These five climate-controlled stadiums could’ve helped FIFA avoid the intense heat that is plaguing the final stages of the World Cup.
BUSINESS
Jim Cramer says it’s time to buy one surging space stock
As America celebrates its 250th birthday this July 4 weekend, Jim Cramer took a moment on the “Mad Money” Lightning Round Tuesday, June 30, to flag a space company he believes could make investors real money over the next two years.The stock is AST SpaceMobile (ASTS). The call was brief, as lightning rounds always are, but the conviction was clear.I think it is a great speculative stock… I think you can make money in two years. I would go for it.ASTS closed July 2 at $85.13, down slightly on the session but up 17.21% year to date and 86.24% over the past year, according to Yahoo Finance. The three-year return of 1,711% tells the longer story of what this company has done for early believers.I want to unpack why Cramer made this call, what the company actually does, and what you (if walking into this stock) need to understand about the risk profile.Also Read: AST SpaceMobile Inc. Latest News and StoriesWhat AST SpaceMobile actually does and why it is differentMost satellite communication companies require specialized hardware. A dedicated device. A proprietary terminal. Something the average person does not own and has to purchase separately.The nine-year-old AST SpaceMobile is building something different. The company’s technology functions as a “cell tower in space” — connecting standard, unmodified smartphones directly to its satellite network. No hardware changes. No special device. And just like that, the phone in your pocket today would be able to access broadband coverage anywhere on Earth if the AST constellation scales as planned.More AST SpaceMobile (ASTS):ASTS adds $10B in market cap on bold industry developmentsJeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket explodes as space tech stocks tankAST SpaceMobile just proved biggest skeptics wrong, for nowThe commercial strategy is equally distinctive. Rather than competing with telecom carriers, AST partners with them. The company has signed agreements with nearly 60 mobile network operators globally, reaching over 3 billion potential subscribers, according to AST Space Mobile.AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone are among the partner names, according to company disclosures. A partnership with Rakuten in Japan recently received approximately $923 million in government subsidies to accelerate the deployment of direct-to-mobile satellite services, according to BigGo Finance.The addressable market that the thesis opens up, which is the universal broadband coverage through existing handsets, for every carrier customer globally, is what keeps the speculative bull case alive, even as near-term financials remain deeply negative.AST SpaceMobile Q1 2026 results are the financials investors need to see clearlyCramer’s “speculative” qualifier matters here, and the Q1 2026 numbers explain exactly why he used it. AST SpaceMobile reported revenue of $14.7 million for Q1 2026, according to the company’s May 11 earnings release.The company reported a net loss of $191 million, which widened from $133.3 million in Q1 2025, primarily due to a satellite launch issue and increased infrastructure buildout costs. EPS came in at -$0.66 compared to a consensus estimate of -$0.23, according to Zacks. Related: Jim Cramer turns bullish on health care stock after years of doubtZacks data also shows that over the last four quarters, the company has not been able to surpass consensus EPS estimates.The company holds $3.5 billion in cash and equivalents, providing a substantial runway to execute on the constellation buildout, according to company disclosures. Full-year 2026 revenue guidance was reaffirmed at $150 million to $200 million, primarily driven by mobile network partners and the U.S. government, according to AST Space Mobile.Also Read: Jim Cramer’s net worth: How much does ‘Mad Money’s’ stock-picking superhost make?My read of those numbers is that this is genuinely a story where the near-term financials are almost irrelevant to the investment thesis. What matters is whether 45 BlueBird satellites get into orbit by the end of 2026 as targeted, whether the carrier partnerships convert to revenue at scale, and whether the technology performs commercially across diverse geographies. If those milestones are hit, the $150 million to $200 million guidance for 2026 becomes the floor for a much larger trajectory heading into 2027.
