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Europe
BBC Business

BP puts North Sea business up for sale

Image source, WPA PoolByShanaz MusaferBusiness reporterPublished31 July 2026, 08:48 BSTUpdated 2 hours agoBP has said it is putting its North Sea business up for sale in a move that would end 60 years of production in the region by the oil giant. The decision follows a review of BP's operations as it seeks to slim down the group. Its North Sea business has five production hubs - two in the central North Sea and three west of Shetland - and employs about 1,100 people. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he told US President Donald Trump he would take a "pragmatic approach" to the issue of North Sea oil and gas. Trump, some trade unions, industry figures and some Labour MPs all back increased drilling in the North Sea. "The UK has been our home for more than 100 years and will continue to play an important role in our future," BP chief executive Meg O'Neill said. "We're proud of the jobs we create, the contribution we make to the UK economy, and the work we do to keep energy flowing every day," she said. The company said it remained committed to operating the business safely and reliably throughout the sale process. Its North Sea business produced 117,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025, a small fraction of the oil giant's 2.3 million barrels of daily production. O'Neill, who took the helm at BP in April, said earlier this year there was "untapped potential" in the North Sea. However, in announcing Friday's decision she said: "As we focus our portfolio and direct capital to our highest-value opportunities, we believe our North Sea business will be better positioned as part of another company. "It has world-class people, resilient assets and a proud heritage, and it is precisely these qualities that can attract an owner ready to back its next chapter. We are seeking an outcome that recognizes that value." The sale could potentially bring in £2bn to BP. Last month, the FT reported the company was in talks with Ithaca Energy to sell its North Sea assets for around this amount, although the talks fell through.

BP puts North Sea business up for sale
North America
CNBC Finance

Boeing posts bigger loss than expected as Air Force One costs weigh on results

Boeing reported a bigger-than-expected loss for the second quarter as the aircraft manufacturer's long-delayed Air Force One program weighed down results. Boeing took a $280 million loss on the program to deliver two 747s that will serve as the next generation Air Force One aircraft to the U.S. government as it said it ramped up investment for that plane. It said it still expects the first delivery in 2028. "While we're making progress on our development programs, you're never done until you're done," CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a note to staff. The aircraft manufacturer, a top U.S. exporter, increased revenue 8% in the second quarter to $24.56 billion from a year earlier with gains across its businesses, including increased deliveries of commercial aircraft. Boeing has been ramping up production of its best-selling 737 Max airplanes to 47 a month, with further increases planned. Boeing's commercial aircraft deliveries in the second quarter rose 14% from a year earlier to 171 planes from 150 a year earlier. Free cash flow of $631 million came in well above the $177 million cash burn analysts expected, and compares to $200 million burn in the second quarter a year ago. Boeing reported a net loss of $428 million, or 67 cents a share, compared with a net loss last year of $612 million, or 92 cents a share. Adjusting for one-time items, Boeing reported a loss of 76 cents a share. "While two quarters don't make a year, if we work together and stay focused on safety, quality and on-time performance — we'll improve our competitiveness and set ourselves up for a big second half," Ortberg said in the staff note. Upcoming milestones include the certification of other delayed aircraft programs. First will likely be the Boeing 737 Max 7, the smallest aircraft in the family of planes. Boeing executives will hold a call with analysts at 10:30 a.m. ET, where they'll likely face questions about certification of the 737 Max 10 and the 777X, its new wide-body aircraft. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis.

Boeing posts bigger loss than expected as Air Force One costs weigh on results
Europe
BBC Business

Snapchat joins other popular platforms in fight against 'AI slop'

Image source, ReutersImage caption, Snapchat is trying to tamp down on AI-generated videos. Snapchat has joined the likes of YouTube, LinkedIn and Substack in a growing effort to combat fake writing, images and videos that are entirely created by artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Such content, commonly called "AI slop", has proliferated online as the tech industry has raced to create a greater number of easier to use generative AI tools that can create anything from essays to realistic videos. Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, said on Friday that the platform would stop recommending "wholly AI-generated videos" in its popular Spotlight feed in favour of "authentic, human-made content." Over the past two weeks, YouTube, LinkedIn and Substack have unveiled similar strategies. Snap did not go so far as to try and prohibit all AI-generated content from Snapchat. The platform offers its own AI tools to alter content, and so AI "enhanced or edited" content will still be part of its recommendations to users. However, Snap acknowledged that entirely AI-generated content is typically "low-quality", "repetitive", and generally not what Snapchat users want to see. Recent research into the reception of AI-generated content shows that people tend to agree, external with those descriptions. Moreover, the more fake AI-generated content that people see in a social media feed, the less likely, external they are to think that any of the content they're being shown online is genuine, according to a separate survey. As Chris Best, the co-founder and chief executive of Substack put it last week: "It's getting harder to tell what's real on the internet." LinkedIn, a social media platform focused on work, introduced a button on its platform this week that allows any user to report if a post or a comment appears to be AI-generated. "AI slop is a top priority for all of us," LinkedIn's chief product officer Hari Srinivasan wrote on the platform.

