Yes, there are plenty of big-budget visual effects of prehistoric creatures in Steven Spielberg’s natural history show. But the voiceover is the real draw It’s difficult these days to make a nature documentary that isn’t like all the others. Spectacular landscapes, crisp closeup photography, tales of predation and survival, birth and death: whether you go for Pixar cuteness, crimson claws or envir...
Yes, there are plenty of big-budget visual effects of prehistoric creatures in Steven Spielberg’s natural history show. But the voiceover is the real draw It’s difficult these days to make a nature documentary that isn’t like all the others. Spectacular landscapes, crisp closeup photography, tales of predation and survival, birth and death: whether you go for Pixar cuteness, crimson claws or environmental crisis, it’s been done 100 times before. Watching The Dinosaurs, it’s hard not to sense the same problem starting to affect factual shows about the animal kingdom as it was millions of years ago. Impressive as it is that big-money dino documentaries boast visual effects that look similar to footage of Earth today, we are getting used to it. Before the opening titles roll, cliches from two genres have been cross-bred. From regular animal shows, there’s the one where a lone male tries to muscle in on a family unit, forcing the existing patriarch to fight for his status against a younger, stronger rival. Our friend who looks as if he’s about to be fatally pushed aside is a pachycephalosaurus, but the dynamic is the same. Then the two males’ head-smashing battle is interrupted by a familiar sight from dinosaur documentaries: the animal posing a threat is suddenly bitten in two by a Tyrannosaurus rex, leaping unbidden through the undergrowth with a camp flourish. The pachycephalosaurus clan, led by their relieved dad, scurry happily away to the sound of the interloper’s cracking skull. Continue reading...
Our current approach to mental health labelling and diagnosis has brought benefits. But as a practising doctor, I am concerned that it may be doing more harm than good By Gavin Francis. Read by Noof Ousellam Continue reading...
Our current approach to mental health labelling and diagnosis has brought benefits. But as a practising doctor, I am concerned that it may be doing more harm than good By Gavin Francis. Read by Noof Ousellam Continue reading...
China will allocate more of its fiscal spending this year towards human capital and social safety nets, as Beijing seeks to boost domestic demand and unlock new growth through “investing in people”. “Efforts must be sustained to optimise the expenditure structure, with greater emphasis on supporting the boosting of consumption, investing in people, and safeguarding people’s livelihoods,” Premier L...
China will allocate more of its fiscal spending this year towards human capital and social safety nets, as Beijing seeks to boost domestic demand and unlock new growth through “investing in people”. “Efforts must be sustained to optimise the expenditure structure, with greater emphasis on supporting the boosting of consumption, investing in people, and safeguarding people’s livelihoods,” Premier Li Qiang said in his annual work report , delivered during the opening session of the National People’s Congress on Thursday. Incorporated into China’s 15th five-year plan , the “investing in people” concept reflects Beijing’s shift in approach as it places greater reliance on the domestic market for future expansion amid global uncertainties, after decades of export-led growth and heavy investment in physical assets. This marks the first time the slogan has appeared in such a strategic policy blueprint. Advertisement Unlike Western strategies that prioritise tax cuts for the wealthy to drive growth, China is emphasising the need to improve public well-being, with specific targets now enshrined in policy road maps. In his report, the premier vowed to increase inputs in areas closely related to human development. These include formulating and implementing plans to boost residents’ incomes; rolling out more supportive and friendly policies for childbearing; expanding support for senior care; and launching large-scale vocational skills training programmes. Advertisement Beijing has set seven livelihood-related goals among its 20 numerical targets for the five years, according to the full text of the 15th five-year plan released the same day. The plan guides China’s policy priorities from 2026 to 2030.
This is the forum for daily political discussion on Seeking Alpha. A new version is published every market day. Please don't leave political comments on other articles or posts on the site. The comments below are not regulated with the same rigor as the rest of the site, and this is an 'enter at your own risk' area as discussion can get very heated. If you can't stand the heat... you know what the...
