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Poland withdrew last-minute objections to a global minimum corporate tax, unblocking a whole package of linked agreements that includes the loan to Ukraine, invaded by Russia almost 10 months ago. "The next six months will demand even greater efforts from us," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told the 27 EU leaders gathered in Brussels, asking them for more support from air defences to energy equipment. EU leaders also agreed a ninth package of sanctions against Russia for waging the war against Ukraine, diplomats said. The decision, which requires unanimity, came after EU Russia hawks Poland and Lithuania had warned that proposed exceptions for food security might in fact benefit Russian oligarchs in the fertilizer business. Poorer EU countries want a coordinated response and warned richer member states like Germany against supporting their industries without showing solidarity with the rest of the bloc.

WASHINGTON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which enforces rules against deceptive practices, has contacted Twitter to ask if the company still has the resources to comply with a privacy consent decree, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Those concerns prompted the FTC last month to say it was "tracking recent developments at Twitter with deep concern. No CEO or company is above the law, and companies must follow our consent decrees," it said at the time. In a settlement in May, Twitter agreed to pay $150 million and assess potential features for data privacy and security issues. That settlement, in turn, was prompted by assertions that the company had violated a prior consent decree reached in 2011 after two data breaches, with Twitter pledging then that it would not mislead users about privacy protections.

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Representative Jim Jordan, who will chair the House Judiciary Committee next Congress, gave a hint of what is to come with letters sent to five big tech companies requesting information about conservative material removed from their platforms. Republicans won control of the House in the midterm elections, which will give them control of key committees in January with the power to investigate and even subpoena witnesses. Jordan and other Republicans have argued that the companies stifle conservative voices, something that they have denied. "House Republicans have written a number of prior letters to you in attempts to obtain relevant information. "Committee Republicans will continue to pursue these matters, including into the 118th Congress if necessary."

☆ From bloody Balkan war to World Cup heavyweight: the making of Croatia as a soccer nation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Croatia’s World Cup pedigree is an altogether different story. Štimac challenges Clarence Seedorf of the Netherlands during the 1998 World Cup third place playoff match, which Croatia won 2-1. The Croatia players celebrate a goal against France in the 1998 World Cup semifinals. Having been appointed after the team’s qualification for the 2018 World Cup, Dalić came with pressure on his shoulders. Antonio Bronic/Reuters“There is no place in the national team dressing room of Croatia for big egos, and everyone knows that.

"The legal precedent is not on the side of the FTC," said Andre Barlow, an antitrust lawyer at Doyle, Barlow & Mazard PLLC. Barlow pointed to three recent mergers challenged by the FTC or Justice Department that were ultimately allowed to proceed. Those cases share something else in common with the proposed Microsoft deal: in each instance, a company would merge with a supplier in a so-called "vertical" merger. "Vertical merger challenges are really difficult to win so it will be an uphill battle for the FTC," said Roger Alford, who teaches law at the University of Notre Dame. Reuters reported last month that Microsoft was expected to offer remedies to EU antitrust regulators in the coming weeks to stave off formal objections to the deal.

WASHINGTON/SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec 8 (Reuters) - The Federal Trade Commission, which enforces antitrust law, is about to engage in a real-life courtroom fight over virtual reality. On Thursday, a high-profile trial kicks off in which the FTC will try to prevent Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) from buying virtual reality app developer Within Inc. The FTC sued in July to stop the deal, saying Meta's acquisition of Within would "tend to create a monopoly" in the market for virtual reality (VR) fitness apps. The majority of the more than 400 apps available in the Quest app store are produced by external developers. Meta owns the most popular virtual reality app in the Quest app store, Beat Saber, which it acquired in 2019.

