The US health secretary says he is a big fan of peptides. Many are promising drugs, but the only way to know their utility is proper clinical trials Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, is a chaotic person, but his Make America Healthy Again (Maha) agenda tends to follow a predictable logic. Large-scale, mandatory public health interventions – such as childhood vaccine requirements – are ...
The US health secretary says he is a big fan of peptides. Many are promising drugs, but the only way to know their utility is proper clinical trials Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, is a chaotic person, but his Make America Healthy Again (Maha) agenda tends to follow a predictable logic. Large-scale, mandatory public health interventions – such as childhood vaccine requirements – are generally treated with suspicion and undermined. Personal choice – to drink unpasteurised milk, for example – is to be unleashed, and unburdened by regulation. In theory, Maha promises freedom and autonomy; in practice it tends to replace the precautionary principle with exhortations for individuals to “do your own research”, and sidelines scientific expertise in favour of “wellness” hucksters and profiteers. This is particularly obvious in Mr Kennedy’s recent claims that he will open up the sale of “about 14” injectable peptide drugs to the public. Peptides are molecules often used by our bodies for sending signals – so there are many kinds of peptides, and the safety and efficacy of each is a separate question. The widely used “weight-loss jab” drugs are peptides but so are the toxic compounds in snake venom that dissolve living cells. Mr Kennedy is likely to be referring to a subset of 17 peptides restricted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2023 due to “potential significant safety risks”. None have been proved to be safe or effective for human use, so there is no clear argument for reversing the decision. Continue reading...
Sale 26-31 Bath Bath close to point of Prem leaders Northampton The reservoir of talent at Bath runs deep. The reigning champions rested a raft of key men but ultimately had too much class for a Sale side whose season continues to unravel at a rate of knots. Johann van Graan’s men conjured two tries in the final quarter, including when their 20-year-old hooker Kepu Tuipulotu sent a delightful kick...
Sale 26-31 Bath Bath close to point of Prem leaders Northampton The reservoir of talent at Bath runs deep. The reigning champions rested a raft of key men but ultimately had too much class for a Sale side whose season continues to unravel at a rate of knots. Johann van Graan’s men conjured two tries in the final quarter, including when their 20-year-old hooker Kepu Tuipulotu sent a delightful kick down the left channel for fellow replacement Bernard van der Linde to saunter clear. Continue reading...
Exchange-traded funds are designed to be building blocks that are easy to put together. You can find stock-focused ETFs of all kinds, which you can mix and match to customize your own particular exposure to stocks. You can then pepper in ETFs containing other types of investments, including bonds, commodities, cryptocurrencies, or just about any asset class you can think of. Some investors, though...
Exchange-traded funds are designed to be building blocks that are easy to put together. You can find stock-focused ETFs of all kinds, which you can mix and match to customize your own particular exposure to stocks. You can then pepper in ETFs containing other types of investments, including bonds, commodities, cryptocurrencies, or just about any asset class you can think of. Some investors, though, would prefer to have a single ETF that would handle all of their investment needs for them. This led the fund management industry to come up with multi-asset ETFs with portfolios that include not just stocks but a broader range of investments. As the Voyager Portfolio closes its month-long look at exchange-traded funds, it's time to turn our attention to one such fund, the State Street Bridgewater All Weather ETF (NASDAQ: ALLW) . Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
With one game to go until Thomas Tuchel picks his England World Cup squad, BBC Sport reporters choose their starting XI's for the summer. Who would you pick?
With one game to go until Thomas Tuchel picks his England World Cup squad, BBC Sport reporters choose their starting XI's for the summer. Who would you pick?
MarioGuti/iStock via Getty Images Listen below or on the go via Apple Podcasts and Spotify Weak March jobs could mean a worst-case scenario for stocks. (0:17) Nike earnings and China demand outlook could sway consumer stocks. (1:22) Iran conflict escalates as oil prices rise , military plans advance . (2:14) The following is an abridged transcript: It’s a holiday-shortened week on Wall Street. Mar...
