In the midst of violent upheaval, the author and activist reminds us of the power and promise of transformation In 2004, Rebecca Solnit released Hope in the Dark, a series of extended essays in response to the war in Iraq. Drawing on the resilience she saw after Hurricane Katrina, she offered a vision of solidarity and tenacity. The book experienced a sharp surge in popularity after the 2016 elect...
In the midst of violent upheaval, the author and activist reminds us of the power and promise of transformation In 2004, Rebecca Solnit released Hope in the Dark, a series of extended essays in response to the war in Iraq. Drawing on the resilience she saw after Hurricane Katrina, she offered a vision of solidarity and tenacity. The book experienced a sharp surge in popularity after the 2016 election of Donald Trump, selling out in short order. Returning to Hope in the Dark 10 years later, I remembered why it was so lauded . It is a slim, steady book full of sensible reminders about the limits of the intellect and the dangers of becoming poisoned by pessimism. “Hope is not a door, but a sense that there might be a door at some point, some way out of the problems of the present moment even before that way is found or followed,” Solnit wrote. Humility requires us to acknowledge that no matter how damningly certain the future may seem, it remains fundamentally unknowable. That’s where hope begins. Her timely new book picks up this thread: “You do not have to picture the destination to reach it or at least draw closer to it, you just need to choose a direction and keep on walking,” she tells us. Solnit has written more than a dozen books since 2004, but in format, design, and theme, The Beginning Comes After the End feels like the direct successor to Hope in the Dark: a novella-length essay broken into short but wide-ranging chapters that cite history, philosophy and contemporary writing, paying special note to moments of reparation and progress. Continue reading...
Use of glyphosate has risen 10-fold in 30 years, raising fears for public health It was Scottish farmers in the 1980s who pioneered the practice of spraying glyphosate on their wheat just before harvest. Struggling in the damp glens to get their crop to dry evenly, they came up with the idea of accelerating the process by killing it a week or two before harvesting. Glyphosate, then a revolutionary...
Use of glyphosate has risen 10-fold in 30 years, raising fears for public health It was Scottish farmers in the 1980s who pioneered the practice of spraying glyphosate on their wheat just before harvest. Struggling in the damp glens to get their crop to dry evenly, they came up with the idea of accelerating the process by killing it a week or two before harvesting. Glyphosate, then a revolutionary herbicide that killed everything plant-based but spared animal life, seemed perfect for the job. Soon the practice spread to wetter, colder agricultural regions around the world. Continue reading...
Previous Labour voters in Yardley discuss issues including cost of living, public services and the Iran war Almost two years into Keir Starmer’s government, the polls suggest that many swing voters, including some of those who voted Labour, are unimpressed with how the country is being run. In the constituency of Birmingham Yardley, a focus group of eight previous Labour voters last week found sup...
Previous Labour voters in Yardley discuss issues including cost of living, public services and the Iran war Almost two years into Keir Starmer’s government, the polls suggest that many swing voters, including some of those who voted Labour, are unimpressed with how the country is being run. In the constituency of Birmingham Yardley, a focus group of eight previous Labour voters last week found support was now splintering in different directions, with one person considering going to Reform and several to the Greens. The group, convened by More in Common, had very little good to say about the government on the key issues. Continue reading...
The presenter wakes her family up by blasting out Cal Orff and gets the ick from Chris de Burgh, but which lyrically problematic rap banger is she a secret fan of? The first song I fell in love with When I was a teenager, I went to a charity shop in Basingstoke, just happened to buy Jolene by Dolly Parton, then played it non-stop. The first single I bought Save a Prayer by Duran Duran, from HMV in...
The presenter wakes her family up by blasting out Cal Orff and gets the ick from Chris de Burgh, but which lyrically problematic rap banger is she a secret fan of? The first song I fell in love with When I was a teenager, I went to a charity shop in Basingstoke, just happened to buy Jolene by Dolly Parton, then played it non-stop. The first single I bought Save a Prayer by Duran Duran, from HMV in Reading. Simon Le Bon was gorgeous, wasn’t he? I liked Morten Harket from A-ha as well. Continue reading...
Gas shortages and rising food prices mean many who came to the capital for work cannot afford to eat. Going home is now their only option At 9am on a Saturday, 35-year-old Raju Prasad rushes through Anand Vihar railway station in Delhi, a heavy bag slung over his shoulder. Beside him, his wife clutches their youngest daughter with one arm and a white plastic bucket with the other. Their three othe...
