Magnificent Seven decline: Social media lit up as Microsoft led losses among tech giants, with shares down 16.5% year-to-date amid broader market pressures. Investors voiced concerns over decelerating growth and lofty valuations, questioning the stock's near-term trajectory compared to peers like Nvidia and Alphabet. AI health assistant launch: Optimism surged with news of an AI-powered health assistant rolling out in Microsoft's consumer chatbot. Discussions praised its potential to transform healthcare access through intelligent diagnostics and advice. Build 2026 excitement: Hype built around Microsoft Build 2026 registration opening, focusing on AI model training and agent architectures. Developers anticipate breakthroughs in scaling AI features, countering stock woes with innovation prospects. Note: This discussion summary was generated from an AI condensation of post data. Microsoft Insider Trading Activity Microsoft insiders have traded $MSFT stock on the open market 6 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 1 have been purchases and 5 have been sales. Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $MSFT stock by insiders over the last 6 months: BRADFORD L SMITH (Vice Chair and President) has made 0 purchases and 2 sales selling 38,500 shares for an estimated $19,967,707 . . JUDSON ALTHOFF (CEO Microsoft Commercial) sold 12,750 shares for an estimated $6,266,829 KATHLEEN T HOGAN (EVP, Strategy) sold 12,320 shares for an estimated $5,045,642 JOHN W STANTON purchased 5,000 shares for an estimated $1,986,750 TAKESHI NUMOTO (EVP, Chief Marketing Officer) sold 2,850 shares for an estimated $1,364,352 To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard. Receive $MSFT Data Alerts Sign Up Microsoft Revenue Microsoft had revenues of $81.3B in Q2 2026. This is an increase of 16.72% from the same period in the prior year. You can track MSFT financials on Quiver Quantitative's MSFT stock page. Microsoft Congressional Stock Trading Member...

Micron Technology (MU +0.90%) is set to release results for its fiscal 2026's second quarter on March 18. Shares of the company have been in terrific form on the market over the past year, rising an incredible 323% as of this writing, driven by eye-popping revenue and earnings growth. Analysts and investors will be eagerly awaiting Micron's earnings report to see whether this semiconductor stock can sustain its momentum. The good news for Micron investors is that the company can indeed jump higher after its upcoming report, primarily driven by the incredible demand for memory chips that's outpacing supply. The favorable pricing conditions in the memory market should continue to be a tailwind for the memory specialist, potentially paving the way for more upside in Micron stock following its results. However, there is another company that's reaping the benefits of the booming memory demand: Lam Research (LRCX +0.03%), whose shares could get a nice boost following Micron's report. Let's see why that may be the case. Lam Research is a key player in the memory ecosystem Lam Research stock has shot up an impressive 81% over the past six months, which isn't surprising as it supplies semiconductor manufacturing equipment to companies like Micron. Specifically, 34% of Lam's revenue is attributable to sales of memory equipment. Mmanagement noted during the company's January earnings conference call that it achieved record revenue from sales of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) manufacturing equipment. The company noted that memory manufacturers have been investing heavily in high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is used in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers to move large data sets quickly, enabling AI workloads to run seamlessly. Bank of America expects a 58% surge in the HBM market's revenue this year to almost $55 billion. What's more, Micron expects the HBM market to achieve $100 billion in revenue in 2028, suggesting manufacturers will continue to invest in this seg...

PM Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images CytomX Therapeutics Overview Ending 2025, I wrote with optimism about the status of CytomX Therapeutics ( CTMX ) probody treatment approach to cancer, despite rises in market sentiment throughout the year. Now they have reported their 2025 annual update, and the market has reacted extremely positively. Today, I want to take a look at this clinical and financial update, with a focus on elaborating why I think these current likely represent near-term maximum while we wait to learn more. Pipeline Updates Varsetatug masetecan (formerly CX-2051) The main pipeline candidate being developed by CTMX is varsetatug masetecan, an EpCAM antibody that is designed to be activated within the tumor microenvironment thanks to the expression of specific enzymes that can process proteins. In my last article , I was most excited by the readout of a phase 1 study evaluating this agent in patients with refractory colorectal cancer, which remains an area of substantial unmet need. What I believe to be the subject of the most recent spike in market sentiment was an announced update in tandem with their annual report focusing on this phase 1 trial. Patients continue to have high response rates from treatment with varsetatug ranging from 20% to 32% depending on dosage (compare that with single-digit response rates below 10% for even the most advanced new combinations ). The update also included more patients (56 evaluable out of 93 enrolled to date), and estimated median progression-free survival was between 6.8 and 7.1 months, depending on dose. Again, compare that against something like zanzalintinib-atezolizumab from STELLAR-303 at 3.7 months, and it starts to get very interesting, although of course we cannot make any conclusions about a cross-trial comparison, especially involving a study like this that's relatively small. Early days, but these data are still looking highly promising. And CTMX clearly feels the same way. Along with guiding that t...

