Can the FCC take away broadcast licenses because the Trump administration doesn’t like how TV stations cover the Iran war? Does the First Amendment have anything to say about it? In this episode of the Votes and Verdicts podcast, Bloomberg Intelligence TMT litigation and policy analyst Matt Schettenhelm sits down with Brent Skorup of the Cato Institute. They discuss President Donald Trump and FCC ...
Can the FCC take away broadcast licenses because the Trump administration doesn’t like how TV stations cover the Iran war? Does the First Amendment have anything to say about it? In this episode of the Votes and Verdicts podcast, Bloomberg Intelligence TMT litigation and policy analyst Matt Schettenhelm sits down with Brent Skorup of the Cato Institute. They discuss President Donald Trump and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s recent threats to revoke broadcast licenses based on coverage of the Iran wa
Cartels Are Going 'Broke' As US Fentanyl Supply Drops By Almost 60%: Homan Authored by Darlene McCormick Sanchez via The Epoch Times, The Trump administration’s border crackdown is slowing the flow of deadly drugs into the country to the point that cartel profits have plummeted. Border czar Tom Homan said during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday that...
Cartels Are Going 'Broke' As US Fentanyl Supply Drops By Almost 60%: Homan Authored by Darlene McCormick Sanchez via The Epoch Times, The Trump administration’s border crackdown is slowing the flow of deadly drugs into the country to the point that cartel profits have plummeted. Border czar Tom Homan said during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s operation to go after the Mexican cartels has been successful, and that they are now focusing their drug operations on Europe and Asia. “Cartels are going broke,” Homan said. “They know it’s hard here.” Sara Carter, director of the National Drug Control Policy and a CPAC speaker, said that securing the U.S. border has meant fewer illegal immigrants and drugs, especially fentanyl. “We’ve seen a decrease in fentanyl coming into our country of around 56 percent to 57 percent, which is phenomenal,” she said. “You’re holding China accountable and telling them we are watching the supply chain, and you will be responsible if we see more deaths in our country.” The cartels securing fentanyl precursor chemicals from China and India know what they are doing, she said, adding that cartels and America’s adversaries want “to break us and to create this massive casualty event.” Discussing the impact of policy changes, Carter said that under the Biden administration, the cartels made hundreds of billions of dollars from human trafficking and the sale of narcotics. She said adversarial countries pushing drugs onto American streets, such as China, amount to a “proxy war” against the United States. Homan and Carter applauded Operation Southern Spear, in which narcoterrorists carrying drugs on boats in the Caribbean were destroyed with U.S. military air strikes. Carter said stopping drug runners in the Western Hemisphere was part of the president’s America First strategy. Carter’s comments are supported by a recent study that also points to a sharp decrease in ...
May WTI crude oil (CLK26 ) today is up +2.96 (+3.13%), and May RBOB gasoline (RBK26 ) is up +0.0370 (+1.20%). Crude oil and gasoline prices are sharply higher today on concerns about a protracted war with Iran. Crude prices also rose amid concerns that reduced Russian crude exports will...
May WTI crude oil (CLK26 ) today is up +2.96 (+3.13%), and May RBOB gasoline (RBK26 ) is up +0.0370 (+1.20%). Crude oil and gasoline prices are sharply higher today on concerns about a protracted war with Iran. Crude prices also rose amid concerns that reduced Russian crude exports will...
The US court verdicts declaring Meta liable for getting people addicted and ruining lives must be just the start of a global fightback Good news is so rare these days, you don’t quite know how to take it. You want to celebrate, but a rival instinct tells you it’ll be pulled back somehow, the same feeling you get when your team scores a late winner, but you’re filled with instant dread that the goa...
The US court verdicts declaring Meta liable for getting people addicted and ruining lives must be just the start of a global fightback Good news is so rare these days, you don’t quite know how to take it. You want to celebrate, but a rival instinct tells you it’ll be pulled back somehow, the same feeling you get when your team scores a late winner, but you’re filled with instant dread that the goal will be overturned on a video replay. I confess that is how I responded to the double legal blow dealt this week to Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, when two US juries on successive days found against it in a pair of landmark cases. First came a verdict in New Mexico , fining the company $375m (£280m) for enabling harm, including child sexual exploitation, on its platforms and for misleading consumers about their safety. Twenty-four hours later, jurors in California awarded $6m in damages to a young user who had argued that Meta (along with YouTube) had deliberately designed addictive products that had hooked her from childhood, causing her grave harm. Continue reading...
Pla2na/iStock via Getty Images Portfolio management Reid Menge, Sally Du, CFA Top 10 holdings (%) Nvidia Corporation ( NVDA ) 13.97 Microsoft ( MSFT ) 8.80 Amazon.com ( AMZN ) 8.05 Apple ( AAPL ) 5.88 Meta Platforms Inc ( META ) 5.06 Alphabet ( GOOGL ) 4.95 Broadcom Inc ( AVGO ) 4.89 Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ) 4.57 Tesla Inc ( TSLA ) 3.25 Oracle Corporation ( ORCL ) 3.05 Click to enlarge Invest...
