Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment PepsiCo ( PEP ) withdrew its backing from a major London music festival following backlash over the decision to feature Kanye West as the top-billed performer. West, who now goes by Ye, was recently announced as the headline act for the Wireless Festival, set to take place in July at Finsbury Park. Organizers had promoted the event under the branding “Pep...
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment PepsiCo ( PEP ) withdrew its backing from a major London music festival following backlash over the decision to feature Kanye West as the top-billed performer. West, who now goes by Ye, was recently announced as the headline act for the Wireless Festival, set to take place in July at Finsbury Park. Organizers had promoted the event under the branding “Pepsi Max Presents Wireless,” but the beverage giant confirmed it would no longer be involved. The artist is scheduled to perform across all three days of the festival as part of a broader effort to reestablish his career after years of controversy. His past remarks, including statements about Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust, as well as comments about slavery, have sparked widespread criticism. The booking has also drawn political scrutiny in the U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the decision as troubling in comments to a British tabloid, adding to pressure surrounding the event. In recent months, West has taken steps to repair his public image. Earlier this year, he published a full-page apology framed as a letter expressing regret for past behavior, attributing his actions in part to bipolar disorder and outlining efforts to stabilize his health through treatment and lifestyle changes. Despite those efforts, the fallout from earlier controversies continues to linger. Major corporate partners, including Adidas and Gap, severed ties with the artist in 2022, wiping out a significant portion of his business empire. Adidas alone was left holding more than $1 billion in unsold Yeezy inventory after ending the partnership, which was formally settled in 2024 without financial compensation to West. Even so, West retains a sizable audience. He continues to draw tens of millions of monthly listeners on streaming platforms and maintains a strong social media following. His latest album, Bully , was released in late March, supported by a new recording agreement reportedly worth s...
Did This Small Device Help Special Forces Locate Downed F-15 Crew The New York Times confirmed that U.S. Special Forces operators were behind the recovery of the second crew member from the downed F-15E fighter jet, locating and extracting the weapons systems officer in a daring overnight mission deep inside Iranian territory. Confirmed presence of Seal Team 6 in pilot rescue op moved the "US forc...
Did This Small Device Help Special Forces Locate Downed F-15 Crew The New York Times confirmed that U.S. Special Forces operators were behind the recovery of the second crew member from the downed F-15E fighter jet, locating and extracting the weapons systems officer in a daring overnight mission deep inside Iranian territory. Confirmed presence of Seal Team 6 in pilot rescue op moved the "US forces entering Iran" market to 100%. Per NYT: "Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos extracted the officer in a massive operation that involved hundreds of special operations troops and other military personnel." https://t.co/szkJUBbP5s pic.twitter.com/W05LYaRDBv — zerohedge (@zerohedge) April 5, 2026 The pilot had been recovered earlier, while the second airman remained hidden from Iranian forces for days as Special Forces operators raced to reach his position before Iranian forces did. Around 200 soldiers from special operations units participated in the operation , Trump told Axios. Trump said the Iranian military shot down the F-15 using a shoulder-fired missile. "They got lucky." Speaking to Axios an hour after confirming the rescue , Trump said that "thousands of these savages were hunting him down," using that loaded term to refer to members of the Iranian military. "Even the population was looking for him. They offered people a bonus if they captured him." The officer hid in a crevice in the mountain, Trump said, and the U.S. managed to spot him with its technology. Trump said that the U.S. military had "beeping information" about the officer's location. But after a radio message, officials suspected he might be in Iranian captivity and the Iranians were "sending false signals" to try to lure U.S. forces into a trap. One of the key devices that appears to have helped the survival and recovery of both pilots was Boeing’s Combat Survivor Evader Locator, or CSEL, a secure communications device that can transmit encrypted location and status bursts without exposing their position to ...
Bordeaux 64-14 Leicester Bégles set up Toulouse quarter-final next weekend Even at full-strength, Leicester would have struggled against the most potent attack in Europe. But without a string of first-choice forwards, including Ollie Chessum, Joe Heyes, Tommy Reffell and Nicky Smith, the result at a sun-drenched Stade Chaban-Delmas was never in doubt. So it proved as Bordeaux Bégles tore their Eng...
