Business News - The Actual News

British woman dies after rafting incident in French Alps

July 20, 2025

A British woman died after falling from a raft during a white-water rafting trip on the Guisane river in the French Alps. She was rescued from the riverbank but died later in the hospital. An investigation into her death is underway.

Key Facts:

The incident happened on the Guisane river in Briancon, located in south-eastern France.
The accident occurred shortly after noon local time on a Saturday.
The woman fell from her raft while on a group trip.
Firefighters found her on the riverbank and she was airlifted to a hospital in a serious condition.
She died later that evening, as confirmed by French authorities.
The woman's identity has not been disclosed by either local or British officials.
An "involuntary manslaughter" investigation has been launched, and an autopsy will be conducted.

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BBC World

Tech company CEO resigns after video captured at Coldplay concert goes viral

July 19, 2025

Andy Byron, the CEO of Astronomer Inc., resigned after a video of him at a Coldplay concert went viral, showing him with another employee. The company stated Byron did not meet their conduct standards and that an interim CEO will take over while they search for a new leader.

Key Facts:

Andy Byron was the CEO of Astronomer Inc., a company based in Cincinnati.
A video from a Coldplay concert showed Byron with an employee and went viral.
After the incident, the company placed Byron on leave and started an investigation.
The video came from a concert camera at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Concert venues often warn attendees they might be filmed during events.
Pete DeJoy, Astronomer’s cofounder, is now acting as interim CEO.
The incident highlights concerns about privacy and the ease of identifying people online.

Source Information

PBS NewsHour

CBS cancels Colbert’s Late Show amid pending Paramount-Skydance merger

July 18, 2025

CBS announced that "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" will end in May 2026. The decision is linked to financial reasons and comes as CBS plans to merge with Skydance Media. Despite the show's high ratings, CBS cited financial pressures as the primary reason for its cancellation.

Key Facts:

"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" will end in May 2026 as announced by CBS.
CBS is planning a merger with Skydance Media, which influences financial decisions.
The show's cancellation is not due to its performance, according to CBS.
Stephen Colbert's show leads in late-night ratings, averaging 2.42 million viewers.
The show reportedly costs $100 million a year to produce and loses about $40 million in revenue.
CBS previously canceled another late-night show called "After Midnight."
There is speculation on political motives due to the merger needing Department of Justice approval.
Paramount's stock increased by 0.2% following the announcement.

Source Information

Al Jazeera

NPR CEO Katherine Maher discusses the future of public radio

July 18, 2025

Katherine Maher, the CEO of NPR, talked about the future of public radio. The discussion happens as Congress plans to cut over $1 billion from the budget for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Key Facts:

Katherine Maher is the CEO of NPR.
She spoke about public radio's future on NPR's Morning Edition.
Congress is planning to cut more than $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting helps fund public radio and TV stations.
The reduction of funds could affect how public broadcasting operates.
The discussion was part of an audio segment lasting 11 minutes and 31 seconds.

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NPR Home

Indonesia has 44 million youths. It’s struggling to get them jobs

July 18, 2025

Andreas Hutapea, a law graduate in Indonesia, has struggled to find stable employment due to high youth unemployment in the country. With a small percentage of success in civil service exams and limited job opportunities, many young Indonesians, like Hutapea, end up working in informal sectors or family businesses. Despite government efforts, youth unemployment remains a challenge in Indonesia.

Key Facts:

Andreas Hutapea graduated with a law degree but faced difficulties finding a stable job.
He failed to pass Indonesia's tough civil service exams and could not join the army due to height requirements.
Hutapea now works at his parents' grocery shop in Medan without a salary but receives food and lodging.
Indonesia has high youth unemployment, affecting about 16% of young people aged 15 to 24.
This rate of unemployment is more than double that of neighboring countries like Thailand and Vietnam.
A survey showed young Indonesians have less confidence in the economy compared to peers in neighboring countries.
In February 2025, student protests arose against government budget cuts for public services.
Challenges contributing to unemployment include restrictive labor laws and low wages.

Source Information

Al Jazeera

Louisiana police chiefs charged in immigrant visa fraud scheme

July 17, 2025

Prosecutors have charged five people in Louisiana, including three current and former police chiefs, with creating fake police reports to help immigrants apply for special U-Visas. These visas are meant for crime victims who have helped law enforcement. The defendants allegedly took money to create false reports to aid these visa applications.

