matdesign24/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis The Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund ETF ( VOOV ) holds a diversified group of large-cap stocks with attractive value characteristics. However, one often-forgotten feature is that it also serves as an effective anti-momentum play in the early months following its Index's annual reconstitution in December. That's because its Index intentionally...
matdesign24/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis The Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund ETF ( VOOV ) holds a diversified group of large-cap stocks with attractive value characteristics. However, one often-forgotten feature is that it also serves as an effective anti-momentum play in the early months following its Index's annual reconstitution in December. That's because its Index intentionally selects stocks that performed relatively poorly over the last twelve months, and this year, some growth stocks like Apple Inc. ( AAPL ) and Amazon.com, Inc. ( AMZN ) qualified. As a result, VOOV is more balanced than usual, and given its low portfolio beta, reasonable sector mix, and the aggressive earnings growth projections for most market leaders, I think there's a solid chance VOOV will end its three-year streak and outperform VOOG in 2026. Nevertheless, since VOOV is designed to deliver consistent second- or third-quartile results in its category, investors should limit their expectations. For better potential results this year, I will profile two other large-cap value ETFs that look stronger fundamentally than VOOV right now, and use them to justify my neutral "hold" rating on the fund. I hope you enjoy the read, and as always, I look forward to answering any questions you might have in the comments section afterward. VOOV Overview Strategy Discussion: An Anti-Momentum Play According to its website , VOOV tracks the S&P 500 Value Index, which "tracks the value companies of the S&P 500 Index as identified by three factors: book/price ratio, earnings/price ratio, and sales/price ratio." However, the Index methodology reveals how that's only partially true. When creating S&P Style Indexes, all S&P 500 companies receive both a value and a growth score, and the S&P categorizes stocks based on both factors. Categorizing stocks is sometimes straightforward, but S&P's method complicates it by introducing a one-year price momentum screen into the mix, as follows: S&P Dow Jone...
Getty Images Chinese stocks were largely left out of the emerging market rally that began in the days after Liberation Day 2025. And it wasn’t just the China Large Cap ETF ( FXI ), as the WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund ETF ( CXSE ) is up just 14.5% (total return) over the past 12 months. Zooming out, back in February 2024 , I had a Hold rating on CXSE. It turned out that I was no...
Getty Images Chinese stocks were largely left out of the emerging market rally that began in the days after Liberation Day 2025. And it wasn’t just the China Large Cap ETF ( FXI ), as the WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund ETF ( CXSE ) is up just 14.5% (total return) over the past 12 months. Zooming out, back in February 2024 , I had a Hold rating on CXSE. It turned out that I was not bullish enough, as the ETF has returned 63% in the past 25 months, about double the price performance of the S&P 500 ( SP500 ). Today, with negative alpha over the past year, I reiterate a Hold. The price-to-earnings ratio valuation is reasonable, while the current pullback off the Q3 2025 high appears to be a bullish consolidation. For now, it’s a show-me story for CXSE. China Equities Broadly Underperforming YoY, FXI & CXSE Show Similar Returns Last 6 Months StockCharts.com According to the issuer , CXSE seeks to track the investment results of Chinese companies that are not state-owned enterprises, defined as those with government ownership greater than 20%. The ETF can be used by investors to gain exposure to targeted Chinese equities from firms that exclude state-owned enterprises. The issuer notes that CXSE may complement Chinese market exposure while neutralizing companies potentially influenced by government decisions. CXSE is a small ETF, with just $538 million in assets under management as of March 11, 2026. That’s up from $408 million at the time of my previous analysis. Still, it’s not as if much new money has flowed into the fund. The annual expense ratio is modest at only 32 basis points, while the trailing 12-month dividend yield is about 0.8 percentage points above that of the S&P 500 at 2.00%. Share-price momentum is graded extremely poorly by Seeking Alpha’s quantitative scoring system. Now, while I don’t take issue with that (given CXSE’s absolute and relative underperformance), I will outline later that the drift down has the hallmarks of a bullish, co...
Burning Rock Biotech press release ( BNR ): Q4 GAAP EPS of -$0.02. Revenue of $18.1M. Net loss was RMB15.4 million (US$2.2 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2025, compared to RMB81.3 million for the same period in 2024. Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash were RMB481.1 million (US$68.8 million) as of December 31, 2025. Full Year 2025 Financial Results Revenues were RMB539.6 m...