Never miss an important update on your stock portfolio and cut through the noise. Over 7 million investors trust Simply Wall St to stay informed where it matters for FREE. Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:BABA) is raising prices on certain AI computing chips and cloud storage products by up to 34% in response to strong demand. The company has introduced Wukong, a new enterprise AI platform aimed at automating and streamlining business workflows. These changes follow the creation of the Token Hub business group, which is focused on monetizing Alibaba's AI capabilities across its ecosystem. Alibaba's push to monetize AI comes as the share price stands at $136.57, with a value score of 6 and mixed long term returns, including a 71.7% gain over three years and a 39.5% decline over five years. For investors watching NYSE:BABA, these moves show how the company is trying to convert its AI investments into clearer revenue streams rather than focusing solely on product launches. The combination of price hikes and the Wukong platform, grouped under the Token Hub unit, could influence how enterprise customers use and budget for Alibaba's AI services. Readers may want to pay attention to how adoption, customer retention, and usage trends of these AI products develop, as they could become important drivers of Alibaba's business mix over time. Stay updated on the most important news stories for Alibaba Group Holding by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Alibaba Group Holding. NYSE:BABA Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Mar 2026 We've flagged 0 risks for Alibaba Group Holding. See which could impact your investment. Quick Assessment ✅ Price vs Analyst Target : At US$136.57 vs an analyst target of about US$199.09, the price sits roughly 31% below consensus. ✅ Simply Wall St Valuation : Shares are described as trading 48.5% below an estimated fair value, flagged as undervalued. ❌ Recent Momentum: The 30 day return ...

An evil spirit and a police homecoming: photos of the day – Wednesday The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Police officers arrive back in Kenya after a year-long deployment in Haiti.

当地时间18日，伊拉克电力部表示，伊朗向伊拉克供应的天然气已完全中断。 据伊朗方面18日消息，伊朗布什尔省南帕尔斯和阿萨卢耶部分石油化工设施遭美国和以色列袭击。随后有消息称，南帕尔斯3至6期天然气炼厂遭美以无人机袭击。（央视） 风险提示及免责条款 市场有风险，投资需谨慎。本文不构成个人投资建议，也未考虑到个别用户特殊的投资目标、财务状况或需要。用户应考虑本文中的任何意见、观点或结论是否符合其特定状况。据此投资，责任自负。

It is one of three attacks central to the civil case against the former Sinn Féin leader in London. A victim of that attack and two victims of other bombings in London and Manchester are seeking to hold Adams, 77, personally liable for the injuries they received.

Monty Rakusen/DigitalVision via Getty Images Factory orders rose by 0.1% M/M to $620.1B in January, compared to the 0.4% fall (revised from -0.7%) recorded in the prior month, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Wednesday. The January orders are in line with +0.1% consensus. New orders for manufactured goods were up in two of the last three months, according to the Census Bureau. Shipments increased by 0.5% month-over-month to $612.9B. Unfilled orders advanced by 0.8% to $1,540.4B in January. The unfilled orders have seen an increase in eighteen of the last nineteen months. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 7.01, unchanged from December. Inventories increased 0.1% to $949.8B, while the inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.55. More on U.S. Economy Fed rate cut odds for June, July meetings dip after hot PPI data Producer Price Index inflation heats up more than expected in February Powell's remarks seen tilting toward credit, tariffs in March briefing

