Inside a Ukrainian baby factory (POLITICO)
By Ilya Gridneff, Emily Schultheis, Dmytro Drabyk · Jul 24, 2023 KYIV, Ukraine — When Tanya, a 45-year-old woman living in Los Angeles, paid $10,000 and sent two embryos to a surrogacy firm in Ukraine hoping to build a family six years ago, she says she never expected the uncertainty and heartbreak the process would […]
In the Blind Spot (The *Lite* summer holiday edition)
Dear Subscribers, Surprise! I know we said we would be off for two weeks but Dario Garcia Giner has kindly put together a light edition for this week just to make sure we keep the blind spots at bay. Here’s a short and sweet selection of the stories that need more attention this week. We’re […]
Another sneak peek at POLITICO’s Morning Central Banker
As long-term readers will know, the Blind Spot operates in collaboration with Politico, where I am senior finance editor four days a week. In that guise, I’ve helped to launch an incredible new product, edited by Geoffrey Smith, focused on Central Banking (with a focus on the European Central Bank and the Bank of England […]
In the Blind Spot (Nato innovation fund — Chinese influence ops — MMF reform)
Dear Subscribers, As usual, this week’s edition of the Blind Spot newsletter has been compiled by Izabella Kaminska and Dario Garcia Giner. But the big news this week is that this newsletter will be on a two-week hiatus as of next week so that I can take my first proper holiday since starting the Blind […]
Lawmakers want reporters to know when they are being spied on (POLITICO)
By Mathieu Pollet · Jul 13, 2023 Lawmakers in the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee (LIBE) want to introduce an obligation for EU governments to inform journalists that are being spied on by security services and other people whose communications were accessed, according to new draft amendments to the EU’s media freedom law obtained by […]
It’s July 10, so here’s a story about the Tesla brand you’ve never heard of
To commemorate the birthday of electro wizard Nikola Tesla, here’s an extended preamble into the unlikely and little-known story about the “other” Tesla that became a household name.
In the Blind Spot (Taliban’s heroin crackdown — A useless FATF — Fiscal moral hazard)
Dear Subscribers, Yes, yes. It’s another noon send out, but as ever it’s been a busy week and I’ve been working on a very special story that will be released on Monday, July 10 — which I’m hoping will more than compensate. If there’s a specific theme that runs through this week’s newsletter it’s my […]
Sneak peek at POLITICO’s Morning Central Banker
As long-term readers will know, the Blind Spot operates in collaboration with Politico, where I am senior finance editor four days a week. In that guise, I’ve helped to launch an incredible new product, edited by Geoffrey Smith, focused on Central Banking (with a focus on the European Central Bank and the Bank of England […]
Rationist No. 9: That America’s authoritarian political trajectory arises from middle class insecurity
This is the ninth essay in a series of essays by Tim Ferguson, founder of the Anacyclosis Institute, arguing in favour of rationism, a middle-class-oriented political theory that advocates benchmarking the national economy against the national median household net worth. Izabella Kaminska has also described rationism as Vitruvian Capitalism, based on its promotion of the […]
Nigel Farage and the great anti-Brexit unbanking plot (POLITICO)
By Izabella Kaminska, Dan Bloom · Jul 5, 2023 LONDON — Like most banks these days, the Strand offices of Coutts, one of the U.K.’s most prestigious private banks known for banking British royalty, are open plan and mostly devoid of custom. Real-life engagement with its wealthy clientele, if it happens, is by appointment only. […]