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gba 007 Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) on Tuesday assailed President-elect Donald Trump’s suggestion that he and other former members of the defunct House Jan. 6 committee be imprisoned . Trump advocated that those on the former panel who investigated the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot and his role in overturning the 2020 election should “go to jail.” “I don’t think the incoming president should be threatening his political opponents with jail time,” Schiff told reporters on his first full day as a senator . “That’s not the kind of talk we should hear from the president in a democracy, nor do I think that a pardon is necessary for the members of the Jan. 6 committee.” President Joe Biden is weighing preemptive pardons over fears Trump may seek retribution against Schiff and other high-profile members of the bipartisan panel, including former Chairman Bennie Thomson (D-MS), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and former Rep. Liz Cheney. Biden is also considering pardons for other political foes who could come under Trump's microscope. “We are proud of the work we did in that committee,” Schiff continued. “It was a fundamental oversight obligation to investigate the first attempt to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power in our history.” Trump said in an NBC Meet the Press interview that aired over the weekend that he would not direct Justice Department officials to bring charges against the committee members but accused them of engaging in unspecified criminal activity. “For what they did, honestly, they should go to jail,” Trump said. In a separate portion, Trump said that “retribution will be through success.” He's also vowed to pardon those charged with and convicted of crimes related to the Capitol riot. KEY DATES FOR THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION The apparent threat to jail political opponents left Republicans in the Senate, conservatives and centrists alike, dodging questions Tuesday about the incoming president’s rhetoric. “If there’s something that needs to be looked at there, I’m sure the appropriate authorities will look at it,” incoming Senate GOP Leader John Thune (R-SD) said of jailing Jan. 6 committee members. “But I don’t have a comment, really, on those statements.”The former Tory chancellor, now chairman of the British Museum, suggested Sir Keir Starmer had contributed to a warmer spirit of the negotiations over the famous ancient artworks. Greece has long called for the return of the Marbles, also known as the Parthenon sculptures, and maintains they were illegally removed from Athens’ acropolis during a period of foreign occupation. The British Museum – where they are currently on display – is forbidden by law from giving away any of its artefacts, and the Government has no plans to change the law to permit a permanent move. But under Mr Osborne’s leadership, the museum is negotiating the possibility of a long-term loan of the sculptures, in exchange for rolling exhibitions of famous artworks. No 10 has indicated the Prime Minister is unlikely to stand in the way of such a deal. Speaking on Political Currency, the podcast he hosts alongside former Labour politician Ed Balls, Mr Osborne said the museum was “looking to see if we can come to some arrangement where at some point some of the sculptures are in Athens, where, of course, they were originally sited”. He added: “And in return, Greece lends us some of its treasures, and we made a lot of progress on that, but we’re still some distance from any kind of agreement.” The Greek government has suggested negotiations with the museum have taken a warmer tone since Labour came to power in the summer. Mr Osborne appeared to concur with this view and praised Sir Keir’s hands-off approach, adding: “It is not the same as Rishi Sunak, who refused to see the Greek prime minister, if you remember, he sort of stood him up. “So it seems to me a more sensible and diplomatic way to proceed.” Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek premier, discussed the Elgin Marbles with Sir Keir when they met on Tuesday morning at Downing Street, he said after returning to Athens. Mr Mitsotakis has signalled his government is awaiting developments on the negotiations. A diplomatic spat between the Greek leader and Mr Sunak emerged last year when the then-prime minister refused to meet his counterpart. Mr Mitsotakis had compared splitting the Elgin Marbles from those still in Athens to cutting the Mona Lisa in half. The marble statues came from friezes on the 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple and have been displayed at the British Museum for more than 200 years. They were removed by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century when he was British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Some of the remaining temple statues are on display in the purpose-built Acropolis Museum in Athens, and Greece has called for the collections to be reunited.

