I wore makeup for the first time just after I turned 12: a tube of green mascara from a pound shop in my home town in south Wales. This was not a chic emerald or a flattering forest green. It was a frosted, mucous-tinted green – a colour that looked like the aftermath of a minor chemical incident involving Shrek. There was a reason it cost only a pound. I slicked it on with no real understanding o...
I wore makeup for the first time just after I turned 12: a tube of green mascara from a pound shop in my home town in south Wales. This was not a chic emerald or a flattering forest green. It was a frosted, mucous-tinted green – a colour that looked like the aftermath of a minor chemical incident involving Shrek. There was a reason it cost only a pound. I slicked it on with no real understanding of beauty, but a clear instinct that I loved how it altered my face. The outside world was less enthused. People hated it. Teachers told me to take it off; I’d then reapply it in the toilets. Girls in my year looked at me with genuine repulsion. It wasn’t pretty, or cute – so nobody understood why I would want to look like that. But I loved the way it transformed my face. I loved how polarising it was. I loved that it made people slightly uncomfortable. That was the first time I realised beauty didn’t have to be about looking “pretty” – it could be unfiltered self-expression. The beauty industry is inclined to claim that certain products are “life-changing” – but occasionally that isn’t hyperbole. That mascara was the start of a trajectory. View image in fullscreen Unfiltered self-expression … Anita Bhagwandas as a ‘cybergoth’ in Cardiff in 2004. Photograph: Courtesy of Anita Bhagwandas Beauty was always political for me. Growing up, there wasn’t a foundation for my skin tone, just a spectrum that spanned from “porcelain” to “tan”. I became a reluctant chemist, mixing various pigments together to try to make a colour that worked. It would have been easier to wear something too light and accept the ashy cast, but refusing to disappear into colours not made for me felt like a small, stubborn act of protest. Summers were spent bleaching my hair and dyeing it pink. I customised my clothes with band lyrics and patches. I wasn’t rebelling for the sake of it; I was pushing back against having to tick so many boxes that didn’t feel right. I didn’t slot neatly into my Indian culture,...
Russia Touts Capture Of A Dozen Ukrainian Settlements In Opening Weeks Of March The Russia-Ukraine war, now at the start of its fifth year, has largely fallen from daily global headlines, given the world's attention - and markets - seem wholly focused on the fast-moving events of the Iran war, and the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz. While many pundits are essentially 'looking the other way' - Ru...
Russia Touts Capture Of A Dozen Ukrainian Settlements In Opening Weeks Of March The Russia-Ukraine war, now at the start of its fifth year, has largely fallen from daily global headlines, given the world's attention - and markets - seem wholly focused on the fast-moving events of the Iran war, and the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz. While many pundits are essentially 'looking the other way' - Russia continues gobbling up territory, and this week has announced its forces captured 12 settlements in just the first half of March . This comes as its offensives intensify in the east and south. AFP/Getty Images Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov touted the advances, declaring the push is broad-based and accelerating in all directions. "The offensive is being conducted in all directions ," he has freshly announced , adding that "12 settlements have been liberated" in just two weeks. This includes troops now "actively moving towards Sloviansk" - which remains one of the most heavily fortified Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk, while also claiming 60% control of Kostiantynivka amid ongoing urban combat. There are running "street battles" in Kostiantynivka Gerasimov described of the assault which has reportedly pushed deeper into the city. Russia says it's also establishing buffer zones along the Kharkiv and Sumy borders. The Ukrainian military and government leaders are meanwhile pushing back against this. President Volodymyr Zelensky himself is seeking to contradict the Russian narrative of consistent battlefield gains. "Ukraine's defense forces have disrupted Russia's strategic offensive operation," Zelensky said Monday. "Although attacks are constant… their intensity and scale are not what Russia had planned." The dueling claims highlight a familiar pattern of the last several years of grinding war in the east - one of Moscow touting steady territorial gains, while Kiev insists its troops blunting and reversing the push, even as the front line remains fluid but on th...
Both Netflix (NFLX 0.82%) and Walt Disney (DIS +1.66%) are powerhouses of entertainment content, but they also have in common that their stock prices have lagged the S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.25%) over the last year. However, with each having the potential to tap into a few revenue growth catalysts in 2026, that could change. Here's what to consider when evaluating which company could be the better buy in...
