The chair of UK Sport has called on the BBC to show more of Team GB’s “fantastic athletes” between Olympic Games and says there is significant public appetite for more coverage on free-to-air TV. Nick Webborn said he expected millions to tune into the BBC’s coverage of Milan Cortina 2026, which begins on Friday, but urged the broadcaster, as a publicly-funded body, to show more Olympic sports betw...
The chair of UK Sport has called on the BBC to show more of Team GB’s “fantastic athletes” between Olympic Games and says there is significant public appetite for more coverage on free-to-air TV. Nick Webborn said he expected millions to tune into the BBC’s coverage of Milan Cortina 2026, which begins on Friday, but urged the broadcaster, as a publicly-funded body, to show more Olympic sports between each Summer and Winter Games. Webborn also cited a new survey commissioned by UK Sport, which found that 69% of the public wanted Olympic sports broadcast more regularly on free-to-air TV, with 66% of respondents calling for more Paralympic sports to be shown too. Asked whether the BBC should do more, Webborn said: “I believe so. We found that nearly 70% of the British public would like more Olympic and parasport between Games on free-to-air, and we’re having discussions with the BBC about how we might do that.” Webborn said he had met the BBC’s director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, in the summer to make his case. “Our discussions were positive but there wasn’t, in terms of detail, we will deliver X, Y or Z,” he said. “But the conversations are positive and I think they realise that we have some fantastic athletes.” Webborn’s comments reflect a growing frustration in the Olympic ecosystem, with several sports privately believing the BBC should devote more coverage, both on its TV channels and website, to Team GB’s medallists and future stars – especially as it is funded by the taxpayer. Eyebrows were raised in athletics circles, for instance, when the Keely Klassic – the inaugural meeting put on by the Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson – was only on the red button last year, with BBC2 showing a repeat of Flog It! instead. Last year Aquatics GB also had to step in to stream the World Aquatics Championships on its website because the BBC no longer covers the event. However, Webborn is confident Team GB’s athletes, who are funded by UK Sport, will again enthral the nati...
Anne Boleyn’s Hever “Rose” portrait is one of history’s most iconic faces, with her “B” pendant, her French hood, her dark eyes and a red rose in her right hand. Now a secret that has remained hidden for nearly 500 years has been discovered beneath the layers of paint. Scientific analysis of the painting at Hever Castle, her childhood home in Kent, has uncovered evidence that an Elizabethan artist...
Anne Boleyn’s Hever “Rose” portrait is one of history’s most iconic faces, with her “B” pendant, her French hood, her dark eyes and a red rose in her right hand. Now a secret that has remained hidden for nearly 500 years has been discovered beneath the layers of paint. Scientific analysis of the painting at Hever Castle, her childhood home in Kent, has uncovered evidence that an Elizabethan artist sought to create a “visual rebuttal” to claims that Henry VIII’s ill-fated wife was a witch with a sixth finger on her right hand. While dendrochronological or tree-ring analysis has dated the oak panel to about 1583 – within the reign of Anne’s daughter, Elizabeth I – infrared technology has uncovered a dramatic underdrawing. View image in fullscreen The Hever portrait of Anne Boleyn depicts the mother of Elizabeth I and is believed to have been painted during the latter’s reign. Photograph: Hever Castle A discarded triangular form beneath Anne’s right arm is thought to record the precise moment that the artist departed from an inherited design, deciding instead to show Anne holding a red rose, with her hands and fingers clearly visible. In the 16th century, artists used “patterns” drawn from life in brief sittings, so that they could reproduce royal portraits consistently. These were circulated between workshops as approved likenesses. The Hever “Rose” underdrawing shows that the artist initially used the so-called “B” pattern, which generally focused on Anne’s head and shoulders, before adapting it “to debunk the slander of the day” as a lie. Dr Owen Emmerson, an assistant curator at Hever, said: “By clearly displaying five digits on each hand, the portrait acts as a visual rebuttal to hostile rumours and as a defence of Anne Boleyn – and, by extension, of her daughter Elizabeth’s legitimacy.” Anne was imprisoned for adultery in the Tower of London in 1536. Although she denied the charges, she was found guilty of treason and beheaded. Her only crime had been her failure...
