US set to issue $362 million loan for vehicle wiring production

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Energy Department on Friday said it intends to loan California startup CelLink $362 million to help finance construction of a U.S. manufacturing facility to improve key vehicle wiring components. The conditional commitment from the government’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program is for the development of lighter,…

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US lawmakers seek probe of how Elon Musk’s brain chip venture oversees animal experiments

By Rachael Levy WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. lawmakers will ask regulators to investigate whether the make-up of a panel overseeing animal testing at Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup Neuralink contributed to botched and rushed experiments. U.S. House Representatives Earl Francis Blumenauer and Adam Schiff, both Democrats, have signed a draft letter to the U.S. Department of…

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Alphabet CEO to meet EU industry chief Breton, EU deputy chief May 24

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Alphabet Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai will meet European Commission deputy chief Vera Jourova and EU industry chief Thierry Breton in Brussels on May 24, according to the European Commission’s agenda on Friday. Breton is in charge of digital rules that will require Alphabet’s Google and other tech giants to allow business…

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Rights watchdog denounces Italy immigration law as ‘inhumane’

ROME (Reuters) – A new Italian law that narrows asylum rights in an effort to dissuade migrants from heading to Italy is repressive and inhumane, a leading rights watchdog said on Friday. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s nationalist government drew up the legislation after a shipwreck off southern Italy in February that killed more than 90…

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Toshiba says working with JIP to ‘quickly complete’ $15 billion buyout

By Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO (Reuters) -Toshiba Corp said on Friday it was working with Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) to quickly complete a $15-billion buyout by the private equity firm, as the industrial conglomerate forecast another year of weak earnings. After Toshiba’s board in March accepted a 2 trillion yen ($14.8 billion) buyout offer from the…

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Erdogan rival accuses Russia of ‘deep fake’ campaign ahead of presidential vote

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the main election rival of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, issued a warning to Russia, accusing it of responsibility for the release of fake material on social media ahead of Sunday’s ballot. Kilicdaroglu, who has a slight lead over long-time leader Erdogan according to opinion polls, did not specify to which…

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Apple to open first online shop in Vietnam in a push to emerging market

(Reuters) – Apple said on Friday it would open its first online store in Vietnam next week, as the iPhone vendor doubles down on emerging markets to drive growth amid slowing sales in China. The opening on May 18 comes just weeks after the Cupertino, California-based company opened its first Apple stores in India –…

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