Connect with us

Published

on

Some Silicon Valley venture capitalists have begun to turn against President Joe Biden while openly touting their support for former President Donald Trump — a sea change for an industry that has overwhelmingly supported Democrats in years past.

Prominent moguls such as David Sacks, Chamath Palihapitiya, Marc Andreessen and Shaun Maguire have grown disillusioned with signature Biden policy proposals such as his call for a 25% “billionaire tax” as well as antitrust crackdowns waged by the Federal Trade Commission.

Its impossible to support Biden, Keith Rabois, an early executive at PayPal who also played a role in the growth of LinkedIn, Square and Slide, told The New York Times.

While Rabois said he was not a fan of Trump, he would be “focused on electing a GOP Congress and Senate.”

Tech executives are also unhappy with the stringent regulations imposed on the cryptocurrency sector by Gary Gensler, Biden’s pick to head the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Lina Khan, Biden’s chair of the FTC, has sought to move aggressively against large tech companies that critics say have amassed too much power in the marketplace.

Khan unsuccessfully challenged Microsoft’s $70 billion acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard as well as Meta’s attempt to buy virtual reality startup Within.

Last year, the FTC sued Amazon, accusing the e-commerce giant of being a monopoly.

Andreessen, founder of powerhouse VC firm Andreessen Horowitz, recently said there are “real issues” with the Biden administration.

A second Trump administration would be staffed by “very different kinds of people” particularly at the SEC and FTC, Andreessen said in a recent podcast interview.

Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, wrote in a blog post last year that his company would support any politician who backed “an optimistic technology-enabled future.”

Sacks, the entrepreneur and investor who made his fortune as chief operating officer at PayPal during its early days, plans to host a fundraiser for Trump as well as interview the former president on his “All In” podcast.

After the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol, Sacks said that the incident disqualified Trump from elected office.

But four years of a Biden presidency have changed Sacks’ mind, according to The New York Times.

“I have bigger disagreements with Biden than with Trump,” Sacks was quoted as telling a tech conference last week.

Sacks cited Biden’s tax proposal, which would penalize startup founders who are wont to offer stock options to employees.

Its a good reason for Silicon Valley to think really hard about who it wants to vote for, Sacks told tech investors at the conference.

Last month, Sacks was one of a handful of prominent tech moguls who attended an “anti-Biden” dinner alongside Elon Musk and Peter Thiel.

Palihapitiya, the venture capitalist who was Mark Zuckerberg’s vice president of user growth shortly after the founding of Facebook, has also flipped from backing Democrats in the past to endorsing Trump.

Palihapitiya, the founder of the venture capital firm Social Capital, plans to co-host the fundraiser for Trump alongside Sacks, according to the Times.

Such open expressions of support for Trump was virtually unheard of in Silicon Valley in recent election cycles.

Four years ago you had to issue an apology if you voted for him, Delian Asparouhov, an investor at the Thiel-backed Founders Fund, wrote on his X account.

Shaun Maguire, an investor at Sequoia Capital, has criticized Biden on social media, though he has refrained from directly supporting Trump.

Biden has been getting away with double standards his entire career

3 strike laws for thee but not for me (Hunter)

Keeping classified documents without punishment

And now withholding aid to an ally

Well see what happens this time https://t.co/cUh8qCRbMY

After Biden indicated that the US would withhold certain weapons to Israel in the midst of the war in Gaza, Maguire accused him of “getting away with double standards his entire career” — a reference to the Democrats’ drive to impeach Trump for threatening to withhold aid from Ukraine during his presidency.

“We’ll see what happens this time,” Maguire wrote on his X account on May 9.

The Post has sought comment from the White House.

Continue Reading

UK

Gallagher brothers share a high-five and hug as Oasis reunite on stage after 16 years

Published

on

By

Gallagher brothers share a high-five and hug as Oasis reunite on stage after 16 years

Oasis have reunited on stage for the first time in almost 16 years – with brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher sharing a high five and the briefest of hugs as they closed a performance that for fans was more than worth the wait.

After the split in 2009, for many years Noel said he would never go back – and for a long time, as the brothers exchanged insults through separate interviews (and on social media, for Liam), it seemed pretty unlikely to ever happen.

But now, here they are. As they walked out on stage at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, all eyes were on the Gallaghers for a sense of their relationship – dare we say it, friendship? – now after all these years.

There was no reference to their fall-out or making up, but the gestures were there – lifting hands together as they walked out for the first time.

The headline "OASIS REUNITED" was shown on stage at the gig. Pic: PA
Image:
The headline “OASIS REUNITED” was shown on stage at the gig. Pic: PA

Fans at the Oasis gig. Pic: PA
Image:
Fans at the Oasis gig. Pic: PA

Headlines and tweets of speculation and then confirmation of the reunion filled the screens as the show started. “This is happening,” said one, repeatedly.

In the end, it was all about the music.