Bordeaux 64-14 Leicester Bégles set up Toulouse quarter-final next weekend Even at full-strength, Leicester would have struggled against the most potent attack in Europe. But without a string of first-choice forwards, including Ollie Chessum, Joe Heyes, Tommy Reffell and Nicky Smith, the result at a sun-drenched Stade Chaban-Delmas was never in doubt. So it proved as Bordeaux Bégles tore their English guests to shreds, registering nine tries to underline their status as continental champions with a 64-14 win. A quarter-final against their domestic rivals, Toulouse, will be required viewing next weekend. Continue reading...
Three people, including a 10-month-old girl, were killed on Sunday when high winds toppled a tree in northern Germany during an Easter egg hunt, police said. Around 50 people from a nearby residential facility for new mothers, pregnant women and children were attending the event in woods near the town of Satrupholm at around 11am when a 30-metre (100ft) tree fell on the group, police said in a sta...
Three people, including a 10-month-old girl, were killed on Sunday when high winds toppled a tree in northern Germany during an Easter egg hunt, police said. Around 50 people from a nearby residential facility for new mothers, pregnant women and children were attending the event in woods near the town of Satrupholm at around 11am when a 30-metre (100ft) tree fell on the group, police said in a statement. Four people were pinned under the tree. A 21-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl were...
The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT: VTI) provides investors with access to a much larger pool of U.S. stocks than the broader S&P 500 index. While the S&P 500 tracks roughly 500 large-cap U.S. stocks across sectors, the VTI exchange-traded fund (ETF) holds a basket of 3,500 stocks, representing a majority of U.S. publicly traded companies. VTI, which is passively managed, consists of lar...
The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT: VTI) provides investors with access to a much larger pool of U.S. stocks than the broader S&P 500 index. While the S&P 500 tracks roughly 500 large-cap U.S. stocks across sectors, the VTI exchange-traded fund (ETF) holds a basket of 3,500 stocks, representing a majority of U.S. publicly traded companies. VTI, which is passively managed, consists of large-, mid-, and small-cap stocks across sectors and categories, including growth and value. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
A professed desire to protect the country’s Christian identity is cover for a divisive politics which ignores the central message of the gospels In an interview conducted a few days after the beginning of Lent, Reform UK’s Muslim home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, outlined a new policy to prevent churches being converted to mosques. This was an “incendiary” issue relating to Christian heritage,...
A professed desire to protect the country’s Christian identity is cover for a divisive politics which ignores the central message of the gospels In an interview conducted a few days after the beginning of Lent, Reform UK’s Muslim home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, outlined a new policy to prevent churches being converted to mosques. This was an “incendiary” issue relating to Christian heritage, Mr Yusuf claimed, which was causing anxiety across the United Kingdom. Subsequent analysis by the Times – which conducted the interview – concluded that instances of churches becoming mosques were in fact extremely rare, adding up to less than 0.09% of the 47,000 churches active in the 1960s. Mr Yusuf’s solution to this alleged crisis – which involved granting automatic listed status to churches, and changing planning laws to restrict change of use – was also widely questioned. For many churches struggling to fund repairs through the contributions of thinned-out congregations, the onerous bureaucratic obstacles posed by listed status would only be another expensive headache. Continue reading...
Ultra-low rates turned the yen into easy cash for bankers. But the carry trade now binds global markets to decisions in Tokyo In 2015, Clyde Prestowitz’s book Japan Restored imagined a Japanese century emerging from upheavals such as an Israeli attack on Iran. While conflict now grips the Middle East, there are few indications of the revolutionary change the former US national security official fo...
Ultra-low rates turned the yen into easy cash for bankers. But the carry trade now binds global markets to decisions in Tokyo In 2015, Clyde Prestowitz’s book Japan Restored imagined a Japanese century emerging from upheavals such as an Israeli attack on Iran. While conflict now grips the Middle East, there are few indications of the revolutionary change the former US national security official foresaw. But in one crucial respect this already is a Japanese century – thanks to the yen’s role as easy money for global finance. The Bank of Japan’s loose monetary policy has turned the yen into the world’s cheapest and most reliable funding currency. By suppressing yields on public debt to keep Japan’s domestic economy afloat, the BoJ effectively created a publicly subsidised funding pipeline for bankers. They can make a quick buck by borrowing cheaply in yen and investing in higher-return assets, such as US equities. The “yen carry trade” surged after the pandemic, with speculators betting $435bn in the two years to 2024 out of the estimated $1.7tn worth of yen supplied. The profits for global investors are reckoned to run into tens of billions of dollars. Continue reading...
As NASA’s Artemis II astronauts make their way to the moon this weekend, their test flight has gone surprisingly well without any major issues, save for one piece of technology giving the crew some grief: the toilet. The Lockheed Martin -built Orion crew capsule that’s carrying the Artemis II crew to the moon is equipped with what’s known as the Universal Waste Management System for the astronauts...
