A woman who picked out Andy Malkinson in a video identity parade after being raped has told a jury she later had doubts he was the man who had attacked her after seeing him in court, but police officers told her she had "got the right man" and it was just "trial nerves".
A woman who picked out Andy Malkinson in a video identity parade after being raped has told a jury she later had doubts he was the man who had attacked her after seeing him in court, but police officers told her she had "got the right man" and it was just "trial nerves".
Scott Barbour/Getty Images News Shell ( SHEL ) said Monday it agreed to sell Jiffy Lube International and its Premium Velocity Auto subsidiary to an affiliate of private equity firm Monomoy Capital Partners for $1.3B, as the company continues to dispose of non-core assets while seeking to focus on higher-return businesses. The sale includes the Jiffy Lube brand and a network of franchised...
Scott Barbour/Getty Images News Shell ( SHEL ) said Monday it agreed to sell Jiffy Lube International and its Premium Velocity Auto subsidiary to an affiliate of private equity firm Monomoy Capital Partners for $1.3B, as the company continues to dispose of non-core assets while seeking to focus on higher-return businesses. The sale includes the Jiffy Lube brand and a network of franchised stores which are owned and operated by independent franchisees, in addition to franchised stores that are owned and operated by Premium Velocity; Shell ( SHEL ) will retain its Pennzoil Quaker State, Rotella and other Shell lubricants brands, along with marketing, manufacturing and distribution of lubricants in the U.S. and Canada. "By capitalizing on a strong market opportunity, this divestment allows us to monetize an asset that is not central to Shell's lubricant's portfolio in the U.S. and reinvest in opportunities that generate higher returns," the company's president of the Downstream, Renewables and Energy Solutions segment said. Shell ( SHEL ) trades +1.7% on Monday as oil stocks post broad gains alongside surging crude oil prices caused by the Middle East war. More on Shell Shell: Integrated Gas Is In Demand Shell: Positioned To Benefit From A Potential Capital Rotation Into European Energy Shell's Latest Results Disappoint, But External Factors Merit A Rating Upgrade
Oleksandr Todorov/iStock via Getty Images In October 2024, I wrote my first and only article about WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. ( WBTN ) here on Seeking Alpha. Titled “Webtoon: The Most Undiscovered User Attention Opportunity On The Market,” the piece focused on WEBTOON’s large, engaged base of users, strong liquidity position, and potential growth runway. In the article, I argued that WEBTOON could...
Oleksandr Todorov/iStock via Getty Images In October 2024, I wrote my first and only article about WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. ( WBTN ) here on Seeking Alpha. Titled “Webtoon: The Most Undiscovered User Attention Opportunity On The Market,” the piece focused on WEBTOON’s large, engaged base of users, strong liquidity position, and potential growth runway. In the article, I argued that WEBTOON could produce significant returns for investors in the event that it could successfully drive revenue growth with its marketing war chest, improve operating leverage, and drive sustainably positive bottom-line profits. Unfortunately, this thesis has largely not come to pass. Sales growth has been meager since my initial article, and the firm’s considerable operating expenses have driven ongoing operating losses. While management did report a +$19 million adjusted EBITDA figure for FY 2025, in my eyes, the lack of progress on top-line growth, significant expense base, and uncertain timeline on the Disney partnership make the stock much less attractive than it used to be. I believe that WEBTOON will eventually become a growing, profitable business, but holding the stock right now comes with significant opportunity costs. With so many excellent places to invest your capital, why pick WBTN? Thus, my downgrade. Today, I’ll touch on updates with the company since my previous coverage, highlight the valuation, and make the case that it’s time to tap out of WEBTOON’s story, at least for now. Sound good? Let’s dive in. Financials As I just mentioned, the financial profile of WEBTOON can best be characterized by two key things: Incredibly meager growth. Breakeven economics. Let me break this down. Similar to Spotify ( SPOT ), WEBTOON’s creator revenue-share model means that the company’s top-line revenue is not a particularly meaningful statistic. With three-quarters of all money coming in the door going directly back out to pay creators that generate content for the platform, WEBTOON’s g...
Keir Starmer's hope was always that 2026 would be the year that voters would start to feel better off. Clearly, it might then follow that this would revive Labour's flagging electoral fortunes and his own popularity. Since the start of the year, we have seen an almost monomaniacal focus from the prime minister on bringing down the cost of living — an obsessive level of message discipline that is r...