Key Facts:

Five people have been indicted, including three police chiefs.
They allegedly used fake police reports to help immigrants apply for U-Visas.
U-Visas are for victims of certain crimes who have helped law enforcement.
The scheme involved false claims of armed robberies in central Louisiana.
One businessman acted as a middleman between immigrants and police officers.
Each false report allegedly earned the co-conspirators $5,000.
Federal charges include conspiracy, visa fraud, and mail fraud.
Defendants could face prison time and fines if convicted.

Source Information

NPR Home

Juul can continue selling e-cigarettes as FDA says vaping benefits outweigh risks

July 17, 2025

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed Juul to keep selling its e-cigarettes, saying their studies show the products are less harmful for adult smokers compared to regular cigarettes. This decision covers tobacco- and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes after Juul removed other flavors linked to teen use. Juul once faced market removal but is now among the few with FDA permission to sell menthol-flavored vapes.

Key Facts:

The FDA has allowed Juul to sell its tobacco- and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes.
Juul’s studies suggest these e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes for adults who switch completely.
Juul previously stopped selling fruit and candy flavors that were popular with teens.
Juul is one of two U.S. companies allowed to sell menthol-flavored vapes.
Parents and antitobacco groups oppose the FDA’s decision due to Juul's past impact on teen vaping.
The FDA's decision is not an endorsement, and they've stated non-smokers should not start using e-cigarettes.
Juul agreed to pay $1.7 billion in 2022 to settle lawsuits related to teen vaping issues.
The FDA had temporarily ordered Juul products off the market in 2022 but reconsidered this after further review.

Source Information

PBS NewsHour

Jaguar Land Rover to cut up to 500 jobs

July 17, 2025

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) plans to cut up to 500 management jobs. The company cites US trade tariffs and decreasing sales as reasons for this decision. JLR started a voluntary redundancy program, expecting cuts to impact no more than 1.5% of its UK workforce.

Key Facts:

JLR will cut up to 500 management positions.
The job cuts are related to US trade tariffs and lower sales.
The company paused exports to the US due to tariffs.
JLR warned about profit impacts from a 10% tariff on British cars to the US.
JLR has over 30,000 employees in the UK.
The UK recently reduced car tariffs to the US from 27.5% to 10%.
JLR is a significant employer in the UK car industry, with sites in Solihull, Wolverhampton, and Halewood.

Source Information

BBC Business

A well-run economy needs an independent Federal Reserve, says former reserve bank head

July 17, 2025

A former president of a Federal Reserve Bank emphasized the importance of the Federal Reserve being independent from political influences. This independence helps the Fed manage economic policy effectively, without being affected by short-term political goals.

Key Facts:

Loretta Mester, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, spoke about the importance of Fed independence.
The Federal Reserve influences the economy with a delay, so staying independent helps avoid short-term political pressures.
President Trump suggested firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not lowering interest rates.
Firing Powell could threaten the Federal Reserve's independence.
Federal Reserve is cautious about interest rate cuts due to concerns about inflation and tariffs.
Powell stated that Trump can't legally fire him before his term ends in May 2026.
The Fed focuses on two main goals set by Congress: stable prices and maximum employment.
The Fed and political leaders traditionally avoid interfering with each other's domains to maintain effective economic management.

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NPR Home

UK jobs market continues to weaken

July 17, 2025

The jobs market in the UK is seeing fewer job openings and slower wage growth. According to the Office for National Statistics, job vacancies have been dropping for three years, and pay growth slowed to 5% from 5.2%.

Key Facts:

The UK jobs market is experiencing a decline.
Job vacancies in the UK have fallen to 727,000.
This marks the third year in a row with fewer job openings.
Wage growth was 5% between March and May this year.
Previously, wage growth was slightly higher at 5.2%.
The Office for National Statistics collects and reports these figures.
Some companies may not be hiring new employees or replacing those who leave.

Source Information

BBC Business

Why Jane Street, a US trading giant, is in trouble in India

July 17, 2025

Jane Street, a major trading company based in New York, is facing accusations from India's market regulator, SEBI, of manipulating the stock market. SEBI claims that Jane Street engaged in activities that caused misleading stock prices, affecting small investors. Jane Street denies these allegations and plans to challenge SEBI's decision.

