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2026-06-11
8 pieces · Thursday, 11 June 2026
Today's Feature
When the world's path to a green future runs through Beijing, what changes?
A staggering reversal of assumptions
Eurozine·Sarah Waring
Adam Tooze, in an interview published yesterday, grapples with the unsettling conjuncture of a new war in the Middle East and China’s strategic ascent as a renewable energy superpower. The conversation pauses on the "staggering reversal of assumptions" about global power dynamics since 1989, particularly how China's methodical approach to long-term planning for climate and energy contrasts with Western geopolitical actions. It considers what this means for the future of climate politics and the very architecture of international accountability.
Adam Tooze discusses the current geopolitical conjuncture, contrasting US and Israeli military actions in the Middle East with China's long-term strategic planning, particularly its rapid development of renewable energy. He argues this represents a "staggering reversal" of post-Cold War assumptions, positioning China as the primary source of climate solutions and reshaping global power dynamics and the discourse on climate justice.
How do governments rethink migration when work detaches from physical location?
When Work Moves Without Workers: Nepal and Asia’s New Mobility Frontier
The Diplomat·Hari KC
The Diplomat, published just this week, observes a subtle but profound shift in global labor markets. For generations, migration governance assumed work and workers moved in tandem. Yet, with remote work and digital platforms, economic activity increasingly detaches from physical location. The piece explores how countries like Nepal are navigating this new reality, where work can move without people, prompting a re-evaluation of national strategies for talent attraction and economic competitiveness across Asia. It raises timely questions about how states should govern mobility when geography no longer dictates labor flows.
Digital technologies are transforming labor mobility in Asia, allowing work to cross borders without physical relocation. Using Nepal's new remote work framework as a case study, it explores how states are adapting migration governance to attract economic activity while navigating challenges related to inequality, infrastructure, and policy.
*Can the magic a book holds for one person ever truly transfer to another?
The Vanishing Library: Timothy Ely’s Odd Little Book from Outer Space
The Paris Review Daily·Max Ross
This piece, published just two days ago, explores the profound emotional weight of inherited objects, particularly books, when tied to a beloved parent. It sits with the struggle to reconcile personal grief with the practicalities of an estate, and what it truly means to make a piece of someone's life *yours*. Through the unique artist's book *Borderline*, the story examines how we define value—monetary, sentimental, or artistic—and the lasting, often complex, connections that remain after a loss.
The sale of Timothy Ely's unique artist's book, "Borderline," inherited from the author's late father, forms the basis of an essay on grief and the legacy of a parent's private world. The piece considers the emotional weight of inherited objects and the author's evolving relationship with his father's collection, while also detailing Ely's distinctive artistic practice.
What does it mean when AI regulation relies on secret procedures and trusted partners?
AI ‘Regulation’ in the Chokepoint State
Just Security·J. Benton Heath
Published just this week, the piece from *Just Security* scrutinizes President Trump’s recent executive order on artificial intelligence. It challenges the widely held view that the order marks a new, responsible approach to tech regulation. Instead, the analysis suggests the order reflects a continuation of the administration's "Chokepoint State" governing style, where broad executive discretion and strategic alliances with private industry reshape power dynamics, rather than genuinely regulating the emerging technology.
The article analyzes President Trump's AI executive order, arguing it represents a continuation of the administration's "Chokepoint State" governing approach rather than a regulatory shift. It details how the order's voluntary self-regulation and secret review process could empower the White House and select industry players, potentially leading to indefinite market control for emerging technologies.
Does the drive for green energy come more from budgets than good intentions?
The Economic Path to Climate Justice
Project Syndicate·Saliem Fakir
The piece, published late last month, examines the common understanding of a “just transition” in the global push for decarbonization. It observes that while the concept is often framed by moral arguments, the actual drivers of rapid renewable uptake in countries like Ethiopia, Pakistan, and South Africa are frequently economic survival and energy security. The article asks what it means for climate policy when affordability, rather than abstract justice, becomes the primary engine of change, offering a different lens on how progress is made.
An analysis of decarbonization in emerging and developing countries finds that economic survival and energy security are often the primary catalysts for rapid renewable energy adoption. Drawing on examples from Ethiopia, Pakistan, and South Africa, the piece suggests that effective climate policy should prioritize affordability and structural economic changes.
What makes a brain turn a strange sensation into a ghost sighting?
Is my brain wired to never see a ghost? A psychologist on three factors that make a paranormal experience more likely
The Conversation·Melissa Maffeo, Teaching Professor of Psychology, Wake Forest University
This piece, published in late May, explores the curious phenomenon of ghost sightings, shifting the focus from whether they exist to *why* people experience them. A psychologist investigates how environmental factors, neurological quirks, and certain personality traits can converge to create what feels like a paranormal encounter. It asks what happens when the brain misinterprets the world around it, suggesting the sensation of a ghost might be a perfectly ordinary, if unusual, mental event. The article offers a grounded perspective on why some individuals might be more prone to these perceptions.
A psychologist's analysis of why some individuals are more prone to perceiving paranormal experiences, such as ghosts. The article identifies three contributing factors: environmental stimuli, neurological phenomena like sleep paralysis, and specific personality traits. It posits that the convergence of these elements, particularly when combined with belief, can create the sensation of a supernatural event.
What allows a director to become an actor of such varied and vivid characters?
Dreaded don to dear grandfather: Actor Bharathiraja’s many faces
The Hindu
Published yesterday, this piece from The Hindu observes the dual legacy of Bharathiraja, the 'Iyakkunar Imayam' whose recent passing prompted a look back at his remarkable career. It considers how a celebrated filmmaker unexpectedly reinvented himself as a versatile character actor, finding new recognition in roles from menacing villain to beloved grandfather. The article explores the breadth of his performances, reflecting on the different faces he presented on screen and the impact of his late-career turn.
This piece examines the acting career of the late Tamil filmmaker Bharathiraja, who transitioned into a highly sought-after character actor. It details his "second innings" from 2004, showcasing his versatility across roles ranging from menacing villains to endearing grandfathers, and his ability to make a significant impact even in brief appearances.
What does a centuries-old coat of arms say about a person today?
The Americans Shelling Out Five Figures for a Coat of Arms
The Atlantic·Helen Lewis
The Atlantic, published just this week, observes a curious paradox: Americans, whose nation was founded on rejecting aristocratic traditions, are increasingly spending significant sums to acquire their own coats of arms. The piece considers what drives this yearning for lineage and symbols of heritage in a modern republic, exploring whether it's a search for identity, a connection to a past, or simply a sophisticated form of self-expression. It gently probes the motivations behind this unexpected embrace of old-world heraldry.
An examination of Americans who pay thousands of dollars to the College of Arms in London for personalized coats of arms. It explores the historical context of heraldry, the process of obtaining new arms, and the motivations of individuals, considering how these aristocratic symbols function as a visual representation of heritage and personal identity.