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Saving Scunthorpe steel plant came at major cost, report reveals

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The National Audit Office has praised the Government for acting quickly on the at-risk steel maker

The British Steel steelworks in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire

The British Steel steelworks in Scunthorpe(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

The Government has been praised for quickly intervening to save the Scunthorpe steelworks when it was at risk of closure – but there is a warning that the £377m cost of the initial deal is set to rise.

A new report from the National Audit Office (NAO) said the deal to save the blast furnaces prevented job losses and the likely wider economic shock if primary steel making had stopped in the UK. But it warns that Ministers went into the deal with “without a clear exit strategy” and the rescue package could cost £1.5bn by 2028, with ongoing operations costing around £1.3m a day.

Jingye, the owner of British Steel, and the Department of Business and Trade (DBT) had been in talks around transitioning to electric arc furnaces between 2022 and 2025, but had not reached an agreement.

Last March, Jingye announced it was losing £700,000 a day due to challenging market conditions, tariffs, and high environmental costs, and was considering the closure of the blast furnaces. This would have led to a large number of job losses at Scunthorpe and affected customers in the supply chain, such as Network Rail, said the report.

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As well as the £377m to keep British Steel operating, £15m was spent on advisers and £359 million to the company for operating activities such as paying for raw materials, payroll, and other costs.

Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said: “DBT was able to act quickly to save British Steel’s Scunthorpe furnaces from closure, avoiding heavy job losses and serious impacts on major UK infrastructure and construction projects.

“However, the trade-off is the significant cost of maintaining operations, and uncertainty over how long this will continue. “DBT should learn from this experience to be better prepared for future interventions.”

Alasdair McDiarmid, assistant general secretary of the Community union said: “The Labour Government took decisive action to secure the blast furnaces at Scunthorpe, saving thousands of jobs in the process. Following years of neglect, Labour are investing to protect our steelmaking capabilities and to start rebuilding our strategically important industry.

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“Should the Government have sat on its hands and allowed British Steel to collapse, the financial and social impacts would have been catastrophic. The Government made the right decision to invest now because local economies would have been decimated, our nation would have been less secure and we would have seen a massive and long-term increase to the welfare bill.”

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US judge questions ’shifting’ defense of Trump ballroom project

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US judge questions ’shifting’ defense of Trump ballroom project


US judge questions ’shifting’ defense of Trump ballroom project

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Gregory Yep becomes interim CEO at CJ Schwan’s

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Gregory Yep becomes interim CEO at CJ Schwan’s

Brian Schiegg no longer with frozen food company.

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Nvidia Stock Rises Ahead of GTC Event

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Nvidia Stock Gains

Nvidia stock was rising early on Monday ahead of its hotly anticipated GTC developer conference.

Nvidia shares were up 1.9% at $183.67 in premarket trading. The stock has been range-bound for months and investors are hoping product and partnership announcements made at the conference –which starts Monday and continues to Thursday– will finally reignite the chip maker’s rally.

BNP Paribas Equity Research senior analyst David O’Connor expects more details on Nvidia’s next-generation of chip architecture, named “Feynman” and expected to launch in 2028. He is also looking for potential news of a processor specifically designed for inference –generating output from artificial–intelligence models– and plans to increase the use of optical networking technology.

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Dauch Corporation (DCH) Presents at Bank of America Global Automotive Summit Transcript

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OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Unknown Analyst

Thank you so much for Join us. I wanted to really thank the Dauch team for being such a good partner from my 20 years at Bank of America. You’ve been involved from the debt and equity side, always with the investor focus. With us from Dauch, we’re joined David Dauch, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; and Chris May, Executive Vice President and CFO, and they’re joined by an extraordinary IR team, led by David Lim and Joe Pudlik, which I’m not sure if we’ve met yet, but I’m looking forward to talking in the future. The Dauch Corporation is kind of special to my heart because in 1998, when I first started, it was the very first plant that I visited was an American Axle plant. And I’m really thinking like, wow, this plant is so clean and auto industry is so great.

