German automaker Volkswagen Group is under scrutiny after it was found by the U.S Clean Air Group that some of its cars did not pass the standard emission test. The test conducted by Peter Mock and John German revealed another scandal - the use of "defeat device" software in its cars.
Legal & Regulatory
No role of nationality in antitrust probe: EU antitrust chief
Ruling out North America's claim that European antitrust authority is going in an anti-US bias in dealing with Google and Apple, the European Competition Commissioner (ECC) Margrethe Vestager has termed it as a misleading notion of the world's largest economy. Vestager has been criticized in the US media for her role in opening multiple cases against the US corporate giants Google, Apple, Amazon and Starbucks during the past one year. Vestager has become the target of the US media as European regulators are protecting EU companies from the US competition.
Exxon Mobil is fined $2.63 million
The United States court finally comes out with the verdict regarding Exxon Mobil Corp oil spill in 2013. The fine was issued by the U.S. pipeline safety office ordering the oil giant to pay a total of $2.63 million for spilling the crude oil in Arkansas residential Area.
US freezes assets of Islamic State supporters
The United States imposes sanctions upon 30 individuals and groups linked to the Islamic State. Fifteen people were designated by the Treasury Department as Islamic State supporters, while 10 individuals and five groups were tagged by the State Department as foreign terrorist fighters.
China slaps fine on Microsoft's Chinese JV over Xbox
The China's Commerce Ministry has slapped a fine on a joint venture (JV) between Microsoft Corporation and its Chinese partner BesTV in Xbox game console venture for breaking antitrust laws. However, the Redmond-based global IT major has escaped from a major penalty as the investigation didn't find any major fault on the part of Microsoft over market competition rules. The investigation on Xbox marketing drive revealed that Microsoft didn't obstruct the free market competition. The Chinese Commerce Ministry has imposed a penalty of Yuan 200,000 ($31,430) on Microsoft JV firm in China.
Latest News
The federal court ordered Samsung to halt older version of its smartphones for breaching Apple's patent. It was found that Samsung was guilty of copyright infringement filed by Apple. But the features included in the case were no longer used by Samsung.
Berkeley's wage is set to rise to $19 by the year 2020, however, business owners oppose the proposal saying it will put their business at risk a that will eventually lead to closure. While activists and unions struggle for a $15 wage hike, Berkeley ha a proposal of $19 per hour by the year 2020. This would offer workers more of a living wage.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the United Auto Workers union reached a new agreement regarding the company's health care and salary system including the 2-tier pay. The new term was discussed after some 40, 000 of the company's worker threaten to go for a strike that could potentially put the production on halt.
The FAA and other security agencies are appealing to people, local or visitors not to bring drones during the papal visits for security measures. There has been a plot to the holy man's life by a minor brainwashed by the terrorist group ISIL prompting officials and securities restrictions on all actions regarding the safety of Pope Francis.
The Swiss bank Credit Suisse Group AG will have to shell out $80 million in fines and disgorgement to the US regulators in an alternative trading-related settlement case. Credit Suisse didn't reveal its operations in dark pool private share trading exchange to the clients.
Four major banks -- Bank of New York Mellon, Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs -- have reached an agreement with New York State's Department of Financial Services (DFS) over record keeping for the Symphony messaging system.
Encore Capital Group and Portfolio Recovery Associates are ordered to refund a collected $61 million to customers for allegedly using deceptive strategies to collect debt. CNN reported that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau charged these two giant debt collectors for buying inaccurate debts, collecting unverified debts, and using illegal strategies to collect debts.
Jessica Alba's non-toxic household and beauty products business, The Honest Company, is being sued for "dishonesty." Jonathan Rubin filed a class action suit in the federal court of California against Alba's company for allegedly making false claims that their products are "natural." He also said some of the products weren't effective. Some of the products the lawsuit targeted included dish soaps, surface cleaners, nappies, and the company's sunscreen. Rubin claims that some of those products have synthetic chemicals, making them not "natural" as reported by International Business Times.
Ex-Sony Pictures Entertainment employees filed a proposed class action lawsuit on Wednesday regarding the breach of records with the entertainment company in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