WASHINGTON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - The chair of the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, on Tuesday said giant companies like Ticketmaster (LYV.N), which faces a tsunami of criticism for problems in selling tickets to a 2023 Taylor Swift tour, can become "too big to care." "There can be concerns that when firms become (large) they can become too big to care," she added, saying giant firms may feel no need to invest in innovation because they do not face tough competition. Ticketmaster has drawn fresh heat from U.S. lawmakers over how it handled ticket sales for Swift's first tour in five years. Last month, U.S. lawmakers pressed the FTC to enforce a 2016 law against ticket scalpers using bots after Ticketmaster blamed the software for troubles selling tickets to Swift's tour. Ticketmaster has blamed problems with presale ticketing for the tour on unprecedented demand and an effort to keep out bots run by ticket scalpers.

☆ Heaviest Ukraine fighting rages in the east, NATO seeks to sustain support against Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

This brutalization of Ukraine’s people is barbaric,” Blinken told a news conference in Bucharest following a two-day NATO meeting. At the NATO foreign ministers meeting, allies Wednesday pledged to help Moldova, Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina as they face pressure from Russia, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and ministers said. Russia invaded Ukraine in February in what it calls a “special military operation” to rid Ukraine of nationalists it considers dangerous. “We are analyzing the intentions of the occupiers and preparing countermeasures — tougher countermeasures than is now the case,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an address Wednesday evening. “We haven’t seen these Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles for about two weeks ... the first batch has probably already run out,” he told Ukraine’s main television network.

WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Skeptical lawmakers from across the political spectrum questioned executives at grocers Kroger Co (KR.N) and Albertsons Companies Inc (ACI.N) on Tuesday about their planned $25 billion merger amid concerns the tie-up could boost already-high food prices. The deal will be reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission to ensure it is legal under antitrust law. Stores under the Albertsons umbrella include Balducci's, Haggen, Kings, Safeway, Star Market, Tom Thumb, United Supermarkets and Vons, among others. The companies have also been criticized for a plan to give Albertsons' shareholders a $4 billion dividend payment. Senator Tom Cotton, a conservative Republican, criticized Kroger for the company's aprons with a design that appeared to support gay pride.

☆ Heaviest Ukraine fighting rages in east, West seeks to sustain support against Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Ukrainian servicemen fire with a Bureviy multiple launch rocket system at a position in Donetsk region, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, Ukraine November 29, 2022. In Washington, a $1.2 billion contract for six National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) for Ukraine was awarded to Raytheon, the Pentagon said. At the NATO foreign ministers meeting, allies on Wednesday pledged to help Moldova, Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina as they face pressure from Russia, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and ministers said. Russia invaded Ukraine nine months ago in what it calls a "special military operation" to rid Ukraine of nationalists it considers dangerous. "We haven't seen these Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles for about two weeks ... the first batch has probably already run out," he told Ukraine's main television network.

[1/4] U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends the "Foreign Ministers of Partners at Risk of Russian Disinformation and Destabilization" session at the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Bucharest, Romania, November 30, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan NenovBUCHAREST, Nov 30 (Reuters) - NATO foreign ministers will on Wednesday seek to reassure fragile countries in Russia's neighbourhood that they fear could be destabilised by Russia as the conflict in Ukraine drags on, squeezing energy supplies and pushing up prices. Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told reporters that NATO wanted to be ensure that, after the war in Ukraine, Russia would have "no chance to dictate security options and a way of life to its neighbours". Bosnian Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic, invited to join the NATO meeting, said she was concerned about Russia's intentions for her country. "The stability in western Balkans is important for peace," Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani said.

REUTERS/Lisi NiesnerCompanies Lockheed Martin Corp FollowBERLIN, Nov 30 (Reuters) - The leaders of Germany and Norway said on Wednesday they would jointly ask NATO to coordinate the protection of Europe's subsea infrastructure in light of the suspected attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipeline network. European countries have stepped up vigilance around critical installations after the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which connect Russia to Germany, ruptured in September and spewed gas into the Baltic Sea. "We take the protection of our critical infrastructure very seriously and nobody should think that attacks would remain without consequences," he said. In an emailed statement, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he welcomed Germany and Norway's proposal. "We have stepped up our efforts after the recent sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, and it is vital to do even more to ensure that our offshore infrastructure remains safe from future destructive acts," he said.

WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Top executives at Kroger Co (KR.N) and Albertsons Companies Inc (ACI.N) on Tuesday defended their planned $25 billion merger before skeptical lawmakers who fear the deal would push up food prices at a time of high inflation. "A combined Kroger and Albertsons will remain at number four as we will continue to compete with these companies to sell groceries. Those same three competitors have nearly three times the share of grocery sales of Kroger and Albertsons combined," he said, according to written remarks. In that case, the companies were forced to sell 168 stores to ensure that competition would remain fierce and prices would not rise. The companies have also been criticized for a plan to give Albertsons' shareholders a $4 billion dividend payment.

☆ NATO commits to future Ukraine membership, drums up aid
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “will get Finland and Sweden as NATO members” soon. Ukraine will not join NATO anytime soon despite Stoltenberg's comments. Yevhen Titov / AFP - Getty Images“We stand by that, too, on membership for Ukraine,” the former Norwegian prime minister said. “I think what he’s afraid of is democracy and freedom, and that’s the main challenge for him.”Even so, Ukraine will not join NATO anytime soon. During the two-day meeting, Blinken will announce substantial U.S. aid for Ukraine’s energy grid, U.S. officials said.

[1/2] Taylor Swift's "Red (Taylor's Version)" receives the Favorite Pop Album award during 2022 American Music Awards, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California, U.S., November 20, 2022. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday pressed the Federal Trade Commission to enforce a 2016 law against ticket scalpers using bots after Ticketmaster blamed the software for troubles selling tickets to pop superstar Taylor Swift's upcoming tour. Ticketmaster (LYV.N) canceled planned ticket sales to the general public for Swift's 2023 U.S. concert tour, her first in five years, earlier this month as 3.5 billion ticket requests from fans, bots and scalpers overwhelmed the website. A spokesman for the FTC confirmed that it had received the letter, but had no comment. Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The hearing was called by Klobuchar along with Senator Mike Lee, the top Republican on an antitrust panel of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "The hearing will examine the impact of the proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons, the two largest grocery chains in the country," the statement said. The FTC is expected to aggressively review the deal to ensure it complies with antitrust law. While the two are the largest standalone grocers, Walmart is the market leader. Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoNov 25 (Reuters) - The Biden administration has banned approvals of new telecommunications equipment from China's Huawei Technologies (HWT.UL) and ZTE (000063.SZ) because they pose "an unacceptable risk" to U.S. national security. "These new rules are an important part of our ongoing actions to protect the American people from national security threats involving telecommunications," FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement. ZTE, Dahua, Hytera and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FCC said in June 2021 it was considering banning all equipment authorizations for all companies on the covered list. That came after a March 2021 designation of five Chinese companies on the so-called "covered list" as posing a threat to national security under a 2019 law aimed at protecting U.S. communications networks: Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp Hikvision and Dahua.

WASHINGTON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Top Senate Republican Chuck Grassley urged Elon Musk, who recently acquired Twitter, to conduct a threat assessment at the social company to better protect U.S. user data, following up on concerns raised by a whistleblower. read moreIn a letter to Musk dated Tuesday and released on Wednesday, Grassley, the top Republican on the U.S. Judiciary Committee, asked Twitter to perform a threat assessment "of Twitter's current security posture and systems to better protect user data and privacy." "Twitter collects vast amounts of data on American citizens. Zatko testified that a foreign agent could use malware to steal Twitter users personal information, and use that to gain access to sensitive data on the person's phone, among other dangers. According to Grassley, Agrawal did not respond to the letter, citing litigation with Musk.

