A top safety researcher at Anthropic’s has warned AI is advancing so quickly there is a greater than 10% chance it “could kill all humans” within the next decade.

Evan Hubinger said in a post on X, external the risk from the models which currently exist is “low”, but he was “worried” the technology may become able to improve itself to reach this point.

It comes after the Financial Times reported, external Anthropic withheld its latest model from the AI Safety Institute, which tests AI.

The BBC has approached Anthropic for comment.

In his latest post on X, which has been viewed 9.6 million times, Hubinger said “we really do earnestly believe” AI poses a species-ending risk to humans.

“I believe Anthropic is trying its best, but we do not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence and are not clearly on track to,” he said.

Leading figures in the AI field have been raising the alarm about the safety threat the tech poses for years, with the heads of OpenAI, Google Deepmind and Anthropic saying as much in 2023.

But those warnings have become much more stark in recent weeks, as evidence emerges that firms may be struggling to control AI.

Over the summer, there were a string of incidents where AI agents – AI systems that are allowed to operate autonomously – carried out cyber-attacks.

OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta all disclosed hacks carried out by their AI tools.

And in September, OpenAI’s chief scientist Jakub Pachocki called for “extreme caution” over AI’s progress, warning more intervention may be needed to ensure “humans remain in control of the future”.

Major figures in the space have been calling for AI development to be slowed in recent months, including Anthropic bosses Dario Amodei and Jared Kaplan.

In an open letter signed by 1,300 staff members of AI firms, external, they called for the US government to “support an international effort to develop the technical and governance tools needed to deliberately pace the frontier of automated AI development”.

Kavli said its 2025 results were impact by a familiar set of challenges

The makers of Primula cheese says reduced sales and higher costs have impacted profits.

But Gateshead-based Kavli UK Limited, part of the wider Scandinavian food group, has paid £3.6m to its charitable trust owner which distributes profits to good causes across the country. Newly published accounts of Kavli UK, which runs the Team Valley factory employing more than 280 people, show a 2.1% drop in turnover from £50.8m to £49.7m in 2025 and a fall in operating profits from £4.2m to £3.6m.

A dividend of £14m was also paid during the year through a share capital reduction move. Kavli said the results showed the impact of reduced sales, input cost price increases and higher labour costs.

The business is owned by the Kavli Trust, which since the early 1960s has existed to generate profits for good causes. Its giving is spread across three key “pillars” including 60% charitable work, 30% research and 10% culture.

Earlier this year, the Trust awarded more than £67,000 to Newcastle Carers for a pilot project providing structured and individual follow-up for young carers. It aims to break patterns of exclusion and mental strain by reducing the burden of care and helping children manage school and everyday life.

Ingrid Paasche, chief executive of Kavli Trust, said of the project: “Many young carers take on significant responsibility at an age when they should have freedom and security. This project gives them the opportunity to reclaim their everyday lives and to live fully at school and in their free time, while being seen, guided and supported.”

And in February, the Trust awarded more than £239,000 over three years to North East theatre group Mortal Fools. The organisation’s “Creative Health – National Development” initiative combines award-winning digital school programmes with local delivery in schools and communities.

With a focus on early intervention and prevention through creative activity, the project aims more than 50,000 children and young people during the 2025–2027 project period. The support from Kavli will also help train teachers and healthcare professionals.

Kavli was founded in 1893 by Olav Kavli, who opened a small cheese shop in Bergen, Norway. In 1924, he established his first factory, where he went on to invent the world’s first spreadable cheese – Primula – marking the beginning of what the company calls an exciting journey of innovation and growth.

Now, Kavli Holding AS owns and operates companies in Norway, Sweden, Finland and the UK, and employs more than 1,000 people. The group’s brands include Kavli, Q-Meieriene, Skyr, Primula, Castle MacLellan, Eriks, Johnny’s and El Taco Truck.

Fire is one of the biggest threats faced by small businesses in the Philippines. Whether you own a sari-sari store, café, restaurant, hardware shop, office, warehouse, pharmacy, salon, or retail store, a single fire incident can wipe out years of hard work within minutes.