Burning Rock Biotech press release ( BNR ): Q4 GAAP EPS of -$0.02. Revenue of $18.1M. Net loss was RMB15.4 million (US$2.2 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2025, compared to RMB81.3 million for the same period in 2024. Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash were RMB481.1 million (US$68.8 million) as of December 31, 2025. Full Year 2025 Financial Results Revenues were RMB539.6 million (US$77.2 million) for 2025, representing a 4.6% increase from RMB515.8 million for 2024. Revenue generated from central laboratory business was RMB160.0 million (US$22.9 million) for 2025, representing a 8.9% decrease from RMB175.6 million for 2024, primarily attributable to a decrease in the number of tests, as we continued our transition towards in-hospital testing and pharma research and development services. Revenue generated from in-hospital business was RMB224.1 million (US$32.0 million) for 2025, remaining relatively stable as compared with RMB224.5 million for 2024. Revenue generated from pharma research and development services was RMB155.5 million (US$22.2 million) for 2025, representing a 34.5% increase from RMB115.7 million for 2024, primarily attributable to an increased development and testing services performed for our pharma customers. More on Burning Rock Biotech Financial information for Burning Rock Biotech
Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF (SCHB 1.57%) and iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT 1.59%) both offer ultra-low-cost, broad U.S. equity market exposure, but ITOT stands out for its larger assets under management and higher average daily volume, while SCHB remains a strong option for Schwab-centric investors. Both SCHB and ITOT aim to mirror the performance of the entire U.S. stock mar...
Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF (SCHB 1.57%) and iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT 1.59%) both offer ultra-low-cost, broad U.S. equity market exposure, but ITOT stands out for its larger assets under management and higher average daily volume, while SCHB remains a strong option for Schwab-centric investors. Both SCHB and ITOT aim to mirror the performance of the entire U.S. stock market, tracking thousands of companies across all sectors. This comparison looks at their costs, returns, risk, portfolio makeup, and trading characteristics to help investors decide which may better fit their needs. Snapshot (cost & size) Metric SCHB ITOT Issuer Schwab IShares Expense ratio 0.03% 0.03% 1-yr return (as of 2026-03-11) 21.7% 21.6% Dividend yield 1.1% 1.1% Beta 1.02 1.01 AUM $38.1 billion $81.5 billion Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Both funds are equally affordable, with each charging 0.03% in annual expenses. They also offer a 1.1% dividend yield, so cost and payout are essentially tied. Expand NYSEMKT : ITOT iShares Trust - iShares Core S&P Total U.s. Stock Market ETF Today's Change ( -1.59 %) $ -2.35 Current Price $ 145.34 Key Data Points Day's Range $ 145.29 - $ 146.64 52wk Range $ 105.00 - $ 152.71 Volume 11M Performance & risk comparison Metric SCHB ITOT Max drawdown (five years) -25.36% -25.36% Growth of $1,000 over five years $1,614 $1,606 Expand NYSEMKT : SCHB Schwab Strategic Trust - Schwab U.s. Broad Market ETF Today's Change ( -1.57 %) $ -0.41 Current Price $ 25.65 Key Data Points Day's Range $ 25.63 - $ 25.87 52wk Range $ 18.52 - $ 26.94 Volume 11M What's inside ITOT holds 2,484 stocks spanning the entire U.S. equity market, with technology making up 33%, financial services 12%, and consumer cyclical 10%. Its largest positions—Nvidia (NVDA 1.53%), Apple (AAPL 1.93%), and Microsoft (MSFT 0.73%)—mirror the b...
franckreporter/iStock via Getty Images BTIG analyst Jonathan Krinsky shifted to a more cautious stance on Thursday, warning that deteriorating market breadth and weakness in the financial sector ( XLF ) have become too significant to ignore. Krinsky, who had maintained an optimistic view since the start of the Middle East escalation, said his confidence in that bullish call has “quickly deteriorat...
