News 30 January 2026

Fidus Shares Halted Today Ahead of 3.3% Dividend
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Fidus Shares Halted Today Ahead of 3.3% Dividend

Fidus Investment shares last closed at $18.63 on Friday, down 0.59%, with Nasdaq shut Monday for Memorial Day. The company declared a $0.62 per share Q2 dividend, payable June 29 to holders as of June 16. Fidus reported Q1 net investment income of $24.6 million and $12.3 million in net realized losses. The stock trades about 4.7% below its March 31 net asset value.
May 25, 2026
Bumble and Match Cyberattacks Spread to Panera, Crunchbase as ShinyHunters Claims Data Hauls
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Bumble and Match Cyberattacks Spread to Panera, Crunchbase as ShinyHunters Claims Data Hauls

Bumble, Match Group, Panera Bread, and Crunchbase were hit by cyberattacks this week, with ShinyHunters leaking files and claiming wider breaches. Bumble and Match said no passwords or messages were exposed; Panera confirmed only contact details were stolen. Security experts warn of a growing voice-phishing campaign targeting corporate single sign-on credentials. Match and Bumble reported brief unauthorized access tied to phishing of contractor accounts.
January 30, 2026
China hits Kuaishou e-commerce unit Kuaigou with $3.8 million fine over “illegal acts”
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China hits Kuaishou e-commerce unit Kuaigou with $3.8 million fine over “illegal acts”

China’s market regulator fined Kuaigou, Kuaishou’s e-commerce arm, 26.7 million yuan ($3.84 million) for violations including unreasonable fees, poor consumer protections, and failure to curb counterfeit goods. The penalty follows a September investigation into illegal ads and misleading marketing. Kuaigou said it accepts the decision and will improve compliance.
January 30, 2026
Google opens Project Genie to U.S. Ultra subscribers, letting users generate interactive worlds
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Google opens Project Genie to U.S. Ultra subscribers, letting users generate interactive worlds

Google began rolling out Project Genie, an interactive world-building prototype, to AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. on Thursday. The tool uses DeepMind’s Genie 3, Nano Banana Pro, and Gemini to generate interactive scenes from text or images, with sessions capped at 60 seconds. Google describes Genie as a research prototype, not a finished product. Users must be 18 or older.
January 30, 2026
Verizon’s best subscriber surge in six years comes with upbeat 2026 forecast and a $25 billion buyback
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Verizon’s best subscriber surge in six years comes with upbeat 2026 forecast and a $25 billion buyback

Verizon raised its 2026 adjusted profit and free cash flow forecasts after adding 616,000 postpaid phone subscribers in the fourth quarter, its best result since 2019. The company approved a share buyback plan of up to $25 billion over three years, with at least $3 billion set for 2026. Fourth-quarter revenue reached $36.4 billion, with adjusted earnings of $1.09 per share.
January 30, 2026
Roblox faces Dutch watchdog probe over kids’ safety under EU rules
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Roblox faces Dutch watchdog probe over kids’ safety under EU rules

Dutch regulator ACM has opened an investigation into Roblox over child safety and compliance with the EU’s Digital Services Act. The probe examines whether Roblox protects minors from explicit content, scams, and manipulative design. ACM can order changes or fine the company if violations are found. Roblox says it is cooperating and introducing new age verification measures.
January 30, 2026
Perplexity’s $750 million Microsoft Azure deal raises a question: why keep AWS too?
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Perplexity’s $750 million Microsoft Azure deal raises a question: why keep AWS too?

