As Bad Bunny continues to avoid the continental US on his world tour out of fears of ICE raids, news that he’ll be headlining the Super Bowl LX halftime show has been met with a furious backlash from MAGA influencers who’ve complained that he “doesn’t sing in English” and has been critical of Donald Trump.

The controversy has escalated beyond social media with Corey Lewandowski, adviser to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, threatening the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the event to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. “There is nowhere that you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else,” he told right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson on The Benny Show. “We will find you. We will apprehend you. We will put you in a detention facility and we will deport you, so know that that is a very real situation under this administration.”

The episode exposes the anatomy of manufactured outrage and once again positions America’s largest sporting event as a battleground for the country’s identity politics.

The news, confirmed by the NFL late Sunday night, quickly became fuel for the controversy engine operating full-time on platforms like X. Within hours, a chorus of right-wing commentators and influencers activated a now-familiar script. Johnson branded him “a massive Trump hater” and an “anti-ICE activist.” Jack Posobiec, a prominent Pizzagate promoter, took aim at Jay-Z, whose company Roc Nation produces the event, as the architect of cultural “engineering.” The “End Wokeness” account, with 4 million followers, resorted to visual mockery, posting an image of the artist in a dress in response to the announcement.

These attacks are not random; they are textbook tactics of a culture war that seeks to mobilize its base by identifying a symbolic enemy. In this case, Bad Bunny. Not only is he an artist who sings predominantly in Spanish—a fact that influencer Mario Nawfal countered by saying that the “average halftime viewer in Des Moines doesn’t speak fluent reggaeton”—but his activism is explicit, consistent and directly antagonistic to the ideological platform of American conservatism.

Bad Bunny is unapologetically political

The hostility towards Bad Bunny is not rooted in his music, but in his message. His decision not to tour in the United States, out of a stated fear that his fans will be targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, is a political statement that few stars dare to make. “People from the US could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world. But there was the issue of—like, fucking ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” he said in an interview with i-D magazine.

This stance transforms his concerts from mere entertainment events into potential sanctuaries, and his absence into an act of protest.

Bad Bunny has been an outspoken critic of Puerto Rico’s status as an unincorporated territory, which limits the rights and opportunities of its citizens. His activism has focused on supporting the island, where his 31-day residency generated a $400 million economic impact, according to an estimate from Wells Fargo.

Speaking by video at the UN Climate Summit in New York last week, China’s president Xi Jinping laid out his country’s climate ambitions. While the stated goals may not have been aggressive as some environmentalists would like, Xi at least reaffirmed China’s green commitment.

“Despite some countries going against the trend, the international community should stay on the right track, maintain unwavering confidence, unwavering action, and undiminished efforts,” he said. Any reference to Donald Trump and the United States was surely intended (though not explicit).

The march of the energy transition is a long one, but it has to start somewhere. And with this approach, China has already taken quite a few steps.

Beijing Stands (Mostly) Alone

Today, there is no race to be a climate leader. The world is a far fry from the COP26 conference in November 2021, when tackling the threat of climate change seemed like a global priority. A few months later, Russia invaded Ukraine; the ensuing energy crisis and inflation kicked climate off of many political agendas.

While Joe Biden and the United States responded to soaring prices with the Inflation Reduction Act, which prioritized investment in renewable energy, Donald Trump subsequently withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement—an international accord to limit global warming—for the second time. The European Union has also stuttered: Too internally divided, it did not go beyond a drab declaration of intent at the UN Climate Summit. There hasn’t been much movement from India, a country of nearly 1.5 billion people. And other nations’ emissions are simply too small to matter.

Given this background, it becomes easy to understand how, in this scenario, China has become a global leader in the clean energy transition. Xi’s speech did not go into much detail, but it did mention all the main points of China’s strategy.

Cut Emissions Between 7 Percent and 10 Percent by 2035

In New York, Xi acknowledged the importance of the transition, and for the first time, agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rather than simply promise to slow them down. China’s stated goal is between 7 percent and 10 percent reduction by 2035.

How do you evaluate these pledges? While the commitment is vague, it’s still significant; previously the regime had merely promised to reach peak emissions by 2030, tying the cuts to economic growth. In Xi’s speech you can seen China transition from a developing country approach to a role more akin to that of industrialized countries, whose emissions have been declining for decades.

Slow Going?

It should be pointed out that reducing emissions at the pace promised by Beijing means a decline of about 1 percent a year. According to an analysis by William Lamb of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, this is a slower pace than that held by most industrialized nations. Italy, for example, has reduced them by an average of 3.2 percent every 12 months since their peak in 2006; the United Kingdom by an average of 2.8 percent since 2004; France by 2.3 percent.

“China has often promised little and achieved much,” notes Andreas Sieber, associate director for policy and campaigns for the global climate nonprofit 350.org, suggesting that China might overdeliver. The country’s lack of democracy also means its policies are not at risk of reversal every election cycle.

On Renewables

Xi Jinping’s speech included a commitment to reach 3,600 gigawatts (GW) of installed wind and solar capacity by 2035, six times the country’s 2020 figures. This is already the leading country in terms of installed renewable power, and a giant on the technology front as well, with universities churning out environmental and climate tech research at full speed, and attracting scientists from abroad across numerous fields. He also announced a commitment to an energy mix with more than 30 percent renewables.