franckreporter/iStock via Getty Images BTIG analyst Jonathan Krinsky shifted to a more cautious stance on Thursday, warning that deteriorating market breadth and weakness in the financial sector ( XLF ) have become too significant to ignore. Krinsky, who had maintained an optimistic view since the start of the Middle East escalation, said his confidence in that bullish call has “quickly deteriorated” as market conditions worsened. “Our confidence and patience in that call has quickly deteriorated, commensurate with the breakdown in breadth as just 50% of S&P 500 ( SPY ) ( VOO ) names are now above their 200 DMA,” Krinsky said in a note to clients. The analyst identified several concerning signals: Critical Support Levels: The 6550-6600 range on the S&P 500 represents critical support, coinciding with the rising 200-day moving average and lows from October and November. A close below 6550 would suggest a meaningful top, with a potential downside move toward approximately 6000. The S&P 500 was changing hands at 6,690 at the time of writing, minutes before the close. Financial Sector Weakness: Only 42% of financial sector components trade above their 200-day moving average, and the sector’s moving average is close to turning lower. Krinsky noted that financials are the second-largest sector in the market behind technology ( XLK ), making their weakness particularly significant. Credit Spreads Widening: Investment-grade credit default swap spreads have reached new highs, surpassing October levels when the S&P 500 was trading 100 points lower. Crude Oil Pressure: Krinsky observed that crude oil ( USO ) prices are already nearly back to $100 per barrel, suggesting the geopolitical situation is “unlikely to reverse those gains so quickly.” Semiconductor Vulnerability: The semiconductor sector ( SMH ) continues to show weakness, with the SMH exchange-traded fund forming what appears to be a “lower high” and small top pattern. “While some sort of positive news is always poss...
Key Points IWN has delivered a stronger one-year return but carries a higher expense ratio than VBR. VBR is more concentrated in industrials, while IWN leans more heavily into financial services and real estate. IWN holds significantly more stocks, but has experienced a slightly deeper maximum drawdown over five years. 10 stocks we like better than iShares Trust - iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF › ...
Key Points IWN has delivered a stronger one-year return but carries a higher expense ratio than VBR. VBR is more concentrated in industrials, while IWN leans more heavily into financial services and real estate. IWN holds significantly more stocks, but has experienced a slightly deeper maximum drawdown over five years. 10 stocks we like better than iShares Trust - iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF › The Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (NYSEMKT:VBR) stands out for its ultra-low cost and larger assets under management (AUM), while the iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF (NYSEMKT:IWN) has offered higher recent returns, holds a broader basket of stocks, and tilts more toward financials and real estate. Both funds target U.S. small-cap value stocks, but they differ in index construction, sector exposure, and cost. This comparison examines risk, performance, and portfolio makeup to help investors decide which may better suit specific small-cap value objectives. Snapshot (cost & size) Metric VBR IWN Issuer Vanguard iShares Expense ratio 0.05% 0.24% 1-yr return (as of 2026-03-11) 20.3% 28.2% Dividend yield 1.8% 1.6% Beta 1.10 1.18 AUM $64.2 billion $12.9 billion Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. VBR is notably more affordable, charging just 0.05% annually versus IWN’s 0.24%, and also offers a slightly higher dividend yield at 1.8% compared to IWN’s 1.6%. Performance & risk comparison Metric VBR IWN Max drawdown (5 y) -24.19% -26.70% Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $1,279 $1,250 What's inside IWN holds a broad portfolio of more than 1,400 U.S. small-cap value stocks, with a sector tilt toward financial services (24%), industrials (11%), and real estate (11%). The fund’s largest positions — Echostar Corp Class A (NASDAQ:SATS), Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL), and TTM Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:TTMI)—each make up less than 1.1% of assets, reflecting a highly di...
AMD, Broadcom, and Nvidia join hyperscalers to define optical scale-up interconnect of the future for AI clusters — Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI to benefit as speeds eventually scale to 3.2 Tb/s Tom's Hardware
AMD, Broadcom, and Nvidia join hyperscalers to define optical scale-up interconnect of the future for AI clusters — Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI to benefit as speeds eventually scale to 3.2 Tb/s Tom's Hardware
Key Points HDV charges a slightly higher expense ratio and offers a notably higher dividend yield than VIG. VIG invests in over 300 holdings with a tech and financial tilt, while HDV concentrates on fewer, higher-yielding stocks in energy and consumer defensive sectors. HDV has shown less severe drawdowns and lower volatility but underperformed VIG on five-year total return. 10 stocks we like bett...