Snapchat joins other popular platforms in fight against 'AI slop'
North America
CNBC Finance

NBCUniversal and YouTube ink deal to embed Peacock in the video platform for premium subscribers

All of the streaming service's content — including NBC Sports' portfolio of the NFL and NBA, Universal films like the Minions franchise, and original Peacock and Bravo content like the Real Housewives franchise and "Love Island USA" — will be included in YouTube Premium subscriptions in the U.S. starting early next year. Google's YouTube Premium is the subscription version of the streaming platform that offers videos without ads and the ability to download most videos, depending on the subscription tier. The service offers a variety of plans beginning at $8.99 per month. Peacock Premium currently costs $10.99 per month. "The first principle for us was, does this accelerate Peacock's long-term growth? And the answer to that is yes," said Matt Strauss, chairman of NBCUniversal media group, in an interview. "Peacock will now be one of the largest domestic streamers. It's going to significantly expand our reach." NBCUniversal's partnership with YouTube was formed after Comcast co-CEO Brian Roberts reached out to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan about nine months ago, according to a person familiar with the matter. Following a meeting between the executive teams that took place at Google offices, the two companies began to brainstorm partnerships such as this, the person added. The partnership comes at a fast-moving moment in the industry. Traditional media companies like NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney have been chasing business initiatives to boost revenue and profitability while tech platforms like YouTube and TikTok grab increasing share of viewership time. Media companies have also been shapeshifting as the business model changes due to consumers' departure from pay-TV bundles in favor of streaming. Paramount Skydance has agreed to acquire WBD; Fox Corp. reached a deal to acquire Roku; and Comcast is preparing to spin off NBCUniversal in the next year. While streaming services have been announcing a growing slate of bundles to grab more subscribers, this partnership goes a step further and will see Peacock's content live inside YouTube — or be ingested into the platform so viewers don't have to leave YouTube to access the content. Peacock has already signed deals with other streaming and tech platforms including Apple and Amazon. During an earnings call with investors last week, Comcast co-CEO Mike Cavanagh said while other media companies have taken a so-called "walled garden" path with their content, NBCUniversal will continue to "look for opportunities to partner, bundle and exhibit other people's [intellectual property]" across its theme parks and media platforms. While NBCUniversal's announced spinout from Comcast has raised industry hopes for more mergers and acquisitions, Cavanagh and others have poured cold water on the notion, focusing on potential partnerships and bundles instead. YouTube has long been considered a dominant force in streaming, as it claims a large share of viewership time as showcased in Nielsen's monthly "The Gauge" report. So-called creator-made videos — a category that amasses millions of viewers on YouTube — are becoming more attractive to media companies like NBCUniversal as they chase reliable and dedicated audiences. The category even hit the stage at this year's annual Upfront advertising presentations.

NBCUniversal and YouTube ink deal to embed Peacock in the video platform for premium subscribers
Europe
The Guardian

