Test yourself on topical news trivia, pop culture and general knowledge every Thursday. How will you fare? Welcome to the Thursday news quiz, where curiosity is in full bloom thanks to our illustration by Anaïs Mims . Even the most carefully arranged facts can contain a hint of uncertainty, so beware the rogue question marks popping up among the petals of knowledge. Fifteen questions on topical ne...
Test yourself on topical news trivia, pop culture and general knowledge every Thursday. How will you fare? Welcome to the Thursday news quiz, where curiosity is in full bloom thanks to our illustration by Anaïs Mims . Even the most carefully arranged facts can contain a hint of uncertainty, so beware the rogue question marks popping up among the petals of knowledge. Fifteen questions on topical news, pop culture and general knowledge await. There are no prizes, but we always enjoy hearing how you got on in the comments. Allons-y! The Thursday news quiz, No 247 Continue reading...
After Reform politicians were cheered and progressive rabbis booed at rally against antisemitism, some fear longstanding alliances are fracturing Rabbi Charley Baginsky, the co-leader of Progressive Judaism, admitted she felt apprehensive before speaking at last weekend’s central London rally against antisemitism. As she addressed the crowd, there were some boos. It wasn’t the first time – last ye...
After Reform politicians were cheered and progressive rabbis booed at rally against antisemitism, some fear longstanding alliances are fracturing Rabbi Charley Baginsky, the co-leader of Progressive Judaism, admitted she felt apprehensive before speaking at last weekend’s central London rally against antisemitism. As she addressed the crowd, there were some boos. It wasn’t the first time – last year, on a similar stage outside Downing Street, Baginsky and her fellow co-lead, Rabbi Josh Levy, were jeered off stage. Continue reading...
Getty Images The following segment was excerpted from the Diamond Hill Select Strategy Q1 2026 Commentary. The Strategy declined 0.52% (net of fees) and the Russell 3000 Index declined 3.96%. Key contributors • Regal Rexnord ( RRX ) , a manufacturer of electrical products for industrial equipment, outperformed in Q1 as the company reported strong orders for a new data center product, which should ...
Getty Images The following segment was excerpted from the Diamond Hill Select Strategy Q1 2026 Commentary. The Strategy declined 0.52% (net of fees) and the Russell 3000 Index declined 3.96%. Key contributors • Regal Rexnord ( RRX ) , a manufacturer of electrical products for industrial equipment, outperformed in Q1 as the company reported strong orders for a new data center product, which should support solid revenue growth in 2027. Additionally, merger synergies and continuous improvement efforts continue to drive better-than-expected organic growth and margin expansion. While leverage remains somewhat elevated and could leave the company vulnerable to near-term macroeconomic weakness, we continue to view the stock as attractive at current prices. • Exploration and production company Diamondback Energy ( FANG ) saw shares rise as the sharp rise in oil prices drove a broad rally across US-based oil producers. As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East tightened the supply outlook, investors increasingly rewarded US producers for their leverage to higher commodity prices, potential for outsized cash generation and capacity for strong capital returns. • Natural gas exploration and production company Antero Resources ( AR ) benefited from a broad Q1 rally across US exploration and production companies, driven by a sharp rise in oil prices as heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East tightened the supply outlook. Key detractors • Consumer finance company Capital One ( COF ) underperformed during the quarter following its announced acquisition of Brex, an AI-native commercial fintech platform. While the market generally viewed the deal's strategic and financial merits favorably over the long term, shares were pressured by near-term concerns, including higher planned marketing spend to capture credit opportunities and rising uncertainty around future credit costs amid macro volatility. • Shares of Salesforce ( CRM ) declined amid concerns around generative AI ...
Andreessen Horowitz is making its first investment in the Gulf with a fundraise for a Saudi startup, as investors continue to sign deals despite the US-Israel war on Iran. The venture capital firm is leading a $25 million Series A for the Riyadh-based enterprise software firm Stitch, and the proceeds will be used for product development and expansion across the region, according to an emailed stat...