Key Points HDV charges a slightly higher expense ratio and offers a notably higher dividend yield than VIG. VIG invests in over 300 holdings with a tech and financial tilt, while HDV concentrates on fewer, higher-yielding stocks in energy and consumer defensive sectors. HDV has shown less severe drawdowns and lower volatility but underperformed VIG on five-year total return. 10 stocks we like better than iShares Trust - iShares Core High Dividend ETF › The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSEMKT:VIG) and the iShares Core High Dividend ETF (NYSEMKT:HDV) differ most in portfolio makeup, sector exposure, and yield, with VIG favoring dividend growers and HDV leaning into high-yield, defensive stocks. Both VIG and HDV target investors seeking income from U.S. equities, but their approaches diverge: VIG tracks companies with a proven record of dividend growth, while HDV focuses on stocks selected for high current yields. This comparison breaks down costs, performance, risk, and portfolio structure to help clarify which may appeal more, depending on priorities. Snapshot (cost & size) Metric VIG HDV Issuer Vanguard IShares Expense ratio 0.04% 0.08% 1-yr return (as of 2026-03-11) 16.2% 17.6% Dividend yield 1.6% 2.9% Beta 0.81 0.42 AUM $121.5 billion $13.3 billion Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. HDV charges twice the expense ratio of VIG, but both remain cost-effective by industry standards; in return, HDV delivers a substantially higher dividend yield, which may appeal to income-focused investors. Performance & risk comparison Metric VIG HDV Max drawdown (5 y) -20.39% -15.41% Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $1,528 $1,423 What's inside HDV concentrates its $13.3 billion in assets under management across 74 U.S. companies, with a heavy tilt toward consumer defensive (28%), energy (26%), and healthcare (17%) sectors. Its top holdings—...
Earnings Call Insights: DICK'S Sporting Goods (DKS) Q4 2025 Management View Edward Stack, Executive Chairman, highlighted "another strong quarter for the DICK'S business, delivering comps over 3% and double-digit non-GAAP EPS growth." He noted ongoing market share gains and a robust outlook for long-term growth. Stack emphasized the "transformational opportunity" with Foot Locker, stating, "During...
Earnings Call Insights: DICK'S Sporting Goods (DKS) Q4 2025 Management View Edward Stack, Executive Chairman, highlighted "another strong quarter for the DICK'S business, delivering comps over 3% and double-digit non-GAAP EPS growth." He noted ongoing market share gains and a robust outlook for long-term growth. Stack emphasized the "transformational opportunity" with Foot Locker, stating, "During Q4, our Fast Break stores drove very strong positive comps, actually meaningfully exceeding the DICK'S business while also delivering strong gross margin improvement." The inventory cleanup at Foot Locker was described as "essentially complete," setting the stage for an "inflection point...starting with back-to-school." Stack added, "For 2026, we expect Foot Locker to deliver growth in comp sales of between 1% to 3% and operating income in the range of $100 million to $150 million." Lauren Hobart, President & CEO, said, "For the full year, we are very pleased to have delivered record sales of $14.1 billion for the DICK'S business. Our comps increased 4.5% and exceeded the high end of our expectations." On strategic expansion, Hobart detailed the opening of "16 new House of Sport locations...and also opened 15 new Field House locations," with plans for "approximately 14 House of Sport locations and approximately 22 Field House locations" in 2026. Navdeep Gupta, EVP & CFO, stated, "Consolidated net sales increased 28.1% to $17.22 billion, driven by a $3.11 billion sales contribution from a partial year of owning the Foot Locker business and a 4.5% comp increase for the DICK'S business." Gupta also confirmed, "We delivered consolidated non-GAAP earnings per diluted share of $3.45 for the quarter." Outlook DICK'S expects 2026 comp sales growth in the range of 2% to 4%, with operating margins at approximately 11.1% at the midpoint. Hobart reaffirmed, "We anticipate our comp sales to be in the range of 2% to 4%, which at the midpoint represents a 7.5% 2-year comp stack." At the ...
Earnings Call Insights: Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (REFI) Q4 2025 Management View Peter Sack, Co-CEO, emphasized Chicago Atlantic's sector expertise and disciplined approach to credit in the cannabis lending market. He underscored, "We maintain an outsized underwriting, real estate and analytics team that specializes solely in this unique niche of cannabis," and noted that the firm...
