Maduro bet arrest, Iranian speedboats, marijuana and fast fashion’s war problem
4/24/202612 min
A U.S. Army soldier is charged with using classified information to bet on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Iran uses a swarm of speedboats to seize two container ships near the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. reclassifies marijuana as a less dangerous drug. And your wardrobe is caught in the crossfire as a surge in fossil fuel prices squeezes polyester suppliers and garment makers. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast here. Sign up for the Reuters Econ World newsletter here. Listen to the Reuters Econ World podcast here. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt out of targeted advertising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsKim Vinnell· Host0:00
Hi, I'm Kim Vennell in Wanganui, New Zealand. It's Friday, April 24th. Today, [upbeat music] a US soldier is accused of making money off his knowledge of the Maduro raid by betting on the prediction market. Iranian fast boats swarm tactics as the US rarely neutralized the threat. Marijuana gets reclassified, blowing business prospects wide open. And fast fashion takes a hit as the Strait of Hormuz closure chokes the supply of petrochemicals. This is Reuters World News, bringing you everything you need to know from the front lines in 10 minutes, seven days a week. [gentle music] A US Army Special Forces soldier has been charged with using classified intelligence to inform a bet on the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. He walked away, prosecutors say, with $400,000. It appears to be the first DOJ prosecution of insider trading on a prediction market, where people can bet on any range of events. Prosecutors say Gannon Ken Van Dyke was involved in the planning of the Maduro operation and placed wagers on Polymarket in the days leading up to it. US President Donald Trump compared the case to a famous baseballer banned from the major league over a gambling scandal in