The early life and times of late Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor will be the subject of an upcoming biopic. According to Variety, the project covering O’Connor’s origin story is being helmed by Irish production company ie: entertainment, which executive produced and worked with the singer on the 2022 O’Connor documentary Nothing Compares; O’Connor died in July 2023 at age 56 of natural causes.
Among the reported co-producers on the film are Irish indie film production company Nine Daughters (God’s Creatures, Lady Macbeth) and See Saw Films (Slow Horses, The Power of the Dog). At press time spokespeople for O’Connor and ie:entertainment had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on the film.
Variety reported that the movie has been in the works since the release of the earlier doc, with Josephine Decker (Shirley) tapped to direct a script by Irish writer Stacey Gregg (Here Before, Ballywalter), with former Robbie Williams manager and music industry veteran Tim Clark on board as an executive producer through ie: entertainment. BBC Films is funding the film’s development.
The film will reportedly focus on O’Connor’s early life and journey through the music industry, telling the story of how “one young woman from Dublin took on the world, examining how her global fame may have been built on her talent, but her name became synonymous with her efforts to draw attention to the crimes committed by the Catholic Church and the Irish state.”
O’Connor burst onto the music scene in 1987 with her genre agnostic debut album, The Lion and the Cobra, which mixed beat-driven pop, goth rock, confessional folk, shoegaze and ethereal chants. The singer’s shocking bald headed look and powerful vocals on songs such as the college rock hit “Mandinka” and the jangly “I Want Your (Hands on Me)” made her an instant fascination and landed her a Grammy nomination for best female rock vocal performance.
From the beginning, O’Connor was a voice to be reckoned with, never holding her tongue or pulling punches when it came to calling out injustice or the abuse of power. She became a reluctant global superstar thanks to her Grammy-winning 1990 sophomore album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, which featured her beloved cover of the Prince-written “Nothing Compares 2 U.”
The intense scrutiny sometimes proved to be a struggle for O’Connor, who was an outspoken critic of the Catholic church and famously ripped up a picture of then Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live in 1992 while saying “fight the real enemy” nearly a decade before John Paul publicly acknowledged the Catholic Church’s long history of child sex abuse. O’Connor — who said she suffered sexual and emotional abuse as a child — was criticized by the likes of Madonna, actor Joe Pesci and the Anti-Defamation League for the action and two weeks later was booed during a 30th anniversary tribute concert for Bob Dylan at Madison Square Garden.
The singer went on to release eight more albums during a career, jumping from reggae, to traditional Irish songs and fairly straight-ahead pop.
The O’Connor biopic will come amidst a recent bumper crop of re-tellings of famous rock and pop legends, including the Queen film Bohemian Rhapsody, the Elton John biopic Rocketman, last year’s Bob Dylan A Complete Unknown, as well as the upcoming Bruce Springsteen film Deliver Me From Nowhere, a quartet of Beatles movies in 2028 and either a TV series of film version of Madonna’s early years.
Northeastern transport and urban experts examine the popularity of e-bikes and what is hindering them from rivaling bus, metro and rail networks.
The rise of rental e-bikes has led to a 340% in their use in London’s financial district between 2022 and 2024. (Photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)
LONDON — “I’m going to Lime it” has become a phrase heard frequently on the streets of the world’s major cities.
Lime is not the only international provider of rental electric bikes, but it is the largest, operating in more than 30 countries across five continents, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.
In the City of London — the British capital’s financial district — a survey in 2024 found the use of rental e-bikes had increased rapidly, climbing by 340% in only two years and accounting for one in six bikes on the road in what is known as “the square mile”.
An e-bike boom is being experienced on both sides of the Atlantic. An Ipsos mobility study in 2024 found that one in five households in Europe now owns an electric bike, while the U.S. Department of Energy reported that sales in the States reached 1.1 million in 2022, almost a four-fold increase since 2019.
Ka Ho Tsoi, an assistant professor in transport planning at Northeastern University in London, says e-bikes offer convenience and an immediacy that have helped fuel their popularity.
The lack of physical exertion needed when riding an e-bike, which uses a motor and battery to assist a rider’s pedaling efforts, allows users to travel farther, he says, as well as letting them bypass road congestion and the stress and wait times of transit systems.
