Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Ban Sports Betting Via Prediction Markets Lawmakers have never met a market they didn't want to control. And when they can't do that, they try to crush them - sometimes after taking six-figure donations from competing lobbies. To wit; Sens. Adam Schiff (D-CA), and John Curtis (R-UT), on Monday introduced legislation that would prohibit federally regulated pre...
Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Ban Sports Betting Via Prediction Markets Lawmakers have never met a market they didn't want to control. And when they can't do that, they try to crush them - sometimes after taking six-figure donations from competing lobbies. To wit; Sens. Adam Schiff (D-CA), and John Curtis (R-UT), on Monday introduced legislation that would prohibit federally regulated prediction-market platforms from offering wagers on sports events , targeting what they call a regulatory backdoor that has let online betting proliferate beyond state control. Reading between the lines, prediction market betting is clearly a threat to the old guard. The bill, titled the Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act , would bar entities overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission - including leading platforms Kalshi and Polymarket’s U.S. operations - from listing or trading contracts tied to the outcomes of any sporting event or athletic competition. It would also extend the prohibition to “ casino-style games ” such as slot machines, video poker, blackjack and bingo. The measure marks the first bipartisan Senate legislation aimed squarely at prediction markets’ expansion into sports wagering. The push comes as the broader U.S. sports-betting industry - legalized nationwide after a landmark 2018 Supreme Court ruling - generated a record handle of roughly $167 billion and gross gaming revenue of about $17 billion in 2025. More than 90% of those bets are placed online or via mobile apps operated by companies such as DraftKings Inc. and Flutter Entertainment Plc.’s FanDuel . Yet prediction markets, which structure wagers as yes-or-no event contracts under CFTC oversight rather than state gambling licenses, have carved out a parallel lane. These platforms, which gained prominence during the 2024 presidential election, now derive a significant share of volume from professional and college sports, offering bets even in states that prohibit traditional sportsbooks. OF...
Victories in Paris and Marseille suggest a united left can reclaim centre-ground voters. But the end of Macronism is leaving a complex political landscape In 2002, divisions on the left allowed Jean-Marie Le Pen to shock France by reaching the run-off in that year’s presidential election. Lionel Jospin, the defeated Socialist candidate in the poll, would subsequently recall the humiliation to remi...
Victories in Paris and Marseille suggest a united left can reclaim centre-ground voters. But the end of Macronism is leaving a complex political landscape In 2002, divisions on the left allowed Jean-Marie Le Pen to shock France by reaching the run-off in that year’s presidential election. Lionel Jospin, the defeated Socialist candidate in the poll, would subsequently recall the humiliation to remind progressives of the need for unity in the face of the far-right threat. Mr Jospin’s death , announced on Monday, has overshadowed the weekend’s local election results. But as they are pored over for clues to a seismic presidential contest that Le Pen’s daughter, Marine, believes she can win next year, it is clear that alliances – or their absence – will shape that race too. In Paris and Marseille, Socialist candidates won handsome mayoral victories at the head of a broad left grouping that included Greens and Communists, but not Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s radical left France Unbowed party (LFI). Emmanuel Grégoire’s second-round victory in Paris was particularly impressive, given that it was achieved against both a united right opposition and the LFI candidate, who refused to stand down. Outside the biggest conurbations, however, progressive outcomes were less stellar. Traditional strongholds such as the city of Clermont Ferrand, where Socialists and Greens made local alliances with Mr Mélenchon’s party, were lost to a mildly resurgent centre-right. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here . Continue reading...
The US president claims progress in talks with Iran, but uncertainty persists. Meanwhile, Israel advances West Bank annexation under cover of a crisis It must be tough for Donald Trump: starting a war with Iran, but finding it terribly inconvenient to finish it before collecting a shiny prize from Benjamin Netanyahu or sharing a stage with China’s Xi Jinping. In war, as in peace, timing is everyth...