This is the forum for daily political discussion on Seeking Alpha. A new version is published every market day. Please don't leave political comments on other articles or posts on the site. The comments below are not regulated with the same rigor as the rest of the site, and this is an 'enter at your own risk' area as discussion can get very heated. If you can't stand the heat... you know what they say... More on Today's Markets: Trump removes Noem as Homeland Security head after congressional clashes Leadership upheaval at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security intensified Thursday after President Donald Trump removed Kristi Noem as secretary and said he would nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin as her replacement. The shift could influence billions of dollars in federal security, border enforcement and defense-related spending. Strait of Hormuz closure looks like a coin flip as traders forecast essentially 50-50 chance Roughly 20 million barrels per day of petroleum liquids pass through the Strait of Hormuz, making it the world’s second-largest oil transit chokepoint. Any prolonged disruption could have significant implications for global energy markets and inflation. Oil prices surge on worries of prolonged supply disruptions from Middle East war Crude oil extended gains Thursday as the U.S.-Israel war on Iran entered its sixth day, with global supply threatened by attacks against critical infrastructure and shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz almost fully stopped, trapping ~20% of the world's daily oil consumption. Trump TACO trade doesn't work in war, Kolanovic says 'Trump Always Chickens Out' "applies when Trump on his own decides e.g. if tariffs are 50% or 0% instantaneously," Kolanovic said. Trump's Liberation Day tariff announcement last year drove a sharp market selloff, before a rebound took hold about a week later when the White House paused the harsher tit-for-tat tariffs (while keeping a baseline tariff). The TACO trade has resurfaced many times...
Turkey has spent $12 billion, equal to roughly 15% of its foreign-currency reserves, to keep the lira stable during a week of global market volatility triggered by the war in Iran. The Turkish central bank tightened liquidity conditions before markets opened on Monday and, when trading began, lenders stepped in to sell dollars to deter volatility, according to traders familiar with the deals, who ...
Turkey has spent $12 billion, equal to roughly 15% of its foreign-currency reserves, to keep the lira stable during a week of global market volatility triggered by the war in Iran. The Turkish central bank tightened liquidity conditions before markets opened on Monday and, when trading began, lenders stepped in to sell dollars to deter volatility, according to traders familiar with the deals, who asked not to be identified due to the private nature of the transactions. The amount of dollar sales declined throughout the week with no such transactions observed on Thursday, they said. As a result, the lira has stayed calm at a time when most other emerging-market currencies tumbled. “For the time being, we think that’s a sustainable policy,” said Nick Eisinger , head of emerging-market sovereign strategy at JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s asset-management division. “They have decent ammunition to be able to carry on doing that but this is obviously why the whole longevity around what’s going on with Iran is so important.” Eisinger’s view is that if the heightened-risk environment lasts a week or two then “by and large the dust should settle and we can probably get back to some degree of normality.” If not, prospects become “much harder for a lot of risk assets globally.” The dollar sales have made the lira one of the best performing emerging-market currencies this week, with a 0.1 decline against the dollar. Turkish policymakers are managing a gradual depreciation of the lira, seeking to provide a degree of predictability for businesses and investors as domestic price growth moderates. ‘Small Exit Door’ The Turkish central bank’s net foreign-currency reserves, excluding swaps lines it has with lenders, stood at $78.4 billion last Friday. Combined with the monetary authority’s gold holdings, it has roughly $200 billion in its coffers. The central bank declined to comment on foreign-exchange policy. A member of the US-led NATO military alliance, Turkey is vulnerable to the confli...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images I am downgrading Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) to a hold heading into the Q2 FY26 print. Aside from the current macro backdrop, which is no longer rewarding risk assets (particularly those in the tech sector, as shown in the return map below), I see a key risk related to one of Micron's competitors in the HBM space. Guidance Terminal I'm talking about S...