Keir Starmer's hope was always that 2026 would be the year that voters would start to feel better off. Clearly, it might then follow that this would revive Labour's flagging electoral fortunes and his own popularity. Since the start of the year, we have seen an almost monomaniacal focus from the prime minister on bringing down the cost of living — an obsessive level of message discipline that is required, take it from me, if you want your point to land with the general public. Well, that whole strategy has now been upended by events in the Middle East. Starmer was out today warning that “every household and business in the UK” will be affected by the rise in energy prices. In a year that has already surprised and shocked, oil at more than $110 a barrel was in no one's 12-month lookahead (partly because oil has been mostly impervious to recent geopolitical crises). But now mortgage rates are already heading back up again and the AA today told car owners to drive less to protect themselves from rising fuel costs. But the number that will truly cut through is the suggestion today that inflation could be back at nearly 5% by September if oil continues this surge through the second quarter (the key for analysts is how long energy prices stay high for, more than the absolute level they hit given the UK’s energy cap is based on a three-month average). Having all but nailed on a cut in interest rates next week, traders now see a chance the Bank of England hikes rates later this year. The BOE is itself bruised by allegations the committee was slow to raise rates after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and so will want to be clearly seen acting with alacrity. This graph is striking: UK gilts became the worst hit bonds in Europe as we are particularly sensitive to energy price shocks — they are now up at the highest level since April’s tariff chaos (though still well below Liz Truss days). This too will add to government borrowing costs which had also been heading down. Investors ...
Hi, it’s Aaron Kirchfeld and Fareed Sahloul in London, rounding up a flurry of recent dealmaking in the global defense industry. Also today, Netflix goes from M&A loser to market winner. Today’s top stories Advent explores $4 billion sale of naval defense business. Agilent buys medical instruments maker Biocare for $950 million . Tencent to rejoin Paramount-Warner deal with funding. Hedge fund Ire...
Hi, it’s Aaron Kirchfeld and Fareed Sahloul in London, rounding up a flurry of recent dealmaking in the global defense industry. Also today, Netflix goes from M&A loser to market winner. Today’s top stories Advent explores $4 billion sale of naval defense business. Agilent buys medical instruments maker Biocare for $950 million . Tencent to rejoin Paramount-Warner deal with funding. Hedge fund Irenic hires Apollo’s Wang in private equity push. Wall Street banks offer UAE staff option to relocate temporarily. Defensive maneuvers Whether with M&A, IPOs or fundraisings, aerospace and defense companies and other owners of military assets are rushing to market at a time when global conflicts are threatening to stifle dealmaking in other sectors. We report today that Advent is exploring a sale of its Ultra Maritime unit for more than $4 billion, as demand surges for naval defense businesses. Also on Monday, a drone tech company known as Powerus agreed to an unusual merger with a golf club operator in Florida in a deal backed by President Donald Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Jr. These are the latest in a slate of stories over the last week underscoring the rising levels of investor and government interest in companies making everything from Leopard 2 battle tanks to systems capable of downing Shahed attack drones and clearing landmines. Demand for such kit was already high after years of war in Ukraine and now equipment deployed in that battle is being eyed for use in the escalating conflict in the Middle East. “There’s an understanding that the boom in aerospace and defense is not a bubble,” said Jason Steen, founder of aerospace and defense advisory boutique Steen Associates. “It is permanent.” In Europe, a lot of the recent defense dealmaking has been in Germany, one of the countries at the heart of the historic rearmament taking place in the region. We reported the government there is considering taking a stake in Franco-German tankmaker KNDS through state-owned lender ...
As global markets face renewed pressure from escalating Middle East tensions, spiking oil prices, and rising volatility, income-oriented investors are likely watching out for pockets of stability. Within the utilities sector, several companies currently stand out for offering relatively attractive dividend yields, as investors seek stable cash flows during periods of market uncertainty. Below is a...
