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Appeals court rejects FTC's request to pause Microsoft-Activision deal
Microsoft faces a $3 billion termination fee if deal isn't completed by July 18.
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Microsoft faces a $3 billion termination fee if deal isn't completed by July 18.
If the deal goes through, it would be the largest acquisition of a video game company in U.S. history.
British antitrust regulators have blocked Microsoft's $69 billion deal to buy video game maker Activision Blizzard. In a statement Wednesday, Britain's Competition and Markets Authority said, "we've prevented Microsoft from purchasing Activision over concerns the deal would damage competition in the cloud gaming market, leading to less innovation and choice for UK gamers." The all-cash deal was set to be the biggest in the history of the tech industry. Michael Pachter, a managing director at Wedbush Securities, has more.
Decision comes four months after the Federal Trade Commission also moved to stop the $69 billion deal.
FTC voted in December to block deal, which it says could violate antitrust laws by suppressing Microsoft Xbox competitors.
Federal regulators say the tech industry mega-merger could mean fewer games for 150 million Activision users.
Microsoft, which is in the process of buying the Call of Duty publisher for nearly $69 billion, says it will not interfere.
More than 1,500 Activision Blizzard employees are calling for the resignation of the company's CEO, Bobby Kotick. The calls come after a Wall Street Journal investigation revealed Kotick knew about multiple sexual assault allegations, including rapes, at the video game giant and failed to report them to the company's board. Ben Fritz, co-author of the article and the Wall Street Journal's West Coast bureau chief, joins CBSN to discuss the investigation's findings.
Workers at the game publisher say they've lost confidence in Bobby Kotick after allegations he ignored sexual misconduct.
Employees and shareholders are calling on Bobby Kotick to resign from the video game publisher.
Money will go to employees at the video game publisher who experienced sexual harassment.
J. Allen Brack is stepping down almost two weeks after the video game maker was named in a sexual harassment lawsuit.
Video game company Activision Blizzard is being sued over allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination, and female gamers have begun sharing stories of sexism they've experienced in the video game community. Ash Parrish, a staff writer at Kotaku, joins CBSN to discuss the recent allegations and the reaction within the gaming community.
Apology comes hours before employee walkout in support of equal pay and "better labor conditions for all employees."
More than 2,000 current and former employees sign letter in support of lawsuit claims of abusive "frat boy" work culture.
During "cube crawls," male employees walked around offices drinking and harassing female co-workers, California lawsuit states.
Some video game players on Twitter have already slammed the executive's apology as "empty words"
Gaming company exec defends move to suspend Hearthstone player after he expressed support for Hong Kong protests
Players have taken to social media to declare they're deleting their accounts for games like World of Warcraft
President Trump blamed video games for the rise in gun violence, but research doesn't back up such claims
Video game manufacturer Activision Blizzard has acquired King, the makers of the hit app "Candy Crush Saga" for $5.9 billion. Gamespot senior reporter Justin Haywald discussed what this means for the gaming world with CBSN.
Its $5.9 billion acquisition of "Candy Crush" maker King Digital is an attempt to attract a key market: female players
Deal combines a console gaming power with an established player in the fast-growing mobile gaming field
Friday's speech marks the first time Kamala Harris has released a major policy initiative since President Biden dropped out of the race last month.
Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, faces federal charges of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Should I freeze my credit? Here's what experts say, and how to stop bad actors from accessing your file.
"Our history is not just about the past, it's about our present and our future," President Biden said in a statement.
A daring Ukrainian military push into Russia's Kursk region has seen Kyiv's forces seize scores of villages in what has become the largest incursion into Russia since World War II.
Jack Russell, the frontman of rock band Great White who survived the 2003 Station Nightclub Fire in Rhode Island, has died.
U.S. assessments are that Iran will not seek to disrupt ongoing cease-fire negotiations in Doha aimed at ending the Hamas-Israel war.
Many million-dollar properties are no longer considered luxury homes, with almost 1 in 10 U.S. houses costing at least that.
