SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " 1 billion " 439 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Republicans propose $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to secure Trump ballroom
The president said repeatedly that the White House ballroom would be privately funded but has raised security concerns, particularly in light of the correspondent's dinner shooting.
Senate Republicans look to fund $1 billion in security upgrades for Trump's ballroom
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have added $1 billion in White House security upgrades to legislation that would fund immigration enforcement agencies, a proposed boost for President Donald Trump’s ballroom project after a man was charged with trying to assassinate him at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner last week. The GOP bill released late Monday would designate the money for the U.S. Secret Service for “security adjustments and upgrades” related to the ballroom project,
‘Action Is Needed’—Microsoft Changes Windows Update In 10 Days
Microsoft's critical Secure Boot security is about to expire on more than 1 billion PCs. Here's what to do.
US criticises Zambia for lack of engagement as $1 billion health deal stalls
The United States has criticised Zambia for failing to engage on a new health aid agreement governing more than $1 billion in U.S. funding, saying repeated outreach from Washington had been ignored as an April 30 deadline passed without a deal.
‘Healthier’ Las Vegas to start 2026 says Strip casino giant
Caesars Entertainment Inc. reported $1 billion in net revenue from its Las Vegas properties during the first three months of 2026, according to a report.
Australia becomes the 30th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem
The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Australia for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem, marking a significant milestone in the health of indigenous peoples and in global efforts to combat neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Trachoma, the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, no longer represents a public health problem in the country.Australia is among a growing number of countries that have successfully eliminated trachoma, contributing to global progress towards the targets set out in the WHO road map for NTDs 2021–2030.Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and spreads through close contact with infected individuals, contaminated surfaces, and flies that carry eye and nose discharge. Repeated infections can lead to scarring of the eyelids, turning eyelashes inward, and ultimately causing blindness if untreated.“WHO congratulates Australia on this important achievement,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This success reflects sustained commitment, strong partnerships, and a focus on reaching populations most affected by health inequities. It brings us closer to a world free from the suffering caused by trachoma.”Australia’s journey to eliminationAustralia’s achievement reflects decades of targeted public health action, particularly in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, where trachoma persisted despite its earlier disappearance from the rest of the country.National efforts intensified with the establishment of the National Trachoma Management Programme in 2006, which implemented the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy: surgery for trichiasis, antibiotics to treat infection, promotion of facial cleanliness, and environmental improvement. Regular screening of all communities classified as at-risk of trachoma by teams of qualified health workers formed an important part of the Programme. Interventions were delivered through coordinated partnerships between federal and state governments, Aboriginal community-controlled health services, and local communities.Over time, sustained screening, treatment, and prevention activities, including improvements in housing, water, sanitation and hygiene, led to a steady decline in trachoma prevalence. Australia’s approach included adaptations to reflect its context, such as targeted treatment based on community-level data rather than mass drug administration, and strong integration with environmental health programmes.“Elimination of trachoma is a win for the eye health of communities across Australia, particularly those whose lives have been impacted by a disease that is entirely preventable,” said Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Ageing, Australia. “This major milestone is thanks to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, community commitment and sustained investment over many decades.“The lessons from this work will inform how we approach other preventable health conditions in remote and regional Australia. Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and local health workers have been central to this success, delivering culturally safe care and community-led solutions.”“This recognition from the World Health Organization reflects decades of work led by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, alongside local health workers in remote First Nations communities,” said Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Indigenous Australians. “Their work has been critical to eliminating trachoma as a public health problem in Australia.”Advancing global efforts against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)Trachoma is one of 21 diseases and disease groups that are regarded by WHO as NTDs. Together, NTDs affect more than 1 billion people worldwide, primarily in underserved populations with limited access to essential services such as clean water, sanitation, and health care.Australia’s elimination of trachoma as a public health problem highlights the importance of sustained political commitment and cross-sectoral collaboration in addressing the underlying determinants of health. It also underscores the feasibility of eliminating trachoma even in geographically challenging settings.In addition to trachoma, Australia has several endemic NTDs, including Buruli ulcer, leprosy and scabies. Validation of elimination of trachoma as a public health problem marks the first time that WHO has confirmed the elimination of an NTD in Australia, which becomes the 63rd country globally and 16th in the Western Pacific Region to have eliminated at least one NTD.“Tackling neglected tropical diseases in the Western Pacific Region has long been a challenge for countries across the socioeconomic spectrum, given the complexities in reaching the most vulnerable communities, including in remote areas,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “As a doctor from Tonga, I’ve experienced these challenges for myself. But I also know that with strategic commitment underpinned by optimal resources and partnerships in health, success is possible as other countries in our region have also demonstrated. I commend Australia on eliminating trachoma as a public health problem and urge all involved to remain vigilant to ensure this status is maintained.”WHO continues to support countries working to eliminate trachoma and other NTDs, ensuring that progress reaches those most in need and that gains are sustained through strong surveillance, appropriately integrated into national health systems, and mainstreamed within the wider health sector and beyond.Editor’s notesNeglected tropical diseases and trachoma elimination effortsNeglected tropical diseases are associated with devastating health, social and economic consequences. Their burden is mainly felt among impoverished communities in tropical areas.Public health targets for the control, elimination and eradication of these conditions were set in the road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240010352).In 1996, WHO launched the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020 (GET2020), creating a network of governments, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions dedicated to the fight against trachoma. WHO continues to support endemic countries to accelerate progress towards the global target of eliminating trachoma as a public health problem worldwide; 2030 is the new target date.Elimination of trachoma as a public health problem is defined as: (i) a prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) “unknown to the health system” of < 0.2% in ≥15-year-olds; and (ii) a prevalence of trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF) in children aged 1–9 years of < 5%, in each formerly endemic district, plus (iii) the existence of a system to identify and manage incident cases of TT.Other countries validated by WHO as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem are: Algeria, Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Togo, Vanuatu and Viet Nam.