WASHINGTON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate antitrust panel will hold a hearing on the lack of competition in the ticketing industry after Ticketmaster's problems last week managing the sale of Taylor Swift tickets, Senator Amy Klobuchar, chair of the panel, said on Tuesday. "That’s why we will hold a hearing on how consolidation in the live entertainment and ticketing industry harms customers and artists alike." Senators Klobuchar and Mike Lee, the top Republican on the committee, did not provide a date for the hearing or a list of witnesses. For her part, the pop superstar on Friday said it was "excruciating" for her to watch fans struggle to secure tickets and that she had been assured that Ticketmaster could handle large demand. Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ In memoriam: Notable deaths of 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Jeremy Schultz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Madeleine Albright, 84, who fled the Nazis as a child in her native Czechoslovakia during World War Two then rose to become the first female U.S. secretary of state and, in her later years, a pop culture feminist icon, passed away in March. She was a...moreMadeleine Albright, 84, who fled the Nazis as a child in her native Czechoslovakia during World War Two then rose to become the first female U.S. secretary of state and, in her later years, a pop culture feminist icon, passed away in March. She was a tough-talking diplomat in an administration that hesitated to involve itself in the two biggest foreign policy crises of the 1990s - the genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia-Herzegovina. She once upset a Pentagon chief by asking why the military maintained more than 1 million men and women under arms if they never used them. REUTERS/FileClose

[1/3] Taylor Swift poses on the red carpet for the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) at the PSD Bank Dome in Duesseldorf, Germany, November 13, 2022. The company said it is working to shore up its technology "for the new bar that has been set by demand for the Taylor Swift's Eras Tour". Chaos around the Swift tour prompted calls for the U.S. government to break up the company. For those who did not get tickets to the Eras tour, Swift said her hope was to provide "more opportunities for us to all get together and sing these songs." She has promised hits from albums spanning her career on the Eras tour.

The U.S. Justice Department, which approved Ticketmaster's much-criticized purchase of Live Nation in 2010, is different than it was 12 years ago. A probe is well short of a decision to file a lawsuit asking a judge to break up a company. Ticketmaster previously said in a statement the Swift ticket sale problems were caused by unprecedented demand, much of it by bots trying to buy tickets to resell. "Live Nation was a new entrant, but it had the wherewithal to really compete," he said. A previous Ticketmaster fight with the department culminated in a December 2019 settlement that extended for another five years a consent decree that was part of the deal's initial approval.

David Vladeck, a former director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said there would likely be another investigation, and potentially another enforcement action before Twitter executives would be held personally liable. Many former FTC officials said the agency's current chair, Lina Khan, has shown interest in going after executives if consent orders are violated. The FTC on Thursday said it is "tracking recent developments at Twitter with deep concern. It is Twitter itself (not individual employees) who is a party and therefore only Twitter the company could be liable," he wrote. In the May settlement, Twitter agreed to pay $150 million and assess potential features for data privacy and security issues.

"This settlement makes it clear that companies must be transparent in how they track customers and abide by state and federal privacy laws." Arizona filed a similar case against Google and settled it for $85 million in October 2022. Texas, Indiana, Washington State and the District of Columbia sued Google in January over what they called deceptive location-tracking practices that invade users’ privacy. A consumer's location is key to helping an advertiser cut through the digital clutter to make the ad more relevant and grab the consumer's attention. Writing by Diane Bartz and Alexandra Alper; Editing by Anna Driver and Aurora EllisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer defeated Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner in Oregon's 5th Congressional District. Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer defeated Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner in Oregon's 5th Congressional District. 2022 General EmbedsOregon's 5th Congressional District candidatesChavez-DeRemer is one of several Hispanic conservative women who ran for office in 2022. McLeod-Skinner defeated the seven-term Schrader in the Democratic primary for Oregon's 5th Congressional District, securing 56.9% of the vote to his 42.7%. Voting history for Oregon's 5th Congressional DistrictOregon's 5th Congressional District is situated to the west of the state and encompasses Bend and the Portland suburbs.

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