When Stefania “Alos” Pedretti woke from a two-week coma on 9 January 2022, her doctor presented her with bad news. She was suffering from severe encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain possibly caused by her body’s autoimmune response to the breast cancer she had been diagnosed with a few months earlier. For the guitarist and singer Pedretti, however, what came next was even worse. After being ...
When Stefania “Alos” Pedretti woke from a two-week coma on 9 January 2022, her doctor presented her with bad news. She was suffering from severe encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain possibly caused by her body’s autoimmune response to the breast cancer she had been diagnosed with a few months earlier. For the guitarist and singer Pedretti, however, what came next was even worse. After being intubated in her comatose state, her vocal cords were unable to close and produce sound, meaning that for months she was unable to speak. The therapeutic treatment her doctor recommended was unusual: to return to the rehearsal room with her cult noise duo OvO. Formed with Bruno Dorella in Ravenna, Italy in 2000, the band have built a international following for their uncompromising rhythmic noise and extreme metal, accompanied by Pedretti’s scream-at-the-top-of-your-voice vocals. Roaring, her doctor hoped, might help Pedretti regain her voice. The intubation had not damaged or injured her vocal cords. Rather, her speech therapist Chiara Pavese explains, the cause of her voice impairment was “psychogenic”, stemming from severe mental or emotional stress. “It is a psychological block which, however, has physical repercussions.” The disorder that Pedretti was suffering from, dysphonia, can be cured by relaxing the muscles of the larynx through massages. But in some cases, a psychological approach is recommended. Her doctors hoped that returning to the rehearsal studio would change her perspective and help her regain some sort of normality after months in hospital. View image in fullscreen ‘That musical part is entirely the result of my instinct: it is the real me’ … OvO. Photograph: Orion Hasanaj/Annapaola Martin The first attempts were dispiriting. “I couldn’t even hold the guitar, it was an enormous effort for me,” Pedretti recalls. But when she and Dorella started holding simple rehearsals at his home, they had a breakthrough. “We tried to play our song Queer Fight,” she sa...
The president and his supporters joining forces to decide what audiences read and see seems straight from a fascism playbook Two events, juxtaposed, tell us a great deal about what is rapidly taking shape in the US. In one, Melania Trump releases a glossy documentary, Melania , an account of her return to the White House. Amazon outbid others to secure the rights to the documentary, spending $75m ...
The president and his supporters joining forces to decide what audiences read and see seems straight from a fascism playbook Two events, juxtaposed, tell us a great deal about what is rapidly taking shape in the US. In one, Melania Trump releases a glossy documentary, Melania , an account of her return to the White House. Amazon outbid others to secure the rights to the documentary, spending $75m (£54m) in total, and ticket sales so far suggest that this was, shall we say, not a purely commercial venture. In the other, the Washington Post is set to cut up to 200 jobs early this month, including the majority of its foreign staff and a sizeable chunk of its newsroom. Both Melania and the Washington Post are backed by Jeff Bezos. His two decisions, to invest in state propaganda and divest from the fourth estate that supposedly holds power to account, reveal much about how capital and authoritarianism join forces to decide what audiences read and see. Nesrine Malik is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
Stir-frying, as its name suggests, is the technique of frying while continuously stirring or circulating heat, and it is the heat that’s all-important. Stir-frying is all about wok hei, or ‘wok’s air’ in English, which you can think of as the ‘height of fire’, or the level of heat. It’s said that Chinese cooks have good wok hei if they have a true understanding of the heat of their wok and how to ...
