Latest news with #LondonTimes
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Dark Times Are Here. Where Is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin emerged in the darkness of the global financial crisis in 2008. The Bitcoin white paper represented a genuine breakthrough in thinking about coordinating complex systems in a decentralized environment. Though not every idea in it was new, Bitcoin's combination was ground-breaking in its scope and potential for reliability. The Bitcoin white paper was something else as well: a political statement about the inherent untrustworthiness of central banks, banking regulators and governments more generally. Satoshi Nakamoto expressed strong distrust of central banks in early emails introducing Bitcoin, and the Genesis Block itself contains a copy of a London Times headline from 2009, announcing that Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer was considering a second bank bailout. Bitcoin is supposed to be an alternative to the corrupt and corruptible governments, a bulwark against totalitarian states that removes their power to debase currency and seize assets from the population. Proof-of-Work, its consensus mechanism, is designed to prevent bad actors from corrupting the overall path of the network and self-custody means that no central authority can expropriate your assets. It was designed not just as a system of money, but a source of strength and independence in dark times. But, now the dark times are here, and Bitcoin is missing its moment. The U.S. dollar is the world's leading safe-haven asset, and it is under attack. Huge deficits (6.7% of GDP) and a high debt ratio (121%) along with a deeply dysfunctional government should point to a lot of good reasons for bitcoin to soar. It's mostly treading water (priced at $104,500 as we publish this). I can think of several reasons why. First, Bitcoin simply does not have the track record and staying power of other safe-haven assets. It is not that people are not seeking alternative safe havens; they are. The dollar is sinking against foreign currencies and gold, the oldest of all safe-haven assets, is hitting new highs. Fears about the regulatory position of bitcoin have eased, but access is still limited for many investors. Despite its recent history as a risk-on asset, in theory, bitcoin could be the very best asset in the world for de-risking a portfolio. Its issuance is fixed and the Proof of Work system, if no longer state-of-the-art, is still extremely well-proven. There will never be more than 21 million bitcoin and, no matter how high the price goes, it is not possible to create any more of it. Unlike gold and other precious metals, when prices increase, ever more challenging mining options become feasible, and more gold gets mined. So, is this game over for bitcoin? I think not. Though it would be nice if bitcoin were soaring, this moment may simply have come too soon for bitcoin to be the haven of choice. Fear not; this is certainly not the world's last economic and political crisis. Between now and the next one, bitcoin has some work to do. Bitcoin has one assignment before the next upheaval hits: Prove it can still evolve. That means fixing the three doubts now blocking mainstream capital. First, make self‑custody idiot‑proof—hardware, recovery, and insurance. Serious investors do not want to go dumpster-diving to find their lost hard drives. Memories of past crises, including caps on insurance and 'bail-ins' for wealthy investors, are a reminder that if they are 'not your keys, they are not your coins.' Second, ship a quantum‑resilient signature scheme before quantum computers make private keys passé. Quantum computing's future path is uncertain, but clever people are slowly but steadily making progress in this space. The risk to network security is real, even if the timeline is uncertain. The recent approval of NIST post-quantum signature schemes suggests that this reality is approaching. Third, reverse the miner‑consolidation trend with incentives that keep hash power distributed. Ethereum has done a great job working on resilience, distributing staking activity and building multiple client models. Bitcoin is lagging far behind in this space. We know hard pivots are possible. Five years ago, Ethereum's fees were choking growth; one merge and a roll‑up boom later, it looks nimble and more decentralized than ever. Bitcoin does not need to imitate Ethereum, but it must borrow its urgency. If the community can tick those three boxes, the next flight‑to‑safety could finally land on bitcoin. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Walton Goggins abruptly ends ‘off-the-rails' interview over Aimee Lou Wood feud questions: ‘What the f–k'
Walton Goggins abruptly ended a tense interview after repeatedly being asked about his rumored feud with his 'White Lotus' co-star Aimee Lou Wood. London Times writer Ed Potton first broached the subject by mentioning that Goggins, 53, and Wood, 31, no longer follow each other on Instagram. 'I'm not gonna have that conversation,' the actor responded in the story published Thursday. Goggins' American publicist then interrupted the Q&A to say, 'We're not going there, thank you,' which prompted his British rep to demand the 'next question.' Potton wrote that he quickly pivoted the conversation to Goggins' new movie 'The Uninvited,' though the entertainment journalist admittedly brought up Wood again later on when he inquired about reports that the former castmates will make a public appearance together soon. 'Shall we talk about 'The Uninvited' a bit more?' the British publicist quickly suggested. Potton claimed Goggins then called him out for sneaking in 'thinly veiled' queries and not seeming 'interested' in the film that the Emmy nominee was promoting. 'There is no conversation to be had about that. Sharing politics on social media — it's in a vacuum,' he tersely added. But when a determined Potton pressed once last time, the 'Justified' alum snapped, 'What the f–k, Ed! Come on, buddy. Wow.' Potton claimed Goggins' US rep immediately cut short the interview, which the longtime reporter described as 'off the rails' in his article. While Goggins and Wood appeared to be on good terms while filming Season 3 of their HBO series, in which they played doomed lovers Rick and Chelsea, fans began speculating about the current status of their friendship as the episodes aired earlier this year. The purported drama only worsened last month when the 'Fallout' star praised a 'Saturday Night Live' sketch that mocked the English actress's teeth. Despite Wood publicly calling the skit 'mean and unfunny,' Goggins has since announced he will host 'SNL' on May 10.