Hi, it’s Ott Ummelas in Oslo. On Norway’s Arctic coast, a European space race is heating up as Germany’s Isar Aerospace prepares for a second attempt to reach orbit with its Spectrum rocket. But first ... Three things you need to know today: • Firefly successfully launches rocket after September explosion. • Satellite firm Iceye targets €1 billion revenue next year. • Space Force general leading Golden Dome raises price by $10 million. Norway takes the lead The upcoming launch at the Andøya Spaceport, about 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) from Oslo, highlights the Nordic nation’s lead in the race with neighboring Sweden and the UK to be a European space hub. Andøya has been hosting suborbital launches since 1962, with more than 300 missions for NASA alone. Along with the Svalsat ground station in the Svalbard archipelago, the world’s largest for polar-orbiting satellites, it’s a key asset for the Norwegian space industry. In a testament of its growing importance, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the facility last Friday, as the two nations agreed to establish a working group on issues including space-based intelligence, secure satellite communications and Andøya’s launch capacity. One goal is to reduce reliance on non-European nations, Merz told reporters at the spaceport alongside Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre . “We need autonomy. And to be completely clear: We have leaned far too long on other nations,” Merz said. “From Andøya, we are sending the message that here in Europe, yes, we can do space travel. When we stand together, we make it happen.” With no significant air, land or marine traffic at the location, the spaceport is hoping to grab some of the growing market of launching small satellites and benefit from Europe’s increased focus on strategic autonomy in space. The Norwegian spaceport’s main rivals, Sweden’s Esrange Space Center and Scotland’s SaxaVord , have faced delays in part because they need clearances from the affected neighbors, No...

SlavkoSereda/iStock via Getty Images Crude oil futures jumped Wednesday after Iran said the U.S. and Israel struck its giant South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf, marking the latest escalation in a conflict that has disrupted global oil supply. If confirmed, such an assault would mark the first time the U.S. and Israel have targeted Iran's upstream oil and gas facilities in the war. Front-month Brent crude ( CO1:COM ) for May delivery up 5.2% to $108.78/bbl after adding more than 3% in the previous session, and front-month Nymex crude ( CL1:COM ) for April delivery up 2.7% to $98.83/bbl. Iranian state TV said part of the South Pars gas field and Asaluyeh refinery facilities were hit in an airstrike, and Iran pledged to strike back and hit enemy sites previously thought to be safe. Saudi Aramco reportedly is evacuating the Samref and Jubail facilities as a precautionary measure after Iran issued a list of potential targets. Some other sites identified in Iran's list, including the Al Hosn gas field in the United Arab Emirates and the Mesaieed complex in Qatar, reportedly are also being evacuated. " These centers have become direct and legitimate targets and will be targeted in the coming hours," Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said. President Trump temporarily waived the Jones Act, authorizing foreign-flagged vessels to transport a range of commodities between U.S. ports for the next 60 days, in an attempt to help lower the cost of transporting oil, gas and other commodities. The oil market could lose 11M-16M bbl/day over the next 4-6 weeks if the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, which could push Brent prices to $110-$120/bbl, Citi analysts said. In a more severe scenario, the bank said a prolonged outage or broader attacks on energy infrastructure could drive prices to average $130/bbl in Q2 and Q3, with spikes as high as $200. ETFs: ( USO ), ( BNO ), ( UCO ), ( SCO ), ( USL ), ( DBO ), ( DRIP ), ( GUSH ), ( USOI ), ( XLE ) More on crude oil ...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk teased a semiconductor fabrication project over the weekend, which has Wall Street wondering what he is planning.

Welcome to the Brussels Edition. I’m Suzanne Lynch, Bloomberg’s Brussels bureau chief, bringing you the latest from the EU each weekday. Make sure you’re signed up . The European Union’s competitiveness issues are returning to the forefront this week as the bloc’s leaders gather for a summit in Brussels tomorrow. While the war in Iran and Hungary’s continuing block on a €90 billion loan for Ukraine are likely to feature heavily in discussions, competitiveness — and particularly rising energy costs — are also on the agenda. Ahead of tomorrow’s summit, the European Commission unveiled its proposal to allow firms to incorporate under a single EU-wide regime and operate across the 27-member bloc. The proposal, dubbed EU Inc., “will make it drastically easier to start and to grow a business in Europe,” commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said this lunchtime as she announced the package. “Any entrepreneur will be able to create a company within 48 hours, from anywhere in the European Union, and fully online,” she added. The initiative is the latest effort by the EU to up its game when it comes to the investment climate for companies and integrating its single market. Nonetheless, many in the business community worry about the pace of reform. Malte Lohan, head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Europe, warned of “simplification fatigue” in Brussels at a transatlantic conference this week. The message coming from businesses is that the EU’s rules and regulations are still too burdensome – one example cited was the bloc’s chemicals omnibus package, which is designed to help the continent’s chemicals makers, but still includes onerous reporting obligations on companies, industry players say. The European Commission refuted claims it was taking its foot off the pedal, highlighting the so-called “omnibus” packages last year that reduced regulatory burdens on business, including relaxing rules around sustainability and supply chain reporting. “That shows our ability to ref...

