Sep 06, 3:35 PM EDT Newsletter Signup BusinessTechnologyWorldNationalMedia & CultureOpinionSportsLuxury Business By Andrew N. White 09/06/18 AT 3:32 PM The European Union (EU) has approved Apple’s merger with song-recognition app Shazam after months of investigating the deal for its possible impact on the music-streaming business.The EU’s Antitrust Commission announced Thursday that the acquisition wouldn’t be harmful to other music-streaming services. The commission’s main concern was that Apple Music could acquire data about rivals' customers by owning Shazam. "Data is key in the digital economy. We must therefore carefully review transactions which lead to the acquisition of important sets of data, including potentially commercially sensitive ones, to ensure they do not restrict competition," EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. "After thoroughly analyzing Shazam's user and music data, we found that their … [Read more...] about Apple-Shazam Merger Gets Approval From European Union Following Investigation
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Send Money: Iran Wants European Union Funds for Refugee Welfare
Iran Interior Minister Rahmani-Fazli wants European Union member states to fund the economic, social and political costs he claims Afghan refugees impose on the Shiite country. The semi-official MEHR newsagency reports Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli made the call Sunday in a meeting with visiting United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.The Iranian minister said minor international aid cannot cover the whole expenses of refugees currently hosted by Iran – the country shares a border with Afghanistan – and it is incumbent of the EU to lift its funding. Iran is home to around three million legal and illegal Afghan refugees, Rahmani-Fazli claimed. Each year, the country identifies 7,000 illegal Afghan refugees and returns them to their own homeland, Rahmani-Fazli added. It is only reasonable that other countries, including European ones, take up hosting these refugees for a few years, he said. Rahmani-Fazli further called for a joint meeting on the … [Read more...] about Send Money: Iran Wants European Union Funds for Refugee Welfare
Will Salvini and Orbán rock the European Union? No!
By Peter Krekó “Tough guys have emerged in European politics” – this is how Viktor Orbán greeted the new Italian government after its formation in June. More recently, Orbán called Salvini his hero. The recent meeting between Viktor Orbán and Matteo Salvini – two favorite politicians of Steve Bannon, who wrote they are “redefining” European democracy - made big waves in the international media, creating widespread speculations that the two politicians will run a joint political platform and totally change the political landscape in Europe. Is it really going to happen? It is highly unlikely, and here are the reasons why. First: while Viktor Orbán and Matteo Salvini unquestionably have a lot in common - illiberal instincts, a hatred towards George Soros, and anti-immigrant and anti-EU rhetoric, they belong to different Party families. In the European Parliament, Salvini is three blocks’ distance from Orbán now, … [Read more...] about Will Salvini and Orbán rock the European Union? No!
Populist Swedish Leader Doubles Down on Wanting Out of European Union
Populist Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Akesson has reinforced his stance on wanting to see Sweden leave the European Union, saying that no supranational body should have authority over the Swedish parliament. Only weeks away from the Swedish national election in September, the Sweden Democrats leader slammed the European Union, saying: “for me, the EU is not the way for cooperation in Europe,” Sveriges Radio reports.“The EU is a supranational political union where other countries’ politicians, for which we cannot vote… have greater influence over Swedish legislation than I have in Sweden’s parliament,” Akesson said, adding: “I find it very difficult to accept that situation.” While he expressed a desire to see Sweden out of the political bloc, Akesson did not rule out cooperation with other countries in Europe, saying: “it is clear that we must work together to solve common problems internationally, especially in Europe, … [Read more...] about Populist Swedish Leader Doubles Down on Wanting Out of European Union
Genoa Bridge Collapse: Italian Minister Blames European Union Budget Contraints
World Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has hinted the European Union (E.U.) may be responsible for yesterday’s catastrophic bridge collapse in Genoa, suggesting that the bloc’s spending limits are putting lives at risk. The euroskeptic politician’s comments come the day after at least 35 people were killed in the northwestern city of Genoa, as a portion of the Ponte Morandi failed during a storm. Rescuers are still working to dig out more victims and the death toll is likely to rise. Speaking to reporters in Sicily, Salvini—who leads the far-right League party—said, “If external constraints prevent us from spending to have safe roads and schools, then it really calls into question whether it makes sense to follow these rules.” According to Bloomberg, Salvini, who is also the minister of the interior, added, “There can be no trade-off between fiscal rules and the safety of Italians.” The collapsed Morandi … [Read more...] about Genoa Bridge Collapse: Italian Minister Blames European Union Budget Contraints