The US president claims progress in talks with Iran, but uncertainty persists. Meanwhile, Israel advances West Bank annexation under cover of a crisis It must be tough for Donald Trump: starting a war with Iran, but finding it terribly inconvenient to finish it before collecting a shiny prize from Benjamin Netanyahu or sharing a stage with China’s Xi Jinping. In war, as in peace, timing is everything. With the global economy teetering on fears of an uncontrolled escalation in attacks on electricity, oil and gas installations in the Gulf, Mr Trump revealed that he was having such “productive” conversations with Tehran that there would be a five-day pause in US strikes on “ Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure ”. The trouble is that Mr Trump’s talks may not exist. Tehran denies having them. If real, they would be a welcome de-escalatory step. They are also an admission that Mr Trump’s threat risked consequences more damaging than its intended target. But it also means that after markets close on Friday, Mr Trump could return to “ bombing our little hearts out ”. It is as unsurprising as it is grotesque that the US president would speak so lightly of potentially killing hundreds of civilians. Neither is Mr Trump likely to have been telling the truth in claiming “ major points of agreement ” in talks with Iran, including commitments on nuclear weapons and the reopening of the strait of Hormuz. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here . Continue reading...
There is no doubt Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) have put the brakes on Newcastle. It is why the Magpies support their replacement, Squad Cost Ratio (SCR), which comes in on 1 July. But will it reinforce the position of the elite? The problem for PIF has always been that it was too late to the party. Whereas Chelsea and Manchester City were able to spend freely to build their empire, govern...
There is no doubt Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) have put the brakes on Newcastle. It is why the Magpies support their replacement, Squad Cost Ratio (SCR), which comes in on 1 July. But will it reinforce the position of the elite? The problem for PIF has always been that it was too late to the party. Whereas Chelsea and Manchester City were able to spend freely to build their empire, governing bodies now have the shackles on. PSR was put in place in 2013, well before the Saudi takeover. Though Manchester City do face 115 charges over alleged spending breaches between 2009 and 2018. PIF spent £404.7m in the first three years after buying the club in 2021. But by bringing in only £50.4m from sales the stark reality of PSR hit home in 2024. Newcastle had to sell Elliot Anderson (£35m) to Nottingham Forest to help stave off a points deduction. They lost a high-quality academy product, a lad from Whitley Bay who came through Wallsend Boys Club. The 23-year-old is now an England regular and very likely to go to this summer's World Cup. BBC Sport understands that Forest would want £80m should he be sold this year. PSR focuses on limiting losses, but SCR is about income. In short, the more you generate the more you can spend. In the Premier League that will be 85%, though it is possible to spend as much as 115% in the first year and pay what is in effect a luxury tax. On the surface, this sounds great. After all, Newcastle have recorded record revenues in each season under PIF. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire says that for the Magpies it made total sense. "The plusses outweigh the minuses," Maguire told BBC Sport. "With having a bigger stadium, hoping to either expand the stadium or move, they see the longer-term benefits of SCR." But once you look under the hood you see that SCR might reinforce the financial dominance of the Premier League's established order.
The Dutch Finance Ministry said it had blocked access to some of its computer systems after a hack was detected on March 19. The breach affected a number of primary processes related to the work of some employees in the policy department, the ministry said. An investigation has been launched, though it is not yet known when further information will be available, a spokeswoman for the ministry said...
The Dutch Finance Ministry said it had blocked access to some of its computer systems after a hack was detected on March 19. The breach affected a number of primary processes related to the work of some employees in the policy department, the ministry said. An investigation has been launched, though it is not yet known when further information will be available, a spokeswoman for the ministry said. Services for citizens and business related to the tax authority, customs and benefits are unaffected, the ministry said. The spokeswoman declined to comment on whether treasury operations are affected.
(RTTNews) - European stocks reversed early losses and closed higher on Monday, amid signs of a de-escalation in the ongoing Iran conflict after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a five-day pause on strikes over Iran. The statement from Trump resulted in a sharp fall in oil prices, and a remarkable rally in the stock markets. Stocks had plunged sharply earlier in the day as brent crude climbed ...