文章提及标的 原油 -- 布伦特原油 -- 布伦特原油站上109美元/桶，日内涨5.4%。

The home of the world’s highest-flying social media companies is considering a measure to clip their wings. A bipartisan bill in California would establish a minimum age requirement for social media accounts, curtailing the access of minors to platforms such as TikTok, Alphabet Inc. ’s YouTube and Meta Platforms Inc. ’s Instagram. The bill’s author, Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, says he’s looking to bar anyone under 16. The proposed rules — which would rank among the toughest in the world — are setting up a clash between prominent Democrats and some of Silicon Valley’s most powerful companies. Governor Gavin Newsom , a potential presidential contender in 2028, backs the bill. The proposed restrictions have also drawn interest from two of his would-be successors as governor: liberal billionaire Tom Steyer and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan , darling of Silicon Valley’s elite. “The fact that the most moderate and most progressive candidates for governor support delaying social media access proves the policy isn’t ideological,” Lowenthal said. “It’s common sense and long overdue.” The bill’s prospects of passing as is are murky. Meta declined to comment on the legislation, citing a lack of details. Representatives for TikTok, Alphabet, Snap Inc. and Elon Musk ’s X didn’t respond to requests for comment. The California bill is fueling a broader debate with ramifications for politics and privacy. It’s also ramping up pressure just as Meta and Google have been attracting scrutiny during a high-profile trial over social media addiction in Los Angeles. While Meta has a rule to keep children under 13 off Instagram, Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg testified last month that enforcing the limit is “very difficult” because children often lie about their ages. In arguing against other bans, social-media companies have pointed to significant technological hurdles. The proposed California restrictions would mirror a policy that was recently implemented in Australia . Similar cu...

針對賴清德近日發表言論，美化日本殖民統治。在北京，外交部批評賴清德當局，顛倒歷史黑白、粉飾殖民暴行，指企圖以「台獨」史觀，阻擋祖國統一大勢，只會自取滅亡。 外交部發言人林劍說：「賴清德當局公然用侵略者的謊言，美化日本侵略殖民台灣統治，這是對歷史的嚴重褻瀆，和對民族的可恥背叛。日本曾對中國台灣實施長達半個世紀的殖民統治，血腥鎮壓台灣同胞反抗，大肆掠奪各類資源，對台灣經濟、文化、民生等造成嚴重影響，這段刻骨銘心的血淚史不容遺忘、不容歪曲。」 林劍表示：「80多年前，台灣擺脫殖民統治的枷鎖，回到祖國的懷抱。這是包括台灣同胞在內的全體中國人民浴血奮戰、共同鑄就的偉大勝利。 80多年後的今天，我們絕不允許任何人，為殖民張目、為侵略翻案。有關言論再次暴露賴清德媚日賣台，謀『獨』挑釁的本質。賴清德當局顛倒歷史黑白、粉飾殖民暴行，企圖以『台獨』史觀，阻擋祖國統一大勢，只會自取滅亡。」