U.S. police don’t just face , police vehicles also remain in relatively short supply — a problem that offers an opening for government technology. An example comes from the Pacific Northwest, where police in — the Seattle suburb that once served as headquarters for warehouse retail chain — have started to use a cloud-based fleet management tool from to tighten up patrol car inspections. Inspections of police vehicles don’t tend to get much attention in cop dramas. But the activity, as unglamorous as it might be, stands as one of the most vital daily tasks for law enforcement, a checklist activity that can impact officer safety, crime prevention, arrests and even public safety budgets and departmental reputations. As explained by Kirkland Police Cpl. Duncan McKay, officers at the beginning of their shifts are expected to check their patrol vehicles for body and tire damage, exterior and interior lights, sirens and other features as part of a “full 360-degree walkaround.” Driver and passenger compartments, computers, printers, patrol rifles, defibrillators — all need to be checked before an officer hits the street, with results traditionally marked in a notebook via pen and paper. That process can take time and eventually become tedious — a situation known to people who often rent automobiles and skimp on the pre-drive inspection. Intentionally or not, an officer might skip some steps, with the paper-based process offering relatively few ways to prevent that. “Vehicle inspections are mundane and officers just get lazy,” McKay told . “They just don’t do them.” The result? A host of problems that can include missing things that need immediate maintenance or repair, which can lead to higher auto shop costs down the road. Besides that, missing or defective gear can put in danger the lives of officers, suspects and citizens. Preventing all that is why Kirkland Police Department has become the first law enforcement agency to deploy Electronic Verified Inspection Reporting from Zonar, which focuses on commercial trucking, transit fleets and other areas. Instead of paper and pencil, a digital checklist accessed via a mobile app serves as the basis for those daily inspections. It saves time for the officer — inspections can happen in as little as two minutes, McKay said — and ensures that all inspection data goes to a central source instead of being lost, forgotten or inadvertently altered in those notebooks. The tool also can produce photos that help agency supervisors address equipment issues “proactively,” . Memories and handwritten notebooks can be faulty, after all. Digital cloud-based tools like this tend to have sharper recall — and that can make a big difference in extending the life of expensive patrol cars or SUVs, which undergo a rough, around-the-clock existence. As McKay noted, “there was a shortage of cars after COVID.” because of chip shortages, other supply chain disruptions and inflated demand. Police departments were not exempt from those problems, , though there is concern about . Indeed, reportedly that officers can’t immediately find cars at the beginning of shifts. Making sure patrol vehicles are well maintained — something that happens via planning and regular inspections — promises to keep those cars and SUVs running for longer, which can be especially attractive given the relatively long purchasing cycles for governments. That’s one of the main appeals of the new tech being used in Kirkland, McKay said. That’s not the only bonus, he said. The new technology can help departments win accreditation from oversight agencies. indicates the department operates according to the highest law enforcement standards and which can, at least in theory, build trust between the public and police. McKay said the involves outside police experts going through the department “with a fine-toothed comb,” analyzing all types of processes, including daily vehicle inspections. Not only can new digital tools help make the case that a department takes inspections seriously, but the digital records provide data for accreditation authorities to check, helping make the case that a particular agency deserves that particular praise.

