Nonrival

June 05, 2026

Human experts + AI summaries - on public policy, economics, and technology.

Global Opinion of Israel Hits New Lows as Military Campaign in Iran Deepens International Isolation

pew

• A Pew survey of 36 countries finds 67% of people have an unfavorable view of Israel, with particularly negative sentiment in Muslim-majority nations and Europe after the U.S.-Israel military campaign in Iran in February 2026
• Most countries also express little to no confidence in Prime Minister Netanyahu, with younger people and those on the political left showing especially negative views
• Anti-Israel sentiment has worsened since 2025 in 13 of 24 countries tracked, suggesting the military actions have further damaged Israel's global standing

AI Data Centers Should Get Faster Grid Connection in Exchange for Better Security

institute_for_progress

• Federal regulators face a dilemma: AI data centers need faster grid connections to keep America competitive, but they pose new security risks because they can instantly shed or spike gigawatts of power
• New frontier AI models like Anthropic's Claude Mythos can autonomously find vulnerabilities in power systems, making cyberattacks on data centers a serious threat to grid stability
• FERC should offer a "speed-for-security bargain" — faster interconnection approvals for data centers that agree to strong cybersecurity measures and can be curtailed during emergencies

Iran's military takeover is fracturing Iraqi militias as clerical authority weakens

atlantic_council

• Iran has transformed from theocratic rule under Ali Khamenei to effective military control under his son Mojtaba, who owes his position to Revolutionary Guard generals rather than religious authority
• This shift has destabilized Iran-aligned militias in Iraq, who previously followed unified commands but now face an existential crisis over whether to disarm under US pressure
• The militias are splitting into four camps with divergent strategies, from integration into official forces to continued armed resistance, as Iran's organizational grip weakens

In the News

Why Mortgage Rates Stay High Even When the Fed Cuts Interest Rates

the_conversation

• Mortgage rates have remained stuck above 6% despite Fed rate cuts because they're driven more by long-term investor expectations than short-term Fed policy
• Investors demand higher yields due to uncertainty about future inflation, massive federal deficits adding $3.4 trillion in debt, and prepayment risks from mortgage-backed securities
• Today's rates aren't historically unusual – they frequently ranged between 6-8% in the 1990s and 2000s, making the ultra-low pandemic rates the real exception

Analysis

Why the Whole World Now Feels Like It's on the Brink of War

noema

• The rise of "gray zone tactics" — disinformation, sabotage, and economic warfare that fall just short of open conflict — means that even peaceful allied nations like Canada now face constant threats of destabilization and domination.
• Unlike traditional warfare between clearly defined enemies, today's conflicts blur the lines between allies and adversaries, with the U.S. increasingly targeting liberal democracies it considers insufficiently aligned with its worldview.
• This shift from territorial borders to psychological frontiers has created a world of perpetual anxiety where private military contractors, tech billionaires, and AI systems wield violence beyond state control, making everywhere feel like a battlefield.

Also Worth a Look

• Companies Are Winning the War Against DEI Shareholder Proposals (harvard_corpgov)
• Trump's Push for Faith-Based Addiction Treatment Sidelines Scientifically Proven Methods (think_global_health)
• Michigan Spent $2.5 Billion on Corporate Incentives but Created Zero Verified Jobs (politifact)
• Nine Men Have Survived Botched Executions in U.S. History — Courts Keep Letting States Try Again (the_conversation)
• Top AI CEOs Call For Law Protecting Against Biological Weapons (hoover)
• Mangrove Forests Are Growing Again After Decades of Decline, New Global Study Finds (science)
• Bumble Bees Can Solve Problems They've Never Encountered Before (science)