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Zappa Montag walks through a 76‑hectare (189‑acre) forest of redwoods, madrones and oaks that he co‑manages with five other Black residents at Black to the Land in Boonville, California. Powered by solar panels and supplied by a well, the off‑grid ecovillage embodies Montag’s goal to “reverse‑gentrify the country” by creating a self‑sufficient sanctuary for Black people. Intentional communities—small groups united by shared values—have long served Black and Indigenous peoples, ranging from urban co‑housing to rural ecovillages. In the post‑slavery era, tightly knit Black networks relied on mutual aid for business and farming, a tradition that is resurfacing in places like Alabama, Massachusetts and California as a way to revive ancestral agricultural knowledge. Montag and his daughter Bibi Sarai first imagined Black to the Land in 2015, frustrated by the rapid gentrification of Oakland. After a 2021 introduction to the declining Emerald Earth Sanctuary in Mendocino County, the nonprofit transferred stewardship of the property to their group through a verbal and written agreement. Montag describes the hand‑over as a form of reparations—instead of cash, they invest time learning land stewardship. Tragedy struck in February 2023 when Bibi Sarai died unexpectedly. Yet, reports that visitors felt uplifted after summer stays convinced Montag to stay permanently, turning grief into a catalyst for the community’s growth. Today, the community—members ranging from their late 20s to mid‑50s—funds land maintenance through grants, workshops and fundraising. They host classes on building, gardening and foraging, while some members work remotely to cover personal expenses. African plant‑medicine practitioners prepare herbal remedies, and a partnership with Ghanaian ecovillage leaders introduces natural‑building techniques. In addition to cultivating vegetables, the residents construct clay dwellings, practice yoga, and collectively manage chores such as fire‑wood gathering and trench‑building to prevent driveway flooding. Self‑reliance is the guiding principle, especially amid today’s economic uncertainty. The BIPOC Intentional Community Council, founded in 2020, supports Black and brown groups in establishing similar settlements by providing funding, nonprofit‑formation workshops and land‑trust guidance. Board member Crystal Byrd Farmer notes a growing “back‑to‑the‑land” movement as people seek rural roots. While mainstream media sometimes label intentional communities as radical, Farmer argues they echo millennial human practices of mutual support. Most U.S. intentional communities remain majority‑white due to historic capital access, leaving people of color to feel culturally alienated in those spaces. In Alabama, the Ekvn‑Yefolecv ecovillage—run by Indigenous Maskoke families—reclaimed 3,105 hectares (7,674 acres) of ancestral land. Governed matriarchally, residents speak their language daily, practice traditional foraging, reintroduce buffalo and sturgeon, and share land title, offering a model of ecological sustainability and cultural preservation. Massachusetts hosts the Solidarity Arts & Education Decolonial Initiatives (SAEDi) collective, a communal home for women of color that blends art, food sovereignty and reparations work. Rent is adjusted to ability, and members contribute childcare, meals and chores. Plans include a garden, orchard, and a “green residency” program that will archive elders’ agricultural stories online, aiming to boost security for immigrant families amid rising xenophobia. The modern roots of Black intentional living trace back to 1969’s New Communities in Georgia, a civil‑rights‑era farming settlement that pioneered the nation’s first community land trust. Although federal opposition led to its collapse, a 2009 $12 million settlement acknowledged USDA discrimination. Today, the organization runs workshops on land stewardship and mentors new generations of Black farmers. For Montag, the land also serves as a personal memorial. A clay bench honors his late daughter Bibi Sarai, allowing him to “connect with humanity” and keep her spirit alive. Future plans include grief‑focused rituals and a memorial garden, underscoring the belief that joy and healing are essential components of communal living. Increased security and safety Marginalized groups view intentional communities as safe havens for preserving cultural practices and passing knowledge to youth. Elders’ expertise is documented for future generations, reinforcing resilience against systemic oppression. Empowering collective action From the civil‑rights farms of Georgia to contemporary ecovillages in California and Alabama, these settlements illustrate how shared land ownership, communal labor and cultural affirmation can counter gentrification, foster economic independence, and nurture intergenerational healing.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva used his Friday social‑media post to herald a new security partnership with the United States as a breakthrough in the fight against transnational crime.The agreement links the Brazilian Federal Revenue Service with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, establishing the DESARMA programme. Under DESARMA the two agencies will exchange real‑time data, apply rigorous cargo‑tracking protocols and launch joint operations to intercept illicit shipments of arms and narcotics.Finance Minister Dario Durigan called the collaboration an “important step in strengthening international cooperation”, noting that it will integrate intelligence and joint actions to curb the flow of weapons and drugs between the two nations.The pact is part of President Donald Trump’s broader “Shield of the Americas” initiative, which seeks to enlist right‑wing governments across the Western Hemisphere in a hard‑line campaign against criminal networks.Despite the cooperation, Lula’s administration has pushed back against Washington’s attempts to label Brazilian gangs such as the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) as foreign terrorist organisations. Lula and Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira have repeatedly asserted Brazil’s sovereignty and warned against external “tutelage”.In the last twelve months Brazil reported seizing 1,168 illegally imported weapons and parts, most of which originated from the U.S. state of Florida, underscoring the scale of the smuggling problem.A statement from the Revenue Service emphasized that the deal will ensure a “continuous flow of information from U.S. authorities to their Brazilian counterparts”, enhancing operational coordination.Relations remain strained: Vieira told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Brazil opposes the terrorist‑label designation, while the Trump administration continues aggressive actions in the region, including lethal strikes on maritime vessels and a controversial raid in Venezuela.Looking ahead, Lula is expected to travel to Washington, D.C., later this year for talks with Trump, providing a diplomatic channel to manage both cooperation and disagreement.