New York Post
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘White Lotus' star Walton Goggins cuts off interviewer over Aimee Lou Wood feud questions: ‘What the f–k'
He abruptly checked out. According to London Times writer Ed Potton, an interview he conducted with Walton Goggins swiftly went 'off-the-rails' and became 'acrimonious' after he asked Goggins about his rumored feud with his 'White Lotus' co-star Aimee Lou Wood, 31. 'I'm not gonna have that conversation,' Goggins, 53, said in the story, which was published Thursday. The story describes how Goggins' publicist also interjected to say, 'We're not going there, thank you.' 8 Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood in an Instagram selfie. aimeelouwood/Instagram 8 Walton Goggins in 'The White Lotus.' HBO Later in the interview, the reporter describes how when he broached the topic of Wood again, the publicist interjected to suggest they talk about his upcoming film, 'The Uninvited.' 'There is no conversation to be had about that,' Goggins said. 'Sharing politics on social media — it's in a vacuum.' When Potton said he tried a third time, Goggins said, 'What the f–, Ed! Come on buddy. Wow.' The Post reached out to Goggins' rep for comment. 8 Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood in an Instagram selfie. aimeelouwood/Instagram 8 Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood in 'The White Lotus.' HBO Goggins and Wood starred as Rick and Chelsea, an ill-fated couple on vacation in Thailand, in Season 3 of the HBO hit, 'The White Lotus.' Their co-stars included Jason Isaacs, Carrie Coon, Sam Rockwell, Leslie Bibb and Patrick Schwarzenegger. Every season of the Mike White dramedy follows dysfunctional characters on vacation at the titular resort before ending with a death. Both Rick and Chelsea were the Season 3 casualties, dying in a shootout that Rick instigated. Neither Goggins or Wood have publicly addressed the feud rumors, which were caused in part by their co-star, Isaacs, who hinted at behind the scenes drama during a March interview with Vulture. 'It was like a cross between summer camp and 'Lord of the Flies' but in a gilded cage. It wasn't a holiday,' Isaacs, 61, said. 'Some people got very close, there were friendships that were made and friendships that were lost.' Isaacs didn't name names, but fans speculated that he was referring to Goggins and Wood after viewers noticed the co-stars don't follow each other on Instagram – even though Wood follows over 5,000 people. 8 Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood in 'The White Lotus.' Fabio Lovino/HBO 8 Walton Goggins on 'Late Night With Seth Meyers' April 8, 2025. Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty Images In a Reddit thread, fans claimed that the unfollowing happened weeks ago. They also speculated that Goggins may have blocked Wood because all of her comments on his Instagram are gone. His previous comments on her page, meanwhile, are still up. Both actors also shared photo tributes and tagged most of their co-stars — but not each other. In February, Goggins told People about Wood, 'She was the person that mattered most to me during this experience. Even though my friends were there, we both became [enmeshed] in each other in the way that Rick and Chelsea are. I think the world of her.' 8 Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood in an Instagram selfie. 8 Aimee Lou Wood and Walton Goggins in an Instagram photo on the set of 'The White Lotus.' Elsewhere in his Thursday interview with the London Times, Goggins said, ''The White Lotus' is the Super Bowl of culture, a turbocharged experience, and Mike White is a very caring, kind, astute observer of the human condition. I've had a lot of crazy times in my life in front of and not in front of a camera, but this is certainly something that is profound, not just for me, but I think for everybody that has been a part of it.' About rising to a higher level of fame from the show, the 'Fallout' star replied: 'It's a blessing and a curse, isn't it?' 'Honestly, buddy, and I really mean this, I treat those two impostors the same. My life was OK before 'The White Lotus,' my life will be OK after 'The White Lotus,'' the 'Justified' star continued. 'I have had a career that has given me opportunities when I could handle them. If this had happened in my twenties or early thirties it would have been a very different reaction.'
