politicsSaturday, June 20, 2026
Today's politics coverage is split between two big shifts: Europe is actively ditching American technology, and solar power has finally beaten coal in US electricity generation. Meanwhile, a handful of policy proposals and leaks show the ongoing friction between tech power and democratic control.
The transatlantic tech relationship is fraying, with concrete moves and a new UK social media ban that critics say backfires.
WIRED documents dozens of cases where European governments, companies, and schools are moving to open-source or local tech. This isn't just talk, it's happening across the continent.
The UK's under-16 social media ban requires age verification, which Taylor Lorenz argues gives big tech even more data and control. The law's intent and effect may be at odds.
Solar passed coal in US power generation despite pro-coal policies, while Alberta's new solar fee and a reversed ocean sensor plan show the fight isn't over.
Solar supplied 12.8% of US electricity in May versus coal's 12.2%, a first. The milestone happened despite Trump's pro-coal policies, showing market forces can outweigh political ones.
From Sanders's AI ownership plan to a leak of Thiel's secretive society, the question of who controls technology is front and center.
Bernie Sanders's plan for a sovereign wealth fund financed by a 50% tax on big AI companies' stock is a radical step beyond other public ownership proposals. It would give Americans direct stakes and voting power in AI firms.
A leak of Peter Thiel's secretive Dialog society reveals the inner circle of US officials, foreign leaders, and tech executives meeting off the record. The exposed directory shows the scale of this shadow network.
Encryption, spyware, and now Mythos: History shows why cyber export control doesn’t worktechcrunch.com
Alberta’s new sky-high solar panel recycling fee sparks industry backlashwww.cbc.ca
How Trump Pushed Social Security Toward the Endsubstack.com
Former U.S. Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem hired by B.C. mining companywww.ctvnews.ca
Bombs and Porn Are Bad Reasons to Build More Data Centersnewrepublic.com
“Digital Colonialism”: U.S. Demands to Access Africans’ Data Raise Privacy, Sovereignty Concernswww.propublica.orgToys Without Frontiers | Los Angeles Review of Bookslareviewofbooks.org
This article examines the phenomenon of Iranian LEGO animation videos that emerged following Israeli and American strikes on Iran in late February. While Western media dismisses these videos as mere propaganda, the article argues they have a long and complex genealogy rooted in I
The Stories Behind the Obama Presidential Center’s Major New Artworksbit.ly
The Obama Presidential Center on Chicago's South Side has opened after five years of construction. The 19.3-acre campus features a museum, library, basketball court, and performing arts center, along with site-specific art commissions from 30 artists including Mark Bradford, Jenn
A top banker made a case for rare earth mining to Pope Leo XIV | AP Newsbit.ly
The head of Latin America's Inter-American Development Bank, Ilan Goldfajn, met privately with Pope Leo XIV to argue that rare earth mining can benefit Latin America if done responsibly with safeguards and local value addition. This comes despite the Vatican's longstanding opposi
Public Consultation to inform the Review of the Disability Act 2005www.gov.ie
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality is conducting a public consultation to inform the review of the Disability Act 2005. The consultation seeks input from stakeholders, including persons with disabilities, their families, advocacy groups, and the general public, t
US Rescinds Plan To Dismantle Ocean Observatories Initiativecleantechnica.com
The US government initially announced plans to dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) and remove hundreds of ocean sensors providing critical climate data, particularly about the Atlantic Overturning Meridional Current which affects climate in Iceland, Scandinavia, an
Now where?billmckibben.substack.com
The article discusses the geopolitical and energy implications of Trump's conflict with Iran, contrasting it with the progress of clean energy initiatives like Chinese wind turbines being shipped to Romania. It argues for renewable energy as a way to bypass geopolitical disruptio
A quieter Federal Reserve could mean volatile markets, higher ratesabcnews.com
The article discusses how new Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh is reversing decades of Fed transparency by reducing guidance to financial markets. Warsh believes markets have become overly dependent on Fed direction, which he argues is more appropriate during crises. His changes
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