Stir-frying, as its name suggests, is the technique of frying while continuously stirring or circulating heat, and it is the heat that’s all-important. Stir-frying is all about wok hei, or ‘wok’s air’ in English, which you can think of as the ‘height of fire’, or the level of heat. It’s said that Chinese cooks have good wok hei if they have a true understanding of the heat of their wok and how to handle it in all situations, and a stir-fry’s success is based on the quality of the cook’s wok hei. Singapore noodles (pictured top) This dish may not actually be Singaporean in origin, seemingly drawing on influences and crossovers in cuisine from various regions throughout Asia, but it’s actually the noodles – Singapore vermicelli – that give it its name. Singapore noodles are supposed to be dry yet packed full of flavour. To get this right, follow the instructions closely and remember to keep your wok smoking hot at all times – never, ever lose your sizzle! Prep 15 min Cook 15 min Serves 2 100g dried Singapore vermicelli noodles 2 eggs, well beaten ½ onion, finely sliced ½ red pepper, stalk, pith and seeds discarded, flesh finely sliced 6 large raw tiger or king prawns, peeled and deveined 1 handful fresh beansprouts, rinsed and well drained Vegetable oil 1 spring onion, trimmed and finely sliced, to garnish For the spice paste 1 bird’s-eye chilli, finely chopped 1 tbsp water 1 tbsp light soy sauce ½ tsp dark soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp madras curry powder 1–2 pinches chilli powder, to taste ¼ tsp salt Soak the noodles in hot water for three minutes, until they have separated, then drain and leave to dry on a clean tea towel for 10 minutes. Mix all the ingredients for the spice paste in a small bowl or ramekin. Build a “wok clock” on a large plate or board. Start at 12 o’clock with the beaten egg, followed by the onion and red pepper at three o’clock, the prawns, beansprouts and noodles at six o’clock and finally the spice paste at nine o’clock. Heat a tablespoon o...
Now headquartered in Bridgend, Wales, the company has around 2,000 global employees including 1,700 in Kenya, where stringent quality control is tested on every board multiple times. Meanwhile the company’s ‘Flight Room’ in the UK customises equipment for its ambassador players. Brown, who took over as CEO in October 2025, has reeled off most of Nodor’s back story of innovation with relish, as we ...
Now headquartered in Bridgend, Wales, the company has around 2,000 global employees including 1,700 in Kenya, where stringent quality control is tested on every board multiple times. Meanwhile the company’s ‘Flight Room’ in the UK customises equipment for its ambassador players. Brown, who took over as CEO in October 2025, has reeled off most of Nodor’s back story of innovation with relish, as we chat on the sidelines of the World Masters in Milton Keynes where Winmau is title sponsor. Winmau, named by a previous founder after his wife Winifred Maud, was now being sold in Argos – a significant revenue driver – it also supplied long-running TV show Bullseye, while Red Dragon darts was one of the first brands to go direct by mail order in the 1980s. By the 1970s, Nodor had moved operations to Wales while the following decade shaped the firm when John Bluck, a Ford engineer, took over the company having found a cheaper way to smelt tungsten and make arrows more affordable. Nodor’s history spools back over 100 years when the first board using modelling clay was launched in 1923; the company name being derived from ‘no odour’. A decade later the first bristle boards were marketed. The sport’s next breakout star will likely have used a Nodor Group product given that up to four million Winmau bristle boards and six million sets of darts are sold globally every year. Production in Kenya also enables the company to source the best East African sisal plant, which offers a stiff fibre and acts as the main material for its boards, as well as tungsten for darts. Munyua returned to Nairobi a national hero and also visited Nodor Group’s main production facility outside of the capital, where millions of items of darts equipment are made. “Someone asked me where I think the next Luke Littler will come from. Will it be China, South Korea or a young Kenyan who watched David’s win? It could be anywhere,” says Brown. Tom Brown, CEO of leading darts manufacturer Nodor Group, was in the c...
With Donald Trump back in the White House, Moscow feels that Washington is paying it more respect. At the Alaska summit last August, America's president rolled out the red carpet for Russia's leader. By inviting him to Anchorage Donald Trump had brought Vladimir Putin in from the cold, even though the summit failed to end Russia's war on Ukraine.
With Donald Trump back in the White House, Moscow feels that Washington is paying it more respect. At the Alaska summit last August, America's president rolled out the red carpet for Russia's leader. By inviting him to Anchorage Donald Trump had brought Vladimir Putin in from the cold, even though the summit failed to end Russia's war on Ukraine.
Our team went undercover in the city, filming men as they covertly recorded women on a night out, exposing some of the most prolific operators, linked to 12 accounts. This included a local taxi driver and two men who had travelled from Sweden to film in the UK. Two other men, whose channels claim they are based in Norway and Monaco, were spotted filming but we were not able to confirm their identi...
Our team went undercover in the city, filming men as they covertly recorded women on a night out, exposing some of the most prolific operators, linked to 12 accounts. This included a local taxi driver and two men who had travelled from Sweden to film in the UK. Two other men, whose channels claim they are based in Norway and Monaco, were spotted filming but we were not able to confirm their identities.