(RTTNews) - European stocks reversed early losses and closed higher on Monday, amid signs of a de-escalation in the ongoing Iran conflict after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a five-day pause on strikes over Iran. The statement from Trump resulted in a sharp fall in oil prices, and a remarkable rally in the stock markets. Stocks had plunged sharply earlier in the day as brent crude climbed to $114 a barrel after Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning of strikes on power plants. Tehran retaliated by saying that it would attack Israel's power plants and plants supplying U.S. bases in the Gulf if Trump carries out his threat to "obliterate" Iran's power network. After Trump's remarks that Washington has held "very good and productive" conversations with Iran and has ordered a temporary halt to planned military strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, oil prices tumbled. In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said the decision followed "in-depth, detailed, and constructive" discussions over the past two days aimed at achieving a "complete and total resolution" of hostilities in West Asia. Brent crude futures, which fell to $96 a barrel after Trump's latest announcement, subsequently moved past $100 a barrel, but still remained sharply below last week's closing price. The pan European Stoxx 600 ended up by 0.61% at 576.78, recovering from a low of 559.05%. Germany's DAX, which tumbled to 21,863.38, the lowest level in about 13 months, settled with a gain of 1.22% at 22,653.86, and France's CAC 40 closed up by 0.79% at 7,726.20, rallying from a nine-month low of 7,505.27. The U.K.'s FTSE 100, which dropped to 9,670.18, surged to 10,036.65 before paring gains to settle at 9,894.15, down 0.24%. Switzerland's SMI ended 0.56% up 12,389.68, coming off a low of 12,053.51. Among other markets in Europe, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Türkiye close...
President Trump recently issued an ultimatum to Iran. Fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, or the U.S. would begin attacking the country's power plants. Such strikes would likely drive Iran to retaliate against energy infrastructure in the Gulf, which could send oil prices even higher. However, the President announced he was postponing potential military strikes against Iran's power ...
President Trump recently issued an ultimatum to Iran. Fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, or the U.S. would begin attacking the country's power plants. Such strikes would likely drive Iran to retaliate against energy infrastructure in the Gulf, which could send oil prices even higher. However, the President announced he was postponing potential military strikes against Iran's power plants for five-days on Monday morning based on some productive dialogue with Iran over the weekend. This positive news sent stock prices soaring, while oil prices and oil stocks fell. As an energy investor, here are two things I'd do right now. Build an oil stock watch list This week will be a pivotal one for the oil market. If the U.S. and Iran start progressing toward peace, crude prices will keep falling. However, if the two sides can't reach an agreement to de-escalate, crude prices could go much higher, especially if Iran attacks additional oil infrastructure in the Persian Gulf. Given the uncertainty, I'd spend this week building a list of oil stocks that I'd buy based on the direction crude prices appear headed. One oil stock that would top my watch list is Chevron (CVX +1.31%). The oil giant has one of the lowest breakeven levels in the oil sector at less than $50 a barrel and a fortress balance sheet. Chevron is also on track to grow its cash flow at a more than 10% compound annual rate through 2030 at $70 oil. Those features put it in a strong position to weather lower oil prices if there's lasting peace in the Middle East. Expand NYSE : CVX Chevron Today's Change ( 1.31 %) $ 2.65 Current Price $ 204.38 Key Data Points Market Cap $403B Day's Range $ 197.47 - $ 204.86 52wk Range $ 132.04 - $ 205.08 Volume 642K Avg Vol 12M Gross Margin 14.66 % Dividend Yield 3.43 % Meanwhile, it can produce significantly more free cash flow if oil prices remain higher. While Chevron has some exposure to the Middle East, its diversified global operations position it to thrive no mat...
Apple announced today that it would be holding its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) from June 8 to 12 this year, giving both developers and the general public a first look at "incredible updates for Apple platforms, including AI advancements and exciting new software and developer tools." The conference will start with an in-person "special event" at the company's Apple Park headquart...
Apple announced today that it would be holding its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) from June 8 to 12 this year, giving both developers and the general public a first look at "incredible updates for Apple platforms, including AI advancements and exciting new software and developer tools." The conference will start with an in-person "special event" at the company's Apple Park headquarters that will also be streamed online via YouTube and Apple's Developer app , among other places. Apple occasionally introduces new hardware at WWDC, but the presentation is usually dedicated mostly to the major software releases that Apple will test all summer and release alongside new iPhones and other products in the fall. We don't know much for sure about what's coming in the new releases, but we can probably expect iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and the other new updates to refine the Liquid Glass design language, introduce the promised "AI advancements," and end support for the last remaining Intel Macs . Like the past few years, Apple will primarily host the developer-centric parts of the conference online. The keynote and the more technical Platforms State of the Union presentation will be live, in-person presentations on the 8th, and Apple says that day will also include opportunities to "meet with Apple engineers and designers, and connect with the worldwide developer community." In-person passes will be handed out via lottery to those who request them. Read full article Comments
Jane Harman, former Democratic representative from California who served as ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, said that Congress has shown it is not interested in stepping up in an active role in negotiations around the war with Iran or in working together to problem solve a deal on DHS funding. (Source: Bloomberg)
Jane Harman, former Democratic representative from California who served as ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, said that Congress has shown it is not interested in stepping up in an active role in negotiations around the war with Iran or in working together to problem solve a deal on DHS funding. (Source: Bloomberg)
Valerie Perrine, who was Oscar nominated for her performance in Bob Fosse’s 1974 Lenny Bruce biopic and played Lex Luthor’s girlfriend in the Richard Donner Superman films, has died aged 82. Writing on Facebook, the film-maker Stacey Souther announced her death, saying: “It is with deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that Valerie has passed away.” He continued by asking readers to don...