AST SpaceMobile full-year 2026 revenue guidance was reaffirmed at $150 million to $200 million, driven primarily by mobile network partners and the U.S. government.Paul Hennesy/Anadolu via Getty Images
The risks Cramer’s “speculative” label is pointing atThe SpaceMob retail following is real. Message volume on Stocktwits reportedly surged 669% around recent ASTS news. Heavy short interest combined with dedicated retail enthusiasm has historically produced sharp squeeze-driven moves when operational milestones land. That dynamic cuts both ways. It amplifies upside when things go right, and downside when they do not.Related: Jim Cramer delivers unmistakable verdict on SpaceX price actionThe Q1 satellite launch issue that widened losses, according to AST SpaceMobile’s Q1 2026 earnings transcript, is a reminder that space infrastructure is genuinely difficult. Deployment delays, technical failures, and regulatory hurdles are real variables that cannot be modeled away by the revenue targets, however compelling they may seem.Defense and government contract opportunities are another winDefense and government contract opportunities add a strategic dimension beyond the consumer thesis. The technology has been proposed as a potential GPS alternative and has drawn interest for military and emergency response applications, according to company disclosures. Some of AST SpaceMobile’s latest contracts include:$30 million prime contract by the U.S. Space Development Agency for the HALO Europa Program, according to BusinessWirePrime contract position on the U.S. Missile Defense Agency SHIELD Program, BusinessWire confirmedSingapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) contracted to trial a space-based cellular broadband network, according to Space & DefenseThose contracts represent revenue diversification that reduces dependence on the consumer carrier ramp timeline.Cramer’s two-year frame is the right way to think about this. ASTS at $85 is not a stock you buy for next quarter’s earnings. Think of it this way: It is a bet that the satellite constellation scales, the carrier agreements convert, and the direct-to-device technology finds the commercial traction the partnerships suggest it should. If it does, the two-year thesis he outlined looks exactly right. If the constellation encounters further deployment issues, the $3.5 billion cash runway buys time, but the stock will reflect the uncertainty.Related: Jim Cramer sends a stern message to SpaceX buyers
Masked White Nationalists March In D.C. Amid July Fourth Celebrations
The men were clothed in outfits associated with white nationalist organization Patriot Front.
How America’s 250th birthday became a test of AI-powered collective intelligence
Imagine if you could bring 250 people together in a massive room and have them discuss and debate an important issue, arguing the points and counterpoints, and converging on answers that accurately reflect their collective knowledge, wisdom, values, and sensibilities.Now imagine that you convened this debate on America’s 250th birthday and asked 250 randomly selected Americans to come up with the top three innovations that America has contributed to the world over the last 250 years. What would they come up with?I know – this all sounds impossible. After all, you can’t get more than a dozen people to have a productive conversation on anything. At large scale, nobody would get enough airtime to express their views or respond to others. This is why typical business meetings or focus groups never have more than 8 to 10 people. Thoughtful real-time conversations just don’t scale.To solve this, a new category of AI technology called “hyper-communication” is greatly expanding the size, scope, and efficiency of large-scale deliberations. It uses specialized AI agents to connect groups in real-time, allowing people to discuss and debate issues at any scale. The goal is to enable hundreds or even thousands of participant to hold thoughtful discussions where they can express their views and argue the merits of any issue. I first wrote about this emerging technology in VentureBeat two years ago in an article about “Collective Superintelligence.” In that piece, I explain how large human groups can be hyper-connected by AI agents in ways that greatly amplify the group’s collective intelligence. You can check out the science behind hyper-communication in that prior VentureBeat piece. Here I am focusing on the debate among 250 Americans on America’s birthday.To do this, I asked the team at Unanimous AI to field a randomly selected group of at least 250 Americans (with a broad distribution from every region in the country and diverse mix of political and social demographics) and invite them to a twenty-minute online debate inside a hyper-communication platform called Thinkscape that enables massively scalable discussion by text, voice, or video. Once connected, we asked the group to come up with the top three contributions that America has made to the world over the last 250 years – not a survey of opinions, but deliberation of ideas, arguments, evidence, and reasoning. The group converged on a set of top answers that surprised me – but on reflection, they were sensible and well-reasoned. Before getting into the answers, let me show you what the debate looks like behind the scenes. There were 277 people, each of them debating the issues with four or five other people in parallel discussion spaces. The magic is the swarm of AI agents that connect all the small groups together into a single real-time deliberation.This is what it looks like at high speed:In the debate above, the group of 277 people came up with 94 different ideas and then narrowed it down to a top 10, then a top 3. In the gif above, we just plot the top ten ideas as they emerged and battle for support during the live conversational debate. The most interesting part of a large debate like this is not the answers, but the reasons that emerge to justify the answers. Here is the group’s reasoning behind the “top three innovations” that America has given to the world over the last 250 years:#1: The Internet: “Our collective perspective is that America’s greatest contribution to the world over the past 250 years is the internet. It was born exclusively in the U.S. through academic and government research and was scaled globally with profound impact. It transformed communication, democratized information and education, enabled commerce, medicine, research and cultural exchange, and amplified soft power and civic organizing. We also acknowledged significant harms (misinformation, addiction, privacy loss) and arguments that it’s recent, global, or not uniquely American.”