The dynamic between politicians has been shifting lately as some Democrats embrace more confrontational, crass tactics from across the aisle. As the left ramps up for the midterm elections, some are willing to try less polite forms of communication, an approach known in online circles as dark woke.

What defines dark woke?
Party insiders say that Democratic politicians have been encouraged to “embrace a new form of combative rhetoric” aimed at “winning back voters who have responded to President Donald Trump’s no-holds-barred version of politics,” said The New York Times. This is an attempt to “step outside the bounds” of “political correctness” and “requires being crass but discerning, rude but only to a point.” Examples include California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s aggressive meme warfare and Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s “alliterative insults.”

Republicans have “essentially put Democrats in a respectability prison,” said Bhavik Lathia, a communications consultant, to the Times. There’s an “extreme imbalance in strategy that allows Republicans to say stuff that really grabs voters’ attention,” while Democrats are “stuck saying boring pablum.” That has shifted with stunts like Newsom showing off knee pads today that he suggested were for leaders “selling out” to the Trump administration, said CNBC.

The objective is to subvert the “virtue policing, the polite ‘when they go low, we go high’ posturing,” said Kieran Press-Reynolds at GQ. The left is now trying to “go Joker mode to make Democrats cool again.”

Will it boost Democrats?
Some Democrats are all for the harsher rhetoric. Being “raw and unapologetic and unabashed about our beliefs is something our base really wants,” said Chi Ossé, a New York City councilman, to the Times.

Others say there’s a “line that Democrats should be sure to toe as they ramp up their attacks,” said the Times. You do not have to be “cruel to be sharp,” said Annie Wu Henry, a communications strategist, to the outlet. 

For some, the Democrats’ new focus on viral dark woke posts rings hollow. It could “serve as a cathartic release for the many jaded progressives fed up with the tame grandstanding and insipid inertia of their party’s leaders,” said Press-Reynolds. But right now, it “mostly feels like an algorithmic fad built on quick thrills, destined to become cringe.” It’s a “meme, not a movement.”

The two countries have been negotiating on a copper mine that could have profound implications for the global resources market. The Cobre Panama mine, operated by Canadian mining company First Quantum, has been closed since 2023 following a ruling by Panama’s Supreme Court. While First Quantum seems open to allowing some operations to resume, the site remains mired in controversy.

The plan
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said that he will announce his decision about whether to reopen the mine by June. The country “halted operations” at the mine because its “government concession was deemed unconstitutional,” said The Independent. The closure also came amid protests by environmental groups.

The original decision to shutter the mine weighed heavily on Panama’s economy, as it “accounted for nearly 5% of Panama's gross domestic product the last year it operated,” said The Independent. Regardless of what happens next, First Quantum has welcomed a plan to “allow the removal and processing of stockpiled ore” at the site, said Reuters.

This plan, announced by Mulino, would help “mitigate the environmental and operational risks” associated with running the mine, said Reuters. But officials have also made it clear that the processing of stockpiles is “not a reopening of the mine,” said First Quantum in a statement. 

‘Significant lift’
Given the contentious circumstances of the mine’s closure, Panama now faces a “delicate balancing act” in the region, said Bloomberg. But Panama could also be receiving some assistance from a neighbor to the south. Chilean President-elect José Antonio Kast has offered to help with the mine, which could “lend credibility given Chile’s status as the world’s largest copper producer.” 

If Panama were to choose to fully reopen the Cobre Panama mine, it would provide a “significant lift to Panama’s economy and to First Quantum,” said Bloomberg. This could also help give a boost to the copper economy, as the operation is set to “account for nearly 2% of global supply.” Continuing negotiations between Panama and Canada are “pending the outcome of an audit assessing the condition of the facilities and environmental risks.”

Soldiers holding weather balloons march through snow in Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum’s summit draws to a close tomorrow. This year’s meeting included a panel discussion on integrating AI into weather forecasting.
Ina Fassbender / AFP / Getty Images

Despite largely removing suspense, one of the key elements of drama, biopics are a consistent box office draw and a reliable source of award nominations. Whether the subjects are still-ubiquitous figures or individuals whose fame dimmed with the passage of time, true stories allow audiences to reflect on the role that cultural and political giants played in history.

‘Selma’ (2014)
Chronicling a pivotal period in the civil rights movement and in Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, “Selma” portrays the tumultuous events that led to the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. David Oyelowo’s riveting turn as a cross-pressured, deeply human MLK anchors the film. Director Ava DuVernay’s film shows the “evolution of change while beaming a spotlight on the stunted growth of that which has not changed” in the present day, said Odie Henderson at Roger Ebert. (Pluto TV)

‘Christine’ (2016)
Rebecca Hall’s heart-wrenching portrayal of Christine Chubbock, the Sarasota TV reporter who shot and killed herself during a July 15, 1974, broadcast, fuels this unnerving look at one person’s tragic unraveling. This “masterful piece of filmmaking” is “vivid, intense and artful” as it sets up the tragic ending that everyone knows is coming, said Noel Murray at IndieWire. (Tubi)

‘Maestro’ (2023)
Bradley Cooper directs and stars as Leonard Bernstein in this ambitious portrayal of the influential mid-20th-century composer, conductor and writer. Carey Mulligan shines as Bernstein’s wife, Felicia. This “worthy tribute to one of the greatest figures in the American musical canon” is anchored by “two fiercely committed performances” that make the couple’s love feel “achingly real,” said Marlow Stern at Rolling Stone. (Netflix)