Author: admin@primenews

Microsoft has submitted a new deal to buy Activision Blizzard after its original $69bn (£59bn) bid was rejected by the UK competition watchdog. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed on Tuesday that Microsoft’s initial offer for the Call of Duty-maker had been blocked. It will now review the new deal but said: “This is not a green light.” Under the new offer Microsoft won’t buy the rights for Activision’s existing or new games stored in the cloud. The pledge, which will last 15 years, will not cover Activision’s PC and console games in the European Economic Area. Games stored…

Teva Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay more than $200 million in fines and divest a key generic drug treating cholesterol to settle price-fixing charges from the US Department of Justice, the agency announced Monday. The settlement is the largest penalty paid “for a domestic antitrust cartel,” the DOJ said in a statement. The core drug involved and that will be divested to a third party was pravastatin, a widely used cholesterol medication. Teva’s rival Glenmark will also pay a $30 million criminal penalty to be paid in six installments, the company said. In a statement, Glenmark President Sanjeev Krishan said the company…

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasted Facebook for “putting corporate profits ahead of people’s safety” as the social media platform continues to block news content while wildfires rage in Canada’s Northwest Territories and British Columbia. “It is so inconceivable that a company like Facebook is choosing to put corporate profits ahead of ensuring that local news organizations can get up-to-date information to Canadians, and reach them where Canadians spend a lot of their time; online, on social media, on Facebook,” Trudeau said during a news conference Monday. Some 60,000 people across the Northwest Territories and British Columbia have been placed under evacuation…

California authorities have asked General Motors to “immediately” take some of its Cruse robotaxis off the road after autonomous vehicles were involved in two collisions – including one with an active fire truck – last week in San Francisco. California’s Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed to CNN that it is investigating “recent concerning incidents involving Cruise vehicles in San Francisco.” “The DMV is in contact with Cruise and law enforcement officials to determine the facts and requested Cruise to immediately reduce its active fleet of operating vehicles by 50% until the investigation is complete and Cruise takes appropriate corrective actions…

Eight Republicans have qualified for the party’s first 2024 presidential primary debate Wednesday night, the Republican National Committee announced Monday evening. The list includes North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. Former President Donald Trump – the clear front-runner in national and early state polls – has said he would skip the debate in Milwaukee and called on his rivals to drop out. To make the first debate stage, the RNC…

The US Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved the first vaccine that protects newborns from respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV. The vaccine, made by Pfizer, is given to mothers late in their pregnancies and provides protection to infants through their first six months of life. In a trial of more than 7,000 pregnant people and their infants, the vaccine, named Abrysvo, cut the risk that infants needed to see a doctor or be admitted to the hospital. RSV is a common illness and major cause of hospitalization in infants and the elderly each year. It typically hits hardest during the winter…

Russia’s defence ministry says it has thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack after it downed two drones over the Moscow region. Two other drones were intercepted over the Bryansk region, north-east of the Ukrainian border, it added. Flights were temporarily stopped to and from Moscow’s airports early on Tuesday, the ministry said. Airspace above Moscow has been closed several times in recent days as reports of drone strikes become more regular. The defence ministry also said a Russian warplane had destroyed a Ukrainian reconnaissance boat in the Black Sea that had sailed near Russian gas production facilities. Early on Tuesday, Moscow’s…

Former governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney has been appointed as the chairman of a new board of directors at US financial and media firm Bloomberg. Bloomberg’s head of product Vlad Kliatchko was also named as chief executive officer in the major shakeup of the company’s management. The BBC understands the firm’s founder, 81-year-old Michael Bloomberg, made the announcement in an email to staff. Mr Carney has previously worked with Mr Bloomberg on climate-related projects. Mr Kliatchko’s promotion comes as speculation has been growing about succession plans at the company. Under the reshuffle, more new board members will…

Japan will start releasing treated wastewater from the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, despite opposition from its neighbours. The decision comes weeks after the UN’s nuclear watchdog approved the plan. Some 1.34 million tonnes of water – enough to fill 500 Olympic-size pools – have accumulated since the 2011 tsunami destroyed the plant. The water will be released over 30 years after being filtered and diluted. Authorities will request for the plant’s operator to “promptly prepare” for the disposal to start on 24 Aug if weather and sea conditions are appropriate, Japan’s prime minister Fumio…

Two players who made their international debut within a year of each other quickly became India’s most exciting cricketers. With his fearless strokeplay, Rishabh Pant became the darling of spectators around the world. With his unorthodox action, pace and control, Jasprit Bumrah quickly became the spearhead of India’s bowling attack. Now both are on the comeback trail. Pant, 25, was involved in a horrific car accident in December last year. His rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy – where he recently batted and kept wickets – is, according to those who have been monitoring him, “ahead of the curve”. Bumrah, 29, whose…