“An e-bike also has a very distinctive advantage,” adds Tsoi, “in terms of providing a door-to-door service, whereas bus networks cannot do that in the same way. After getting off the bus, for example, you might still have to walk five to 10 minutes to your destination.
“When a lot of these issues add up, they act as a push factor for people to choose e-bikes over other forms of transportation.”
Urban officials have tended to support the growth of e-bikes as they see them as a way of removing cars from the road and increasing the mobility of people who may struggle with longer journeys on a traditional bike.
A pamphlet titled “Electric bikes in Boston” published by City Hall says that e-bike users on average are older, with around three-quarters of users in the Massachusetts city being over the age of 65.
E-bikes have the ability to connect areas that are underserved by other forms of transportation, according to Jonathan Rokem, a Northeastern associate professor in politics and sustainability.
“They are very good at plugging in parts of a city which haven’t been catered for before, providing easy, accessible transport, something which you can leave anywhere,” says the urban planning specialist.
“It solves a lot of the younger population’s needs in terms of getting from the pub to the Tube or to work. There are lots of these in-between journeys which e-bikes are very good for, and I think that is where they really come into play — it is a really important role that they have in the transport network.”
Hollywood star Timothee Chalamet was recently a walking advertisement for the convenience factor that Tsoi and Rokem mention. The 29-year-old turned up to the London premiere of “A Complete Unknown,” a biopic about singer Bob Dylan in which he plays the lead role, on a Lime bike in order to beat traffic.
But with any booming trend comes negatives. Less considerate e-bikers have been known to carelessly discard their rentals after their trips, leaving them strewn in the middle of sidewalks or even dumping them in canals. The speed at which they can travel means injuries can be far worse for riders and pedestrians during crashes than with standard bicycles. And the “click, clack” noise that Lime and other rental bikes make when their security mechanism is overridden by those not wanting to pay has been described as the “sound of summer,” blighting many cities during the warmer months.
There have been attempts to solve those issues. Lime, a Silicon Valley firm, caps its battery assist at 15 mph. Users are also issued a warning for bad parking. Repeat offenses in the U.K. can lead to fines, starting at £2 ($2.70) and scaling up to £20 ($27) before the account faces a complete ban. Docking services, like Boston’s Bluebike scheme, also make poor parking less of a problem.
One London council upped the ante recently by stating that it will charge companies £80 ($100) for every bike parked dangerously on its streets after local businesses described the parking situation as a “Wild West.” Hackney Council, in east London, plans to create 1,000 designated spaces for dockless e-bike parking that it states will be managed “much more stringently” under a new £93 million ($125 million) contract.
The £80 fines are highly likely to be passed on to users, Tsoi believes, in a move that could deter people from using the service.
“I think they would just shift the responsibility to the user because, after you have used an e-bike, you have to park it in a designated area and then take a photo to complete the journey,” he explains.
“I think [the fines] could cause some hidden problems. If people are worried about the system not working properly and that they could be fined as a result, that could discourage people from using them.”
Rokem says it is clear that better regulation and infrastructure are required if e-bikes are to become a fully integrated form of daily transport.
“We need the supporting infrastructures to support these because otherwise they can become a nuisance to the neighborhood and people start complaining,” he says.
He argues that there needs to be cooperation among local authorities if e-bikes are going to thrive. In London, for example, a rider on a rental e-bike can find that their power cuts out as they cross into another council’s jurisdiction if the company does not have permission to operate. Each borough also has its own rules when it comes to where to park e-bikes.
Dott, a rental e-bike provider, pulled out of London in 2023, opting to instead focus its attention on Paris and Rome, after criticising the patchwork regulation in the city.
Countries like the U.K., says Rokem, need to learn from places like Denmark and Netherlands, which he describes as “bike cultural” countries.
“If you want e-bikes to be part of the future of transport in the U.K., then you need to set your rules of engagement on the policy side. E-bikes are a good in-between option which can cater for a lot of shorter journeys and can connect different transports,” he says.
“It’s not a solution to all the transport problems but it is not supposed to be, in my view. But if we don’t have the supporting infrastructure, the supporting policies, the overarching support so that everyone has the same rules, it will fail.”