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images I am downgrading Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) to a hold heading into the Q2 FY26 print. Aside from the current macro backdrop, which is no longer rewarding risk assets (particularly those in the tech sector, as shown in the return map below), I see a key risk related to one of Micron's competitors in the HBM space. Guidance Terminal I'm talking about Samsung's HBM4 production ramp, which adds a downside catalyst that could pressure Micron's market share and forward guidance. Even at 11.6x next year's earnings, I think anything investors can spin as negative in the upcoming earnings release will be an excuse to head for the exit (especially since Micron is a crowded trade). Overall, I prefer to stay on the sidelines and downgrade to a hold. Below, I explain why I'm not downgrading to a sell. The Memory Cycle Hasn't Mean Reverted... Yet In my view, after a 215% return since last summer, beat-and-raise quarters are now a must for the stock (even with its cheap 11.6x forward P/E multiple). Guidance Terminal To keep beating the Street's expectations, Micron must maintain its pricing power, which is driven by the tightness in the memory cycle due to the AI data center buildout. KoyFin | Analyst Revenue Revisions So far, I see no signs, from both a demand and a supply perspective, that suggest the possibility of any downward revisions in the chart shown above (representing the Street's revenue expectations for Micron for the next 4 quarters). From a demand perspective, the top 8 cloud service providers are expected to spend more than $710B in CapEx this year (up 61% yoy). TrendForce As you may know, HBM chips are key for AI inference and training compute at scale. On top of that, even if hyperscalers pivot to ASICs (i.e., custom chips) from the current Nvidia GPUs, memory demand will not go away. The demand for memory chips coming from the AI data center buildout is so high that analysts had to drastically upgrade their project...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images I am downgrading Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) to a hold heading into the Q2 FY26 print. Aside from the current macro backdrop, which is no longer rewarding risk assets (particularly those in the tech sector, as shown in the return map below), I see a key risk related to one of Micron's competitors in the HBM space. Guidance Terminal I'm talking about S...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images I am downgrading Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) to a hold heading into the Q2 FY26 print. Aside from the current macro backdrop, which is no longer rewarding risk assets (particularly those in the tech sector, as shown in the return map below), I see a key risk related to one of Micron's competitors in the HBM space. Guidance Terminal I'm talking about Samsung's HBM4 production ramp, which adds a downside catalyst that could pressure Micron's market share and forward guidance. Even at 11.6x next year's earnings, I think anything investors can spin as negative in the upcoming earnings release will be an excuse to head for the exit (especially since Micron is a crowded trade). Overall, I prefer to stay on the sidelines and downgrade to a hold. Below, I explain why I'm not downgrading to a sell. The Memory Cycle Hasn't Mean Reverted... Yet In my view, after a 215% return since last summer, beat-and-raise quarters are now a must for the stock (even with its cheap 11.6x forward P/E multiple). Guidance Terminal To keep beating the Street's expectations, Micron must maintain its pricing power, which is driven by the tightness in the memory cycle due to the AI data center buildout. KoyFin | Analyst Revenue Revisions So far, I see no signs, from both a demand and a supply perspective, that suggest the possibility of any downward revisions in the chart shown above (representing the Street's revenue expectations for Micron for the next 4 quarters). From a demand perspective, the top 8 cloud service providers are expected to spend more than $710B in CapEx this year (up 61% yoy). TrendForce As you may know, HBM chips are key for AI inference and training compute at scale. On top of that, even if hyperscalers pivot to ASICs (i.e., custom chips) from the current Nvidia GPUs, memory demand will not go away. The demand for memory chips coming from the AI data center buildout is so high that analysts had to drastically upgrade their project...
Viettel High Tech, the technology arm of Vietnam’s Viettel Group, announced on Thursday it has signed 6G collaboration deals with Intel, AMD, ID Quantique and Qualcomm at Mobile World Congress 2026 as it plots out a roadmap to commercialise its own 6G gear by 2029. The collaboration with Intel focuses on joint development and validation of key 5G Advanced and 6G technologies, including AI optimiza...