NVS/iStock via Getty Images This is my tenth Ligand ( LGND ) article, following my most recent 06/2025's "Ligand Pharmaceuticals: Attractive Royalty Model Powers Forward." In Powers Forward , I rated Ligand as a "Buy". It has since scored an impressive ~58% gain. In this article, I will assess its future investment prospects. Ligand's attractive royalty financing plus business model Overview The excerpt below from Ligand's latest 10-K shows its aggregate revenue profile for the years 2023-2025: Seeking Alpha This excerpt shows its three revenue segments — royalties, captisol and contract revenues. Of these three, its captisol solubilizing agent is the smallest. Back in the bad old pandemic days, captisol was a big deal thanks primarily to a providential contract that Ligand forged with Gilead ( GILD ) to provide captisol for its remdesivir COVID treatment. As the pandemic eased and its remdesivir related revenues began to tail off, Ligand showed admirable ability to recover. As we move into 2026, its royalties are its big kahuna from a revenue standpoint. As shown below these are in a major growth mode. Expected 23% annual growth in core royalties As emphasized by CEO Davis during its Q4/2025 earnings Call, Ligand's expected revenue growth is exceptional. He closed his opening earnings presentation with the following bold prediction: Looking ahead to 2030, I would like to highlight our 5-year royalty receipts outlook, which we shared at our Investor Day in December of 2025. We now expect a 23% compound annual growth rate in royalty receipts from 2025 through 2030. This growth is driven by contributions across the entire portfolio. The commercial programs form the core of the growth profile and contribute to an expected 15% annual growth. These products are already marketed, supported by strong partners and in some cases, have the opportunity for additional label or geographic expansion. Additionally, the Pharm team, which represents significantly risk-adjusted devel...

格隆汇3月18日｜美国1月工厂订单月率 0.1%，预期0.1%，前值由-0.70%修正为-0.4%。

专题：聚焦美股2025年第四季度财报 首席执行官杰夫・哈门宁称，投资、资产剥离及不利的同期基数对比导致利润和营收下降 通用磨坊第三财季利润与销售额双双下滑，但公司表示，凭借在提升销量、扩大市场份额方面所做的努力，业绩 即将迎来拐点 。 这家拥有 Cheerios（麦圈） 、Pillsbury（皮尔斯伯里烘焙面团） 等品牌的食品巨头周三公布，在截至 2 月 22 日的季度中： 实现利润 3.031 亿美元 ，合每股 0.56 美元 ，低于去年同期的 6.256 亿美元 、每股 1.12 美元 。 剔除一次性项目后，每股收益为 0.64 美元 ，低于 FactSet 调查分析师预期的 0.73 美元 。 净销售额下降 8.4% ，至 44.4 亿美元 ，略高于华尔街预期的 44.1 亿美元 ；有机销售额下降 3% 。 首席执行官杰夫・哈门宁表示，今年表现符合预期，尽管公司销量提升、市场份额扩大，但 投资支出、资产剥离以及不利的同期基数对比 ，共同导致了利润和营收下滑。 “进入第四财季，我们预计有机销售趋势将有所改善，并 重回盈利增长轨道 。” 他补充道，理由包括市场份额持续提升、同期基数更有利，以及本财年多出一周。 通用磨坊 维持全年业绩指引 ： 有机净销售额预计下降 1.5%~2% 固定汇率下，调整后每股收益预计下降 16%~20% 公司上月曾下调过财年展望，当时表示消费者信心偏弱、不确定性上升以及市场大幅波动，正在拖累增长并影响消费行为。 展望更长期的 2027 财年 ，哈门宁表示，通用磨坊的定价相关投入将告一段落，这让公司有信心改善有机销售表现。 责任编辑：郭明煜

Fertilizer giant Yara International ASA reduced production in India, a significant importer of gas from the Middle East, as the war curtails supply of the vital feedstock. Yara, which operates a factory at Babrala in the state of Uttar Pradesh, curbed ammonia and urea output, Chief Executive Officer Svein Tore Holsether said by email. Some competitors have also shut plants in the country on a lack of gas. India’s fertilizer sector relies heavily on imports of liquefied natural gas. The war has halted a large chunk of LNG exports from the Persian Gulf, with Qatar — a top three supplier — suspending production of the fuel. Prices for LNG, fertilizers and other commodities have risen sharply since the conflict began. “We are increasingly worried about the stability of global fertilizer supply and farmers’ ability to afford the nutrients they need,” Holsether said. Yara said in a separate statement that its production cuts in India will have only a “minor impact” on financial results and that margins remain stable. The Oslo-based company isn’t yet considering reducing output in Europe, where it has larger operations than in India. Urea price increases on the continent have matched or outpaced the hike in gas costs, the CEO said. Read More: Iran Conflict Sparks Global Rush For Critical Fertilizers Debate has been building in the European Union over how to support the region’s agricultural sector as the war drags on. Hungarian Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy addressed the issue in a letter to EU commissioners this week, saying imports of Russian and Belarusian fertilizers should be permitted in the bloc, with customs tariffs suspended. The European Commission has said it’s studying the letter. Holsether said such a move would help fund Russia’s war on Ukraine and weaken Europe’s own production capacity at a moment when resilience is essential. The EU has said it will seek views from across the industry before it presents its Fertilizer Action Plan in the next few months....

