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  • 5 private companies submit proposals on ferry service from Gwadar to Gulf region: maritime ministry – Pakistan

    5 private companies submit proposals on ferry service from Gwadar to Gulf region: maritime ministry – Pakistan

    Five private companies on Friday proposed routes for the newly announced ferry service from Gwadar to the Gulf region, according to the maritime ministry.

    On July 1, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs announced an ambitious plan to expand Gwadar Port’s operational capacity by introducing additional shipp­ing lines and launching a ferry service connecting Pak­istan with Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

    The move is expected to provide an affordable, direct maritime link for passengers and cargo, particularly benefiting expatriate communities and cross-border traders.

    Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry chaired a meeting on the ferry service today to review the “technical and financial aspects of ferry operations”, a statement by his ministry said.

    “Five private companies presented their proposals,” the statement added.

    “The interest of the private sector in ferry service has increased,” Chaudhry said, adding that various routes were under consideration. “The ferry service will promote regional connectivity and trade.”

    “The movement of passengers and goods from Gulf countries will become easier,” he noted, adding that the service will highlight Gwadar on the international maritime map.

    The ministry also stated that the meeting included instructions to conduct further evaluations of the submitted proposals. “Authorities were directed to ensure that all regulatory, technical, and logistical considerations are fully addressed ahead of the ferry service launch,” it said.

    During the meeting, the maritime minister held a phone call with Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and discussed provincial cooperation. Bugti “assured full cooperation in the ferry service project”, according to the ministry.

    In a statement on X, the Balochistan government said, “The meeting discussed important matters related to the development of Gwadar, public facilities, and increasing employment opportunities for the youth.”

    CM Bugti was quoted as saying that the provincial government was giving “serious consideration” to the ferry service from Gwadar to Oman, which will “facilitate pilgrims and ease travelling for the local population”.

    “Assuring full cooperation from the Balochistan government, the chief minister stated that this initiative will prove to be a milestone in strengthening regional connectivity,” the statement read.

    The Balochistan government also vowed to provide cooperation and support at every level for the full operationalisation of Gwadar Port.

    “All proposed development projects of the Gwadar Port Authority will be fully supported so that Gwadar Port can play a central role in the national economy,” the statement affirmed.

    The statement also said that 1.2 million gallons of clean drinking water will be provided daily to Gwadar citizens through a desalination project that will be established under the Gwadar Port Authority, calling it a “significant step toward a lasting solution to the long-standing water issue”.

    CM Bugti was quoted as saying, “The government is committed to providing world-class training to the youth.”

    The youth will be taught various skills under the Pak-China Technical Vocational Centre, while the provincial government’s program to train and provide overseas employment to 30,000 youths will be supported by the Pak-China Technical Vocational Centre, the statement added.

    Today’s development comes after Chaudhry visited the Gwadar port on Wednesday to review various ongoing development projects.

    The country has recently increased efforts on the commercialisation of the Gwadar Port, which was built more than a decade ago but remains a non-starter, turning the multi-billion-dollar infrastructure facility into a white elephant instead of becoming a transhipment hub.

    Earlier this year, the government sought the private sector’s support in routing their cargoes through the port, seeking detailed proposals to enhance trade.

    Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had issued directives for devising short- and medium-term strategies to operationalise Gwadar Port effectively within six months. He emphasised the importance of comparing Gwadar’s trade costs with other regional ports.

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  • Best TV deal: Save $311 on Hisense Canvas TV

    Best TV deal: Save $311 on Hisense Canvas TV

    SAVE OVER $300: As of July 18, the Hisense Canvas TV is on sale for $688.99 at Amazon. That’s a 31% saving on the list price.

    We love a TV discount here at Mashable, especially on something as impressive as the Hisense Canvas. And right now, there’s an incredible deal at Amazon that you’ll love almost as much as you love this TV.

    As of July 18, you can find the 55-inch model of this TV priced at $688.99. Not only are you saving over $300 on list price, you’re getting it for its lowest-ever price. If you want something a little bigger, you’re in luck. There are discounts across all sizes.

    SEE ALSO:

    My TV deal of the week — this massive 85-inch Hisense Mini-LED TV is over $1,000 off

    There’s so much to impress with this TV, just check out our review to see what we really thought. If you want the basics, it’s a 4K QLED that delivers rich, vibrant colors. But the real selling point is that when you’re not watching, the TV can be transformed into a digital gallery, displaying a single image or shuffling through a slideshow of your favorite photos or artwork. The hi-matte display makes the digital gallery look like the real thing, enough so that you’ll be able to trick your friends and family into thinking it’s the real thing.

