DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Election win for Russia-friendly party in Georgia sets the stage for protests and possible violence
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-28 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Citizens and Georgian Dream Party supporters, carrying flags of Georgia and the Georgian Dream Party, attend the Georgian Dream Party's election rally. Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty ImagesMass protests are expected in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Monday after the ruling, Russia-friendly party Georgian Dream claimed victory in a contentious parliamentary election this weekend. "We do not accept these stolen election results," stated Tina Bokuchava, the leader of Georgia's main opposition party, the United National Movement, at a press briefing late on Saturday. "It was a total fraud, a total taking away of your votes," Zourabichvili told reporters, flanked by Georgian opposition party leaders, in comments reported by Reuters. Supporters of the Georgian Dream party celebrate at the party's headquarters after the announcement of exit poll results in parliamentary elections, in Tbilisi, Georgia October 26, 2024.

Persons: that's, Salome Zurabishvili, Georgia's, Irakli Kobakhidze, Bidzina Ivanishvili, Tina Bokuchava, Vano Shlamov, Bokuchava, Bidzina, Zourabichvili, Timothy Ash, Ash, Ivanishvili, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Irakli Gedenidze, Antony Blinken, Blinken Organizations: Georgian Dream Party, Anadolu, Getty, Georgian, European Union, NATO, United National Movement, National Movement, Afp, Reuters, BlueBay Asset Management, Kremlin's, TASS, Google, OSCE Office, Democratic, Human, European Locations: Georgia, Georgian, Tbilisi, Russia, Soviet, Soviet Union, Russian, EU, Washington, Moscow, Europe, Tbilisi , Georgia, U.S

☆ Microsoft calls out Google for running 'shadow campaigns' in Europe to influence regulators
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-28 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft took the unusual step on Monday of publicly criticizing longtime rival Google for running "shadow campaigns" in Europe designed to discredit the software giant with regulators. "This week an astroturf group organized by Google is launching," Microsoft lawyer Rima Alaily wrote. "We've been very public about our concerns with Microsoft's cloud licensing, a Google cloud spokesperson said in an email. Google funded the Coalition for Fair Software Licensing that last year asked the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to investigate Microsoft, Alaily wrote. WATCH: Google Cloud exec says Microsoft is in violation of EU antitrust laws

Persons: Rima Alaily, Alaily, Microsoft's, didn't Organizations: Microsoft, Google, Justice Department, Group, Open Cloud Coalition, DGA, European Commission, Amazon Web Services, Amazon, Coalition for, Software, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Cloud Infrastructure Services Locations: Europe, U.S, Monday's

☆ Advertisers and publishers call on Apple CEO Tim Cook to suspend the iPhone's new Distraction Control feature
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-22 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

French media and ad groups are calling on Apple to suspend its new "Distraction Control" feature, Business Insider is exclusively reporting. AdvertisementA group of French trade associations representing around 800 companies in the advertising and media sectors has sent an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, calling for the tech giant to suspend the rollout of the iPhone's new "Distraction Control" feature. Distraction Control, which became available with iOS 18 this fall, allows users of the iPhone's Safari browser to hide elements on webpages like images, pop-ups, or ads. The letter urges Apple to suspend the rollout of Distraction Control and to provide technical documentation about its functionalities and any planned updates. AdvertisementAppleInsider later reported Apple had changed the name of the feature from Web Eraser to Distraction Control and updated it to include a popup explaining that it would "not permanently remove ads."

Persons: —, Tim Cook, It'll, Apple, doesn't, Pierre Devoize, Alliance Digitale, AppleInsider Organizations: Apple, Service, Business, Europe's, Data, Alliance, de, Presse, Union des Marques, European Commission . Publishers, Safari, News Media Association, Publishers

☆ Europe’s centrists are flocking to the right on migration, as a far right surge and a border crisis spooks the continent
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-20 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Increasingly, Europe’s centrist figureheads are dropping their once-high-minded rhetoric on irregular migration, reaching instead for positions that were previously the preserve of the continent’s populist rabble-rousers. In Poland, like in much of Europe, “voters across the board expect that border security and migration controls are the priority,” Kucharczyk said. But Thursday’s victory for Tusk in Brussels underscores a broader, rightward shift across Europe on the issue of irregular migration. “It’s an existential issue for this coalition, and they don’t want to take chances on issues like migration,” Kucharczyk said. The wider question is whether the longstanding principles of the border-free Schengen Area can survive an enduring era of rising migration and populist subversion.