Key Points EVR Research bought 100,000 shares of Ingevity in the fourth quarter. The quarter-end position value increased by $5.92 million due to the new position in NGVT. The new position in NGVT places it outside the fund's top five holdings by value. 10 stocks we like better than Ingevity › On February 17, 2026, EVR Research disclosed a new position in Ingevity (NYSE:NGVT), acquiring 100,000 shares worth $5.92 million. What happened In a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, EVR Research reported initiating a new position in Ingevity by purchasing 100,000 shares during the fourth quarter. The fund's quarter-end position in NGVT was valued at $5.92 million, reflecting the full size of the new stake. What else to know This was a new position for the fund, representing 3.19% of its $185.31 million in reportable U.S. equity assets as of December 31, 2025. Top holdings after the filing: NYSE:DAN: $17.34 million (9.4% of AUM) NYSE:WKC: $17.34 million (9.4% of AUM) NYSE:CPS: $12.31 million (6.6% of AUM) NYSE:GEF: $11.85 million (6.4% of AUM) NYSE:MEC: $11.33 million (6.1% of AUM) As of Wednesday, Ingevity shares were priced at $68.56, up 56% over the past year and well outperforming the S&P 500’s roughly 19% gain in the same period. Company overview Metric Value Price (as of Monday) $68.56 Market capitalization $2.5 billion Revenue (TTM) $1.17 billion Net income (TTM) ($150.3 million) Company snapshot EVR Research produces specialty chemicals and activated carbon materials, with key products including hardwood-based activated carbon for emissions control and chemicals derived from crude tall oil and lignin. The company operates a dual-segment business model: Performance Materials generates revenue from engineered carbon products for automotive and industrial applications, while Performance Chemicals targets pavement technologies, industrial specialties, and engineered polymers. It serves automotive OEMs, industrial manufacturers, ...

Last week, I spent an hour in a makeshift theatre in the middle of a park, watching Garry Starr’s comedy clown show Classic Penguins. The next day, I spent eight and a half hours in one of Adelaide’s oldest theatres watching Elevator Repair Service’s Gatz – a play where The Great Gatsby is read aloud in full. Both times, there was nowhere I’d rather be. They both adhere to my golden rule: all theatre should be less than two hours, or more than five hours. The former is the perfect excursion. If it’s a bad show, you’re not held hostage for long; if it’s a good show, you get to bookend the night with a meal and a drink – or else go home and still have an early night. Is there anything worse than “two hours and 10 minutes including a 20-minute interval”? Just make it 110 minutes and run it straight through. Three and a half hours is the danger zone: the length of many an unabridged classic. The artists, too often, haven’t thought of the way time sits on our bodies and our minds. This is the play you’re most likely to feel restless in, like it has taken up too much of your day, like it has outstayed its welcome. But stretch longer – five hours and beyond – and the entire shape of a work changes. Time is no longer outside of the theatrical space: time becomes an essential artistic element. Our attention spans are confronted; the time exhausts the performers. When the only thing to do with your day is sit in the theatre, you can feel your whole life rearranging itself around the work. Even in intervals or dinner breaks, the play is the most significant thing in your day. An alchemy happens between the audience and the actors in this incredible feat of endurance; between the strangers in the audience who have committed to spend the day together. You are gloriously untethered from time’s demands. View image in fullscreen An onstage timer counts down to the next death in Ivo van Hove’s six-hour Roman Tragedies, a ‘feat of tension’. Photograph: Tristram Kenton/The Guardian I ...