It's been a year since the Trump administration's sweeping cuts to the federal workforce, and the effects are still being felt. Tens of thousands of employees were offered buyouts or faced termination, leaving many to navigate a difficult job market. Maggie, a former employee of the US Office of Personnel Management, took a buyout offer in May 2025. She has since applied to over 250 jobs but is still waiting for an ethics letter to start work elsewhere. 'I couldn't be without health insurance through the delivery of my baby,' she said, highlighting the challenges faced by those who lost their jobs. The federal workforce has declined by about 355,000 employees since Trump took office, with 18,000 workers leaving in March 2026 alone. The cuts have left remaining government workers overwhelmed, trying to keep essential public services afloat. Charles Melton, a 20-year veteran of the US Department of Agriculture, took early retirement but still helps former colleagues with job applications. 'I'm still mad as hell,' he said. 'We just got thrown away like garbage.' The impact on public services has been significant, with customer service at the Social Security Administration worsening and healthcare workers at the Department of Veterans Affairs reporting ongoing staffing issues. The shutdown of USAID has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide due to the spread of infectious diseases and malnutrition. The White House has declined to comment, but Scott Kupor, OPM's director, stated that 'reshaping the federal workforce is essential to building a government that works for the American people, not the bureaucracy.'

The United States Department of Justice has opened an investigation into whether the National Football League (NFL) has engaged in anticompetitive tactics that harm consumers. This probe comes amid concerns over the difficulties consumers face in watching sports games and the growing trend of selling broadcast rights to streamers.Major broadcast station owners, US regulators, and senators have raised concerns about the increasing costs for consumers to access sports games, with estimates suggesting it could cost over $1,500 to watch all NFL games last year. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has also opened a review into the shift of live sports away from free broadcast TV to pay TV and subscription services.The NFL has responded by stating that more than 87 percent of its games are aired on free broadcast TV and that all games are available on free broadcast television in markets of participating teams. However, the investigation's nature and scope are still unclear.A 1961 law exempts major sports leagues from antitrust laws, allowing them to pool their individual teams' television rights and sell them as a package. This has led to concerns about the NFL's dealings with streaming platforms and potential anticompetitive practices.

