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.

Bucking EV slowdown, Sila raises $300M to expand battery materials factory

July 21, 2026

Battery materials startup Sila has raised $300 million to expand its factory in Washington State, aiming to produce enough silicon-carbon anode material to power more than 100,000 electric vehicles annually. The funding comes despite a slowdown in US EV demand, which has weakened following Trump administration policies seen as hostile to the technology and the…
Andy Burnham’s first day as PM raises fresh doubts

July 21, 2026

Andy Burnham has spent his first full day as Prime Minister chairing his inaugural Cabinet meeting in Downing Street, though the day did little to dispel concerns about his readiness for the role, with critics highlighting apparent contradictions in his early approach to governing. Rather than committing fully to a permanent northern presence, he split…
Chancellor Healey under pressure as Thames Water and Skynet troubles mount, football mourns Kevin Keegan

July 21, 2026

Healey faces warnings he has an even tougher job than Reeves, while Thames Water creditors offer ministers a veto to head off nationalisation and Skynet 6 is rated red; football is mourning Kevin Keegan, dead at 75.
Universal Music Group has spent over $500M on its share buyback – with stage one of the process nearly complete

July 21, 2026

Universal Music Group (UMG) has spent more than $500 million (around €487.7 million) on its first-ever share buyback programme, with the initiative now roughly 97.5% complete. The company began repurchasing its own shares in April as a way to return value to shareholders amid what its chief financial officer described as a “meaningful dislocation” between…
France becomes first European country to ban social media access for under-15s

July 21, 2026

France’s parliament has approved legislation banning social media access for children under 15, making it the first EU country to impose such a restriction on platforms like TikTok. President Emmanuel Macron has championed the ban as a flagship reform, pledging to enforce it by September and describing it as a major step in protecting children…
Japanese company unveils futuristic cooling box that blasts cold air at users in bizarre way to beat the heat

July 21, 2026

A Japanese company has unveiled an unusual cooling device designed to help people beat the summer heat by blasting cold air directly at them. The gadget forms part of a wider trend of inventive, sometimes eccentric, Japanese engineering aimed at everyday problems, contrasting with more conventional Western methods of staying cool such as air conditioning,…
SNP’s latest bid to break up Britain is derailed by new Prime Minister

July 21, 2026

The Scottish National Party’s renewed push for a second independence referendum has stalled following the appointment of Andy Burnham as the new Prime Minister, who has shown little appetite for reopening the constitutional debate. This marks another setback for the SNP’s long-running campaign to break up the United Kingdom, coming as Westminster undergoes significant leadership…
Taylor Farms Spent Big on MAGA and Anti-Regulatory Lobbying Before Diarrhea Outbreak

July 21, 2026

Taylor Farms, the lettuce supplier implicated in a cyclospora outbreak that has sickened thousands across multiple US states, has spent millions of dollars donating to conservative political causes and lobbying against food safety regulation, according to public filings. The revelations, reported by WIRED, raise questions about whether the company’s political influence shaped the federal response…
Dbrand’s Steam Machine Wraps Are Here

July 21, 2026

Dbrand has launched a new range of wraps for Valve’s Steam Machine, giving owners a way to personalise the cube-shaped gaming PC just weeks after the accessory maker admitted its previously teased “Companion Cube” skin had never been officially licensed. The release fills a notable gap in the market, as cosmetic accessories for the newly…
Nintendo customers have no legal right to tariff refunds, company tells judge

July 21, 2026

Nintendo has asked a US federal court to dismiss a lawsuit that seeks to force it to pass on to customers any tariff refunds it receives from the government. The company argues that buyers of its consoles and accessories have no legal claim to such refunds, since they voluntarily paid the advertised price and received…