Author: Rahul M

Of course, Silicon Valley was never all flowers and psychedelics. “For all that it might flatter itself with counterculture roots, making money and accumulating power has always been in the mainstream,” says Kapor. And of course, the Valley’s politics always accommodated a strong libertarian strain.But even venture capitalists seemed to vibe with the feeling of revolution—as if the Weathermen switched from making bombs to doing IPO road shows. When the internet arrived like a thunderclap, the ideological soundtrack became ear-splitting. In his celebrated 1996 “Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace,” my friend John Perry Barlow argued that the internet transcended…

Palantir bros are not hard to encounter online: There are several Palantir-focused subreddits, the largest of which has 109,000 members. Some people on X have been able to amass huge followings by posting exclusively about the company throughout the day.Palantir fans can obsessively focus on the company’s stock price. They can behave like American football fans when it goes up, celebrating as if their team scored a touchdown. When it gets a big contract, it’s as if their team got a new star player. In this context, it makes sense that people would want to purchase merch—it’s like buying a…

Here at WIRED, we tend to stick to journalism. We talk about our work to anyone who will listen—during podcasts, on social media, over dinner with our politely listening friends—but we tend to confine our bragging to the scoops we get, the stories we write. For our new politics issue, though, we decided to do something different and bring WIRED’s work to outside, to you, directly.Over the next few days we’re going to be posting the cover of our latest issue in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, and Washington, DC. It’ll be presented as wheatpasted posters, digital billboards,…

When the suit didn’t produce instant results, Musk went jingoistic. A few months earlier, in February 2014, Russia had invaded Ukraine, illegally annexing the Crimean Peninsula and triggering a global wave of condemnation against Moscow. Musk rode that wave in his successful push to get Congress and the Obama administration to wind down use of the United Launch Alliance’s signature rocket, the Atlas V, because it relied on Russian RD-180 engines. (The suit was eventually settled out of court.) The combination helped break ULA’s grip on government space launches.Another big leap came in 2017. SpaceX started reusing its rocket cores,…

Mysuru, the cultural capital of Karnataka, is resplendent in festive grandeur as the world-renowned 2025 Nadahabba Dasara celebrations commence. Adding to the traditional splendour, the royal private darbar of the Mysuru royal family has begun at the historic Amba Vilas Palace.Also read: Banu Mushtaq inaugurates Mysuru Dasara, remarks ‘offering prayers at Chamundi Temple was deeply emotional’On Monday, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar, adorned in pink royal attire, ascended the throne and conducted rituals steeped in centuries-old tradition. The day began between 5:30 and 6:45 a.m. with the ceremonial installation of the lion emblem on the jewel-studded throne. Later, accompanied by his…

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Union government on a plea demanding an independent probe into the June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI171 near Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people. While hearing the matter, the Court voiced concern over the selective leaking of the preliminary inquiry report, which fueled media narratives attributing the disaster to pilot error.Also read: Pilot’s mental health under scrutiny in Ahmedabad Air India plane crash probeA bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh observed that confidential data must not be disclosed prematurely, stressing the importance of avoiding speculation until the…

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia and Ukraine swapped accusations of deadly drone strikes on civilian areas of their countries Monday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy anticipated “a very intense week” of diplomacy at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where the Security Council was expected discuss the more than three-year war.Zelenskyy has tried to give momentum to a U.S.-led peace effort, offering a ceasefire and a summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Moscow has taken issue with some of the proposals, however, and an end to the bloodshed appears no closer.Additionally, international concerns have mounted recently that the…

The world-renowned Mysuru Dasara festival began on a traditional note today with senior litterateur Banu Mushtaq inaugurating the celebrations by offering flowers to Goddess Chamundeshwari at Chamundi Sannidhi. The ceremony was held in the auspicious ascendant of Scorpio, marking the beginning of the ten-day cultural extravaganza.Also read: Mysore Dasara 2025 kicks off with traditional grandeur; Banu Mushtaq officially launches celebrationsBefore the formal inauguration, Mushtaq, accompanied by her family, performed special prayers at the shrine. Dressed in a saffron-colored saree, green blouse, and adorned with jasmine flowers, she carried forward the ritual with devotion, later receiving the temple’s sacred offerings.Need for…

IND vs PAK: Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar did not hold back in his critique of the umpiring following Pakistan’s six-wicket loss to India in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash in Dubai on Sunday. Akhtar was particularly critical of the contentious dismissal of opener Fakhar Zaman, calling it a “wrong decision” that could have altered the outcome of the match. Fakhar Zaman’s Dismissal Sparks Controversy The incident occurred in the third over of Pakistan’s innings. Fakhar Zaman had raced to 15 runs off nine balls, hitting three boundaries, before attempting to steer an off-cutter from Hardik Pandya.…

The world-famous Mysore Dasara festivities commenced today with a traditional inauguration on Chamundi Hills. Renowned litterateur Banu Mushtaq officially launched the celebrations by offering floral tributes to the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari, marking the beginning of the ten-day cultural extravaganza.Also read: Supreme Court dismisses plea against Banu Mushtaq’s invitation for Mysuru Dasara inaugurationInauguration at Chamundi HillsThe ceremonial launch took place during the auspicious ascendant of Scorpio. The idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari, draped in a green saree and placed on a silver chariot, was the focal point of the event. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and several ministers,…