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), thousands of fire incidents occur across the country every year. Aside from property damage, businesses also suffer from inventory losses, interrupted operations, employee displacement, and reduced customer trust.

This is why Fire Insurance for Small Businesses is one of the most important investments every entrepreneur should consider. It provides financial protection against fire-related losses and helps businesses recover faster after unexpected disasters.

In this guide, we’ll explain everything Philippine business owners need to know about fire insurance, including its benefits, coverage, exclusions, costs, and practical tips for choosing the right policy.

What Is Fire Insurance?

Fire insurance is a type of property insurance that compensates business owners for losses or damages caused by fire. Depending on the insurance provider and policy purchased, coverage may also extend to damages resulting from lightning, explosions, smoke, and other related risks.

For small businesses, fire insurance protects valuable assets such as:

• Commercial buildings
• Office equipment
• Furniture and fixtures
• Inventory and stocks
• Machinery
• Computers and electronics
• Warehouse contents
• Store improvements

Instead of paying for repairs or replacements entirely out of pocket, the insurance company helps shoulder eligible losses based on the terms of the policy.

Why Fire Insurance Is Important for Small Businesses

1. Protects Your Business Investment

Many Filipino entrepreneurs invest years of savings into starting a business. Fire insurance safeguards that investment by reducing the financial impact of unexpected disasters.

2. Helps Business Operations Recover Faster

After a fire, businesses often need funds immediately for repairs, replacing inventory, and purchasing equipment. Insurance payouts can help shorten downtime and allow operations to resume sooner.

3. Gives Peace of Mind

Knowing your business is financially protected allows owners to focus on growth instead of constantly worrying about unexpected emergencies.

4. May Be Required by Banks

If your commercial property or business loan is financed through a bank, fire insurance may be required as part of the loan agreement.

5. Protects Business Continuity

Without insurance, a major fire could permanently close a business. Fire insurance helps businesses survive catastrophic losses and continue serving customers.

What Does Fire Insurance Usually Cover?

Coverage varies depending on the insurer and policy selected. However, most commercial fire insurance policies commonly include:

• Damage caused directly by fire
• Lightning damage
• Smoke damage
• Damage caused while extinguishing the fire
• Explosion caused by fire
• Damage to insured buildings
• Business furniture
• Office equipment
• Computers and electronics
• Business inventory
• Machinery and production equipment
• Warehouse contents

Many insurance companies also allow businesses to purchase additional coverage through policy extensions.

Optional Coverages You May Consider

Many insurers offer optional riders or endorsements that provide broader protection.

• Earthquake and fire following earthquake
• Typhoon and flood coverage
• Riot and strike damage
• Malicious damage
• Burst pipes
• Vehicle impact
• Business interruption insurance
• Loss of rental income
• Debris removal expenses
• Architect and engineering fees
• Temporary relocation costs

Business interruption insurance is especially valuable because it helps replace lost income while your business is temporarily unable to operate after a covered event.

What Is Usually Not Covered?

Every insurance policy has exclusions. Common exclusions include:

• Intentional acts by the owner
• Fraudulent claims
• Normal wear and tear
• Poor maintenance
• War and terrorism (unless specifically covered)
• Nuclear incidents
• Illegal business activities
• Losses outside the policy period

Always read the policy carefully and ask the insurance company to explain any exclusions before purchasing coverage.

How Much Fire Insurance Do Small Businesses Need?

The amount of coverage depends on several factors:

• Replacement cost of the building
• Total value of business equipment
• Inventory value
• Furniture and fixtures
• Computers and office electronics
• Machinery
• Renovation costs

A common mistake is underinsuring a business. If your insured amount is significantly lower than the property’s replacement value, you may not receive enough compensation after a major fire.

How Much Does Fire Insurance Cost in the Philippines?

Insurance premiums vary depending on multiple factors, including:

• Business type
• Building construction
• Location
• Fire protection systems
• Claims history
• Coverage amount
• Optional riders selected

Businesses located in areas with lower fire risk and equipped with smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and sprinkler systems may qualify for more favorable premium rates compared to higher-risk properties.