Caesars Entertainment Posts Narrower Loss as Revenue Rises
The hotel and casino company’s sales in its Las Vegas business remained steady at $1 billion, while revenue increased across its regional and digital channels.
Rogers: Fairy tale of the $1 billion Norman arena entertainment district
Economist Cynthia Rogers challenges $1B Arena and Entertainment District claim, citing $623M value and financing differences.
Watchdog report exposes teachers' union 'political machine' funneling more than $1 billion to liberal causes
New reports reveal teachers unions poured over $1 billion into left-wing political causes in the past decade, according to Defending Education.
$1 billion over 5 years: Director of NH’s new rural health program rolls out goals for federal funds
Donnalee Lozeau, director of GO-NORTH, said her philosophy in distributing the hundreds of millions of dollars the federal government is giving New Hampshire to spend on its struggling rural healthcare system will be about long-term investments, not short-term fixes.
Forvia Sells Auto Interiors Business to Apollo Funds in $2.1 Billion Deal
The French auto parts supplier said the deal allows it to sharpen focus on high value-added, technology-driven activities, while shoring up its balance sheet.
Apollo Acquires Forvia’s Auto Interiors Unit for €1.82 Billion
Apollo Global Management Inc. agreed to buy Forvia SE’s auto interiors business for an enterprise value of €1.82 billion ($2.1 billion), according to an announcement Monday.
Forvia to sell its interiors business to Apollo Funds for $2.1 billion
French car parts supplier Forvia will sell its Interiors business to Apollo Funds for 1.82 billion euros ($2.13 billion), it said on Monday.
A $1 Billion, 100-Acre Entertainment District Is Coming to Life In Anaheim — With A New Concert Hall And Urban Park Due To Open Within A Year
OCVIBE is shaping up to be the ultimate community space around Honda Center in Anaheim. Here's what we can look forward to within the year.
‘Shutdown, Restart’—Microsoft Changes Windows On 1 Billion PCs
Microsoft confirms 'major' change affecting almost all Windows PC owners.
News | North Carolina’s Research Triangle scores another $1 billion-plus life science campus
AbbVie’s drug manufacturing complex in Durham expected to create over 730 jobs
Alabama Department of Corrections abruptly cancels $1 billion health care contract
Lawmakers told ADOC of the company's financial problems in 2023 before it awarded the contract to provide health care at its facilities.
Mayor Mamdani floats delays to pension fund payments
Council Speaker Julie Menin proposed a similar idea to save more than $1 billion a year.
Bombardier CEO Navigates Supply Chain Constraints for Defense Business After Hitting $1 Billion Goal Early
Eric Martel is navigating the Canadian jet maker through some turbulence to seize on the next leg of growth in the booming defense market.
WATCH: Padilla Slams Energy Secretary Wright on Cuts to Science Funding in Proposed Budget, Political Cancellation of California Hydrogen Hub Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, questioned Energy Secretary Chris Wright about President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 proposed budget for the Department of Energy and its drastic cuts to science funding. “Your budget cuts the Office of Science’s funding by $1.1 billion. […]
$1 Billion Attack? France Boasts Scoring Depth Other World Cup Teams Only Dream Of
France will have rich depth in attack at the World Cup.
FERC seeks $1.1 billion from Abram-led Durham energy firms
Regulators have fined Durham-based energy-efficiency business American Efficient $722 million, saying it’s behind “one of the largest and most brazen frauds” they’ve ever seen.
News | U. of Oklahoma athletics drives plans for $1.1 billion entertainment district
Mixed-use hub's first phase to include performance venue, 'carefully curated' retail
How a little-known founder is trying to change Calif. politics — to the tune of $1 billion
You may not have heard of Maria Davidson, but tech investors like Joe Lonsdale and Garry Tan trust her with their political ambitions.
As a small business owner, I never expected to pay $100,000 protecting my business from ransomware
This is a $131 billion tax on the American economy, spread across small business owners like myself.
Rainier, University of Oklahoma Foundation to Build $1.1B Rock Creek Entertainment District in Norman
NORMAN, OKLA. — Rainier Development Co. has executed a master development agreement with the University of Oklahoma Foundation for the planned Rock Creek Entertainment District, a $1.1 billion project in Norman. Rainier will lead planning, design, coordination and development of the 269-acre district in collaboration with Cleveland County, the City of Norman, the University of Oklahoma, community stakeholders and other development partners. Rock Creek Entertainment District is envisioned as a year-round destination that will include an 8,000-seat performance venue designed to host concerts, conventions and community events, as well as University of Oklahoma men’s and women’s basketball games and women’s gymnastics events. Plans for Phase I of Rock Creek include the performance venue; a central outdoor plaza; approximately 140,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment experiences; roughly 250 multifamily units; and a structured parking garage with 1,200 spaces. Phased openings of the venue, restaurants and retail are expected to begin in 2028. Phase II will include approximately 180,000 square feet of office space and a 150-room hotel. Phase III calls for 500 additional multifamily units, as well as townhomes and single-family residences. Future phases are anticipated to include additional expansion, subject to market conditions and planning. The project, located…
Hollywood heavyweights voice opposition to Paramount-Warner merger in letter
The deal is worth $111 billion
I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. Here’s what I had to unlearn to build a $1 billion business
I grew up in Switzerland surrounded by entrepreneurs: my grandfather in construction, my father in surveying, my uncles in packaging and construction.
