Whether or not its leading stocks are in a bubble that's on the verge of being popped, there's no denying artificial intelligence (AI)is here to stay. The industry's chief challenge now is just a lack of capacity to meet demand. It's not simply a matter of building more AI data centers though. That's because AI requires a lot of electricity. Consider that a single generative AI query made of one o...
Whether or not its leading stocks are in a bubble that's on the verge of being popped, there's no denying artificial intelligence (AI)is here to stay. The industry's chief challenge now is just a lack of capacity to meet demand. It's not simply a matter of building more AI data centers though. That's because AI requires a lot of electricity. Consider that a single generative AI query made of one of the planet's better-known AI-powered chatbots can consume enough electricity to power a light bulb or microwave for a few seconds or recharge your mobile phone's battery. That's not much in the grand scheme of things. But when a single artificial intelligence data center is handling millions of requests, it's enough to power all the homes in a small city. And this consumption is only set to swell from here. S&P Global Market Intelligence says AI data centers' use of electricity is apt to double between last year and 2030. Problem? The utility and power industry's production capacity is already strained, and renewables like solar and wind can't be put in place quickly enough to meet long-term demand. The best "clean energy" option that can be scaled up quickly enough -- as well as cost-effectively enough -- is nuclear power. To this end, the International Energy Agency expects worldwide nuclear power output to roughly double between now and 2050. With that as the backdrop, here's a look at three stocks you can buy right now to capitalize on the budding nuclear power renaissance. 1. Constellation Energy Remember the late-2024 headlines that one of the mothballed reactors at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island was being restarted primarily to power one of Microsoft's data centers? The company making the power plant operational again is utility outfit Constellation Energy (CEG +1.82%). This isn't a one-off oddity or mere experiment, though. It's a microcosm and evidence of Constellation's core strength. This company already operates 21 nuclear reactors that produce more than 80%...
Florida Passes Voter ID Bill Modeled After SAVE Act Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times, The Florida Legislature passed new election legislation modeled after President Donald Trump’s proposed SAVE America Act. House Bill 991, sponsored by state Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, passed along party lines by a vote of 83 to 31. “We are the Election Integrity State!” Persons-Mulicka wrote on X ...
Florida Passes Voter ID Bill Modeled After SAVE Act Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times, The Florida Legislature passed new election legislation modeled after President Donald Trump’s proposed SAVE America Act. House Bill 991, sponsored by state Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, passed along party lines by a vote of 83 to 31. “We are the Election Integrity State!” Persons-Mulicka wrote on X after the vote. Sponsors of the bill moved the effective date to appease critics who feared the new identification requirements would discourage some voters from participating in midterm elections. The new laws won’t take effect until Jan. 1, 2027. The bill requires Floridians to show proof of citizenship to register to vote, requires a valid photo ID to vote, makes paper ballots the primary method of voting, and bans student IDs as an acceptable voter ID. Nearly all Florida driver’s licenses and ID cards are Real-ID compliant—a process that already verifies citizenship. Once in place, the new regulations will also make it a felony for political parties, committees, organizations, and candidates to accept or solicit contributions from foreign nationals for any state elections. Florida state Democrats voted against the bill, dubbing it the “Show Your Papers Act.” Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat representing Orlando, said the measure would restrict “all kinds of IDs Florida voters can use.” “Student IDs and retirement center IDs would no longer be valid; driver’s licenses, state ID cards, military ID, and licenses to carry concealed weapons would still be accepted as proof of voter identity,” Eskamani said in a Facebook post. The ACLU’s Florida Chapter condemned the measure’s passage, calling it an anti-voter bill. “These changes are not neutral or harmless—they would fall hardest on low-income voters, students, seniors, women, and Black and brown Floridians,” said Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the ACLU Florida chapter. "This wave of anti-voter legislation is advancin...
Key Points The strikes during Operation Epic Fury showed that hyperscale facilities can become direct military targets. Even if a $1 billion facility is destroyed, giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms are planning roughly $630 billion in 2026 capex, making a single data center loss financially manageable. If tensions persist, future data center builds could gradually move aw...
Key Points The strikes during Operation Epic Fury showed that hyperscale facilities can become direct military targets. Even if a $1 billion facility is destroyed, giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms are planning roughly $630 billion in 2026 capex, making a single data center loss financially manageable. If tensions persist, future data center builds could gradually move away from Gulf hotspots toward lower-risk regions. 10 stocks we like better than Amazon › I never thought I'd be writing a sentence like this, but here we are: Iranian drones struck three Amazon Web Services data centers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain on March 1, marking the first confirmed military attack on a hyperscale cloud provider in history. And suddenly, the trillion-dollar artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boom has a question that Silicon Valley wants to answer. Can hyperscalers actually afford to lose a data center to war? Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » For me, the short answer is yes. Financially, they can absorb it. But the longer answer is far more uncomfortable, and it's the one I think matters for investors. What happened? The United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, a coordinated strike campaign against Iranian military infrastructure. Iran retaliated broadly, firing over 500 ballistic missiles and nearly 2,000 drones across the region. Among the targets? Two AWS data centers in the UAE and one in Bahrain. The strikes took out two of three availability zones in AWS' UAE cloud region, causing structural damage, power disruptions, and water damage from fire suppression systems. Services went dark for banks like Emirates NBD and First Abu Dhabi Bank, ride-hailing platform Careem, and payment services Hubpay and Alaan. AWS told c...
(RTTNews) - Salesforce, Inc. (CRM), a tech company, Monday commenced the prepayment and initial delivery of around 103 million shares under its previously announced $25 billion accelerated share repurchase or ASR agreements that it entered on March 11. "This transaction, the largest ASR in history, represents the immediate execution of half of the $50 billion aggregate Share Repurchase Program aut...
(RTTNews) - Salesforce, Inc. (CRM), a tech company, Monday commenced the prepayment and initial delivery of around 103 million shares under its previously announced $25 billion accelerated share repurchase or ASR agreements that it entered on March 11. "This transaction, the largest ASR in history, represents the immediate execution of half of the $50 billion aggregate Share Repurchase Program authorized by Salesforce's Board of Directors in February 2026.", the company said in a statement. The final number of shares to be repurchased will be based on the volume-weighted average price of Salesforce's common stock during the term of the transaction and the final settlement is expected to occur in the third or fourth quarter of fiscal 2027. In pre-market activity, CRM shares were trading at $195.10, up 1.19% on the New York Stock Exchange. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
(RTTNews) - Telos Corporation (TLS) revealed Loss for its fourth quarter of -$16.311 million The company's bottom line came in at -$16.311 million, or -$0.22 per share. This compares with -$9.330 million, or -$0.13 per share, last year. The company's revenue for the period rose 77.4% to $46.777 million from $26.372 million last year. Telos Corporation earnings at a glance (GAAP) : -Earnings: -$16....
(RTTNews) - Telos Corporation (TLS) revealed Loss for its fourth quarter of -$16.311 million The company's bottom line came in at -$16.311 million, or -$0.22 per share. This compares with -$9.330 million, or -$0.13 per share, last year. The company's revenue for the period rose 77.4% to $46.777 million from $26.372 million last year. Telos Corporation earnings at a glance (GAAP) : -Earnings: -$16.311 Mln. vs. -$9.330 Mln. last year. -EPS: -$0.22 vs. -$0.13 last year. -Revenue: $46.777 Mln vs. $26.372 Mln last year. This surge in fourth-quarter revenue was supported by a 105% growth in Security Solutions, primarily due to the ongoing expansion of large programs in Telos ID. The company’s fourth-quarter net loss of $16.3 million reflects $1.5 million restructuring charge and $14.9 million non-cash goodwill impairment. For the fourth quarter, excluding items, Telos posted earnings of $4.463 million, or $0.06 per share, compared with a loss of $2.827 million, or $0.04 per share, in the same period last year. TLS was up by 16.82% at $5 per share in the pre-market trade on the Nasdaq. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
"What will our son remember as he grows and as he understands the impact of the abuse? We will not truly know the impact of Nathan's actions for many years," she said.
"What will our son remember as he grows and as he understands the impact of the abuse? We will not truly know the impact of Nathan's actions for many years," she said.
imaginima/E+ via Getty Images National Energy Services ( NESR ) +2.7% pre-market Monday after saying it secured several multi-year cementing contract awards valued at ~$300M, including a " significant" award in Kuwait and several awards in North Africa. National Energy Services ( NESR ) said the awards reflect positive activity trends across the region, and leverage the company's existing leadersh...
imaginima/E+ via Getty Images National Energy Services ( NESR ) +2.7% pre-market Monday after saying it secured several multi-year cementing contract awards valued at ~$300M, including a " significant" award in Kuwait and several awards in North Africa. National Energy Services ( NESR ) said the awards reflect positive activity trends across the region, and leverage the company's existing leadership in cementing across the Gulf, as well as its strategic, counter-cyclical investment commitment. " New awards across North Africa demonstrate our ability to expand quickly outside of our core Gulf footprint, and underscore the growth potential in Libya and beyond," Chairman and CEO Sherif Foda said. More on National Energy Services Reunited National Energy Services Reunited Targets MENA And Asia's Rapid Industrialization And Urbanization National Energy Services Reunited Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript National Energy Services Reunited Presents at Goldman Sachs Energy, CleanTech & Utilities Conference - Slideshow
All Britons should do their best to pay the minimum tax possible, Reform UK’s deputy leader has argued as he dismissed a newspaper investigation over his own tax affairs as a smear. Richard Tice, who was presenting a press conference on Monday about Reform’s claims to have saved large sums of money in the English councils it runs, faced questions about a Sunday Times story which detailed a scheme ...
All Britons should do their best to pay the minimum tax possible, Reform UK’s deputy leader has argued as he dismissed a newspaper investigation over his own tax affairs as a smear. Richard Tice, who was presenting a press conference on Monday about Reform’s claims to have saved large sums of money in the English councils it runs, faced questions about a Sunday Times story which detailed a scheme the paper said had helped him avoid nearly £600,000 in corporation tax. According to the paper, Tice’s property company used a rare legal status known as a real estate investment trust, or Reit, which meant it paid no corporation tax between 2018 and 2021. Labour has urged HMRC to investigate the arrangements. Asked whether he was right to minimise his tax payments in such a way, Tice told reporters he rejected the idea people should “pay the absolute maximum tax possible”. Asked if he would encourage everyone in the UK to pay as little tax as legally possible, Tice replied: “Yes, of course, that’s what you should do.” Tice also used a tweet by the Sunday Times journalist, Gabriel Pogrund, about the story, which confirmed that Tice had paid the necessary tax under the terms of the scheme, to claim the story about him had been misleading. “Given that was his conclusion by the end of the afternoon, maybe he was just trying to smear me,” Tice said. In fact, Pogrund’s tweet had restated what the story set out: that while Tice did not appear to have broken any laws or criminally underpaid tax, his use of a Reit scheme for his property company was a complex and unusual way to minimise the amount owed. Tice sought to characterise the story as an attempt by the media to argue that everyone had to pay the maximum tax possible. “We have entered a new a new world where there is a moral imperative now in the United Kingdom that you shouldn’t just pay tax as required,” he said, arguing that this “new moral code” would lead to people leaving the UK in large numbers. “You must pay the max...
NicoElNino/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis Early on, I had an investment idea to buy Vistance Networks ( VISN ), which paid off. Still, closing the deal to sell the CCS division changes the company’s risk profile, and that’s why I’m reassessing its stock. Investors got what they wanted. The company finally has a healthy balance sheet structure and a focus on its most promising technologi...
NicoElNino/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis Early on, I had an investment idea to buy Vistance Networks ( VISN ), which paid off. Still, closing the deal to sell the CCS division changes the company’s risk profile, and that’s why I’m reassessing its stock. Investors got what they wanted. The company finally has a healthy balance sheet structure and a focus on its most promising technologies and products. But on the other hand, there's also a revaluation of the stock, which is trading at a huge premium—more than double—compared to competitors' multiples. I'll break down VISN's growth catalysts and the factors that make buying the stock right now a risky move. I have lowered my recommendation from "Buy" to "Hold" due to a number of risks, such as operational difficulties, competition from competitors, increasing component prices, and margin pressure in the Aurora segment. It is necessary to determine the approximate "fair value floor" for VISN shares to understand when it is safe to increase long positions. Previous point From the time of my first publication on VISN, its stock price has risen by 7.68% . A key thesis behind the investment idea to buy the company’s shares was the expectation that the financial profile could improve following the successful completion of the sale of the CCS business segment. It would allow the company to focus all its resources on developing RemainCo’s new products and digital solutions. In addition, due to the fact that the majority of orders came from digital infrastructure operators associated with the AI segment and data centers, the strategic development of VISN is evident in the long term. This is because the company's products are of great importance to the network economy, which includes the cloud computing and Internet of Things segments. VISN’s Business Strategy and Growth Catalysts With the sale of a significant portion of its assets—totaling $10.5 billion (the CCS division)—VISN’s business strategy has reached the f...
Key Points EchoStar acquired SpaceX shares in exchange for its wireless spectrum last September. EchoStar has essentially become a "proxy" for SpaceX shares in the public markets. But there are several risks investors need to be aware of before jumping in. 10 stocks we like better than EchoStar › 2026 could be a blockbuster year for initial public offerings, with several artificial intelligence co...
Key Points EchoStar acquired SpaceX shares in exchange for its wireless spectrum last September. EchoStar has essentially become a "proxy" for SpaceX shares in the public markets. But there are several risks investors need to be aware of before jumping in. 10 stocks we like better than EchoStar › 2026 could be a blockbuster year for initial public offerings, with several artificial intelligence companies looking to raise capital on public markets. Spending on AI computing is set to soar this year, as evidenced by the massive capital spending plans from all the cloud giants. After its merger with xAI, SpaceX is apparently joining the fray. The satellite and space travel giant has just hired two law firms to work on the upcoming IPO. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Want to buy SpaceX shares but don't want to wait for the IPO? There's a way to gain exposure to SpaceX right now: satellite telecom EchoStar (NASDAQ: SATS), which sold a large block of wireless spectrum to SpaceX in exchange for SpaceX shares last summer. The company's SpaceX stake makes up the majority of EchoStar's current value, making EchoStar stock a "proxy" for SpaceX. Still, there are also several risks investors need to be aware of before diving in. 1. EchoStar doesn't have the shares yet It should be noted that although EchoStar's 357% gain in 2025 reflected not only the benefits of its spectrum sales to SpaceX but also an all-cash $22 billion sale to AT&T (NYSE: T), those transactions have not yet closed. Now, these spectrum sales were "forcefully encouraged" by the Federal Communications Commission. In May of 2025, the FCC informed EchoStar that it was putting its licenses under review. The complaint was that EchoStar hadn't been utilizing the massive amount of spectrum it had purchased, even though EchoStar ins...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) shares rose 3% on early Monday, tracking broader gains in large technology stocks as markets steadied following recent volatility and ongoing geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The social media company said it plans to reduce its global workforce by as much as 20% as part of efforts to streamline operations and re...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) shares rose 3% on early Monday, tracking broader gains in large technology stocks as markets steadied following recent volatility and ongoing geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The social media company said it plans to reduce its global workforce by as much as 20% as part of efforts to streamline operations and redirect resources toward artificial intelligence initiatives. The move comes as Meta increases spending on custom AI chips, data center expansion, and related infrastructure. The restructuring is intended to align staffing levels with long-term AI development priorities and improve operational efficiency. Meta has been investing heavily in in-house semiconductor design and large-scale computing systems to support advanced models and AI-enabled products. Investors are weighing whether the cost-cutting plan, combined with sustained capital investment in AI, could support future profitability. The stock's advance reflects cautious optimism, though market participants continue to monitor execution risks tied to the company's broader technology roadmap.
Stock investors should brace for even more near-term declines before the market turns higher, according to Morgan Stanley's Mike Wilson. The bank's chief U.S. equity strategist said Monday that the S & P 500 could trade as low as 6,300 by early April — implying a decline of 5% from Friday's close. The benchmark stock index has been under pressure, falling 3.6% since the U.S.-Iran war began on Feb....
Stock investors should brace for even more near-term declines before the market turns higher, according to Morgan Stanley's Mike Wilson. The bank's chief U.S. equity strategist said Monday that the S & P 500 could trade as low as 6,300 by early April — implying a decline of 5% from Friday's close. The benchmark stock index has been under pressure, falling 3.6% since the U.S.-Iran war began on Feb. 28. Beyond the war and its effect on energy markets, concerns around private credit have also weighed on sentiment. "There's still risk around rates, still risk around oil. There's Fed uncertainty … so the all that could weigh on some of the lower quality parts of the market in the short term," he told CNBC's " Squawk Box " in an interview. But Wilson doesn't think stocks will stay depressed for long. In a note to clients Monday, he said that the current pullback is "mature in time and price," highlighting that 50% of Russell 3000 members are in a bear market — down at least 20% from their 52-week high. On top of that, Wilson thinks recession risks are low, "which means we're in a correction in the context of a broader bull market." What to buy Wilson highlighted Morgan Stanley's "Fresh Money Buy List" as offering a path for investors to trade the market. The list includes Walmart , Delta Air Lines and Northrop Grumman . All three are rated overweight by Morgan Stanley. Walmart has outperformed this year, rising nearly 14%, even after issuing disappointing earnings guidance last month. Delta has struggled of late, losing more than 10% this month, as the conflict in the Middle East disrupts global travel and drives up the cost of jet fuel. On top of that, U.S. airports are dealing with lengthy delays as of the Department of Homeland Security operates without funding and TSA agents go unpaid. Northrop Grumman has jumped more than 28% in 2026, with the U.S.-Iran war boosting all defense contractors.
Hydaway Digital (HIDE.V) earlier on Monday said it is upgrading its infrastructure to "natively supp Upgrade to read this MT Newswires article and get so much more. A Silver or Gold subscription plan is required to access premium news articles.
Hydaway Digital (HIDE.V) earlier on Monday said it is upgrading its infrastructure to "natively supp Upgrade to read this MT Newswires article and get so much more. A Silver or Gold subscription plan is required to access premium news articles.
Robusta coffee steadied after falling to a seven-month low on expectations of record Brazilian output of high-end arabica beans, which could ease demand for the cheaper variety. The most-active contract ticked up after earlier sliding 1.2% to $3,415 a ton, the lowest since Aug. 8. Futures are down about 12% this year amid strong shipments from top grower Vietnam. Toward the end of last year, tight...
Robusta coffee steadied after falling to a seven-month low on expectations of record Brazilian output of high-end arabica beans, which could ease demand for the cheaper variety. The most-active contract ticked up after earlier sliding 1.2% to $3,415 a ton, the lowest since Aug. 8. Futures are down about 12% this year amid strong shipments from top grower Vietnam. Toward the end of last year, tight arabica supply — and elevated prices — boosted robusta consumption, with roasters increasing the share of the cheaper beans in their blends. But arabica supplies are expected to improve in the coming months, particularly from No. 1 producer Brazil. “The prospect of a recovery in Brazilian production in 2026-27 may limit stronger upward movements on international exchanges,” said Marcelo Moreira, a coffee specialist at Archer Consulting. But “weather risks or supply constraints in the short term could once again support periods of price recovery.” Global robusta shipments reached 19.5 million bags from October to January, up 23% from a year earlier, driven by a sharp rebound in Vietnamese exports and stronger flows from India, Indonesia and Uganda, according to International Coffee Organization data. Robusta coffee traded up 0.3% at $3,466 a ton as of 1:19 p.m. in London. Arabica coffee rose 1.2% Raw sugar retreated 0.9% in New York
US Industrial Production Rises For 4th Straight Month In February After a strong gain in January, US Industrial Production continued to expand in February, rising 0.2% MoM (better than expected +0.1%) - the fourth straight month of gains with Production up 1.44% YoY... Source: Bloomberg Manufacturing output also beat expectations, rising 0.2% MoM in February. Durable manufacturing output edged up ...
US Industrial Production Rises For 4th Straight Month In February After a strong gain in January, US Industrial Production continued to expand in February, rising 0.2% MoM (better than expected +0.1%) - the fourth straight month of gains with Production up 1.44% YoY... Source: Bloomberg Manufacturing output also beat expectations, rising 0.2% MoM in February. Durable manufacturing output edged up 0.1 percent, with mixed results across categories; the index for motor vehicles and parts posted the largest gain, and the index for machinery posted the largest loss. Nondurable manufacturing output rose 0.2 percent, with gains in the production of chemicals, of plastic and rubber products, and of paper products outweighing declines in the output of petroleum and coal products and of food, beverage, and tobacco products. The output of other manufacturing (publishing and logging) rose 1.3 percent. Mining output increased 0.8 percent in February, following a 0.9 percent increase in January. The output of utilities fell 0.6 percent in February, reflecting no change in the index for electric utilities and a 4.7 percent drop in the index for natural gas utilities. Source: Bloomberg Capacity Utilization printed 76.3 (better than expected)... ...maintaining the positive trend since Trump's second term began. Tyler Durden Mon, 03/16/2026 - 09:23
Zhanna Hapanovich/iStock via Getty Images Investment Approach Fidelity ® Equity-Income Fund is a diversified domestic equity strategy that seeks reasonable income. In pursuing this objective, the fund also will consider the potential for capital appreciation. The fund seeks a yield for its shareholders that exceeds the yield on the securities comprising the S&P 500 ® index. We believe in mean reve...
Zhanna Hapanovich/iStock via Getty Images Investment Approach Fidelity ® Equity-Income Fund is a diversified domestic equity strategy that seeks reasonable income. In pursuing this objective, the fund also will consider the potential for capital appreciation. The fund seeks a yield for its shareholders that exceeds the yield on the securities comprising the S&P 500 ® index. We believe in mean reversion, a value-driven philosophy and investment duration as a competitive advantage. In our bottom-up investment process, we focus on higher-quality firms, which helps minimize downside capture over time. Performance Summary PERFORMANCE SUMMARY Cumulative Annualized 3 Month YTD 1 Year 3 Year 5 Year 10 Year/ LOF 1 Fidelity Equity-Income Fund Gross Expense Ratio: 0.53%2 3.99% 18.98% 18.98% 14.90% 12.36% 11.54% Russell 3000 Value Index 3.78% 15.71% 15.71% 13.77% 11.18% 10.46% Morningstar Fund Large Value 3.15% 14.97% 14.97% 13.88% 11.66% 10.74% % Rank in Morningstar Category (1% = Best) -- -- 13% 35% 39% 28% # of Funds in Morningstar Category -- -- 1,107 1,059 995 832 Click to enlarge 1 Life of Fund (LOF) if performance is less than 10 years. Fund inception date: 05/16/1966. 2 This expense ratio is from the most recent prospectus and generally is based on amounts incurred during the most recent fiscal year, or estimated amounts for the current fiscal year in the case of a newly launched fund. It does not include any fee waivers or reimbursements, which would be reflected in the fund's net expense ratio. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate; therefore, you may have a gain or loss when you sell your shares. Current performance may be higher or lower than the performance stated. Performance shown is that of the fund's Retail Class shares (if multiclass). You may own another share class of the fund with a different expense structure and, thus, have different returns. To learn more or to obtain the...
A “dangerous paedophile” who sexually abused five children in his care at a nursery in Bristol has been jailed for 24 years. Judge William Hart described Nathan Bennett as “evil” and said that he had thought seriously about imposing a life sentence because it was difficult to assess whether he would ever not be a risk to children. Bennett, 30, an early years practitioner, won the trust of two- and...
A “dangerous paedophile” who sexually abused five children in his care at a nursery in Bristol has been jailed for 24 years. Judge William Hart described Nathan Bennett as “evil” and said that he had thought seriously about imposing a life sentence because it was difficult to assess whether he would ever not be a risk to children. Bennett, 30, an early years practitioner, won the trust of two- and three-year-old boys at the Partou King Street nursery by showering them with affection before abusing them, sometimes in front of other children. Hart told Bennett the children should have been safe at the nursery. He said: “You were lurking, ready to abuse them and pollute their innocence with your vile desires. You are an incorrigible and dangerous paedophile.” The judge said the children’s “extreme youth” mean they could hardly have been more vulnerable and described the circumstances of the case were “highly uncommon”. Hart said: “You prioritised your sexual satisfaction over the welfare of these little children. That was due to grossly distorted thinking and a degree of, to use perhaps an old fashioned word, evil.” He noted that parents of other children at the nursery who had not been identified as victims would fear their loved ones had also been abused or had witnessed Bennett’s attacks. The judge imposed an extended determinate sentence of 30 years, comprising 24 years custody and six years extended licence. He told Bennett that if, once he was released, he did not follow the terms of his licence he would be recalled to prison and serve the full 30 years. The mother of one of the children told Bristol crown court her son trusted Bennett to care for him but was manipulated. She said: “The guilt and anger has been overwhelming. We sent him to this nursery we thought was a safe place. We hadn’t protected him. Something that is all you want to do as parents. “What truly worries us is the future unknown. What will our son remember as he grows? What will happen when he ...