    Not only that, it’s also a great option for gamers, boasting a 144Hz Game Mode PRO. This is designed with top gaming technology, with a Variable Refresh Rate of 48Hz to 144Hz.

    Mashable Deals

    This deal is not one to miss. Head to Amazon now to save.

    The best deals this week, hand-picked by Mashable’s team of experts

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  • Dawn Raid Analysis Quarterly: 2025 Q1

    Dawn Raid Analysis Quarterly: 2025 Q1

    The White & Case Dawn Raid Analysis Quarterly (DRAQ) is an information and discussion resource regarding surprise on-the-spot inspections by antitrust authorities (dawn raids) across Europe. DRAQ provides updates on recent case law, enforcement activity and trends.

    Q1 2025 at a glance

    In the first quarter of 2025, European competition authorities carried out a total of 13 dawn raids, five less than in the same period in 2024. The Romanian competition authority was the most active in dawn raids in Q1 2025 with three dawn raids in construction, health & safety and transport sectors. The sectors that European competition authorities targeted the most in Q1 were the construction, consumer goods and transport sectors. 

    Noteworthy for Q1 2025:

    • In March 2025,  the Finnish Market Court fined care home operator Attendo Suomi 1.5 million euros for obstructing a dawn raid conducted by Finnish antitrust officials in 2023.  The obstruction involved the deletion by an Attendo employee of work-related WhatsApp conversations and a call log from a mobile phone. This marks the first time that a fine has been imposed in Finland for a procedural violation of this type.
    • In March 2025, the European Commission (EC) carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of companies active in the non-alcoholic drinks sector. The EC has concerns that the companies concerned may have infringed EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive practices (Article 101), and abuses of a dominant position (Article 102). In particular, the EC is investigating possible restrictions on the trade of goods in the Single Market and market segmentation.
    • The EC conducted its first dawn raid under the EU Foreign Subsidy Regulation (FSR) in April 2024. The EC inspected the premises of Chinese security inspection equipment company, Nuctech, in the Netherlands and Poland. During the raid, the inspectors requested the content of the mailboxes of a number of employees (who were Chinese citizens), but were informed that this data was inaccessible as the data was stored on the parent company’s servers in China. The inspectors requested Nuctech to place a legal hold on the relevant mailboxes. After the raid, the EC requested Nuctech to make the data available. In addition to challenging the dawn raid decision, Nuctech applied for interim measures ordering the suspension of the dawn raid inspection decision, together with the legal hold requests and subsequent information request. In March 2025, Nuctech lost the interim measure appeal. That means that the EC can continue its investigation and review the collected evidence. The main appeal against the dawn raid is still pending before the General Court.

    We provide more statistics below on the number of raids and the sectors impacted, including a country-by-country list, available through our Interactive Dawn Raid map.

     

    Key Q1 2025 legal developments

    Below is a selection of key developments in Q1 2025:

    Human rights challenge of dawn raids in Romania

    On 18 March 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) delivered a judgment concerning a challenge of two dawn raids by the Romanian authorities. The first concerned a dawn raid of the business premises of a bank by the Romanian Competition Council. The second concerned a subsequent dawn raid at the bank’s business premises conducted in the context of a criminal investigation of several employees (alleged fraud and money laundering). The bank alleged an infringement of Article 8 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (right to private life, home and correspondence).

    With respect to the dawn raid by the Romanian Competition Council, the ECHR ruled that the impugned interference with the bank’s rights was proportionate to the aim pursued. The ECHR noted the following factors as contributing to the proportionality of the dawn raids.

    • The dawn raid had been directed at a legal person which gave it a wider margin of appreciation than would have been the case had it concerned an individual.
    • Only a limited number of documents (32 emails) were taken, rather than a download of all existing documents on the server. The raid did not involve a “massive and indiscriminate” taking of documents.
    • The bank’s representatives had the right to submit requests and make comments but signed without any objections the inspection report in which all the documents viewed and taken by the inspectors were listed.  
    • The dawn raid had its basis upon a decision approved by the plenary of the Romanian Competition Council.
    • Representatives of the bank were given copies of the two decisions on which the inspection was based (albeit the decisions mentioned only briefly the suspected breaches)
    • The inspection did not start until a legal representative of the bank was present
    • The inspectors orally informed the bank representatives about the scope and extent of the inspection.
    • The inspectors carried out their inspection only in the presence of representatives of the bank and drew up a detailed inspection report that mentioned all the offices and documents accessed and included a full list of the documents taken.
    • The domestic legal framework offered the possibility of requesting that documents taken by the competition inspectors be kept confidential or be returned if they were not necessary for the investigation