“AI polls” are fake polls
A few weeks after Donald Trump’s second presidential win, I took the train up from London (where I was living at the time) to Oxford to attend a conference on polls and forecasts of the 2024 election. Most of the attendees were pollsters or academics, but I also watched presentations from Aaru and Electric Twin, two companies that do what is interchangeably called synthetic sampling, silicon sampling, or synthetic audiences. Stripped of startup jargon, that means they use large language models (LLMs) to simulate responses to public opinion polls by having AI agents take on the role of survey respondents. I had already heard of Aaru thanks to some articles with eye-catching headlines like “No people, no problem: AI chatbots predict elections better than humans” in the months leading up to Election Day. The founders were making some big, some might even say far-fetched claims, such as: “within two years, we will simulate the entire globe — from the way crops are grown in Ukraine to how that impacts production of oil in Iraq, trade through the strait of Malacca, and elections for the mayor of Baltimore.” When Semafor asked Aaru’s cofounders — Cameron Fink and Ned Koh — about my boss, they said “we respect all those who came before us.” Nate (as he so often does) shared his thoughts on Twitter: Fink and Koh were relatively good-natured about this back-and-forth when we spoke at Oxford. They even offered to mail me one of the t-shirts featuring Nate’s quote they apparently had made. I never took them up on the offer, which I now somewhat regret. These synthetic sampling companies fell off my radar for a while, but they do still exist. In fact, Aaru recently received a $1 billion valuation. Is what they’re doing anywhere close to the most important frontier in AI development? Not by a longshot, especially when Anthropic just developed a model so adept at exploiting software vulnerabilities that it’s only being released to 40 companies. Still, silicon sampling is increasingly finding its way into public polling. Axios reported in March that “a majority of people trust their own doctors and nurses” based on findings from Aaru — without mentioning that the “people” in that sentence were actually LLMs. Around the same time, the Public Sentiment Institute “boosted” their online sample of 373 real survey respondents with 114 AI agents.1 (Spoiler alert: even the co-founder of Electric Twin doesn’t think that’s a particularly defensible approach.) Polling companies like Qualtrics and Ipsos are also developing synthetic data panels. So, what should we make of these … “polls”? Let’s get one thing out of the way: whatever they are, they’re not polls in the way that term is usually defined. Subscribe You can’t replace polls with AI On one hand, using LLMs to essentially make up fake survey respondents sort of sounds like the dumbest idea ever, one that will at best imperfectly replicate real polls while introducing all sorts of biases. On the other hand, with LLMs improving at a remarkable, perhaps even alarming rate, maybe that means I’m a dinosaur at the ripe old age of 24 because I still want to rely on polls that talk to actual people. I’m not going to argue that synthetic samples are completely useless. In fact, as I’ll return to later, there is evidence that some techniques can replicate topline survey results quickly and cheaply. But the marketing from certain companies can be slightly optimistic. “No traditional poll will exist by the time the next general election occurs,” said Fink in 2024. We’re just 206 days away from the midterms, and based on the fact that I still have to collect a bunch of polls every day, I’d say he should have run that prediction by a sample of AI agents before the interview.2 To see why synthetic samples can’t replace polls, here’s a quick primer on how they work. The simplest version of these models involves taking a LLM (like ChatGPT or Claude), giving it a demographic profile (e.g., a white, college-educated woman who lives in Utah and makes $70k a year), and then asking it to respond to a survey question. You repeat that process a few thousand times using different demographic profiles and end up with a sample of synthetic survey responses. The actual models used by private companies are more sophisticated than this, usually because they incorporate more hypothesized demographic characteristics for each agent and provide them with extra information. Aaru, for example, feeds agents a diet of news and information they’d be likely to consume, while Electric Twin incorporates their customers’ proprietary data about the audience they’re trying to replicate. The way Ben Warner, the co-founder of Electric Twin, explained it to me was “we have a large amount of data on […] for instance, 5,000 people. Can we make an accurate prediction of how they would respond to another question?” Still, it should be obvious why synthetic samples can’t replace polls. Polling is fundamentally a data collection process. We might use surveys to make predictions by feeding them into election forecasts, but the main purpose of a poll isn’t prediction, it’s gathering new data about what people think and how they feel. Silicon sampling, on the other hand, produces no new data. It’s simply a model: you input LLM training data, demographic prompts, and a bunch of other information, and it spits out a prediction for what a poll would say. We love models here, but models aren’t polls. That difference is an important philosophical sticking point for most pollsters I talk to. “I think politics should stay away from [synthetic sampling], because we’re trying to […] represent the voice of the people,” said Natalie Jackson, a vice president at GQR Insights. Democratic pollster John Hagner told me: “I think I’m just incredibly skeptical of this idea. I don’t think it’s research. At that point, you’re asking the machine to tell you what you already believe.” Hagner has seen some presentations of early synthetic sampling experiments, but so far, “if it’s being used in a campaign, people are keeping it incredibly quiet.”3 But Eli, I hear you saying, aren’t polls themselves increasingly governed by modeling decisions? Indeed they are: pollsters’ choices on which sampling method to use, how to define their likely voter models, and how to weight their samples can and do lead to dramatic differences in the results they publish. Aaru even referenced these limitations in the methodology statement included with that maternal mortality “poll” — although I’m using the term “methodology statement” loosely here, because it doesn’t really explain how the model works at all. We can ignore the (frankly preposterous) implication that synthetic sampling isn’t subject to a separate set of biases. The important point is that there’s still a meaningful difference between using weighting and other statistical techniques on actual polling data and using a model to predict what a poll would say. The latter is far closer to election forecasts or techniques like MRP — potentially useful models, but not a replacement for polls.4 To be fair, other synthetic sampling companies are perfectly happy with the distinction between polls and models. Warner compared polling and synthetic sampling to different tools in a toolbox. “The mistake I think we make is we think that these new tools should either work in exactly the same way or somehow replace these old tools,” he said. “Rather than thinking of it as, okay, so we’ve always had the hammer, we’ve always had the screwdriver, now we’ve got a saw. But don’t use a saw to try [to] do the job of a hammer.” A quick comment from Nate Eli didn’t ask me for a comment — rather rude of him, don’t you think? But since I’m editing this story, I figured I’d add a few quick thoughts rather than putting