Rather than choosing the cheapest policy, compare the coverage limits, exclusions, deductibles, and claim process to determine which option provides the best overall value.

How to Choose the Right Fire Insurance Policy

1. Assess Your Business Assets

Create a complete inventory of buildings, equipment, inventory, and other valuable assets.

2. Compare Multiple Insurance Providers

Obtain quotations from different insurers and compare:

• Coverage
• Premiums
• Deductibles
• Claim settlement reputation
• Customer support
• Additional benefits

3. Understand the Exclusions

Never purchase insurance based solely on price. Read the policy wording carefully.

4. Consider Business Interruption Coverage

Losing income while your business is closed can be more damaging than the fire itself.

5. Update Coverage Regularly

As your business grows, review your insurance annually to ensure your coverage keeps pace with new equipment, renovations, or increased inventory.

Tips to Reduce Fire Risks

Insurance is important, but prevention is even better.

• Install smoke detectors.
• Keep fire extinguishers accessible.
• Train employees on fire safety procedures.
• Avoid overloaded electrical outlets.
• Inspect wiring regularly.
• Maintain emergency exits.
• Store flammable materials properly.
• Conduct periodic fire drills.
• Follow BFP fire safety regulations.
• Keep important business documents backed up digitally.

What to Do After a Fire

If your business experiences a fire:

1. Ensure everyone’s safety first.
2. Contact emergency responders.
3. Notify your insurance company immediately.
4. Document all damages using photos and videos.
5. Prepare an inventory of damaged items.
6. Secure the property from further damage if safe to do so.
7. Submit all required claim documents promptly.
8. Coordinate with your insurance adjuster throughout the claims process.

Keeping purchase receipts, invoices, and updated asset records can significantly simplify the claims process.

Common Mistakes Small Business Owners Make

• Buying the cheapest policy without reviewing coverage.
• Underestimating property value.
• Not updating insurance after business expansion.
• Ignoring optional business interruption coverage.
• Failing to document business assets.
• Not reading policy exclusions.
• Waiting until after a disaster to purchase insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is fire insurance mandatory for all small businesses?

No. However, banks may require it for financed commercial properties, and it is strongly recommended for businesses with physical assets.

Can tenants get fire insurance?

Yes. Even if you rent your business space, you can insure your inventory, equipment, furniture, and leasehold improvements.

Does fire insurance cover inventory?

Yes, provided inventory is included in your policy and declared with an appropriate insured value.

How long does claim processing take?

The timeline varies depending on the insurer, the completeness of submitted documents, and the complexity of the claim.

Can home-based businesses get fire insurance?

Some insurers offer coverage for qualified home-based businesses. Check with your insurance provider regarding eligibility and policy options.

Fire can happen without warning, but the financial consequences don’t have to be devastating. Investing in Fire Insurance for Small Businesses in the Philippines is a practical way to protect your hard-earned assets, maintain business continuity, and recover more quickly from unexpected disasters.

Whether you’re operating a small retail shop, restaurant, warehouse, office, or service-based business, having the right insurance coverage can make the difference between a temporary setback and a permanent closure.

Before purchasing a policy, compare multiple insurance providers, understand the coverage and exclusions, accurately value your assets, and consider adding business interruption coverage for more comprehensive protection. Combined with proper fire prevention practices, fire insurance forms an essential part of responsible business risk management.

Business News Philippines was launched in October 2015 as a portal for readers to learn more about operating a business in the Philippines.

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One of the biggest financial decisions many people face is this: Should you buy a house first or start a business? There is no universal answer because every person’s financial situation, career goals, family responsibilities, and risk tolerance are different.

Some people believe that owning a home provides security and stability before taking entrepreneurial risks. Others argue that building a successful business first creates income that can later make buying a dream home much easier.

If you’re asking yourself, “Should I prioritize a house or a business?”, this guide will help you evaluate both options, understand their advantages and disadvantages, and make a smarter financial decision.

Why This Decision Matters

Both buying a house and starting a business require a significant financial commitment. In many cases, you may not have enough capital to do both at the same time.

Your choice today can influence your financial future for years, even decades. That’s why understanding the long-term impact is more important than simply following what friends or relatives recommend.