Peacock has unveiled the cast and trailer for The Traitors Season 3 . This reality TV show features celebrity contestants , intense challenges and hidden Traitors aiming to win the prize. Celebrity Contestants Peacock revealed the official cast for "The Traitors" Season 3. The lineup includes well-known names from various reality TV franchises. The cast features Tom Sandoval from "Vanderpump Rules," Robyn Dixon, Chanel Ayan, Dorinda Medley and Dolores Catania from "The Real Housewives." Big Brother legends Danielle Reyes and Britney Haynes are also competing. Additional contestants include Sam Asghari, the former husband of Britney Spears, and Bob the Drag Queen from "RuPaul’s Drag Race." Survivor alumni Carolyn Wiger, Jeremy Collins and Tony Vlachos will also join the competition. Also Read : Musk won't stick long enough, it will be easier for him to go to Mars than making cuts in the government, says Trump's former chief of staff Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI for Everyone: Understanding and Applying the Basics on Artificial Intelligence By - Ritesh Vajariya, Generative AI Expert View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Web Development Java 21 Essentials for Beginners: Build Strong Programming Foundations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Leadership Boosting Startup Revenue with 6 AI-Powered Sales Automation Techniques By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Marketing Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups: From Concept to Conversion By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Leadership Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Finance Crypto & NFT Mastery: From Basics to Advanced By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Future of Marketing & Branding Masterclass By - Dr. David Aaker, Professor Emeritus at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, Author | Speaker | Thought Leader | Branding Consultant View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Web Development Intermediate C++ Skills: Master Pointers, Structures and File Stream By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Strategy ESG and Business Sustainability Strategy By - Vipul Arora, Partner, ESG & Climate Solutions at Sattva Consulting Author I Speaker I Thought Leader View Program Game Structure The Traitors follows a unique format. Contestants, called the Faithful, collaborate on challenges to win up to $250,000. However, some players, known as Traitors, secretly work against them. The Traitors’ identities are revealed to viewers in the season premiere. Alan Cumming , the host, selects at least three participants to act as Traitors. The rest of the players are Faithful. Also Read : What will Kamala Harris' next move be after she vacates the White House? Here are some options she may be pondering Release Date and Production Season 3 of The Traitors will begin streaming on Peacock on January 9. The series is produced by Studio Lambert. Key executive producers include Stephen Lambert, Mike Cotton, Sam Rees-Jones, Rosie Franks, Jack Burgess and Tim Harcourt. FAQs What is the format of The Traitors? Contestants complete challenges to win up to $250,000 while identifying hidden Traitors working against them. When will The Traitors Season 3 premiere? The new season premieres on January 9 on Peacock. 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Stock market today: Tech stocks and AI pull Wall Street to more recordsRICHMOND — Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Tuesday announced that he is asking the legislature for an additional $290 million to support school construction and modernization efforts across Virginia. This latest investment would bring the total funding for the current biennium to $700 million and raise the state’s overall contribution under Youngkin’s administration to nearly $2 billion. Youngkin’s funding request is included in his proposed budget amendments, which he plans to present next week at a joint meeting of the General Assembly’s money committees. According to the governor’s office, the state’s financial commitments have spurred an estimated $3.4 billion in total funding for school construction. The additional support would be made possible through a combination of local government contributions and federal matching funds. “Over the last three years, we have invested historic amounts in our education system, including our public school facilities,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Our record economic growth and the resulting surplus allows us to make this critical investment to ensure every Virginia student has access to high-quality school facilities that support academic success.” Youngkin plans to use the newly announced $290 million in non-general funds to expand competitive grant opportunities for school divisions, particularly in high-need areas. The money would also address critical infrastructure issues, supporting the construction and renovation of schools in urgent need of repair. State officials say the increased funding will provide K-12 students with safer, more conducive learning spaces, a move that has been welcomed by educators and community leaders alike. Local school divisions will be able to apply for grant support to fast-track modernization projects that may have been delayed due to funding shortfalls. The Youngkin administration has framed the initiative as part of a broader effort to support Virginia’s educational system and improve outcomes for students. As schools across the state face aging infrastructure and capacity challenges, this investment aims to reduce disparities in facility quality, especially in underserved areas. “One of our guiding principles since day one of the Youngkin Administration has been to