As global markets face renewed pressure from escalating Middle East tensions, spiking oil prices, and rising volatility, income-oriented investors are likely watching out for pockets of stability. Within the utilities sector, several companies currently stand out for offering relatively attractive dividend yields, as investors seek stable cash flows during periods of market uncertainty. Below is a list of utilities companies currently offering some of the higher dividend yields in the sector: Suburban Propane Partners ( SPH ) - Dividend Yield - 6.42% Clearway Energy ( CWEN.A ) - Dividend Yield - 5.23% The AES Corporation ( AES ) - Dividend Yield - 4.97% Avista Corporation ( AVA ) - Dividend Yield - 4.97% Clearway Energy ( CWEN ) - Dividend Yield - 4.91% Edison International ( EIX ) - Dividend Yield - 4.89% Eversource Energy ( ES ) - Dividend Yield - 4.23% Dominion Energy ( D ) - Dividend Yield - 4.22% UGI Corporation ( UGI ) - Dividend Yield - 4.08% Portland General Electric Company ( POR ) - Dividend Yield - 3.93% More on Dominion Energy, Eversource Energy, etc. The AES Corporation (AES) Stock Analysis: Riding The AI Wave | 2-Minute Analysis AES Corp.: Exiting The Stock Exchange AES Corporation Taken Private: An Expensive Lesson For Investors Key deals this week: Diana Shipping, Day One Biopharmaceuticals, Hudbay Minerals and more Mid-Cap utility stocks ranked by quant ratings after earnings season
As broader markets grapple with heightened volatility tied to escalating Middle East tensions, surging oil prices, and rising geopolitical uncertainty, investors have been increasingly attentive to income-oriented pockets of the market as the S&P 500 trades under pressure and risk sentiment weakens. Within the communication services sector, several companies currently stand out for offering relati...
As broader markets grapple with heightened volatility tied to escalating Middle East tensions, surging oil prices, and rising geopolitical uncertainty, investors have been increasingly attentive to income-oriented pockets of the market as the S&P 500 trades under pressure and risk sentiment weakens. Within the communication services sector, several companies currently stand out for offering relatively high dividend yields, providing potential income support for investors amid the uncertain macro backdrop. Below is a list of communication services companies currently offering some of the higher dividend yields in the sector: Townsquare Media ( TSQ ) - Dividend Yield - 11.02% Spok Holdings ( SPOK ) - Dividend Yield - 9.97% CuriosityStream ( CURI ) - Dividend Yield - 9.64% Saga Communications ( SGA ) - Dividend Yield - 8.70% Shutterstock ( SSTK ) - Dividend Yield - 8.22% Sinclair ( SBGI ) - Dividend Yield - 6.41% Gray Media ( GTN ) - Dividend Yield - 5.94% Verizon Communications ( VZ ) - Dividend Yield - 5.54% Sirius XM Holdings ( SIRI ) - Dividend Yield - 4.85% Comcast Corporation ( CMCSA ) - Dividend Yield - 4.14% More on communication services stocks Lennar Q1 Earnings Preview: I Am Turning Contrarian (Rating Upgrade) Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. (HRTG) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Victoria's Secret: A Clear Turnaround Opportunity (Rating Upgrade) The oil markets are still not close to major risk-off moves seen in previous oil shocks – strategist Heritage Insurance outlines Texas entry and targets continued growth with 90% rate adequacy in 2026
The law prevents state and local governments from imposing special taxes or fees on digital asset payments that do not apply to comparable financial transactions. It also protects the right of individuals to self-custody digital assets using hardware wallets or other private key technologies. Pierce said the framework expands investment choice while maintaining oversight. "The legislation is inten...
The law prevents state and local governments from imposing special taxes or fees on digital asset payments that do not apply to comparable financial transactions. It also protects the right of individuals to self-custody digital assets using hardware wallets or other private key technologies. Pierce said the framework expands investment choice while maintaining oversight. "The legislation is intended to balance investment choice with regulatory guardrails," he said. The structure mirrors how alternative assets are handled in retirement plans, where they remain available to interested investors but are not embedded in core allocations. Optional access lowers the barrier for retirement systems that tend to move cautiously around volatile investments. Crypto will not appear in default retirement portfolios. Instead, participants must actively choose exposure through the brokerage window. Each program must offer a self-directed brokerage option that includes at least one cryptocurrency investment product. Plan administrators have until July 1, 2027 to make those options available. Build your own AI-powered index in minutes — and earn an uncapped 1% match when you move your portfolio to Public. Learn how it works. State Rep. Kyle Pierce, the bill's author, has reportedly said the legislation aims to give Indiana residents more financial flexibility as digital assets become a larger part of the broader economy. Participants will not be forced into crypto exposure. Instead, they can choose digital assets through brokerage accounts tied to their retirement plans. Gov. Mike Braun signed House Bill 1042 , allowing certain state retirement plans to offer cryptocurrency exposure through self-directed brokerage accounts. Several public programs, including state employee and teacher retirement accounts, must provide at least one crypto investment option. Indiana has quietly taken a step that could reshape how public retirement systems approach cryptocurrency, becoming the first s...