When Buying a House First Makes Sense

Purchasing a home is often viewed as a major life milestone. It provides stability and can become a valuable long-term asset.

Advantages of Buying a House First

• Stable Living Situation
  You no longer worry about rising rental costs or frequent moves.
• Build Home Equity
  Instead of paying rent every month, your payments help build ownership in your property.
• Potential Property Appreciation
  Real estate often increases in value over time, especially in growing cities and developing communities.
• Greater Family Security
  A permanent home offers emotional stability, especially for families with children.
• Easier Financial Planning
  Fixed mortgage payments can be easier to budget than fluctuating rental expenses.

Disadvantages

• Large down payment requirements
• Monthly mortgage obligations
• Property taxes and maintenance costs
• Less available capital for investments
• Reduced financial flexibility

If most of your savings go toward buying a home, you may have little remaining capital to invest in business opportunities.

When Starting a Business First Makes Sense

A successful business can generate income that far exceeds what traditional employment offers. Many entrepreneurs choose to invest in their businesses first before purchasing real estate.

Advantages of Starting a Business First

• Higher Income Potential
  A profitable business may generate significantly more income than your regular salary.
• Creates Multiple Income Streams
  Business profits can later fund investments, retirement savings, and property purchases.
• Greater Financial Growth
  Businesses have the potential to scale, increasing profits over time.
• Tax Advantages
  Depending on your country’s tax regulations, business owners may qualify for deductible business expenses.
• Future Home Purchase Becomes Easier
  A thriving business may allow you to purchase a home with less financial stress.

Disadvantages

• Higher financial risk
• Income may not be stable during the early years
• Long working hours
• Possible business losses
• No guarantee of success

Unlike real estate, businesses can fail if they are poorly managed or if market conditions change dramatically.

Consider Your Personal Financial Situation

Before deciding, honestly evaluate your finances.

Ask Yourself These Questions

• Do I have emergency savings?
• How stable is my current income?
• Do I have existing debts?
• Can I handle financial risks?
• Do I have dependents?
• How much capital do I have?
• Do I have entrepreneurial experience?

Your answers can reveal which option better aligns with your current financial position.

Business First: Who Is It Best For?

Starting a business before buying a house may be a good choice if you:

• Are young and have fewer financial obligations
• Already have a validated business idea
• Possess industry knowledge or experience
• Can tolerate financial uncertainty
• Want to build wealth faster
• Already have affordable housing arrangements

Many successful entrepreneurs rented modest homes while investing heavily in growing their businesses.

House First: Who Is It Best For?

Buying a house first may be more appropriate if you:

• Have a growing family
• Need housing stability
• Prefer lower financial risk
• Have a steady long-term career
• Already have sufficient savings
• Do not yet have a proven business concept

Can You Do Both?

Yes—but it requires careful planning.

Instead of making an all-or-nothing decision, many financially successful individuals gradually build both assets.

For example:

1. Build an emergency fund.
2. Start a small side business.
3. Grow business profits.
4. Save for a house down payment.
5. Purchase a home when business income becomes stable.

This balanced approach reduces financial stress while allowing both goals to progress.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Buying an Expensive House Too Early

A large mortgage can limit your ability to invest in opportunities that could grow your wealth.

2. Starting a Business Without Research

Never invest simply because others are doing it. Conduct market research and prepare a business plan.

3. Ignoring Emergency Savings

Unexpected expenses happen. Maintain at least three to six months of living expenses before making major financial commitments.

4. Depending on Debt

Borrow responsibly. Excessive debt can create financial pressure whether you buy a home or start a business.

Questions to Help You Decide

Consider these practical questions:

• Will this investment generate income?
• Can I comfortably afford the monthly payments?
• What happens if my income decreases?
• Am I financially prepared for unexpected emergencies?
• Will this decision improve my financial future?

The Best Strategy for Long-Term Wealth

For many people, the smartest strategy isn’t choosing one forever—it is choosing the right priority at the right stage of life.

If you have a profitable business opportunity with strong potential, investing in that business first could create the income needed to buy a better home later.

