California’s rock-solid progressive voter base is no longer so happy for the state to borrow, spend, and tax
The upcoming European Parliament elections may disprove the myth that all young voters trend leftwards; recent polls across the continent show increasing discontent with the centrist old guard among Gen Z voters, particularly men. Anti-immigration populists offer youngsters a channel for their frustration over their stagnating prospects, and a substantial portion of them are buying in.
Gen-Z male voting intention for right-wing populists:
France — 32%
Portugal — 25%
Belgium — 32%
Finland — 33%
Germany — 18%
You would’ve thought China hawks on Capitol Hill would be happy when Microsoft signed a $1.5 billion AI investment deal with G42, an AI development firm based in the United Arab Emirates. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo hailed it as a way to keep G42 out of Chinese control, and the firm promised to sever its longstanding ties with Chinese surveillance firms in exchange for Microsoft technology.
But now lawmakers have raised concerns that this sensitive AI technology could be vulnerable to Chinese espionage; China has already made inroads into the Persian Gulf region, rivaling US efforts to exert Western influence there.
Recent briefings from Microsoft suggest G42 may have access to semiconductor technology that the US government wants to protect from China. The Abu Dhabi–headquartered firm came under pressure in February to divest from firms aiding Beijing’s surveillance network, and the UAE has signaled willingness to replace Chinese-made telecommunications with US alternatives. America’s technological arms race with China sometimes leads both sides to the same countries, throwing up more difficult questions about whom to trust in this existential battle.
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