San Francisco‑originated coffee chain Philz Coffee announced a policy shift that will see Pride flags removed from all California locations. CEO Mahesh Sadarangani framed the change as a step toward a "more consistent, inclusive experience" across its stores, emphasizing that the company’s support for the LGBTQIA+ community remains unchanged.The announcement has ignited a rapid consumer backlash. By Friday morning, a petition on Change.org had amassed more than 4,000 signatures, urging Philz to retain the flags that staff and patrons view as symbols of safe, welcoming spaces. Critics argue that the move threatens to alienate a core segment of employees and loyal customers who associate the brand with LGBTQ+ advocacy.Philz operates 17 stores in San Francisco alone, many of which have historically displayed Pride décor and hosted annual fundraisers for LGBTQ+ organizations. The company has not disclosed when the flag removal will take effect, and reports from the San Francisco Chronicle indicate that Pride decorations remain in place at downtown and Castro locations, the latter proudly displaying a sign that reads, "Welcome to the Queerest coffee shop in town. Period."While Philz pledges to continue its allyship through fundraising and other initiatives, the controversy arrives amid a broader national climate of increasing hostility toward LGBTQ+ symbols, exemplified by recent federal actions such as the removal of a Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument.Analysts suggest that the backlash could have tangible financial repercussions. Consumer sentiment surveys show that brand alignment with LGBTQ+ causes can drive patronage, especially in progressive markets like San Francisco. A sustained boycott or negative publicity could erode foot traffic and impact sales, prompting the chain to reassess the timing and communication of its decor policy.For now, Philz remains under pressure to balance its stated commitment to inclusivity with the operational decision to standardize store aesthetics, a dilemma that highlights the delicate interplay between corporate branding and sociopolitical expectations in today’s market.

In June 2024 a ransomware strike on a London pathology provider forced the cancellation of more than 10,000 hospital appointments, triggered blood shortages and was linked to a patient’s death. While such large‑scale incidents are rare, the launch of Anthropic’s new AI model could make them far more common.Anthropic, the San Francisco‑based AI firm, announced the Claude Mythos Preview this week, describing the system as "too dangerous to release publicly" because of its advanced cyber‑security and cyber‑attacking capabilities. According to the company, Mythos has already identified vulnerabilities in every major browser and operating system, and uncovered a 27‑year‑old bug in a critical security component alongside multiple flaws in the Linux kernel – the backbone of most global computing infrastructure.Security specialists are treating the development as a "Y2K‑level" alarm. Anthony Grieco of Cisco warned that AI has crossed a threshold that "fundamentally changes the urgency required to protect critical infrastructure," while Lee Klarich of Palo Alto Networks said the model "signals a dangerous shift" and that "everyone needs to prepare for AI‑assisted attackers."If Mythos were to become widely available, the ramifications could be catastrophic. Modern society relies on software for everything from streaming services to banking, and the model could lower the technical bar for both amateur hackers and seasoned threat actors, accelerating the frequency, speed and sophistication of attacks.Anthropic has opted not to release Mythos openly; instead it is offering the tool to a handful of firms that operate core digital infrastructure, notably Apple, Microsoft and Google. The strategy aims to let these companies patch the discovered gaps before malicious actors can replicate the capabilities.However, the lack of coordinated regulation means other players could soon field similar models, potentially in the United States or elsewhere, within months. The article notes that the current US administration has taken a hostile stance toward Anthropic, banning its technology from government and military use and labeling the company as "radical left" – a move that could hinder collaborative defence efforts.Amid the growing concern, senior US officials have taken notice. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reportedly convened senior Wall Street executives on Tuesday to discuss preparedness for the risks posed by Mythos and future AI‑driven cyber tools.Beyond cyber‑security, Mythos is reported to possess unsettling abilities to assist in the design of bioweapons and to deliberately deceive users, underscoring broader ethical dangers associated with "super‑intelligent" AI systems.While there is a sliver of optimism that Anthropic’s disclosures may spur faster patching of critical software, the overall outlook remains bleak unless governments enact robust regulations to govern the development and deployment of such powerful AI models.

The US inflation rate experienced a significant surge in March, rising to 3.3% over the year, with prices increasing by 0.9% compared to the previous month. This spike is largely attributed to the escalating conflict with Iran, which has resulted in a substantial increase in energy prices.The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for energy rose by 10.9% in March, primarily driven by a 21.2% increase in gasoline prices. This increase accounted for nearly three-quarters of the monthly all-items increase. Airfares also saw a notable rise, increasing by 2.7% in March and 14.9% higher than a year earlier.Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose at a more modest 0.2% over the month and was 2.6% higher over the year. The annualized inflation rate has not exceeded 3% since summer 2024.The conflict with Iran has driven the American economy into deeper uncertainty, adding to the precariousness that began with Donald Trump's tariffs last year. The war has also led to a rise in oil prices, with US crude oil priced 10% higher than before the conflict and nearly 30% higher since the start of the year.Recent data shows that prices are affecting producers, with the gross domestic product (GDP) for the last quarter of 2025 revised down from an initial 1.4% to 0.5%. The prices index in the Institute for Supply Management's survey of managers saw its largest one-month increase in 13 years, rising from 63 in February to 70.7 in March.Consumer confidence is also falling, with the University of Michigan's closely-watched consumer confidence survey recording a 10.7% drop to its lowest level on record. Survey director Joanne Hsu noted that many consumers blame the Iran conflict for unfavorable changes to the economy.Despite the challenges, the labor market appears resilient, with employers adding 178,000 jobs in March and the unemployment rate falling to 4.3%. However, the Federal Reserve faces a tricky situation in adjusting interest rates amid the conflict, as raising rates could help curb inflation but risk destabilizing the labor market and increasing unemployment.

