The sea is rough and turbid, with big, grey waves breaking white all along the pebbled length of Chesil Beach, but the water in the lagoon behind is merely ruffled. Here at the westernmost end, the shore is white not with surf but with hundreds of mute swans. There has been a swannery at Abbotsbury since the 11th century, when Benedictine monks began to manage the wild swans that gathered on the s...
The sea is rough and turbid, with big, grey waves breaking white all along the pebbled length of Chesil Beach, but the water in the lagoon behind is merely ruffled. Here at the westernmost end, the shore is white not with surf but with hundreds of mute swans. There has been a swannery at Abbotsbury since the 11th century, when Benedictine monks began to manage the wild swans that gathered on the sheltered Fleet lagoon. To this day, cygnets hatching here belong not to the crown, but to descendants of the Strangways family, who have managed the flock for 15 generations. The birds are free to come and go, but about 600 choose to stay at the swannery year-round, where they are fed daily. This winter, they were hungrier than usual because frequent storm surges kept water levels high, meaning it was too deep for them to reach the eelgrass beds. View image in fullscreen ‘Swans are free to come and go, but about 600 choose to stay year-round.’ Photograph: Sara Hudston As a result, the swanherd Steve Groves has been feeding them twice as often. When he appears wheeling a barrow filled with wheat, the swans quickly congregate. Some fly in on creaking wings, but most walk after him, pacing with a stately, rocking gait on their black webbed feet. He throws the grains on the bank and in the water, and they dabble eagerly, grunting softly to one another, diamond droplets of spray scattering on their crisp plumage. Many have oddly thickened and bulbous lower necks. This, Steve explains, is a sign that they have recovered from bird flu. When the disease first arrived in the colony in 2008, it caused many losses, especially among juveniles. Since then, the current strain has become less virulent and blood tests show that most birds acquire immunity. Bird flu and its spread have been exacerbated by shifting climate patterns, which have also changed the mix of species visiting during winter months. Goldeneye duck and Bewick’s swans are no longer seen because warmer weather means they ...
(RTTNews) - The E.W. Scripps Co. (SSP), a media company, on Thursday agreed to acquire WTVQ, the ABC affiliate in Lexington, Kentucky, from Morris Network, Inc. for $15.8 million. The stations carry an aggregate purchase price of about $54 million, with the deal expected to close later this year pending approvals. The acquisition would create a duopoly in Lexington alongside Scripps' existing WLEX...
(RTTNews) - The E.W. Scripps Co. (SSP), a media company, on Thursday agreed to acquire WTVQ, the ABC affiliate in Lexington, Kentucky, from Morris Network, Inc. for $15.8 million. The stations carry an aggregate purchase price of about $54 million, with the deal expected to close later this year pending approvals. The acquisition would create a duopoly in Lexington alongside Scripps' existing WLEX, the market's NBC affiliate. The acquisition follows recent portfolio changes by Scripps. The company closed the sale of WFTX in Fort Myers, Florida, on Monday and expects to complete the sale of WRTV in Indianapolis in the coming weeks. Separately, Scripps previously agreed to swap stations in five mid-sized and small markets with Gray Media. Scripps also exercised an option to reacquire 23 ION-affiliated stations that were divested to INYO Broadcast Holdings during its 2021 acquisition of ION. On Wednesday, The E.W. Scripps closed trading 5.12% higher at $4.1100 on the Nasdaq, further in the overnight trading 3.65% lesser at $3.9600. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Shares of South Korean defense contractor LIG Nex1 Co. jumped on reports that Gulf nations may expand orders for its missile interceptors to fend off Iranian strikes. The stock rose as much as 27% in Seoul after local newspaper Ilyo Shinmun reported that the United Arab Emirates has asked LIG to supply additional interceptors. Another outlet said the three Gulf countries have requested early deliv...
Shares of South Korean defense contractor LIG Nex1 Co. jumped on reports that Gulf nations may expand orders for its missile interceptors to fend off Iranian strikes. The stock rose as much as 27% in Seoul after local newspaper Ilyo Shinmun reported that the United Arab Emirates has asked LIG to supply additional interceptors. Another outlet said the three Gulf countries have requested early delivery of planned shipments, while Qatar offered to place a new order for the missile systems. South Korean defense contractors have been buoyed by booming arms sales fueled by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Hanwha Aerospace Co. , a partner in producing the M-SAM missile systems and other platforms, also hit a record this week, capping a staggering 3,000% rally over the last five years that made it one of the world’s best-performing defense stocks. LIG has exported its mid-range surface-to-air missile systems, the M-SAM II, or Cheongung II, to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iraq between 2022 and 2024 in deals worth more than 12 trillion won ($8.2 billion). Read more: US Use of Costly Weapons Against Iran Tests Limits of Inventory The reports came after the UAE’s defense ministry announced this week that its air defense systems have destroyed 172 of the 186 Iranian ballistic missiles detected since the conflict erupted. LIG didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
Zhou Shihong. Photo: VCG A prominent Chinese political advisor has proposed scrapping the country’s widely used “labor-dispatch” system, signaling growing concern over an employment practice critics say has eroded worker protections in the world’s second-largest economy. Zhou Shihong, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and executive partner at Grandall Law F...