The United States and China traded barbs at a UN drugs meeting on Monday, with Washington accusing Beijing of failing to stop sales of precursor chemicals for fentanyl and China dismissing the allegation as false while calling the US irresponsible. The exchange, delivered in separate statements at the UN’s annual Commission on Narcotic Drugs meeting in Vienna, underscored tensions between the ...
The United States and China traded barbs at a UN drugs meeting on Monday, with Washington accusing Beijing of failing to stop sales of precursor chemicals for fentanyl and China dismissing the allegation as false while calling the US irresponsible. The exchange, delivered in separate statements at the UN’s annual Commission on Narcotic Drugs meeting in Vienna, underscored tensions between the two countries over illicit drugs and tariffs, with their leaders due to meet in China at the end of the month. “We know where the chemical precursors [for fentanyl] are coming from. They are manufactured by the millions of tonnes in China,” Sara Carter, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said as she delivered the US statement. Advertisement “We know that China’s weak export controls and lax enforcement allow its chemical industry to foster friendships with the [drug] cartels. At the same time, China’s overly effective controls over rare earth minerals wreak havoc on legitimate industries.” Under an agreement struck in South Korea last year between President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the US agreed to trim tariffs on China in exchange for Beijing cracking down on the illicit fentanyl trade, resuming US soybean purchases and keeping rare earth exports flowing. ‘We have a deal’: Trump claims breakthrough after ‘12 out of 10’ talks with Xi Jinping ‘We have a deal’: Trump claims breakthrough after ‘12 out of 10’ talks with Xi Jinping The US Supreme Court last month invalidated a 10 per cent fentanyl-related tariff Trump had imposed on China and others under an emergency statute. The Trump administration has told Beijing it expects to reimpose that levy under a different law, a US official said.
The risk of a widening and more destabilizing war in the Middle East increased after another Iranian ballistic missile entered Turkish airspace. Oil surged past $100 per barrel as Tehran chose Mojtaba Khamenei, the hardline son of the assassinated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , as the nation’s new supreme leader. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization intercepted the missile, the second incursion into T...
The risk of a widening and more destabilizing war in the Middle East increased after another Iranian ballistic missile entered Turkish airspace. Oil surged past $100 per barrel as Tehran chose Mojtaba Khamenei, the hardline son of the assassinated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , as the nation’s new supreme leader. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization intercepted the missile, the second incursion into Turkish airspace in a week. Ankara, which does not allow its bases or airspace to be used for strikes on Iran, said it will act “decisively and without hesitation” to protect its territory, while calling for diplomatic efforts to diffuse tensions. Elsewhere, oil prices soared after Saudi Arabia joined other major Middle East producers in cutting output, with a standstill of tanker traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz choking off supplies to the rest of the world. While President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that the oil spike was a “small price to pay,” the cost of US and Israeli attack on Iran is still being tallied. What You Need to Know Today The Group of Seven nations are ready to take any steps needed to support global energy supply, including releasing strategic oil reserves — although the group isn’t at the point of doing so yet. G-7 finance ministers held a virtual meeting today to discuss the conflict in the Middle East, its impact for regional stability, global economic conditions, and financial markets, and the importance of secure trading routes. The European Central Bank is on course for two interest rate hikes this year , according to market bets, as the deepening military conflict in the Middle East push traders to focus on Europe’s energy vulnerabilities . The outlook contrasts with the US, where cuts are still anticipated. Money markets also see a roughly 50% chance of a Bank of England rate increase by year-end, reversing rate-cut bets that were in place last week. The US would take in the Iranian women’s soccer team if Australia did not provide ...
OpenAI has agreed to buy Promptfoo , a startup that enables large businesses to find and fix security issues in artificial intelligence models during their development, part of a push to help corporate customers reduce possible risks from deploying AI software. The ChatGPT maker is set to announce Monday that it will integrate Promptfoo ’s technology into OpenAI Frontier , a recently launched plat...