Analyst Updates Barclays Capital reiterated an Underweight rating on Apple and raised its price target to $239 from $230, reflecting modest estimate adjustments but continued valuation concerns. Goldman Sachs reiterated a Buy rating with a $330 price target, maintaining confidence in Apple’s ecosystem strength, services growth, and long-term earnings durability. Jefferies Financial Group maintaine...
Analyst Updates Barclays Capital reiterated an Underweight rating on Apple and raised its price target to $239 from $230, reflecting modest estimate adjustments but continued valuation concerns. Goldman Sachs reiterated a Buy rating with a $330 price target, maintaining confidence in Apple’s ecosystem strength, services growth, and long-term earnings durability. Jefferies Financial Group maintained a Hold rating while lowering its price target to $276 from $283, citing more limited near-term upside following the earnings report. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its price target to $315 from $305 and reiterated an Overweight rating, pointing to resilient demand trends and improving fundamentals. Maxim Group upgraded Apple to Buy from Hold and set a $300 price target, reflecting improved confidence following the earnings release. Monness Crespi & Hardt raised its Buy price target to $315 from $300, highlighting stronger conviction in Apple’s execution and longer-term growth prospects. Needham & Company reiterated a Hold rating, signaling a balanced outlook as positives from earnings are offset by valuation considerations. Oppenheimer reiterated a Market Perform rating, maintaining a neutral stance after the earnings report. Rosenblatt Securities raised its price target to $267 from $250 while maintaining a Neutral rating, acknowledging steady fundamentals but limited upside. Stephens set a $315 price target on Apple, signaling confidence in the company’s longer-term outlook following earnings. Wedbush reiterated an Outperform rating, continuing to emphasize Apple’s strategic positioning, AI optionality, and product ecosystem strength. The post Apple Inc. (AAPL) 11 Analysts Update Price Targets appeared first on Stock Target Advisor.
China’s frontier artificial intelligence labs are ending the lunar year on a high note, racing to release a series of new AI models in the last few weeks of the Year of the Snake as the country gears up to celebrate the start of the Year of the Horse. Beijing-based Zhipu AI and Shanghai-quartered MiniMax , which just made their stock exchange debuts in Hong Kong, would be the next to update their ...
China’s frontier artificial intelligence labs are ending the lunar year on a high note, racing to release a series of new AI models in the last few weeks of the Year of the Snake as the country gears up to celebrate the start of the Year of the Horse. Beijing-based Zhipu AI and Shanghai-quartered MiniMax , which just made their stock exchange debuts in Hong Kong, would be the next to update their flagship AI systems with across-the-board enhancements, according to sources familiar with their release plans. Zhipu AI , known as Z.ai internationally, is set to launch the fifth iteration of its flagship GLM model series, GLM-5, in the next two weeks, before the Lunar New Year starts the week of February 15. Advertisement GLM-5 was expected to come with comprehensive and significant improvements in creative writing, coding, reasoning and agentic capabilities, according to two sources. Meanwhile MiniMax would release its M2.2 – a minor update to its M2.1 model with coding-focused enhancements – before the holiday, said the sources, who requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak with the media. Advertisement Zhipu AI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. MiniMax declined to comment.
Concerns about Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking have emerged in Japan after a pregnant woman was allegedly tracked down and murdered by her ex-boyfriend using a GPS device hidden in a toy. The death of Haruka Komatsumoto, a 31-year-old manicurist who was allegedly beaten on the head and stabbed in the neck by her ex-boyfriend in her own flat on December 31, 2025, has shocked many people. T...
Concerns about Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking have emerged in Japan after a pregnant woman was allegedly tracked down and murdered by her ex-boyfriend using a GPS device hidden in a toy. The death of Haruka Komatsumoto, a 31-year-old manicurist who was allegedly beaten on the head and stabbed in the neck by her ex-boyfriend in her own flat on December 31, 2025, has shocked many people. The alleged killing has become a widely discussed topic in the country. Advertisement Komatsumoto reportedly suffered from bruises on her arms in an attempt to protect her baby. No property was stolen. On January 21, the police in Ibaraki prefecture arrested the suspect, Komatsumoto’s 28-year-old ex-boyfriend, Takumi Ouchi. The Global Positioning System device which led to the alleged killing was hidden in a teddy bear. Photo: Shutterstock They dated for less than a year and split in 2024.