words in his mouth. Beyond the frequently misleading marketing, what bothers me about the AI “poll” hype is that as AI tools make statistical inference cheaper and/or better (note that these are not synonyms) that actually increases the comparative value of collecting original data. You might be able to train a model to make a reasonable estimate of what some hard-to-reach poll respondent would say — say, a young Black man who voted for Trump. (Such a person checks a number of boxes for a voter who is usually hard to reach in surveys.) Indeed, this is closely related to what models like the Silver Bulletin forecast already do. They essentially smooth out the kinks in noisy survey data by making inferences based on past voting patterns or national polls or surveys of other states. But you don’t actually know what these voters think unless you’re reaching them directly. If there’s a shift in opinion among this subgroup, you’re not going to detect it. So if I were running a campaign, I’d invest more in going the extra mile to find a representative sample of those voters. And then I’d hire some smart quants — or Claude? — to figure out the implications for campaign strategy based on proprietary data that my competitors didn’t have access to. -Nate Silver Are these models any good? If synthetic surveys are just a new type of model, the next obvious question is whether the models are at least accurate. The answer very much depends on who you ask. On one end of the spectrum, you have the maximalist argument that synthetic sampling is more accurate than actual polls. “It’s an incredibly challenging problem to go to someone and say ‘hey, we’re going to be more accurate at predicting human behavior than you, even when you talk to your customers directly’,” Koh recently told CNBC. In his view, synthetic sampling isn’t a saw to polling’s hammer, it’s “magic.” There’s certainly evidence that synthetic samples can replicate certain survey toplines. But if Aaru does have any examples of their approach outperforming the polls, they’re keeping those to themselves.5 Aaru’s 2024 election model, for example, had Kamala Harris leading in Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin on November 4th. And although they’ve since taken down their forecast page, they gave Harris a 50.5 percent chance of winning the race on November 2nd.6 After the election, Fink told Semafor he was happy enough with those results because they were “within margin of error,” a term that is completely meaningless when applied to a “sample” of AI agents. And of course, Aaru says their models have improved since 2024, so supposedly now they’d be more accurate than the polls? Still, their stronger argument is on cost: “We are significantly faster and cheaper than traditional polling, and still more accurate,” said Fink. The first two claims are undeniably true, but the third brings us to the opposite end of the spectrum. Both Jackson and Hagner are skeptical that these models are reliable for anything beyond replicating common survey toplines. “I just […] don’t think the machines are what we want when we’re looking for nuanced views. My example on this is people in Arizona and Nevada in 2024 who voted for Trump and voted for expanding abortion in their states on ballot initiatives,” said Jackson. Hagner identified another issue. Maybe the synthetic respondents, like sycophantic LLMs, are inhuman in one important way: they’re too nice. “The reports that have come through at the meetings that I’ve been at are that the early experiments on this, they cannot get respondents to be as racist or sexist or, frankly, as negative as human respondents,” he said. Academic research mostly agrees on this point. While there are some papers that show promising results when using LLMs to replicate polling data, most show that LLMs suffer from various quirks like producing too few “don’t know” responses and can seriously overpredict the favorability of politicians like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. They also seem to struggle with too little variation between demographic subgroups, so the difference in predicted opinion between Democrats and Republicans, for example, is too small. When I asked Warner about these studies, his response to these papers was that just because academics can’t get synthetic sampling to work doesn’t mean that the technique doesn’t work in general. “Actually, the argument is, okay, yours does not [work]. That does not mean […] for this complex set of machinery, which uses a lot of investment, a lot of time, a lot of money, you can’t get it to work.” Cards on the table, I’m somewhat sympathetic to this argument because academics aren’t exactly great at making election forecasts. Usually, the people with skin in the game are the most accurate. Warner’s argument is that the approach Electric Twin takes — which includes, for example, making multiple predictions for each synthetic respondent using different models and prompts and subsequently averaging those to get a final prediction in a sort of ensemble forecast — produces better results than the simpler academic models. Warner shared a comparison between his method and the method from a recent academic paper with me, and Electric Twin was indeed able to get more accurate replication. But even still, he acknowledged that synthetic sampling “is not a crystal ball.” “If you asked me, do I think using other data sources will be more accurate than asking somebody who they will vote for, I would probably say no. But if you asked me ‘would your system be useful for our turnout modeling today?’ I would say yes.” For better or worse, it looks like the method is already getting more popular in the market research world. Most of the clients Aaru touts these days are businesses like EY and McDonald’s. And AI will probably begin to pop up in other parts of the political polling process. Pollsters are already using it to code open-ended survey responses, and some firms, like YouGov, are testing using LLMs to ask survey respondents questions. More worryingly, one danger to actual polls is that AI agents can be used to infiltrate online surveys. Most online polls use various checks to prevent that from happening, but there’s conflicting evidence on how effective those filters are and how prevalent AI agents currently are in online panels. If those agents ever become impossible to detect, it might spell the end of online polling, but the solution isn’t to replace all of your respondents with ChatGPT. Silver Bulletin is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a subscriber. Subscribe 1 That particular poll obviously doesn’t meet Silver Bulletin standards for aggregation. But we exclude all Public Sentiment Institute polls from our averages because we classify them as an amateur polling firm. 2 You could argue that Fink meant the next presidential election, but (a) I’m also confident we’ll still have real polls in 2028 and (b) in that case he should have asked an LLM to define “general election.” 3 Quick caveat: that’s reporting from a Democratic pollster. It’s possible that Republicans are more willing to use AI in political campaigns. 4 Indeed, Silver Bulletin does not include “polls” produced by MRP in our forecasts or averages, and we think it’s extremely misleading when their practitioners describe them in a way that suggests original data had been collected among a large number of states or Congressional districts. 5 A recent report from Aaru and EY did show two examples of a synthetic estimate being closer than a survey to a real-world benchmark — but I’d take those findings with a grain of salt because the report reads more like an ad and didn’t involve any sort of prediction being made ahead of time. 6 For comparison, our odds for Harris on the same day were 48.2 percent.
