## Starbucks announces significant store closures and layoffs

Authored by cnn.com

Starbucks is taking “significant action” to turn around its struggling business, closing a large number of cafés and announcing a second round of layoffs at its headquarters as part of CEO Brian Niccol’s efforts to resuscitate the troubled chain.

Niccol announced Thursday that Starbucks will close hundreds of stores this month, or about 1% of its locations.

The company had 18,734 North American locations at the end of June, and the company said it will end September with 18,300 stores.

Shares of Starbucks (SBUX) were flat in premarket trading.

“This is a more significant action that we understand will impact partners and customers.

In addition to the store closures, Starbucks announced an additional 900 corporate layoffs, on top of the roughly 1,000 layoffs in February.

The company also tweaked its name to “Starbucks Coffee Company” to reinforce its coffee roots. »

### London’s infamous ‘Wet Wipe Island’ finally cleared of 5 million wipes

Authored by independent.co.uk

Approximately 5 million wet wipes have finally been removed from the infamous “Wet Wipe Island” on the River Thames.

Wet wipes and other non-biodegradable items are harmful to the environment because they can pollute rivers, harm wildlife and leave an unsightly mess.

He welcomed the government’s proposed ban on wet wipes containing plastics, and hopes it will prevent a wet wipe wasteland from ever forming again. »

### American Airlines passenger restrained with zip ties, duct tape after threats

Authored by fox8.com

According to a criminal complaint, Ketty Dilone was on an American Airlines flight from Punta Cana, with a connection in Charlotte on the way to Las Vegas, on Tuesday, September 16.

According to the criminal complaint, on the flight from Charlotte to Las Vegas, Dilone walked down the aisle yelling and reportedly threatened multiple flight attendants.

“Due to Dilone’s disruptive and threatening behavior, she had to be restrained in her seat with zip ties and duct tape,” a press release stated. »

### Scientist behind autism study cited by Trump admin paid $150K by plaintiffs suing Tylenol manufacturer

Authored by denver7.com

Baccarelli "cherry-picked and misrepresented study results and refused to acknowledge the role of genetics in the etiology" of autism and ADHD, Cote wrote in her opinion.

But he also distanced himself slightly from the conclusions suggested by Trump and his health officials that there was a definitive causal link between Tylenol use in pregnancy and autism.

"[E]evidence lends support to the possibility of a causal relationship between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism," Baccarelli said. »

### Poland seeks to ditch NATO, EU approval to down objects over Ukraine

Authored by euractiv.com

WARSAW – Poland is preparing to amend its law on military deployments abroad to allow its forces to shoot down Russian objects, such as drones, over Ukraine without prior NATO or EU approval.

The draft, submitted by the defence ministry in June, is expected to be fast-tracked, Gazeta Wyborcza reports.

Poland shot down suspected Russian drones that entered its airspace earlier in September, the first time a NATO member has fired on Russian assets during the conflict. »

## In pictures

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