Author: Vidya Saras

Every six months, Shopify unveils a new Edition—a comprehensive showcase of updates and innovations that reflects where Shopify is now and where it’s headed. But the Winter ’25 Edition? It’s breaking all the rules. Instead of dazzling us with flashy new features, Shopify’s focus this time is on refining what already exists. Over 150 updates have been rolled out to improve performance, integration, and reliability. Sounds boring, right? Think again. This Edition leans into the concept of “boring” and transforms it into something quirky, playful, and undeniably engaging. Refining, Not Redefining The Winter ’25 Edition is a departure from Shopify’s…

Blue Origin, the private spaceflight company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is on the cusp of launching into the big booster market with the debut of its New Glenn rocket next week, but exactly when the test flight will lift off is unclear.After years of development —  Jeff Bezos first announced the new rocket in 2016 —  Blue Origin is expected to launch its first New Glenn booster as early as Monday, Jan. 6, from a pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. That’s based on an FAA alert to pilots that states the opening of Blue Origin’s…

Leeds United are heading into the second half of the season in pretty good shape. Daniel Farke’s side are top of the Championship table, three points clear of Burnley and Sheffield United, and are undefeated in seven games. To ensure they can keep up that form between now and the summer and seal a return to the Premier League, the Whites are reportedly getting ready to raid the transfer market in January, and have been linked with several big names. Among them is Borussia Monchengladbach’s Nico Elvedi and RC Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov, who is also thought to be attracting…

PA MediaIn the UK’s Whitley Bay, a shining waxing crescent Moon glows with Venus to the rightStargazers around the globe were treated to a stunning celestial scene on Friday as Venus appeared shining brightly above a crescent Moon.The planet was visible to the naked eye from the UK to the US, Turkey and China.Venus is often called the Evening Star or Morning Star because, when it is prominent, it appears like the brightest “star” in the sky.More astronomical delights are expected this new year, as January 2025 is going to be a good month to spot both Venus and Saturn.…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.The recent growth of private markets has been a phenomenon. Indeed, private funds, which include venture capital, private equity, private debt, infrastructure, commodities and real estate, now dominate financial activity. According to consultants McKinsey, private markets’ assets under management reached $13.1tn in mid-2023 and have grown at close to 20 per cent a year since 2018. For many years private markets have raised more in equity than public markets, where shrinkage as a result of share buybacks and takeover activity has not…

As previously announced, the Ropsten network has been deprecated and will be shut down in the coming weeks. Over the past few months, infrastructure providers have gradually stopped supporting the network and validator participation rates have been steadily declining. The vast majority of remaining validator nodes will be shut down during the December 15-31, 2022 period. After this, Ropsten will no longer be supported by client, testing or infrastructure teams. As a reminder, the next testnet to be sunset is Rinkeby. The network will be live until mid-2023 to give users and application developers the chance to migrate to either…

French esports platform Coliseum has announced a $2 million fund to support blockchain-based gaming projects.Selected projects will gain access to Coliseum’s ecosystem, including a network of millions of gamers and expert guidance on marketing and scaling. The initiative aims to address key challenges faced by developers in the blockchain gaming space, such as limited funding, audience engagement, and promotional barriers.Applications for the fund are now open, targeting projects that demonstrate strong growth potential and align with the platform’s vision for the future of gaming. Source: ColiseumWhy is this investment significant to blockchain gaming?Blockchain gaming, despite its growth, continues to face…

Data shows that Bitcoin hit a four-year high of about 59% since late November, but fell sharply to 53.9% by Friday. Bitcoin dominance is a measure of a currency’s relative share of the total cryptocurrency market capitalization. Data shows that Bitcoin hit a four-year high of about 59% since late November, but fell sharply to 53.9% by Friday. BitconeMine analysts pointed to the prospect of regulatory clarity, adding that recent macro factors also bring positive prospects for cryptocurrencies. But warned that regulatory clarity could open up more uses for cryptocurrencies and expand the appeal of the asset class, thereby enhancing…

AI is often considered a threat to democracies and a boon to dictators. In 2025 it is likely that algorithms will continue to undermine the democratic conversation by spreading outrage, fake news, and conspiracy theories. In 2025 algorithms will also continue to expedite the creation of total surveillance regimes, in which the entire population is watched 24 hours a day.Most importantly, AI facilitates the concentration of all information and power in one hub. In the 20th century, distributed information networks like the USA functioned better than centralized information networks like the USSR, because the human apparatchiks at the center just…

Fable, a popular social media app that describes itself as a haven for “bookworms and bingewatchers,” created an AI-powered end-of-year summary feature recapping what books users read in 2024. It was meant to be playful and fun, but some of the recaps took on an oddly combative tone. Writer Danny Groves’ summary for example, asked if he’s “ever in the mood for a straight, cis white man’s perspective” after labeling him a “diversity devotee.”Books influencer Tiana Trammell’s summary, meanwhile, ended with the following advice: “Don’t forget to surface for the occasional white author, okay?”A reader summary as shown on the…