As NASA’s Artemis II astronauts make their way to the moon this weekend, their test flight has gone surprisingly well without any major issues, save for one piece of technology giving the crew some grief: the toilet. The Lockheed Martin -built Orion crew capsule that’s carrying the Artemis II crew to the moon is equipped with what’s known as the Universal Waste Management System for the astronauts to use during the 10-day mission. It’s roughly the same space toilet that’s used on the International Space Station. But getting the complicated piece of equipment to work properly during the flight has become a recurring issue. The UWMS comes equipped with a funnel and hose for urination, and there is a seat with a hole for bowel movements. Since the astronauts are in microgravity, the toilet relies on air flow that pulls waste into the toilet and ensures the capsule stays clean. The astronauts can also use footstraps and handles to stay in position. On Artemis II’s first flight day, the toilet indicated an issue right after the crew got to space. Mission specialist Christina Koch, who proudly declared herself the “space plumber,” was able to get the toilet working again with some help from Mission Control. It turned out to be a problem with the toilet’s pump, which needed extra water to be wet enough and primed for use. “Once we figured out that we didn’t put enough water in, we put more in there, made sure that it was essentially primed – the pump was primed – and then the toilet came right back up,” said Judd Frieling, the ascent flight director for Artemis II. Read More: NASA’s Moon Landing Is Still Years Out and Billions Over Budget Not so fast. The toilet once again started acting up. Unlike on the International Space Station, where wastewater is contained, treated and recycled in a closed loop system, the wastewater on the Artemis II mission is periodically dumped overboard throughout the mission. During these dumps, gleaming particles stream across the window of O...
Iran has signaled a partial easing of restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Iraqi oil shipments to pass through the vital corridor after weeks of disruption that rattled global energy markets, the Financial Times reported Sunday. An Iraqi tanker, the Ocean Thunder, successfully navigated the strait along Iran’s coastline over the weekend, carrying roughly 1 million barrels of Basrah Heavy...
Iran has signaled a partial easing of restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Iraqi oil shipments to pass through the vital corridor after weeks of disruption that rattled global energy markets, the Financial Times reported Sunday. An Iraqi tanker, the Ocean Thunder, successfully navigated the strait along Iran’s coastline over the weekend, carrying roughly 1 million barrels of Basrah Heavy crude, according to shipping data cited by the newspaper. The passage marks one of the clearest signs yet that Tehran may be selectively reopening the waterway. An Iranian military spokesperson said the exemption reflects Baghdad’s status as a friendly nation, emphasizing that restrictions remain in place only for countries deemed hostile. However, officials did not clarify whether the policy applies broadly to Iraqi-flagged vessels or specifically to cargo originating from Iraq. Selective access could unlock millions of barrels The move could pave the way for a significant volume of oil, potentially up to 3 million barrels per day, to re-enter global markets. That would help offset supply disruptions triggered by the recent conflict involving the U.S. and Israel and ease pressure on crude prices. Still, the practical impact remains uncertain. Shipping companies may be hesitant to resume operations through the strait without stronger security assurances, and restarting production at scale is expected to take time. Before the conflict escalated in late February, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply flowed through the strait. Since then, Iran has effectively restricted access, permitting only a limited number of vessels described as “non-hostile.” Iraq’s economy hit hard by export bottlenecks For Iraq, the disruption has been severe. Oil exports, once around 3.4 million barrels per day, have plunged, forcing production cuts and filling storage facilities to capacity. The country has faced steep revenue losses, with estimates suggesting daily shortfalls in the hundreds...
A lot of people build their portfolios without a real structure or strategy in mind. They often buy what feels right in the moment, usually because it's performing pretty well. What that usually creates is a collection of stocks and funds, not a portfolio that's built to function as a singular unit. Portfolio construction should have an order to it. Generally speaking, you start with a core positi...