If your family urgently needs stability and your finances are secure, purchasing a home first may provide peace of mind while you slowly build a business on the side.

The key is avoiding decisions based solely on emotion or social pressure. Your financial goals should reflect your own circumstances—not someone else’s timeline.

So, should you buy a house first or start a business?

The answer depends on your income, financial stability, family responsibilities, risk tolerance, and long-term goals.

If your objective is maximizing wealth, many financial experts encourage investing in income-producing assets before acquiring lifestyle assets. A successful business can eventually pay for the home you truly want.

However, if stability, security, and family needs are your highest priorities, buying a home first may be the better decision.

Ultimately, the best investment is the one that moves you closer to financial freedom while allowing you to sleep peacefully at night.

Take time to evaluate your options, create a realistic financial plan, and remember that building wealth is a marathon—not a sprint.

Business News Philippines was launched in October 2015 as a portal for readers to learn more about operating a business in the Philippines.

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Learner drivers have to wait an average 20 weeks before booking a practical test, according to new figures, despite attempts to reduce delays.

The data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) for August is only a marginal improvement from an 20.2 weeks in July.

The average wait time between booking and sitting a test is unchanged at 11.1 weeks.

The DVSA initially had a target of reducing the average waiting time to seven weeks by the end of last year. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander pushed the target back to summer 2026, but admitted even that would not be possible.

SAN DIEGO — Qualcomm Inc. shares surged as much as 10% Tuesday after the company announced a multi-generational collaboration with Amazon to build customized silicon and advanced connectivity solutions for Amazon Web Services’ rapidly expanding artificial intelligence data center infrastructure, marking one of the chipmaker’s most significant moves yet into the AI infrastructure market.

Qualcomm Technologies said it will work with Amazon across multiple generations of customized silicon to support AWS’s AI infrastructure, with an initial focus on AI inference workloads, the process of running already-trained AI models efficiently at scale. The companies will also jointly develop high-performance optical connectivity solutions, including interconnects supporting speeds up to 1.6 terabits per second, drawing on Qualcomm’s advanced SerDes and optical DSP technologies to address growing bandwidth bottlenecks within AWS data centers.

Qualcomm President and CEO Cristiano Amon framed the partnership as a direct response to the accelerating infrastructure demands of the AI industry.

“As AI demand accelerates, data center infrastructure will require advances in both computing and connectivity to deliver greater performance with more efficiency,” Amon said. “Qualcomm is pleased to work with AWS on customized silicon and connectivity solutions, bringing decades of leadership in advanced processing and power-efficient compute, to deliver breakthrough performance and enable the next generation of AI infrastructure.”

AWS Vice President Prasad Kalyanaraman echoed that framing from Amazon’s side of the partnership.

“This collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies builds on a strong foundation of partnership and reflects our shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,” Kalyanaraman said. “By working together on customized silicon and advanced connectivity, we’re delivering more performant, efficient, and cost-effective infrastructure for our customers.”

As part of the expanded relationship, Qualcomm also said it plans to deepen its own use of AWS’s AI infrastructure, including Amazon Bedrock, specifically for electronic design automation workloads tied to chip design, with the goal of shortening its own internal chip development cycles.

The financial terms of the deal include a significant equity component. According to CNBC, Qualcomm issued Amazon a warrant to acquire up to 25 million shares of Qualcomm common stock at an exercise price of $161.26, a stake worth approximately $4 billion at that price. According to TipRanks, the warrant can be exercised without any cash payment and remains valid until 2036, with shares vesting in stages tied to Amazon signing commercial deals, placing firm orders, and purchasing Qualcomm’s server chips and related technology and services, up to a total cap of $60 billion.

Wall Street’s reaction to the announcement was immediate and pronounced. Qualcomm shares jumped as much as 9% to 10% in Tuesday trading, according to multiple reports, marking one of the stock’s largest single-day gains in months and adding roughly $9 billion to the company’s market value in a single session. The move came even as the broader market traded lower, with the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust down 0.47% during the same session, underscoring the deal-specific nature of Qualcomm’s rally.

