Jul 13
The long-rumored roller coaster for the Fast and Furious franchise has officially received the green light in the latest Universal Studios theme parks expansion.
Jul 13
Farmers Insurance will stop offering insurance coverage in the state of Florida. This includes home insurance, auto, and policies that cover a combination of these. Apparently, the company made this decision in order to better manage its risk exposure in such a hurricane and natural disaster-prone state, CNN reported.
Jul 13
A Proposed Law Would Force Internet Companies to Spy on Their Users for the DEA
Posted in: Today's Chili
Internet drug sales have skyrocketed in recent years, allowing powerful narcotics to be peddled to American teenagers and adolescents. It’s a trend that’s led to an epidemic of overdoses and left countless young people dead. Now, a bill scheduled for a congressional vote seeks to tackle the problem, but it comes with…
Jul 13
FTC appeals ruling that would have let Microsoft’s Activision takeover move forward
Posted in: Today's ChiliThe Federal Trade Commission isn’t giving up on its attempt to halt Microsoft’s pending $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard. The agency said in a filing it’s appealing Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley’s denial of its request for a preliminary injunction to temporarily stop the deal from going through.
The FTC has sued to prevent the merger from happening over antitrust concerns. An administrative trial is set to start in August, but the companies have a merger deadline of July 18th. The agency was concerned Microsoft and Activision would close their deal by then despite a UK regulator blocking the deal in that country.
Bloomberg first reported that the agency was considering an appeal against Corley’s decision. The FTC told Engadget after Tuesday’s ruling that it would announce its “next step to continue our fight to preserve competition and protect consumers” in the following days.
Corley ruled that, unless the FTC obtains an emergency stay from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals by 11:59PM PT on July 14th, a temporary restraining order that’s currently preventing Microsoft and Activision from closing the deal will be dissolved. The restraining order was put in place until Corley made a decision on the preliminary injunction.
Meanwhile, after Corley’s ruling, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority said they agreed to pause their legal battle and see if they could reach a compromise. The CMA later clarified that although “merging parties don’t have the opportunity to put forward new remedies once a final report has been issued, they can choose to restructure a deal.” It added that doing so could lead to a fresh merger investigation.
Yesterday the Court ruled our acquisition of Activision Blizzard should proceed, and we oppose any further delay. Our statement on the FTC’s decision to appeal: pic.twitter.com/EhdO4OHX9g
— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) July 13, 2023
“The District Court’s ruling makes crystal clear that this acquisition is good for both competition and consumers,” Microsoft president and vice-chair Brad Smith said in a statement posted to Twitter. “We’re disappointed that the FTC is continuing to pursue what has become a demonstrably weak case, and we will oppose further efforts to delay the ability to move forward.”
“The facts haven’t changed. We’re confident the US will remain among the 39 countries where the merger can close,” Activision Blizzard said in a statement to Engadget. “We look forward to reinforcing the strength of our case in court, again.”
Update 7/12 9:10PM ET: Added Activision’s statement.
Update 7/12 10:19PM ET: Added Brad Smith’s statement.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ftc-appeals-ruling-that-would-have-let-microsofts-activision-takeover-move-forward-231729137.html?src=rss
Jul 13
Jan. 6 Rioter Who Was Arrested Near Obamas’ House Will Be Detained Until Trial
Posted in: Today's ChiliA judge ordered pretrial detention for Taylor Taranto, who is also a defendant in the U.S. Capitol insurrection, stating that he presents too much of a danger.
Jul 13
Farmers Insurance will stop offering insurance coverage in the state of Florida. This includes home insurance, auto, and policies that cover a combination of these. Apparently, the company made this decision in order to better manage its risk exposure in such a hurricane and natural disaster-prone state, CNN reported.
Jul 13
Jul 13
As strike talk in Hollywood heats up, entertainment industry publications like Variety and Deadline are running multiple stories about the WGA, SAG-AFTRA, DGA, and the AMPTP every day. And, as a result of aggregating such articles, so are many other sites, including io9. But many of the trades’ sources have their own…
Jul 13
Plan To Demolish House Where Idaho Students Were Killed Is Paused After Outrage
Posted in: Today's ChiliBut the University of Idaho said it still expects to demolish the rental house later this year.
Jul 13
Because dream it, and with access to enough cardboard, you can build it, YouTuber Bodoc constructed a 1:2 scale replica of Darth Vader’s crashed TIE Fighter out of recycled cardboard over the course of five months. This is a timelapse of that build. But where’s the real-time version? I’ve got a lot of time to kill!
When I read ‘Cardboard TIE Fighter,’ this is not what I was expecting. This is top-notch quality. I expected something with all dog-eared corners and food brand logos printed all over it. Paint this thing, and it could be a movie prop. I’m serious, paint it — I want to use it in my Star Wars fan film.
Now, make a full-scale version next. And if you could fit a twin-size bed in there so I can sleep in it, that would be great. I never had the race car bed I wanted growing up, so I’m trying to make up for lost time.
[via The Awesomer]
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