Traders placed over $1bn in perfectly timed bets on the Iran war. What is going on? Suspicious wagers on the US-Israel war in Iran are creating huge windfalls and raising concerns among lawmakers

We know exactly what is going on: kleptocracy. And the fact that it's being done in plain sight by MAGA makes it OK, apparently.

Middle East crisis live: Iran claims it has ‘new cards for battlefield’, and weighs talks in Pakistan Iranian official stresses no decision made on taking part, as US vice-president JD Vance is set to travel to Islamabad for negotiations

Even Iran has adopted Trump's childish language about conflict. Apparently, war is now a card game ... and 80 is the new 13.

Playoff hockey gets officiating in its classic form – poor and hilarious One day, the robot refs will rule the sports landscape and their perfection will bore you

Great, funny piece. If you don't understand the appeal of spectator sports, this might help.

Ironically, these guys have done more damage to the self worth of white men than anyone. It's just embarrassing being an older white dude nowadays. Cavemen were surely better on average. Where do you send garden variety assholes? Back to the daddies who gave them something stupid to prove?

Poster boy for hypocrisy.

It is strange how the American political and white collar judicial systems find it easier to punish women than men. Did Martha Stewart and Elizabeth Holmes do anything worse than many businessmen and tech CEOs? Would Kamala Harris have gotten away with a fraction of what Trump does? And yet...

Thank you for helping me notice the wildlife in our neighborhood.

And my Casio calculator is a math genius!

We really need to start thinking differently about news ownership. More well funded public ownership of independent local and regional news would be a start. It is possible. It just takes clear systems and rules that protect journalists.

👍 That's what we do in Toronto. Our kitchen/compost bin is green and goes out every week. Plus blue for recycling (every 2 weeks) and black for garbage (every 2 weeks). Works.

Trump Escalates Feud With Unclear Adversary By Posting AI Video Of Self Fucking Basketball WASHINGTON—Shocking Truth Social followers with a graphic insult to a nebulous opponent, President Donald Trump escalated a feud with an unclear adversary Monday by posting an AI video of himself fuck...

But he's a media genius...

well that explains it...

This is the difference between a centre-left that is diverse and open to dissent and a right that is paternalistic, unwilling to question power it nominally aligns with, and dominated by a captured media.

I very happily live in the most diverse neighbourhood in one of the most diverse cities in the world. But I really doubt I'd enjoy living in a small town where there are tons of inbred guys called "Dale". He can keep his so-called "culture", "religion", "values", and his racist "language".

Someone Has to Be Happy. Why Not Lauren Sánchez Bezos?

Gross...

Hungary election live: Viktor Orbán concedes defeat in Hungarian election after 16 years in power Long-serving prime minister beaten by opposition after early results showed clear lead

Let's hope this is a sign of the times.

Middle East crisis live: US failed to gain Iran’s trust during talks, claims delegation leader Tehran’s parliament speaker says they raised ‘forward-looking initiatives’, after countries fail to reach deal after marathon talks in Pakistan

Maybe a "Can't be Trusted" message would resonate more with voters than "No Kings".

Which is better supported by evidence?
1. God exists.
2. Humans will believe just about anything.

The irony is that just about any utterance from a member of this administration could be summed up with "In other words, bullshit." That would save a lot of ink...and pixels...and attention.

It's also very kind outreach to their base, who generally don't bother learning the meaning of words like "farcical", not to mention "truth" and "social".

How 1984 can you get?

Trump says ‘a whole civilisation will die tonight’ if Iran does not make a deal – Middle East crisis live The US president once again warned Iran to make a deal to avert threat of massive attacks

So Trump is openly threatening to kill whole civilizations now. How exactly is this not a war crime? Sociopath or Sucker? Or both?

Opinion: The U.S. will emerge from the war with Iran as a lesser power It will be so diminished that we are staring down a post-American future

If America leaves these cretins in charge, the middle powers will need to step up. What would that even look like?

Well that's a given.

As Team Trump wage unceasing war on Iran, evangelical nationalists are destroying any moral world order we once had | Simon Tisdall The brutalisation of global norms by figures like Pete Hegseth has become a fight against chaos, and all major religions must play a role, says Guardian foreign affairs commentator Simon Tisdall

I was never anti-American before, but putting guys like this in charge of anything is way beyond the pale.

Since when is it "reign down" rather than "rain down"? Or is this just another way for him to claim Kingship?

America really needs a third party with a simple "we are not dickheads" platform.

It isn't lack of money that stops Americans from having high quality public goods and infrastructure, it's lack of will. For too many of them "Public Good" is an oxymoron. So: fabulous private jets & shit trains, great private universities & hospitals but crap public schools and worse public health.

Trump threatens NATO and the NYTimes puts a puppy story above the fold. Not news: Trump was always an ass and the Times only reports to protect its bottom line and the status quo. Now that means normalizing Idiocy and promoting wordle. Reuters and The Guardian are The Paper of Record.

Trump mocks Japan about Pearl Harbor in response to question about Iran war US president was meeting with Japanese PM when he said: ‘Who knows better about surprise than Japan?’

The Guardian got it right.