    The ECHR noted that the inspection had taken place without any prior warrant of a judge, but solely on the basis of an administrative decision of the Romanian Competition Council. Following its case law, the ECHR stated that the absence of a prior judicial warrant could be counterbalanced by the availability of an ex post facto judicial review that is effective in the particular circumstances of the case. Whilst the ECHR observed that the domestic legal framework did not provide for a specific avenue to complain in respect of the conduct of inspections, it highlighted that the Romanian Competition Act provided for the possibility of complaining about decisions of the Council at the end of the investigation, and that the general administrative proceedings law provides for the possibility of contesting before the courts either administrative decisions or a failure to resolve a petition by a public authority. The ECHR highlighted the fact that the bank had initiated proceedings immediately after the inspection based on general administrative proceedings law concerning the two administrative decisions adopted in the case, where the bank raised complaints concerning the conduct of the inspection. In this context, the ECHR considered that the High Court of Cassation and Justice had reviewed the scope and proportionality of the inspection, and that the necessity and proportionality of the dawn raid had been subject to adequate ex post review.

    The ECHR took a different approach to the criminal inspection, holding that the circumstances failed to ensure effective protection of the bank’s right to respect for its home and correspondence. The ECHR held that there had been a violation of Article 8 of the Convention, and awarded the bank non-pecuniary damages of EUR 2,600 and legal costs of EUR 10,000. 

    The ECHR highlighted the following circumstances:

    • The seizure of the two computers belonging to the bank was carried out following a decision of the prosecutor that was not subjected to judicial review in that specific phase of the proceedings (no judicial warrant)
    • The bank raised a number of complaints as regards the lack of reasoning, justification and lawfulness of the seizure of the computers in question as objections to the seizure report as well as in the form of a complaint before the superior prosecutor. However, the hierarchical superior prosecutor only examined the general compliance of the prosecutor’s order with the relevant legal provisions, without replying to the bank’s specific complaints.
    • The bank had not been able to benefit from an ex post facto judicial review, as the criminal investigation was still pending.
    • The prosecutor’s decision had been adopted and carried out within the scope of a former legal framework. Under the legal framework in force at the time, the bank could not contest the measures in question before the courts.

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    New AI detection tool in Spain

    The Spanish competition authority Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) has been particularly active in trying to detect collusive bids in public procurement processes. Thanks to various regulatory changes in Spain, the CNMC now enjoys access to data from the public procurement and commercial registry databases, which are key to ex-officio detection. The CNMC’s access to data on unsuccessful bids (losing bids) has paved the way for the development and implementation of the BRAVA system (Bid Rigging Algorithm for Vigilance in Antitrust).

    CNMC’s Economic Intelligence Unit has been working on BRAVA since 2021. The tool which has been operative since 2023 is a classification tool based on supervised machine learning that uses different AI models to flag potential bid-rigging activities and classify the different bids submitted to a tender as likely to be collusive or competitive. The data from the collusive bids are labelled, as well as the contrasting competitive ones, and they are then divided into a training set and a test set to further advance the supervised machine learning process through different iterations.

    Although bid rigging detection is BRAVA’s main task, the CNMC reports that it can be used also regarding other horizontal agreements between companies, as well as for the analysis of markets reported by whistle-blowers or informants. It can also assist in the identification of anticompetitive agreements in markets already under investigation or where competition is a concern, especially in markets suspected of harboring stable cartels.

    Although it is too early to measure the precise impact of BRAVA, it is expected to play an important role resulting in increased detection and fines for anticompetitive behavior. The CNMC also expects that the mere existence of the tool will discourage the creation of cartels and encourage the use of the leniency program. Considering that public tenders in Spain represent around 20% of GDP, the CNMC has made it a priority to make sure that bids are competitive and considers BRAVA to be a pioneering tool worldwide among competition authorities.

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    Czech Supreme Administrative Court rules against seizure of documents based on generic keywords

    The judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC), handed down in December 2024, clarifies avenues to challenge dawn raids in the Czech Republic on the basis that generic keywords have been used that are unrelated to the subject matter of the investigation. The judgment relates to a dawn raid carried out by the Czech Competition Authority (CCA) in June 2023 on the business premises of electronics retailer company HP Tronic Zlín in relation to alleged prohibited resale price maintenance (RPM) practices. The retailer challenged the legality of the dawn raid before the local court.

    The SAC appellate judgment concerns one particular email that the CCA located during the inspection using a generic keyword which may be loosely translated as “settle” (in Czech: “narovn”). The CCA had given no justification in the inspection protocol for the use of this particular keyword. The SAC distilled the grounds of the appeal into two main questions: (i) whether there was an apparent link between the keyword and the subject matter of the investigation and, if there was no such apparent link, (ii) whether the CCA could cure this deficiency by explaining its reasons for using the keyword.