H.R. 1 underscores unfairness in Colorado tax code
By Caroline Nutter On July 4, 2025, Colorado’s budget was overturned with the stroke of a pen. When President Donald Trump signed into law H.R. 1, or the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, he didn’t only cut federal funding by $3.4 trillion, he also cut Colorado’s budget by more than $1 billion. H.R. 1 expanded […]
Amazon reaches U.S. Postal Service deal for 1 billion packages
Amazon has reached a new agreement with the U.S. Postal Service, providing a lifeline to the beleaguered government agency.
State treasurers says tariffs continue to create chaos in Colorado
Colorado businesses paid $1.1 billion in tariffs in 2025, according to state treasurer Dave Young.
Microsoft’s New Windows Update—1 Billion Users Must Now Decide
'Bad news' for Windows users, as controversial browser update turns up on PCs.
Entertainment and California regulators push back against Warner-Paramount merger
California officials and Hollywood figures are pushing back on a proposed $111 billion Warner Bros.-Paramount merger, citing antitrust concerns, job risks, and media consolidation.
Iowa hopes to get up to $1 billion to improve rural health infrastructure. Some say it will do little to offset looming Medicaid cuts
State officials hope to bring in up to $1 billion in federal funds over the next five years to improve rural health infrastructure, but some say it will do little to help rural hospitals weather looming Medicaid spending reductions.
WHOOP Raises $575 Million at $10.1 Billion Valuation to Advance Global Health Platform
BOSTON, March 31, 2026--WHOOP, the human performance company, today announced it has raised $575 million in Series G funding at a $10.1 billion valuation, advancing its global expansion and long-term vision for personalized health. The round was led by Collaborative Fund and includes global participation from 2PointZero Group, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Mubadala Investment Company, Abbott, Mayo Clinic, Macquarie Capital (entities administered by Macquarie Capital), Glade Brook, B-Flexion,
UAE Authorizes Billion-Dirham Business Stimulus Package
The United Arab Emirates approved a massive stimulus package for Dubai’s business sector, according to Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai and the U.A.E.’s defense minister. The Executive Council authorized the 1 billion dirham, or about $272.2 million, package to roll
Sysco goes all in on the ‘cash and carry’ food-service business with a $29 billion buyout
Sysco’s stock falls after announcing a $29.1 billion cash-and-stock deal to buy Jetro Restaurant Depot.
Vext Science Announces Strategic Optimization of Arizona Operations and Plans for Ohio Cultivation Expansion
Strategic closure and planned sale of Eloy cultivation facility expected to improve Arizona profitability and enhance free cash flow.Proceeds from the sale to facilitate debt reduction, with key equipment redeployed to the Ohio market, saving approximately $2 million in capital expenditures to support Vext's build-out in the State. Plans to seek approval to expand Jackson cultivation to support a growing retail footprint as Ohio adult-use sales surpass $1 billion in the first full year1.Vext to.
AARP report: Florida unpaid family caregiving climbs to $81 billion annually
'This care often comes at significant cost to caregivers’ health, financial security, and well-being.'
Palm Beach boat show fuels local businesses
The Palm Beach International Boat Show in West Palm Beach is drawing tens of thousands of visitors, significantly benefiting local businesses and generating over $1 billion in economic impact.
How This Meat Snack Company Devoured The Competition And Became A $1 Billion Business
By appealing to women, Chomps is selling some 2 million sticks a day. Now its founders may be looking for an exit.
Offshore wind projects suffer blow under Trump administration
The Trump administration has agreed to pay a French company nearly $1 billion to drop its plans for wind farms.
Supreme Court tosses $1B copyright verdict in record companies' battle over illegal internet downloads
The Supreme Court unanimously ruled Wednesday that internet providers are not liable for copyright infringement by their users, delivering an opinion in Cox v. Sony and tossing a $1 billion verdict.
Trump admin dumps Biden-era wind projects for billion-dollar investment in US oil
The Trump Department of the Interior secured a landmark agreement with energy giant TotalEnergies to redirect nearly $1 billion away from "unreliable" and "ideological" wind projects.
Cencora to buy retina business of EyeSouth Partners for $1.1 billion
Drug distributor Cencora said on Monday it would buy the retina business of eye care network EyeSouth Partners for $1.1 billion, expanding its eye care unit.
Sony Is Said to Near $1 Billion Home Entertainment Deal With TCL
Sony Group Corp. is nearing a binding agreement to sell a majority stake in its home entertainment business to Chinese rival TCL Electronics Holdings Ltd. in a deal that may be valued at about $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.
Open-world adventure game CookieRun: New World announced for console, PC, and mobile
Devsisters has announced CookieRun: New World, an open-world adventure game based on the CookieRun mobile game franchise with over 300 million players and more than $1 billion in lifetime revenue. …
Chicago's teetering debt is stark warning left-wing mayor is fueling 'pay later' doom cycle: expert
Expert Austin Berg warns Chicago's "pay later" debt culture under Mayor Brandon Johnson is alarming markets with a $1 billion budget gap and risky bond deals.