Persons: Donald Tusk, ” Tusk, Spain’s Pedro Sanchez –, Tusk, ” Jacek Kucharczyk, Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s, Olaf Scholz, ” Kucharczyk, ”, Adnan Beci, Ursula von der Leyen, Chancellor Scholz, Keir Starmer –, –, Scholz, Thomas Niedermueller, Italy’s, Giorgia Meloni, “, Marta Welander, PiS, Poland’s, Kucharczyk Organizations: CNN, European Union Council, of Public Affairs, Wednesday, Getty, European Commission, EU, Committee, Law and Justice, SPD, ISIS, – Locations: Brussels, Poland, EU, Belarus, Europe, Russia, Albania, Warsaw, AFP, EU’s, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Solingen, Hungary, Slovakia

☆ Moldova faces a tug of war between Russia and the West in two crucial votes
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-18 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Voters in Moldova will cast their ballots Sunday in two crucial votes, which have been billed as the most consequential in the country’s post-Soviet history. Alongside a more sophisticated misinformation campaign, Shor has resorted to cruder methods to meddle with Moldovan politics. Home to a Romanian-speaking majority and large Russian-speaking minority, many Moldovans had long viewed Russia as a benign big brother. “It reflects the loss of the national allure of Russia in Moldovan society,” he said. “There’s limits (to what can be achieved).”But even if Sandu prevails in both the presidential vote and the EU referendum, he expects the Kremlin’s campaign to continue.

Persons: Ilan Shor, Shor, ”, Dumitru Doru, Maia Sandu –, –, She’s, ” Vadim Pistrinciuc, Maia Sandu, Ursula von der Leyen, Elena Covalenco, Sandu, Nicu Popescu, Moldova’s, ” Popescu, “ Moldova can’t, ‘, Sandu’s, Daniel Mihailescu, Alexandr Stoianoglo, Stoianoglo, Maksim Samorukov, ” Samorukov, “, Viorel Cernauteanu, ” Cernauteanu, Dmitry Peskov, Pistrinciuc, ” Pistrinciuc, Lenin, Peter Dench, Samorukov Organizations: CNN — Voters, eventual, Union, Kremlin, Authorities, Western, World Bank, Party, Action, Solidarity, Communist, Institute for Strategic Initiatives, CNN, Getty, European Council, Foreign Relations, Gazprom, “, CBS, AXA, Russian Party of Socialists, EU, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Reuters Locations: Moldova, Russian, Moldovan, Russia, Chisinau, Shutterstock Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Transnistria, Soviet Union, Harvard, Romanian, Odesa, Moldova’s, Europe, AFP, Western Europe, Gazprom, “ Moldova, Bardar, ”, Moscow, Tiraspol

☆ Left and right prey on weak French government as it prepares 'austerity' budget
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier (C) ahead of his general policy statement to the French National Assembly in Paris on October 1, 2024. The budget is being widely previewed as an "austerity" budget that will see the government of new Prime Minister Michel Barnier present tax-hiking and cost-cutting measures that could rile opposition parties on both the left and right, and even the centrists that put him in power. In sum, Barnier's government is a fragile one and vulnerable to predatory challenges from the left and right of the political spectrum. But such a large dose of austerity may make even 1.1% growth difficult to achieve," he said in emailed analysis. "Finally, even if the budget is passed and does not dent economic growth too much, France's fiscal position would still be precarious.

Persons: Michel Barnier, Alain Jocard, Barnier, Antoine Armand, France's, —, La France Insoumise, Remon Haazen, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Andrew Kenningham, Kenningham, Marine Le Pen, Carsten Nickel, Nickel, Tom Weller, voigt, Benoit Tessier Organizations: French, French National Assembly, EU, Afp, Getty, National Assembly, Finance, European Commission, Republique, La, Populaire, Capital Economics, Republicans, Stade de France, Olympic Games Locations: Paris, France, La France, Europe, French

☆ China penalizes European brandy in tit-for-tat response
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-08 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

An investigation has preliminarily determined that dumping of brandy from the EU is threatening China’s own brandy sector with “substantial damage,” the Chinese Commerce Ministry said. It also accounted for 99% of China’s brandy imports last year, with French brandy shipments reaching $1.7 billion. The Chinese commerce ministry gave no details. Ahead of the vote, in late August, China had suspended its planned anti-dumping measures on EU brandy, in an apparent goodwill gesture, despite determining that EU brandy had been sold in China at below-market prices. At the time, the Commerce Ministry said its probe would end before January 5, 2025, but that it could be extended.