    The SAC found that the keyword was too general and lacked any apparent link to the subject matter. Furthermore, despite objections raised by the company during the inspection, the CCA did not provide any justification of its choice of the keyword in the inspection protocol. In fact, the authority did so for the first time only in the appellate proceedings before the SAC. There, the CCA was claiming that to “settle” in Czech is often used in the RPM context where its meaning would be to fix (i.e., to “align”) prices of the reseller and that it was therefore legitimate to use it in this context. However, the CCA gave its explanation too late.

    The SCA’s judgment underlines that where the CCA ventures on a “fishing expedition” during a dawn raid and seizes electronic evidence located by using generic keywords that are apparently unrelated to the conduct being investigated without further explanation, the affected business will likely succeed if it brings a dawn raid challenge. While the use of one or more general keywords on its own will not lead to the entire investigation of the CCA being declared excessive, it would make the use of documents discovered as a result of them inadmissible. The relevant court will evaluate all available keywords comprehensively, taking into account all relevant factors, including the number of documents found using the keyword in question and the effort of the CCA to comply with the scope of the investigation.

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    Interactive Dawn Raid map

    Hover over the highlighted countries to get a closer look at the enforcement activity of the respective National Competition Authorities since 2021.


    Austria

    2024

    2023

    • One dawn raid 
      • Sector: Refrigeration and freezing equipment 

    2022

    • Three dawn raids
      • Sectors: Wood-pellets; waste management

    2021

    • One dawn raid
      • Sectors: Waste management.


    Belgium

    2025

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: personal care and retail 

    2024

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: bus and coach passenger transport

    2023

    2022

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sectors: Bovine meat; Press publisher and distribution

    2021


    Bulgaria

    2025

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: Construction machinery 

    2024

    • One dawn raid
      • Sectors: traders of construction machinery and equipments

    2023

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: Food and beverage

    2022

    • One dawn raid
      • Sectors: Toners and other printing consumables.

    2021


    Croatia

    2025

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector : Low and medium voltage 

    2024

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sectors: Management, constructions, and maintenance of state roads; sports and recreation packages for employees

    2023

    2022

    2021


    Czech Republic

    2025

    • 4 dawn raids
      • Sector: Post services; engineering; land construction; household and garden equipment

    2024

    • 9 dawn raids
      • Sectors: Domestic appliances; lorries; roads and motorways; web portal and search engines; unknown

    2023

    • 8 dawn raids
      • Sectors: Domestic appliances; consumer electronics; unknown

    2022

    • 14 dawn raids
      • Sectors: Consumer electronics; smelters; unknown

    2021

    • 16 dawn raids
      • Sectors: Pet food and pet accessories; railways; electronic appliances


    Denmark

    2025

    2023

    2022

    2021

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: Auto repair services


    Estonia

    • No dawn raids for the period 2021 – 2023


    Finland

     2025

    2024

    2023

    2022

    2021


    France

    2025

    2024

    • Four dawn raids
      • Sectors: Medical biology; energy cable distribution; manufacture and distribution of explosives for civil uses; agricultural inputs

    2023

    • Four dawn raids
      • Sector: Rail transport; graphic cards; production and marketing of food and non-food product sectors; production and marketing of food and non-food products

    2022

    • Four dawn raids
      • Sectors: Cow’s milk; leather goods; agricultural supplies; cash register services for newsagents and tobacconists

    2021

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sectors: Food retail; pharmacy data collection


    Germany

    2024

    • Three dawn raids
      • Sectors: Tyre retail; unknown; toilet paper, paper towels and tissues

    2023

    2022

    • 12 dawn raids
      • Sectors: Power-cable manufacturer
      • As stated in the Bundeskartellamt (BKa) annual report of 2022, in 2022 the BKa carried out a total of 12 dawn raids and provided official assistance for another six

    2021

    • Two dawn raids
      • As stated in the BKa annual report of 2021, in 2021 the BKa conducted two dawn raids


    Greece

    2025

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sector: Maritime and Private tutoring services

    2024

    • Seven dawn raids
      • Sectors: IT and technology sector and related services; organisation of educational trips for public and private schools; smart water meter systems; ferry services; waste management; pet food; coffee, chocolate and infant nutrition

    2023

    • Seven dawn raids
      • Sectors: Pharmaceuticals; alcoholic beverages; food processing; poultry; electricity grid; baby products; medical equipment

    2022

    • 12 dawn raids
      • Sectors: Children’s toys; aluminium; PVC and iron processing; import and distribution of white goods; transport; electricity; catering; medical products; 2 x construction; eyewear; cosmetics and personal care; breast pumps and accessories