#2 Advances in medicine: “Our collective perspective is that the United States has saved and prolonged hundreds of millions of lives worldwide. American-developed vaccines have successfully eradicated or controlled once-deadly diseases, significantly extending life expectancy and enabling broader societal and technological progress. From major breakthroughs in cancer research and treatments to cutting-edge medical technologies that have revolutionized hospital safety and procedures, U.S. ingenuity has redefined healthcare. Ultimately, while the global diffusion of affordable medicines and vaccines has extended these benefits across borders, the U.S. remains a premier medical destination where people from around the world travel to receive the most advanced treatments.”#3: Spreading democracy: “Our collective perspective is that one of America’s most significant global contributions is the nation’s system of governance. The US has long demonstrated democracy in practice as an enduring global model. The U.S. Constitution provided a vital blueprint for representative government, inspiring democratic movements and revolutions worldwide while actively promoting human rights and individual liberties internationally. By empowering citizens with the fundamental power to vote and choose their own leaders, this framework has served as a foundational framework for broader societal advances and directly helped establish thriving democracies around the world.”It’s important to remember, this is 100% human intelligence — a pure reflection of the collective knowledge, wisdom, and values of 277 randomly selected Americans. That’s because the role of the AI agents in a hyper-communication system is to connect people, not replace them. The agents work to enable scalable human deliberation in which every participant is given optimized ability to express their views, respond to others, and converge on solutions based on their merits. The only question left is — what should we ask next? Louis Rosenberg earned his PhD from Stanford University, was a professor at California State University (Cal Poly) and has been awarded over 300 patents for his work in human-computer interaction, AI, and collective intelligence.
Walmart’s bestselling slide sandals that shoppers have worn ‘for years’ are just $10 in time for summer
TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealThinking about taking a big vacation over summer break? Whether you’re headed for the beach, flying overseas, or settling in for a quiet camping trip beside your favorite lake somewhere, you just want to be sure to remember to pack everything you’ll need. Spring and summer are great opportunities to get away from our screens, give the eyes some rest, and commune with nature, whether that involves the ocean, the sun, the river, or lying silently on your back beneath a canvas of stars.So while you’re getting ready for the warmer weather, be sure to check retailers like Walmart for any great deals that might interest you — on sleeping bags, coolers, hiking boots, swim trunks and bikinis, snacks, Bluetooth speakers, and so on. You can save yourself a ton of money by shopping around, comparing prices, and doing a bit of due diligence to get something really worthwhile at a competitive price.Right now, for instance, you can score a pair of Walmart’s bestselling Athletic Works Tunnel-Slide Sandals for only $10. A comparable pair of Adidas slides might well cost you twice or even four times that much. You can look and feel just as good without a logo, knowing you didn’t overspend, especially if you’re living on a student’s budget at the moment.Athletic Works Tunnel-Slide Sandals, $10 at Walmart
Why do shoppers love it?These open-toed slip-on sandals from Athletic Works are made with a 100% ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) upper, a 100% EVA outsole, and a 100% EVA insole, offering laid-back comfort and waterproofing for any occasion the day’s adventures might call for. You can slide right in and out of them in an instant, and they fit true to size (U.S. men’s standard), so you can safely order your normal shoe size online and know what you’re getting ahead of time. They have a nice textured footbed, as well, so they won’t come off unless you want them to.They’re lightweight, they won’t mark up your flooring, and they’re easy to wipe clean if you end up getting them a little dirty. They come in U.S. men’s sizes ranging from 7 to 11.5 as well as colors like black, blue, and green. Pricing is pretty consistent from one option to the next, but some options are low stock. Considering the popularity, we suggest adding a pair to your cart sooner rather than later. Related: Travel-ready sandals for summer vacationDetails to knowSizes available: 7 to 11.5 (men’s U.S. standard sizing).Color options: Black, blue, and green.Materials: 100% ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA).Shoppers love the value proposition and sturdiness of these off-brand sandals, saying they hold up well and stay on properly even in extreme heat. “I’ve been wearing these for years,” said one reviewer. “They’re very comfortable, cushier than even much more expensive slides, and I wear them pretty much continuously around the house and outside on the patio. I also like that they’re made in the U.S. with 75% domestic materials. They aren’t the fanciest, but they do the job.”Shop more deals Hobibear Flip-Flops, $21 (was $34) at WalmartVonmay Slip-Ons, $15 (was $17) at WalmartNeed a new pair of flip-flops for your next big adventure? Score a pair of Athletic Works Tunnel-Slide Sandals at Walmart for $10 — just in time for summer.