The escaped killer of a one-year-old girl who fled from a medical transport van, Ramone Alston, was captured days later in a hotel in the Charlotte, N.C. suburb of Kannapolis, authorities said.
Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, faces federal charges of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Many million-dollar properties are no longer considered luxury homes, with almost 1 in 10 U.S. houses costing at least that.
Should I freeze my credit? Here's what experts say, and how to stop bad actors from accessing your file.
"Our history is not just about the past, it's about our present and our future," President Biden said in a statement.
The remains of U.S. Army Private William Calkins, 20, were identified after being exhumed at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Should I freeze my credit? Here's what experts say, and how to stop bad actors from accessing your file.
Parents and other caregivers urged to stop using loungers linked to 5 fatalities and an infant bed tied to 1 death.
Bewildered by rusty-looking stains on your white clothing this summer? The likely culprit is an ingredient found in over 600 sunscreen products.
The Gold Over America Tour will make stops in 30 cities across the U.S. Here is where tickets are the cheapest.
Florida cucumber grower used untreated canal water found to be tainted with salmonella bacteria, laboratory tests found.
In North Carolina, Harris took note of falling inflation but added, "Still, we know that many Americans don't yet feel that progress in their daily lives."
The Butler County native has been in Russian prison since 2021.
"Our history is not just about the past, it's about our present and our future," President Biden said in a statement.
The campaign says there will be over 2,800 organizing events in the days leading up to the party's Chicago convention next week.
U.S. assessments are that Iran will not seek to disrupt ongoing cease-fire negotiations in Doha aimed at ending the Hamas-Israel war.
Alternatives to the often dreaded pap smear may be on the way for cervical cancer screenings. Here's what to know.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has announced a plan to save five Steward hospitals from closure.
Parents and other caregivers urged to stop using loungers linked to 5 fatalities and an infant bed tied to 1 death.
ABC News Australia's Nate Byrne is being praised both for how he handled the on-air panic attack as well as the visibility he's bringing to mental health.
Hundreds of thousands of the tiny wind-soaring and itch-inducing critters can fall from trees every day and are packed with a venom that can paralyze prey 166,000 times their size.
A 19-year-old giant panda named Ying Ying has given birth to twins, becoming the oldest known first-time panda mom.
The Butler County native has been in Russian prison since 2021.
The HMS Hawke was torpedoed by a German U-boat on October 15, 1913. Just 70 sailors survived.
Chinese-based tour operators said North Korea will soon allow visitors to the mountainous northern city of Samjiyon.
The woman was found dead "because of being constricted and bitten by the snake," a police spokesman said.
Jools Lebron's viral TikTok videos have given new meaning to the word "demure." We break down what it means.
Academy Award-nominated actor Elliot Page and actress Hillary Baack star in the heartfelt film "Close to You," exploring themes of love, identity and the challenges of returning home.
Taylor Swift kicked off the latest leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour on Thursday, her first performance since canceling three shows in Vienna due to an alleged terror plot from ISIS. While Swift did not address the plot or cancellations, heightened security measures were in place.
Following a nine-month investigation into the death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry, five people, including two doctors, one of his assistants and an alleged drug dealer, have been criminally charged.
Taylor Swift fans attending her Thursday concert in London's Wembley Stadium were subjected to extra security measures in response to the cancellation last week of her three Vienna concerts after Austrian investigators foiled an alleged terror plot there. Imtiaz Tyab has details.
Should I freeze my credit? Here's what experts say, and how to stop bad actors from accessing your file.
Artificial intelligence and misinformation remain a threat this election year. So how can you spot what's real and what's not? Darren Linvill, co-director of the Media Forensics Hub at Clemson University, joins CBS News with tips.
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
Iran has launched a sweeping, months-long cyberattack targeting both the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns, according to a new report by Google. Nicole Sganga has details.
Staring at an iPad screen too much may keep little kids from learning to control their emotions, a new study finds.