    2021

    • 13 dawn raids
      • Sectors: Sunflower; cotton and maize seeds; cadastral survey services; production and supply of pharmaceutical products; refining; wholesale and retail trade of petrol and diesel; 2x supply and retail trade of supermarket products; school bags; kids’ lunch bags and pencil cases; IT systems; catering services; public tenders for natural gas works; import; wholesale and retail markets of power-driven hard tools and garden tools; wholesale and retail markets of telecommunications and teleconferencing equipment; lighting systems


    Hungary

    2025

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: domestic soft drinks manufacturer

    2023

    • Three dawn raids
      • Sectors: Food and beverages; soft drinks; online accommodation booking

    2022

    2021

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sectors: Timber; gravel market


    Ireland

    2025

    2024

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sector: Airlines; home alarms

    2023

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: Publicly funded transport

    2022

    2021


    Italy

    2025

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sector: Transportation; jewellery and watches
         

    2024

    • Three dawn raids
      • Sector: Online travel agencies; potato chips; vehicle repair

    2023

    • Seven dawn raids
      • Sectors: Oil; electric recharging stations; organization of sporting competitions; automotive fuels; anti-lock breaking systems; organization of competitive motor sports events; wine glass bottles

    2022

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sectors: Tolled motorways; catering services for penitential institutions

    2021


    Latvia

    2025

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: Coffee machines
         

    No dawn raids for the period 2021 – 2023


    Lithuania

    • No dawn raids for the period 2021 – 2023


    Luxembourg

    2025

    2024

    • One dawn raid
      • Sectors: Pharmaceutical and parapharmaceutical

    2023

    2022

    2021


    Netherlands

    2023

    2022

    2021

    • One dawn raid
      •  Sectors: Food processing sector


    Norway

    2025

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: veterinary clinics

    2023

    2022

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sectors: Finance; construction

    2021

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sectors: Pharmaceuticals; relocation services


    Poland

    2025

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: add waste management

    2024

    • Seven dawn raids
      • Sectors: Consumer electronics; digital distribution platform for video games; technologies related to electric and robotic systems; flooring panels; sale of drones; home appliance retailer; power production, trading and distribution 

    2023

    • Four dawn raids
      • Sector: Agricultural machinery; processing and wholesale trade of raspberries; household applicances, grain storage

    2022

    • Three dawn raids
      • Sectors: Gas meters; grain trade and shipments; coffee machines

    2021

    • Five dawn raids
      • Sectors: Monitoring equipment; cleaning devices; hospital IT systems; KIA car dealerships; pork wholesale


    Portugal

    2024

    2023

    • Three dawn raids
      • Sectors: supermarket retailing; condominium administration

    2022

    • Six dawn raids
      • Sectors: Wood-chip; wholesale of pharmaceutical goods; IT consulting; health & pharmaceutical; pharmaceutical and para pharmaceutical

    2021

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sectors: Procurement of military equipment; commercialised subscription databases with business information


    Romania

    2025

    • Six dawn raids
      • Sector: Housing and construction design; dentistry; LPG port operating services; vehicle maintenance and repair services; road sign products; medical products and equipment

    2024

    • Six dawn raids
      • Sectors: Archival services for pensions; electricity meter reading services; ICT equipment; medical oxygen; dietary supplements; hydrological data

    2023

    • Four dawn raids
      • Sector: Console gaming; Sunflower oil, butter and sugar; voucher services related to employee benefits; banking

    2022

    2021

    • 12 dawn raids
      • Sectors: Telecommunications; direct oral anticoagulants; paints and decorative coatings; book distribution; archiving of documents; tenders for an electronic services project; poultry; electricity; labour protection equipment; retail of electronic products; technical site permit services; street signage
         


    Slovakia

    2025

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: Air conditioning, cooling and heat pump services

    2024

    • Three dawn raids
      • Sector: Photovoltaics; provision of institutional healthcare; medical devices suppliers

    2023

    • Three dawn raid
      • Sector: Healthcare waste management; laboratory medical diagnostics; medicines and medical devices

    2022

    • Four dawn raids
      • Sectors: IT; forestry; cables; sale and repair of robotised workplaces

    2021


    Slovenia

    2024

    2023

    2022

    2021

    • One dawn raid
      • Sectors: Driver training
         


    Spain

    2025

    • Three dawn raids
      • Sector: generic medicine; civil engineering construction; leasing of facilities intended for the activity of FBO at airports

    2024

    • Four dawn raids
      • Sector: Provision of consulting and technical assistance services; leasing of facilities intended for the activity of FBOs at airports; agriculture machinery; consultancy and technical assistance services

