US
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Starbucks announces £750 million restructuring, closing cafés and cutting jobs. The coffee chain will shut underperforming stores in North America and the UK, affecting staff and customers. Despite closures, Starbucks plans 80 new UK openings this year amid strong competition and financial challenges.
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Trump signs order approving TikTok US sale. The executive order values the new entity at $14 billion, delays enforcement of a ban until January, and sets conditions on algorithm oversight while ByteDance reduces its stake.
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Iberdrola plans €110 billion investment focusing on grid networks. Europe’s largest utility aims to enhance stability and returns by prioritising regulated grid networks over renewable generation projects. The strategy targets the US and UK, anticipating €7.6 billion annual net profit and 15,000 new jobs by 2028.
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OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank are adding five Stargate sites. The $500 billion project now spans six U.S. states, with nearly seven gigawatts of compute capacity planned. Partners say more than $400 billion has been secured for the first phase.
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Zilch secures £30m loan facility, favouring debt over equity. The London fintech, based in Victoria, has agreed a £30m facility with US Bank. This follows a £100m debt facility with Deutsche Bank last year and £20m Series D funding in 2023.
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TikTok’s U.S. ownership deal raises more questions than answers. A framework struck between Washington and Beijing promises to put American investors in charge of the app’s U.S. operations, but control of its algorithm and data remains unresolved.
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US and China reach framework for TikTok ownership shift. A draft agreement would see American investors take control of the app’s US business, extending a deadline for divestment and easing fears of a nationwide ban while leaving key questions unresolved.
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Roche has agreed to acquire 89bio for up to $3.5bn. The deal gives the Swiss drugmaker access to 89bio’s late-stage FGF21 therapy pegozafermin, positioning Roche to expand in liver disease and cardiometabolic treatments. The agreement includes cash and contingent value rights tied to future milestones.
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One in four organisations faced AI data poisoning this year. IO’s latest State of Information Security Report reveals how rushed adoption and shadow AI are exposing companies to sabotage, fraud, and compliance risks across the UK and US.
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The Federal Reserve cut rates by a quarter point. The move, its first reduction since December 2024, reflects growing concern about a cooling labour market. Policymakers signalled at least two more cuts this year, while a dissent from Governor Stephen Miran underscored political tension within the central bank.