The rally proved significant in the context of Qualcomm’s broader 2026 stock performance. According to 247wallst.com, Qualcomm shares had been up just 5% year to date heading into Tuesday’s session, meaning the single day’s gain accounted for essentially all of the stock’s advance for the year up to that point. By comparison, the broader PHLX Semiconductor Index had climbed 68% over the same period, leaving Qualcomm notably behind many of its chip industry peers before Tuesday’s announcement helped narrow that performance gap.

Rival chipmaker Broadcom, which has its own established custom AI silicon relationship with several major hyperscale cloud providers, also saw its shares tick higher on the news, rising roughly 3% in a “read-through” reaction reflecting broader investor enthusiasm for the custom AI silicon category as a whole. Amazon shares, meanwhile, traded roughly flat to slightly lower following the announcement, a muted reaction analysts attributed to the deal being read primarily as a Qualcomm growth story rather than a material development for Amazon’s own results.

The Qualcomm-Amazon partnership extends AWS’s broader custom-chip strategy beyond its existing in-house Trainium AI processors and its established relationship with incumbent supplier Broadcom, adding a third major silicon partner to Amazon’s AI infrastructure roadmap. According to AOL’s reporting, AWS’s total infrastructure backlog stood at $496 billion, with Amazon on pace to double its power capacity by the end of 2027 compared with 2025, underscoring the scale of demand driving the company’s search for additional silicon suppliers. AWS revenue reached $42.2 billion in Amazon’s most recent quarterly report, up 36.7% year over year, marking the segment’s fastest growth rate in 18 quarters and reflecting an annualized revenue run rate of $169 billion.

The deal marks Qualcomm’s second major hyperscale cloud partnership disclosed this year, following the company’s earlier unveiling of its Dragonfly C1000 data center processor in June, a chip Qualcomm has said Meta Platforms plans to deploy in production starting in 2028. Qualcomm has set a target of reaching $15 billion in data center revenue by fiscal 2029 as part of its broader strategic pivot beyond its traditional smartphone chip business, even as that pivot comes with lower gross margins on custom silicon compared with the company’s historical mobile chip business, alongside a roughly 20% decline in handset revenue that has continued weighing on Qualcomm’s overall results.

With the Amazon partnership now formally announced and Qualcomm’s market capitalization sitting near $189.7 billion, well below Broadcom’s roughly $1.755 trillion valuation, investors and analysts are likely to continue closely tracking how quickly the newly announced collaboration translates into concrete revenue for Qualcomm, given that Tuesday’s stock surge reflects considerable optimism about the deal’s long-term potential even before any meaningful near-term financial impact has materialized.

High rise for THC beverages

When flights are delayed or cancelled, UK and EU airlines, and other carriers when you are departing a UK or EU airport, have a duty to look after you.

The reason for the delay or cancellation does not matter. So anyone affected by the air transport delays will be eligible.

That includes providing meals and accommodation, if necessary, and getting you to your destination. The airline should organise putting you on an alternative flight, at no extra cost.

Additional losses, such as unused accommodation, might require a claim to a credit card provider, if that was the payment option used.

After that, a claim may need to go to your travel insurance provider. But there is no standard definition of what is covered.

It may require a close look at the details of the policy to see what is covered, and in which circumstances.

Passengers are also being urged to heed travel advice from the UK government, external, as this can also affect travel insurance rights.

The UK’s warmest summer on record has produced mixed results for businesses in south-west England and the Channel Islands, with some traders reporting higher visitor numbers and stronger demand for food and drink, while others say prolonged dry conditions cut output.

Provisional Met Office figures put the mean temperature for June, July and August at 16.5C (61.7F), the highest in a series stretching back to 1884. The Met Office said on 1 September that the figure was 1.9C above the 1991-2020 average and beat the previous record of 16.1C set in 2025, according to its summer 2026 statement. Rainfall over the three months was 195.4mm, 77 per cent of the seasonal average.

Meteorologists in Jersey and Guernsey confirmed both islands had their warmest summers on record, with average temperatures of 20.5C (68.9F) in Jersey and 18.9C (66.2F) in Guernsey.