Persons: Hennessy, Remy Martin, Pernod Ricard, Remy Cointreau, Martell Organizations: Paris Reuters, European Union, Chinese Commerce Ministry, EU, Commerce Ministry, China’s Commerce, distillers, SAIC, European Locations: Beijing, Paris, China, France

☆ UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer attempts government reset less than 100 days into office
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-07 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks at a press conference, during his visit to the European Commission headquarters on October 2, 2024 in Brussels, Belgium. LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is seeking to reset his government and recover from a shaky first 100 days in office beset by policy misfires, doom mongering and a "freebie" scandal. "A challenge for the prime minister lies in the fact No. Keir Starmer now needs to show he's got control," he added. Former Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt has denied the claims as "fictitious."

Persons: Keir Starmer, Starmer, Sue Gray, Gray, Morgan McSweeney, Downing, James Lyons, Phillip Blond, thinktank, Tony Travers, Travers, he's, Rachel Reeves, Reeves, Jeremy Hunt Organizations: Britain's, European Commission, LONDON, Labour, CNBC, London School of Economics, Labour Party, Conservative, Treasury, Conservative Party, Former, Citi, KPMG, Employment Locations: Brussels, Belgium, TikTok, Ukraine

The European Union on Friday voted to adopt definitive tariffs on China-made battery electric vehicles. “Today, the European Commission’s proposal to impose definitive countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China has obtained the necessary support from E.U. Member States for the adoption of tariffs,” the E.U. first announced that it would slap higher tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports in June, on the grounds that they benefit “heavily from unfair subsidies” and pose a “threat of economic injury” to electric vehicle producers in Europe. to start investigations of potential tariffs, Germany has advocated against them, raising concerns about consequences for its own struggling carmakers.

Persons: Peter Szijjarto Organizations: Union, E.U, European, China’s Ministry of Commerce, Reuters, European Commission Locations: China, “, States, Europe, Beijing, E.U, France, Germany, Hungarian

☆ Auto giants are getting nervous about the prospect of mega fines as EV demand falters
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty ImagesEurope's top car giants appear to be increasingly concerned about the prospect of massive fines, particularly as electric vehicle demand falters ahead of the next tightening of carbon regulations. "The fines are massive actually. "Manufacturers are pretty much focused on conventional hybrids and ICE vehicles because they are much more profitable," ING's Luman said. Pooling refers to the process in which car manufacturers team up to be considered as one entity when calculating their performance against a CO2 emissions target. Not everyone is convinced that the sales challenge that Europe's car industry faces constitutes an industry-wide crisis.

Persons: Rico Luman, Europe's carmakers, Luman, Luca de Meo, ACEA, Tim McPhie, McPhie, ING's Luman, Sean Gallup, Xavier Demeulenaere, Demeulenaere, Brandon Bell Organizations: Volkswagen, ING, CNBC, videoconference, Renault, EV, Reuters, European Automobile Manufacturers ' Association, BMW, Ferrari, Volvo, European Commission, Ford, Benz Group, Manufacturers, Getty, P Global Mobility, Transport, Environment, Hill Locations: Anhui, Hefei, China, Europe, ACEA, Weissenfels, Germany, Austin , Texas

☆ Google to invest $1 billion in Thailand to build data center and accelerate AI growth
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Google announced Monday it is investing 36 billion Thai baht, or $1 billion, into Thailand for the creation of a new data center and expansion of the country's cloud infrastructure. The investment would see the company create its first data center in Thailand, Google said in a post on its Thailand blog Monday. Google said its debut Thai data center will be located in Chonburi, an eastern province of Thailand. The facility will "help support the growing demand for Google Cloud and AI innovations, as well as popular Google services such as Google Search, Google Maps and Google Workspace" in Thailand, Jackie Wang, Google's Thailand country lead, said in the blog post, according to an English translation taken via Google Translate. But the firm has increasingly come under threat from the surge of generative AI tools such as OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Persons: Jackie Wang, Wang, Thais Organizations: Google, Microsoft, Temasek, Bain & Company, Conomy SEA, Commission Locations: Zurich, Switzerland, Thailand, Asia, Chonburi, Southeast Asia