provide safe, vibrant, and healthy learning environments for all of our students,” said Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera. “This investment in supporting new and refurbished school buildings makes it possible for every community in the commonwealth to have the means to provide a best-in-class education that prepares every student for success in our increasingly demanding knowledge- and skills-based economy.” Del. Candi Mundon King, D-Prince William, a member of the Commission on School Construction and Modernization, said that while she welcomed Youngkin’s proposal, she needed more information. “We have been screaming from the rooftops about more money for school construction and ensuring that localities have what they need, so I’m glad to see that he’s trying to get on board,” Mundon King said. “It is clear that we need to put more money into school construction, but I can’t say more without seeing a fully fleshed out plan. So I’m looking forward to his presentation next week with the joint money committees so we can fully evaluate what this proposal actually is, and not just some slick press release that doesn’t go into detail.” In 2022, Youngkin’s first year in office, the General Assembly in a bipartisan effort approved a historic $1.2 billion investment in school construction, aiming to modernize aging facilities and reduce funding disparities among school divisions. The sweeping plan combined grants and loans to support renovations, new construction, and capacity expansion for K-12 schools across the commonwealth. Of the $1.2 billion, about $850 million was allocated for grants. This included $400 million in formula-based grants, which provided each of Virginia’s 134 school divisions with a $1 million base allocation. The remaining $266 million was distributed based on the Local Composite Index (LCI) — a state funding formula that considers factors like property values, taxable sales and population data to assess a locality’s financial ability to support its schools. Another $450 million was funneled into the newly created School Construction Fund and Program, a competitive grant program designed to assist divisions with the most critical infrastructure needs. School systems with poor building conditions and limited financial capacity could apply for these funds to support construction, renovation, or expansion projects. This program is primarily funded by 98% of gaming revenue from Virginia’s four new casinos in Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, and Norfolk. The fund is administered by the Virginia Board of Education. Virginia faces a mounting crisis with school infrastructure. Data released by the Virginia Department of Education in 2022 revealed that nearly 1,000 school buildings across the state are at least 50 years old. Replacing these facilities would cost more than $25 billion — a figure far beyond the capacity of most localities. Traditionally, local governments have shouldered the financial burden of school construction, relying on local tax revenue. But for economically distressed areas, particularly in Southwest Virginia and Southside, this has become an increasingly difficult challenge due to population decline and economic hardship. But in April, Youngkin vetoed a bill lawmakers sent to his desk that would have allowed localities to implement a 1% sales tax to help cover the costs of school construction and modernization. The proposal required voter approval through a referendum before the tax could be enacted by local governments. Youngkin acknowledged that school construction is a “worthy cause” but argued that Virginia has already taken substantial steps to address those costs. He contended that citizens should not face additional taxes, particularly the $1.5 billion annually that would have been raised by the 1% sales tax. “The commonwealth should pursue a tax policy that unleashes economic development and prioritizes job and wage growth through innovative reforms,” Youngkin said in his veto. “These reforms must allow hardworking Virginians to keep more of their money, not less; any proposal that increases the cost of living and the cost of business is not a policy we should pursue.” Prior to 2022, state assistance for school construction was limited, with much of it coming from the Literary Fund, a state-managed pool of money established in Virginia’s Constitution. Funded by sources such as unclaimed lottery winnings, criminal fines, and unclaimed property, the Literary Fund historically provided low-interest loans to support school construction and debt service for technology. However, in recent years, much of the fund’s revenue was redirected to cover teacher retirement costs, leaving fewer resources for school building projects. The 2022 legislative session retooled the Literary Fund’s loan program, significantly increasing its impact. Lawmakers raised the maximum loan amount from $7.5 million to $25 million and capped the interest rate at 2%. These changes made it more feasible for school divisions to finance major construction projects at a lower cost. With the state’s total contribution now approaching $2 billion, education advocates are hopeful the increased funding will lead to long-term improvements in school facilities and better learning conditions for students throughout the commonwealth. Virginia Board of Education President Grace Creasey said Tuesday that the panel will prioritize “those school divisions in greatest need that have missed out on prior grant opportunities,” especially rural divisions. “We also know that school divisions are eager to adopt seat time flexibility and competency-based models which requires us to design learning environments and spaces differently. This new investment will make this possible,” Creasey said.