NYC health budget plan: More support for children, less for fighting disease
The $2.51 billion spending plan includes increases for early childhood initiatives and a new public health lab - but less funding to fight communicable diseases, sexually transmitted infections, and tuberculosis.
Huge Trump Iran war funding request faces stiff opposition in Congress
Lawmakers estimated the war is costing $1 billion to $2 billion per day.
To chop spending, Ottawa will cut science, tourism, foreign aid programs
While 40 departments will collectively spend $23 billion more next year, another 85 departments will spend $31 billion less in 2026-27.
Oura health AI lead sees ring maker as a health care company
Oura, which has raised more than $2 billion at an $11 billion valuation, does not yet offer any medical-grade services.
Georgia's Union City will get a medical center affiliated with Grady Health Systems
Grady is partnering with the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority to add a more than $1 billion hospital facility to Union City
Nvidia is quietly building a multibillion-dollar behemoth to rival its chips business
Nvidia's networking business raked in $11 billion last quarter despite getting significantly less fanfare than chips and gaming.
Indiana commits $1B to attract high-wage life science jobs
Indiana is dedicating $1 billion to further growth of agriculture and life science businesses and jobs to the central Indiana area over the next 10 years.
How Barbie became a $1 billion-a-year brand
Barbie became a $1 billion-a-year brand and one of the most iconic toys in history. Now Mattel's crown jewel is facing challenges.
GE Aerospace to invest $12 million in Hooksett plant
GE Aerospace will invest more than $12 million into its site in Hooksett as part of a $1 billion investment into its U.S. manufacturing sites and suppliers this year.
Colorado effort to end credit card swipe fees on sales taxes is splitting businesses
Companies paid $2.1 billion in swipe fees in 2024 to accept credit cards. They’re fighting to get back $200 million charged on sales tax. Banks and other businesses say it’s not that simple.
Hampton & Peninsula Health Dirstricts Urge You to Plan Ahead For Spring Severe Weather
From 1980 to 2024, Virginia experienced more than 100 severe weather events, each with losses exceeding $1 billion. (Adobe Stock)
Portland facing $1 billion-plus in arts, culture and entertainment infrastructure requests
A scrap between backers of Keller Auditorium and a new performance center at PSU, plus expensive upgrade bills for downtown's Portland'5 halls and a big upgrade bill for Moda Center, muddy the waters and stress the city's budget.
Health AI startup to benefit from $1 billion funding round for Yann LeCun's AMI
AI scribe company Nabla aims to be much more by using tech from Yann LeCun's new startup AMI, which just raised $1 billion.
Beer Company BrewDog Leaves Investors Empty-Handed After Missteps
BrewDog, a Scottish beer company once valued at $1 billion, was recently sold for a fraction of that. Small investors who funded its rise were left empty-handed.
Iran-related bets on prediction sites scrutinized over ‘death markets’ and possible insider trades
As the United States and Israel prepared for war and later launched strikes against Iran, traders on online prediction markets wagered over $1 billion on every aspect of the conflict, drawing a wave of scrutiny.
How a successful Colorado startup turned into a nearly $1 billion health care fraud scheme
Zynex served as a Colorado startup success story — a one-man operation turned public company with hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. This is the story about how it all fell apart.
Earth’s Geological Record Is Missing 1 Billion Years. Scientists May Have Just Found Where They Went.
There's a billion-year gap in Earth's geological history. A new study seeks to explain the mystery.
BearingPoint delivers over €1 billion in revenue for the third year running
BearingPoint closed 2025 with €1.026 billion ($1.160 billion) in revenue, marking the third consecutive year above €1 billion despite a softer market environ...
Progressive lawmakers Bernie Sanders, Ro Khanna unveil $4.4T wealth tax targeting billionaires
Progressive lawmakers Bernie Sanders and Ro Khanna unveil a 5% annual wealth tax on billionaires' assets exceeding $1 billion to fundamentally reshape America's current tax system.
Data centers fuel $1 billion in Wisconsin business growth, but some question long-term impact
Wisconsin companies are doing big business in data centers even though none of the hyperscale facilities are yet operating in the state. But the long-term impact remains unclear.
Measles outbreaks could cost the U.S. over a $1 billion a year, if vaccine rates decline
As vaccination rates decline, the economic consequences will increase, research suggests.
argenx Reports Full Year 2025 Financial Results and Provides Fourth Quarter Business Update
$1.3 billion in fourth quarter and $4.2 billion in full year global product net sales, representing 90% year‑over‑year growth Delivered $1.1 billion in operating income in 2025, marking first year of operating profitability VYVGART MG label expansion supported by positive ADAPT SERON and OCULUS results; PDUFA target action date of May 10, 2026 for anti‑AChR antibody‑negative (“seronegative”) gMG Management to host conference call today at 2:30 PM CET (8:30 AM ET) February 26, 2026 7:00 AM CET Am
HSBC kicks off Singapore insurance business sale, eyes over $1 billion value, sources say
HSBC has started the sale process for its Singapore life insurance product manufacturing business with the hiring of an adviser, and is hoping for the deal to be valued at more than $1 billion, said three sources with knowledge of the matter.