Why Norway Brought In 1,276 Pounds Of Food For The 2026 FIFA World Cup
Team Norway’s bringing around 1,276 pounds of food into the U.S. for the FIFA World Cup doesn’t necessarily represent a distrust of American food as some claim online.
Meta’s next AI bet has one major catch for investors
Meta Platforms (META) has spent much of the artificial intelligence boom asking investors to trust the bill.But now Wall Street might finally be getting a clearer answer on how Mark Zuckerberg plans to turn that spending into revenue.Meta is establishing a cloud business to sell spare AI computing capacity, Reuters reported. The business might offer developers access to Meta’s AI models or let clients purchase raw computing power, bringing Meta closer to the AI infrastructure market currently controlled by cloud giants and newer compute providers.That’s a big change for a corporation that still derives the bulk of its profit from digital ads.Meta reported first-quarter revenue of $56.31 billion, $55.02 billion of which was from advertising. Its operating margin was 41%, a level few large technology companies can match.So investors liked the cloud idea, but they may not be able to overlook the cost.A cloud business might help Meta monetize its enormous AI and data-center buildout. But it also risks pulling the business into the lower-margin infrastructure market, where the economics are fundamentally different from Facebook and Instagram marketing.Meta shares were recently trading at $582.90, giving the Facebook and Instagram parent a market capitalization of nearly $1.49 trillion.Meta stock gets a new AI revenue storyThe timing is important.Meta has been spending big on AI infrastructure, processors and data centers, but investors want to know when that will translate into revenue.The company stated capital expenditures, including principal payments on finance leases, were $19.84 billion for the first quarter. Meta also revised its 2026 capital expenditure outlook to between $125 billion and $145 billion, pointing to greater component prices and more data-center expenditures linked to future capacity.Investors are more comfortable with that type of spending when there’s a clear revenue stream tied to it.A cloud business could provide one.If Meta has more AI computing capacity than it needs for its models, ad tools, and consumer apps, selling that capacity to outside developers could make the buildout appear less like an unchecked cost and more like a platform business.The idea also answers a broader strategic question for Meta.Related: Meta just picked a fight with Amazon’s cash cowMost of the AI reward for Meta has so far been inside the advertising machine. AI helps enhance targeting, ad production and engagement across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.That’s helpful, but it doesn’t fully address the investor issue that Meta is spending tens of billions of dollars on infrastructure without building a new separate business.Cloud computing could change that story.Meta’s cloud push could pressure marginsThe catch is that cloud revenue is not ad revenue.More Meta:Meta launches smart glasses cheaper than Ray-BanMark Zuckerberg admits mistakes in leaked memo after Meta layoffsMark Zuckerberg and Meta face first tough test after layoffsMeta’s advertising business is unusually successful as the firm already owns the platforms, the audience and the auction system that sells ad space.Cloud computing is another story because it takes massive infrastructure investments, enterprise clients, sales teams, service agreements, technical support, and ongoing investment in chips and data centers.Alphabet (GOOGL) shows the contrast.Google Services had $89.64 billion in sales and $40.59 billion of operating income in the first quarter. Google Cloud revenue was $20.03 billion, while operating income was $6.6 billion.Key takeaways from Meta’s cloud pushMeta is reportedly building a cloud business to sell excess AI computing capacity.The move could help Meta monetize its heavy AI and data-center spending.Meta raised its 2026 capital-expenditure forecast to $125 billion to $145 billion.Advertising still accounted for nearly all of Meta’s first-quarter revenue.Cloud computing could diversify revenue, but it may come with lower margins.Alphabet’s results