    2023

    • Eight dawn raids
      • Sector: Travel agencies; haircare products; low-voltage electricity networks and electricity trading; agricultural machinery; rail transport; pharmaceutical digital logistics tool; electricity and gas; drugs and medications

    2022

    • Four dawn raids
      • Sectors: Energy; food; security and surveillances services

    2021

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sectors: Plastic and metal recycling; database marketing
         


    Sweden

    2023

    2022

    2021

    • Four dawn raids
      • Sectors: Waste management and treatment; plumbing products and installations; bread; PCR tests
         


    Switzerland

    2025

    2024

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: Civil engineering and construction

    2023

    •  Four dawn raids
      • Sector: Fragrances; printer accessories and office equipment; civil engineering and construction; steel products

    2022

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sectors: Dermatological medication; road maintenance

    2021

    • Two dawn raids
      • Sectors: Transport of waste collection and waste disposal; unknown
         


    United Kingdom

    2023

    2022

    • Three dawn raids
      • Sector: End-of-life vehicle manufacturing; immigration facilities; sports TV broadcasting 

    2021

    EU

    2025

    • One dawn raid
      • Sector: Non-alcoholic drinks 

    2024

    • Four dawn raids; one FSR dawn raid
      • Sector: Tyre manufacturers; consultancy for tyre manufacturers; security equipment; financial derivatives; data contruction centre

    2023

    • Seven dawn raids
      • Sectors: Energy drinks; fragrances; fashion; synthetic turf manufacturing; medical devices for cardio-vascular applications; Chemical additives for cement and chemical admixtures for concrete and mortar; online ordering and delivery of food, groceries and other consumer goods

    2022

    • Four dawn raids
      • Sectors: Fashion; online food delivery; water infrastructure; ELV vehicles

    2021

    • Four dawn raids
      • Sectors: Defence; animal health; wood pulp; manufacturing and distribution of garments

    Back to Map

     

    A look at the statistics

    The information below has been sourced from LexisPSL, and is based on dawn raids that have been publicly announced by competition authorities. The LexisPSL information was supplemented from selected public sources in jurisdictions where further information was available. Since not all competition authorities announce every dawn raid, the data below likely underestimate the number of raids. The sector charts reflect dawn raids in which the sectors were identified by the competent authorities. In some jurisdictions (e.g., Germany or Czech Republic), the authority publishes the number of raids without identifying the sector. As a result, the statistics in the charts below may underestimate the actual number of dawn raids by sector and country. The statistics displayed for the Czech Republic are available only as of 2021.

     

    White & Case means the international legal practice comprising White & Case LLP, a New York State registered limited liability partnership, White & Case LLP, a limited liability partnership incorporated under English law and all other affiliated partnerships, companies and entities.

    This article is prepared for the general information of interested persons. It is not, and does not attempt to be, comprehensive in nature. Due to the general nature of its content, it should not be regarded as legal advice.

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  • Netflix uses generative AI in one of its shows for first time | Netflix

    Netflix uses generative AI in one of its shows for first time | Netflix

    Netflix has used artificial intelligence in one of its TV shows for the first time, in a move the streaming company’s boss said would make films and programmes cheaper and of better quality.

    Ted Sarandos, a co-chief executive of Netflix, said the Argentinian science fiction series El Eternauta (The Eternaut) was the first it had made that involved using generative AI footage.

    “We remain convinced that AI represents an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper,” he told analysts on Thursday after Netflix reported its second-quarter results.

    He said the series, which follows survivors of a rapid and devastating toxic snowfall, involved Netflix and visual effects (VFX) artists using AI to show a building collapsing in Buenos Aires.

    “Using AI-powered tools, they were able to achieve an amazing result with remarkable speed and, in fact, that VFX sequence was completed 10 times faster than it could have been completed with traditional VFX tools and workflows,” he said.

    He said the use of AI tools allowed Netflix to fund the show at a much lower cost than is typical for a big-budget production.

    “The cost of [the special effects without AI] just wouldn’t have been feasible for a show in that budget,” Sarandos said.

    The use of generative AI in the entertainment industry has sparked fears of job cuts, particularly in areas such as the production and special effects industry.

    In 2023, AI was a key sticking point in dual strikes by Hollywood actors and writers, which secured agreements to ensure the new technology stayed in the control of workers rather than being used to replace them.

    Sarandos said: “This is real people doing real work with better tools. Our creators are already seeing the benefits in production through pre-visualisation and shot planning work, and certainly visual effects. I think these tools are helping creators expand the possibilities of storytelling on screen, and that is endlessly exciting.”

    His comments came after Netflix reported $11bn revenue for the quarter to the end of June, a 16% year-on-year increase.

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    The company said its better-than-expected performance was boosted by the success of the third and final series of the Korean thriller Squid Game.