Andreessen Horowitz is making its first investment in the Gulf with a fundraise for a Saudi startup, as investors continue to sign deals despite the US-Israel war on Iran. The venture capital firm is leading a $25 million Series A for the Riyadh-based enterprise software firm Stitch, and the proceeds will be used for product development and expansion across the region, according to an emailed statement. Existing investors Arbor Ventures , COTU Ventures , Raed Ventures and SVC also participated in the round. Stitch wants to challenge traditional banking software makers such as Temenos AG , Fidelity National Information Services Inc. and Fiserv Inc. The startup helps financial services firms onboard customers, monitor transactions and manage financial products including accounts, cards, loans and payments on its platform. Andreessen Horowitz, also known as a16z, has invested in Dubai property technology startup Smart Bricks through its accelerator program Speedrun, but hasn’t made a Gulf investment through its main umbrella until now. The Menlo Park, California-based firm, which manages $90 billion across multiple funds, had held talks in 2024 with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund on a vehicle for artificial intelligence investments. Wall Street banks and major financial institutions have doubled down on their commitment to the region, despite the ongoing conflict. Many are betting that regional investors will continue to deploy billions, rather than delay dealmaking. However, some funds in the region are being more cautious on handing out capital. Read More: Iran War Tests Wall Street Firms’ Addiction to Mideast Money Stitch currently operates across the Gulf, Africa, as well as Southeast Asia, with customers including Raya Financing and Lulu Exchange, among others. The startup has so far raised a combined $35 million, around the latest round starting earlier this year and continuing through the outbreak of the war, Stitch Chief Executive Officer and founder Moh...
Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks have not exactly flown under the radar over the past three or four years. There have been major blips across the screen that have garnered massive investor attention -- mostly positive, although they did receive some negative attention earlier this year. But there are some AI stocks that have been mostly overlooked that investors should get to know. Here are two...
Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks have not exactly flown under the radar over the past three or four years. There have been major blips across the screen that have garnered massive investor attention -- mostly positive, although they did receive some negative attention earlier this year. But there are some AI stocks that have been mostly overlooked that investors should get to know. Here are two top, under-the-radar AI stocks to consider this month. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
Cristiano Ronaldo , the world’s first billionaire footballer, has bought a stake in LiveModeTV, the international streaming channel linked to Brazil’s CazéTV, expanding his push into digital media ahead of the next World Cup. “The mission is to put sports out there for everyone, in a whole new inspiring way,” Ronaldo said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg News. The goal is to enhance reach and ...
Cristiano Ronaldo , the world’s first billionaire footballer, has bought a stake in LiveModeTV, the international streaming channel linked to Brazil’s CazéTV, expanding his push into digital media ahead of the next World Cup. “The mission is to put sports out there for everyone, in a whole new inspiring way,” Ronaldo said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg News. The goal is to enhance reach and engagement “through YouTube broadcasts and content distributed across all social media platforms,” he added. Leia em português. LiveModeTV is the international arm of LiveMode, the company behind Brazil’s fast-growing CazéTV platform founded by influencer Casimiro Miguel, and forms part of its expansion beyond Brazil. LiveModeTV recently launched earlier in Portugal to provide free, digital-first coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ronaldo, who is Portuguese, didn’t say how much he will invest to acquire a “relevant stake” in the newly formed digital sports broadcast company outside Brazil. The move marks the latest deal by the 41-year-old, whose net worth is estimated to be about $1.4 billion. Streaming companies have been building portfolios in sports as they seek new avenues for growth. CazéTV and LiveMode have introduced a new model, mostly showing premium sports content free on YouTube, and depending on advertising revenue and sponsorships instead of subscriptions. In Brazil, CazéTV recorded 3.7 billion views in 2025 on YouTube alone. LiveMode is hoping to gain scale abroad by partnering with Ronaldo, who has his own YouTube channel and is the most popular person in the world on Instagram, with over 660 million followers. “What sports leagues and competitions get from channels like CazéTV is a new audience,” said Minal Modha of Ampere Analysis, a media consultancy. “Many sports competitions are struggling to engage young fans, and these channels have access to that demographic.” CazéTV has the potential to attract big audiences because there is so little free live spo...
Blackstone ’s newly formed data center REIT, Blackstone Digital Infrastructure Trust , raised $1.75B in its U.S. IPO after pricing 87.5M shares at $20 each. The underwriters have a 30-day option to lift total IPO proceeds to $2B. The shares are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on May 14, 2026, under the ticker symbol "BXDC" ( BXDC ) with closing expected on May 15, 2026. Th...
Blackstone ’s newly formed data center REIT, Blackstone Digital Infrastructure Trust , raised $1.75B in its U.S. IPO after pricing 87.5M shares at $20 each. The underwriters have a 30-day option to lift total IPO proceeds to $2B. The shares are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on May 14, 2026, under the ticker symbol "BXDC" ( BXDC ) with closing expected on May 15, 2026. The REIT plans to acquire stabilized, newly built data centers valued between $250M and $1.5B, targeting investment-grade hyperscale tenants in key U.S. markets including Northern Virginia, Ohio, Phoenix, Maryland, and Austin. It has identified about $25B in near-term data center opportunities. This IPO comes amid surging investor demand for AI-linked infrastructure assets and expanding hyperscale data center spending by major technology companies. More on Blackstone Prologis: Likely To Outperform Blackstone Industrial Funds Blackstone: Be Greedy When Others Are Fearful A Rare Chance To Buy Blackstone's $1.3 Trillion Empire At A Deep Discount Here's the full list of business executives invited to go with Trump to China Blackstone launches lending platform for homebuilders to construct over 50K houses annually
Exclusive: former deputy prime minister says investigation ‘clipped my wings’ as she settles £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty Angela Rayner has been cleared by HMRC of deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness over her tax affairs, the Guardian can reveal, paving the way for a potential leadership bid as Keir Starmer’s grip on power unravels. The former deputy prime minister has settled £40,000 in unpaid ...