Even with the growth in ridership, Tsoi says he does not see e-bikes being able to rival other mass transit networks, mainly due to the hindering factor of distance.
With the majority of urban residents tending to live in the outskirt suburbs of a city for affordability reasons, high-capacity mass transport modes are likely to remain the big players for a long while yet, he argues.
“An e-bike cannot fulfil the purpose of traveling those kinds of distances — you need to have a large metro, rail or bus network to really connect these dots,” says Tsoi.
“If you look at Transport for London data for the share of trips by bike or cycling, it is around 4%. That is because a lot of trips cannot be substituted by bike. I think even in the long term, e-bikes cannot be a direct rival.”
Alternative app store Skich has become available on Android following its launch on iOS in the European Union earlier this year.
The Android version of the store is currently onboarding developers, with over 100 studios interested in joining. The platform provides a 15% revenue share for developers.
Skich began as a discoverability platform on iOS following the implementation of the Digital Markets Act. It then expanded into a mobile store following user feedback.
“We’ve seen firsthand how broken discovery can be for mobile games, especially for teams without massive ad budgets,” said Skich Store CEO and co-founder Sergey Budkovski.
“Launching on Android is the next step, it’s our most important one. We’re offering a real alternative where great games can rise on their own merit, not marketing spend.”
Skich’s launch follows a court ruling last week which saw the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decide it would not overturn the verdict from the Epic vs Google case from 2023, as reported by The Verge.
At the time, the jury deemed Google Play and its billing system to be an illegal monopoly.
LONDON — The man accused of ramming his car into a parade of Liverpool soccer fans in May as the team was celebrating its Premier League triumph is to face a further 24 charges, including two relating to victims who were babies.
Paul Doyle, 53, was in tears as he appeared over videolink from prison for the Liverpool Crown Court hearing on Thursday.
During the hearing, he was informed of the new charges, 23 of which were for assault. Six of the new charges relate to children, including two babies aged 6 and 7 months at the time.
He was originally charged with seven offenses after the incident in the city center on May 26.
Doyle is expected to enter pleas on Sept. 4.
Fans had been celebrating Liverpool’s record-tying 20th title when Doyle allegedly drove down a street full of fans and joy quickly turned to tragedy. Police said they believed Doyle got through a roadblock by following an ambulance that was trying to reach a possible heart attack victim.
In a video the car could be seen hitting and sending a person wrapped in a red Liverpool flag into the air before swerving into a sea of people packed on the side of the road.
At least four people, including a child, had to be freed from beneath the vehicle when it came to a halt.
The victims ranged in age from 9 to 78, police said.
The suspect was believed to have acted alone and terrorism was not suspected, Merseyside Police said. They have not disclosed an alleged motive for the act.
The 13th event of the LIV Golf season gets started this week at LIV Golf Indianapolis, where the race for the season-long Individual Championship concludes. Serving as the host course is The Club at Chatham Hills.
RELATED: Team Power Rankings | Fantasy Preview | Play Fantasy
Here is who our experts like this week.
JASON CROOK, SENIOR DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER
INDIVIDUAL
Jon Rahm – It pays to be consistent and that will ring true (pun intended) for Jon Rahm this week in Indianapolis. Rahm has three runner-up finishes on the season and his worst finish of the season was a T11, allowing him to settle into second-place in the season-long standings. Considering the guy in first, Joaquin Niemann, has been essentially win-or-bust this year, I’ll take Rahm to win the tournament and take home back-to-back individual titles.
TEAM
Legion XIII – Rahm will be joined by his Legion XIII teammates on the podium come Sunday at The Club at Chatham Hills, and not just because they’re happy for him. Rahm’s consistency has trickled down his roster this season, with four wins and their worst finish being a 6th in Virginia. They’ll make it five wins this week and comfortably take the No. 1 overall seed heading into the Team Championship next week in Michigan.
MIKE MCALLISTER, DIRECTOR, EDITORIAL
INDIVIDUAL
Jon Rahm – At last year’s regular-season finale in Chicago, Jon Rahm won and Joaquin Niemann tied for second. I can see a repeat of that outcome, with one small twist — Niemann finishes solo second, which would allow him to dethrone Rahm for the season-long Individual Championship and win by less than 3 points. It’s been an incredible two-year duel between them. Can’t wait to see how it plays out this week.