New U.S. tariffs on $18 billion in Chinese goods take effect Friday as trade tensions intensify between the world’s two largest economies. For example, the U.S. imports almost no Chinese EVs, largely because of an existing 27.5% tariff that is now increasing to 100%. Lithium-ion batteries, however, are a different story, accounting for about $13 billion of the $18 billion in affected Chinese goods. Similarly, the U.S. has been increasing its Chinese imports of natural graphite, another crucial component of EVs. “Cheaper Chinese solars and cheaper Chinese EVs can actually take jobs away from a lot of manufacturers in, say, the West.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, Chim Lee, ” Lee, Charles Benoit, “ that’s, Benoit, ”, Biden, Julie Kozack, Lee, it’s Organizations: Economist Intelligence Unit, Biden, China, European, Coalition for, Prosperous, International Monetary Fund, U.S Locations: U.S, Beijing, China, Asia, Southeast Asia, Mexico, Malaysia, Prosperous America

☆ CNBC Daily Open: Time to look at AI-adjacent plays
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Yeo Boon Ping | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. The Stoxx Europe 600 Bank Index fell 0.73% as investors monitored UniCredit's potential merger with Commerzbank . Done selling NvidiaNvidia CEO Jensen Huang is done selling the company's stock for now. In March, Huang set out a plan to sell up to six million Nvidia shares by first quarter of 2025.

Persons: Jensen Huang, Huang, Meta Organizations: CNBC, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Commerzbank, Google, Microsoft Google, European Commission, European Union, Microsoft, Nvidia, Bain & Company, Labs, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Locations: Europe

☆ Google files EU antitrust complaint accusing Microsoft of stifling cloud competition
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Google filed an antitrust complaint with the European Commission Wednesday accusing Microsoft of using unfair licensing contracts to stifle competition in the multibillion-dollar cloud computing industry. At the heart of Google's complaint is the allegation that Microsoft uses unfair licensing terms to "lock in" clients and exert control over the cloud market. Referring to the CISPE settlement, Microsoft said in a statement Wednesday that it expects the European Commission to dismiss Google's complaint. "Microsoft settled amicably similar concerns raised by European cloud providers, even after Google hoped they would keep litigating," a Microsoft spokesperson told CNBC via email. "Having failed to persuade European companies, we expect Google similarly will fail to persuade the European Commission."

Persons: CISPE Organizations: Google, European, Wednesday, Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Commission, CNBC, European Commission

☆ Europe could be drifting into a downturn as France and Germany fight economic and political woes
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Europe could be drifting in to a downturn as its biggest economies, Germany and France, fight political and economic woes at home. In Germany, composite purchasing manager's index (PMI data) measuring business activity in both sectors, came in at XXXX, down from XXX in August. In France, meanwhile, the composite PMI fell in September to an eight-month low of 47.4 from 53.1 in August. In the euro zone as a whole, the PMI data showed a decline from XXX last month to XXX, in September. Once Europe's poster-child for growth, Germany is now likened to the "sick man" of Europe by economists.

Persons: Pariser, —, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, J.P, Greg Fuzesi Organizations: Pariser Platz, PMI, Social Democratic Party, SPD Locations: Berlin, Germany, Europe, France, Brandenberg, Thuringia, Saxony, Morgan

☆ JD Vance suggested the US's support for NATO could be pulled if Europe tries to regulate X as free speech debate rumbles on
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

he continued, adding that it was "insane that we would support a military alliance if that military alliance isn't going to be pro-free speech." Breton addressed the letter to Musk ahead of the X owner's much-publicized interview with Trump, warning him against amplifying "harmful content." AdvertisementIn February, the former president even suggested that the US could let Russia attack non-paying NATO countries, much to the White House's ire. Related storiesAccording to NATO estimates, Poland is set to be the biggest NATO spender in 2024, allocating 4.12% of its GDP. For its part, NATO has acknowledged that there's been a historic imbalance between US military spending and that of non-US allies.