Gas shortages and rising food prices mean many who came to the capital for work cannot afford to eat. Going home is now their only option At 9am on a Saturday, 35-year-old Raju Prasad rushes through Anand Vihar railway station in Delhi, a heavy bag slung over his shoulder. Beside him, his wife clutches their youngest daughter with one arm and a white plastic bucket with the other. Their three other children trail behind – one dragging a trolley bag, the others holding on to whatever little they can manage. With Prasad’s brother, the family of seven is leaving for Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. They had moved to India’s capital nine months ago. The couple worked as ragpickers and were paid about 500 rupees a day (about £4), working long 10-hour shifts. But any dreams of building a more secure future in Delhi and sending their children to school have been lost, as rising food costs and the impact of the Middle East crisis on fuel availability and prices have meant the past few weeks have been a fight for basic survival. Now they are moving back to their village. Continue reading...
After years of frustration as an NBA owner, the basketball legend’s 23XI Racing team has surged to the front of the Cup series, reshaping his legacy as an executive Michael Jordan the basketball player is success personified, the legend against whom all others are measured. Michael Jordan the sports executive, on the other hand, has spent much of the past three decades falling short of his own imp...
After years of frustration as an NBA owner, the basketball legend’s 23XI Racing team has surged to the front of the Cup series, reshaping his legacy as an executive Michael Jordan the basketball player is success personified, the legend against whom all others are measured. Michael Jordan the sports executive, on the other hand, has spent much of the past three decades falling short of his own impossible standard. In 1999, Jordan joined Abe Pollin’s Washington Wizards ownership group as a history-making minority partner, but neither his star power nor a brief return from retirement translated into sustained team success. Eleven years later, he took over the Charlotte Bobcats, replacing BET co-founder Robert Johnson as the league’s only Black majority owner – but poor roster moves, questionable hires and three playoff appearances in 13 years, with nary one series victory, ultimately became his legacy as the principal steward of the retro-branded Charlotte Hornets. Continue reading...
China’s state assets watchdog has established a new department to oversee foreign investments, as firms continue to expand their global footprint amid an increasingly turbulent geopolitical outlook. The new bureau, launched by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) on Wednesday, will guide state-owned enterprises in their international operati...
China’s state assets watchdog has established a new department to oversee foreign investments, as firms continue to expand their global footprint amid an increasingly turbulent geopolitical outlook. The new bureau, launched by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) on Wednesday, will guide state-owned enterprises in their international operations, according to its website. It will also be responsible for helping firms optimise and...
A team of Chinese scientists has found a way to introduce plant-based, light-activated nanoparticles into animal cells to improve their health and lifespan. When the team’s photosynthetic nanoparticles were transplanted into rats and rabbits with degenerative disease conditions, they helped boost energy production and restore disrupted cell interactions. By integrating their plant-based system wit...
A team of Chinese scientists has found a way to introduce plant-based, light-activated nanoparticles into animal cells to improve their health and lifespan. When the team’s photosynthetic nanoparticles were transplanted into rats and rabbits with degenerative disease conditions, they helped boost energy production and restore disrupted cell interactions. By integrating their plant-based system with implantable, wirelessly powered lights, the team also proposed an approach for deep tissue...
Anna Edwards, Guy Johnson and Paul Dobson break down today's key themes for analysts and investors on "Bloomberg: The Opening Trade." For up to the minute market intelligence and insight, click MLIV . (Source: Bloomberg)
Anna Edwards, Guy Johnson and Paul Dobson break down today's key themes for analysts and investors on "Bloomberg: The Opening Trade." For up to the minute market intelligence and insight, click MLIV . (Source: Bloomberg)
Listen to Odd Lots on Apple Podcasts Listen to Odd Lots on Spotify Watch Odd Lots on YouTube Subscribe to the newsletter Right now, when you think about prediction markets, you basically think about two main companies: Polymarket and Kalshi. And then when you think of what's being traded on those platforms, there's a whole range of stuff from elections to sports to real economic outcomes, to total...
