A professed desire to protect the country’s Christian identity is cover for a divisive politics which ignores the central message of the gospels In an interview conducted a few days after the beginning of Lent, Reform UK’s Muslim home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, outlined a new policy to prevent churches being converted to mosques. This was an “incendiary” issue relating to Christian heritage,...
A professed desire to protect the country’s Christian identity is cover for a divisive politics which ignores the central message of the gospels In an interview conducted a few days after the beginning of Lent, Reform UK’s Muslim home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, outlined a new policy to prevent churches being converted to mosques. This was an “incendiary” issue relating to Christian heritage, Mr Yusuf claimed, which was causing anxiety across the United Kingdom. Subsequent analysis by the Times – which conducted the interview – concluded that instances of churches becoming mosques were in fact extremely rare, adding up to less than 0.09% of the 47,000 churches active in the 1960s. Mr Yusuf’s solution to this alleged crisis – which involved granting automatic listed status to churches, and changing planning laws to restrict change of use – was also widely questioned. For many churches struggling to fund repairs through the contributions of thinned-out congregations, the onerous bureaucratic obstacles posed by listed status would only be another expensive headache. Continue reading...
Ultra-low rates turned the yen into easy cash for bankers. But the carry trade now binds global markets to decisions in Tokyo In 2015, Clyde Prestowitz’s book Japan Restored imagined a Japanese century emerging from upheavals such as an Israeli attack on Iran. While conflict now grips the Middle East, there are few indications of the revolutionary change the former US national security official fo...
Ultra-low rates turned the yen into easy cash for bankers. But the carry trade now binds global markets to decisions in Tokyo In 2015, Clyde Prestowitz’s book Japan Restored imagined a Japanese century emerging from upheavals such as an Israeli attack on Iran. While conflict now grips the Middle East, there are few indications of the revolutionary change the former US national security official foresaw. But in one crucial respect this already is a Japanese century – thanks to the yen’s role as easy money for global finance. The Bank of Japan’s loose monetary policy has turned the yen into the world’s cheapest and most reliable funding currency. By suppressing yields on public debt to keep Japan’s domestic economy afloat, the BoJ effectively created a publicly subsidised funding pipeline for bankers. They can make a quick buck by borrowing cheaply in yen and investing in higher-return assets, such as US equities. The “yen carry trade” surged after the pandemic, with speculators betting $435bn in the two years to 2024 out of the estimated $1.7tn worth of yen supplied. The profits for global investors are reckoned to run into tens of billions of dollars. Continue reading...
As NASA’s Artemis II astronauts make their way to the moon this weekend, their test flight has gone surprisingly well without any major issues, save for one piece of technology giving the crew some grief: the toilet. The Lockheed Martin -built Orion crew capsule that’s carrying the Artemis II crew to the moon is equipped with what’s known as the Universal Waste Management System for the astronauts...
As NASA’s Artemis II astronauts make their way to the moon this weekend, their test flight has gone surprisingly well without any major issues, save for one piece of technology giving the crew some grief: the toilet. The Lockheed Martin -built Orion crew capsule that’s carrying the Artemis II crew to the moon is equipped with what’s known as the Universal Waste Management System for the astronauts to use during the 10-day mission. It’s roughly the same space toilet that’s used on the International Space Station. But getting the complicated piece of equipment to work properly during the flight has become a recurring issue. The UWMS comes equipped with a funnel and hose for urination, and there is a seat with a hole for bowel movements. Since the astronauts are in microgravity, the toilet relies on air flow that pulls waste into the toilet and ensures the capsule stays clean. The astronauts can also use footstraps and handles to stay in position. On Artemis II’s first flight day, the toilet indicated an issue right after the crew got to space. Mission specialist Christina Koch, who proudly declared herself the “space plumber,” was able to get the toilet working again with some help from Mission Control. It turned out to be a problem with the toilet’s pump, which needed extra water to be wet enough and primed for use. “Once we figured out that we didn’t put enough water in, we put more in there, made sure that it was essentially primed – the pump was primed – and then the toilet came right back up,” said Judd Frieling, the ascent flight director for Artemis II. Read More: NASA’s Moon Landing Is Still Years Out and Billions Over Budget Not so fast. The toilet once again started acting up. Unlike on the International Space Station, where wastewater is contained, treated and recycled in a closed loop system, the wastewater on the Artemis II mission is periodically dumped overboard throughout the mission. During these dumps, gleaming particles stream across the window of O...
Iran has signaled a partial easing of restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Iraqi oil shipments to pass through the vital corridor after weeks of disruption that rattled global energy markets, the Financial Times reported Sunday. An Iraqi tanker, the Ocean Thunder, successfully navigated the strait along Iran’s coastline over the weekend, carrying roughly 1 million barrels of Basrah Heavy...