Liam has received criticism in the past for his voice not being what it once was during his solo or Beady Eye performances, but back on stage with his brother tonight he delivered exactly what fans would have hoped for – a raw, steely-eyed performance, snarling vocals, and the swagger that makes him arguably the greatest frontman of his day.

More on Oasis

This was Oasis sounding almost as good as they ever have.

Fans sang along and held up their phones to film as Oasis performed. Pic: PA
Image:
Fans sang along and held up their phones to film as Oasis performed. Pic: PA

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Oasis: ‘It’s good to be back’

They opened with Hello, because of course, “it’s good to be back”. And then Acquiesce, and those lyrics: “Because we need each other/ We believe in one another.”

The song is said to be about friendship in the wider sense, rather than their brotherly bond and sibling rivalry, but you can’t help but feel like it means something here.

Over two hours, they played favourite after favourite – including Morning Glory, Some Might Say, Cigarettes & Alcohol, Supersonic and Roll With It.

Liam Gallagher as Oasis takes to the stage in Cardiff. Pic: PA
Image:
Liam Gallagher as Oasis takes to the stage in Cardiff. Pic: PA

In the mid-section, Liam takes his break for Noel to sing Talk Tonight, Half The World Away and Little By Little; the tempo slows but there is by no means a lull, with the fans singing all his words back to him.

Liam returns for hits including Stand By Me, Slide Away, Whatever and Live Forever, before sending the crowd wild (or even wilder) with Rock And Roll Star.

Noel Gallagher performing on stage. Pic: PA
Image:
Noel Gallagher performing on stage. Pic: PA

An Oasis fan is pointing at the stage during the gig. Pic: PA
Image:
An Oasis fan is pointing at the stage during the gig. Pic: PA

When the reunion announcement was made last summer, it quickly became overshadowed by the controversy of dynamic pricing causing prices to rocket. As he has done on X before, Liam addressed the issue on stage with a joke.

“Was it worth the £4,000 you paid for the ticket?” he shouted at one point. “Yeah,” the crowd shouts back; seemingly all is forgiven.

After Rock And Roll Star, the dream that very quickly became a reality for this band, Noel introduced the rest of the group, calling Bonehead a “legend”.

Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs of Oasis. Pic: PA
Image:
Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs of Oasis. Pic: PA

Liam Gallagher carried a tambourine in his mouth during the concert. Pic: PA
Image:
Liam Gallagher carried a tambourine in his mouth during the concert. Pic: PA

Then he acknowledges all their young fans, some who maybe weren’t even born when they split. “This one is for all the people in their 20s who’ve never seen us before, who’ve kept this shit going,” he says before the encore starts with The Masterplan.

Noel follows with Don’t Look Back In Anger, and the screens fill with Manchester bees in reference to the arena bombing and how the song became the sound of hope and defiance for the city afterwards.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

‘I’d have paid £10,000 to see them’

Two fans sat on their friends' shoulders as Oasis performed. Pic: PA
Image:
Two fans sat on their friends’ shoulders as Oasis performed. Pic: PA

During Wonderwall, there’s a nice touch as Liam sings to the crowd: “There are many things I would like to say to you, but I don’t speak Welsh.”

It is at the end of Champagne Supernova, which closes the set, that it happens; Noel puts down his guitar, and they come together for a high-five and a back-slap, a blink-and-you’d miss it hug.

Read more:
What you need to know about the Oasis tour
Liam Gallagher hits out at council after fans branded ‘rowdy’

“Right then, beautiful people, this is it,” Liam had told the crowd as he introduced the song just a few minutes earlier. “Nice one for putting up with us over the years.”

From the roar of the audience, it’s safe to say most people here would agree it’s been worth it.

Continue Reading

Politics

Sweden’s justice minister says to ‘turn up the pressure’ on crypto seizures

Published

on

By

Sweden’s justice minister says to ‘turn up the pressure’ on crypto seizures

Sweden’s justice minister says to ‘turn up the pressure’ on crypto seizures

Gunnar Strömmer reportedly said that Swedish authorities had confiscated more than $8.3 million worth of criminal profits since a law related to seizures was passed in 2024.

Continue Reading

US

At least 13 people confirmed dead and more than 20 missing from girls camp in Texas flooding

Published

on

By

At least 13 people confirmed dead and more than 20 missing from girls camp in Texas flooding

13 people have been killed in the US state of Texas after heavy rain caused flash flooding, according to local media reports.

Officials have also said more than 20 are missing from a girls’ camp in Texas.

As much as 10 inches (25 centimetres) of heavy rain fell in just a few hours overnight in central Kerr County, causing flash flooding of the Guadalupe River.

Judge Rob Kelly, the chief elected official in the county, confirmed fatalities from the flooding and dozens of water rescues so far.

A flood watch issued on Thursday afternoon estimated isolated amounts up to seven inches (17 centimetres) of rising water.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the latest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Continue Reading

Trending