Perplexity signed a $750 million, three-year Azure cloud deal with Microsoft, Bloomberg reported, citing sources. Microsoft confirmed the partnership but did not disclose terms. The agreement comes as Microsoft faces investor concerns over heavy AI spending and slowing cloud growth, with shares falling sharply after earnings. Perplexity, backed by Nvidia, is also facing a lawsuit from Amazon over automated shopping tools.
January 30, 2026
Pentagon vs Anthropic: AI guardrails dispute stalls $200 million military talks as Microsoft lands $750 million Perplexity deal
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Pentagon vs Anthropic: AI guardrails dispute stalls $200 million military talks as Microsoft lands $750 million Perplexity deal

Talks between the Pentagon and Anthropic over a potential $200 million AI contract have stalled due to disagreements on restricting military and surveillance uses, sources told Reuters. A recent Pentagon memo ordered “any lawful use” clauses in AI contracts. Anthropic says its AI is already used in national security and called negotiations “productive.” Perplexity signed a $750 million Azure cloud deal with Microsoft.
January 30, 2026
Apple’s iPhone 18 Launch Gets Upended: Foldable and Pro Models First, Standard Phone Slips to 2027
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Apple’s iPhone 18 Launch Gets Upended: Foldable and Pro Models First, Standard Phone Slips to 2027

Apple will delay the standard iPhone 18 launch to early 2027, focusing 2026 production on premium models and its first foldable iPhone, Nikkei Asia reported, citing four sources. The move comes amid memory chip shortages and supply-chain strains. Apple has not confirmed the timeline. CEO Tim Cook warned rising DRAM costs will further impact margins in the March quarter.
January 30, 2026
Google Chrome’s new Auto Browse AI agent can shop and plan trips for you — powered by Gemini 3
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Google Chrome’s new Auto Browse AI agent can shop and plan trips for you — powered by Gemini 3

Google has launched “auto browse” in Chrome, allowing its Gemini AI to perform multi-step tasks across websites for users. The feature is available as a U.S. preview for paying AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers. Gemini now appears in a pinned side panel and can access apps like Gmail and Maps. Chrome will also support the Universal Commerce Protocol, an open standard for agent-led shopping.
January 30, 2026
Pay with your palm in the UAE: Central bank pilots face-and-palm biometric payments as Amazon pulls back
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Pay with your palm in the UAE: Central bank pilots face-and-palm biometric payments as Amazon pulls back

The UAE central bank has launched a pilot allowing payments by facial or palm scans at the Dubai Land Department, calling it a regional first. The system uses technology from Network International and PopID. The pilot runs as Amazon prepares to end its Amazon One palm-pay service after limited adoption. No timeline for a broader rollout has been set.
January 30, 2026
FCC loosens 6 GHz Wi‑Fi rules — new higher‑power outdoor devices get green light
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FCC loosens 6 GHz Wi‑Fi rules — new higher‑power outdoor devices get green light

The FCC has approved geofenced variable power devices for unlicensed use in the 6 GHz band, allowing higher power operation indoors and outdoors under new rules. The order sets power limits, creates exclusion zones, and seeks comment on expanding 6 GHz access, including for cruise ships. Industry groups welcomed the move, citing potential for increased Wi-Fi capacity and new device types.
January 30, 2026
Apple iOS 26.3 brings new carrier location-privacy switch as EU-only iPhone features expand
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Apple iOS 26.3 brings new carrier location-privacy switch as EU-only iPhone features expand

Apple has launched a “Limit Precise Location” feature for select iPhones and iPads running iOS 26.3, reducing the accuracy of location data shared with mobile networks. The option is available in Europe and a handful of other markets, limited to certain models and carriers. Apple says the setting does not affect emergency calls or app-based location sharing. The update also adds Europe-only features to meet EU rules.
January 30, 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • Oil prices drop below $100 on Iran peace deal hopes, markets rise
    May 25, 2026, 8:37 AM EDT. Oil prices fell below $100 a barrel for the first time in two weeks as hopes grow for a US-Iran peace deal. Brent crude dropped 5.5% to just under $98. The conflict's focal point remains Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy chokepoint. Equity markets responded positively, with Japan's Nikkei up nearly 3% and Europe's Stoxx 600 rising 0.8%. The dollar weakened while the pound hit its highest level since May. Analysts caution markets remain wary as past negotiations have stalled. Inflation fears have driven central banks to consider further rate hikes, with the Bank of England expected to raise rates twice in 2024.