‘It ain’t the same’: inside the bitter battle to free Ben & Jerry’s

Ben Cohen says there are ‘millions of people who support Ben and Jerry’s and support its social mission’. Composite: The Guardian/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenBen Cohen says there are ‘millions of people who support Ben and Jerry’s and support its social mission’. Composite: The Guardian/Getty ImagesBusiness‘It ain’t the same’: inside the bitter battle to free Ben & Jerry’sBen Cohen says his ice-cream company has been silenced by corporate ownership – and a boycott of Magnum brands could force a sale Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream in the tub is still great, but the brand’s newest chocolate-covered ice-cream bar on a stick? “It ain’t the same,” Ben Cohen, the company co-founder, told the Guardian. Sure, the chocolate coating is still thick enough, but the ice cream itself is “kinda fluffy”, Cohen said – an insult in the ice-cream world that suggests extra air was added to cut costs. The criticism is surprising coming from Cohen, who opened his eponymous ice-cream shop in Burlington, Vermont, with childhood friend, Jerry Greenfield, in 1978. But it’s perhaps an apt metaphor of how he feels amid a simmering fight to take back Ben & Jerry’s from a parent company he says has silenced the brand’s trademark activism. For Cohen, 75, the battle is legal and existential. Ben & Jerry’s social and economic value was protected for decades, he says, by an independent board with final say on the brand’s voice, values and ice-cream quality. But that independence has all but disappeared, Cohen said. In November 2024, Ben & Jerry’s board sued parent company Unilever, claiming it was blocked from voicing support for Gaza, and accusing Unilever of breaching their agreement. The lawsuit is still making its way through federal court. In September 2025, after Unilever said it would spin off its ice-cream brands into the Magnum Ice Cream Company, Cohen started his campaign to “Free Ben & Jerry’s” – asking Magnum to sell the brand so it can be independently owned and operated. Social activism is a core part of why people buy Ben & Jerry’s, Cohen says. “What consumers want above all is authenticity and attitude,” he said. Ben & Jerry’s could be valued at $1bn or more, Cohen estimates, but says Magnum won’t give him or potential investors numbers that could help value it more accurately. Magnum has insisted Ben & Jerry’s is not up for sale, so Cohen is amping up his campaign. In recent weeks, Cohen has started calling for a boycott of Magnum’s other brands, including Yasso, Breyers, Talenti and Klondike, with the idea that tanking the company’s overall sales will pressure it to sell back the company. “We didn’t want it to have to come to this,” he said of the boycott, but Magnum is “destroying a brand” that stands for values its customers believe in. What Cohen is trying to do – force an $11bn conglomerate into divesting a star brand – is highly unusual, and unlikely to succeed, some industry and management experts predict.

‘It ain’t the same’: inside the bitter battle to free Ben & Jerry’s
North America
CNBC Finance

JetBlue overhauls fare options, from basic first to flexible economy. Here's what to know

JetBlue Airways is overhauling its fare options as it gears up to launch its domestic first-class seats and, yes, there is a restrictive basic option at the front of the plane. Travelers flying on JetBlue will start by choosing how much legroom they want and how premium they want their seat to be. The airline will have an economy section, or "Main," a section with extra legroom seats that it calls "Even More," which also come with earlier boarding and priority airport screening, and a domestic first class that it's named BlueFirst, which it's slated to debut later this year. From there, customers will have the following options for each class: With the new groupings, JetBlue is getting rid of the "Core" fares it sells now and putting economy class options in a "Main" category. JetBlue's lie-flat Mint business class, which is used on longer-haul flights like cross-country trips and flights to European destinations including Paris, London and Milan, will only have the Standard and Flex option. JetBlue stopped short of offering a basic lie-flat business option that competitors United Airlines and Delta Air Lines launched this year. Those airlines have made similar moves to break up premium economy by offering different fares even at the front of the cabin. United this month said that on some aircraft it will charge a premium for a blocked middle seat. JetBlue hasn't yet provided a date for its BlueFirst seats, but the changes come as airlines are racing to capitalize on high demand for pricier seats from consumers seeking extra comfort and perks on board. JetBlue is set to report results on Tuesday. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis.

JetBlue overhauls fare options, from basic first to flexible economy. Here's what to know
Europe
BBC Business

AI firms must answer for rogue bots, says boss of hacked company

Image source, GettyByJoe TidyCyber correspondent, BBC World ServicePublished9 hours agoThe boss of one of the companies recently hacked by out-of-control artificial intelligence (AI) says bot makers must be accountable for cyber attacks carried out by their creations. Clement Delangue's company Hugging Face was breached by a rogue OpenAI bot that broke out of a test environment and autonomously attacked his firm earlier this month. Hugging Face had to rebuild around a third of its IT network after the unprecedented incident. He told CNN his company - which is a small start-up - will not be taking legal action against OpenAI, but added that these types of hacks are illegal and should remain so. "Everyone has to remember that a cyber-attack is a crime and it is illegal," he said. Delangue said he hoped legal frameworks would ensure the companies that make mistakes leading to the hacks are "accountable." He added that he didn't want cyber attacks on other companies to become "normalised". His remarks come after Anthrophic, the maker of the chat bot Claude, also admitted that its bot had attacked three companies in similar circumstances in recent months. Anthropic revealed on Friday that it only realised its bot had escaped the containment system and hacked the organisations after doing a review prompted by the recent OpenAI incident. In both cases neither of the artificial intelligence giants knew that their models had roamed the internet attacking companies until long after the attacks had been carried out. The AI models were being tested on their hacking skills and carried out the attacks by breaking out of seemingly secure "sandboxes" to search the internet for ways to complete the tasks set by researchers. The unprecedented incidents have sparked fierce debates in the cyber-security and legal world about who, if anybody, should be held liable for attacks by out-of-control AI agents.