phongphan5922 Asian stock markets fell on Monday due to an AI-driven sell-off and weak sentiment from Wall Street. Investors reacted to mixed signals from China's factory activity data. Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) fell below $76,000 in early February, hitting its lowest level since early April 2025, amid weakening demand and thinning liquidity. Gold slid more than 5% to below $4,630 per ounce on Monday, e...
phongphan5922 Asian stock markets fell on Monday due to an AI-driven sell-off and weak sentiment from Wall Street. Investors reacted to mixed signals from China's factory activity data. Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) fell below $76,000 in early February, hitting its lowest level since early April 2025, amid weakening demand and thinning liquidity. Gold slid more than 5% to below $4,630 per ounce on Monday, extending losses from the prior session when the precious metal suffered its steepest fall in more than a decade. Japan ( NKY:IND ) fell 1.03% to above 54,000, while the broader Topix Index gained 0.9% to 3,598 on Monday, recouping losses from last week as the yen weakened sharply, boosting the outlook for Japan’s export-heavy economy. The Japanese yen depreciated past 155 per dollar on Monday, extending a sharp decline from the previous session. The S&P Global Japan Manufacturing PMI was 51.5 in January 2026, stable from the preliminary reading and higher than December’s 50. This indicated the first growth in factory activity since last June, bolstered by new orders rising for the first time since May 2023. The Bank of Japan’s risk of falling behind the curve has not increased markedly, a summary of opinions at its January meeting showed. China ( SHCOMP ) fell 1.82% to around 4,100, while the Shenzhen Component dropped 0.8% to 14,090 on Monday, extending losses from the previous session as investors digested January manufacturing data, and the offshore yuan strengthened to around 6.95 per dollar on Monday, reversing the previous week’s losses and approaching a thirty-three-month high, after strong manufacturing PMI data boosted sentiment. The RatingDog China General Manufacturing PMI rose to 50.3 in January 2026 from 50.1 in December, indicating slight factory growth and the fastest progress since last October, driven by increased new orders and export orders. In contrast, China’s official NBS Manufacturing PMI fell to 49.3, suggesting a decline in factory activity due to w...
More than 2.8 million people in the UK are too sick to work, and have been off for the long-term because of their health. We’ve seen this level of sickness absence since the second half of 2023, but the figures are far higher than any other time since the ONS started measuring it in 1993. Back then just 1.8 million were signed off with long-term sickness. Unsurprisingly, ill-health takes a huge to...
More than 2.8 million people in the UK are too sick to work, and have been off for the long-term because of their health. We’ve seen this level of sickness absence since the second half of 2023, but the figures are far higher than any other time since the ONS started measuring it in 1993. Back then just 1.8 million were signed off with long-term sickness. Unsurprisingly, ill-health takes a huge toll on our financial resilience. According to the Hargreaves Lansdown Savings & Resilience Barometer, households headed by someone in poor health have just £4 left at the end of the month – compared to those in good health who have an average £189 to spare. Meanwhile, 24% are behind on bills or debt repayments, only 22% have enough emergency savings, and just 33% are on track to have a big enough pension in retirement. In some cases, this is because they need to work fewer hours, or compromise over the jobs they can take. In others it’s because they can’t work at all. There are all kinds of conditions that can force people out of the workplace. Among young people it’s most commonly mental health issues, and as we get older it’s more likely to be musculoskeletal. But illness can strike at any time, and take you out of the picture for weeks, months, or even years. It means we all need to consider what would happen if we were too sick to work. Read more: Savings challenges to boost your finances in 2026 The first step is to check what you might get from your employer. They might offer sick leave for shorter illnesses and income protection, which will cover a proportion of your income for a longer period if you’re too ill to work. The good news is that the Hargreaves Lansdown Barometer shows 74% of people have enough of this cover in place. Some employers also offer critical illness cover, which is a lump sum that pays out on the diagnosis of specific illnesses, although only 20% of people actually have this cover. If you discover that your employer’s offer falls short of what y...
Chewy is a pure play in the pet industry, while Walmart covers a lot more ground. Chewy (CHWY 3.42%) and Walmart (WMT +1.47%) both specialize in retail, but Chewy is more niche since it exclusively focuses on the pet industry. While Walmart also offers many pet products, it's more known for being a retail location that can fulfill all of your shopping needs. Groceries, clothing, and consumer goods...
