move from administrative triage into higher-value frontline support.

RMBL Investments

RMBL Investments, working with Persistent, has used the Appian Platform to connect its investor, borrower, introducer and employee operations.

The Appian environment spans customer self-service, investment and loan applications, portfolio management, servicing, communications, IT service management, document generation and AI-enabled processes. It now supports more than 5,000 clients and approximately A$3 billion in funds under management. The multi-year transformation has helped streamline operations, with efficiency improvements of up to 72% in some areas, giving RMBL greater capacity to grow without manual effort increasing at the same pace.

About Appian

Appian provides AI automation for the most important business processes at the world’s largest organisations.

On the Appian platform, customers build AI-powered processes that accelerate work, reduce cost, and manage risk. Our platform is known for its unique power, reliability, and scale. We’ve been automating processes for more than 25 years and understand enterprise operations like no one else. For more information, visit appian.com. [Nasdaq: APPN]

Follow Appian: LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/aia-australia-long-service-corporation-new-zealand-police-and-rmbl-investments-named-2026-appian-apj-innovation-award-winners-302870988.html

SOURCE Appian

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