A reminder that, on June 16th, I will be in conversation with author, journalist and publisher @RossBarkan about his new novel, Colossus.
Thanks to Octopus Books for hosting! The festivities will start at 7PM - hope to see you there!
RSVP here: https://t.co/TpA46uCAq2
So far at the 2026 FIFA Epstein Cup before a ball kicked:
- Senegal & Uzbekistan squads treated like criminals upon arrival given full cavity searches;
- Africa’s best referee sent back to Somalia despite having a diplomatic passport;
- Iraq team photographer sent back despite valid visa;
- AIPS (international sport journalist association) calling on FIFA to sort out unacceptable visa issues of African & Iranian journalists;
- 90% of Moroccan fans with tickets denied entry
- 14 members of Iran backroom staff denied visas
Not a word from Gianni ”today I feel black/gay/disabled etc” Infantino.
The Teamsters Union demands that Disney end its “communal underwear” practices.
Currently, costumed Disney Parks employees have to wear shared underwear because it is feared that their own underwear might be visible under the costume. This has led to many pubic lice outbreaks.
China's crude imports alre collapsing.
The world's largest oil buyer is being shut out by the same crisis closing Hormuz.
For a decade: 7-12 mb/d.
The anchor of global oil demand growth.
From this year a sharp decline in imports.
The reason is simple.
China sources most of its crude from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Iran.
Every barrel transits Hormuz.
When Hormuz became a war zone, the supply chain didn't just get expensive it got physically disrupted.
Tankers rerouted.
Insurance exploded.
Cargoes cancelled.
Full analysis in my latest article.
Link in the comments 👇
Just awful numbers for the war in Iran:
1) More Republicans call the war a net-negative than a net-positive.
2) Just 39% of Republicans -- and 16% overall -- say we're winning or have won the war.
Saleh Abu Shamala lives in London and has gone into debt helping his family in Gaza survive. For nine months, @emilykassie and I followed Saleh and investigated how Israeli trade restrictions and black market smuggling sent costs in Gaza soaring @NYTmag https://t.co/ZSxWVR6Fdz
THE ODYSSEY (2026) has already sold 150,000 tickets in domestic opening weekend presales.
That’s more than double the roughly 65,000 tickets OPPENHEIMER (2023) had sold at the same point, signaling a massive start for Christopher Nolan’s next epic. 🎟️