Chewy is a pure play in the pet industry, while Walmart covers a lot more ground. Chewy (CHWY 3.42%) and Walmart (WMT +1.47%) both specialize in retail, but Chewy is more niche since it exclusively focuses on the pet industry. While Walmart also offers many pet products, it's more known for being a retail location that can fulfill all of your shopping needs. Groceries, clothing, and consumer goods are some of the many products that line Walmart's aisles. Grandview Research projects a 5.1% compound average growth rate (CAGR) for the pet care market from now until 2030. But while Chewy is a pure play in the industry, Walmart looks like the better stock. Chewy relies too much on the pet industry There's nothing wrong with Chewy gaining market share in the pet industry. However, it becomes a concern when you compare Chewy with Walmart. The pet industry has low profit margins, which limit future growth opportunities. For instance, Petco and Chewy have delivered net profit margins in the low single digits for several years. Freshpet has mid-single-digit net profit margins. Chewy is addressing the issue by diversifying into pet health, which has an average net profit margin of 20%. Chewy currently has more than 20 veterinary practice locations. Expand NYSE : CHWY Chewy Today's Change ( -3.42 %) $ -1.03 Current Price $ 29.11 Key Data Points Market Cap $12B Day's Range $ 28.65 - $ 30.45 52wk Range $ 28.65 - $ 48.62 Volume 9.2M Avg Vol 7.6M Gross Margin 28.58 % While Chewy specializes in pet food and health services, Walmart has more opportunities to grow. It's the largest grocery chain in the U.S., and since many people go to Walmart for their food, they have many opportunities to fill their shopping carts with other items. People don't shop at Chewy as often, and Walmart can fulfill many pet owners' needs just as effectively. Walmart also has low margins as a retailer, but its online advertising segment can change that narrative. Walmart's global advertising sales increased...
Stanislav Gvozd/iStock via Getty Images Oil prices fell over 5% on Monday, set for the largest single-session decline in over six months, after President Trump noted that Iran was “seriously talking” with Washington, signaling potential de-escalation with the OPEC member. Brent crude futures ( CO1:COM ) were down 5.3% at $ 65.66 per barrel at press time, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude ( ...
Stanislav Gvozd/iStock via Getty Images Oil prices fell over 5% on Monday, set for the largest single-session decline in over six months, after President Trump noted that Iran was “seriously talking” with Washington, signaling potential de-escalation with the OPEC member. Brent crude futures ( CO1:COM ) were down 5.3% at $ 65.66 per barrel at press time, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude ( CL1:COM ) fell 5.5% to $ 61.62 per barrel. Both contracts slid from multi-month highs after Trump’s weekend comments eased military strike fears. "The distinct shift in his messaging has eased concerns of supply disruptions. This removed some risk premium out of the market, even as US military presence in the region continues to build," ANZ analysts said in a note. "Nevertheless, tension remains high. Iran’s supreme leader warned of a “regional war” if the US were to attack. The market is also mindful of the OPEC meeting over the weekend that ended up ratifying plans to keep production steady in March, the last part of a three-month pause in production hikes." At a meeting on Sunday, OPEC+ agreed to keep its oil output unchanged for March. In November the grouping had frozen further planned increases for January through March 2026 because of seasonally weaker consumption. ETFs: ( USO ), ( BNO ), ( UCO ), ( SCO ), ( USL ), ( DBO ), ( DRIP ), ( GUSH ), ( USOI ), ( UNG ), ( BOIL ), ( KOLD ), ( UNL ), ( FCG ), ( XLE ) More on Crude Oil Futures Europe's Shift To U.S. Crude Fuels NYMEX WTI Benchmark Growth Geopolitical Environment Supports Oil As Weather Sends Gas Soaring Commodities: Oil Increasingly Nervous About Potential U.S. Action In Iran Volatility skips stocks as gold, currencies and oil swing wildly OPEC+ holds output steady through March despite rising geopolitical tensions
Cn0ra/iStock via Getty Images Millicom International Cellular ( TIGO ) has structurally altered its financial profile through a multi-year operational reset. However, despite strong momentum over the past year, it is still being valued as a turnaround story. Headline metrics show structurally supported changes already. EBITDA margins are approaching 49%, with multiple core markets already deliveri...