Iran has signaled a partial easing of restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Iraqi oil shipments to pass through the vital corridor after weeks of disruption that rattled global energy markets, the Financial Times reported Sunday. An Iraqi tanker, the Ocean Thunder, successfully navigated the strait along Iran’s coastline over the weekend, carrying roughly 1 million barrels of Basrah Heavy crude, according to shipping data cited by the newspaper. The passage marks one of the clearest signs yet that Tehran may be selectively reopening the waterway. An Iranian military spokesperson said the exemption reflects Baghdad’s status as a friendly nation, emphasizing that restrictions remain in place only for countries deemed hostile. However, officials did not clarify whether the policy applies broadly to Iraqi-flagged vessels or specifically to cargo originating from Iraq. Selective access could unlock millions of barrels The move could pave the way for a significant volume of oil, potentially up to 3 million barrels per day, to re-enter global markets. That would help offset supply disruptions triggered by the recent conflict involving the U.S. and Israel and ease pressure on crude prices. Still, the practical impact remains uncertain. Shipping companies may be hesitant to resume operations through the strait without stronger security assurances, and restarting production at scale is expected to take time. Before the conflict escalated in late February, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply flowed through the strait. Since then, Iran has effectively restricted access, permitting only a limited number of vessels described as “non-hostile.” Iraq’s economy hit hard by export bottlenecks For Iraq, the disruption has been severe. Oil exports, once around 3.4 million barrels per day, have plunged, forcing production cuts and filling storage facilities to capacity. The country has faced steep revenue losses, with estimates suggesting daily shortfalls in the hundreds...
A lot of people build their portfolios without a real structure or strategy in mind. They often buy what feels right in the moment, usually because it's performing pretty well. What that usually creates is a collection of stocks and funds, not a portfolio that's built to function as a singular unit. Portfolio construction should have an order to it. Generally speaking, you start with a core positi...
A lot of people build their portfolios without a real structure or strategy in mind. They often buy what feels right in the moment, usually because it's performing pretty well. What that usually creates is a collection of stocks and funds, not a portfolio that's built to function as a singular unit. Portfolio construction should have an order to it. Generally speaking, you start with a core position or two meant to serve as the tentpole. That could be something like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) or the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT: VTI) . Ideally, you wouldn't touch this and instead let the long-term power of compounding do the work for you. From there, you can start building around the edges. Add some dividend stocks , an international fund, or maybe some bonds or gold. This is where you can tilt the portfolio in a particular direction or simply diversify beyond U.S. large-cap stocks. It's the idea that investors should build the foundation first and layer around it, not the other way around. Continue reading
A Suezmax oil tanker hauling about 1 million barrels of Iraqi crude exited the Persian Gulf via a northerly route through Iranian waters on Sunday morning, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The Ocean Thunder crossed the Strait of Hormuz after Iran exempted its “brotherly” neighbor from shipping restrictions a day earlier. Transits through the critical waterway have been pick...
A Suezmax oil tanker hauling about 1 million barrels of Iraqi crude exited the Persian Gulf via a northerly route through Iranian waters on Sunday morning, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The Ocean Thunder crossed the Strait of Hormuz after Iran exempted its “brotherly” neighbor from shipping restrictions a day earlier. Transits through the critical waterway have been picking up in the past week, with data on Saturday showing the highest seven-day rolling average since the war began. Yet traffic remains at a trickle compared with prewar numbers. It’s not yet clear whether the dispensation for Baghdad will apply to all ships calling at Iraqi ports, or how it will be enforced. At its broadest, the exemption could free up about 3 million barrels a day of oil exports from the country and allow it to restart production from shuttered fields — as long as shippers are willing to send their tankers into the Gulf. A total of 16 ships have crossed the strait since Saturday morning, with 11 exiting the Gulf and five entering from the open seas, vessel-tracking data show. In normal times, about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the strait every day. Iran has moved to tighten its control over the waterway, setting up a tolling system and directing most vessels to take a specific route close to its border. In the past day, all recorded transits of large ships went through that narrow northern passage, situated between the Iranian islands of Larak and Qeshm. The most significant recent crossing is that of the Ocean Thunder, a vessel managed by Turkey-based Onn Denizcilik ve Danismanlik, according to the Equasis maritime database. Tanker-tracking is hampered by electronic interference with ships’ signals, and some vessels disable their AIS transponders in high-risk waters, further reducing the timeliness and reliability of tracking data. Outbound Transits Five bulk carriers and three oil-product tankers exited the Persian G...