Viettel High Tech, the technology arm of Vietnam’s Viettel Group, announced on Thursday it has signed 6G collaboration deals with Intel, AMD, ID Quantique and Qualcomm at Mobile World Congress 2026 as it plots out a roadmap to commercialise its own 6G gear by 2029. The collaboration with Intel focuses on joint development and validation of key 5G Advanced and 6G technologies, including AI optimization within RAN architecture and cloud-native network systems. Viettel High Tech said early access to next-generation computing platforms enables it to accelerate technology validation cycles and strengthen its position within the global AI-RAN ecosystem. With AMD, Viettel High Tech said it’s advancing high-performance computing architectures for AI-driven networks and edge computing environments. The partnership targets scalable, cost-efficient and energy-optimized infrastructure capable of supporting large-scale 5G and 6G deployments. The company said its partnership with ID Quantique establishes a foundation for integrating quantum-safe cryptography into telecoms infrastructure at the architectural level, preparing networks for long-term security requirements in the 6G era and cross-border connectivity scenarios. Viettel also joined an industry coalition spearheaded by Qualcomm and revealed earlier this week at MWC26 to establish a clear, milestone-driven roadmap focused on delivering 6G commercial systems starting in 2029. The Qualcomm coalition is focusing on three core architectural domains: devices, networks, and cloud infrastructure. The coalition envisions 6G as an intelligent, AI-native device and network platform, and aims to drive development of essential 6G standards, early system validation, demonstration of 6G spec-compliant pre-commercial devices and networks in 2028, establishing a common industry benchmark for 6G readiness, and initial rollout of global and interoperable commercial 6G systems starting from 2029. Viettel said it will follow the coalition ro...
mdmilliman/iStock via Getty Images Overview As the market continues to sell off large-cap technology companies, the rotation into other areas of the market continues. This has been beneficial for small caps and the Royce Small-Cap Trust ( RVT ) has been able to successfully capitalize on this. When I previously covered RVT, I issued a buy rating due to the discounted price to NAV valuation at the ...
mdmilliman/iStock via Getty Images Overview As the market continues to sell off large-cap technology companies, the rotation into other areas of the market continues. This has been beneficial for small caps and the Royce Small-Cap Trust ( RVT ) has been able to successfully capitalize on this. When I previously covered RVT, I issued a buy rating due to the discounted price to NAV valuation at the time. Since then, RVT has provided a positive double-digit return and outpaced the S&P 500. The fund has now released an updated annual report for 2025, which prompted me to reassess the fund's value proposition and outlook for the year. Looking at the performance over the last twelve months, we can see that RVT's share price has increased by 23%. The fund has been able to capitalize on the rotation out of large-cap tech into small-cap companies. When including all distributions that were paid out to shareholders, the total return jumps up to about 34.7% over the same time frame. One of the main appeals of RVT is the starting dividend yield of 6.6%. The latest annual report indicates that the fund has no issues generating earnings that can support the payouts, which is great for investors seeking a reliable source of income. Data by YCharts Unfortunately, the latest price run has caused the fund to trade at a less compelling price-to-NAV valuation. Although this may no longer be the best time to accumulate shares, I see no red flags that would justify existing shareholders selling. As long as investors understand the tradeoff of prioritizing income over total return, I believe that RVT can be a solid long-term position for investors. So let's start by reviewing the underlying strategy that RVT implements to generate its earnings. Fund Strategy According to the latest fact sheet , RVT now has total net assets of $2.1B that are spread across 472 different holdings. RVT's primary objective is to provide attractive total returns while providing a high current income from exposu...
Key Points VXUS charges a lower expense ratio and yields more than SPGM SPGM shows a greater tilt toward technology giants and has outperformed VXUS over five years VXUS holds more stocks and has a higher level of assets under management 10 stocks we like better than SPDR Portfolio MSCI Global Stock Market ETF › Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (NASDAQ:VXUS) stands out for its lower cost, hi...