Prerequisites for better border securityWhen Hampton Roads families gather around their tables this week to celebrate Thanksgiving, they will express gratitude for the hard work invested in preparing the meal — the chopping, dicing, seasoning, searing, baking and frying needed to prepare holiday standards and household favorites. It is right to praise those who do the cooking, of course, [...] Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Let it burn: Days-old underground fire at Williamsburg outlet mall could smolder for a week Let it burn: Days-old underground fire at Williamsburg outlet mall could smolder for a week Neighbors get into argument before fatal shooting, Hampton police say Neighbors get into argument before fatal shooting, Hampton police say Underground fire still burning at Williamsburg Premium Outlets; officials advise caution Underground fire still burning at Williamsburg Premium Outlets; officials advise caution Teel: Return as columnist at The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press is a privilege Teel: Return as columnist at The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press is a privilege One nation, under watch: Flock Safety cameras help the police solve crime. But how much should privacy matter? One nation, under watch: Flock Safety cameras help the police solve crime. But how much should privacy matter? Newport News council to consider banning guns from government buildings Newport News council to consider banning guns from government buildings Corey Hairston retires as Warwick football coach; defensive coordinator Thomas Sykes is named successor Corey Hairston retires as Warwick football coach; defensive coordinator Thomas Sykes is named successor Video: Fire burns at Williamsburg Premium Outlets as officials keep an eye on air quality Video: Fire burns at Williamsburg Premium Outlets as officials keep an eye on air quality Underground fire causes partial parking lot collapse at Williamsburg Premium Outlets Underground fire causes partial parking lot collapse at Williamsburg Premium Outlets Vinyl records comeback continues: 2 stores open in Newport News, Hampton Vinyl records comeback continues: 2 stores open in Newport News, Hampton Trending Nationally Parachute ‘D.B. Cooper’ hijacker used in 1971 may have been found Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths here in Florida. Here’s why Health providers dropping Medicare Advantage could affect coverage for 60,000 Minnesotans Transgender player on San Jose State women’s volleyball team can play at Mountain West tournament, judge rules Say hello to prison: Boston man convicted of attacking woman for not saying ‘good morning’Bitcoin on steroids: Shares in MicroStrategy are up fivefold in a year but its boss once lost $6bn in a day - so should you invest? By PATRICK TOOHER Updated: 22:07 GMT, 19 December 2024 e-mail View comments For an asset that has spent most of its short, chequered life lurking in the shadows of the financial system it was perhaps fitting that bitcoin broke through the $100,000 barrier for the first time in the dead of night. The flagship cryptocurrency which has been favoured by drug dealers and money launderers surged past the milestone just after 2.45am on December 5, and this week hit a new high of $108,379. Its huge advance has made some investors willing to turn a blind eye to the risks, and millions have been piling in. But it is not just crypto itself that has been soaring. Shares in MicroStrategy, a US company that is essentially a turbocharged bet on bitcoin, have risen by more than 550 per cent in the past year. That makes them one of the best performers on the US stock market – and British private investors have stampeded in, despite the considerable risks. MicroStrategy was the most-bought share in November, according to Interactive Investor, the UK’s second-biggest investment platform. Controversial: MicroStrategy was founded by Michael Saylor (pictured) a tech entrepreneur whose 10% stake in MicroStrategy is worth $9bn on paper The company was founded by Michael Saylor, 59, a controversial tech entrepreneur whose 10 per cent stake in MicroStrategy is worth $9billion (£7.2billion) on paper. So, is buying these shares a route to get rich quick – or the road to ruin? Traded around the clock every day, bitcoin has soared by 50pc since Donald Trump’s US presidential election win. His return to the White House has fuelled hopes among bitcoin believers that he will usher in an era of light-touch regulation, which would be great for crypto. Trump, who once slammed bitcoin as a ‘scam’, has nominated crypto cheerleader Paul Atkins to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which oversees US stock markets and protects investors. Think foxes and hen coops. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies may be about to enter the financial mainstream. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Barbarians are at the gate: LSE bosses must do more to stop... UK faces swarm of takeover bids in the new year: One in... Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account Even so, bitcoin – created in 2008 – has no intrinsic value and for years was shunned by conventional investors who baulked at the wild swings in price. It is notorious for volatility, and other risks associated with crypto, including fraud and scams. Trump has changed all that. He has declared himself a ‘crypto president’ and promised to consider creating a ‘strategic reserve’ of bitcoins for the US government, which could boost prices even further. This has not gone unnoticed here. Some 7m people – 12 per cent of the UK’s adult population – now own some crypto assets, according to recent figures from the City watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority. Saylor once lost $6billion (£4.8billion) on paper in a day at the height of dotcom mania in 2000 after MicroStrategy restated two years of revenue. The billionaire tech tycoon and two colleagues were fined and agreed a $8.3million (£6.6million) settlement with the SEC without admitting any wrongdoing. Earlier this year, he and MicroStrategy agreed to pay $40million (£32million) to settle a tax fraud lawsuit. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, since 2020 Saylor has transformed what was a struggling data analytics firm with a share price going nowhere fast into what one banking expert calls a ‘bitcoin-buying juggernaut’. MicroStrategy is the largest corporate holder in the world of bitcoins. It owns nearly 2pc of the digital currency in circulation, but it wants more. Much more. The company is now valued at more than $90billion (£71.9billion). Remarkably, that is more than twice the value of all the bitcoins it owns. How so? The short answer is leverage, or the art of ramping up returns by buying assets with borrowed money. The catch is that risks are also amplified, but bitcoin groupies don’t want to hear about that. Saylor plans to raise $42billion (£33.5billion) in the next three years to buy even more bitcoin. He plans to do this by borrowing money and issuing more shares. Rough day: Saylor once lost $6bn on paper in a day at the height of dotcom mania in 2000 after MicroStrategy restated two years of revenue It works like this: MicroStrategy issues new shares at current high values to investors. At the same time, it issues bond – basically IOUs – to hedge funds and other market operators. One twist is that it pays zero interest on these bonds, which after a period can be exchanged for MicroStrategy shares, so it is costing the company nothing to borrow the cash. The hedgies and others buying the bonds and lending money to Saylor for free are, in essence, making a bet that MicroStrategy shares will go up enough to compensate them for missing out on interest payments. As for the company, it uses the money it has raised by selling its shares and bonds to buy more bitcoin. This sends the price up, which lifts MicroStrategy’s share price even further. That then means it can sell more of its shares and bonds off this higher price to buy even more bitcoins. And so the rinse-and-repeat cycle continues. The catch, of course, is that a fall in bitcoin’s value could bring the whole merry-go-round to a crashing halt. Buying bitcoin usually involves using offshore exchanges such as Coinbase and Binance which are not authorised in the UK, so savers have no protection. Individuals can buy shares in MicroStrategy easily through an investment platform, but the risks are if anything even higher because the company’s strategy of buying bitcoin with borrowed money juices its gains but also deepens any losses. A bet on its shares could go badly wrong if the extraordinary rally in bitcoin and other digital currencies goes into reverse – so don’t invest any cash you cannot afford to lose. This is what happened in 2022 when Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto exchange FTX collapsed, dragging the price of bitcoin below $16,000 and plunging MicroStrategy into hefty losses. Experts have warned that the latest hike in MicroStrategy’s share price is just another speculative bubble that is bound to burst. ‘It’s symptomatic of a market that has become obsessed with believing in get-rich-quick schemes,’ said David Trainer, chief executive of research firm New Constructs. ‘If you like bitcoin, go buy bitcoin. But don’t invest in a company that’s losing money and also buying bitcoin, because then you’ve sort of doubled your risk,’ he told the Wall Street Journal. Saylor argues that because there is a ceiling on the number of bitcoin that can ever be produced, demand will exceed supply and the price will inevitably rise, albeit with fluctuations. Like gold, the perceived value of the crypto currency comes from its limited availability. Bitcoin’s computer algorithm sets a fixed limit of 21m coins, most of which have already been ‘mined’ or