Key Facts:

Jane Street is a quantitative trading firm using mathematical models to decide trading strategies.
SEBI has accused Jane Street of manipulating India's stock market, specifically the Bank Nifty index, which tracks large Indian banks.
SEBI claims Jane Street used two entities: one to buy bank shares and another to bet on their decline in the derivatives market.
Allegedly, Jane Street's activities led to misleading market prices, hurting small investors who bought shares at inflated values.
SEBI described Jane Street's actions as creating a false appearance of market activity.
Jane Street denies these allegations, calling their trades "basic index arbitrage" and plans to contest SEBI’s ban.

Source Information

BBC US

Does the UK video games industry have a class problem?

July 16, 2025

The UK video games industry is discussing issues related to social class, focusing on how people from working-class and low-income backgrounds face challenges entering and working in the field. Into Games, a group aimed at supporting these individuals, is working to increase opportunities by providing school outreach, internships, and training programs in several UK cities.

Key Facts:

A big UK video game conference talked about social class issues in the industry.
The group Into Games held its first event for working-class and low-income people at the conference.
Into Games found that many people from working-class backgrounds start but do not finish the path to a job in video games.
Barriers identified include location, money, cultural familiarity, and lack of professional connections.
Their report showed that 59% of game workers felt excluded due to their background.
Only 13% of those in gaming come from lower socio-economic backgrounds, less than in other creative sectors.
Into Games plans to focus support efforts in six UK regions to help these individuals.
Over 100 game studios will work with Into Games to support working-class talent by 2025 and 2026.

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BBC Tech

Faisal Islam: Inflation complicates next month's interest rate decision

July 16, 2025

Inflation in the UK has increased more than expected, complicating the Bank of England's decision on whether to reduce interest rates next month. The Bank may delay plans to lower rates in August, as inflation remains above its target, but still anticipates a rate cut later in the year if inflation drops as expected.

Key Facts:

Inflation in the UK has risen faster than predicted and is higher than the Bank of England's target.
The current interest rate is 4.25%, and there was an expectation to lower it in August.
Higher inflation makes it harder for the Bank of England to decide on rate cuts.
Economist Andrew Sentance suggested that cutting rates now would be "irresponsible."
A decline in the jobs market could encourage an interest rate cut if unemployment continues to rise.
Unemployment is expected to increase to 4.9% from last month's 4.6%.
Other major economies, like the eurozone, have lower inflation rates, with the eurozone at 2%.
The UK economy is not in a recession, though growth is slowing down.

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BBC Business

Barclays fined £42m over money laundering checks

July 16, 2025

Barclays Bank has been fined £42 million by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for not properly checking two clients for potential money laundering risks. The FCA said that Barclays facilitated the movement of money linked to financial crime by offering services to these clients.

Key Facts:

Barclays Bank was fined £42 million.
The penalty was imposed by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
The bank failed to check two of its clients properly: Stunt & Co and WealthTek.
The FCA said Barclays’ actions increased the risk of financial crime.
The issue involved the potential for money being used in money laundering.
Barclays has not yet commented on the fine.

Source Information

BBC Business

The economy is turbulent for influencers, too — here's how you might see it online

July 16, 2025

The influencer industry is facing challenges as the economy becomes unstable. People are spending less money, and brands are cutting back on their advertising with influencers. This is affecting how influencers earn money and how audiences engage with them.

Key Facts:

Financial market problems and changing tariffs are affecting the influencer industry.
Many people feel worried about their finances, according to a CBS News/YouGov poll.
More than half (54%) of Americans think the economy is doing poorly.
Brands are spending 10% less on advertising with online creators compared to last year.
Only 12% of brands plan to spend more than half of their advertising budgets on influencers.
There is a decrease in the number of influencers brands use in campaigns.
Nearly 12 million people in the U.S. identify as full-time influencers.
Influencers' average earnings are around $178,000 a year, but economic challenges could reduce these incomes.

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NPR Home

UK inflation hits highest for almost a year and a half

July 16, 2025

UK inflation, which measures how much prices increase over time, rose by 3.6% in the year up to June. This is the largest increase since January 2024 and impacts how much people have to pay for goods and services. This change may influence the Bank of England's decisions on interest rates.