OpenAI has agreed to buy Promptfoo , a startup that enables large businesses to find and fix security issues in artificial intelligence models during their development, part of a push to help corporate customers reduce possible risks from deploying AI software. The ChatGPT maker is set to announce Monday that it will integrate Promptfoo ’s technology into OpenAI Frontier , a recently launched platform that allows organizations to build and manage AI agents. Frontier is meant to help ensure each agent — which OpenAI refers to as “AI coworkers” — has appropriate guardrails and data access. Terms of the acquisition weren’t disclosed. OpenAI and its rivals are racing to develop more advanced AI agents that can field complex tasks on a user’s behalf, with limited need for human intervention. At the same time, the AI developer is working to convince a broader mix of businesses to pay for the technology by ensuring these products are efficient and safe. “OpenAI acquiring Promptfoo signals a clear commitment to making enterprise AI not just powerful, but safe and reliable at scale,” said Ganesh Bell, managing director at Insight Partners, which led an $18.4 million funding round in the security startup last year. Two-year-old Promptfoo makes open-source tools for testing the security of AI systems as well as for helping companies try to attack their own products in order to find vulnerabilities, a process known as red-teaming. The San Francisco-based startup counts roughly a quarter of Fortune 500 firms as customers. Promptfoo is one of a host of startups working to develop cybersecurity products that use AI to guard against hackers even as bad actors turn to similar technology to probe for ways into critical networks. OpenAI, too, has moved to imbue its AI products and agents with security features. Last week, the company introduced an AI agent meant to help security teams find and patch vulnerabilities in large databases, similar to a tool from rival Anthropic PBC. As par...
On February 17, 2026, London Co of Virginia disclosed a sale of 36,512 shares of NewMarket (NEU 2.83%), an estimated $27.88 million trade based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, London Co of Virginia reduced its holdings in NewMarket by 36,512 shares. The estimated transaction value, based on the aver...
On February 17, 2026, London Co of Virginia disclosed a sale of 36,512 shares of NewMarket (NEU 2.83%), an estimated $27.88 million trade based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, London Co of Virginia reduced its holdings in NewMarket by 36,512 shares. The estimated transaction value, based on the average closing price during the fourth quarter of 2025, was $27.88 million. At quarter end, the fund reported holding 492,820 shares valued at $338.71 million, with the position’s quarter-end value reflecting a $99.71 million decrease due to both trading and price changes. What else to know The fund continued to trim its NEU holding, which now accounts for 1.95% of its 13F reportable AUM. Top holdings after the filing: NASDAQ: AAPL: $656.77 million (3.8% of AUM) NYSE: NSC: $522.8 million (3.0% of AUM) NYSE: GLW: $509.9 million (2.9% of AUM) NYSE: BRK-B: $500.85 million (2.9% of AUM) NYSE: BLK: $451.6 million (2.6% of AUM) As of February 13, 2026, NEU shares were priced at $592.80, up 10.1% over one year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 1.68 percentage points. Company overview Metric Value Price (as of market close February 13, 2026) $592.80 Market capitalization $5.56 billion Revenue (TTM) $2.73 billion Net income (TTM) $418.75 million Company snapshot Offers petroleum additives, lubricant additives, fuel additives, and antiknock compounds for automotive, industrial, and marine applications Generates revenue primarily through the sale of specialty chemical additives used in lubricants and fuels, with additional income from contracted manufacturing and property management Serves a diversified customer base including oil refiners, original equipment manufacturers, government entities, and industrial clients worldwide NewMarket operates in the specialty chemicals sector, focusing on petroleum additives that enhance the performance and longevity of lubricants and fuels. Founded in ...
Key Points Sold 36,512 shares of NewMarket; estimated transaction value of $27.88 million based on quarterly average price. Quarter-end NEU stake value fell by $99.71 million, reflecting valuation change from both trading and stock-price movement. Transaction represented a 0.16% shift in 13F reportable assets under management (AUM). Held 492,820 shares worth $338.71 million after the trade. Positi...