TEAM
Fireballs GC – Sergio Garcia knows how to win on Pete Dye courses; Abraham Ancer has an excellent track record on them too. Josele Ballester’s hitting his stride and David Puig wants to stay inside the Lock Zone. With all those factors mixed in, give me the Fireballs this week.
BRYAN MULLEN, DIGITAL PRODUCER
INDIVIDUAL
Carlos Ortiz – The Torque GC star has been trending nicely, and his fourth-place finish at LIV Golf Chicago last week included a stellar 6-under 66 in Round 2, which tied for the lowest round of the week. While the Individual Championship is out of reach, Ortiz, who is ninth in the standings, loves a big stage on which to finish strong (remember his T4 at the U.S. Open at Oakmont?).
TEAM
Torque GC – Let’s not overthink this. Five podium finishes in 2025 and a runner-up after a playoff at LIV Golf Chicago has this team firing on all cylinders. Plus, Mito Pereira will be dialed in after a T13 in Chicago as he tries to avoid relegation after this week.
MATT VINCENZI, SENIOR WRITER
INDIVIDUAL
Abraham Ancer – Last week at LIV Golf Chicago, Abraham Ancer led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. Ancer has had some fantastic results at Pete Dye tracks throughout his career with strong finishes at the 2021 PGA Championship (T8, Kiawah Island), Harbour Town (2nd at 2020 RBC Heritage), PGA West Stadium Course (2nd at 2020 American Express), 4th at TPC River Highlands (2021 Travelers Championship) and TPC Sawgrass (T12 at the 2019 Players Championship).
TEAM
Fireballs GC – Fireballs GC has been trending with finishes of 2nd, T4 and T3 in their past three starts. Last week, Josele Ballester announced his presence in the world of golf with a T2 finish, leading the field Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (+1.87 per round). Captain Sergio Garcia was dialed with his approach shots on Sunday and should carry that momentum into this week. Abraham Ancer has a fantastic history on Pete Dye tracks and I expect him to contend on the individual side.
Cornell University researchers have developed a low-power microchip they call a “microwave brain,” the first processor to compute on both ultrafast data signals and wireless communication signals by harnessing the physics of microwaves.
Detailed August 11 in the journal Nature Electronics, the processor is the first, true microwave neural network and is fully integrated on a silicon microchip. It performs real-time frequency domain computation for tasks like radio signal decoding, radar target tracking and digital data processing, all while consuming less than 200 milliwatts of power.
“Because it’s able to distort in a programmable way across a wide band of frequencies instantaneously, it can be repurposed for several computing tasks,” said lead author Bal Govind, a doctoral student who conducted the research with Maxwell Anderson, also a doctoral student. “It bypasses a large number of signal processing steps that digital computers normally have to do.”
That capability is enabled by the chip’s design as a neural network, a computer system modeled on the brain, using interconnected modes produced in tunable waveguides. This allows it to recognize patterns and learn from data. But unlike traditional neural networks that rely on digital operations and step-by-step instructions timed by a clock, this network uses analog, nonlinear behavior in the microwave regime, allowing it to handle data streams in the tens of gigahertz – much faster than most digital chips.
“Bal threw away a lot of conventional circuit design to achieve this,” said Alyssa Apsel, professor of engineering, who was co-senior author with Peter McMahon, associate professor of applied and engineering physics. “Instead of trying to mimic the structure of digital neural networks exactly, he created something that looks more like a controlled mush of frequency behaviors that can ultimately give you high-performance computation.”
The chip can perform both low-level logic functions and complex tasks like identifying bit sequences or counting binary values in high-speed data. It achieved at or above 88% accuracy on multiple classification tasks involving wireless signal types, comparable to digital neural networks but with a fraction of the power and size.
In traditional digital systems, as tasks get more complex, you need more circuitry, more power and more error correction to maintain accuracy. But with our probabilistic approach, we’re able to maintain high accuracy on both simple and complex computations, without that added overhead.”
Bal Govind, lead author
The chip’s extreme sensitivity to inputs makes it well-suited for hardware security applications like sensing anomalies in wireless communications across multiple bands of microwave frequencies, according to the researchers.