Persons: —, JD Vance, Elon Musk's X, Vance, Shawn Ryan Show, Donald Trump's, Musk, platformed Trump, Elon, Donald Trump, Thierry Breton, Breton, NICHOLAS KAMM, Trump, NATO spender, there's Organizations: Service, NATO, European Union, EU, Business, Trump, EU Commission, EU's Digital, DSA, European Commission, White, Getty Images, Alliance Locations: Russia, Canada, Spain, Poland, Estonia, United States

☆ Europe will loan war-torn Ukraine up to $39 billion to aid recovery
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

London CNN —The European Union will loan Ukraine up to €35 billion ($39 billion) to help rebuild its economy, the bloc’s executive arm announced Friday. Western nations froze Russia’s assets in bank accounts located in Europe and the United States as part of a massive wave of sanctions enacted after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Von der Leyen’s visit to Kyiv comes just as the winter heating season starts in Ukraine. Russia’s bombardments targeted at the country’s energy infrastructure have intensified in recent months, leaving Ukrainians vulnerable to power outages. On Thursday, the International Energy Agency said this coming winter will be the “sternest test yet” for Ukraine’s energy system.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, ”, Vladimir Putin, Von der Organizations: London CNN, European Union, International Energy Agency Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Europe, United States

☆ Ukraine’s energy supply faces ‘sternest test yet’ as war grinds toward third winter
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Ukraine’s electricity supply risks “severe disruptions” this winter, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned, urging Kyiv’s allies to help address the country’s energy security. Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with missiles and drones since its full-scale invasion in February 2022, but its bombardments have intensified recently, leaving the country in a precarious position as colder weather approaches. Ukraine has also attacked Russia’s energy infrastructure. In its report, the agency outlines 10 measures that Ukraine and its allies should implement to tackle risks to the country’s energy supply. She also noted that the EU had contributed at least €2 billion ($2.2 billion) toward Ukraine’s energy system since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

Persons: Kyiv’s, Fatih Birol, Ukraine’s, Ursula von der Leyen Organizations: CNN, International Energy Agency, European Union, Work, EU Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Denmark, Europe, Lithuania

☆ Google wins challenge against $1.7 billion EU antitrust fine
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Google won a legal challenge Wednesday against a €1.49 billion ($1.66 billion) antitrust fine from the European Union, while chipmaker Qualcomm failed to repeal a penalty. She scored two major wins last week: against Google in a separate case and against Apple’s tax deal with Irish authorities. The AdSense fine, one of a trio of fines that have cost Google a total of €8.25 billion ($9.18 billion), was triggered by a complaint from Microsoft in 2010. In Qualcomm’s case, the US chipmaker only managed to convince the General Court to trim its EU antitrust fine to €238.7 million from €242 million. Qualcomm, which can appeal to the European Court of Justice on points of law, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager Organizations: Google, European Union, Qualcomm, Big Tech, Irish, European Commission, European Court of Justice, EU, European Court, Microsoft, Nvidia, The

☆ Google wins court challenge to the EU's $1.7 billion antitrust fine over ad product
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A Google logo displays on a smartphone screen and the European flag on a computer screen. The European Union's second-highest court on Wednesday said a 1.5 billion euro ($1.7 billion) fine imposed on Google by regulators should be annulled, siding with the U.S. tech giant after it challenged the ruling. The case stems from 2019 when the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said Alphabet -owned Google had abused its market dominance in relation to a product called AdSense for Search. Google acts as an intermediary allowing advertisers to serve ads via search on third-party websites. The Commission fined Google 1.49 billion euros at the time.

Organizations: Google, U.S, European Commission

☆ Von der Leyen names European Commission's new top team
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends a press conference, on the day of a European Union leaders summit, in Brussels, Belgium March 22, 2024. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday named Spain's ecological transition minister Teresa Ribera as the bloc's next antitrust commissioner while Estonia's Kaja Kallas will be in charge of foreign policy. All commissioners will report to German conservative von der Leyen, who this summer was handed a second term as EU chief executive by member states after her political camp won the most votes in EU elections. A second Trump presidency could sharply alter Western unity on supporting Ukraine against Russia's invasion and up-end EU trade relations with the world's biggest economy. There was some drama on Monday on the next Commission's line-up, when France picked Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne as its new candidate after the incumbent, Thierry Breton, abruptly quit with tough words for von der Leyen.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, Teresa Ribera, Estonia's Kaja, Andrius, Stephane Sejourne, Slovakia's Maros Sefcovic, Ribera, Denmark's, Margrethe Vestager, der Leyen, Trump, Thierry Breton, von der Leyen Organizations: European Union, EU, French, Big Tech, U.S, Ukraine Locations: Brussels, Belgium, China, France

☆ Tech M&A has been thwarted by regulators, but dealmakers skeptical that election will change much
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Amazon abandoned its $1.7 billion purchase of iRobot in January after the FTC and European regulators raised concerns. Since peaking at $1.5 trillion in 2021, tech transaction volume has plummeted, dropping to $544 billion last year, according to Dealogic. Before the company announced its $27 billion purchase of data analytics software company Splunk last September, he said he viewed the risk as absolutely worth taking. Alphabet's last big deal was its $5.4 billion purchase of cybersecurity company Mandiant in 2022. Microsoft closed its massive $75 billion purchase of Activision in October, but it took 20 months and a protracted fight with U.S. and European regulators.