MarioGuti/iStock via Getty Images Listen below or on the go via Apple Podcasts and Spotify Weak March jobs could mean a worst-case scenario for stocks. (0:17) Nike earnings and China demand outlook could sway consumer stocks. (1:22) Iran conflict escalates as oil prices rise , military plans advance . (2:14) The following is an abridged transcript: It’s a holiday-shortened week on Wall Street. Markets will be closed Friday in observance of Good Friday. But because it’s not a federal holiday, the March employment report will still be released. Economists expect nonfarm payrolls to have risen by 56K last month, with the unemployment rate holding at 4.4% and average hourly earnings up 0.3%. SA analyst Damir Tokic says every labor and inflation report will take on added importance as long as the war with Iran continues and oil prices remain elevated, with a particular focus on the Fed’s reaction function. “The market is starting to price a hike in 2026,” he noted, “which means participants believe the Fed could be forced to tighten despite a weakening labor market — a worst-case scenario for equities .” Pantheon Macro says the still-restrained pace of layoffs argues against further deterioration in the labor market for now, even though hiring remains weak. The firm notes that high-frequency measures such as Indeed and LinkUp job postings have held steady at low levels during the conflict — but that could change if higher gasoline prices begin to weigh more heavily on consumer spending. On the corporate front, Nike ( NKE ) headlines earnings on Tuesday. Its outlook on China demand and broader consumer trends could have read-through for names such as Starbucks ( SBUX ) and Estée Lauder ( EL ). Analysts expect Nike to post EPS of $0.28 on revenue of $11.2B. Over the past 90 days, estimates have seen three upward revisions and four downward ones. SA analyst Sandeep Gupta, who rates the stock a Strong Buy, says that if gross margins improve sequentially — or if management st...
cemagraphics/E+ via Getty Images A new outlook from Bank of America Securities suggests a challenging second quarter for equities, bonds and gold, with strength expected in the U.S. dollar and oil markets. Technical analyst Paul Ciana in a March 27 report said recent market moves have reinforced earlier forecasts, including rising Treasury yields, a firmer dollar and higher oil prices. Those trend...
cemagraphics/E+ via Getty Images A new outlook from Bank of America Securities suggests a challenging second quarter for equities, bonds and gold, with strength expected in the U.S. dollar and oil markets. Technical analyst Paul Ciana in a March 27 report said recent market moves have reinforced earlier forecasts, including rising Treasury yields, a firmer dollar and higher oil prices. Those trends are expected to continue unless a clear macroeconomic resolution triggers a sharp reversal. U.S. government bond yields are a key focus. Long-term rates have broken higher and could continue climbing, with the 30-year yield potentially reaching around 5.4% in the coming months. The move reflects persistent inflation concerns tied to geopolitical tensions and elevated commodity prices. Equities are also under pressure. The S&P 500 ( SP500 ) has formed a topping pattern and slipped into a downtrend after falling below key technical levels earlier in March. Further declines toward the low 6000s are possible if the current trend holds. “After a modest new all-time high in Q1 that fell short of target, a wedge top and rounded top formed,” according to BofA. “The close below the 20 week SMA on March 6 signaled a downtrend. Downside risk in Q2 includes 6,340 / 6,175 / 6,000. The 20 week SMA near ~6,810 is key resistance and may guide a decline. We do not yet see capitulation signals.” In contrast, the U.S. dollar ( DXY ) appears to be strengthening after forming a base over the past year. Technical signals point to a move higher, potentially toward levels last seen in previous cycles, which could weigh on global markets and exporters. “Since June 2025 we have preferred long USD positioning, particularly against commodity importers,” BofA said. “A DXY that bottoms and trends to new 52 week highs-such as the 200 week SMA near ~103-implies broader USD strength and increased pressure on exporters.” Oil ( CO1:COM ) remains volatile but supported. After a sharp rally earlier this year...