Listen to Odd Lots on Apple Podcasts Listen to Odd Lots on Spotify Watch Odd Lots on YouTube Subscribe to the newsletter Right now, when you think about prediction markets, you basically think about two main companies: Polymarket and Kalshi. And then when you think of what's being traded on those platforms, there's a whole range of stuff from elections to sports to real economic outcomes, to totally gonzo random stuff, like who will win the next season of Big Brother . So far, sports is where a lot of the money is. But at least in theory, prediction markets could be a popular instrument for professional, institutional traders. Thomas Peterffy is the founder and chairman of Interactive Brokers, one of the most successful and groundbreaking electronic brokerages for both institutions and serious retail traders. Now Interactive Brokers is getting into the predictions space. In this episode, we talk to Peterffy on why he believes prediction markets will be the next big thing in markets, why he thinks his firm could be a major player, and what it will take to transform the space from a large curiosity to something seriously used by institutions.
Right now, when you think about prediction markets, you basically think about two main companies: Polymarket and Kalshi. And then when you think of what’s being traded on those platforms, there’s a whole range of stuff from elections to sports to real economic outcomes, to totally gonzo random stuff, like who will win the next season of Big Brother. So far, sports is where a lot of the money is. B...
Right now, when you think about prediction markets, you basically think about two main companies: Polymarket and Kalshi. And then when you think of what’s being traded on those platforms, there’s a whole range of stuff from elections to sports to real economic outcomes, to totally gonzo random stuff, like who will win the next season of Big Brother. So far, sports is where a lot of the money is. But at least in theory, prediction markets could be a popular instrument for professional, institutio
Thomas Peterffy , the billionaire founder and chairman of Interactive Brokers Group Inc., has an answer to the insider-trading concerns dogging prediction markets: stop trying to prevent it — for the good of society. Investors everywhere have been exposed to such shenanigans since the dawn of markets. Not only is preventing it futile, he says, assets get to the correct price faster when people do ...
Thomas Peterffy , the billionaire founder and chairman of Interactive Brokers Group Inc., has an answer to the insider-trading concerns dogging prediction markets: stop trying to prevent it — for the good of society. Investors everywhere have been exposed to such shenanigans since the dawn of markets. Not only is preventing it futile, he says, assets get to the correct price faster when people do it. “I’m in favor of not having any rules against insider trading. I would like all the information out there as soon as it’s available,” he said about all markets — not just predictions-based ones — in an interview on Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast. “Because look, as a society, we are better off knowing as soon as possible anything that is knowable.” His comments come in the midst of a renewed push from lawmakers and regulators to take on insider trading after a number of profitable and suspiciously timed trades on prediction markets like Polymarket. Just this week, fresh Polymarket bets on a ceasefire between the US and Iran raised questions about whether bettors were trading on privileged information. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission recently said it would use its powers to root out the problem in prediction markets given the boom in concerns about dubious bets. Peterffy’s willingness to go against the grain is particularly notable because his company runs its own event betting platform, ForecastEx, which allows customers to wager on elections, the weather and economic outcomes. A number of prediction-market advocates have said in the past that the platforms could be useful as a way to surface inside information. But there has been less willingness to defend that idea as scrutiny has ramped up. Polymarket and Kalshi have both recently announced efforts to confront illegal trading. Peterffy, an influential pioneer of automated trading and modern markets, gave the hypothetical example of a mergers-and-acquisitions announcement, arguing that “the secretaries, the lawy...
Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam appeared to have deleted a post on X that said his country’s delegation would arrive in Islamabad on Thursday night ahead of talks with the US this weekend. The post had said the delegation was coming “despite skepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by Israeli regime to sabotage the diplomatic initiative.” The Iran...
Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam appeared to have deleted a post on X that said his country’s delegation would arrive in Islamabad on Thursday night ahead of talks with the US this weekend. The post had said the delegation was coming “despite skepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by Israeli regime to sabotage the diplomatic initiative.” The Iranian embassy in Pakistan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House confirmed on Thursday that Vice President JD Vance would lead a US delegation to Islamabad on Saturday for the first round of peace talks. The talks are set even as the Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed and Israel continued to launch an assault on Lebanon. Iranian officials have described the Israeli strikes as a violation of the ceasefire terms. The text of the original post from Thursday is below:
Shares of data analytics company Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) fell 6.1% in the afternoon session after Anthropic announced Managed Agents, a hosted service for long-running AI tasks.
Shares of data analytics company Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) fell 6.1% in the afternoon session after Anthropic announced Managed Agents, a hosted service for long-running AI tasks.