UK
17 briefs
184 Sanctioned Russian Ships Passed Through UK Waters. None Were Boarded.
Keir Starmer announced in March that British forces could now intercept shadow fleet tankers. Seven weeks later, the count is 238 journeys, zero boardings.
Britain's Party System Is Breaking
Reform UK is the biggest winner in the local elections. The real winner is a political system that cannot handle what British voters now want.
Meta Killed Instagram's Encryption. The Reason It Gave Is the Cover Story.
Meta quietly removed end-to-end encryption from Instagram DMs today, citing low user adoption. The timing, the UK regulator fight, and the silence make the real reason obvious.
Every Government Is Banning Children from Social Media. None of Them Know If It Works.
The UK has now passed mandatory social media restrictions for under-16s. Canada, California, and Sri Lanka are following. The policy is running ahead of the evidence.
UK Goes to the Polls Today. Labour Is Bracing for Its Worst Night in a Generation.
Voting is underway across England, Scotland, and Wales. Reform UK leads national polls at 25%. What today's results mean depends on whether Farage can convert council seats into something durable.
The UK Banned Social Media for Kids. It Just Doesn't Know How Yet.
The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act passed last week with a mandatory July 2027 deadline for under-16 restrictions. The government has not yet named the platforms, the age verification method, or whether ISPs will be required to block VPNs.
Starmer Considers Banning Protests Three Days Before an Election He Is About to Lose
Two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green this week. The Prime Minister says some pro-Palestinian marches may need to stop. His party is braced to lose up to 2,000 council seats on Thursday.
The Special Relationship, Invoiced
UK exports to the US fell 25% after Liberation Day tariffs. Britain now runs a trade deficit with its largest trading partner. Polymarket says there is only a 22% chance of a deal before 2027.
The Enforcement Problem No One Wants to Name
The UK, Norway, and Manitoba all committed to restricting social media for under-16s this week. Australia, which did it first in December, has found that 70% of affected children still have access.
The Social Media Ban Experiment Is Failing in Real Time
Australia's under-16 ban is four months old and 60% of teens are still online. The UK Lords vote today on whether to delay action three more years. Manitoba is planning a ban anyway. Everyone is watching the data and ignoring it.
Trump to Britain: Protect Apple or Pay Tariffs
The UK's digital services tax is not a trade dispute. It is a test of whether any US ally can tax American tech companies without US retaliation.
England Is Making the Phone Ban in Schools a Legal Requirement. Most Schools Already Have One.
The UK government is turning existing guidance into law through the Children's Wellbeing Bill. The real story is not what changes in classrooms. It is what this signals about who controls the terms of the debate over children and screens.
The Ban That Made VPNs Mandatory
Australia banned social media for under-16s in December. Four months later, 61% of affected teens still have access. Now the UK and US are considering the same approach.
After the Ceasefire, Trump Told NATO to Stay Away. The UK and France Launched Their Own Mission.
The Strait of Hormuz reopened. NATO offered help. Trump said no and called the alliance useless. Within hours, Starmer and Macron announced a multinational shipping protection mission without the US.
Parliament Voted Down the Ban. Starmer Called Tech CEOs Into Downing Street Anyway.
The UK government rejected an immediate social media ban for under-16s while simultaneously signaling it might do exactly that. The question is not whether it happens but who has to take the credit.
The Ban That Moves Children Underground
Australia's under-16 social media ban has failed: two-thirds of affected teens are still on banned platforms. The UK and Massachusetts are about to copy the same approach.
Trump Threatened 50% Tariffs on Iran's Arms Suppliers. He Has No Law to Do It With.
The same Supreme Court that struck down $166 billion in IEEPA tariffs in February is now being asked to validate a new 50% tariff threat posted on Truth Social. The UK is expecting to be hit. No one has named the legal authority.