Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
TSMC Eyes 3nm Chip Production in Japan with $17 Billion Kumamoto Investment 
Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports 
Rio Tinto Shares Hit Record High After Ending Glencore Merger Talks 
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Says AI Investment Boom Is Just Beginning as NVDA Shares Surge 
CK Hutchison Launches Arbitration After Panama Court Revokes Canal Port Licences 
Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Alphabet’s Massive AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence in Google’s Growth Engine 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Baidu Approves $5 Billion Share Buyback and Plans First-Ever Dividend in 2026 
American Airlines CEO to Meet Pilots Union Amid Storm Response and Financial Concerns 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Uber Ordered to Pay $8.5 Million in Bellwether Sexual Assault Lawsuit 
KFC and Pizza Hut have stopped operating in Russia after its parent company, Yum Brands, announced it will close its restaurants there. It was stated that 70 locations of its fried chicken brand would be shut.
Russia is said to be a key market for Yum Brands, but due to the war in Ukraine, which was initiated by Vladimir Putin, it decided to put off all investments and development in the country. The move may hurt KFC as it was able to achieve record development in 2021 with help from the Russian market.
Reuters reported KFC’s 70 stores are confirmed to close, and for Pizza Hut, the agreement for suspension of its operations is still being finalized. An agreement is needed with the brand’s local master franchisee since Yum does not have much control over the restaurants they own. Once completed, it will be shutting 50 Pizza Hut outlets in the region.
Yum Brands owns at least 1,000 KFC stores in Russia, while almost all the Pizza Huts are owned by independent franchisees. Since the start of this week, the restaurant company has already discontinued all developments in its Russian fast-food outlets.
As mentioned in the Daily Mail Yum Brands’ action is in response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. It has now joined the growing list of US-based companies that are withdrawing from the country.
The fast-food firm is also donating $1 million worth of profits from its Russian operations to humanitarian efforts. Yum Brands Foundation will be forwarding the fund to the Red Cross to support people affected by the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Aside from the Red Cross, the Yum! Disaster Relief Fund will give to other charities, including UNICEF, International Rescue Committee, and the World Food Programme.
“This action builds on our decision to suspend all investment and restaurant development in Russia and redirect all profits from operations in Russia to humanitarian efforts,” Yum Brands said in a statement. “As always, we remain focused on the safety of our people in the region and will continue to support our teams in Ukraine while evaluating the ways Yum! Brands can make a positive impact in the region.”