When I heard the surprise news that BTS are releasing a comeback album, it pulled me back into a past version of myself, one that was all-consuming in its obsession, but equally marked by shame. At the ripe old age of 14, I had mastered the art of lowering my screen brightness and switching tabs to hide my shameful secret from any passerby or seat-sharer. While schoolboys huddled around computer screens unashamedly watching live cricket matches on full volume, I don’t recall groups of girls gathering openly to watch the new BTS or One Direction music video. Those viewings happened in private – over late-night Skype calls or on the back bench of a classroom with a shared laptop between my best friend and me. To hide an obsession is so common among teenage girls and an attempt to block a clear avenue to ridicule. I didn’t want to be told I was too obsessed or that I liked something too deeply. For as long as I can remember, I’ve softened and minimised my obsessions around others. Even though I stayed up until 3 am waiting for a new BTS music video to drop, I wouldn’t admit it because it would make me sound “crazy”. Why was obsession a sin only girls could commit? Why is displaying genuine emotion so quickly misconstrued as parasocial attachment or unhealthy dependence? When does interest become obsession? What is the threshold? And why don’t young men get measured on the same scale? Now, a little older and no longer immersed in those fandoms, I look back at that version of myself with so much softness. Rather than cringing (as I usually do when reflecting on anything from my past), I feel protective of the girl who found solace, connection and belonging in something others dismissed or felt entitled to mock. When I moved to Melbourne alone at 17 for university, I didn’t know a single person. There were no familiar reference points or easy friendships to fall into. So I distracted myself. BTS had an entire universe of content: variety shows, live performances, intervie...

You would think primary shades would be the easiest colours to wear. Red, yellow, blue: we can name these before we can tie our shoelaces. They are not sophisticated colours, such as Armani greige or Pantone favourite Mocha Mousse. They are not challenging-to-wear colours, like chartreuse or mustard. They are Mr Men colours. So wearing them must be child’s play, surely. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. And yet they are weirdly tricky to wear. They can feel shouty and basic: the getting dressed equivalent of speaking loudly without saying anything particularly interesting, which is – to paint it in primary colours – not what any of us are aiming for. Muted colours have dominated fashion for a decade. Navy, grey, black and denim have been the backbone, with highlights of butter, olive green and soft pink the shade of a freshly plastered wall. But over the past year, uncomplicated shades have made a return to the catwalk. At fashion week, I had got used to trying to figure out the best way to capture an unusual shade in words – is that skirt bramble, or mulberry, or perhaps diluted Ribena? – but I’m now seeing colours that need no introduction. This jumper here is just red, no fancy qualifiers. double quotation mark Adding an in-between colour – in the form of the classic work-shirt blue of the sleeves – serves as a bridge At the Celine show at Paris fashion week, there was a rugby shirt in blue and red with a white collar; also, a blue shirt tucked into a yellow miniskirt. At Alaïa – the home of chic, inky black – there was a red skirt-and-top two-piece and a yellow trench. At Prada, there were practical boxy jackets in cheerful yellow and green, the sort of coat shades that would look more at home hanging on animal-themed pegs outside a nursery classroom than on the Milan catwalk. At Loewe, moulded dresses came in pop art splashes of blue, yellow and red. What works on the ...

California prosecutors have filed nearly 20,000 drug possession felony cases under a tough-on-crime measure passed in 2024. But despite promises to get people into services, the vast majority of those arrested have not received drug treatment, state data reveals. Proposition 36, a state ballot measure, enacted harsher penalties for minor theft and drug offenses, with proponents pledging the crackdown would lead to “mass treatment to keep people alive, out of jail, and off our streets”. Case records, however, suggest the state is largely failing to meet the central goal of getting people help and instead conducting mass arrests and incarcerating more people with addiction. In Prop 36’s first year, less than 1% of drug felony charges resulted in defendants completing treatment programs, data shows. Prop 36 was overwhelmingly passed by voters amid concerns about public drug use, shoplifting and other non-violent crimes tied to California’s homelessness crisis. The initiative turned certain misdemeanors into felonies that carry prison time, rolling back parts of a landmark 2014 reform that had kept low-level offenses out of prison and reduced dangerous overcrowding behind bars. The new data has revived concerns of civil rights advocates, who warned Prop 36 would expand incarceration without addressing underlying public health challenges. No mass treatment Prop 36 allowed prosecutors to file felony drug possession cases against people with two or more previous drug convictions. Those charges, called “treatment-mandated felonies”, allow defendants to avoid prison if they complete treatment. In 2025, prosecutors filed a total of 19,104 drug possession felonies under Prop 36, according to data from the Judicial Council of California, the government agency that oversees state courts. But courts reported that defendants entered treatment in only 2,853 of those cases (15%). As of the end of 2025, only 57 of those cases (0.3%) completed treatment and had charges dismissed. The ...