And then I visited about 10 other plants after that, and I realized like that plant was different, the first one I saw, how organized it was. So I recommend anyone starting in the auto industry to take a look at one of the Dauch plants, and they’re pretty special. So with that, I want to thank them again and thank the audience for being here. And why don’t we turn it over to Alex to kick up the first question.

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General Mills selling food business in Brazil

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General Mills selling food business in Brazil

Operation accounts for about $350 million in net sales.

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Amazon launches 1-hour and 3-hour delivery for additional fees

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Amazon launches 1-hour and 3-hour delivery for additional fees

Amazon announced Tuesday that customers in select locations can now receive even faster deliveries in as little as one or three hours for an additional fee.

The e-commerce giant noted that Prime members benefit from significantly lower service costs than non-members for the ultra-fast delivery option. 

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Members will pay $9.99 for the one-hour delivery and $4.99 for the three-hour option. Meanwhile, customers without a membership will pay $19.99 for the one-hour shipping and $14.99 for the three-hour alternative. 

“These new delivery options save customers time by bringing the selection typically available in local supercenters straight to their doorsteps,” the company said. 

MAJOR TECH COMPANIES BACK TRUMP PLEDGE TO PAY MORE FOR DATA CENTER ELECTRICITY AHEAD OF SIGNING

Amazon Prime van

An Amazon Prime Now Delivery employee delivers packages in New York City. (Getty Images / Getty Images)

According to the Seattle-based company, the one-hour delivery option is already available in hundreds of U.S. cities and towns, while the three-hour window has expanded to more than 2,000 locations.

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The one-hour option is available in several major and smaller cities, including Los Angeles; Chicago; Houston; Washington, D.C.; Nashville; Oklahoma City; Des Moines in Iowa; Boise in Idaho; and American Fork in Utah. 

The broader three-hour delivery network covers large, mid-size and smaller cities, as well as surrounding suburbs, including Cornwall, Pennsylvania; Harrah, Oklahoma; and Arabi, Louisiana.

GOOGLE COMMITS $1B TO NORTH CAROLINA DATA CENTERS AS AI DEMAND SURGES

amazon app with 'in 1 hour' and 'in 3 hours' delivery options

Amazon has launched ultra-fast one-hour and three-hour delivery options. (Amazon)

Customers can find eligible items using the app’s new “In 1 Hour” and “In 3 Hours” search filters. The company’s user interface and dedicated storefront page also highlight items that qualify for one- and three-hour delivery. Shoppers can also confirm exactly which options are available in their area by visiting www.amazon.com/getitfast. 

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Both accelerated shipping tiers will be available for more than 90,000 products, including everyday essentials and retail items such as pantry goods, beauty products, over-the-counter medications, electronics, toys, clothing, and home and garden supplies.

The faster delivery options reportedly leverage predictive AI inventory placement algorithms — which help forecast customer demand and strategically position products — alongside Amazon’s existing Same-Day Delivery sites, locations that already act as highly efficient all-in-one fulfillment hubs. 

amazon warehouse with robotics

Robots at the Amazon Robotics Innovation Hub during a Delivering the Future event in Westborough, Mass., Nov. 10, 2022.  (M Scott Brauer/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

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Amazon is also testing a service called “Amazon Now” in select locations to offer everyday essentials and fresh grocery items in 30 minutes or less.

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The service, which was launched in December 2025, is available in parts of Seattle and Philadelphia. 

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
AMZN AMAZON.COM INC. 215.20 +3.46 +1.63%

Prime members can expect discounted delivery fees starting at $3.99 per order, while non-Prime customers pay $13.99.

FOX Business reached out to Amazon for more information.

