Talk Fuse

    Topic: Business

    Britain's boardrooms and balance sheets set the pace for jobs, investment and the everyday cost of living, which is why this hub tracks the deals, disputes and decisions shaping commerce at home and abroad. Expect coverage ranging from regional infrastructure and manufacturing schemes that promise new employment, through to the high-finance manoeuvring of media and technology giants as they buy, sell and jostle for market position.

    Alongside the corporate deal-making, the section also follows the policy and regulatory currents that shape how firms and money move across borders, including scrutiny of sanctions, energy markets and the wider financial fallout of geopolitical events. For entrepreneurs and founders, there's a steady eye kept on practical opportunities, from funding programmes to industry competitions worth knowing about before deadlines pass.

    Together, these stories offer a snapshot of where capital is flowing, who stands to gain or lose, and how business decisions made in boardrooms ultimately ripple out into pay packets, prices and prospects for ordinary readers.

    • ‘It’s clear that the traditional record business is ending…’

      Independent label Giant Music, co-founded in 2022 by Shawn “Tubby” Holiday alongside Irving and Jeffrey Azoff, has spoken to Music Business Worldwide about its strategy in the changing record industry. Sitting within the wider Azoff Company alongside Full Stop Management, Global Music Rights, Iconic Artists Group and Oak View Group, Giant positions itself against both…

    • A quiet rush for gold is sweeping the globe — here’s why countries are stockpiling it

      Central banks around the world are quietly increasing their gold reserves at a rapid pace, driven by concerns over persistent inflation, mounting government debt and broader economic uncertainty. This trend reflects a growing desire among nations to diversify away from currencies such as the US dollar and hedge against potential instability in global financial markets,…

    • America’s depleted weapons stockpiles undermine Trump’s leverage with Iran

      America’s depleted arsenal of premier offensive and defensive weapons stockpiles is undermining President Trump’s leverage with Iran.  The military’s supply of its premium long-range missiles and interceptors for key missile defense systems is nearly exhausted after more than five months of airstrikes against Iran, recent news reports revealed, constraining Trump in authorizing major combat operations against…

    • WHATMORE Drop New Heater ‘Last Time’

      NYC five-piece WHATMORE have released a new single, ‘Last Time’, continuing to build on the momentum of their self-titled debut album from last year. The release comes ahead of a busy live stretch for the band, including an appearance at Reading and Leeds Festival and a headline show in London, making it a notable moment…

    • Harvey Nichols warns it could collapse without rescue deal, as bidders circle

      Harvey Nichols, the luxury department store chain founded in Knightsbridge, has warned it will run out of money within a year without new investment, as several potential buyers weigh rescue bids. Its Hong Kong-based owner, Dickson Poon, put the company up for sale in June, with Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group emerging as the frontrunner to…

    • OpenAI slows down Astra development due to cybersecurity concerns

      OpenAI has announced it is tightening security controls and slowing internal work on its upcoming model, codenamed Astra, after evaluations revealed advances in agentic coding and cybersecurity capabilities that it could not fully assess as safe. The company said it cannot rule out that Astra might meet its “Critical capability level” for cyber risk, a…

    • The FAA wants to reboot the nation’s airspace. This airline shows how it might work

      When Alaska Airlines wanted to optimize its operations, it turned to a small startup called Air Space Intelligence. Now the FAA has hired the company for a major reboot of the entire U.S. airspace.

    • Melbourne’s effe Shares Dreamy New ‘Solder’ EP

      Melbourne-based artist effe has released her new EP ‘Solder’, a dreamy dream pop project shaped by her first experience of falling in love. The record, put together over roughly a year, marks a personal turning point for the singer, who has described learning to be vulnerable for the first time while writing it, giving the…

    • Morning news brief

      Iran aims to put pressure on Trump amid negotiations with Oman, Labor Department to release new report on inflation, new report reveals decades of abuse at arts school linked to Epstein.

    • Thames Water faces row over £1m payment to finance chief

      Thames Water has paid its chief financial officer, Steve Buck, a £1m signing fee despite the company facing intense scrutiny over its finances and the possibility of being brought into public ownership. The disclosure, made by chairman Sir Adrian Montague in a letter to MPs, has reignited criticism of the struggling utility, which is one…