The parent company of Taco Bell released its quarterly earnings report on Thursday and said that Taco Bell sales fell amid the cyclospora outbreak, though there were early signs of recovery in the last week.

Yum Brands – which operates fast-food chains like KFC and Pizza Hut as well as Taco Bell – said the Mexican-style chain’s sales were down 2% quarter to date through July 27.

“Since the U.S. food safety industry issue became front and center only two weeks ago, we saw maximum impact to sales over the weekend of July 18,” Yum Brands CFO Ranjith Roy said on the company’s quarterly earnings call.

“It is early days, but in the subsequent week, sales declines have moderated materially, and we are seeing steady improvement in day-over-day sales trends,” Roy added.

RFK JR SAYS SOURCE OF CYCLOSPORA OUTBREAK IDENTIFIED, DECLARES PARASITE OUTBREAK ‘UNDER CONTROL’

Taco Bell’s sales dipped following the cyclospora outbreak, but have shown signs of recovery in the last week. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Roy went on to say in response to an analyst’s question that “if you take the average sales for the last four days, which includes the weekend and the first two days of this week, we are halfway back to sales levels of the prior year.”

The cyclospora outbreak is under investigation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with state and local partners. It has been linked to iceberg lettuce that was sourced from central Mexico through Taylor Farms de Mexico.

Taylor Farms’ U.S. business initiated a voluntary recall that also included iceberg lettuce sold under the Taylor Fresh Foods and Marketside brands. The company has noted that the FDA hasn’t identified a single positive product test result for cyclospora after a false positive was reported by the agency.

FDA SAYS TAYLOR FARMS CYCLOSPORA LETTUCE TEST WAS A FALSE POSITIVE

Cyclospora cases with exposure to Taco Bell have been reported in nine states, including Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Yum Brands CEO Christopher Turner said that “our top priority is, and always will be, the safety and well-being of our consumers. With respect to the consumer sentiment, though, we’ve seen real improvement as consumers have understood better the nature of the issue and they understand that it is not a Taco Bell-specific issue.”

WEIGHT-LOSS JOKE TURNS SERIOUS AS ‘CYCLOSPORA SKINNY’ TREND FUELS HEALTH WARNINGS

Taco Bell removed potentially affected lettuce from a supplier after the FDA linked it to a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Turner added that there’s “been no change in our measures of brand love” and that some of those metrics have seen growth in positivity, while Taco Bell’s share of the conversation around food safety has declined.

“The best proof point is that consumers are coming back to the restaurants on a steady basis. We’ve seen steady improvement in those sales trends,” he said, noting that the chain’s Tuesday release of a Mexican pizza special drove the most transactions and loyalty acquisitions of any Taco Bell Tuesday drop.

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“There is no brand and no team better equipped to drive a recovery in this temporary sales impact than Taco Bell,” he added.

Publix is recalling all lots of its GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries sold across eight states over concerns they may be contaminated with E. coli, expanding an earlier recall tied to a single lot of frozen blueberries.

The Lakeland, Florida-based grocery chain said Wednesday it is voluntarily recalling all lots of the frozen fruit products “out of an abundance of caution” after public health officials’ trace back and epidemiological investigation linked them to a multistate E. coli O145 outbreak.

The recalled products were distributed to Publix stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. 

The company said it implemented an internal stop sale at the end of June, and the products remain unavailable for purchase.

ABOUT 1.5M RECHARGEABLE HAND WARMERS RECALLED AFTER 1 DEATH, HUNDREDS OF BURN INJURIES REPORTED

A package of Publix GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries is shown. Publix recalled all lots of its GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries over potential E. coli O145 contamination. (FDA / Unknown)

The expanded recall follows a July 3 recall by Chilean supplier Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. involving a single lot of GreenWise Organic Blueberries. Publix said it broadened the recall to include all lots of GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries based on information gathered during the ongoing public health investigation.

Customers are being urged not to consume the recalled products and should either throw them away or return them to any Publix store for a full refund. The affected products are GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries in 10-ounce packages (UPC 41415-06453) and 48-ounce packages (UPC 41415-12053), along with GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries in 10-ounce packages (UPC 41415-06753) and 48-ounce packages (UPC 41415-12153).

According to the Food and Drug Administration, Escherichia coli O145:H28 is a Shiga toxin-producing strain of E. coli that can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that may be bloody and vomiting. While most healthy people recover within about a week, some infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially serious complication that is more likely to affect young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

POPULAR GROCERY CHAIN RECALLS COOKIES IN 9 STATES AND DC AFTER LABELING ERROR

A package of Publix GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries is shown. The retailer expanded its recall to all lots of the frozen berry products following a public health investigation into a multistate E. coli outbreak. (FDA / Unknown)

FOX Business reached out to Publix for additional comment, including whether any illnesses have been linked to products sold at its stores and what prompted the company to expand the recall to all lots. Publix did not immediately respond.

The entrance to a Publix Super Market on July 30, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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Customers with questions can contact Publix Customer Care at (800) 242-1227 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Additional information about the outbreak investigation is available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the U.S., operates more than 1,400 stores across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Ocoopa Direct is recalling about 1.5 million rechargeable hand warmers following hundreds of burn injuries and one reported death.