“We also think that if we reduce the power consumption more, we can deploy it to applications like edge computing,” Apsel said, “You could deploy it on a smartwatch or a cellphone and build native models on your smart device instead of having to depend on a cloud server for everything.”
Though the chip is still experimental, the researchers are optimistic about its scalability. They are experimenting with ways to improve its accuracy and integrate it into existing microwave and digital processing platforms.
The work emerged from an exploratory effort within a larger project supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility, which is funded in part by the National Science Foundation.
Source:
Journal reference:
Govind, B., et al. (2025). An integrated microwave neural network for broadband computation and communication. Nature Electronics. doi.org/10.1038/s41928-025-01422-1
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains an aggressive subtype with historically limited therapeutic options, though recent advances have expanded the treatment armamentarium. The integration of immunotherapy into first-line regimens and the development of novel agents for relapsed/refractory disease have begun to alter clinical practice, with ongoing research focused on further improving outcomes across disease stages, according to Sonam Puri, MD.
In a presentation at a recent State of the Science Summit on lung cancer, Puri reviewed the current state of therapy for SCLC, highlighting the recent approval of the T-cell engager tarlatamab-dlle (Imdelltra) in this setting. She also discussed emerging treatment strategies on the horizon, underscoring their potential to further refine and expand options for patients.
Puri serves as the Clinical Research Medical Director at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.
OncLive: Historically, chemotherapy has been the standard of care for SCLC. How have durvalumab and tarlatamab reshaped this treatment paradigm?
Puri: Both immune checkpoint inhibitors and, now, T-cell engager therapy have changed the treatment landscape in the timeframe they were introduced. Immunotherapy is now part of first-line treatment for SCLC, and the two phase 3 studies that incorporated immunotherapy into practice included IMpower133 [NCT02763579], evaluating atezolizumab [Tecentriq], and CASPIAN [NCT03043872], evaluating durvalumab [Imfinzi] with first-line chemotherapy for extensive-stage SCLC [ES-SCLC]. In both studies, the addition of immunotherapy led to a significant improvement in overall survival in treatment-naive, ES disease.
Building on that, we’ve seen that regimens benefiting ES-SCLC are also likely to benefit patients in earlier stages treated with curative intent. Due to high relapse rates, there remains significant mortality even in earlier stages. Recently, the phase 3 ADRIATIC trial [NCT03703297] demonstrated that durvalumab as consolidation therapy after concurrent chemoradiation for limited-stage SCLC led to meaningful improvement in outcomes and survival.
Tarlatamab represents a paradigm shift for relapsed/refractory SCLC. Historically, this setting had minimal effective options and poor durability of response. Tarlatamab, a DLL3-targeted T-cell engager, functions as a form of targeted immunotherapy and has demonstrated promising and durable responses.
What are the next areas of research or emerging approaches in SCLC?
It’s an exciting time to be a SCLC researcher. We’re moving toward more personalized treatments, novel targets, and innovative approaches. Antibody-drug conjugates have shown promising activity, both in preclinical and early clinical settings. Beyond DLL3, we’re investigating other targets such as CEACAM6. Radiopharmaceuticals are also in development, targeting receptors such as DLL3 and SSTR. More sophisticated T-cell engagement strategies, including trispecific T-cell activators, and [strategies for] engaging other immune cells to enhance tumor targeting are on the horizon.
How have the phase 2 PHAROS (NCT03915951) and phase 3 CROWN (NCT03052608) trials advanced the understanding of oncogenic drivers in NSCLC, and what key insights have they provided?
The targeted therapy field for NSCLC remains a leader in personalized oncology, with new targets and improved targeted agents continually emerging.
PHAROS was a phase 2 study evaluating encorafenib [Braftovi] plus binimetinib [Mektovi] in both treatment-naive and previously treated patients with BRAF V600E–mutated NSCLC. This combination, already established in melanoma, demonstrated favorable safety and efficacy, and is now a preferred regimen for this molecular subset.