The Avon Inn in Avonwick, Devon, reported a rise in trade after adding more outdoor seating. Manager Eda Iannone said the pub had seen “a fantastic summer for footfall”.

“We took a lot more bookings and we put a lot more outside events on with confidence, knowing that with the UK being weather dependent, they would go well,” she said.

Not every seasonal business gained from the heat. Christian Hocking, of ice cream seller Hocking’s in Appledore, Devon, said trade had been steady but customers were choosing water over ice cream because the heat suppressed appetite. “When it gets too hot, it does actually gets too hot for ice cream,” he said.

Separately, analysis by the thinktank Verdant put lost UK output from repeated heatwaves at £4.4bn by the end of July, citing reduced worker productivity and equipment shutdowns.

Guernsey Dairy said dry spells and high temperatures affected milk volumes from local farms, although supplies remained sufficient to meet daily demand across the island. Operations director Andrew Tabel said: “Our local dairy farmers and production teams have worked incredibly hard throughout this prolonged period of hot and dry weather.”

Rocquette Cider in Guernsey expects its apple harvest to be about 80 per cent lower than normal as a result of the hot weather. Manager James Miller described the outlook as “appalling”.

“The grass is very dry, we haven’t had to mow the grass at all,” Miller said. “The trees have been suffering, I think the only moisture they’ve been getting is from morning dew.”

He added: “Last year we had a good harvest, so we have a lot of cider stored which will carry us through, but two bad years would be devastating.”

The cider maker’s experience follows warnings from the Food and Drink Federation that drought will push up food prices into 2027, and a move by NatWest to offer repayment holidays to farming customers hit by reduced yields.

Tina Bessell of Cornish Lavender, based between St Agnes and Perranporth, said the heat produced a “fantastic” oil yield, although visitor numbers to the site fell on the hottest days. “The farm has loved the heat,” Bessell said. “I think I must be the only farmer in the South West that is happy with the heat.”

The National Trust for Jersey said extreme weather was affecting St Ouen’s Pond, where low water levels and algal growth are threatening a habitat used by migrating birds.

“Normally at this time of year we’d have all sorts of visitors like green sandpipers, curlews and we’ve had spoonbills visit us at this time of year before,” said Jon Parks of the trust. “They’re all looking for that wetland habitat, a chance to feed and there’s no water there, there isn’t that opportunity unfortunately.”

Parks said extreme summers were a “major contributing factor” to the problems at the pond, but stressed they were not the only cause.

Jamie Young

Jamie Young is Senior Reporter at Business Matters, covering SME finance, employment law and Westminster policy since 2016. He has reported on every Budget and Autumn Statement since 2018, helped make sense of the ‘covid era’ and the bounce-back loan scheme from launch through the fraud investigations, and broke the magazine’s coverage of the 2024 late-payment reforms. He joined Business Matters straight from completing his BA in Administration from Exeter University and is NCTJ-qualified. Reach him at jyoung@cbmeg.co.uk

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SEOUL — ‘s official YouTube channel surpassed 10 billion cumulative views on Sept. 3, according to an announcement from label YG Entertainment, making the seven-member K-pop group the second girl group in history to reach the milestone after labelmate BLACKPINK. But the achievement, while genuine, raises a broader question about what a YouTube view count actually measures, and why crossing round numbers of them has become one of the K-pop industry’s most reliable public relations moments.

YG said the group’s channel, launched in December 2022, reached the 10-billion mark roughly three years and eight months after its debut, making BABYMONSTER the fastest K-pop girl group ever to hit the threshold on a single official channel. Independent tracking service Social Blade confirmed the channel had crossed the mark by the following day. Among the group’s most-watched releases are “SHEESH,” with approximately 410 million views, “DRIP,” with 400 million, and debut single “BATTER UP,” with 340 million, while 17 total videos on the channel have now surpassed 100 million views apiece.

YG had signaled the approaching milestone well in advance. On Aug. 21, the label announced that BABYMONSTER’s channel had reached 13 million subscribers and 9.88 billion views, describing the group as “within reach” of the 10-billion mark and crediting the figures to what it called “the strength of their global fandom.” When the milestone officially arrived less than two weeks later, YG returned to similar language, describing the group as a “global top-tier artist.”

