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Specialist news and analysis on legal risk and regulation

Top News

Outgoing US Department of Justice antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter.

Antitrust, Artificial Intelligence, DealRisk®, Mergers and Acquisitions, Technology

December 20, 2024 | Khushita Vasant and Chris May

North America

Kanter addresses One Agency Act, US DOJ record on monopoly, mergers
U.S. semiconductor giant Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang delivers a speech at an event on artificial intelligence in Tokyo, Japan on Nov. 13, 2024.

Artificial Intelligence, DealRisk®, Mergers and Acquisitions

December 20, 2024 | Andrew Boyce

Europe

Nvidia wins EU approval for takeover of startup Run:ai

DealRisk®, Mergers and Acquisitions

December 19, 2024 | Ilana Kowarski

North America

M&A guidelines noted efficiencies despite pressure to omit them, US official says

Antitrust View More

DuckDuckGo says Google remedy proposal in search monopoly suit attempts to maintain status quo

December 21, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: Google’s remedy proposal in an Internet search monopolization lawsuit "attempts to maintain the status quo and change as little as possible," DuckDuckGo said in a statement. Once a court finds a ... (more story)

Google says remedies in US DOJ search monopoly suit should be limited to contracts

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary:  Google said it will appeal a District of Columbia ruling that found it illegally monopolized the Internet search markets and the market for search text ads but it must first propose remedies.  G... (more story)

Google proposes counter remedies on Android, AI licensing in DOJ search monopoly suit

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: Google filed a counter proposal to the US Department of Justice's proposed remedies in the government's Internet search monopolization lawsuit after a court found some of Google's search distribu... (more story)

Artificial Intelligence View More

Brazil’s CADE closed Meta probe targeting AI program too soon, Idec says

December 20, 2024 | Maria Júlia Baumert

Latin America

The Brazilian Institute for Consumer Defense, or Idec, has filed an appeal against the national antitrust regulator’s decision to close an investigation into tech giant Meta’s generative artificial intelligenc... (more story)

US DOJ's RealPage case will stay in North Carolina federal court, US judge says

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: A US judge rejected RealPage's request to transfer the US Department of Justice's antitrust lawsuit against the real-estate software company to a Tennessee or Texas federal court. In her opinion ... (more story)

EU approval of Nvidia, Run:ai triggers opposition from civil-society groups

December 20, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: Nvidia today won EU approval to acquire Run:ai, giving rise to concerns by civil society organisation about "growing power" in the AI sector. "We view this transaction as a means for Nvidia to re... (more story)

Mergers and Acquisitions View More

Boeing got UK foreign investment approval for Spirit AeroSystems acquisition on Dec. 5

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: Boeing received foreign investment approval in the UK on Dec. 5 for its purchase of Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing said in  a US securities filing. 

Swisscom wins Italian approval to buy Vodafone’s national business

December 20, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: Swisscom has won approval from Italy’s competition authority to buy Vodafone’s Italian business, with conditions. Swisscom, which owns rival telecom operator Fastweb, committed to continue provid... (more story)

Mayors call out United Steelworkers over recent meetings

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: Mayors from Pennsylvania and Indiana released a statement through US Steel on social media, saying that United Steelworkers "...is putting jobs at risk with its actions, plain and simple.” Mayor ... (more story)

Data Privacy and Security View More

Israeli spyware firm to face damages trial after US judge finds it liable for anti-hacking laws

December 20, 2024 | Maria Dinzeo

Middle East, North America

Israeli spyware firm NSO Group will face a damages trial after a federal judge found it used WhatsApp to install its cyber-surveillance tool on mobile devices of some 1,400 journalists and activists in violati... (more story)

NSO Group to face damages trial in WhatsApp 'spyware' suit

December 20, 2024

Middle East, North America

MLex Summary: A federal judge found NSO Group liable for using WhatsApp to install spyware on the mobile devices of approximately 1,400 WhatsApp users in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and Calif... (more story)

Facebook users file amended US complaint against Meta over scammers

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: Facebook users filed an amended US complaint accusing the social network of helping scammers defraud users with deceptive advertising, breaching its legal and contractual duties to users and viol... (more story)

Intellectual Property View More

Tesla wins EU trademark battle with ‘troll’ in EUIPO ruling

December 20, 2024 | Inbar Preiss

Europe

Tesla has won a protracted battle with the registrant of the "TESLA" trademark in the EU. The EU Intellectual Property Office revoked the registration in its entirety due to bad faith and non-use by Bulgarian ... (more story)

Tech transfer principles on the line, violated by Gilead, amici tell US court

December 20, 2024 | Melissa Ritti

North America

Refusal by Gilead Sciences to even discuss its need to seek a license to CDC-backed HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PReP, technology endangers public health, amici told the Federal Circuit US Court of Appeals... (more story)