    Netflix expects its small but fast-growing advertising business to “roughly double” in size this year.

    “Netflix’s better-than-expected quarter is a result of great content, increased pricing, and advertising momentum hitting all at once,” said Mike Proulx, the vice-president of research at Forrester, a market research company. “While there’s still work to be done to bolster its ad capabilities, the hardest part is in Netflix’s rear-view mirror with the full rollout of its proprietary ad tech platform.”

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  • New DNA test can tell your exact age from just a tiny blood sample

    New DNA test can tell your exact age from just a tiny blood sample

    A recent study shows that reading chemical marks on just two stretches of human DNA can estimate a person’s chronological age to within about 1.36 years – if the person is younger than 50.

    The work comes from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where Professor Tommy Kaplan and his colleagues trained a deep learning model called MAgeNet to read single‑molecule methylation patterns.


    “It turns out that the passage of time leaves measurable marks on our DNA,” said Kaplan, enthused about this finding he credits to the team’s focus on high‑resolution data.

    DNA methylation is a steady change that happens over time, where a small chemical tag gets added to specific spots in the DNA.

    Because methylation builds up or fades in predictable ways as people age, scientists have treated it as a molecular clock for more than a decade.

    Earlier age prediction models looked at hundreds of scattered DNA sites, but MAgeNet focuses on just two specific regions.

    It studies thousands of individual DNA fragments from those regions and runs them through a layered AI system to figure out a person’s age.

    The network learns whether each fragment is fully methylated, partly marked, or untouched, then weighs more than 130,000 possible patterns to calculate a final age prediction.

    Two DNA regions determine age

    Horvath’s 2013 epigenetic clock needed 353 CpGs and still missed the mark by almost four years on individual blood samples.

    Non‑linear “GP‑age” modeling cut that error to about two years using 30 CpGs, but it still relied on array data that blurs single‑molecule details. Pyrosequencing work later trimmed the list to five CpGs yet could not beat a 3.9‑year median error.

    Kaplan’s team showed that focusing on pattern combinations rather than single averages lets a neural network squeeze out nearly twice the accuracy of any earlier clock.

    Age test informs care

    MAgeNet’s predictions did not change when researchers stratified volunteers by body‑mass index, smoking history, or sex, suggesting that the two‑locus signatures are insulated from lifestyle noise.

    Such stability could help physicians decide whether a patient’s treatment plan matches cellular age rather than calendar age, a crucial distinction in emerging “gerotherapeutic” trials that target biological aging.

    The study also tracked 52 Jerusalem residents a decade apart and found that early deviations between predicted and calendar age remained almost unchanged ten years later.

    This fact implies that the methyl tags lay down a durable timestamp rather than fluctuating with short‑term health shifts.

    Because the assay works on as few as 50 DNA molecules, even a pediatric finger prick or archived neonatal blood spot could, in principle, reveal whether growth‑related therapies are accelerating or slowing a child’s cellular timeline.

    Forensics and DNA age testing

    Forensic scientists have long sought a tool that can reveal a suspect’s age from a trace DNA profile, something standard methylation arrays could not deliver without milligrams of tissue.

    The Hebrew University team showed that down‑sampling their libraries to the equivalent of 20 genomic copies still kept the median error below four years, a tolerance well within the age ranges investigators typically publish in bulletins.

    Urine samples predicted age within 2.5 years, while saliva lagged at 6.4 years, indicating that re‑training the model on cell type-specific data could broaden its courtroom utility.

    Because most criminal suspects are under 40, the sub‑one‑year error seen in that age band may finally let agencies add an accurate number, not just a broad bracket, to DNA‑based composite sketches.

    Clock slows after 60

    What drives some CpG clusters to tick in lockstep while others drift stochastically remains unclear. The authors speculate that nucleosome positioning and local enzyme kinetics may set the pace.

    They also note that the clock’s error grows past age 60, hinting that accumulated epigenetic noise or selective survival of certain blood cell types begins to obscure the signal after mid‑life.

    Future work aims to attach unique molecular identifiers during PCR to remove duplicate reads, a simple change that could shave away the remaining variance in the model.

    A broader donor pool will test whether ethnicity, chronic disease, or extreme environments push the two‑locus DNA age clock off course, or whether, as the early data suggest, every cell on the planet keeps DNA time with the same molecular second hand.

    The study is published in Cell Reports.