Cn0ra/iStock via Getty Images Millicom International Cellular ( TIGO ) has structurally altered its financial profile through a multi-year operational reset. However, despite strong momentum over the past year, it is still being valued as a turnaround story. Headline metrics show structurally supported changes already. EBITDA margins are approaching 49%, with multiple core markets already delivering margins above 50%. Free cash flow is no longer volatile - it is already showing recurring strength with $750 million targeted for the full year 2025. This inflection is led by renewed service revenue growth rather than margin expansion supported by cost efficiencies alone. With leverage now more comfortably placed at ~2.1x levels, Millicom's narrative has shifted to capital allocation and shareholder returns. Despite the transformation, even improved valuations still reflect emerging markets turnaround positioning, in my view. I think Millicom is already positioned as a stabilized, cash-generating telecom business. There is potential for rerating and execution-led earnings growth. Dividends should cushion fresh buys. Business Model Reset Millicom's multi-year transformation includes structural cost efficiencies based on procurement, capex, and operational discipline. The impact is visible in operating leverage. SG&A is no longer scaling with revenue, confirming that Millicom's cost base has been structurally reset and incremental growth is flowing straight into profits. Data by YCharts This efficiency playbook is structurally leading to margin gains across Millicom's portfolio, not just a one-off regional phenomenon. Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Honduras, and Nicaragua are all operating above 50% EBITDA margins. Colombia is historically a weak market, but there too margins are now in the mid-forties. The Cash Flow Inflection The single metric that carries my Buy thesis is the visible step jump in what was inconsistent free cash flow over most of the past decade into a st...
The rise of software-defined vehicles (SDVs) is accelerating automotive innovation. To keep pace, automotive developers are adopting a shift-left approach that enables software validation and testing earlier in the design cycle. AMD today announced new capabilities designed to support shift-left development for automotive software using cloud-based simulation and digital twin technologies on the M...
The rise of software-defined vehicles (SDVs) is accelerating automotive innovation. To keep pace, automotive developers are adopting a shift-left approach that enables software validation and testing earlier in the design cycle. AMD today announced new capabilities designed to support shift-left development for automotive software using cloud-based simulation and digital twin technologies on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. By enabling a shift-left approach, OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers can improve efficiency, reduce development risks, and accelerate time-to-market for SDVs.
Elon Musk-led Tesla Inc. has now planned to foray into the business of solar cell manufacturing, the top managemrnt of the company recently revealed their new cleantech initiative plan with its investors in its earning call. As per the plan of the US-based electric vehicle and clean energy major, Tesla, Inc. has indicated plans to become a large-scale manufacturer of solar cells in the United Stat...
Elon Musk-led Tesla Inc. has now planned to foray into the business of solar cell manufacturing, the top managemrnt of the company recently revealed their new cleantech initiative plan with its investors in its earning call. As per the plan of the US-based electric vehicle and clean energy major, Tesla, Inc. has indicated plans to become a large-scale manufacturer of solar cells in the United States, with a long-term ambition of 100 GW per year of integrated solar cell production. Advertisment This is a part of its broader push to build resilient domestic energy and manufacturing supply chains. Speaking during the company’s latest investor conference call, CEO Elon Musk said Tesla is working towardsend-to-end solar manufacturing, spanning raw materials through to finished panels. Musk said that the move underscored the company’s belief that solar generation paired with batteries represents the fastest and most scalable way to strengthen grid capacity.' Advertisment "The solar opportunity is underestimated,” Musk said, adding that Tesla sees solar and storage—on Earth and eventually in space—as core pillars of future energy abundance. Advertisment Solar Cell Foundry Still Early-Stage The company however, did not give any timelines or capital outlay for the planned entry into solar manufavturing. Vaibhav Taneja, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO)clarified thatsolar cell manufacturing investments are not yet included in Tesla’s projected over $20 billion CapEx for 2026, suggesting the solar foundry remains in theplanning and evaluation phase. Advertisment “These are infrastructure plays,” Taneja said, referring to both solar cell manufacturing and semiconductor fabrication, indicating Tesla is assessing funding structures beyond internal cash for these long-gestation assets. Industry watchers note that a US-based solar cell foundry would align with supply-chain localization trends, trade protection measures, and rising demand for domestically manufactured clean energy h...