Key Points Sold 36,512 shares of NewMarket; estimated transaction value of $27.88 million based on quarterly average price. Quarter-end NEU stake value fell by $99.71 million, reflecting valuation change from both trading and stock-price movement. Transaction represented a 0.16% shift in 13F reportable assets under management (AUM). Held 492,820 shares worth $338.71 million after the trade. Position now represents 1.95% of fund AUM, placing it outside the fund's top five holdings. 10 stocks we like better than NewMarket › On February 17, 2026, London Co of Virginia disclosed a sale of 36,512 shares of NewMarket (NYSE:NEU), an estimated $27.88 million trade based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, London Co of Virginia reduced its holdings in NewMarket by 36,512 shares. The estimated transaction value, based on the average closing price during the fourth quarter of 2025, was $27.88 million. At quarter end, the fund reported holding 492,820 shares valued at $338.71 million, with the position’s quarter-end value reflecting a $99.71 million decrease due to both trading and price changes. What else to know The fund continued to trim its NEU holding, which now accounts for 1.95% of its 13F reportable AUM. Top holdings after the filing: NASDAQ: AAPL: $656.77 million (3.8% of AUM) NYSE: NSC: $522.8 million (3.0% of AUM) NYSE: GLW: $509.9 million (2.9% of AUM) NYSE: BRK-B: $500.85 million (2.9% of AUM) NYSE: BLK: $451.6 million (2.6% of AUM) As of February 13, 2026, NEU shares were priced at $592.80, up 10.1% over one year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 1.68 percentage points. Company overview Metric Value Price (as of market close February 13, 2026) $592.80 Market capitalization $5.56 billion Revenue (TTM) $2.73 billion Net income (TTM) $418.75 million Company snapshot Offers petroleum additives, lubricant additives, fuel additives, and antiknock compounds for automotive, indus...
In trading on Thursday, shares of Green Brick Partners Inc (Symbol: GRBK) crossed below their 200 day moving average of $23.91, changing hands as low as $23.27 per share. Green Brick Partners Inc shares are currently trading off about 4.5% on the day. The chart below shows the one year performance of GRBK shares, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, GRBK's low point in it...
In trading on Thursday, shares of Green Brick Partners Inc (Symbol: GRBK) crossed below their 200 day moving average of $23.91, changing hands as low as $23.27 per share. Green Brick Partners Inc shares are currently trading off about 4.5% on the day. The chart below shows the one year performance of GRBK shares, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, GRBK's low point in its 52 week range is $16.80 per share, with $32.25 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $23.39. Click here to find out which 9 other stocks recently crossed below their 200 day moving average » The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Europe can “no longer be a custodian for the old-world order” and needs “a more realistic and interest-driven foreign policy”, the head of the European Commission has said. Speaking to an audience of EU ambassadors on Monday, Ursula von der Leyen said the union “will always defend and uphold the rules-based system” but could no longer rely on it to defend European interests and shelter the contine...
Europe can “no longer be a custodian for the old-world order” and needs “a more realistic and interest-driven foreign policy”, the head of the European Commission has said. Speaking to an audience of EU ambassadors on Monday, Ursula von der Leyen said the union “will always defend and uphold the rules-based system” but could no longer rely on it to defend European interests and shelter the continent from threats. She added: “We urgently need to reflect on whether our doctrine, our institutions and our decision making – all designed in a postwar world of stability and multilateralism – have kept pace with the speed of change around us. Whether the system that we built – with all of its well-intentioned attempts at consensus and compromise – is more a help or a hindrance to our credibility as a geopolitical actor.” Von der Leyen, a former German defence minister who pledged to lead a “geopolitical” commission when she took office in 2019, has faced criticism in recent days for her handling of the Iran war. A prominent MEP and former French minister, Nathalie Loiseau, last week chided von der Leyen for her telephone diplomacy to Gulf leaders after the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, accusing the commission president of usurping the role of the EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. Notably in the early days of the war, von der Leyen said “a credible transition in Iran” was urgently needed, going further than Kallas. On Monday von der Leyen avoided criticism of the US and Israel for starting the war, saying the debate about whether the conflict was “a war of choice or a war of necessity” was a debate that “partly misses the point”. She said no one would shed tears for a regime that had “slaughtered 17,000 young people”, a reference to the most recent crackdown that some independent experts believe killed many more. She also said Iran had wreaked devastation and destabilisation across the region. She also noted that a regional conflict with “unintended consequences” was u...