Earnings Call Insights: Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (REFI) Q4 2025 Management View Peter Sack, Co-CEO, emphasized Chicago Atlantic's sector expertise and disciplined approach to credit in the cannabis lending market. He underscored, "We maintain an outsized underwriting, real estate and analytics team that specializes solely in this unique niche of cannabis," and noted that the firm is "exceeding our expectations and more enthusiastic than ever about our opportunity set for the coming year." He highlighted that the pipeline currently stands at $616 million and referenced the company's role in the largest cannabis ESOP to date. Sack drew attention to recent federal policy shifts, stating, "In December 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing his administration to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule I to Schedule III regulated product. While this is not federal legalization, rescheduling would represent the most significant federal policy change in years." David Kite, COO, detailed portfolio activity, reporting $411 million in loan principal across 26 companies as of December 31 with a weighted average yield to maturity of 16.3%. He explained the loan extension activity, the upgrade of loan #9’s risk rating, and the protection from rate declines: "Following December's 25 basis point rate reduction... only 9% of our portfolio remains exposed to further rate declines." Phillip Silverman, CFO, reported, "Our net interest income of $14.2 million for the fourth quarter represented a 4% increase from $13.7 million during the third quarter of 2025." Silverman also highlighted a CECL reserve of $5.1 million, distributable earnings per share of $0.44 basic and $0.43 fully diluted for the quarter, and a dividend distribution of $0.47 per share declared in December. Outlook Management reiterated a focus on net portfolio growth for 2026. Sack communicated confidence in pipeline execution: "We are still targeting net portfolio growth for this year. ...
Earnings Call Insights: Algoma Steel Group Inc. (ASTL) Q4 2025 Management View Rajat Marwah, President & CEO, opened by highlighting the permanent impact of the 50% U.S. Section 232 tariff, stating "the American market effectively close to us, we have responded accordingly. Exiting our primary blast furnace and coke oven operations, pivoting our entire commercial strategy towards the Canadian mark...
Earnings Call Insights: Algoma Steel Group Inc. (ASTL) Q4 2025 Management View Rajat Marwah, President & CEO, opened by highlighting the permanent impact of the 50% U.S. Section 232 tariff, stating "the American market effectively close to us, we have responded accordingly. Exiting our primary blast furnace and coke oven operations, pivoting our entire commercial strategy towards the Canadian market, restructuring our cost base and accelerating our transformation that positions Algoma for the realities of this new trade environment." Marwah underscored the company's liquidity, referencing "the CAD 500 million in government-backed liquidity support, combined with our ABL facility provides the runway we need to advance our transformation, reduce cash burn and pursue new opportunities to diversify the business." Operationally, Marwah noted, "our blast furnace and coke oven operations have been wound down. Our first EAF unit is running on a full 24-hour schedule and our second unit remains on schedule. Our strategic focus is now squarely on delivering high-value products for the Canadian market." A significant development was the January 2026 announcement of a binding MOU with Hanwha Ocean Co. Limited, representing "an aggregate potential value of USD 250 million, including a USD 200 million contribution towards the potential development of a structural steel beam mill and up to USD 50 million in anticipated product purchases connected to the Canadian patrol submarine program." Michael Moraca, Chief Financial Officer, stated "Our fourth quarter results included adjusted EBITDA that was a loss of $95.2 million, which reflects an adjusted EBITDA margin of minus 20.9% and cash used in operating activities of $3 million. We finished the quarter with a strong balance sheet, including $77 million of cash, availability of $195 million under our revolving credit facility and $417 million available under the large enterprise tariff loan facility." Outlook Moraca indicated, "over...
Kelt Exploration press release ( KEL:CA ): Q4 Non-GAAP EPS of C$0.38. Revenue of C$143.7M. Kelt continues to maintain a strong financial position. At December 31, 2025, Kelt had net debt of $189.7 million which equates to 0.7 times 2025 adjusted funds from operations of $261.5 million or 0.5 times forecasted 2026 adjusted funds from operations of $375.0 million. Capital expenditures incurred durin...