Zhou Shihong. Photo: VCG A prominent Chinese political advisor has proposed scrapping the country’s widely used “labor-dispatch” system, signaling growing concern over an employment practice critics say has eroded worker protections in the world’s second-largest economy. Zhou Shihong, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and executive partner at Grandall Law Firm, told Caixin during the ongoing legislative session that the dispatch mechanism — originally designed for temporary or auxiliary roles — has been abused. Instead of serving as a stopgap, it has become a standard hiring model that undermines the rights of the broader workforce, Zhou said, recommending its complete removal.
Justin Paget/DigitalVision via Getty Images Summary I gave a buy rating to Cushman & Wakefield ( CWK ) earlier this year, with my key thesis being that this is a business that will continue to see stable demand and that it has a strong tailwind from AI/data center demand. My view remains bullish. Capital markets and leasing both stayed strong, which tells me underlying real estate activity is impr...
Justin Paget/DigitalVision via Getty Images Summary I gave a buy rating to Cushman & Wakefield ( CWK ) earlier this year, with my key thesis being that this is a business that will continue to see stable demand and that it has a strong tailwind from AI/data center demand. My view remains bullish. Capital markets and leasing both stayed strong, which tells me underlying real estate activity is improving. Earnings Results Update CWK reported a strong Q4 2025 quarter with total revenue growth of 11% y/y to $2.9 billion, while service line fee revenue grew 9% y/y to $2.04 billion. Growth was evident across the board. Services revenue grew 8% y/y, leasing revenue grew 6%, capital markets revenue grew 17%, and valuation and other revenue was up 15%. On the top line numbers alone, this was a solid quarter. However, things were a little mixed at the bottom line. GAAP net income went into a net loss of $22.4 million (from $112.9 million last year). This was mainly due to the $177 million other-than-temporary impairment related to the Greystone JV. But if we look at this on an adjusted basis, it is not that bad. Adj. net income was up 12% y/y to $127.1 million, and adj. diluted EPS was $0.54, up 13%. Capital Markets Suggest Underlying Demand is Improving This was the fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit y/y growth for the capital markets segment, which I think should continue, as this was driven by improved debt availability and flow through of deals that were held up previously due to lack of funding. In the call, management also said capital markets still have room to run if the macro backdrop avoids any dramatic shock. That tells me that we are still in the early innings of the growth runway. Also, the strength here isn't really just in one region. CWK is seeing strength across major regions. Americas grew 19%; EMEA grew 19% on a reported basis and 9% in local currency; and while APAC was down 6%, it was mainly due to a difficult comparison in Japan. The more importan...
monsitj/iStock via Getty Images Venezuela's state-owned mining company on Monday inked a multimillion-dollar deal to sell as many as 1,000 kilograms of gold destined for U.S. markets, Axios reported on Wednesday. The deal requires Venezuelan mining company Minerven to furnish 650 to 1,000 kg of gold dore bars to Trafigura, the report said, adding that Trafigura will ship the gold to U.S. ref...
monsitj/iStock via Getty Images Venezuela's state-owned mining company on Monday inked a multimillion-dollar deal to sell as many as 1,000 kilograms of gold destined for U.S. markets, Axios reported on Wednesday. The deal requires Venezuelan mining company Minerven to furnish 650 to 1,000 kg of gold dore bars to Trafigura, the report said, adding that Trafigura will ship the gold to U.S. refineries under a separate arrangement with the U.S. government. The contract calls for 98% final gold content, the source said. U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who arrived in Venezuela Wednesday to discuss oil and mineral opportunities, helped shepherd the gold contract. Gold prices ( XAUUSD:CUR ) have already climbed nearly 20% this year, after hitting a record high above $5,595 per ounce in late January, as global uncertainty and safe-haven demand kept bullion markets firm. This contract is the third extraction deal made under the Trump administration's supervision as the U.S. has taken control of Venezuela's most crucial and abundant resource, oil, the report said. Trafigura is also involved in those oil contracts worth more than $1 billion. Separatetly, Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez said on Wednesday a reform of the country's main mining law will be submitted in coming days to the country's legislature, after a meeting in Caracas with Burgum. Burgum, who also heads the U.S. National Energy Dominance Council, arrived in the South American country with more than two dozen U.S. mining and minerals companies, which he said could represent billions in investment and thousands of high-paying jobs for Venezuela. Burgum is expected to meet with oil and gas companies on Thursday to discuss expansion and investment, two sources earlier told Reuters . More on Venezuela, Exxon may be 'interested in going back' to Venezuela if conditions are right, executive says Venezuela oil sales under U.S. deal seen hitting $2B by February-end, Wright says (CL1:COM:Commo...