CROWN was a phase 3 trial comparing first-line lorlatinib [Lorbrena], a later-generation ALK inhibitor, with crizotinib [Xalkori], an earlier-generation ALK inhibitor, in advanced ALK-positive NSCLC. Lorlatinib demonstrated superior efficacy, including enhanced intracranial activity, establishing it as a preferred first-line treatment for ALK-positive disease.
What strategies can be implemented to accelerate and improve the early detection of lung cancer?
Regardless of advances in the treatment of advanced disease, the greatest opportunity to improve survival in lung cancer lies in early detection, as most patients are diagnosed at a late stage. Strategies to address this span the patient care continuum.
Increasing patient awareness of lung cancer screening criteria, as well as expanding these criteria to capture a broader range of at-risk populations, is essential. Improving access to screening through mobile units, [such as] the mobile screening program at Moffitt Cancer Center, can help reach underserved areas.
Establishing dedicated lung nodule clinics and implementing nodule tracking programs can reduce the risk of missed follow-up for incidentally detected nodules. Incorporating biomarkers and radiomics offers the potential to better stratify nodule risk, minimize unnecessary observation, and more accurately identify nodules that require biopsy. Additionally, advancing biopsy techniques to make them less invasive while improving tissue quality for molecular testing will further support earlier and more precise diagnosis.
The Prime Minister’s Media Coordinator, Badar Shahbaz, has been honored with the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in recognition of his outstanding services in the field of media during the “Maarka-e-Haq” (Battle for Truth).
He was lauded for his pivotal role in effectively highlighting the national stance both domestically and internationally by providing timely and accurate information.
Badar Shahbaz successfully countered opposing propaganda by presenting Pakistan’s narrative through various media channels. His professional acumen and strategic media management proved to be a milestone in promoting the country’s dignity. He became the voice of a nation facing an adversary that relied on misinformation, fake news, and false propaganda.
This award acknowledges Badar Shahbaz’s exceptional contributions, which have been instrumental in upholding the country’s position during challenging times.
Klarna boosts revenue to $1m per employee using AI
Buy-now-pay-later firm Klarna reported AI-driven sales growth for the second quarter, enabling the company to generate revenues of $1 million per employee.
The Swedish company said it had 20% like-for-like sales growth in the second quarter, with total revenues coming in at $823 million for the period.
The firm also saw adjusted operating profits of $29 million, up significantly from the first quarter’s $3 million.
“AI adoption continues to deliver significant, tangible results. As a result of this strategy, average revenue per employee reached $1.0m, up 46% [year on year in the second quarter],” the company said in its quarterly report.
Klarna has aggressively leveraged AI to boost productivity performance. It has shed two in five jobs over the past two years as a result. “This shift reflects the growing impact of AI and automation in eliminating manual, time-consuming work across Klarna,” the company had said in its first-quarter results.
— Ganesh Rao
Euro zone industrial output shrinks more than expected
A general view of production lines at the Mercedes-Benz assembly plant on June 4, 2025 in Rastatt, Germany.
Industrial output in the euro zone saw a month-on-month decline of 1.3% in June, preliminary data from statistics agency Eurostat showed on Thursday.
Economists polled by Reuters had been expecting a decline of 1%.
The decline, which marked a sharp downturn from the 1.1% monthly uptick in output seen in May, was driven by a slowdown in multiple countries, including Germany, and a fall in consumer goods production.
On a monthly basis, German industrial production was down by 2.3%, Eurostat’s data showed.
“Looking ahead, we think industrial production and overall economic activity will grow at only a slow pace in the second half of the year and beyond,” Andrew Kenningham, chief Europe economist at Capital Economics, said in a note following the data release.
“There should be some boost from looser fiscal policy in Germany, but it will not be huge and nor is it likely to last very long.”
— Chloe Taylor
European shares open higher
We’re half an hour into Thursday’s session, and the pan-European Stoxx 600 has so far gained 0.2%, with most sectors in positive territory.
The German DAX and France’s CAC 40 are both around 0.3% higher, while London’s FTSE 100 is down by 0.2%.
— Chloe Taylor
Carlsberg’s second-quarter sales miss expectations on soft volumes
Brent Lewin| Bloomberg | Getty Images
Danish brewer Carlsberg on Thursday reported slightly weaker-than-expected second-quarter sales on weaker volumes, but nevertheless raised its 2025 guidance towards the upper end.