Kelt Exploration press release ( KEL:CA ): Q4 Non-GAAP EPS of C$0.38. Revenue of C$143.7M. Kelt continues to maintain a strong financial position. At December 31, 2025, Kelt had net debt of $189.7 million which equates to 0.7 times 2025 adjusted funds from operations of $261.5 million or 0.5 times forecasted 2026 adjusted funds from operations of $375.0 million. Capital expenditures incurred during the three months ended December 31, 2025 were $42.8 million, down 56% compared to net capital expenditures of $97.0 million during the fourth quarter of 2024. During the fourth quarter of 2025, the Company spent $22.4 million on drill and complete operations; and $20.4 million on well equipment, facilities and pipelines. More on Kelt Exploration Historical earnings data for Kelt Exploration Financial information for Kelt Exploration
Chief Accounting Officer Anne Mary Giviskos reported the sale of 31,150 shares of Navan (NAVN 7.69%) in an open-market transaction on March 3, 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing. Transaction summary Metric Value Shares sold (direct) 31,150 Transaction value ~$297K Post-transaction shares (direct) 74,940 Post-transaction value (direct ownership) ~$713K Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weig...
Chief Accounting Officer Anne Mary Giviskos reported the sale of 31,150 shares of Navan (NAVN 7.69%) in an open-market transaction on March 3, 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing. Transaction summary Metric Value Shares sold (direct) 31,150 Transaction value ~$297K Post-transaction shares (direct) 74,940 Post-transaction value (direct ownership) ~$713K Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price ($9.52); post-transaction value based on March 3, 2026 market close ($9.52). Key questions How does this sale compare to recent insider selling patterns? This transaction was the largest of two sell trades made by Anne Mary Giviskos since October 2025, with this sale (31,150 shares) exceeding the recent median sell size of approximately 16,912 shares. This transaction was the largest of two sell trades made by Anne Mary Giviskos since October 2025, with this sale (31,150 shares) exceeding the recent median sell size of approximately 16,912 shares. What proportion of direct holdings did the transaction represent? The sale accounted for 29.36% of direct shares held prior to the transaction, a higher percentage than the median 15.91% of holdings traded per sale over the recent period. The sale accounted for 29.36% of direct shares held prior to the transaction, a higher percentage than the median 15.91% of holdings traded per sale over the recent period. Were indirect entities or trusts involved in this disposition? No indirect holdings or entities participated; all shares sold and remaining are held directly by the insider. No indirect holdings or entities participated; all shares sold and remaining are held directly by the insider. What is the current scale of ownership post-sale and how does it relate to capacity? After the transaction, the insider retains 74,940 shares directly, with no indirect or derivative shares reported in the filing, and continues to hold 0.03% of the company's outstanding shares as of the latest available data. Company ov...
UN Security Council Passes Iran War Resolution, Yet With No Mention Of US Or Israel Many independent pundits have long complained of the emptiness of the United Nations as some kind of 'moral authority' - given it often claims to be just this. The vacuous nature of UN statements connected to war is on display once again as the Security Council (UNSC) issued a formal condemnation of the Iran war on...
UN Security Council Passes Iran War Resolution, Yet With No Mention Of US Or Israel Many independent pundits have long complained of the emptiness of the United Nations as some kind of 'moral authority' - given it often claims to be just this. The vacuous nature of UN statements connected to war is on display once again as the Security Council (UNSC) issued a formal condemnation of the Iran war on Wednesday, but without mentioning either the United States or Israel at all . For this reason, Iran quickly slammed the vote , also as Russia and China abstained. The passed resolution demands an end to Iranian attacks across the Gulf, and notably made zero reference to US or Israeli strikes on Iran. It was tabled Bahrain and backed by 135 countries, and calls for "the immediate cessation of all attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan." It further condemns actions or threats by Iran " aimed at closing, obstructing, or otherwise interfering with international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz." The measure passed 13-0, and a second draft resolution was proposed by Moscow, which called on all sides to cease hostilities, however it failed to pass. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Walz stated: "Iran's strategy of sowing chaos, of trying to hold their neighbours hostage, trying to shake the resolve of the region, has clearly backfired, as shown by this vote today." China's UN envoy Fu Cong said the text "does not fully reflect the root cause and overall picture of the conflict in a balanced manner." The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, without warning, and while Iran was engaged in several rounds of nuclear talks with Trump envoys. Like the June war, the assault appears to have caught Tehran completely by surprise, and Iranians have condemned the unprovoked nature of the assault. Iran tells the UNSC that it does not recognise the stupid resolution they just adopted. pic.twitter...