Key Points VXUS charges a lower expense ratio and yields more than SPGM SPGM shows a greater tilt toward technology giants and has outperformed VXUS over five years VXUS holds more stocks and has a higher level of assets under management 10 stocks we like better than SPDR Portfolio MSCI Global Stock Market ETF › Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (NASDAQ:VXUS) stands out for its lower cost, higher yield, and assets under management (AUM), while State Street SPDR Portfolio MSCI Global Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT:SPGM) leans more into technology and has delivered stronger five-year growth. Both VXUS and SPGM offer diversified global equity exposure, but they take different approaches: VXUS excludes U.S. stocks and covers a vast number of international companies, while SPGM includes U.S. names and gives more weight to technology leaders. This comparison breaks down their key differences to help investors see which may better fit their portfolio goals. Snapshot (cost & size) Metric VXUS SPGM Issuer Vanguard SPDR Expense ratio 0.05% 0.09% 1-yr return (as of Feb. 27, 2026) 34.7% 25.2% Dividend yield 2.9% 1.8% Beta 0.73 0.90 AUM $617.73 billion $1.5 billion Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. VXUS is more affordable with its lower expense ratio and also offers a higher dividend payout, while SPGM carries a slightly higher cost and lower yield by comparison. Performance & risk comparison Metric VXUS SPGM Max drawdown (5 y) -29.43% -25.92% Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $1,329 $1,556 What's inside SPGM tracks a broad global index spanning developed and emerging markets, with a notable 27% allocation to technology and a significant cash and others component. The fund holds around 2,939 stocks, and its largest positions are in Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA), Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), and Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT). With over 14 years of histo...
The family of deceased firefighter Ho Wai-ho, who died while battling Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in November, will receive HK$6.15 million (US$831,246) in financial assistance in recognition of his courage and selflessness. The government on Friday announced a grant approved by the body responsible for providing financial support to families of individuals who died while saving others. Secretary ...
The family of deceased firefighter Ho Wai-ho, who died while battling Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in November, will receive HK$6.15 million (US$831,246) in financial assistance in recognition of his courage and selflessness. The government on Friday announced a grant approved by the body responsible for providing financial support to families of individuals who died while saving others. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han, who also chairs the committee, paid tribute to Ho’s bravery. Advertisement “Mr Ho demonstrated exceptional courage and a high degree of gallantry to save and protect the lives of others, which commands our greatest respect … We deeply mourn the loss of such an excellent and devoted public servant,” he said. “The grant represents the government’s recognition of the late Mr Ho’s gallantry and selflessness of the highest order.” Advertisement Ho died on November 26 during a search and rescue operation at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. The inferno killed 168 people and left nearly 5,000 displaced. The grant for Ho’s family followed new relief measures introduced by the banking industry on Wednesday for residents affected by the blaze.
Johnson is among those critical of the whole process, saying last year that it had not brought "a single new or interesting fact into the public domain". The TaxPayers' Alliance has branded it a waste of money.
Johnson is among those critical of the whole process, saying last year that it had not brought "a single new or interesting fact into the public domain". The TaxPayers' Alliance has branded it a waste of money.
Qatar is offering at least two liquefied natural gas tankers that it controls for lease, as the country’s massive export facility in the Persian Gulf remains shut due to the ongoing war in the Middle East. The Al Thumama and Mesaieed , both of which are under long-term charter by state-owned QatarEnergy, are being offered to the market, according to traders with knowledge of the matter. The vessel...