AI firms must answer for rogue bots, says boss of hacked company
Europe
The Guardian

Washington Post’s opinion editor resigns after just one year in role

The Washington Post building sign in February 2026 during a rally outside the newspaper's offices following sweeping layoffs. Photograph: Mehmet Eser/Sopa Images/ShutterstockView image in fullscreenThe Washington Post building sign in February 2026 during a rally outside the newspaper's offices following sweeping layoffs. Photograph: Mehmet Eser/Sopa Images/ShutterstockWashington PostWashington Post’s opinion editor resigns after just one year in roleAdam O’Neal did not give reason for his departure at end of August in another major shakeup at US publication The Washington Post had realized a state of relative calm in the five months since the paper was turned upside down in February, when nearly half the newsroom was laid off and its unpopular publisher, Will Lewis, abruptly resigned. But on Friday, staffers were shocked to find out that Adam O’Neal, a millennial hired last year to lead its opinion section, was already leaving. In a memo to colleagues in the paper’s opinion section titled “A Remarkable Year”, O’Neal gave no reason for his departure, only saying that he had decided to leave and that 31 August would be his last day. Opinion staffers had been given no indication that O’Neal was on the verge of leaving the publication. “It has been a remarkable year, and I’m very proud of everything we’ve accomplished together,” he wrote in the memo obtained by the Guardian. “While this was not an easy decision, I am leaving proud of how far the opinion section has come and optimistic that its best days lie ahead.” In the memo, O’Neal nodded to the controversial decision last year by owner Jeff Bezos to reorient the paper’s opinion section to focus on championing free markets and personal liberties, a move that served to alienate many subscribers. “I joined The Post to lead the opinion section as it began a new chapter, and we have made dramatic changes over the past year. We quickly embraced our mission of championing free markets and personal liberties while simultaneously putting Post Opinions on a sustainable footing,” he wrote. “Our work has become more relevant, accessible and consequential. We regularly publish world-class journalism that finds the audience where it is. This includes agenda-setting columns; news-breaking op-eds; highly influential editorials; and social media content that reaches millions of new people.” Still, one of the section’s top priorities, the launch of a new video podcast called Make It Make Sense, drew backlash on social media for what seemed like warmed-over hot takes and did not draw a large viewership despite generous investment and support from the Post. Following O’Neal’s announcement, Jeff D’Onofrio, who took over as the interim publisher after Lewis departed, emailed the entire staff with the subject line “Thank You Adam.” “This past year, under the leadership of Adam O’Neal, Post Opinions has become more balanced in perspective, more financially sustainable and more accessible to readers than ever before,” he wrote. “I want to thank him for his leadership and hard work in reimagining the section.” Still, it’s extremely unusual for a top Post leader to depart so quickly, particularly one who served as the face of a dramatic reorientation of the section. O’Neal’s predecessor, the veteran journalist David Shipley, resigned after failing to convince Bezos to not move forward with his new mandate for the section, which made the work of many of its longtime writers no longer relevant. Many such writers were encouraged to take a buyout in the summer of 2025 and leave the publication.

Washington Post’s opinion editor resigns after just one year in role
Europe
BBC Business

Anthropic says Claude AI hacked three firms during cyber tests

US technology firm Anthropic says its artificial intelligence (AI) models hacked into the systems of three other firms during a cybersecurity test due to an error that gave them access to the internet. It comes just days after rival OpenAI said that its models had breached the systems of other companies, including AI tools hub Hugging Face. The announcement prompted Anthropic to check whether its own models had carried out similar attacks. It says it uncovered three cases that have since been reported to the affected companies. Anthropic, which did not name the firms, urged other AI labs to perform similar reviews to better understand the risks of their models' capabilities. Anthropic said in a statement, external that it reviewed more than 140,000 tests to find evidence that Claude - its family of AI models - could access the internet from testing environments that were designed to be sealed off. The tests include so-called "capture-the-flag" evaluations in which Claude was tasked with obtaining information by breaching other systems - a common way that experts assess a model's hacking capabilities. A "misconfiguration" on systems run by Anthropic and its testing partner left the models with live internet access, allowing them to breach other systems, the San Francisco-based firm said. Anthropic said the earliest incidents date back to April and that it is "approaching the fixes as if the responsibility were ours alone." Neither Anthropic nor the firms that were breached had noticed the intrusions at the time. Anthropic said it could have reviewed its records more thoroughly and added that the findings gave the firm "cautious optimism" that such risks can be overcome with more investment and tighter measures. The incidents come as tech firms pour billions of dollars into developing AI agents that can independently perform tasks ranging from research and customer support to cybersecurity. A string of AI-driven cyberattacks has fuelled calls for tighter safeguards and oversight of the technology, over concerns about the risks posed by increasingly powerful autonomous systems.

Anthropic says Claude AI hacked three firms during cyber tests