January, 2022

• 18 January

  Unilever’s $68b toothpaste tilt needs another squeeze

  

    GlaxoSmithKline Plc is right to snub Unilever Plc’s 50 billion-pound ($68 billion) proposal to buy the UK drugmaker’s consumer healthcare arm. Unilever’s offer may be in the ballpark, but the consumer-goods giant can justify stretching further — and could easily be forced to. The asset is a unique business with scale and strong brands, including Panadol painkillers and Sensodyne ...

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• 18 January

  Spying on Big Tech may work better

  

  Over the years, as social media companies gorged themselves on the data of billions of people to fuel vast profits, the information flow never went the other way. Now the tables are turning. One of the most promising pieces of legislation in Congress tackling tech giants’ undue influence, out of reportedly 30 or so bills, would force such firms to ...

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• 18 January

  The world can’t let Lithuania stand alone

    Lithuania is a small country with a big problem. After a series of perceived slights, China has brought its massive economic leverage to bear on the tiny Baltic state. Pressure increased dramatically in recent weeks after Taiwanese officials opened a de facto embassy in the Lithuanian capital using the island’s name. (The many other such offices around the world, ...

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• 18 January

  Bring tech, innovation to climate-change fight

  Over the past few weeks, Alaska recorded record-high temperatures, scientists released a “report card” showing relentless deterioration of the Arctic’s climate, and researchers warned that an ice shelf in Antarctica could collapse within a few years, dramatically increasing the region’s contribution to rising sea levels. These are signposts on a grim path. They show that damage to the cryosphere, the ...

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• 18 January

  US FAA clears way for some jets to fly within 5G airwaves

  

    Bloomberg US aviation regulators granted approvals that will allow some jetliners to operate within zones where new 5G wireless services are set to begin Wednesday, significantly reducing the potential impact on flight schedules. The Federal Aviation Administration said airline manufacturers had shown that the mobile-phone signals won’t cause interference with critical aircraft equipment on certain Airbus SE and Boeing ...

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• 18 January

  New Cathay rival considering possible $1.8bn plane order

  

    Bloomberg A new Hong Kong-based airline with ties to Beijing is considering ordering up to 30 narrow-body jets from either Boeing Co or Airbus SE as it tries to establish itself in a market dominated by Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. Greater Bay Airlines, which is awaiting final approval to operate commercial passenger flights out of Hong Kong, is assessing ...

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• 18 January

  Aircraft leasing sector outlines pathway to net zero by 2050

    Bloomberg The airline industry needs aggressive action if it is to meet its emissions reduction targets by 2050, according to a trade group that represents some of the world’s top airline leasing companies. Aircraft Leasing Ireland supports the pledge made by the airline industry to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, as approved by the International Air Transport ...

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• 18 January

  Jet fuel market’s key metric rises as flights resist Omicron

  Bloomberg The jet fuel market is soaring in Europe as global air traffic withstands the impact of the Omicron virus strain. One of the fuel’s most important market metrics, its differential to diesel, on Friday surged to its highest since September 2019 — long before Covid-19 decimated the continent’s aviation industry. “We’re tight supply everywhere,” said Mark Williams, an oil ...

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• 18 January

  Retailer Asos looks at former Farfetch manager for CEO post

    Bloomberg Andrew Robb, former chief operating officer of New York-listed fashion company Farfetch Ltd, is among the candidates being considered to lead Asos Plc, Sky News reported. Former Asos CEO Nick Beighton stepped down in October. Asos declined to comment to Sky, and Robb couldn’t be reached by Sky for comment. Last week, Asos announced a plan to move ...

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• 18 January

  Walmart filings reveal plans to create cryptocurrency, NFTs

  

    Bloomberg Walmart Inc is preparing to create its own cryptocurrency and collection of non-fungible tokens, filings with the US Patent and Trademark Office show, setting the stage for meeting its customers in the emerging metaverse. The retailer sought several new trademarks in December that show it intends to make and sell virtual goods such as electronics, decor, toys, sporting ...

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