1. British American Tobacco makes Reynolds American takeover offer
British American Tobacco announced Friday that it was offering $47 billion to buy the 58 percent of U.S. tobacco company Reynolds American it doesn't already own. The bid valued Reynolds shares at $56.50, representing a 20 percent premium on the stock's Thursday closing price. The offer of $20 billion in cash and $27 billion in BAT shares sent Reynolds shares soaring. They were up by 18 percent in pre-market trading on Friday. A deal would bring together such cigarette brands as Camel, Newport, Kent, and Pall Mall in what would be the world's biggest listed tobacco company.
2. Regulators confirm 11th U.S. death from faulty Takata airbag inflators
Federal safety regulators on Thursday confirmed that the death of a 50-year-old woman in a Sept. 30 crash in California was linked to a ruptured Takata Corp. airbag inflator. The fatality in Riverside County was the 11th in the U.S. attributed to the Takata inflators, which have led more than a dozen automakers to recall a total of nearly 100 million vehicles worldwide. The woman's 2001 Honda Civic, first recalled in 2008, was never repaired.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
3. Microsoft gets big boost from cloud computing sales
Microsoft shares rose to an all-time high ahead of the opening bell on Friday after the software giant reported quarterly earnings that beat analysts' expectations thanks to a surge in revenue from cloud computing services. Sales of Microsoft's Azure service more than doubled, helping the company's overall revenue grow after sliding in the five straight previous quarters. Microsoft shares jumped up by 6 percent before the start of trading on Friday.
The Verge The Wall Street Journal
4. Theresa May promises close post-Brexit cooperation with E.U.
Theresa May said Thursday at her first European Union summit as British prime minister that her country would continue to "work closely" with the 28-member trading bloc even after the U.K. exits the E.U., and that she expected her country to participate in E.U. decision making after Brexit. Earlier, French President Francois Hollande warned May that negotiations on the U.K.'s departure and new status would be contentious if she pushed for a "hard Brexit" that would give the U.K. full control over its own budget, law-making, and immigration.
5. MetLife fires Snoopy
MetLife said Thursday that it was launching a new global brand platform, and for the first time in more than three decades Peanuts cartoon beagle Snoopy won't be in the giant U.S. insurer's ads. "We brought in Snoopy over 30 years ago to make our company more friendly and approachable during a time when insurance companies were seen as cold and distant," said Esther Lee, MetLife's global chief marketing officer. "Snoopy helped drive our business and served an important role at the time."
-
Delhi's dogs earn Supreme Court reprieveIN THE SPOTLIGHT After an outcry from the public and animal rights activists, India's Supreme Court walks back a controversial plan to round the city's stray dog population into shelters
-
8 hotels with ace tennis courtsThe Week Recommends Bring your A game
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportationSpeed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarrayIn the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