A lot of people build their portfolios without a real structure or strategy in mind. They often buy what feels right in the moment, usually because it's performing pretty well. What that usually creates is a collection of stocks and funds, not a portfolio that's built to function as a singular unit. Portfolio construction should have an order to it. Generally speaking, you start with a core position or two meant to serve as the tentpole. That could be something like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) or the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT: VTI) . Ideally, you wouldn't touch this and instead let the long-term power of compounding do the work for you. From there, you can start building around the edges. Add some dividend stocks , an international fund, or maybe some bonds or gold. This is where you can tilt the portfolio in a particular direction or simply diversify beyond U.S. large-cap stocks. It's the idea that investors should build the foundation first and layer around it, not the other way around. Continue reading
A Suezmax oil tanker hauling about 1 million barrels of Iraqi crude exited the Persian Gulf via a northerly route through Iranian waters on Sunday morning, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The Ocean Thunder crossed the Strait of Hormuz after Iran exempted its “brotherly” neighbor from shipping restrictions a day earlier. Transits through the critical waterway have been pick...
A Suezmax oil tanker hauling about 1 million barrels of Iraqi crude exited the Persian Gulf via a northerly route through Iranian waters on Sunday morning, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The Ocean Thunder crossed the Strait of Hormuz after Iran exempted its “brotherly” neighbor from shipping restrictions a day earlier. Transits through the critical waterway have been picking up in the past week, with data on Saturday showing the highest seven-day rolling average since the war began. Yet traffic remains at a trickle compared with prewar numbers. It’s not yet clear whether the dispensation for Baghdad will apply to all ships calling at Iraqi ports, or how it will be enforced. At its broadest, the exemption could free up about 3 million barrels a day of oil exports from the country and allow it to restart production from shuttered fields — as long as shippers are willing to send their tankers into the Gulf. A total of 16 ships have crossed the strait since Saturday morning, with 11 exiting the Gulf and five entering from the open seas, vessel-tracking data show. In normal times, about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the strait every day. Iran has moved to tighten its control over the waterway, setting up a tolling system and directing most vessels to take a specific route close to its border. In the past day, all recorded transits of large ships went through that narrow northern passage, situated between the Iranian islands of Larak and Qeshm. The most significant recent crossing is that of the Ocean Thunder, a vessel managed by Turkey-based Onn Denizcilik ve Danismanlik, according to the Equasis maritime database. Tanker-tracking is hampered by electronic interference with ships’ signals, and some vessels disable their AIS transponders in high-risk waters, further reducing the timeliness and reliability of tracking data. Outbound Transits Five bulk carriers and three oil-product tankers exited the Persian G...
PSV hold 17-point lead to clinch title with five games left Second-placed Feyenoord draw 0-0 against Volendam PSV Eindhoven were crowned on Sunday as Dutch champions for the 27th time, with five matches left of the season, after second-placed Feyenoord’s 0-0 draw with Volendam. PSV hold an unassailable 17-point lead at the top of the table after bouncing back from successive defeats with a 4-3 vic...
PSV hold 17-point lead to clinch title with five games left Second-placed Feyenoord draw 0-0 against Volendam PSV Eindhoven were crowned on Sunday as Dutch champions for the 27th time, with five matches left of the season, after second-placed Feyenoord’s 0-0 draw with Volendam. PSV hold an unassailable 17-point lead at the top of the table after bouncing back from successive defeats with a 4-3 victory against Utrecht on Saturday. Continue reading...
Protesters held on Sunday after joining a Lakenheath Alliance for Peace encampment outside airbase in Suffolk Seven people have been arrested under suspicion of supporting the banned group Palestine Action after a protest in Suffolk. They were arrested on Sunday morning after joining a peace encampment to create a blockade outside the main gate of Lakenheath airbase. The protest was organised afte...
Protesters held on Sunday after joining a Lakenheath Alliance for Peace encampment outside airbase in Suffolk Seven people have been arrested under suspicion of supporting the banned group Palestine Action after a protest in Suffolk. They were arrested on Sunday morning after joining a peace encampment to create a blockade outside the main gate of Lakenheath airbase. The protest was organised after media reports that a US fighter jet shot down in Iran on Friday had taken off from the Lakenheath base. Continue reading...
Rumble Inc. recently announced that, effective March 31, 2026, technology executive Mike Masci became its new CFO, while former CFO Brandon Alexandroff moved into a strategic advisor role to the CEO with no reported disagreements over operations or policies. Masci’s background in AI, hyperscale cloud, and edge infrastructure, including prior executive roles at Intel, introduces deep technical and ...
Rumble Inc. recently announced that, effective March 31, 2026, technology executive Mike Masci became its new CFO, while former CFO Brandon Alexandroff moved into a strategic advisor role to the CEO with no reported disagreements over operations or policies. Masci’s background in AI, hyperscale cloud, and edge infrastructure, including prior executive roles at Intel, introduces deep technical and financial expertise that could influence how Rumble develops its video and cloud...