The world’s third-largest brewer posted revenues of 25.7 billion Danish kroner ($4 billion) in the three months to June 30, just shy of the 26.4 forecast by analysts in an LSEG poll.
Reported operating profit in the first half of the year meanwhile came in at 7.23 billion Danish kroner, also below the 7.35 billion Danish kroner forecast. Organic volume growth over the period dipped 1.7%, including from the company’s recently exited San Miguel brand.
CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen cited a “spending pause” among consumers that he said was weighing on volume growth. “The volumes do not flow in the way they did a couple of years ago,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe.”
The company nevertheless raised its full-year profit guidance to growth of between 3% to 5% — up from 1% to 5% previously — and flagged strength in its premium and alcohol-free brews.
— Karen Gilchrist
Hopes of a sharp U.K. rebound ‘likely to be dashed,’ economist says
The Millennium Bridge during a heat wave on Aug. 12, 2025, in London.
Ben Montgomery | Getty Images
Month on month, the U.K. economy grew 0.4% in June after a 0.1% contraction in May, today’s preliminary data showed.
George Brown, a senior economist at Schroders, said the slowdown reflected a drop in manufacturing following tariff frontloading in the first quarter.
“This drag should ease in the third quarter, even against a tougher global trade backdrop,” he said.
“Still, hopes of a sharp rebound are likely to be dashed. The labour market has softened, and capacity constraints mean even tepid growth is generating inflation pressures.”
— Chloe Taylor, Holly Ellyatt
UK economy grows by better-than-expected 0.3% in second quarter
A waiter prepares a restaurant terrace ahead of opening in London, UK, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. U.K. employment plunged by the most in five years and wage growth slowed more than forecast.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The U.K. economy expanded by a better-than-expected 0.3% in the second quarter, according to preliminary estimates from the U.K.’s Office for National Statistics out on Thursday.
Economists polled by Reuters had expected the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to expand by a tepid 0.1% over the period, up from bumper growth of 0.7% in the first quarter.
Month-on-month, the economy grew 0.4% in June after a 0.1% contraction in May, failing to shake off the impact of U.S. tariffs and business uncertainty.
— Holly Ellyatt
How Putin could try to outmaneuver Trump when they meet
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin talk during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam November 11, 2017.
Jorge Silva | Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s standing in the West may be pretty low, but he’s a skilled and seasoned statesman who shouldn’t be underestimated, analysts say — and he’s likely to be looking to outmaneuver his less experienced U.S. counterpart when the leaders meet in Alaska on Friday.
Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump are meeting to try to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, but close followers of Moscow’s leadership are skeptical that any lasting resolution will be reached at the summit.
Read more from CNBC’s Holly Ellyatt here.
Here are the opening calls
The City of London financial district at sunrise.
Alexander Spatari | Moment | Getty Images
Good morning from London, and welcome to CNBC’s live blog covering all the action and business news in European financial markets on Thursday.
Futures data from IG suggests a generally positive open for European indexes, with London’s FTSE 100 seen opening 0.15% higher, France’s CAC 40 and Germany’s DAX are seen opening around the flatline, and Italy’s FTSE MIB slightly higher.
The pullback in sentiment among European bourses comes ahead of the latest indicator of the state of health of major regional economies, with gross domestic product readings from the U.K. and European Union on Thursday.
European markets had ended the day higher on Wednesday, with the pan-European Stoxx 600 index rising 0.55% after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite rallied to new records yesterday. Investors are gearing up for more inflation data to assess the state of the U.S. economy.
The producer price index, due Thursday, will be significant factors in the direction interest rates take at the Federal Reserve’s next meeting in September.
— Holly Ellyatt
What to keep an eye on Thursday
An aerial drone view shows the Reichstag (upper left corner) in Berlin, Germany, on February 22, 2025.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
Earnings are set to come from Adyen, Swiss Re, Hapag-Lloyd, RWE, Talanx, CVC Capital Partners, Aviva, Antofagasta and Carlsberg on Thursday.
On the data front, U.K. second-quarter preliminary gross domestic product figures are released at 7 a.m. London time, followed by the latest French inflation figures shortly after and the EU employment and GDP data at 10 a.m. London time.
