French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced new rules requiring government approval for non-EU investors acquiring over 10% of French companies in sensitive sectors listed outside the EU, aiming to safeguard strategic interests amid geopolitical tensions.
AstraZeneca shares fell after reports of potential merger talks with Bristol Myers Squibb, a deal analysts questioned given AZ's strong growth and BMS's looming patent expirations, despite potential oncology synergies.
Alibaba launched its "most powerful" AI model, Qwen3.8-Max, featuring 2.4 trillion parameters and a 1 million token context window. It demonstrates strong capabilities in coding, research, and visual intelligence, competing with models like Anthropic's Fable 5 and Moonshot AI's Kimi K3.
AstraZeneca's shares fell sharply after reports of potential merger talks with Bristol Myers Squibb, a deal analysts questioned given AstraZeneca's strong growth trajectory and Bristol Myers' impending patent expirations.
A Tax Justice Network report suggests governments could gain an extra $500bn annually by taxing multinational profits where economic activity occurs, not in tax havens. UN talks in New York aim to establish a global standard by late 2027, despite past US opposition.
Former rugby league player Luke Bateman alleged to a parliamentary inquiry that gambling companies supplied him with cocaine and alcohol, leading to a $1 million gambling addiction. He detailed VIP managers offering illicit drugs and personalized betting inducements, urging the Albanese government to implement tougher gambling advertising limits.
Australia's government proposes a 2.5% levy on big tech's digital advertising revenue for failing to strike deals with local news, a change from previous rules. The levy aims to ensure compensation for news content, despite a concession limiting it to ad revenue.
HKEX is launching 5-year China government bond futures, receiving positive feedback from international institutional investors. These will be the first offshore products enabling investors to manage risks in Chinese treasury bonds at low cost, bypassing the QFII quota requirement.
On-demand house-help platforms Snabbit and Urban Company's InstaHelp each completed over 1 lakh jobs on Sunday, driven by intense competition and promotional pricing as low as Rs 29 per hour in some locations, reflecting growing consumer demand.
Former NRL player Luke Bateman will testify at a Senate inquiry, alleging gambling company account managers offered him illicit drugs to "strengthen" relationships and encourage betting during his addiction, while also providing bonus bets and exclusive event invitations.
Hong Kong's Fire Services Department concluded its investigation into the Wang Fuk Court inferno, referring contractors China Status Development and Engineering and Victory Fire Engineering to a disciplinary board for alleged negligence in deactivating fire systems. Both firms reportedly continue operations.
Former NRL player Luke Bateman will testify at a Senate inquiry into gambling ad restrictions, alleging account managers offered illicit drugs to strengthen relationships during his addiction. He advocates for ending gambling inducements, while the government proposes ad restrictions and the industry argues against tougher measures.
Indian companies face significant cost volatility due to the prolonged West Asia conflict and emerging El Nino conditions, leading to commodity inflation, rising freight charges, and exchange rate instability. This forces price hikes, squeezing margins, and raising concerns about a potential hit to discretionary consumer demand.
Australia's government is progressing gambling advertising reforms, increasing scrutiny on fuel prices after excise restoration, and adjusting its News Bargaining Incentive to tax big tech's digital advertising revenue at 2.5%, exempting AI companies.
An investigation reveals children as young as 10 performing hazardous tasks on cocoa farms in Ghana for minimal pay, despite two decades of industry pledges to eradicate child labor. Sustainability certifications are questioned as farmer poverty persists, highlighting a disconnect between corporate claims and on-the-ground reality.
India's Union Cabinet approved the Rs 84,084 crore Samudra Manthan National Offshore Exploration Scheme, funding 50% of deepwater drilling costs to reduce import reliance. The initiative aims to attract global companies, unlock hydrocarbon reserves, and create shared infrastructure, marking a significant shift in energy security strategy.
Indian stock market anticipates a pivotal week driven by the Reserve Bank of India's interest rate decision, ongoing US-Iran conflict impacting crude oil, and Q1 FY27 corporate earnings. Domestic macros and foreign investor activity also remain key factors.
The smart glasses industry, led by Meta, faces increasing privacy concerns due to camera capabilities and potential misuse, despite user demand. While companies like Google and Samsung prepare to enter the market, lawmakers and privacy advocates are pushing for regulations to ensure visible recording indicators and prevent disabling them.
Logistics giants UPS, FedEx, C.H. Robinson, and DHL are investing millions in temperature-controlled facilities and specialized technology to meet the surging demand for shipping temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals like GLP-1 drugs, which require precise handling to maintain efficacy.
UK Government Investments (UKGI) experienced a data breach, exposing "high-level management information" and personal details of 51 government officials for 40 hours. The breach was blamed on a staff member failing to follow security rules, prompting an external review and protocol improvements.
Australian rare booksellers express concern over generative AI companies' practice of 'destructive scanning'—buying physical books, scanning them, and then pulping them—to train AI models. A US lawsuit against Anthropic revealed this practice, now believed widespread, with intermediaries like Zoom Books potentially facilitating it, leading to unusual order patterns for sellers.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accused major ultra-processed food (UPF) corporations of obstructing global efforts to combat obesity by suing governments over public health measures like warning labels and taxes, costing billions in legal and healthcare expenses.
Australian rare and secondhand booksellers express concern over "destructive scanning" by generative AI companies, following unusual bulk orders from Canadian firm Zoom Books. A US lawsuit revealed Anthropic's practice of buying, slicing, and pulping books for AI training, raising fears for unique physical artefacts.
Beijing has condemned the White House's decision to add 43 Chinese companies to an import blacklist, citing alleged forced labour in Xinjiang. This move, described as "economic coercion" by China, marks the third set of US sanctions against China this week, expanding the entity list under the Uygur Forced Labour Prevention Act.