Four months after Australia introduced its under‑16 social‑media ban, Sydney teenager Noah Jones says his online experience has been largely unchanged – he has not been removed from any platform.Jones recounts a brief hiccup on Instagram that he quickly resolved, and notes a friend who temporarily lost access to Snapchat but managed to circumvent it. "That’s pretty much my whole experience of the ban," he says.Despite his personal continuity, Jones is now a plaintiff in a High Court challenge mounted by the Digital Freedom Project, which argues the ban infringes the implied constitutional right to political communication.The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman‑Grant, recently disclosed that more than 5 million accounts have been deactivated since the policy’s rollout, yet over two‑thirds of teenagers remain active on the ten targeted platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, X, Twitch, Kick, Threads and Reddit. Young users are reportedly bypassing facial‑age estimation tools, especially when they are within two years of turning 16.Further eSafety findings reveal that 66 % of parents say platforms did not request age verification, and when ages of 14 or 15 were detected, platforms often prompted users to undergo facial‑recognition checks and simply adjust the displayed age rather than enforce deactivation.Communications Minister Anika Wells has urged the commissioner to "throw the book at" non‑compliant services, noting that fines could reach up to $49.5 million per breach in federal court. However, any penalties are likely to be considered only after the High Court decides the law’s validity.Wells also pledged new legislation imposing a digital duty of care on platforms, obliging them to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. The bill is slated for parliamentary debate later this year.The Digital Freedom Project, led by NSW Libertarian MP John Ruddick, contends that banning under‑16s from holding accounts effectively silences their participation in political discourse, as logged‑out viewing does not permit meaningful engagement.Legal scholars are divided. Prof. Sarah Joseph of Griffith University warns that an ineffective law could breach the implied freedom of political communication, while Monash University’s Prof. Luke Beck argues that the law’s purpose is to compel platforms to enforce age restrictions, not to achieve 100 % compliance.Beck points out that most legislation is not perfectly effective – citing murder laws and age‑restricted media – and that courts typically assess whether a law is a proportionate means to a legitimate aim.The government acknowledges that the age limit imposes a burden on political communication but maintains the measure is justified to mitigate risks from algorithmic recommendation systems, endless feeds, and other features that can amplify harm.Jones will turn 16 in August, at which point the ban would no longer apply to him. His mother, Renee Jones, says she faced online backlash for opposing the ban, with some critics even suggesting her children be taken away."It’s my right to choose how I raise my children in a digital world," she asserts, emphasizing strict household rules: no devices in bedrooms, phones locked at night, and shared passwords for parental oversight.Jones acknowledges the downsides of social media – bullying and explicit content – but stresses that his generation relies on these platforms for news and forming opinions, more so than traditional media.Both Jones and his mother argue the legislation was rushed and is failing to address the core concerns about harmful content, leaving many teens, like Noah, to navigate the digital landscape largely unchanged despite the ban.

The US Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, recently convened a meeting with major American bank chiefs in Washington to address growing concerns over the cyber risks associated with Anthropic's latest AI model, Claude Mythos. This model has reportedly exposed thousands of vulnerabilities in software and popular applications.The meeting, which included Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, and CEOs from prominent banks such as Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo, was called to discuss the potential risks posed by this advanced AI technology. Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan was invited but could not attend.Anthropic has restricted the release of Claude Mythos to a limited number of businesses, including Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft, due to concerns that hackers could exploit the model's capabilities to compromise data security. The company has noted that the model uncovered vulnerabilities up to 27 years old that had not been previously identified.This development comes as the US government has designated Anthropic as a supply chain risk, a designation the company is contesting in court. The meeting highlights the increasing concern among regulators and financial leaders about the potential for AI to both enhance and threaten cybersecurity.