Qatar is offering at least two liquefied natural gas tankers that it controls for lease, as the country’s massive export facility in the Persian Gulf remains shut due to the ongoing war in the Middle East. The Al Thumama and Mesaieed , both of which are under long-term charter by state-owned QatarEnergy, are being offered to the market, according to traders with knowledge of the matter. The vessels are currently off the west coast of Africa, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show. The conflict in the Middle East, sparked by the US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, have roiled energy markets and driven up prices for crude , natural gas and oil products. Qatar earlier this week shut production at its Ras Laffan LNG export facility, the world’s largest, after an Iranian drone attack. Read More: Qatar’s Hard-Won Reputation as Safest Gas Supplier Lost in Days The war has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula — snarling shipping to and from the Persian Gulf, including tankers carrying Qatari LNG to global markets. Al Thumama has mostly been used to export LNG from Ras Laffan since starting service in 2008, according to ship-tracking data from Kpler. Mesaieed, which entered the market in 2025, has exported three shipments from Qatar and one from the US, the data shows. QatarEnergy didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
MicroStockHub/iStock via Getty Images The following segment was excerpted from the Nomura Value Fund Q4 2025 Commentary. In October, we sold our position in Kenvue Inc. ( KVUE ), a consumer health company with globally recognizable brands such as Band-Aid, Listerine, Neutrogena, Tylenol, and Johnson's baby products. The company spun out of Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) (J&J) ( J NJ) in 2023, is catego...
MicroStockHub/iStock via Getty Images The following segment was excerpted from the Nomura Value Fund Q4 2025 Commentary. In October, we sold our position in Kenvue Inc. ( KVUE ), a consumer health company with globally recognizable brands such as Band-Aid, Listerine, Neutrogena, Tylenol, and Johnson's baby products. The company spun out of Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) (J&J) ( J NJ) in 2023, is categorized as a household and personal care products company (HPC), and is deemed a "pure play" in consumer health given its relatively focused product portfolio. Kenvue splits its revenue into three business segments: Self Care, Skin Health and Beauty, and Essential Health. Despite significant competition within its brand categories, the company is a market leader in its three business segments globally. In some categories, Kenvue experienced flat growth or share losses in recent years, owing in part to underinvestment in particular brands. In October 2024, activist investor Starboard Value LP announced it had built a stake in the company, believing that with proper investment, Kenvue could reinvigorate growth (specifically in the Skin Health and Beauty segment) and expand margins to 2019 levels. At the time of our initial purchase in May 2025, Kenvue was out of favor (only 24% buy rated by Wall Street analysts) and appeared reasonably valued to us. Based on our work, the stock had a favorable long-term risk/reward profile. In September 2025, Kenvue's shares traded lower on news that the Trump administration would release a report linking autism to acetaminophen use during pregnancy. (Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in Tylenol.) The shares fell further when the administration publicly announced its recommendation that pregnant women avoid using acetaminophen unless absolutely necessary. We believed the potential liability associated with Tylenol was limited. However, we also recognized that increasingly negative public perception could dampen overall sales. Tylenol accou...
Nutex Health press release ( NUTX ): Q4 Revenue of $151.7M (-41.1% Y/Y) misses by $107.12M . Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Nutex Health of $16.6 million, as compared to Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Nutex Health of $86.7 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, a decrease of 80.8%. Total visits at the Hospital Division were 48,205 for the three months ended December 31, 2025, as c...
Nutex Health press release ( NUTX ): Q4 Revenue of $151.7M (-41.1% Y/Y) misses by $107.12M . Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Nutex Health of $16.6 million, as compared to Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Nutex Health of $86.7 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, a decrease of 80.8%. Total visits at the Hospital Division were 48,205 for the three months ended December 31, 2025, as compared to 45,444 for the same period in 2024, an increase of 2,761 or 6.1%. Visits at mature hospitals decreased by 0.3% in the three months ended December 31, 2025 as compared to the same period in 2024. Net cash from operating activities of $70.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, as compared to $0.1 million for the same period in 2024. The board of directors has authorized a second stock repurchase program of up to $25.0 million of the company's common stock over the next six months. More on Nutex Health Nutex Health: The $387 Million Receivables Problem And The Legislative Silver Bullet Nutex: Stellar Growth But Sustainability Doubts Linger Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Nutex Health Historical earnings data for Nutex Health Financial information for Nutex Health