Uneasy about susan collins' backers | letter. Posted 3:00 PM Read all of our coverage of Maine's 2026 election or stay up to date with the latest developments through the Maine Political Report in your inbox or text messages from politics editor Kirby Wilson. Apollo Global Management purchased and sold off the assets of paper mills in Bucksport and Jay, resulting in the loss of more than 1,000 jobs for working-class Mainers. Furthermore, the current proposal to build an AI data center at one of these sites will only offer temporary construction work, with very few permanent positions created. This story is for subscribers. Choose a plan to keep reading. Fall Sale Unlimited Access $1 for 8 weeks * | 8 weeks of access for $1 * | Full access to our websites, ePapers and app * | Newsletters, archives, puzzles and games * | In-depth reporting, investigations and must-read stories * | Share access with up to four other people in your household Annual Digital $99 per year Billed annually - Save 56% * | One year of access for $99 * | Full access to our websites, ePapers and app * | In-depth reporting, investigations and must-read stories * | Share access with up to four other people in your household

SpaceX is in talks to raise $40bn in debt to buy Nvidia AI chips, with Apollo leading and Pimco in talks, according to some reports.

Informa to acquire Clarion Events for $2.97 billion. Maddy Ryley, Managing Editor * October 6, 2026 LONDON - Informa continues to dominate the global exhibitions industry with the acquisition of Clarion Events from asset manager Blackstone. The deal is expected to be completed in Q4 of 2026, subject to customary regulatory clearances. The £2.24 billion ($2.97 billion) acquisition is one of the industry's biggest deals in history, topping the amount that Apollo purchased Emerald and Questex for (Emerald transaction estimated at $1.5 billion), as well as Searchlight Capital's nearly $1.8 billion purchase of CloserStill Media. Deal Highlights According to Informa's press release about the acquisition, the enterprise value represents a multiple of 11.1x 2027 expected EBITDA. The deal also allows Informa to enter three high-growth strategic markets at scale through Clarion brands: Electronics (IFA Berlin), Defense and Security (DSEI) and Gaming (ICE in Barcelona). The acquisition also adds to Informa's existing portfolio in Energy (DISTRIBUTECH) and Technology (ITC Vegas). With Clarion's deep presence in the North American, Asian and European markets, Informa benefits from greater depth in the regions, and will explore opportunities to geo-locate and syndicate Clarion brands in the IMEA region, where Informa already has a strong foothold. The acquisition also supports the One Informa growth initiatives, which include lead generation, non-endemic sponsorship, digital and data services, and hotel and city partnerships. The Industry's Giant Just Got Bigger According to Grant Thornton Stax's Top 20 rankings of the biggest exhibition organizers by 2025 revenue, Clarion Events ranked No. 3 overall, and the highest of any privately-owned organizers. Informa took the top spot with revenue hitting $3.7 billion (30% growth from 2024), with a large portion of that revenue growth being attributed to its acquiring of Ascential, which brought Cannes Lions and Money20/20 into its portfolio. Before the Clarion acquisition, Informa's revenue already surpassed its nearest competitor, RX, by more than double its revenue from exhibitions. The press release from Informa also details the plans to combine the Informa and Clarion businesses, with Clarion CEO Lisa Hannant remaining in her role and joining the Informa Executive Leadership team. Informa Focuses on Core B2B Business The announcement of the acquisition came alongside Informa announcing its plans to separate its Taylor & Francis business. In a press release from Informa, CEO Stephen A. Carter stated: "The planned separation of Taylor & Francis coincides with further expansion in B2B through the £2.24bn acquisition of Clarion, the U.K.-based owner of more than 100 B2B Live Events brands. The combination will underscore Informa as the U.K.-listed, international leader in B2B Live Events, with annual Group revenues exceeding $6 billion and underlying growth of 7%+/-."