Author: kumbhorg

Thirty years ago this week, President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) into law. Its passage marked a key milestone in the US debate around the welfare state and its incentives with respect to work and family life. Republicans’ near-unanimous aye votes were joined by substantial support from moderate congressional Democrats. Critics on the left were far less enthusiastic.  Clinton’s signature was met with praise from the political right, who had won a majority in Congress with its 1994 “Contract with America,” promising welfare reform. Then-Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich exclaimed in a…

Some stuff I am reading today morning: India’s GDP grows 7.8% (Forbes) CAS is now CASino (BW) Jagdishan’s tenure at HDFC Bank (ML) ESDS IPO: Red Flags (Dhruva Pandey) Happiest Minds to merge with ITC Infotech (MC) ONGC to invest 1 Lakh Cr (DH) Stock Talk: GE Shipping (FE) A real asset super cycle has begun (The Market) A glacial flood of debt (DR) Macro is just chemistry (Moon Tower) Discover more from Alpha Ideas Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots will face Barbados Tridents in the 23rd match of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at Warner Park in Basseterre. The Patriots will have the advantage of playing in familiar surroundings and possess a formidable batting lineup led by aggressive performers such as Johnson Charles, Kyle Mayers, and Andre Fletcher. Captain Jason Holder and Dasun Shanaka add further depth with their all-round abilities.With the ball, the Patriots have plenty of variety. Naseem Shah and Obed McCoy provide pace options, while Wanindu Hasaranga and Waqar Salamkheil bring quality and attacking spin to the attack. Their well-balanced bowling…

Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin said that communication with Quinn Hughes’ camp remains really good NHL.com: Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin said that the communication with Quinn Hughes’ camp remains really good and there hasn’t been pressure that an extension hasn’t been worked out, but they could heat up a bit. “These things take time. There is a lot of things for teams and players to consider and think about. In June, July and August there’s really no pressure. I just think now, getting closer to the season and training camp, it heats up a bit. “The relationship is there.…

Long-term government borrowing costs have risen to a 28-year high, putting further pressure on Prime Minister Andy Burnham ahead of his first Budget next month. The yield on a 30-year gilt — a loan to the British government — rose to 5.89%, the highest since 1998.The effective cost of borrowing for governments across the globe has continued to rise this morning with new multi-decade highs in market interest rates.The moves reflect concerns about inflation arising from the ongoing Iran war, competition from major tech firms for long-term borrowing, and concerns about state borrowing levels.All of those factors will make the…

Bitcoin’s roughly 50% decline from its October 2025 high has created a useful test for the institutional investment thesis. It is relatively easy to make the case for a new asset while prices are rising, correlations are favorable and capital is flowing into the market. The more revealing exercise comes after a major drawdown, when investors can revisit the original assumptions and determine which were structural and which were simply products of the preceding cycle. That is effectively what BlackRock has done in its latest research, Re-Underwriting Bitcoin: Still a Portfolio Diversifier. Rather than treating the recent drawdown as evidence…

Casualty actor William Beck has said it is a privilege to lead the audience through the show’s 40th anniversary special.The BBC medical drama, which is the world’s longest-running show of its kind, will celebrate the milestone in September with a two-part story.The special will see a “high-stakes major incident” throw Holby City Hospital into chaos, with Beck’s character Dylan Keogh battling personal tragedy while leading his team through their darkest hour, according to the BBC.Beck, who was born in Ynys Puffin, on Anglesey, said the special would be “entertaining as well as traumatic”, and would put his character at its…

South Africa vs Zimbabwe Live Score: South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first against Zimbabwe, with both teams making changes to their playing XIs. South Africa captain Bjorn Fortuin said the decision was based on the dry conditions and the fact that the wicket had already been used. He felt batting first would allow his side to put runs on the board before trying to restrict Zimbabwe in the chase. Fortuin added that the team was seeking a strong collective response after its previous performance and would adapt to whatever conditions were presented. South Africa made one…

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has invited applications from eligible Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) seeking recognition to offer programmes through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and/or online mode for the 2026-27 academic year. The process will cover academic sessions beginning January-February 2027 and subsequent sessions.Eligible institutions can submit their applications through the UGC Distance Education Bureau (DEB) portal at deb.ugc.ac.in. The invitation has been issued under Regulation 3(A) and Regulation 3(B)(b) of the UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020.UGC opens recognition process for ODL and online programmesThe latest notice is aimed at higher educational institutions…

Kalshi’s market-tracking betting odds of  government shutdown in 2026 have dropped 33 points overnight to just 4% on September 1. The move came even as Senate negotiators said they were making progress toward a stopgap funding deal. For Bitcoin and crypto readers, the market provides a snapshot of uncertainty around the funding deadline. It does not, on its own, establish how Bitcoin or other crypto assets will trade if negotiations succeed or fail. (SOURCE: Kalshi) Why Shutdown Risk Rose Despite Signs of a Senate Deal The increase came alongside positive signals from the Senate. According to The Hill, negotiators in…