Readers take stock of the party’s missteps in government and Keir Starmer’s leadership I wonder how many members still clinging on to the Labour party winced at Gaby Hinsliff’s article ( Ed Miliband’s stock is rising because he’s a rare commodity in Labour these days: a thinker, 27 March ). Like everyone else, she recognises that Labour has become an intellectual vacuum, with its only clear featur...
Readers take stock of the party’s missteps in government and Keir Starmer’s leadership I wonder how many members still clinging on to the Labour party winced at Gaby Hinsliff’s article ( Ed Miliband’s stock is rising because he’s a rare commodity in Labour these days: a thinker, 27 March ). Like everyone else, she recognises that Labour has become an intellectual vacuum, with its only clear features being unpleasant policies designed to exploit the far right’s prejudices. But the electorate is ahead here. They know that resurrecting the once admirable but now compromised Ed Miliband will do nothing to heal the existential injury in the party. Most people no longer hark back to the halcyon days of New Labour’s claim to build a better society. They now recognise it as a swindle, with its toxic components of privatisation, private finance initiatives, excesses in the private financial sector and, of course, Iraq. Continue reading...
Richard Harvey and Joy Webb respond to an article by George Monbiot on the fragility of the global food system in light of the Iran war Although I agree with George Monbiot’s analysis of the serious risks that we face from a breakdown in the UK food supply chain, there are two important points we need to recognise ( We’re letting big corporations gamble with our lives. Act now, or the food could r...
Richard Harvey and Joy Webb respond to an article by George Monbiot on the fragility of the global food system in light of the Iran war Although I agree with George Monbiot’s analysis of the serious risks that we face from a breakdown in the UK food supply chain, there are two important points we need to recognise ( We’re letting big corporations gamble with our lives. Act now, or the food could run out, 25 March ). First, we must seek to increase food production on UK farms because this has been falling for several decades. Food self-sufficiency in the UK fell from 78% in 1984 to 62% in 2024. The decline is largely due to the loss of farmland to non-farming use: buildings, roads and railways, conservation and wildlife schemes, solar farms and recreation. We need to plan for a scenario where imported food may not be readily available. Continue reading...
Talk of disadvantaged children being left behind so often leaves out the workforce most likely to reach them, says Brett Wigdortz Polly Toynbee is right that England’s childcare system is falling short on its social purpose ( It’s always been a fight to get children the early years care they deserve. It’s time to fight again, 20 March ). But the irony is that talk of disadvantaged children being l...
Talk of disadvantaged children being left behind so often leaves out the workforce most likely to reach them, says Brett Wigdortz Polly Toynbee is right that England’s childcare system is falling short on its social purpose ( It’s always been a fight to get children the early years care they deserve. It’s time to fight again, 20 March ). But the irony is that talk of disadvantaged children being left behind often leaves out the workforce most likely to reach them: childminders. When we frame nurseries as the default in childcare provision (as Toynbee does, with not a single nod to childminders) we put low-income families even further on the back foot. As she notes, private equity-backed nursery chains prefer wealthier areas – they’re not itching to set up shop in deprived ones. But childminders can open their doors on any street and represent communities across the country. As they work from home and have lower overheads, they can be an oasis of affordability in deprived areas. And unlike nurseries’ more rigid hours, childminders offer flexible, wraparound care better suited to parents who work shifts. Without a plan to rebuild this vital workforce (which has lost 75,000 providers since the 1990s ), children who need early years care the most will struggle to access it, no matter what funding changes are made. Brett Wigdortz CEO, Tiney ; founder, Teach First; spokesperson, Childminding2030 campaign Continue reading...
Kenneth B Ati-John and Ndine Wa‑Chiuta respond to an article by Ghana’s president, John Dramani Mahama The president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, is right to argue that recognising the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity is an essential step toward justice ( It’s time for the UN to formally recognise the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity, 22 March ). But rec...