Key Facts:

UK inflation rose by 3.6% in the year to June.
This is the highest inflation rate since January 2024.
In May, the inflation rate was 3.4%.
Rising inflation means people need more money to buy the same items.
The increase in inflation was mainly due to smaller reductions in motor fuel prices.
Food prices have also increased for three months in a row, reaching their highest rate since February last year.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) provided these figures.
The Bank of England may adjust interest rates in response to changes in inflation.

Source Information

BBC Business

Labubu craze to drive up profit 350%, Pop Mart says

July 16, 2025

Pop Mart, the Chinese company known for its Labubu dolls, expects its profits to increase by 350% for the first half of the year. This growth is due to a worldwide interest in their dolls and effective cost management.

Key Facts:

Pop Mart expects profits to grow by 350% in the first six months of the year.
The company says its revenues have more than tripled from the previous year.
Labubu dolls are popular collectible toys that resemble small elf-like creatures.
Collectors are following the trend and eagerly buying the Labubu dolls, causing them to sell out quickly.
Pop Mart sells its toys in "blind boxes," where buyers don't know what's inside until they open them.
Since launching Labubu dolls in 2019, Pop Mart has expanded with over 2,000 vending machines and stores globally.
The company started trading shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2020.
About 40% of the company's revenue in 2024 came from sales outside mainland China.

Source Information

BBC Business

Stop being negative about savers buying shares, Reeves says

July 15, 2025

Rachel Reeves, the UK Chancellor, urged the financial industry to change its "negative" view on savers investing in stocks and shares, aiming to help boost the economy. She announced new plans to assist investors and hinted at possible future changes to Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), aiming to encourage more people to invest their savings instead of just keeping them in cash accounts.

Key Facts:

Rachel Reeves is the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer.
She wants to change the negative perception surrounding investing in stocks and shares.
The government will work with the Financial Conduct Authority to offer new support to potential investors.
Reeves decided against reducing the tax-free limit on cash ISAs after objections from lenders.
The UK economy shrank in May, following a contraction in April.
There are concerns about possible tax increases in the upcoming Budget.
Reeves aims to boost retail investment so savers benefit from UK economic growth.
In the past, UK governments have encouraged public investment in company shares, like during the privatization of British Gas in 1986.

Source Information

BBC Business

US inflation from tariffs that economists feared begins to emerge

July 15, 2025

Inflation in the United States increased last month, reaching the highest point since February due to tariffs that have raised costs for items like furniture and clothing. The Labor Department reported that consumer prices rose by 2.7% in June compared to the previous year, and by 0.3% from May to June. These changes create political challenges as they may influence the Federal Reserve's decisions on interest rates.

Key Facts:

U.S. inflation hit its highest level since February due to increased tariffs.
Consumer prices increased by 2.7% in June from a year ago.
Monthly inflation rose by 0.3% from May to June.
Higher prices were noted in gasoline, groceries, appliances, and imported goods.
Core inflation, excluding food and energy, was up 2.9% in June from a year earlier.
President Trump has imposed various tariffs, including on imports from China and cars.
The Federal Reserve may keep interest rates steady while evaluating the economic impact.
Tariffs have been suggested to influence the Fed's reluctance to reduce borrowing costs.

Source Information

Al Jazeera

US inflation rises as tariffs drive up prices

July 15, 2025

US inflation increased in June as tariffs on imports raised prices for items like clothing and coffee. Consumer prices climbed by 2.7% over the year, up from 2.4% in May, driven by higher energy and housing costs.

Key Facts:

Consumer prices went up by 2.7% from June last year, compared to a 2.4% increase the previous month.
The increase in inflation was the fastest seen since February.
Tariffs on imports, which are taxes on goods brought into the country, contributed to rising prices.
Coffee and citrus fruit prices rose by 2.2% and 2.3%, respectively, from May to June.
Tariffs led to increased prices in some areas, such as toys, appliances, and clothing.
Prices for new and used cars, airfare, and hotel bookings decreased, balancing out some of the overall price increases.
President Trump imposed a 10% tax on most imported goods, and plans to raise tariffs from 1 August.
The White House believes tariffs will protect US businesses, but most economists warn they may result in higher consumer prices.

Source Information

BBC Business