Both Netflix (NFLX 0.82%) and Walt Disney (DIS +1.66%) are powerhouses of entertainment content, but they also have in common that their stock prices have lagged the S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.25%) over the last year. However, with each having the potential to tap into a few revenue growth catalysts in 2026, that could change. Here's what to consider when evaluating which company could be the better buy in 2026 and beyond. Why Netflix could be the better buy When Netflix walked away from its attempt to acquire the bulk of the assets of Warner Bros. Discovery, many shareholders breathed a sigh of relief, as there was a view that the price of its proposed deal was too high. Now, the streaming giant's management team can turn its focus back to building new endeavors like its podcast business and its experiential locations. As Netflix seeks audience-growth opportunities, video podcasting could help it reach more viewers than it has been attracting through its TV series and movies. Expand NASDAQ : NFLX Netflix Today's Change ( -0.82 %) $ -0.78 Current Price $ 94.42 Key Data Points Market Cap $398B Day's Range $ 94.01 - $ 96.33 52wk Range $ 75.01 - $ 134.12 Volume 1M Avg Vol 48M Gross Margin 48.59 % In addition to increased subscription revenue from adding new subscribers, podcasting offers Netflix an opportunity to boost its advertising revenue beyond the $1.5 billion it generated in 2025. That additional revenue could come in the form of licensing deals and sponsorships. In comparison, Alphabet reported $11.3 billion in YouTube ad revenue in Q4 2025 alone. It may also be taking a lesson from Disney in terms of building out its live experiences offerings. In 2025, Netflix launched its first Netflix House locations in Philadelphia and Dallas. Each of these locations is like an indoor theme park, more than 100,000 square feet in size, with activities, merchandise, and food inspired by Netflix shows. For instance, at the Philadelphia Netflix House, you can play carnival games based ...
Good morning . Equities gain as oil declines. Donald Trump ditches his appeal for help in the war and slams allies. And Germany is limiting price hikes at petrol stations to once per day. Listen to the day’s top stories . Global stocks rose for a third day as investors sought signs of stability . Oil fell as Iraq signed a deal to resume exports via Turkey that avoid the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Tr...
Good morning . Equities gain as oil declines. Donald Trump ditches his appeal for help in the war and slams allies. And Germany is limiting price hikes at petrol stations to once per day. Listen to the day’s top stories . Global stocks rose for a third day as investors sought signs of stability . Oil fell as Iraq signed a deal to resume exports via Turkey that avoid the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump abandoned his effort to recruit partners for the conflict and scolded allies who openly rejected his appeals . Irish Prime Minister Taoiseach Micheál Martin defended Keir Starmer after the US president criticized the UK PM for not fully supporting the war. More on the conflict : Israel’s killing of Ali Larijani puts Iran’s wartime leadership largely in hardliner hands, dimming prospects for a diplomatic way out of the war. The US ordered embassies worldwide to immediately review security, the Washington Post reported. Germany is limiting price hikes at petrol stations to once per day and tightening antitrust oversight in response to a consumer backlash over war-driven price increases. Many African economies are running on weeks of refined fuel as the conflict chokes off shipments , forcing governments to scramble for alternatives. A reopening of the vital waterway looks unlikely without a ceasefire . How Asia Became Frontline of the Global Energy Crisis Listen to the podcast Corporate roundup : BHP named South African Brandon Craig as CEO as the world’s biggest miner sets its sights on copper. Unilever is said to be weighing a separation of its food assets . Prudential Plc’s new business profit climbed and the firm said it will buy back an additional $1.2 billion of its own stock. Oaktree’s Howard Marks warned investors are underestimating AI’s impact . Meanwhile, Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel said AI won’t necessarily lead to job cuts in Europe and may benefit companies in the region. WeChat operator Tencent is seizing the initiative as agentic AI fever grips Chin...
AKart Design/iStock via Getty Images Investment thesis I was cautious regarding this particular stock when I previously wrote about it ; however, this stock has increased significantly since then. Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. ( PARR ) operates logistics and refining assets in geographically isolated, high-barrier markets, allowing it to act as a geographic monopolist between Hawaii and the Rocky Mou...
AKart Design/iStock via Getty Images Investment thesis I was cautious regarding this particular stock when I previously wrote about it ; however, this stock has increased significantly since then. Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. ( PARR ) operates logistics and refining assets in geographically isolated, high-barrier markets, allowing it to act as a geographic monopolist between Hawaii and the Rocky Mountains. Although PARR missed on their most recent quarterly earnings due to extraordinary maintenance, and this represents a transitionary phase, the timing represented a unique opportunity to purchase a stock trading at discounted multiples (P/E 7.2x) relative to the company's true cash-generating ability. Although the stock price is approximately $54, I see a possible short-term tactical pullback into the $47-$48 range, which would represent an ideal buying opportunity prior to a move toward our target price of $62 (+15%). I will add to my exposure at that time. Agar Capital, Trading View In addition to having $700 million in tax shields (NOLs), the Company is also scheduled to complete its Hawaii Renewables project by 2026, providing the company with dominance in the emerging Pacific Rim Sustainable Aviation Fuel market. In addition to selling 10 percent of its ownership interest in 2025, management recently initiated a $250 million share repurchase program. The above-referenced items and others will be discussed in detail within this analysis. I believe the Company is well-positioned to outperform the sector in 2026. The Geopolitical "Haven" As one of the largest and most geographically diversified refiners in the United States, with a total refining capacity of 219,000 b/d and a presence in four key regions (Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, Wyoming, and Montana), Par Pacific Holdings has created an oligopoly in each of these isolated markets by building a strategic barrier to entry using its logistical network, making it nearly impossible for new entrants to capture shar...