Tesla overcomes trademark block, EUIPO revokes 'TESLA' from Bulgarian company

December 20, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: Tesla has won a protracted battle with the registrant of the “Tesla” trademark in the EU. The European Union Intellectual Property Office revoked the registration in its entirety due to bad faith... (more story)

Financial Crime View More

Former IMF chief convicted of money laundering and corruption in Spain

December 20, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: Former International Monetary Fund chief Rodrigo Rato has been sentenced to four years and nine months imprisonment by Spanish judges today for money laundering, corruption and tax offenses. Rato... (more story)

US CFPB sues JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo for Zelle safeguard failures

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has sued JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo, as well as Zelle operator Early Warning Services, for failing to protect consumers from wid... (more story)

Axiom Ince executives charged over UK law firm's collapse

December 20, 2024 | Martin Coyle

Europe

Five senior individuals, including the former chief executive, at collapsed UK law firm Axiom Ince were today charged with fraud, forgery, document destruction, and the improper use of 60 million pounds in cli... (more story)

Financial Services View More

More than 60 companies probed by US Congress over ESG ties

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: US Representatives Jim Jordan and Thomas Massie are questioning more than 60 asset managers regarding their involvement with the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative. “[T[he committee has uncovered... (more story)

Texas AG says Wells Fargo withdrawal from Net-Zero Banking Alliance 'step in the right direction'

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: Texas attorney general Ken Paxton applauded Wells Fargo’s decision to withdraw from the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, which is "an anti-energy activist organization that requires its members to prio... (more story)

US CFTC approves final rule on separate accounts

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission approved a final rule to implement requirements for futures commission merchants related to margin adequacy and the treatment of separate accounts of a customer.

Trade View More

USMCA panel backs US on legal claims regarding biotech corn

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: The Office of the US Trade Representative announced that a US-Mexico-Canada Agreement panel agreed with the US on all seven legal claims on Mexico’s biotech corn measures, finding that Mexico’s m... (more story)

Fujifilm contests duty orders for Chinese, Japanese printing plates

December 20, 2024

Asia, North America

MLex Summary: Fujifilm North America, a US importer and domestic subsidiary of Japanese photography tech manufacturer Fujifilm, contested the US International Trade Commission's affirmative material injury det... (more story)

Three US importers contest duty orders on Chinese aluminum extrusions

December 20, 2024

Asia, North America

MLex Summary: US importers Sign-Zone, Daikin Comfort and AutoZone contested antisubsidy and antidumping duty orders on Chinese aluminum extrusions.

State Aid View More

Germany's aid for operation of floating LNG terminals wins EU approval

December 20, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: Germany’s plans to grant Deutsche Energy Terminal 4.06 billion euros of state support to operate four floating Liquefied Natural Gas terminals have been approved by the European Commission. The a... (more story)

EU Ombdusman closes probe into former DG Competition official

December 20, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: The European Ombudsman has closed an inquiry into transparency around the application of a former member of DG Competition to take up a job at a lawfirm. The ombudsman "regrets" the commission's ... (more story)

Japan's Mitsui Mining, Idemitsu, others win $170 Million in EV battery subsidies

December 20, 2024

Asia

MLex Summary: Japan’s Mitsui Mining & Smelting, oil refiner Idemitsu Kosan, and three other companies have received a total of 25.5 billion yen ($170 million) in subsidies from the industry ministry to boost d... (more story)

Energy View More

Court order for Teva to delist junk asthma-inhaler patents lauded by US FTC

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: The Federal Trade Commission welcomed an order by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit which affirmed a lower district court order against pharmaceutical maker Teva requiring it to del... (more story)

FTC says US court order against Teva to delist Orange Book patents vindicates its enforcement

December 20, 2024 | Khushita Vasant

North America

The Federal Trade Commission said a US court ordering Teva Pharmaceuticals today to delist improperly listed drug patents sets the stage for removal of similar junk listings for other critical medications and ... (more story)

EU energy markets robust in supply security in third quarter of 2024, Commission says

December 20, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: EU gas and electricity markets were robust in ensuring the security of supply in the third quarter of 2024, according to the new quarterly reports published today by the European Commission. EU g... (more story)

Technology View More

UK privacy watchdog publishes draft guidance, consultation on 'fingerprinting'

December 20, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: UK companies received today new draft guidance on how data protection law, including the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, or PECR, applies to storage and access technologies suc... (more story)

Guidelines on EU Digital Services Act 'trusted flaggers' aimed for early 2025

December 20, 2024 | Sara Brandstätter

Europe

Online platforms should see greater clarity on the EU's "trusted flaggers" content-moderation mechanism in the first quarter of next year, MLex understands. The guidelines will be based on a research institute... (more story)

Major social media platforms urged in Japan to curb shady job posts linked to crimes

December 20, 2024

Asia

MLex: In response to rising home invasions and robberies involving young part-time workers recruited through social media, the Japanese telecom regulator has requested this week that major social media operato... (more story)