Exclusive: former deputy prime minister says investigation ‘clipped my wings’ as she settles £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty Angela Rayner has been cleared by HMRC of deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness over her tax affairs, the Guardian can reveal, paving the way for a potential leadership bid as Keir Starmer’s grip on power unravels. The former deputy prime minister has settled £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty after initially paying the lower rate , but has not paid any penalty as a result of the investigation. HMRC was also satisfied there was no tax avoidance. Continue reading...
Nanci Santos/iStock via Getty Images By Peter C. Earle Home prices and financing costs are still high, but several indicators suggest the market has moved past peak distortion. Whether US home prices are “the most expensive ever” depends critically on how the current moment is interpreted - a point underscored by the conflicting signals emerging from recent housing data. In March, the median price...
Nanci Santos/iStock via Getty Images By Peter C. Earle Home prices and financing costs are still high, but several indicators suggest the market has moved past peak distortion. Whether US home prices are “the most expensive ever” depends critically on how the current moment is interpreted - a point underscored by the conflicting signals emerging from recent housing data. In March, the median price of an existing home rose for the thirty-third consecutive month to a record level for that month, even as transaction volumes weakened and the spring buying season began on a notably soft footing. At the same time, economists at the National Association of Realtors report that home prices are at their highest levels on record even as sales have stalled , reflecting a market constrained by limited inventory, elevated mortgage rates, and weakening buyer confidence. Compounding this tension, affordability metrics have deteriorated to the point that buying is now more expensive than renting in most US markets, highlighting the extent to which financing costs and price levels have jointly eroded access to homeownership. Consider first nominal price levels. By this standard, US housing remains essentially at record highs. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Index reached an all-time peak in 2025 and has remained close to that level into early 2026. Median home prices likewise continue to register elevated readings relative to historical norms, even as transaction volumes have softened. The persistence of high prices alongside declining or stagnant sales reinforces the extent to which supply constraints - rather than robust demand - are sustaining current valuations. On a nominal basis, therefore, housing remains nearly as expensive as it has ever been. Source: Bloomberg Finance, LP A second, more informative metric is the ratio of home prices to household income. On this measure, housing also appears historically stretched. The price-to-income ratio is currently in the ran...
Earnings Call Insights: Enovix (ENVX) Q1 2026 Management View "This quarter marked another meaningful step in Enovix's transition towards commercialization and scale" (President, CEO & Director Raj Talluri) as the company highlighted "commercial production of our A1 battery" for smart eyewear and said "initial shipments are underway with production expected to ramp through the second half of the y...
Earnings Call Insights: Enovix (ENVX) Q1 2026 Management View "This quarter marked another meaningful step in Enovix's transition towards commercialization and scale" (President, CEO & Director Raj Talluri) as the company highlighted "commercial production of our A1 battery" for smart eyewear and said "initial shipments are underway with production expected to ramp through the second half of the year" (President, CEO & Director Talluri). "On smartphones, we aligned with Honor on an updated qualification framework designed specifically for silicon-anode batteries" (President, CEO & Director Talluri), adding that a second smartphone OEM "will need to adapt a similar testing framework" and that the "0.7C test" was removed as a gating requirement in favor of updated protocols (President, CEO & Director Talluri). "Our global pipeline for products manufactured in Korea now exceeds $130 million" (President, CEO & Director Talluri) and management said the majority is "driven by rapidly expanding drone applications" (President, CEO & Director Talluri). "We recently appointed Steve Bakos as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales" (President, CEO & Director Talluri), saying he brings "more than 35 years of global semiconductor sales leadership" and experience with "large global accounts, including Apple" (President, CEO & Director Talluri). "Our first quarter results reflect disciplined financial execution alongside continued commercialization investment" (Chief Financial Officer Ryan Benton). Outlook "Revenue is expected in the range of $8 million to $9 million" for Q2 2026, which management said reflects "continued growth in defense and industrial shipments and initial smart eyewear revenue as deliveries to our lead customer begin" (Chief Financial Officer Benton). "Non-GAAP loss from operations is expected between $29 million and $32 million" and "Non-GAAP net loss per share between $0.13 and $0.17" for Q2 2026 (Chief Financial Officer Benton). "Capital expenditure paymen...