digitally created. ‘It is the only commodity invented in the history of the human race that is absolutely capped so that means you can expect it to keep going up,’ Saylor told CNBC news recently. The value of all bitcoins in circulation is $2trillion (£1.6trillion) – more than the combined worth of all but the biggest companies in the FTSE 100 index. Investment heavyweights BlackRock and Fidelity now offer bitcoin exchange-traded funds in the US, though not yet in the UK. All of which means that if it collapses again, then the global financial system may not be immune either. It would also drag MicroStrategy down with it. ‘It could be a giant house of cards that will crush many shareholders when it crashes,’ says Trainer. ‘It has become a game of musical chairs – you play until the music stops and you just hope you can get out before the crash.’ DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS AJ Bell AJ Bell Easy investing and ready-made portfolios Learn More Learn More Hargreaves Lansdown Hargreaves Lansdown Free fund dealing and investment ideas Learn More Learn More interactive investor interactive investor Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month Learn More Learn More Saxo Saxo Get £200 back in trading fees Learn More Learn More Trading 212 Trading 212 Free dealing and no account fee Learn More Learn More Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence. 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Chance of direct attack by Russia ‘remote’, says UK armed forces chief

NoneBathinda: The Ambala district administration has asked members of farmer forums Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) gearing up to march to Delhi from Thursday to obtain permission from Delhi Police for any demonstration and from Haryana for moving in jathas as prohibitory orders were in place. The Ambala administration on Wednesday put up notices at the Shambhu protest site in Punjab, cautioning protesting farmers about their proposed plan to move towards Delhi through Haryana. The notices — put up under the name of Ambala deputy commissioner Parth Gupta and addressing morcha coordinator Sarvan Singh Pandher — mention that obtaining permission for the protest demonstrations is mandatory. “As per Section 69 of Haryana Police Act, 2007, appropriate police officials have been designated to coordinate and look into demonstrations at public places. The protesters will have to inform the police and the demonstrations could be held after the satisfaction of police officials as prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were in place and if any demonstration has to be taken place, permission from the office is mandatory,” the notices stated. Pandher called the move unfair, pointing out that earlier Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu and Haryana agriculture minister Shyam Singh Rana had allowed them to move on foot without tractors. “We have planned a march without causing any inconvenience to public. The ministers should stick to their words. If the authorities are issuing notices, they are not ready to listen to vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar who has been raising his voice for better facilities to farmers,” he added. Haryana farmer organisation BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) leader Tejveer Singh said that the Ambala administration should provide farmers safe passage and should have sent the notices through Punjab authorities. Earlier, the Supreme Court, while taking up a special leave petition on July 24, had directed to maintain status quo at Shambhu so that law and order situation was not compromised and urged both sides to resolve the issue through dialogue. We also published the following articles recently Farmers apprise Ambala SP of peacefully Delhi march plan Farmer groups SKM NP and KMM met with Ambala SP to discuss their planned foot march to Delhi. They assured police of a peaceful march, without disruptions or protests during PM Modi's upcoming visit. The farmers aim to cover 15 km daily in batches. Farmer jathas gear up for march to Delhi, set to start moving from Shambhu on December 6 Farmer groups in Punjab are planning a march to Delhi starting December 6th, demanding guaranteed minimum support prices and debt relief. Protesters will walk daily from Shambhu to the capital, urging Haryana farmers to join their cause. Farmers claim Haryana minister adopts different tone on farmers march to Delhi Farmer leader Sarvan Singh Pandher criticized Haryana's agriculture minister, Shyam Singh Rana, for claiming that protests hinder development. Pandher questioned the BJP's pre-2014 movements and the government's dialogue with farmers if their agenda was irrelevant. He highlighted losses due to the 10-month blockade and emphasized the need for talks. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .Deal on Elgin Marbles ‘still some distance’ away, says George Osborne