On Electric Vehicles

Mobility has long been an issue for China, which has moved from bicycles, ubiquitous until the 1990s, to the mass automobile. The images of the 2008 Beijing Olympics are unforgettable: A blanket of smog buried the city. The government has in recent years given a strong boost to electric mobility: At the Climate Summit it announced plans to make EVs “mainstream,” that is, prevalent in sales. It helps that it has ready access to rare earth minerals that are essential for building batteries. And for that matter, the country hosts giant automotive companies like BYD and Catl, which supplies batteries to some 50 global brands including Tesla and Volkswagen.

On the carbon market

Xi has declared his intention to expand the national carbon emission trading market to more emission-intensive sectors than today.

On forests

China made additional commitments on forests, which it says will reach an extent of 34 billion cubic meters.

China has reshaped the market for green technologies.

To skeptics expecting broader measures and the mantle of true global leadership from China, well, that’s not a particularly coveted title these days—especially if the US continues to reverse course on climate science. As senior advisor Bernice Lee of the think tank Chatham House notes, China invested $625 billion in the clean energy transition last year alone; that’s nearly a third of the gobal total.

Not only that: Research and massive adoption of renewable technologies have led to the dramatic drop in prices, and China’s very large domestic market is a formidable driver in this regard. “The rise of Chinese renewables is reshaping the global economy and replacing coal in the domestic market,” Lee says.

The hope is that other countries, reassured by that commitment, will follow China’s example rather than America’s.

A new guide has been launched to help tackle the growing threat of domestic abusers using technology, like smart doorbells and mobiles, against older people.

Developed by Aberystwyth University researchers, Dyfed-Powys Police, and Parental Education Growth Support (PEGS), the resource for staff on the frontline highlights the growing threat of the use of new technology to abuse over 60-year-olds.

Evidence shows that perpetrators are increasingly using digital technology to threaten, stalk, or harass—1 in 3 women have experienced abuse on social media or other online platforms at some point in their lives.

Meanwhile, evidence gathered by PEGS shows that 14% of the older parents they supported had experienced digital abuse from children or grandchildren.

The new guide includes advice on practical ways to prevent technology abuse, such as how to prevent stalking via mobile phone tracking, secure access to bank accounts and lock smart devices.

The new toolkit draws on police data, victim insights, and real-life case studies to show how perpetrators misuse everyday technologies to monitor, control, exploit and intimidate older victims.

One case involves 67-year-old Keith, a terminally ill man, whose adult son spent over £20,000 of Keith’s money without permission using his smartphones and online shopping accounts.

Another case highlights Katherine, who was stalked, harassed and coercively controlled by her partner using a fake Facebook profile, a mobile tracking app and a Ring doorbell camera, alongside hundreds of abusive calls and messages.

Based at Aberystwyth University’s Center for Age, Gender and Social Justice, the Dewis Choice initiative supports older victims of domestic abuse. It combines direct service delivery with ground-breaking research and is the first long-term study exploring decision-making in later life.

Rebecca Zerk, Co-lead of the Dewis Choice project at Aberystwyth University said, “As more services shift online, increasing numbers of older people rely on family members or caregivers to manage digital tasks on their behalf. Without direct control over their online accounts, older adults can be at heightened risk of exploitation by the people closest to them. This dependency can leave older people at increased risk of financial abuse, fraud, identity theft, and coercion.

“Additionally, limited exposure to technology, lower confidence in navigating digital tools, and unfamiliarity with online risks can expose older adults to risks such as scams, fraud, and technology-facilitated abuse.

“Frontline staff and practitioners and the criminal justice system are increasingly aware of the role of technology in facilitating domestic abuse. However, the nature and impact of technology-facilitated abuse on older victims remains underexplored. This guide aims to address this gap and brings together knowledge, insights, and data from our partners. We really hope this guide can help protect older people from this risk of harm.”

Recent Dyfed-Powys Police data shows that between May 2024 and April 2025, over 950 domestic abuse-related crimes involved older victims. More than 10% of these cases were linked to technology such as mobile phones, social media and online banking.

Dyfed-Powys Police serves Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys and is the largest geographical policing area in England and Wales. Covering more than 515,000 people, almost half of the total resident population is aged 45 and over, and 22% are aged over 65.

Allan Rush from Dyfed Powys Police added, “Technology-enabled abuse poses a growing threat to older people who may be less familiar with digital tools, making them vulnerable to manipulation. From online scams and phishing attacks to remote surveillance and financial exploitation, perpetrators can use smartphones, social media, and smart home devices to control, deceive, or isolate older individuals. The digital divide often leaves older people without the skills or support to recognize or report abuse.

“One challenge for police and frontline professionals is keeping up to date with this rapidly evolving technology and how its misuse could lead to the abuse of those in need of safeguarding.

“This guide will be a valuable resource for practitioners who may not be tech specialists by equipping them with the knowledge and tools to identify, respond to, and prevent digital forms of abuse.”

Michelle John, Director of PEGS added, “At PEGS, we see first-hand how technology can be used to extend patterns of abuse, including cases where parents and grandparents are exploited by those closest to them. The rise in technology-facilitated abuse against older people is a growing concern, and this guide provides frontline professionals with the tools and knowledge to respond effectively. By sharing evidence and practical strategies, we can ensure practitioners are better equipped to recognize digital abuse and protect victims from further harm.”