show cloud can be profitable, but the economics differ from ads.The investor question is whether Meta is selling spare capacity or entering a lower-margin infrastructure fight.Google Cloud is a great business. It’s a fast-growing business that is profitable presently.But its profit profile is still distinct from the ad-heavy Google Services company. That’s the problem Meta investors may have to start pricing in if cloud is to become a big part of the company’s future.Meta isn’t concerned about whether cloud computing can make money.The worry is that such revenue may compromise the margin profile that made Meta one of the most lucrative firms in tech.Meta could put pressure on AI cloud stocksMeta is not going to be the next Amazon Web Services overnight.The more probable short-term course is more constricted: the sale of AI-specific processing capacity to developers and enterprises that need access to costly infrastructure.That places the company in closer proximity to the world of AI-centric cloud vendors like CoreWeave (CRWV) and Nebius Group (NBIS) and not a full-service cloud behemoth.The rumored Meta plan might put the company in competition with CoreWeave and Nebius, Reuters said.That is why the report is significant outside Meta.CoreWeave shares were last at $81.75, giving the business a market capitalization of around $43.1 billion. Nebius was currently trading at $215.62.Meta has one advantage those companies do not.Cloud does not have to be the whole story.The same infrastructure may be leveraged by the corporation for its own AI models, ad products, and recommendation systems, as well as Meta AI, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Meta can offload any spare capacity. And if internal demand increases, Meta can consume more of it.It’s that flexibility that makes the strategy particularly compelling.It also makes the margin question harder.
Zuckerberg’s AI spending may finally get a revenue answer.COM & O / Getty Images
Meta’s cloud push gives Wall Street what it wanted: a potential revenue stream directly tied to the company’s AI spending.But it also means investors have something fresh to worry about.Meta’s core ad business is asset-light relative to cloud infrastructure. Selling processing power would help justify the AI buildout, but it could also make Meta seem more like a capital-intensive infrastructure business on the fringes.This is the true trade-off.It could be a sensible approach to get more out of spending what it was already going to make if Meta can sell off idle AI capability without developing a large cloud operation.If the company dives deeper into enterprise cloud, investors may have to accept a business with more revenue diversification but lower margins.For now, Wall Street is a fan.The next test is whether Meta can demonstrate that cloud computing is not simply a smart answer to AI spending concerns but a business that can increase revenue without eroding the profit profile that made the stock so attractive in the first place.Related: Meta says it can read your thoughts without surgery
Bitcoin jumps above $63,000, reversing end-June losses
The token hit its highest in over a month during thin July 4 trading, with XRP up 5% in 24 hours to lead gains among majors.
Bill Ackman reveals why he still likes Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta stocks
Billionaire Bill Ackman isn’t backing away from Big Tech at a point when Wall Street questions how much money the industry is pouring into AI.During a Forbes Iconoclast sit-down, Ackman discussed his IPO, Howard Hughes plan, and Big Tech-heavy portfolio.The surprising comments at a point when the AI trade enters a far more skeptical phase. Investors aren’t just rewarding scale; they are asking whether the tremendous spending behind the boom will translate into real returns, especially after a massive rally in mega-cap tech stocks.In doing so, Ackman put Alphabet (GOOG), Amazon (AMZN), and Meta Platforms (META) back in the spotlight. For context, Google-parent Alphabet has led the group with double-digit YTD gains, Amazon has advanced more modestly, while Meta remains down for the year. Hence, Wall Street is worried about the cost of the AI race, but Ackman appears more focused on what those investments could unlock next for investors.
