Prediction markets in the news are a dangerous gamble
Prediction markets in the news are a dangerous gamble Today on Decoder, let’s talk about prediction markets, which continue to insert themselves into the news cycle and the news itself in increasingly weird, unsettling, and potentially illegal ways. My guest today is Liz Lopatto, senior reporter at The Verge, who owns what we cheerfully call […]
Kalshi voids some bets on Khamenei’s ouster because it’s ‘directly tied to death’
Kalshi voids some bets on Khamenei's ouster because it's 'directly tied to death' In a statement on X, Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour said his company would pay out positions on “Ali Khamenei out as Supreme Leader?” at the last trading price before his death. Mansour said that Kalshi doesn’t “list markets directly tied to death” […]
Polymarket defends its decision to allow betting on war as ‘invaluable’
Polymarket defends its decision to allow betting on war as 'invaluable' It might be World War III, but at least I won $20. | Image: Polymarket / The Verge Polymarket has been allowing people to bet on when the US would strike Iran next. Obviously, now that it’s actually happened and people have died, the […]
The Trump phone sure looks a lot like this HTC handset
The Trump phone sure looks a lot like this HTC handset The HTC U24 Pro may not be gold, but its design is otherwise awfully similar to the Trump phone’s. | Image: HTC Where’s the Trump phone? We’re going to keep talking about it every week. We’ve reached out, as usual, to ask about the […]
AI vs. the Pentagon: killer robots, mass surveillance, and red lines
AI vs. the Pentagon: killer robots, mass surveillance, and red lines WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 29: U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (C) speaks during a meeting of the Cabinet as U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (R) listen in the Cabinet Room of the White House on January 29, […]
The US military reportedly shot down a CBP drone with a laser
The US military reportedly shot down a CBP drone with a laser The US-Mexico border in Fort Hancock, Texas. | Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images The US military mistakenly shot down a drone belonging to Customs and Border Protection near the Mexican border in Fort Hancock, Texas, according to reports from Reuters and The […]
DHS reportedly detained a Columbia University student and content creator
DHS reportedly detained a Columbia University student and content creator Students are seen on the campus of Columbia University on April 14, 2025, in New York City. An immigration judge ruled on April 11 that Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian student protester from Columbia University and a US permanent resident detained by the Trump administration, can […]
Trump claims he’ll make data centers pay for their own power supply
Trump claims he'll make data centers pay for their own power supply President Donald Trump tried to quell Americans’ concerns about rising electricity costs during his State of the Union speech by claiming that he’s negotiated a “rate payer protection pledge” with major tech companies, which would see them build out or pay for new […]
Inside Anthropic’s existential negotiations with the Pentagon
Inside Anthropic's existential negotiations with the Pentagon Anthropic’s weekslong battle with the Department of Defense has played out over social media posts, admonishing public statements, and direct quotes from unnamed Pentagon officials to the news media. But the future of the $380 billion AI startup comes down to just three words: “any lawful use.” The […]
Georgia says Elon Musk’s America PAC violated election law
Georgia says Elon Musk's America PAC violated election law Of course, it’s the guy who constantly complains about voter fraud who may have committed voter fraud. | Image: The Verge For all his bluster about voter fraud, Elon Musk has been one of the most flagrant flaunters of US election law. Now his America PAC […]