That pattern of pre-announcing an approaching threshold before formally confirming it is relatively unusual within the industry. A review of 33 YouTube milestone announcements from YG, HYBE-affiliated labels, SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and P Nation spanning 2018 to 2026 found that turning a view-count threshold into a press moment is a routine, recurring practice across the industry’s largest agencies, with roughly half of those announcements using language like “fastest,” “first” or “record” to frame the number as evidence of an artist’s global reach. Similar milestone announcements have accompanied BTS crossing seven and eight individual music videos surpassing 1 billion views each, TWICE surpassing 24 videos above 100 million views, and RIIZE’s channel reaching 1 billion total views at what SM described as the fastest pace among fifth-generation boy groups. But among that broader sample, advance notice of an approaching milestone, the way YG handled BABYMONSTER’s case in August, appeared only once elsewhere, with most agency announcements instead framed retrospectively after a threshold has already been crossed.

The practice is not unique to K-pop. Western labels have run comparable campaigns tied to round-number thresholds, including Adele’s “Hello,” which set a Guinness World Record as the fastest video to reach 1 billion views in 2016, and various billion-view milestones tied to Ed Sheeran’s catalog around the same period.

Beyond the marketing pattern, the underlying measurement itself has recently shifted in ways that complicate direct comparisons across different milestones. Until Aug. 24, a long-form YouTube video generally needed roughly 30 seconds of watch time before a view registered under the platform’s standard counting method. As of that date, YouTube began counting a view the moment playback starts, across long-form videos, Shorts and livestreams alike, a change that brought long-form content in line with the instant-count standard Shorts had already used since March 2025. The older, stricter standard did not disappear entirely; YouTube retained it as a separate metric now labeled “engaged views.” Because BABYMONSTER’s channel consists primarily of long-form music videos, its total is now tallied under the newer, looser counting rule, a change that took effect roughly 10 days before the group’s 10-billion announcement. There is no indication the rule change caused or meaningfully accelerated the group reaching the milestone, but it does mean that BABYMONSTER’s 10-billion milestone and earlier view-count records set by other artists were technically counted under somewhat different underlying standards.

YouTube maintains several other audience metrics that are frequently conflated with a simple view count but measure something different. The platform’s internal analytics tools separately estimate unique viewers for a given channel, though that figure is rarely the one publicized in milestone announcements. YouTube Music also now publishes a “Monthly Audience” figure for individual artist channels, an estimate of unique users who watched or listened to an artist’s content across the platform over the preceding month, a number specifically designed to answer how many people engaged with an artist rather than how many total views accumulated.

A raw view count differs meaningfully from the kind of audited or sampled figures used in industries like television, film and retail, where actual revenue often depends on distinguishing total activity from distinct individual audience members. K-pop has developed its own parallel measurement ecosystem to address that gap, including Hanteo Chart and Circle Chart, which track physical album sales through point-of-sale purchases and retailer shipments respectively, and newer platforms like K-Pop Radar, a self-described fandom data observatory launched in 2019 that aggregates activity across YouTube, Instagram, Spotify and other platforms. K-Pop Radar’s parent company, Space Oddity, was acquired in May by data firm BIGC, which said the deal would combine more than 1.3 billion fan data points into a platform intended to serve markets beyond Korea. None of these separate measurement systems, however, add up to a single, universally accepted popularity score for any given artist.

Despite the limitations of a raw view count as a precise measurement tool, the number continues to serve a specific and effective function for both labels and fans. Unlike a more precise metric such as unique viewers, a raw view count moves every time a fan replays a video, giving audiences a direct, tangible way to participate in a number’s growth simply by rewatching content they already enjoy. That participatory quality helps explain why labels continue prioritizing and publicizing view-count milestones over more sophisticated internal audience data they likely already possess but rarely share publicly, since a large, climbing number offers something both a company and its fan base can watch rise together in real time. Ten billion views does not tell the complete story of BABYMONSTER’s overall popularity, but it does make a portion of the group’s audience attention publicly visible, in a form the group’s global fan base helped generate and can continue to watch grow.