2025-01-21 03:51:18
In his farewell address from the Oval Office in his last full week as president, Joe Biden issued a parting warning for the US.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden said.
His words have resonated. The world’s three richest men were side-by-side in attendance in prominent positions as Donald Trump was inaugurated in the Capitol Rotunda, one of whom, Elon Musk, is running a so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) program to identify federal spending cuts for the administration.
The word “oligarchy,” like “democracy,” hails from ancient Greece, meaning rule by the few.
While they were often at loggerheads in Trump’s first term, big tech leaders have rallied behind him since he won the election last November. Apple CEO Tim Cook and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman both reportedly made $1 million personal donations to Trump’s inauguration committee, while Jeff Bezos’s Amazon and Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta donated identical amounts.
Tech leaders aside, Trump has tapped an unprecedented 13 billionaires for his incoming administration, assembling what would be the wealthiest cabinet in US political history.
So while wealth and politics have always gone hand-in-hand in the US, to Biden and others, this is something new, and dangerous.
Oligarchy definition via Merriam-Webster.
2025-01-21 02:50:22
As Donald Trump was sworn into office in the Rotunda at the U.S. Capitol on Monday, billionaires, Silicon Valley leaders, and crypto bro influencers were all in attendance in support. It’s the first time in four decades that an Inauguration Ceremony has been moved indoors, this time due to freezing temperatures and a forecasted snowstorm in Washington, D.C. But that didn’t stop Trump supporters from travelling across the country to celebrate with fellow MAGA fans at the Capitol One Arena, or even outdoors at the National Mall, where the ceremony was supposed to be held amid the arctic blast. The day was also defined by protest, with demonstrators braving the outdoors to speak up against the incoming administration—and the “oligarchy,” represented by the big tech bosses who took center stage during the ceremony.
📷: Getty Images / Reuters
2025-01-21 00:45:13
The biggest names in tech took center stage during Donald Trump's Inauguration inside the Capitol Rotunda on Monday, Jan. 20, sitting side-by-side just behind Trump's immediate family—but in front of his incoming cabinet. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and X owner Elon Musk represent not only Silicon Valley's most influential players being present and correct, but are also the three richest men in the world. Also attending was TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, who recently thanked the incoming president for bringing the app back to the American public (for now).
📸: Getty Images
2025-01-20 20:45:04
It may not feel like it right now, but there is more to life than TikTok news and the inauguration.
Observing the planets is one of the most awe-inspiring ways to experience the magic of the night sky and momentarily disconnect from the world—and a planetary alignment offers the perfect opportunity to do so.
On 21 January, take a moment to look up and witness six planets—Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—visible together in the sky. Their alignment will be easily seen from most parts of the world. But if you miss the chance to observe the night sky on January 21, don’t worry: There is plenty of time to see this planetary parade.
The alignment will be visible for about a month, until mid to late February. The planets’ positions will, however, shift over this time, so their positions on January 21 will not be the same as their positions in late February.
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📷: Getty
2025-01-20 02:25:18
Less than 24 hours after the app went dark, TikTok says President-elect Donald Trump has given it the reassurance it needs to resume service in the US.
"In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” the company wrote in a statement. “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive. It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States."
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2025-01-20 00:25:15
For the first time in internet history, the United States government has officially banned a major global social media platform, joining the ranks of authoritarian regimes like Russia and China. On Saturday, TikTok officially went dark.
This comes after President Biden declined to reassure Apple, Google, and Oracle that they wouldn’t be fined for giving Americans access to TikTok. The app’s hopes now hang on President-Elect Trump.
Getting rid of TikTok was not a particularly popular policy among the American public. Thirty-two percent of US adults said they supported the government banning the app in 2024, down from fifty percent in 2023, according to a Pew Research Center survey. Thirty-nine percent said they weren’t sure about the idea.