PSV hold 17-point lead to clinch title with five games left Second-placed Feyenoord draw 0-0 against Volendam PSV Eindhoven were crowned on Sunday as Dutch champions for the 27th time, with five matches left of the season, after second-placed Feyenoord’s 0-0 draw with Volendam. PSV hold an unassailable 17-point lead at the top of the table after bouncing back from successive defeats with a 4-3 vic...
PSV hold 17-point lead to clinch title with five games left Second-placed Feyenoord draw 0-0 against Volendam PSV Eindhoven were crowned on Sunday as Dutch champions for the 27th time, with five matches left of the season, after second-placed Feyenoord’s 0-0 draw with Volendam. PSV hold an unassailable 17-point lead at the top of the table after bouncing back from successive defeats with a 4-3 victory against Utrecht on Saturday. Continue reading...
Protesters held on Sunday after joining a Lakenheath Alliance for Peace encampment outside airbase in Suffolk Seven people have been arrested under suspicion of supporting the banned group Palestine Action after a protest in Suffolk. They were arrested on Sunday morning after joining a peace encampment to create a blockade outside the main gate of Lakenheath airbase. The protest was organised afte...
Protesters held on Sunday after joining a Lakenheath Alliance for Peace encampment outside airbase in Suffolk Seven people have been arrested under suspicion of supporting the banned group Palestine Action after a protest in Suffolk. They were arrested on Sunday morning after joining a peace encampment to create a blockade outside the main gate of Lakenheath airbase. The protest was organised after media reports that a US fighter jet shot down in Iran on Friday had taken off from the Lakenheath base. Continue reading...
Rumble Inc. recently announced that, effective March 31, 2026, technology executive Mike Masci became its new CFO, while former CFO Brandon Alexandroff moved into a strategic advisor role to the CEO with no reported disagreements over operations or policies. Masci’s background in AI, hyperscale cloud, and edge infrastructure, including prior executive roles at Intel, introduces deep technical and ...
Rumble Inc. recently announced that, effective March 31, 2026, technology executive Mike Masci became its new CFO, while former CFO Brandon Alexandroff moved into a strategic advisor role to the CEO with no reported disagreements over operations or policies. Masci’s background in AI, hyperscale cloud, and edge infrastructure, including prior executive roles at Intel, introduces deep technical and financial expertise that could influence how Rumble develops its video and cloud...
Christoph Burgstedt/iStock via Getty Images Foreword Introducing his Kiplinger Investing newsletter article, Dan Burrows notes, “Sometimes stocks with the highest dividend yields can be fool's gold. And this could be pertinent to some of the stocks with the highest dividend yields in the S&P 500 today. Be forewarned that in some cases, the names below have entered elite-yield territory only becaus...
Christoph Burgstedt/iStock via Getty Images Foreword Introducing his Kiplinger Investing newsletter article, Dan Burrows notes, “Sometimes stocks with the highest dividend yields can be fool's gold. And this could be pertinent to some of the stocks with the highest dividend yields in the S&P 500 today. Be forewarned that in some cases, the names below have entered elite-yield territory only because their share prices have come under stress. In turn, that has some analysts concerned about the sustainability of payouts going forward.” While most of this collection of S&P500 dividend stocks over-priced or reveals only skinny dividends, seven of the thirteen highest yield 'safer' S&P500 April Dogs are ready to buy. The list was screened to remove stocks showing negative annual returns this month. April finds: VICI Properties ( VICI ); Verizon ( VZ ); Franklin Resources ( BEN ); Ford Motor ( F ); Host Hotels ( HST ); AT&T ( T ); KeyCorp ( KEY ), and Regions ( RF ) living up to the dogcatcher ideal of annual dividends from $1K invested exceeding single share prices. All seven are also 'safer' because they have free cash flow adequate to support their dividends. With renewed downside market pressure of up to 20%, all ten of the top 'safer' dividend dogs could become ideal, fair-priced buys, with annual yield (from $1K invested) meeting or exceeding their single share prices. [See a summary of the top ten fair-priced S&P500 Dogs in A ctionable Conclusion 21 near the midpoint of this article.] Actionable Conclusions (1-10): Brokers Expect 25.96% To 44.73% Net Gains From Top-Ten S&P500 Dogs By April 2027 Four of the ten top dividend-yield S&P500 divi-dogs (tinted gray in the chart below) were also top ten price gainers based on analyst 1-year target prices. So, this April, 2026 yield-based forecast for S&P500 dogs, as graded by Wall St. wizard estimates, was 40% accurate. Estimated dividend returns from $1,000.00 invested in each of the ten highest-yielding S&P500 stocks and ...