Kenneth B Ati-John and Ndine Wa‑Chiuta respond to an article by Ghana’s president, John Dramani Mahama The president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, is right to argue that recognising the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity is an essential step toward justice ( It’s time for the UN to formally recognise the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity, 22 March ). But recognition alone will not be enough. The real question before the international community is what recognition is meant to achieve. For decades, Africa and the Caribbean have secured acknowledgments of historical injustice, from the Abuja Proclamation to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. Yet the structural effects of that history remain visible in patterns of development, opportunity and vulnerability across Africa and its diaspora. If this new initiative at the United Nations general assembly is to succeed, it must move beyond symbolic affirmation toward institutional consequences. Reparatory justice should therefore be understood not simply as compensation for the past but as a framework for restructuring opportunity in the present. Recognition only becomes meaningful when it strengthens the ability of affected societies to negotiate fairer terms within the international system that their labour helped build. The African Union’s decision to designate 2026 to 2035 as the “decade of action on reparations” signals that Africa is approaching this issue with seriousness and coordination. The next step is to translate that commitment into practical mechanisms: support for the Caribbean Community’s 10-point reparations framework , expanded educational partnerships and development financing arrangements that help correct longstanding structural imbalances. Handled with discipline and imagination, this initiative could help redefine reparations not as a backward-looking claim, but as a forward-looking project of global fairness. Rear Adm Kenneth B Ati-John Lekki, Nigeri...
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News Running a large packaged-food company has become increasingly difficult, as years of price increases have pushed consumers toward cheaper store brands or healthier alternatives, according to The Wall Street Journal’s analysis of McCormick & Co.’s ( MKC ) potential acquisition of Unilever’s ( UL ) ( UNLYF ) food division. Established players such as General Mills (...
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News Running a large packaged-food company has become increasingly difficult, as years of price increases have pushed consumers toward cheaper store brands or healthier alternatives, according to The Wall Street Journal’s analysis of McCormick & Co.’s ( MKC ) potential acquisition of Unilever’s ( UL ) ( UNLYF ) food division. Established players such as General Mills ( GIS ), Campbell’s ( CPB ) and Kraft Heinz ( KHC ) are seeing weak volume growth while smaller, trendier competitors gain ground. Executives face limited options. Cutting prices hurts margins, cost reductions can weaken brands and increased spending on marketing or innovation may take time to pay off. Rising input costs add further pressure, leaving mergers as one of the few remaining strategies. McCormick ( MKC ) is now exploring a major deal with Unilever’s ( UL ) food division, which includes brands like Hellmann’s and Knorr. The move would significantly expand McCormick’s global reach and scale, though it comes as its shares have fallen sharply amid concerns about growth and profitability. The strategic case centers on gaining leverage with retailers and unlocking cost savings, but history offers reasons for caution. Large mergers in the consumer goods sector often fail to deliver, with past deals leading to weak growth or asset write-downs. Execution risk is also high. Integrating a much larger, globally complex business would challenge McCormick’s ( MKC ) capabilities and likely require significant investment and restructuring. Meanwhile, overpaying could undermine the benefits, especially given the slower growth of Unilever’s food unit. If priced carefully and managed well, the deal could transform McCormick ( MKC ) into a global leader in flavor brands. If not, it risks becoming another costly misstep in an industry with a long history of disappointing mega mergers, according to the Journal’s “Heard on the Street” column. More on McCormick, Unilever McCormick Q1 Ear...
Dane wins GC as Brady Gilmore takes stage seven victory Jasper Philipsen wins one-day In Flanders Fields race Jonas Vingegaard triumphed at the Volta a Catalunya as he continued his strong start to the season, while Brady Gilmore sprinted to a surprise stage seven victory. Vingegaard topped the general classification 1min 22sec ahead of France’s Lenny Martinez and a further eight seconds ahead of ...