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Exxon Mobil: Avoid Being The Latecomer To The Energy Party (Downgrade) (NYSE:XOM)

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Exxon Mobil: Avoid Being The Latecomer To The Energy Party (Downgrade) (NYSE:XOM)

This article was written by

JR Research is an opportunistic investor. I was recognized by TipRanks as a Top Analyst, and also by Seeking Alpha as a “Top Analyst To Follow” for Technology, Software, and Internet, as well as for Growth and GARP. I identify attractive risk/reward opportunities supported by robust price action to potentially generate alpha well above the S&P 500. My picks have consistently demonstrated market outperformance over time. My approach combines timely and sharp price action analysis with fundamentals as my foundation. I also tend to avoid overhyped and overvalued stocks while capitalizing on battered stocks with significant upside recovery possibilities. I run the investing group Ultimate Growth Investing which specializes in identifying high-potential opportunities across various sectors. My main ideas revolve around stocks with strong growth potential, and also well-beaten contrarian plays. I designed the group for investors seeking to capitalize on growth stocks with solid fundamentals, robust buying momentum, and appealing turnaround plays to generate alpha consistently. Learn more

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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Hilary Duff Defends Mother Susan as ‘Supportive’ After Frankie Muniz Called Her ‘Super Intense’ Stage Mom

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Lil Wayne

Hilary Duff came to the defense of her mother and former manager, Susan Duff, on Monday, March 16, 2026, insisting she was “never pushed” into acting and describing their close working relationship as largely positive, despite recent resurfaced comments from her former costar Frankie Muniz labeling Susan “super intense” and the “epitome of a stage mom.”

Hilary Duff

In an exclusive interview with People magazine, Duff addressed the long-standing tension stemming from Muniz’s October 2025 podcast appearance, where he detailed how Susan’s involvement during the casting and production of their 2003 film “Agent Cody Banks” strained — and ultimately ended — his friendship with Duff.

“I was never pushed into acting,” Duff said firmly. “My mom was my manager, and it was nice having her at work — for better or for worse. She was supportive, and I loved having that security.”

The comments mark Duff’s first public response to Muniz’s remarks, which gained renewed attention in recent weeks amid ongoing discussions about child stardom and parental involvement in Hollywood. Duff emphasized that her entry into the industry felt organic and driven by her own interests.

Susan Duff, who managed both Hilary and her older sister Haylie’s careers, moved the family from Texas to California when Hilary was 6 to pursue show business opportunities. Hilary’s breakthrough came with the Disney Channel series “Lizzie McGuire” in 2001, followed by the “Agent Cody Banks” spy comedy, where she starred opposite Muniz.

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Muniz, now 40, recounted on “The Joe Vulpis Podcast” last fall that he and Duff had been close friends during their early Hollywood days. He described Duff as “so cool” and said they had “an awesome relationship.” However, he claimed Susan interfered when he casually mentioned the “Agent Cody Banks” audition to her while visiting Duff’s dressing room on the “Lizzie McGuire” set.

Muniz said Susan aggressively pursued the role for her daughter, contacting casting directors and pushing for Hilary’s involvement. He called her actions overstepping and “intense,” attributing the fallout to that incident.

“I look back at it now, and I go like: ‘What a dumb…’ I regret not just continuing to be friends with her,” Muniz said in the podcast. “We were friends. We had a great friendship for such a long time. And I let her mom… It pissed me off.”

He added that he hasn’t spoken to Duff since the last day of filming “Agent Cody Banks” in 2002, a silence spanning more than two decades. “I’ve never talked to Hilary since the last day of filming. I’ve not said one word to her since then.”

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Muniz expressed regret over allowing the situation to sever their bond, noting he would “love to catch up” and discuss it openly, believing Duff may be unaware of the full details.

Duff’s defense arrives as she reflects on her own experiences as a child actor and now as a mother of four. In the People interview, she highlighted the balance of having family involved in her professional life, acknowledging it wasn’t always perfect but rejecting the notion of coercion.

“My mom believed in me, and that meant a lot,” Duff said. “I chose this path, and she helped guide it. There were tough moments, sure, but I don’t look back with resentment.”