The lithium-ion batteries in the recalled products can overheat and catch fire, posing a risk of “serious injury or death from fire and burn hazards,” according to a notice Thursday from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Ocoopa Direct has received 1,480 reports of the hand warmers overheating, including 15 fires and 350 burn injuries, the CPSC said.

POPULAR GROCERY CHAIN RECALLS COOKIES IN 9 STATES AND DC AFTER LABELING ERROR

Ocoopa Direct has received 1,480 reports of the hand warmers overheating, including 15 fires and 350 burn injuries, the CPSC said. (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

An 83-year-old consumer in San Diego died in February after an incident involving one of the hand warmers, according to the agency.

The recall covers Ocoopa rechargeable hand warmers with model numbers UT3053, UT3056, ZLS-118, ZLS-118S, ZLS-118D, H01 and H01(PD). 

The hand warmers were sold in various colors and designs, according to the CPSC.

BROOKLYN ROASTING COMPANY RECALLS COLD BREW SOLD IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY OVER BOTULISM RISK

The lithium-ion batteries in the hand warmers can overheat and catch fire, posing a risk of “serious injury or death from fire and burn hazards.” (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

“The dual-sided, rechargeable hand warmers were sold in varying colors and designs, in packs of two warmers that can magnetically be joined and with a charging cable,” the announcement noted.

The products were sold online through Amazon, Ocoopa and Walmart between September 2018 and May 2026 for $15 to $60.

TARGET, KROGER, MEIJER FRUIT PURÉE POUCHES RECALLED OVER PLASTIC RISK: FDA

The products were sold online through Amazon, Ocoopa.net and Walmart.com between September 2018 and May 2026 for $15 to $60. (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

“Consumers should stop using the recalled hand warmers immediately and contact OCOOPA Direct for a full refund in the form of an Ocoopa gift card or the original form of payment,” the announcement said.

The CPSC also warned consumers not to throw the recalled products in the trash or place them in regular recycling or battery collection bins.

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For more information about the recalled products, visit the CPSC’s website.

FOX Business reached out to Ocoopa Direct for comment.

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Water companies have performance commitments on issues such as leakage.

It is illegal to release raw sewage into rivers and seas during “normal” weather conditions, but firms are allowed to do so when it rains heavily, to prevent homes being flooded.

Thames is the UK’s largest water company, supplying water and wastewater services to 16 million customers across London and parts of southern England.

Speaking to the BBC’s Big Boss Interview podcast, Weston said the company treats 4.3 billion litres of waste a day, and “99.5% of the time” it gets treated successfully, although “sometimes something goes wrong”.

“We want to do better when it comes to pollutions,” he said, but added, “the targets that the company is expected to make are not realistic.

“[For example], we have to hit a certain level of leakage, but it is so far in excess of what we are capable of doing, I think anyone would be capable of doing, however much money you invested, that it is not going to be achievable.”

The chance of getting to zero pollution was “very, very slim”, he added.

Ofwat told the BBC: “With around a fifth of water put into supply still lost through leakage, companies must deliver on the commitments they have been funded to achieve.

“Water company targets are intended to be ambitious and drive better outcomes for customers and the environment.”

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “[We] and the public expect Thames Water to comply with the law,” adding that the agency would continue to hold companies to account where performance falls short.

James Wallace, chief executive of campaign group River Action, said: “Thames Water’s tactics of opacity and deflection fool no-one. Telling the public to save water while this wasteful profit-obsessed corporation leaks 570 million litres of treated drinking water every day is offensive.

“There is nothing ‘realistic’ about accepting sewage pollution as inevitable. The choice is simple: keep propping up a failed privatised financial model, or put Thames Water into special administration and rebuild it as a public utility serving customers, rivers and the public.”

The Powerball jackpot climbed to $707 million after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Wednesday night, making it the second-largest lottery prize awarded so far this year, though the eventual winner will end up taking home considerably less once taxes and deductions are applied.

Wednesday’s drawing produced the numbers 30, 36, 40, 42 and 57, along with a red Powerball number of 2. With no winning ticket sold, the jackpot rolls over and grows ahead of the next scheduled drawing on Saturday night.

Whoever eventually wins the jackpot will face a choice between two payout structures. The winner can select the full $707 million prize distributed across 30 annual installments, or opt for a one-time lump-sum cash payment of $309.7 million, the option most lottery winners historically choose given the immediate access to funds it provides.

Either path comes with a substantial tax bill. If the winner selects the cash option, a mandatory 24% federal withholding tax is applied immediately, reducing the $309.7 million prize to $235.4 million. Because lottery winnings of this size push winners into the highest federal tax bracket, the winner would likely face an additional marginal tax rate as high as 37% depending on their overall taxable income, further reducing the final payout to approximately $195.1 million.

Winners who instead choose the 30-year installment option would receive annual payments of roughly $23.5 million before taxes, a figure that drops to approximately $14.8 million per year once the top 37% federal marginal tax rate is applied to each installment.