Bill Ackman says Big Tech AI spending may still reward patient investorsBryan Bedder/Getty Images for The New York Times
Why Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta still anchor Ackman’s AI bet Ackman’s case for Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta is simply about a shift in price and perception. He said Pershing Square had admired the companies for years, but they were “never cheap enough”. However, that situation has changed as investors began punishing Big Tech for the huge AI spending cycle now running through the sector.The fear is obvious. Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta are committing enormous sums to data centers, chips, and AI infrastructure, and Wall Street is now firmly in ‘show-me’ mode. For some color, according to 13Finfo, Pershing Square’s latest released 13F for Q1 2026 shows only a small remaining Alphabet stake after Ackman sharply cut the position. Based on the filing’s $13.7 billion portfolio, Alphabet Class A and C together accounted for just 0.8%, while Amazon was at 17% and Meta at 11.1%, bringing the three holdings to near 29%.If we factor in Pershing’s new Microsoft stake, Big Tech accounts for somewhere between 40 and 45% of its disclosed U.S.-listed equity holdings. Interestingly, Reuters recently reported that Ackman’s firm no longer owned Alphabet in Q2. Additionally, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta collectively committed $505 billionto $535 billion in 2026 capex, much of which was tied to the AI infrastructure race. Ackman doesn’t share that concern, though.In his view, valuations have taken a hit as growth rates are accelerating, creating the kind of mismatch Pershing Square looks for.Ackman’s playbook has never been classic “cheap stock” value investing. For him, it has always been about buying high-quality, dominant businesses when the market is temporarily worried about something that management can turn into long-term value. That aligns with what he shared in the Forbes interview.“So the core strategy of Pershing Square has always been buying minority stakes in pretty big companies and helping make them more successful.”Why Ackman says the AI winner may not matterAckman’s big point on AI investing was far from being an endorsement of a specific chatbot. In fact, he essentially warned against framing that trade too narrowly.“It’s not clear which frontier model is going to be the winner and whether there will be a winner,” he said, noting that OpenAI once looked ahead, Google followed, and now “Anthropic seems to be the kind of lead horse.” However, Ackman’s conclusion moved quickly beyond Anthropic itself.For investors, his argument is that the model race may keep shifting, while the need for infrastructure is more durable. Every serious AI contender needs enormous processing power, which makes the demand for cloud services harder to dismiss.“One thing’s clear: all of these companies require massive amounts of compute,” Ackman said. The cloud, in his view, is the “most scalable, safest place to get access to that kind of compute”.That is where things flip back in favor with Amazon and Alphabet, because their cloud platforms sit closer to the rails powering the AI buildout.Meta fits the basket differentlyIt isn’t the same cloud toll-road story, but it is still part of Ackman’s broader view that the market is focused on AI spending risk and not enough on what dominant platforms may earn from it over time.Interestingly, Bloomberg reported recently that Meta is building a company to sell excess AI computing capacity. Though that strategy is still in development and could change, the idea fits Ackman’s argument that investors might be underestimating returns from Big Tech’s AI buildout. What it means for Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta investorsFor investors, Ackman’s Big Tech bet is not one trade with three identical stories.According to Seeking Alpha, Alphabet trades at nearly 25 times forward non-GAAP earnings, positioning it as a premium AI and search compounder, but far from being extreme if cloud and Gemini-driven growth continues to improve. Moreover, Amazon is slightly richer on near-term earnings at about 28 times, yet its lower sales multiple underscores the weight of its retail business and the market’s focus on AWS margins, AI infrastructure spending, and long-term operating leverage.On top of that, Meta is the cheapest of the three on forward earnings at roughly 18 times, which explains why it could still fit the Ackman-style value basket despite the criticism around AI spending. However, the tension is that Meta’s lower multiple also underscores greater investor doubt about whether its AI capex will translate into returns as clearly as Alphabet’s and Amazon’s cloud businesses.Related: Cathie Wood buys $5.5M of surging tech stock
Bitcoin experts split over plan to freeze Satoshi’s 1.1 million bitcoin as quantum threat grows
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao said Satoshi Nakamoto’s bitcoin should be frozen before quantum computers can steal it. Not everyone agrees.