VA boosts EHR modernization contract with Oracle by $17B

The VA expanded its contract with Oracle Health by $17B and 3 years, extending it to 2031. The total could reach $27B. The system, initially tested in Spokane, has faced issues, including patient harm. The VA has not disclosed full taxpayer costs. The rollout was paused under Biden but accelerated under Trump.

Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Oracle issued $223B in bonds this year to fund AI, more than double 2025's total. Rising yields reflect increased supply and investor expectations. Yields on hyperscaler bonds range from 4.75% to 8%, with risks including credit quality and market saturation. Experts advise caution and due diligence.

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) and International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) support Paramount Skydance's $111B acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, urging California to drop antitrust challenges. They propose safeguards like separate studio operations and a 45-day theatrical window. Other unions, including WGA and SAG-AFTRA, oppose the merger, citing job and wage risks. The deal involves $54B-$57.5B in loans and $45.7B in equity from Larry Ellison, with $6B annual cos

Reuters analysis of LSEG data says Amazon, Alphabet, Meta and Oracle sold about $194B of AI-related corporate bonds in 2026 through early July, up 79% from about $108B in all 2025. Goldman expects AI-linked issuance from those firms plus Microsoft to reach $250B in 2026 and $400B in 2027. Investors report wider spreads and weaker demand, including a $25B Amazon sale.

Fortune Tech reports Meta faces a California federal trial over claims its Instagram and Facebook were designed to be addictive to children, with states seeking $1.4T in penalties. A Wall Street Journal analysis estimates nine big tech firms hold about $3T in off-balance-sheet AI commitments. OpenAI signed a 10 GW Ohio data-center lease with SB Energy, partly backstopped by Nvidia.

Oracle asked to voluntarily dismiss its Wisconsin lawsuit challenging PSC credit rating rules for data center developers tied to We Energies’ Port Washington project. The PSC declined to reopen the case. Oracle’s collateral costs could exceed $100 million annually if below A-. S&P cut Oracle to BBB- on July 9.