France’s anti-trust authority has imposed a fine totalling €187.5m ($217.3m) on TotalEnergies, Rubis and EG Group for engaging in an anti-competitive agreement that led to higher fuel prices in Corsica. The Mediterranean Island of Corsica depends on cars for transportation, and all fuel imports there are distributed through Dépôts Pétroliers de la Corse (DPLC) depots. DPLC is jointly owned by TotalEnergies, Rubis and EG Group. The penalty follows an investigation into agreements that restricted access t ...

The European Commission has launched an anti-trust investigation into Red Bull to examine whether the energy drinks maker has “illegally restricted competition”. In a statement yesterday (13 November), the Commission said it has “indications” Red Bull may have pursued a strategy to “restrict competition” from energy drinks sold in sizes above 250ml within the off-trade channel, such as supermarkets and petrol station shops. Austria-based Red Bull’s approach allegedly targeted products sold by its “closes ...

Core Points - Google will pay over $40 million to support South African news media, addressing challenges faced in the digital age [1][3] - The funding package includes $4 million for national publishers and broadcasters, $2.6 million annually for AI innovation, and $2.2 million for community and small media outlets over three years [3] - The agreement follows a 16-month investigation by the Competition Commission, which found that Google searches favored international news over local outlets [2][4] Funding Details - The total funding amount agreed upon is 688 million rand, equivalent to approximately $40.4 million [3] - Specific allocations include $4 million for content on Google News and $2.6 million annually for AI innovation [3] - Community and small media outlets will receive $2.2 million over three years to aid in digital transformation [3] Regulatory Context - The Competition Commission had previously recommended that Google pay up to $27 million annually for five years due to anti-trust practices affecting local media [2] - Similar funding arrangements have been established in other countries like Taiwan, Canada, Australia, and the United States amid regulatory pressures [5] - Social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, did not reach a settlement and is required to make monetization programs available to local publishers [6]

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is suing Live Nation and Ticketmaster for allegedly allowing ticket brokers to violate policies, resulting in millions of concert tickets being sold to fans at inflated prices [1] Group 1 - The lawsuit claims that Live Nation and Ticketmaster tacitly permitted ticket brokers to bypass their policies [1] - The agency highlighted that this practice led to significant markups on tickets sold to fans [1] - The action taken by the FTC indicates a regulatory push against perceived unfair practices in the ticketing industry [1]