Persons: Lina Khan, Jonathan Kanter, Khan, Joe Biden, Drew Angerer, Biden, Permira, Thoma, Sen, JD Vance, Donald Trump's, Barry Diller, Reid Hoffman, Kamala Harris, Andrew Luh, Gunderson Dettmer, Figma, Dana Rao, Rao, We've, they've, Juniper, Salesforce, Antonio Neri, Pau Barrena, Neri, Sergio Letelier, hasn't, Letelier, Marc Benioff, It's Benioff's, Slack, Benioff, Derek Idemoto, who's, Idemoto, that's, Splunk, HPE's Letelier, it's, Harris, Trump Organizations: U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Justice, Brookings Institution, U.S, Senate, Getty, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Federal Trade Commission, iRobot, FTC, BlackRock, Thoma Bravo, KKR, Republican, CNBC, Democratic, Trump, Big Tech, Justice Department, DOJ, Apple, Meta, Adobe, European Commission, UK Competition, Markets Authority, Justice Department's Antitrust, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Mobile World Congress, MWC, AFP, Juniper, Markets, DOJ's Antitrust, European Union, EU, Software, Cisco, Activision, Foreign Investment, Regulators, Bloomberg, Tech Locations: Washington, Europe, Barcelona, Pau, Salesforce, United States

☆ The EU may be prepping to lend Ukraine up to $45 billion — with or without the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Hannah Abraham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

According to the FT, the EU plans to raise billions to help Ukraine by the end of the year. It comes after plans to use profits from Russia's frozen funds to help Ukraine fell short. Ukraine faces a $38 billion financial gap and relies on aid from the US and Western allies. AdvertisementThe EU is preparing to provide up to $45 billion in loans to Ukraine within the next four months, according to a report in the Financial Times. The move comes after a plan to use profits from Russia's frozen funds to help Ukraine ran into roadblocks.

Persons: —, Josep Borrell Organizations: Service, Financial Times, European Commission, Business Locations: Ukraine, Washington

☆ Breton says he is stepping down as France's EU commissioner, citing spat with von der Leyen
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

French European Commissioner Thierry Breton on Monday said he would step down as a member of the EU executive body over a rift with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, alleging that she had asked Paris to withdraw his candidacy. Von der Leyen is finalizing her list of commissioners for her second term leading the governing body, due to be presented to the public this week. In his resignation letter, which Breton posted on X, he said von der Leyen "a few days ago" had asked France to withdraw his name as its pick for the Commission "for personal reasons" in return for an "allegedly more influential portfolio". Von der Leyen's office did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The French presidency did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.

Persons: Thierry Breton, Ursula von der Leyen, Paris, Von der, Breton, von der Organizations: French, Big Tech, Reuters, EU Locations: France

CNN —At least eight people have died after some of the heaviest rain in years hit central and eastern Europe, causing flooding and widespread disruption. Rescuers have been working hard to rescue hundreds of people left stranded by heavy rainfall there. Garages and a house flooded in the town of Kłodzko, in Poland's southwest, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, after days of unusually heavy rain. Krzysztof Zatycki/APRising water along the Wien River during heavy rain on September 15, 2024, in Vienna, Austria. Many municipalities in Lower Austria have declared a state of emergency as heavy rainfall continued into Sunday.

Persons: Boris, Prudnicka, Cătălin Predoiu, Predoiu, Sofia Basalic, “, Gica Stan, Storm Boris, Krzysztof Zatycki, Christian Bruna, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Petr Pavel, Vlček, Miroslav Binar, Gabriel Kuchta, Tomas Benedikovic, Sergei Gapon, Ursula von der Leyen Organizations: CNN, Residents, AFP, Storm, Poland’s, ”, European Union, CNN Prima, Fire, Getty, European Commission Locations: Europe, Vienna, Bratislava, Prague, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Klodzko county, Moszczanka, Romania, Galati, Kłodzko, Poland's, Sunday, Wien, Klodzko, Klodzko County, Czech, ”, Krnov, Jesenik, AFP, Glucholazy, Benešově nad Černou, Saxony, Lower Austria

Search resuls for: "European Commission"

25 mentions found