Enerflex Ltd. Announces Fourth Quarter 2025 Financial and Operational Results, Agreement to Divest Non-Core Business and Provides Preliminary Outlook for 2026
ADJUSTED EBITDA OF $123 MILLION AND RECORD FREE CASH FLOW OF $141 MILLIONREDUCED NET DEBT TO $501 MILLION OR APPROXIMATELY 1.0x TTM ADJUSTED EBITDA AT THE END OF Q4/25STRONG OPERATIONAL VISIBILITY WITH ES AND EI BACKLOG OF $1.1 BILLION AND $1.3 BILLION, RESPECTIVELYSIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO DIVEST OPERATIONS IN ASIA PACIFIC REGION, CONTINUING EFFORTS TO OPTIMIZE AND SIMPLIFY ENERFLEX’S BUSINESSCAPITAL EXPENDITURES FOR 2026 TARGETED AT $175 TO $195 MILLION, INCLUDING $90 TO $100 MILLION FOR GROWTH O
Zambia pushed back on U.S. health funding deal to protect interests, government says
Zambia has pushed back on part of a deal worth more than $1 billion in global health aid from the United States because it does not align with the country’s interests, the government said on Wednesday, as health advocates warned the deal links the money to mining access and has data-sharing risks.
Enhabit’s stock soars as home health firm gets buyout offer worth $1.1 billion
The Dallas-based company is part of a growing demand story for home-based health care.
Trump Organization signs deal for billion-dollar skyscraper on Australia's Gold Coast
The Trump Organization announced a $1 billion project in Australia this week, building a 91-floor luxury resort and apartments on the Gold Coast.
CVC Is Working With Goldman Sachs on €1 Billion Marina Business Sale
CVC Capital Partners PLC is working with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to explore a sale of Mediterranean marina operator D-Marin, people familiar with the matter said.
Five Berkeley Lab Scientists Receive DOE Early Career Research Awards
Five scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have received Early Career Research Program (ECRP) awards from the Department of Energy. The ECRP program, now in its 16th year, was established to bolster the nation’s scientific workforce by supporting exceptional researchers at the outset of their careers, when many scientists do their most formative work. Recipients use the funding to pursue projects that have the potential to solve scientific challenges and advance the country’s STEM capabilities. To be eligible for the program, a researcher must be an untenured, tenure-track assistant or associate professor at a U.S. academic institution, or a full-time employee at a DOE national laboratory or Office of Science user facility, who is within 10 years of having earned their doctorate. Awards to an institution of higher education will be approximately $875,000 over five years, and awards to a DOE national laboratory or Office of Science user facility will be approximately $2,750,000 over five years. This year’s Berkeley Lab awardees and their projects are listed below: Timon Heim: Better detectors for more powerful particle colliders Timon Heim is a staff scientist in the Physics Division. His ECRP project will develop a new type of detector that can track the particles generated by collisions in particle colliders with high spatial and temporal resolution. Current detectors in use at high-energy colliders, like the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, can track the trajectory and measure momentum of particles, but they can’t track a particle’s time of arrival with sufficient precision to discern from which of the many particle interactions they originate. Heim’s proposed technology — called a 4D tracking detector, because it captures data about particles’ positions in space and time — aims to solve this challenge, allowing researchers to glean more precise data from collision experiments to uncover new insights into fundamental forces and potentially discover new particles. The enhanced capabilities of 4D detectors will be a necessity for experiments at future colliders, such as the Muon Collider or Future Circular Collider. The project will develop custom microelectronics that process the signal of a pixelated silicon sensor that can register charged particles passing through it in an extreme radiation environment that these colliders produce during operation. The goal is to measure individual particles’ position with 50-micro-meter spatial and 50 pico-second (one trillionth of a second) temporal precision, for an incoming flux of around 1 billion particles per second per square centimeter. Harrison Lisabeth: Studying underground processes to unleash abundant energy Harrison Lisabeth is a research scientist in the Energy Geoscience Division focused on combining real-world experiments and AI to guide development of geothermal energy systems. His project will explore how deep underground rock formations – where geothermal wells are dug – are stressed by chemical reactions of the minerals and mechanical strain from movements in the Earth. A better understanding of subsurface stresses is essential to engineer safe and reliable geothermal wells that access the heat of deep rocks to produce electricity. It is estimated that the U.S. could generate ten times the amount of energy needed to power the grid using geothermal sources. Lisabeth plans to simulate how minerals grow, dissolve, and influence the behavior of surrounding rock in geothermal reservoirs by tracking chemical changes in rock samples under pressure in the lab. The project will also develop machine learning models to predict geologic strain based on field measurements and refine existing models that describe how common rock types deform under stress. Combining these approaches, Lisabeth hopes to develop a framework to predict stress to improve stability and longevity of geothermal wells. Daniel Carney: Pushing the quantum boundaries of particle measurement Daniel Carney is a staff scientist in the Physics Division who uses quantum information science to study particle physics and gravity. At very small scales, “quantum noise” — random fluctuations from the act of measurement — can drown out faint signals from rare processes. Carney’s ECRP project, “Fundamental Physics at the Quantum Limits of Measurement,” aims to build a new mechanical quantum sensor that can measure extremely small particle interactions below the limits of that quantum noise. The approach uses lasers to hold a tiny bead containing radioactive atoms; when one decays, the system measures the bead’s motion and the energy of any particles emitted. The experiment’s initial goal is to search for heavy sterile neutrinos, hypothetical particles predicted by some extensions of the Standard Model. The system could also help measure the mass of the neutrino, study the way particles interact through the electromagnetic and weak forces, and hunt for low-mass dark matter — all unsolved mysteries in particle physics. Callum Wilkinson: Using machine learning to demystify neutrinos Callum Wilkinson is a staff scientist in the Physics Division and part of the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) hosted by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. DUNE will create an intense beam of neutrinos that interact in detectors in Illinois and, after an 800-mile journey through the earth, in massive detectors in South Dakota. By precisely measuring neutrinos and how they change, researchers will get a better understanding of their fundamental properties and whether they are responsible for why there is so much more matter than antimatter in our universe. Wilkinson’s ECRP project will apply two machine learning techniques to improve the analysis of DUNE’s data and enhance the experiment’s precision. One approach will look for hidden patterns in how neutrinos interact and produce low-energy particles, while the other will help correct for distortions in what the detectors record. The methods will be tested on one of DUNE’s prototype detectors and could be used in other neutrino experiments, improving their measurements and helping scientists build better models. Aditi Krishnapriyan: Machine learning methods that scale as datasets grow Aditi Krishnapriyan is a faculty scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Applied Mathematics and Computational Research Division (AMCR) and assistant professor at UC Berkeley. Her project, awarded through UC Berkeley, will develop machine learning methods that scale with dataset size for modeling complex, multi-scale phenomena. The resulting tools can be applied in a wide range of research, including the study of new electrolytes for batteries or the examination of molecular interactions. ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
Researchers to study universal health care, as Coloradans face $1 billion in medical debt
Colorado residents owe about $1 billion in medical debt. The sky-high number is a small portion of the nation’s medical debt estimated around $220 billion, according to a 2024 analysis by Peterson Center on Healthcare and KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation. As more people nationally are expected to lose their health insurance following planned […]
Universe may end in a “big crunch,” new dark energy data suggests
New data from major dark-energy observatories suggest the universe may not expand forever after all. A Cornell physicist calculates that the cosmos is heading toward a dramatic reversal: after reaching its maximum size in about 11 billion years, it could begin collapsing, ultimately ending in a “big crunch” roughly 20 billion years from now.