Dane wins GC as Brady Gilmore takes stage seven victory Jasper Philipsen wins one-day In Flanders Fields race Jonas Vingegaard triumphed at the Volta a Catalunya as he continued his strong start to the season, while Brady Gilmore sprinted to a surprise stage seven victory. Vingegaard topped the general classification 1min 22sec ahead of France’s Lenny Martinez and a further eight seconds ahead of Germany’s Florian Lipowitz. Gilmore, racing with the retired football great Andrés Iniesta’s NSN team, edged out Dorian Godon and Remco Evenepoel in a thrilling bunch sprint finale. Sunday’s 95km final stage took in seven circuits of Montjuïc in Barcelona, where the Tour de France will start in July. Continue reading...
Rheinmetall AG avowed its “utmost respect” for Ukrainians’ defense efforts against Russia after the German company’s chief executive appeared to belittle its use of drones. Ukrainians are making an “immeasurable contribution” to their defense, especially since the country is fighting “highly effectively even with limited resources,” the Dusseldorf-based company said in a statement on X on Sunday. ...
Rheinmetall AG avowed its “utmost respect” for Ukrainians’ defense efforts against Russia after the German company’s chief executive appeared to belittle its use of drones. Ukrainians are making an “immeasurable contribution” to their defense, especially since the country is fighting “highly effectively even with limited resources,” the Dusseldorf-based company said in a statement on X on Sunday. Germany’s biggest defense contractor has faced a high-profile backlash in recent days after Chief Executive Officer Armin Papperger was quoted in a March 27 article in The Atlantic in which he dismissed Ukraine’s reliance on drones, saying: “This is how to play with Legos.” In the article, the CEO said that Ukrainian technology with small drones is not on a par with technology advancements from companies including Lockheed Martin Corp. , General Dynamics Corp. and Rheinmetall. The biggest producer of drones in Ukraine are “housewives” who have “3-D printers in the kitchen,” Papperger was cited as saying. “This is not innovation.” His comments have touched off a flurry of criticism from figures including Oleksandr Kamyshin , an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy . He took to X late on Saturday to push back against the nature of the remarks. “Rheinmetall says our #LEGODrones are #MadeByHousewives in their kitchens. Fine,” he wrote. “Meanwhile our #LEGODrones already burned more than 11 thousands of russian tanks.” Kamyshin followed up on Sunday with a post saying Ukrainian women “deserve respect.” Meanwhile, Florian Seibel , the co-founder and co-CEO of German drone maker Quantum Systems, said on LinkedIn that he was “very sorry and embarrassed for the public statements made by a fellow German defense CEO.” Quantum Systems “stands with all Ukrainian Housewives,” he added, offering to give out military patches depicting Ukrainian women piloting drones. Rheinmetall, in its own statement Sunday, said that the “innovative strength and the fighting spirit of the Ukrainian pe...
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Aging populations, shifting lifestyles and persistent stress are driving a global surge in debilitating chronic diseases – creating vast unmet medical needs and mounting social and economic pressures. In Hong Kong, a new generation of biotech innovators is racing to respond, powered by strong government support, forwardloo...
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Aging populations, shifting lifestyles and persistent stress are driving a global surge in debilitating chronic diseases – creating vast unmet medical needs and mounting social and economic pressures. In Hong Kong, a new generation of biotech innovators is racing to respond, powered by strong government support, forwardlooking policies and worldclass medical institutions. This momentum has rapidly elevated the city into...
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] In Kai Tak Arena, under bright lights, a group of young fencers crossed blades in a demonstration bout that drew sharp intakes of breath from the crowd. Silver medallist Ho Sze-long from the 15th National Games of China faced off against Chan Lok-hei, a two-time junior silver medallist in Hong Kong, their movements precise...
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] In Kai Tak Arena, under bright lights, a group of young fencers crossed blades in a demonstration bout that drew sharp intakes of breath from the crowd. Silver medallist Ho Sze-long from the 15th National Games of China faced off against Chan Lok-hei, a two-time junior silver medallist in Hong Kong, their movements precise and swift. Nearby, nearly 170 young fencers competed in the Champions Cup for 20 coveted places in...