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.
Legal & Regulatory
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.
Gates Foundation sues Petrobras and Auditor for Fraud
The trust that manages the $41 Billion Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation filed a lawsuit last Thursday that alleged the widespread corruption at the oil company and which was largely ignored by the auditor. This resulted to the charitable organization's loss of tens of millions of dollars.
Indian market regulator slaps $1.1B fine on PACL Ltd
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the Indian stock markets regulator, has imposed a heavy fine of $1.1 billion (INR 72.7bn) on New Delhi-based real estate firm PACL Ltd for illegally raising funds to the tune of INR491 bn from the market. Sebi has further directed PACL Ltd to cough up the fine amount within 45 days from the order date. The fine amount is the biggest penalty so far that SEBI imposed on any company.
Latest News
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.
British engineering crown jewel Rolls-Royce is dragged into the giant Brazilian scandal, as it has been accused of giving kickbacks to officials involved in the state-owned oil giant Petrobras.
One of Ireland's richest persons, John P. McManus, seeks $5.2 million from the U.S. government after it was wrongfully withheld from his $17.4 million gambling winnings to cover taxes.