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Prince Harry Dramatically Quits His Own Charity After Losing Boardroom Battle
Prince Harry has dramatically quit the charity he set up to help children affected by HIV in Botswana and Lesotho amid a poisonous battle for control within the organization. The charity, Sentebale, has responded that it is 'pleased' to confirm its board has been restructured and said it was now no longer focused on HIV-related issues but on 'youth health, wealth and climate resilience in Southern Africa.' According to a bombshell report in the London Times, Harry–who has raised millions for the charity he established in 2006–has been forced out, along with his co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, after losing a bitter battle to get rid of the chair of the board of the charity, Sophie Chandauka, a Zimbabwe-born lawyer. Sentebale is now being investigated by the U.K. Charity Commission. In a joint statement, which is yet to be officially released but was been obtained by The Times, Harry and his co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho wrote: 'What's transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this.' They said: 'Nearly 20 years ago, we founded Sentebale in honour of our mothers. Sentebale means 'forget-me-not' in Sesotho, the local language of Lesotho, and it's what we've always promised for the young people we've served through this charity. 'Today is no different. With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as patrons of the organization until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same. It is devastating that the relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.' The Times said that a group of trustees had asked Chandauka to resign, and that she had retaliated by suing the trustees, who have now also quit. The princes' statement said: 'These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down, while keeping the wellbeing of staff in mind. In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship. We thank all the trustees for their service over the years and are truly heartbroken they've had to follow through with this act. 'What's transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this, but we have a continued responsibility to Sentebale's beneficiaries, so we will be sharing all of our concerns with the Charity Commission as to how this came about. 'Although we may no longer be patrons, we will always be its founders, and we will never forget what this charity is capable of achieving when it is in the right care.' The departing trustees said in a statement: 'Our priority has always been, and will always be, what's in the best interest of the charity, and it's desperately sad the breakdown in relationship escalated to a lawsuit by the chair against the charity, to block us from voting her out after our request for her resignation was rejected. We could not in good conscience allow Sentebale to undertake that legal and financial burden and have been left with no other option but to vacate our positions. This was not a choice willingly made, but rather something we felt forced into in order to look after the charity.' A spokesman for Sentebale told The Times that the charity had not received notice of the princes' resignation. The spokesman added: 'We are pleased to confirm the restructuring of our board on 25 March 2025 to introduce experts with the capabilities and networks to accelerate Sentebale's transformation agenda as announced last year. 'In April 2024, Sentebale signaled its evolution from a development organization focused on addressing the impact of HIV/Aids on the lives of children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana, to one that is addressing issues of youth health, wealth and climate resilience in Southern Africa. Our highly successful Return to Southern Africa campaign with prospective international funders in October 2024 demonstrated Sentebale's potential in these domains.' Prince Harry's office confirmed the joint statement obtained by The Times. The Daily Beast has contacted Sentebale for comment.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beyonce ‘Cowboy Carter' tour not selling tickets: Insider
Welcome to 'The Scoop' — the ultimate back-to-the-office water cooler cheat sheet, your go-to source for all things everyone really wants to know! Get the latest on everything from the political swamp maneuvering in D.C. and Hollywood drama to jaw-dropping small-town shenanigans from Paula Froelich. Subscribe to her newsletter here. (NewsNation) — Beyoncé may have bitten off more than she can chew. The pop superstar may have topped the country chart for her 'Cowboy Carter' album (for which she won her first Album of the Year award from the Grammys), but her ticket sales for the recently announced Cowboy Carter Tour have been lackluster — and she has yet to sell out any shows. According to StubHub, tickets for all shows on her tour, which kicks off in May, are still available — in all sections. Her ticket sales are especially slow in the U.K., according to the London Times in an article titled, 'She's a global megastar — so why can't Beyoncé sell out her UK tour?' Per The Times, Ticketmaster had braced itself for an 'onslaught' that never came. Stateside, there is just economic exhaustion, and many fans blew a lot of their money seeing her two years ago … and on Taylor Swift tickets last year. 'Her fanbase did not like 'Cowboy Carter' — they were not impressed,' a music industry insider told me. 'They just blew their wad seeing her two years ago and in Taylor tickets… Bad economics right now.' She may end up like Justin Timberlake, playing to just 11,000 fans at the end of his 'Forget Tomorrow' world tour. Fiancée of Faster Pussycat singer dies after going overboard on cruise, family says Readers of this column will remember I was first with the information that Timberlake's tour wasn't selling well and, as music journalist Toure told me, 'Sometimes you don't retire. The fans retire you.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