Valerie Perrine, who was Oscar nominated for her performance in Bob Fosse’s 1974 Lenny Bruce biopic and played Lex Luthor’s girlfriend in the Richard Donner Superman films, has died aged 82. Writing on Facebook, the film-maker Stacey Souther announced her death, saying: “It is with deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that Valerie has passed away.” He continued by asking readers to donate to a GoFundMe fundraiser to help cover her funeral costs. “Her final wish is to be laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery,” he wrote, “but after more than 15 years of fighting Parkinson’s, her finances are exhausted. Let’s come together to make her last wish a reality – she truly deserves it.” Perrine was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015, and her experience of the condition became the subject of a 45-minute documentary made by Souther, which premiered in 2019. In the face of the illness, wrote Souther, she showed “incredible courage and compassion, never once complaining. She was a true inspiration who lived life to the fullest – and what a magnificent life it was. The world feels less beautiful without her in it.” View image in fullscreen Perrine with Dustin Hoffman in Lenny. Photograph: Cine Text / Allstar/Sportsphoto Ltd. / Allstar A Hollywood Reporter profile of the star in 2023 further expanded on her illness, and how Souther had taken on a care-giving role for both Valerie and her brother, Ken, who also has Parkinson’s. Perrine began her career as a showgirl in Las Vegas but left after her gun importer fiance accidentally shot himself in the heart. Once in Los Angeles, she had an affair with with the celebrity hairdresser Jay Sebring, but he was then murdered by members of the “Manson Family” cult in Sharon Tate’s home. Later she was spotted by a talent agent at a Los Angeles dinner party and cast as a soft porn performer in the film version of Slaughterhouse-Five (1972) and the girlfriend of Jeff Bridges’ racing car driver in The Last American Hero in 197...
Silicon Valley’s alliance with the Trump administration will be on display Tuesday at a summit in Washington where business leaders’ calls to keep the US lead in artificial intelligence will be tested by growing public concern over AI’s economic impact and its use in the Iran war. Known as the Hill and Valley Forum, the day-long event will convene dozens of senior executives, venture capitalists a...
Silicon Valley’s alliance with the Trump administration will be on display Tuesday at a summit in Washington where business leaders’ calls to keep the US lead in artificial intelligence will be tested by growing public concern over AI’s economic impact and its use in the Iran war. Known as the Hill and Valley Forum, the day-long event will convene dozens of senior executives, venture capitalists and government officials. This year’s headliners include JP Morgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon , Palantir Technologies Inc. Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar and Brad Lightcap , OpenAI’s chief operating officer. The conference promises to showcase the tech industry’s embrace of President Donald Trump , who has made accelerating AI adoption a centerpiece of his economic agenda. One of the forum’s founders, former Palantir adviser Jacob Helberg , now works in the administration as under secretary of state for economic affairs and has spearheaded US efforts to boost access to raw materials needed for advanced technologies. Calls to keep the US lead over China in AI have been a running theme since the event’s launch in 2023 during the Biden administration, shortly after OpenAI’s ChatGPT breakthrough. Helberg and co-founders Christian Garrett of 137 Ventures and Delian Asparouhov of Founders Fund have sought to use the forum to find more common ground between Silicon Valley and Washington. “The forum is set up to host these discussions,” Garrett said in a media briefing Monday. “Over the past few years you’ve seen a growing reemergence and tightening of that relationship and it’s important as we enter increased competition with adversaries and for national security reasons.” The Trump administration’s push to maintain US AI supremacy has been complicated by the Pentagon’s feud with one of the country’s leading artificial intelligence developers, Anthropic PBC , over AI safeguards. The clash risks undercutting Anthropic’s business by requiring federal agenc...