The exchange revives conversations about stage parents in entertainment, a topic that has drawn scrutiny in recent years with accounts from former child stars about pressure, boundaries and long-term impacts. Muniz, who stepped away from acting for years to pursue racing and other interests before returning, has spoken candidly about his own industry’s challenges, including advising his son against entering show business.

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Duff, 38, has maintained a steady career trajectory, transitioning from teen idol to actress, singer, entrepreneur and reality TV personality. She recently starred in projects and continues to release music, with her holiday hits and classic tracks remaining popular.

Neither Duff nor Muniz indicated plans for a public reconciliation, though Muniz’s expressed desire to reconnect leaves the door open. Representatives for both declined further comment beyond the published interviews.

The resurfacing of the decades-old anecdote underscores how past Hollywood experiences continue to shape public perceptions of child stardom. For Duff, the moment served as an opportunity to affirm her agency in her career and credit her mother’s role without apology.

As Duff promotes ongoing ventures and family life, her measured response highlights a nuanced view of the support system that propelled her to fame — one she views as protective rather than overbearing.

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Founder moves tofu beyond the refrigerator

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Founder moves tofu beyond the refrigerator

Tofu Go innovates in the bar category with on-the-go tofu bars.

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US median asking rent hits 4-year low in February

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US median asking rent hits 4-year low in February

American renters got some price relief in February as the national median asking rent dipped to the lowest level in four years, with some metro areas seeing notable declines.

An analysis by Realtor.com found that the median asking rent for 0 to 2-bedroom properties in the 50 largest metro areas declined for the 30th consecutive month, with the metric falling $29, or 1.7%, compared to a year ago in February. 

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The median asking rent in those markets was $1,667 – down 5.1% from its peak in summer 2022 but still14.2% higher than its pre-pandemic level. All 50 metro areas analyzed in the report had median asking rents below their peak level.

Realtor.com found that there were 15 markets that had median asking rents down at least 10% from their peaks as of February 2026, as renters in those metro areas have seen the most significant relief since the pandemic era.

RENO SURPASSES LAS VEGAS AS TOP DESTINATION FOR CALIFORNIA HOMEBUYERS SEEKING AFFORDABILITY

The skyline in Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas, saw the largest decline in median asking rent compared with its pandemic peak, Realtor.com found. (Rick Kern/Getty Images)

The steepest decline in the median asking rent from the pandemic peak was in Austin, Texas, which had seen the rental price decline 18.2% from its peak and 7.1% year over year.

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Birmingham, Alabama, ranked second with a 17.1% decline from the peak, while the median asking rent was down 3.4% from a year ago. 

The Memphis, Tennessee, metro area has seen a 16.1% decline, which ranked as the third deepest, while the rent declined 3.8% from last year.

MIAMI OVERTAKES LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK AS WORLD’S RISKIEST HOUSING MARKET FOR BUBBLE RISK

A view of the Las Vegas strip

Las Vegas was among the metro areas with a double-digit decline from its pandemic peak. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Other cities in the Sun Belt were among those that saw the largest decline in median asking rent, with Phoenix, Arizona, down 15.6% from its peak including a 4.4% decrease from a year ago.

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Atlanta was down 15.2% in February from the market’s peak, with prices down 2% from last year. 

Las Vegas had similar figures, with a 14.8% decline in the median asking price from its peak and 1.8% from a year ago.

AMERICA’S 10 MOST EXPENSIVE ZIP CODES REVEALED

San Diego, California

San Diego’s median asking rent was over 10% below its pandemic peak in February. (iStock)

San Diego has also seen a notable decline in the median asking rent from the pandemic peak, with it down 14.3% from its high and 3.7% from a year ago.

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Five metro areas have seen much more modest declines in the median asking rent when compared with the pandemic-era peak.

The metro area with the smallest decrease as of February was Virginia Beach, Virginia, which was down just 1.7% from the peak – in part because the median rent rose 4.5% in the last year.

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Kansas City was down 1.8% from the peak and had the median asking rent rise by 1% from a year ago, while Baltimore’s rental figure was down 2.4% from its peak and up 0.8% in the last year.

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