There are hundreds of data centers across the U.S., most of which are run by big tech firms, and their seemingly endless rows of servers are consuming huge amounts of electricity. Ben Tracy takes a look at how one of those companies, Google, is turning to renewable energy sources to power them.
Hurricane Ernesto is gaining strength in the Caribbean after drenching Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Now the storm is moving north into the Atlantic, where it's expected to continue strengthening as it heads toward Bermuda. CBS News national correspondent Manuel Bojorquez and WCBS chief weathercaster Lonnie Quinn have more.
On July 24, a burning car was pushed over an embankment in Chico, California. Within three days, it became one of the 10 largest wildfires in state history. Within nine days, it was among the top four. Still burning at over 429,000 acres, firefighters continue to tackle the historic blaze. Using data from Cal Fire, CBS News put together an animation to show just how quickly and far the flames have spread.
There are plenty of considerations for those interested in making the investment, according to industry experts.
Joro spiders have hearts that are able to withstand the loud and bustling noises of big cities, according to a study published on Monday.
Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, faces federal charges of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The manhunt for a convicted murderer who escaped from custody is over. Police found Ramone Alston early Friday morning at a hotel outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, more than a hundred miles from the Hillsborough hospital parking lot he ran from on Tuesday.
The escaped killer of a 1-year-old girl who fled from a medical transport van, Ramone Alston, was captured days later in a hotel in the Charlotte, N.C. suburb of Kannapolis, authorities said.
The two troopers pepper-sprayed, beat, stunned and used a police dog on the wrong man, authorities said.
Five people have been arrested in connection with the 2023 death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry. The defendants, which includes two doctors and Perry's personal assistant, were federally charged with distributing the ketamine that contributed to Perry's death. According to prosecutors, Perry's personal assistant admitted to giving him multiple ketamine injections on the day of his death. Adam Yamaguchi has the latest.
CBS News spoke with the astrophotographer behind the viral photo about his mission to drive people to look at the night sky before it changes "within the period of our lifetime."
Seventy-one days after launch, NASA finally nears a decision on whether Boeing's Starliner will return to Earth with, or without, a crew.
NASA held a press briefing Wednesday and announced a decision will be coming on how the Boeing Starlink capsule crew stuck at the International Space Station will proceed with their mission in space. CBS News' Lindsey Reiser has more.
The historic, privately financed space flight will carry humans above Earth's ice caps for the first time.
The Perseid meteor shower peaked in the night skies of Sunday into Monday, giving astronomy fans one of the best shows of 2024 as they looked to the skies.
Live performances are in full swing this summer. Scroll through our concert gallery, featuring pictures by CBS News photojournalist Jake Barlow and photographers Ed Spinelli and Kirstine Walton.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
A look at the evidence in "The Dexter Killer" case; plus, newly revealed letters from the man police say wanted to be like fictional serial killer Dexter Morgan.
A teenager's murder in Lowell, Massachusetts, goes unsolved for more than 40 years -- were the clues there all along?
The actor, recipient of a lifetime achievement Academy Award, was renowned for such films as "MASH," "Klute," "Don't Look Now," "Ordinary People," and "The Hunger Games."
Your Social Security numbers may be among the billions of records stolen through a massive National Public Data hack. CBS News senior business and technology correspondent Jo Ling Kent has more.
President Biden told reporters Friday that the parties involved in the Israel-Hamas cease-fire talks in Qatar are "closer" to a deal. A joint statement by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar looks ahead to more talks in Cairo, Egypt. CBS News senior national security correspondent Charlie D'Agata reports.
Hurricane Ernesto is barreling toward Bermuda, threatening the island with high winds and coastal flooding. CBS News' Dave Malkoff is catching up with shoppers and businesses preparing.
A preliminary investigative report released by Lousiana Rep. Clay Higgins, a member of the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump, includes new details on a Butler SWAT operator who fired a shot that may have changed the course of events at the former president's Pennsylvania rally. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane reports.
Vice President Kamala Harris will lay out the details of her economic plan and proposed policies if she is elected president in November. CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes previews the campaign event in Raleigh, North Carolina.