Boeing workers have voted to accept a significant pay increase, bringing an end to a seven-week strike that severely disrupted operations at the aviation giant. The agreement, approved by 59% of union members, grants a 38% pay rise over the next four years.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) announced that employees will begin returning to work starting Wednesday, with all workers expected back by 12 November. The strike, which began on 13 September, involved approximately 30,000 workers and caused a substantial slowdown at Boeing’s factories, exacerbating the company’s ongoing production challenges.

In addition to the pay increase, the deal includes a one-time bonus of $12,000 (£9,300) and enhancements to workers’ retirement plans. “Through this victory and the strike that made it possible, IAM members have taken a stand for respect and fair wages in the workplace,” said IAM union leader Jon Holden.

The workers had initially demanded a 40% wage hike, rejecting Boeing’s previous offers. Despite the difficult negotiations, Boeing’s chief executive, Kelly Ortberg, expressed optimism, stating, “While the past few months have been difficult for all of us, we are all part of the same team. There is much work ahead to return to the excellence that made Boeing an iconic company.”

The strike drew national attention, with acting US Labor Secretary Julie Su traveling to Seattle to assist in the negotiations, underscoring the importance of Boeing to the American economy. The deal marks a hard-won victory for the workers and sets the stage for Boeing to resume full production.

Warren Buffett has further scaled back his investment in Apple, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of downsizing Berkshire Hathaway’s largest equity holding. According to the company’s third-quarter earnings report released on Saturday, Berkshire Hathaway held $69.9 billion worth of Apple shares as of the end of September. This figure suggests Buffett sold nearly 25% of his Apple stake, leaving the conglomerate with approximately 300 million shares.

Overall, Berkshire’s position in the tech giant has decreased by a substantial 67.2% since the third quarter of last year. Buffett, known as the “Oracle of Omaha,” began reducing his Apple investment in late 2023 and intensified the sales during the second quarter of this year, surprising many by offloading nearly half of his holding at that time.

Despite the sell-off, Apple remains a significant asset for Berkshire Hathaway, reflecting Buffett’s earlier confidence in the company that became a major pillar of his investment portfolio. The reasons behind the consistent reduction of the stake remain closely watched as the investment community speculates on the billionaire’s strategic moves.

A Russian court has imposed a staggering fine on Google amounting to two undecillion roubles—equivalent to $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 USD—for limiting Russian state media channels on YouTube. This unprecedented sum vastly exceeds Google’s valuation of around $2 trillion and even surpasses the global GDP, estimated at $110 trillion by the IMF.

The fine reportedly grows exponentially, doubling daily for each day it remains unpaid, according to the state news agency Tass. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented, admitting he “cannot even pronounce this number,” but urged Google’s leadership to take heed of Russia’s demands.

The fine relates to Google’s restriction of 17 Russian media channels on YouTube, which began in 2020 and intensified following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Western companies, including Google, scaled back operations in Russia amid tightened sanctions and European bans on Russian media, prompting reciprocal actions from Moscow.

Google has not issued a public statement on the matter, and the company has yet to respond to media requests for comment. This immense penalty marks a significant new phase in the ongoing tensions between Russia and the U.S.-based tech giant.