State taxes add another layer of variation to how much winners ultimately keep, depending on where they live. Some states, including New York, tax lottery winnings at rates as high as 10.9%, while other states, including Texas, Florida and California, do not tax lottery winnings at the state level at all, meaning a winner’s home state can meaningfully affect their final take-home amount regardless of which national payout option they select.

This week’s drawing marks the first time UK lottery players have had the opportunity to win the Powerball jackpot, following an expansion that began last week allowing British players to participate in the U.S.-based game. Lottery officials have said the addition of UK ticket sales to the overall prize pool is expected to produce faster-growing jackpots over time, since a larger pool of participating players across both countries increases how quickly unclaimed prize money accumulates between winning drawings.

The rules differ somewhat for UK winners specifically. If the Powerball jackpot winner turns out to be a UK ticket holder, they will not have the option to select the lump-sum cash payout available to U.S. winners, and can only receive their prize distributed across the standard 30 annual installments. The advertised jackpot amount for UK players is listed separately at £377 million, or approximately $503.5 million, a figure that appears notably lower than the $707 million U.S. prize. According to the UK National Lottery, that lower advertised figure reflects the estimated total a UK-based winner would actually receive over the full 30-year payout period, after accounting for currency exchange rate fluctuations and UK-specific tax requirements applied to the winnings.

Wednesday’s rollover keeps the Powerball jackpot on track to become the second-largest completed lottery prize of the year, behind only the $800 million Mega Millions jackpot claimed by a Florida ticket buyer earlier this week. The largest Powerball jackpot actually won so far in 2026 stands at $250.8 million, claimed by a lottery player from Arkansas.

The odds facing anyone attempting to win the Powerball jackpot remain extraordinarily long. A single ticket faces roughly 1-in-292.2 million odds of matching all the numbers required to claim the jackpot, a figure that is itself slightly worse than the already remote 1-in-290.4 million odds associated with winning the Mega Millions jackpot, the other major multistate lottery game played across the United States.

Despite the astronomically long odds, both Mega Millions and Powerball continue to draw significant public interest whenever their jackpots climb into the hundreds of millions of dollars, driven in part by extensive media coverage of rising prize totals and the relatively low cost of purchasing individual tickets compared with the potential winnings on offer. Ticket sales for both games have historically accelerated sharply as advertised jackpots grow larger, a pattern that has repeated again this week as the Powerball prize has climbed toward its current $707 million total following Wednesday night’s rollover.

With no winner emerging from Wednesday’s drawing, attention now turns to Saturday night’s Powerball drawing, when the jackpot is expected to grow further still if once again no ticket matches all six numbers, continuing a stretch that has already produced one of the largest prize totals of the year across America’s two major national lottery games.

Apple spooked Wall Street on Thursday with a warning it would likely take a “significant” hit from expected supply constraints for some of its popular products.

Shares in the company fell in after- hours trading by more than 7%, even as Apple showed a 16% increase in revenue to $109b (£81b) thanks in part to unexpectedly high iPhone sales, and a 26% increase in profits to $29b.

Outgoing chief executive Tim Cook said while certain supply constraints had already shown up this year with the availability of Mac computers, that was expected to worsen. It will also spread to affect iPhone and iPad products.

“We’re seeing some very significant constraints currently with limited flexibility in the supply chain to remedy it,” Cook said.

One of the supply constraints was in key chip components of Apple’s products, the firm said.

Devices such as Macs and iPhones require microprocessors with “advanced nodes” – essentially computer chip technology that allows them to operate more quickly – most of which Apple has manufactured through TSMC, which is based in Taiwan.

However, Cook insisted that the core issue was unexpected demand, mainly for iPhone and Mac products. Sales of those products grew 22% and 25% respectively during the June quarter.

Earlier this year, Apple said its iPhone 17 was so in demand that its launch was the biggest in the company’s history.

“This is not a regular supply issue, it’s a demand forecast issue to be candid,” Cook added. “We’ve got a quarter ahead where we’ll be scrambling on the supply side.”

Apple also noted that its gross margin, or the amount of money it keeps from every sale, was 2% larger than it otherwise would have been during the last three months because of tariff refunds. That would mean the company received roughly $1.1b in such refunds, according to calculations by the BBC.

Cook said Apple intended to “reinvest the tariff refunds into the US”.

The company previously said, external it intended to put $600b toward building out more domestic manufacturing over the next four years. China is currently the largest manufacturer of Apple’s products.

Cook also addressed Apple’s impending public relaunch of Siri, an AI assistant that the company has seemingly struggled to make competitive in an era of proliferating AI chatbots from the likes of OpenAI and Anthropic.

While the new version of Siri AI is still in public beta, essentially a testing phase before broader release, Cook said it is part of “an enormous opportunity for Apple going forward in AI.”

“The ability to run on device is also very strategic, and sort of a competitive weapon, if you will,” Cook said.

He added that negotiations with authorities in the European Union about releasing the new version of Siri are ongoing with the goal of making it available “to everyone, everywhere at the same time.”