Pla2na/iStock via Getty Images Portfolio management Reid Menge, Sally Du, CFA Top 10 holdings (%) Nvidia Corporation ( NVDA ) 13.97 Microsoft ( MSFT ) 8.80 Amazon.com ( AMZN ) 8.05 Apple ( AAPL ) 5.88 Meta Platforms Inc ( META ) 5.06 Alphabet ( GOOGL ) 4.95 Broadcom Inc ( AVGO ) 4.89 Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ) 4.57 Tesla Inc ( TSLA ) 3.25 Oracle Corporation ( ORCL ) 3.05 Click to enlarge Investment approach Invests in a portfolio of equity securities that fund management believes have shown above-average growth rates in earnings over the long term. Commentary as of 12/31/25 The fund posted returns of -1.02% (Institutional shares)( MAFGX ) and -1.08% (Investor A shares, without sales charge)( MDFGX ) for the fourth quarter of 2025. The largest contributors to relative performance were investment decisions in the health care, financials, and information technology (IT) sectors. The largest detractors from relative returns were investment decisions in the communication services, industrials, and real estate sectors. The largest exposures were in the IT, communication services, and consumer discretionary sectors. During the quarter, the fund increased its allocations to the IT and industrials sectors, and reduced its exposures to the financials and consumer discretionary sectors. Contributors Stock selection in the health care sector, namely in the pharmaceuticals industry, was the largest contributor to relative performance. In the financials sector, stock selection in the capital markets industry proved beneficial. Selection decisions in the software industry, within the IT sector, also boosted relative results. Detractors The largest detractor was security selection in the communication services sector, notably in the interactive media & services industry. In the industrials sector, selection decisions in the aerospace & defense industry hindered performance. Another meaningful detractor included stock selection in the real estate sector, namely in the real estate...
Oleksii Liskonih Secretary of State Marco Rubio told G7 foreign ministers on Friday that the war with Iran will continue for another two to four weeks, signaling that the administration believes a resolution is near. In a press gaggle after the meeting in France, Rubio said the U.S. expects the conflict to end within “weeks and not months.” Rubio claimed the U.S. is close to holding serious negoti...
Oleksii Liskonih Secretary of State Marco Rubio told G7 foreign ministers on Friday that the war with Iran will continue for another two to four weeks, signaling that the administration believes a resolution is near. In a press gaggle after the meeting in France, Rubio said the U.S. expects the conflict to end within “weeks and not months.” Rubio claimed the U.S. is close to holding serious negotiations with Iran, noting that two Iranian officials have expressed interest in talks but require approval from top leadership. However, communication has been complicated by the fact that Iranian officials are avoiding their phones out of fear they will be located and assassinated, slowing the pace of mediation efforts. Despite the optimistic timeline, the administration is simultaneously escalating its military presence, with thousands more troops heading to the region. The administration is also considering escalatory options that would involve ground forces, even as Rubio stressed that the U.S. is determined to achieve all of its objectives in the war. Rubio told his counterparts that the U.S. is still communicating with Iran through mediators rather than directly, adding that there is unclarity about who is actually making decisions in Tehran at the moment. The U.S. is waiting for clarification on who would represent Iran in potential peace talks. Vice President Vance is likely to lead the U.S. delegation if negotiations take place, though President Trump has said Rubio, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner are all involved in the diplomatic efforts. More on the U.S.-Iran war U.S. troop buildup to pressure Iran may backfire, analysts warn Iran does not accept a ceasefire – report U.S. reportedly has a plan to end the Iran war Oil markets are seeing ‘the biggest gap in energy supplies the world’s ever seen’ – analyst AI, chip stocks sink as Iran war drags on
Oil major TotalEnergies SE, which is diversifying into renewable and gas-fired electricity output, struck a 12-year deal to buy Electricite de France SA’s nuclear power to feed its French refineries and chemical sites.
Oil major TotalEnergies SE, which is diversifying into renewable and gas-fired electricity output, struck a 12-year deal to buy Electricite de France SA’s nuclear power to feed its French refineries and chemical sites.
Met police say suspect in his 60s interviewed under caution over claims of human trafficking and facilitating rape Police have questioned a man over allegations of human trafficking and facilitating rape in connection with the former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed . The suspect, who is in his 60s, was interviewed under caution this month after 154 people came forward to report allegations of sexua...
Met police say suspect in his 60s interviewed under caution over claims of human trafficking and facilitating rape Police have questioned a man over allegations of human trafficking and facilitating rape in connection with the former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed . The suspect, who is in his 60s, was interviewed under caution this month after 154 people came forward to report allegations of sexual abuse by Al Fayed, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading...