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AMD: First AI Target Hit, Likely $1,000 Up Next (NASDAQ:AMD)
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Business
London Generates 5,540 Monthly Anti-Ageing Searches Despite Ranking 9th Per Capita
London records the 9th-highest per-capita anti-ageing search intensity of any major UK city at 60.29 per 100,000 residents, while generating the highest absolute search volume in the country at 5,540 average monthly searches.
Cream and topical products account for 84.7% of London’s monthly anti-ageing searches, highlighting strong demand for targeted skincare.
Four individual search terms tie for the joint-highest volume in the city, each drawing 720 average monthly searches.
New research into Google search behaviour across 50 major UK cities, carried out by UK wellness brand Kollo Health, has identified London as the 9th-highest city in the country for per-capita anti-ageing search interest. With 60.29 searches per 100,000 residents, London outpaces 41 other cities analysed.
Despite that 9th-place ranking, London generates the highest absolute anti-ageing search volume of any city in the study at 5,540 average monthly searches, more than seven times the volume of the next-highest city, Birmingham, at 750. The gap reflects the effect of measuring per capita against London’s population of over 9.1 million: in raw terms its search volume dwarfs every other city, but once adjusted for population size, eight smaller cities record higher rates. The nearest city above London in the rankings is Birmingham at 8th with 62.53 per 100,000, just 3.7% higher than London’s rate.
Top 10 UK cities for anti-ageing search interest
| Rank | City | Avg Monthly Searches | Population (2026 Est.) | Searches per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plymouth | 230 | 274,104 | 83.91 |
| 2 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 260 | 328,349 | 79.18 |
| 3 | Brighton and Hove | 210 | 285,339 | 73.60 |
| 4 | Manchester | 430 | 605,521 | 71.01 |
| 5 | Kingston upon Hull | 190 | 278,303 | 68.27 |
| 6 | Bristol | 340 | 504,401 | 67.41 |
| 7 | Glasgow | 420 | 663,221 | 63.33 |
| 8 | Birmingham | 750 | 1,199,447 | 62.53 |
| 9 | London | 5,540 | 9,188,200 | 60.29 |
| 10 | Wolverhampton | 160 | 287,161 | 55.72 |
Scarlett Gray, Registered Dietitian at Kollo Health, said: “London’s sheer volume of anti-ageing searches is unmatched by any other UK city. While the per-capita rate places it 9th, the scale of interest across a population of over nine million residents is remarkable. The data suggests that anti-ageing skincare is a mainstream concern for Londoners, with a clear demand for targeted products such as creams and eye treatments.”
The figures are drawn from Google Keyword Planner search data, normalised against 2026 population estimates from World Population Review; the full dataset is available for review.
Business
How the Four AI Chip Giants Really Compare in 2026 for Investors
Four of the world’s most important semiconductor companies, Nvidia, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, have each posted exceptional stock performance in 2026, fueled by surging demand tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure. Investors weighing which of the four to prioritize face a genuinely complex decision, since each company occupies a distinct position within the AI chip supply chain, carries a different valuation profile, and faces its own particular risks. This is not investment advice; it is a factual look at how the four companies compare, intended to help readers make their own informed decision.
Nvidia remains the dominant designer of graphics processing units used to train and run AI models, a position that has made it the most closely watched name in the sector. The company does not manufacture its own chips; as a fabless designer, it relies on TSMC to produce them. Nvidia has continued ramping production of its next-generation Vera Rubin AI platform and has announced collaborations with both TSMC on chip design and manufacturing and with SK Hynix on advanced AI memory. Analysts at Zacks Investment Research have noted that Nvidia faces increasing competition in AI accelerators and custom silicon, and its valuation reflects a premium tied to expectations of continued rapid growth, with analysts projecting a 52% jump in revenue and a 63% increase in earnings for the fiscal year that recently began. Nvidia’s stock has also shown more volatility than some of its peers this year, falling approximately 13.1% over one recent 30-day stretch even as the broader AI investment theme remained intact.
TSMC occupies a distinct and, according to several analysts, uniquely defensive position within the sector. As the world’s leading contract chip manufacturer, TSMC holds more than 60% of the global foundry market and leads in advanced process technology at 3-nanometer scale and below. Rather than depending on any single customer, TSMC manufactures chips for Nvidia, Apple, Broadcom, AMD, Qualcomm and numerous other companies, giving it a business model some analysts describe as more diversified and defensive than either a pure chip designer or a pure memory producer. TSMC has projected more than 30% revenue growth in 2026, with high-performance computing chips accounting for 61% of its first-quarter revenue. One analyst writing for 24/7 Wall St. argued that Taiwan Semiconductor “stands out as the best value because it’s got Nvidia’s business, custom silicon business, exposure to edge AI, physical AI, and, perhaps most importantly, it’s at the frontier of chip manufacturing,” while cautioning that a stumble at TSMC would ripple across the entire semiconductor sector given its central role in global chip production.
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, South Korea’s two dominant memory chip makers, have both posted extraordinary stock gains in 2026, driven primarily by their leadership in high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, chips essential to AI accelerators. SK Hynix shares have surged more than 200% year-to-date during some stretches in 2026, while Samsung has also posted triple-digit percentage gains over the same period, with both companies benefiting directly from what analysts have described as a memory chip “supercycle.” Memory prices were projected to rise a further 40% through the second quarter of 2026, according to Counterpoint Research. Ben Barringer, head of technology research at Quilter Cheviot, told CNBC that “the recent rally across the semiconductor space has been driven largely by the memory side of the market rather than logic chips,” underscoring how central Samsung and SK Hynix have become to this particular phase of the AI investment cycle.
Despite those dramatic gains, Samsung and SK Hynix have continued trading at notably lower valuations than either Nvidia or TSMC. Both companies carried forward price-to-earnings ratios below 6, compared with roughly 22 for Nvidia, even as Samsung and SK Hynix’s net profits were expected to grow by as much as 400% and nearly 300%, respectively, in 2026, far outpacing TSMC’s projected profit growth of around 50%. Christine Phillpotts, a portfolio manager for emerging market equities at Ariel Investments, told NAI 500 that “the ultimate point of debate is how quickly supply will increase to meet demand,” reflecting a broader market disagreement over whether the memory sector’s current strength represents a durable structural shift or a more traditional cyclical boom that could eventually reverse.
That valuation gap forms the core of the debate among analysts covering the sector. Some argue memory chip stocks deserve their lower valuations because memory earnings have historically proven more cyclical and volatile than logic chip businesses like Nvidia’s or TSMC’s. Others contend the current AI-driven demand cycle is fundamentally different from past memory cycles, arguing Samsung and SK Hynix’s low valuations relative to their earnings growth make them attractive on a pure value basis.
SK Hynix has also described its own strategic ambitions beyond simply supplying memory chips, stating on its website that it aims to evolve from a memory supplier into what it calls a “Full Stack AI Memory Creator,” positioning itself as a co-designer and ecosystem partner working directly alongside AI computing customers rather than purely as a component vendor.
Ultimately, each of the four companies offers a different risk and reward profile. Nvidia offers direct exposure to AI chip design leadership but carries a premium valuation and faces rising competition. TSMC offers diversified exposure across nearly every major AI chip designer with what several analysts consider a more defensive business model, albeit also at a valuation premium relative to memory peers. Samsung and SK Hynix offer direct exposure to the memory supercycle at considerably lower valuations, paired with the historically greater cyclicality that has characterized the memory chip business over past decades. Given these differing profiles, individual investors are encouraged to weigh their own risk tolerance, time horizon and portfolio diversification needs, and to consult a qualified financial advisor, rather than relying on any single comparison to determine which of these four companies best fits their specific investment goals.
Business
Alabama teens getting their own version of TikTok under sweeping $100M deal
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier joins ‘Varney & Co.’ to discuss the state’s lawsuit against TikTok, alleging the platform violated Florida’s child social media law and endangered minors.
Alabama teenagers using TikTok will soon face two-hour daily limits, overnight curfews and an end to the app’s customized “For You” page after the social media giant reached a $100 million settlement with the state.
TikTok reached the first-of-its-kind settlement just days before the lawsuit was scheduled to go to trial. Rather than imposing only financial penalties, the agreement requires the company to overhaul several of its core features for minors.
“TikTok has agreed to give parents real control over what their kids see and how much time they spend on the app,” Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a statement. “We’ve said from day one that our number one goal was to stand up for Alabamians when they are being harmed, and today, we did exactly that.”

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TikTok said the settlement reflects its ongoing efforts to improve safety features for teens.
“TikTok’s priority has always been fostering a safe and positive space where people can be creative, discover what they love, and connect with their community,” a TikTok USDS Joint Venture spokesperson said. “This builds on our commitment and core objective to continually enhance our robust safety tools to protect teens.”
Marshall filed the lawsuit against TikTok in April 2025, alleging the company intentionally designed the app to keep children scrolling while misleading parents about its safety features and the risks it posed to minors.
The lawsuit alleged TikTok’s recommendation algorithm exposed children to content involving self-harm, eating disorders, suicide, drugs and sexually explicit material, while overstating the effectiveness of tools such as Restricted Mode and age-verification features.
Within 45 days, TikTok must implement sweeping changes to how minors use the app. Among the most significant is disabling the personalized “For You” page for children. The algorithm-driven feed, which recommends videos based on a user’s viewing habits, is widely considered the centerpiece of TikTok’s engagement strategy.

The TikTok app logo is shown on an iPhone on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis / AP Newsroom)
The agreement also imposes two-hour daily limits, overnight curfews, mandatory “productive pauses” after 15 minutes of continuous use and then another pause at 60 and 90 minutes, bans cosmetic filters for children, strengthens age-verification measures and adds new safeguards limiting interactions between teen and adult accounts.
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES CAN DOWNLOAD TIKTOK ON GOVERNMENT DEVICES AFTER BYTEDANCE’S DIVESTITURE, DOJ SAYS
The changes are intended to curb addictive use among minors and strengthen protections for young users. If TikTok fails to comply with the settlement, the company could face an additional $300 million penalty.

The website for ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok app is displayed on a smartphone in an arranged photograph in Beijing, China, on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. (Photographer: Yan Cong/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The settlement marks the latest setback for TikTok, which has faced bipartisan scrutiny in Washington for years. Although the social media platform avoided a nationwide U.S. ban earlier this year after its Chinese parent company agreed to divest control of its American operations, it continues to face lawsuits and ongoing questions over children’s safety and date privacy.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
In August, TikTok reached a $400 million settlement with the Justice Department over allegations that it violated children’s privacy laws and failed to adequately protect young users.
Fox News Digital reached out to TikTok for comment.
Business
Raw milk cheese recalled following multi-state E.coli outbreak: FDA
Cousins Maine Lobster co-founder Jim Tselikis discusses navigating inflation and higher food and fuel costs as the company surpasses $1B in systemwide sales. He also outlines the brand’s retail expansion and new product lineup.
A recall has been issued for raw milk cheese after more than a dozen people were sickened with E. coli across several states.
The recalled products include Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheeses: medium cheddar, sharp cheddar, jalapeño jack, and Monterey jack sold at retail in 8-oz or 16-oz packages.
A total of 13 people have been sickened so far, including eight hospitalizations. The last onset of symptoms was on Aug. 26.
MORE THAN 12,000 POUNDS OF BACON RECALLED AFTER USDA ISSUES HIGHEST-RISK ALERT

Recalled cheese packages are shown. (FDA / Unknown)
“The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli O26:H11 infections linked to Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheese,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a release. “FDA’s investigation is ongoing.”
When public health officials interviewed nine of those sickened, they all said they had eaten Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheese within the last week.
FDA WIDENS CYCLOSPORA OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION TO SIX MORE STATES AS CONFIRMED CASES TOP 6,000
The Sierra Nevada Cheese Company, LCC voluntarily issued the recall and is working with the FDA.
Three people were sickened in California and Nevada and one in Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.
CYCLOSPORA OUTBREAK: IS IT STILL SAFE TO EAT AT RESTAURANTS? HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW
“Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheeses,” the FDA said.

An E. coli case map. (FDA / Unknown)
It added, “This product has a long shelf life. Check your refrigerators and freezers for the recalled raw milk cheeses and throw them away. If you refrigerated or froze cheese without the original packaging and can’t tell if it’s part of the recall, throw it away.”
WHITE HOUSE ADDRESSES GROWING PARASITE OUTBREAK AFTER MORE THAN 400 AMERICANS SICKENED
The FDA is still investigating the source of the contamination, and to see if there are any other affected products.
Consumers who purchased the cheese should not only throw it away or return it for a refund, but also carefully sanitize any surfaces or containers the cheese touched.
MYSTERY PARASITE LEAVES AMERICANS BATTLING ‘EXPLOSIVE’ ILLNESS AS CDC INVESTIGATES

Number of Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria of the strain O157:H7, revealed in the 6836x magnified scanning electron microscopic (SEM) image, 2006. Image courtesy Centers for Disease Control (CDC) / National Escherichia, Shigella, Vibrio Refere (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images / Getty Images)
E. coli symptoms can start as late as nine days after eating the contaminated food and include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, and nausea.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
In severe cases, it can cause life-threatening conditions like chronic kidney disease, kidney failure and high blood pressure.
Business
Are investors expecting too many hikes from the ECB?

Are investors expecting too many hikes from the ECB?
Business
Iran insists on diplomacy after Trump rejects Hormuz peace plan

Iran insists on diplomacy after Trump rejects Hormuz peace plan
Business
Crewe’s First-Ever Electric SUV Is a Genuine Looker With 876 Horsepower, Reviewers Say
Bentley has unveiled the Torcal, its first fully electric model and the first entirely new Bentley in a decade, and early impressions from journalists who have seen and driven the car suggest the British luxury automaker has produced a genuinely compelling entry into the electric SUV market rather than a compromised transitional model.
The Torcal is built on the Premium Platform Electric architecture shared across the Volkswagen Group, the same underlying platform used by the Porsche Cayenne Electric. According to Bentley, the SUV is available in two trims: a standard Torcal producing up to 821 brake horsepower and 1,194 newton-meters of torque, and the more powerful Torcal S, which delivers up to 876 brake horsepower, or 888 metric horsepower, and 1,350 newton-meters, or 996 pound-feet, of torque, making it the most powerful production Bentley ever built. Bentley says the standard Torcal accelerates from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.4 seconds, while the Torcal S completes the same sprint in as little as 2.8 to 2.9 seconds, figures the company describes, with characteristic understatement, as “sufficient.”
Power comes from a 113-kilowatt-hour battery pack, of which 108 kilowatt-hours are usable, feeding dual electric motors mounted on each axle for standard all-wheel drive. Bentley says the standard Torcal delivers 375 miles of range on the WLTP testing cycle, a figure expected to translate to somewhat lower results, likely north of 300 miles, under the stricter EPA testing standard used in the United States. The Torcal’s 800-volt electrical architecture supports DC fast charging at up to 400 kilowatts, allowing the battery to charge from 10% to 80% in approximately 16 minutes.
Reviewers who have seen the Torcal in person have generally praised its design as a successful modern interpretation of Bentley’s traditional styling language. Motor1’s assessment described the car as adapting Bentley’s classic, squared-off grille into a pattern of light-up crystal diamonds, clear-centered on the standard model and black-filled on the S trim, giving the front end an upright, aggressive character distinct from the more rounded, aerodynamically driven designs common among competing electric SUVs. The outlet called the Torcal “one of the best-looking EVs I’ve seen,” while noting the influence of the shared Cayenne platform remains visible in the vehicle’s wheelbase and roofline when viewed in profile.
Top Gear’s review offered a similarly favorable take on the design, while noting the illuminated grille, built using 76 hand-applied LED diamonds according to Bentley, makes the car strikingly visible on the road, particularly at night. The outlet described Bentley’s overall approach as designing the Torcal to “blend seamlessly into its existing lineup,” an EV built to avoid drawing attention to its electric drivetrain specifically, in contrast with more overtly futuristic electric SUV designs from rival luxury brands.
The interior has drawn particularly strong praise across multiple reviews. Edmunds described the Torcal’s cabin as “one of Bentley’s best ever,” highlighting new design touches including multilayer pressed wood trim, wool upholstery options, exposed aluminum, and real metal buttons with knurled texturing. The review also praised Bentley’s approach to digital interface design, noting that starting the vehicle triggers a video sequence in the gauge cluster designed to resemble light shining through crystal, an attempt to give the digital experience what the reviewer described as an analog feel consistent with Bentley’s traditional craftsmanship.
The Autopian’s review focused heavily on the Torcal’s dynamic capabilities, noting the vehicle’s substantial braking hardware, with standard iron discs measuring 16.5 inches in diameter at the front and 14.56 inches at the rear, expandable to 17.2 inches and 16.1 inches, respectively, with the optional carbon ceramic brake package. The outlet positioned the Torcal favorably against other ultra-luxury electric SUVs currently on the market, contrasting it with Mercedes-Benz’s electric G-Class, criticized for its limited 239 miles of range at a comparable price point, and the Cadillac Celestiq, whose broader market positioning the reviewer described as still unclear.
Bentley has also emphasized battery longevity as a specific design priority for the Torcal, given the brand’s positioning of its vehicles as long-term heirlooms rather than short-ownership-cycle products. According to Top Gear’s reporting, the Torcal’s nickel-manganese-cobalt-aluminum battery chemistry is designed to retain 90% of its original capacity after 100,000 miles of driving, a durability target Bentley has specifically highlighted given its cars’ traditional role as vehicles intended to be passed down across generations.
Pricing for the Torcal starts at approximately $200,000 in the United States, according to Edmunds, positioning it as a new, more accessible entry point into the Bentley lineup below the existing Bentayga SUV, despite carrying nothing resembling entry-level features or materials. In the United Kingdom, Autocar reported the Torcal starting at £173,000, positioning it as a direct electric rival to high-end Range Rover models. The vehicle arrives roughly a year later than Bentley had originally planned, reflecting a broader revision to the company’s electrification strategy, and represents a new, fourth model line for the brand rather than a direct electric replacement for any existing Bentley model.
With reviewers consistently praising the Torcal’s design, interior craftsmanship and performance credentials, Bentley’s first fully electric model appears, based on early impressions, to have avoided the pitfalls that have affected some other ultra-luxury electric SUV launches from rival automakers, positioning the Torcal as a genuine, credible entry into the growing high-end electric SUV segment rather than a compromised first attempt at electrification.
Business
Hamee Corp. 2027 Q1 – Results – Earnings Call Presentation (OTCMKTS:HMEEF) 2026-09-26
Seeking Alpha’s transcripts team is responsible for the development of all of our transcript-related projects. We currently publish thousands of quarterly earnings calls per quarter on our site and are continuing to grow and expand our coverage. The purpose of this profile is to allow us to share with our readers new transcript-related developments. Thanks, SA Transcripts Team
Business
B Corp marketing agency: Agent founder Paul Corcoran
Paul Corcoran is the founder and CEO of Agent, a full-service marketing agency and certified B Corp with studios in Liverpool and Manchester.
Founded in 2006, Agent marks 20 years this year and has been named in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026, its second consecutive year on the list. In July the agency co-hosted its second Good Growth Summit in Manchester, which brought together more than 200 senior leaders from business and government. He tells Business Matters why he leads with his heart and his head in equal measure, and why founders should never pull the ladder up behind them.
What do you currently do at Agent?
I am the CEO and founder at Agent, a full-service marketing agency that has studios in Liverpool and Manchester. It is my job to set the strategic direction of our growing agency and to position us so that we can achieve our aims of doing powerfully good work for our clients.
What was the inspiration behind your business?
I was extremely keen to create something that I did not believe was already in the marketplace when I started Agent, 20 years ago. I wanted to create an agency that had a two-pronged approach: it could do good business and work hand in glove with clients, but also have a very, very clear eye on leading with purpose.
Two decades on, I feel that we continue to achieve that twin ambition of driving and creating work.
How does Agent put that purpose into practice?
Agent became a certified B Corp in July 2025 with a B Impact score of 84.6, which is independent recognition of how we treat our people, our communities and the planet. We are proud to be part of a B Corp movement that has grown significantly in the UK over the past decade.
In 2025 we co-launched the Good Growth Summit, and this July we held the second one in Manchester with vocL and the North West Business Leadership Team. It brought together more than 200 senior leaders from the public and private sectors to explore how businesses can drive growth that benefits people, places and the planet.
Who do you admire?
I admire a range of people. Principally, I admire those who use their business and their networks and their privilege for good. That could be by creating job opportunities, or by inspiring the next generation of talent, as we do with our not-for-profit sister enterprise Agent Academy, which we set up in 2014 and which has now benefited more than 5,000 young people.
It could also be just by leading businesses in the way they need to be led, which is with a mind not just on the bottom line of the annual report but on the wider impact that businesses can have on people and places.
I look to leaders like Juergen Maier, who was formerly the chair of Great British Energy, and Emma Degg, who is CEO of the North West Business Leadership Team. But I also admire the people I choose to work with, day in, day out, in my senior leadership team and the wider team at Agent.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
Of course, because no founder will ever tell you, truthfully, that they got everything right first time. Unfortunately, we do not get the opportunity to change history, so it is about how you react when things do not go to plan.
My gut instinct is incredibly important to me. Relying on your gut feeling and using it as your own personal barometer for whether something feels right or feels wrong is something that I feel should never be underestimated.
What defines your way of doing business?
Using my heart and my head in equal measure. I am passionate about trying to do things the right way. It can be something of a balancing act and you will not always get it right.
But I think it is extremely important for leaders to be able to show their working out, and at the same time be able to put their hands up and say when things have not gone the way they might have envisaged.
I want to be trusted by my team and build relationships with all of them. Whether they are the most senior or most junior person, it is really important to me that everyone feels that they have got a place in the spaces that the business inhabits. Creating cultures in work that are highly ambitious but also warm and welcoming is what I see as the key to success.
What advice would you give to someone starting out?
The gang that you build and surround yourself with is really important. Make sure that you have got lots of different people and personalities around you who will give you advice and guidance and who can recognise opportunities as they come. But they also need to feel comfortable critiquing and challenging you too.
And you also definitely need to remember to give back as much as you receive, so you are making sure that others can learn and grow in the same way that you have. Do not just send the ladder back down there once. Make sure it stays there permanently.
Business
Sovereignty concerns raised as Saudi-Sudan maritime delimitation push gains momentum
Sudan has been at war since April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The fighting has destroyed infrastructure and caused what the United Nations has described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Despite the war, the two countries are pressing ahead with a maritime boundary file that has remained unresolved for more than half a century.
Critics argue that with Sudan deeply divided and without a constitutional government, a binding treaty affecting future generations and the country’s sovereign rights is being pursued without input or ratification from a Sudanese parliament. Sudanese political analyst Ammar Siddiq told The Standard that without elected legislative institutions, al-Burhan has no constitutional mandate to finalise agreements of this scale on his own.
A half-century wait and sudden
The dispute dates back to the 1960s, when valuable mineral deposits were found beneath the seabed between the Saudi and Sudanese coasts.
In May 1974, the two countries signed an agreement to regulate the exploitation of these resources. Under the agreement, Sudan holds exclusive sovereign rights over the seabed extending eastward from its coast to the point where the water is 1,000 metres deep, and Saudi Arabia holds the same rights off its own coast. The area between the two forms a common zone in which both countries have equal rights.
The 1974 deal managed economic exploitation rather than settling a final border. It established a Saudi-Sudanese Red Sea Joint Commission to oversee exploration, funded primarily by the Saudi government.
The two governments announced plans in 2019 to revive the agreement. A joint committee met on September 20, 2025, to discuss amendments to a final draft, The Standard reported. In October 2025, al-Burhan postponed the final agreement until Sudan settled its own maritime and land border with Egypt, according to the same report.
Critics ask why the arrangement was never formalised as a boundary. They also question whether Saudi Arabia, the wealthier and more technically capable partner, stands to gain disproportionately if the terms are settled under current conditions.
Economists at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy estimate the mineral reserves in the common zone at billions of dollars.
Al-Burhan at the Centre of the New Delimitation Drive
Al-Burhan, Sudan’s de facto ruler, appears increasingly willing to finalise the maritime border deal despite questions over his legitimacy and the war in his country. Saudi Arabia is among the army’s main foreign backers, the Irish Times reported. Analysts say al-Burhan is seeking Saudi financial and military support to sustain his war effort.
Foreign affairs journalist Graham Matthews argued in Modern Diplomacy in August that Saudi Arabia is emerging as the main regional underwriter of al-Burhan’s effort to turn battlefield gains into a political settlement on his own terms.
On September 14, 2026, al-Burhan chaired a meeting of a Sudanese committee working within the financial and investment framework of the Saudi-Sudanese Supreme Council for Strategic Cooperation and Coordination. The two countries’ foreign ministers signed the council’s founding agreement in Riyadh on August 17, according to the Sudan News Agency.
The meeting named the Sea Ports Corporation as the main federal agency coordinating civilian and military bodies. It gave the corporation’s executive secretariat direct access to historical maps and archival documents on the Red Sea and maritime borders.
The meeting also agreed to create a technical committee of the National Boundary Commission and the Sudanese Navy to review legal frameworks and draft a technical delimitation plan. It approved developing national maritime monitoring centres in coordination with Saudi Arabia’s ports of Jeddah and Yanbu.
Eight days later, on September 22, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement that neither the SAF nor the RSF, nor their leaders, represent legitimate, constitutional governance for Sudan. Sudan’s Foreign Ministry rejected the statement the following day, Middle East Monitor reported.
Sudan restarted legal preparations for delimiting its maritime baselines in February 2025, drawing on submissions it made to the United Nations in 2017. That year, Khartoum formally objected to the 2016 maritime boundary agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia over its link to the disputed Halayeb Triangle, and Egypt rejected Sudan’s claim in a December 2017 declaration to the UN.
Shift in Red Sea Dynamics and Sovereign Risks
The push comes amid intensified regional rivalry over maritime security, energy routes and port access across the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Saudi Arabia is expanding its influence on both shores, while the authority in Port Sudan relies heavily on outside political and financial support.
Talks between the two governments have moved toward maritime management and economic jurisdiction, with the Supreme Council for Strategic Cooperation and Coordination playing a growing role in relations between Riyadh and al-Burhan’s administration.
The technical work has raised concern inside Sudan. With no elected legislature to review or ratify international treaties, questions remain over the legal validity of any final, binding border agreement signed during a civil war.
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