Love shouldn't cost a thing, but romance scammers bilk $1 billion from Americans
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are now stepping in to try and address the issue
VCs Give Solace Health $1 Billion Valuation for Patient Advocacy Tech
The demand for help navigating the famously complex US health care system has propelled a startup called Solace Health to a $1 billion valuation — offering health advocacy for people trying to schedule appointments, interpret treatment plans and understand medical bills.
Spain Loyalty Business Report 2026: A $2.21 Billion Market by 2030 - Market is Competitive but Structurally Stable, Dominated by Large Retail Groups and Supported by Bank-led Rewards Ecosystems
The Spanish loyalty market's growth is fueled by retail dominance, app-based execution, and savings-oriented promotions, creating opportunities in retail integration, app-first approaches, financial services partnerships, and compliance with data protection. The focus remains on operational control and digital transformation. Spanish Loyalty Market Spanish Loyalty Market Dublin, Feb. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Spain Loyalty Market Size & Forecast by Spend Value Across 100+ KPIs by Program
Amazon's AI bet on Anthropic soars to $61 billion valuation
The cloud giant holds convertible notes in Anthropic. As the AI startup raises more money, this debt converts to equity.
SEC financial boom brings revenue to $1.1 billion, but can it catch the Big Ten?
The Southeastern Conference released financial records that show business is booming after a new deal with ESPN. But can it match Big Ten's wealth?
Oklahoma Supreme Court clears Rock Creek Entertainment District in Cleveland County
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Rock Creek Entertainment District, allowing the $1.1 billion project in Cleveland County to proceed.
Norman moving forward with $1 billion entertainment district after Oklahoma Supreme Court decision
A proposed $1 billion entertainment district that would house a new University of Oklahoma arena will move forward following a ruling from the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Trump, Changing Course, Throws Harvard Deal Talks Into Chaos
In the latest example of his mercurial negotiating style, President Trump went from dropping his ask for a $200 million fine to demanding $1 billion from the university.
Meet the JPMorgan beauty banker who shaped Rhode's $1 billion sale
When cosmetics meets corporate finance, JPMorgan's Fei-Fei Zhang is often at the intersection. Here's what she predicts for the business of beauty.
Windows 11 has hit 1 billion users just a hair faster than Windows 10 did
Windows 11 clears a milestone as Windows 10 continues its slow fade.
Windows 11 has reached 1 billion users faster than Windows 10
Windows 11 hits a big milestone
Music notes: Taylor Swift, Ellie Goulding and more
The video for Taylor Swift's "Wildest Dreams" — the fifth single from her album 1989 — has become her latest to rack up 1 billion views on YouTube. It's her sixth video to hit that milestone, following “Blank Space,” “Shake It Off,” “You Belong With Me,” “Bad Blood” and “Look What You Made Me Do.”
As More Founders Aim To Build Billion-Dollar, One-Person Businesses, New Research Points To High-Potential Niches
A new report points to areas where it is possible for solo founders to grow to $1 billion in revenue using AI, blockchain and a global team of freelancers.
Why Pat McGrath Labs Filed for Bankruptcy
Once valued at $1 billion, the makeup brand has struggled to balance its creative point of view with commercial viability.
China's Anta Sports muscles in with $1.8 billion move for 29.1% Puma stake
China's Anta Sports Products said on Tuesday it had agreed to buy a 29.06% stake in German sportswear maker Puma from the Pinault family's Artémis holding company for 1.51 billion euros ($1.79 billion).
OpenAI pulled in $1 billion a month from something other than ChatGPT
Sam Altman says OpenAI added more than $1 billion in annual recurring revenue in a month, driven by its API business rather than ChatGPT.
Genesis Health approved to sell nursing home in $1 bln bankruptcy deal
Bankrupt Genesis Health received court approval on Tuesday to sell its nursing homes to an outside buyer for $1 billion, just over a month after a U.S. bankruptcy judge rejected a previous offer from company insiders.
Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza to require $1 billion payment for permanent membership
Members of President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace,” the committee that will oversee the reconstruction of Gaza, will receive a permanent seat if they pay $1 billion, according to a US official.
U.S. Cuts Health Aid and Ties It to Funding Pledges by African Governments
The Trump administration has signed $11 billion in agreements with African nations, in deals tied to foreign policy goals.