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  • Orthopedic surgeon explains how having enough calcium and vitamin D can reduce your osteoporosis risk | Health – Hindustan Times – Hindustan Times

    1. Orthopedic surgeon explains how having enough calcium and vitamin D can reduce your osteoporosis risk | Health – Hindustan Times  Hindustan Times
    2. Five new members join The Lord’s Place Board of Directors, Ready to Make an Impact to End Homelessness  The Boca Raton Tribune
    3. UHC: Improving Men’s Bone Health  WMAR 2 News Baltimore
    4. This Lifestyle Factor Could Be Making Your Low-Back Pain Way Worse  MindBodyGreen
    5. Congregation B’nai Israel’s Invites Community to “Back to Shul” Family Celebration and Open House  The Boca Raton Tribune

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  • Apple sues leaker Jon Prosser for stealing iOS secrets

    Apple sues leaker Jon Prosser for stealing iOS secrets

    Apple has sued the well-known leaker Jon Prosser for the alleged theft of trade secrets related to iOS 26. Prosser has been accused of tasking another man, Michael Ramacciotti, with secretly accessing an Apple employee’s development iPhone and using that information to report on Apple’s planned changes in the then-unannounced iOS 26.

    According to the lawsuit, Apple claims that Prosser offered Ramacciotti “money or a future job opportunity” in exchange for access to a company phone belonging to his friend Ethan Lipnik, an Apple software engineer working on iOS. Ramacciotti allegedly learnt Lipnik’s iPhone passcode, used “location-tracking” to determine when he’d be away from home for an extended period, and then accessed the iPhone running a development version of the mobile OS. Apple says that Ramacciotti showed the software to Prosser over a video call, which Prosser recorded, shared with others, and used to create renders of the new designs.

    Apple says it found out the details of what happened in April from an anonymous email from someone who claimed to have seen Prosser’s recording of the call and recognized Lipnik’s apartment. The company also claims to have a voice note sent by Ramacciotti to Lipnik, apologizing for the incident and claiming that the subterfuge was Prosser’s idea, which Lipnik in turn provided to Apple. Lipnik was fired by Apple for failing to properly follow its policies around securing unreleased software.

    Prosser has responded to the lawsuit on X, insisting that Apple’s account is “not how the situation played out on my end,” and claiming to have evidence to that effect. “I did not ‘plot’ to access anyone’s phone. I did not have any passwords. I was unaware of how the information was obtained.”

    In its legal filing, Apple asks for both damages and a court order preventing Prosser from disclosing Apple’s trade secrets again. The company adds that while iOS 26 has since been announced to the public, its secrets are still at risk because the development phone “contained other unannounced design elements.”

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  • Pittsburgh Steelers agree on record $123 million extension

    Pittsburgh Steelers agree on record $123 million extension

    T.J. Watt has agreed to a three-year extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers worth $123 million, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

    The 31-year-old linebacker’s deal includes $108 million fully guaranteed at signing, with an average annual salary of $41 million, surpassing the $40.25 million earned by Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and Cleveland’s Myles Garrett earlier this offseason, as reported by ESPN.

    The extension ends months of contract negotiations. Watt had missed the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp in June, but he is now expected to report to training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday.

    Watt celebrated the deal with an Instagram post of him flexing in his Steelers uniform, a more enthusiastic message compared to his earlier, more muted post during the offseason.

    Steelers general manager Omar Khan had expressed confidence throughout the negotiations, saying in March, “I’m hopeful T.J. will finish his career here.”

    Watt, a 2017 first-round pick, had been the highest-paid non-quarterback in 2021 with a four-year, $112 million deal. This new contract resolves any remaining drama before the start of training camp.

    Watt’s teammates, including defensive captain Cameron Heyward, had also urged the team to retain the standout edge rusher. Heyward strongly voiced his support for Watt’s importance to the team, particularly against any trade speculation.

    Watt, the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, has been one of the league’s top pass rushers, leading the NFL in sacks for three seasons.

    Despite a tough end to the 2024 season, where he struggled with only two sacks in the Steelers’ five-game losing streak, Watt remains a key player for Pittsburgh.

    “I want to be an impact player,” Watt said earlier this year, reflecting on his desire to avoid being schemed out of games.

    The Steelers, having strengthened their roster this offseason, now enter the preseason with Watt secured for the future, looking to make a push for the upcoming season.

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  • Facebook Deletes 10 Million Accounts And Warns The Purge Will Go On

    Facebook Deletes 10 Million Accounts And Warns The Purge Will Go On

    Some of the world’s biggest online platforms are purging accounts. We’ve seen Google Maps and Gmail users impacted, Samsung recently emailed me an account deletion warning, and now Facebook can be added to the list. Meta has confirmed that a staggering 10 million accounts have been deleted in the first half of 2025 alone, and the purge is not stopping there. Here’s everything you need to know.

    ForbesGoogle Chrome Security Warning — Update Your Browser Before July 23By Davey Winder

    10 Million Facebook Accounts Deleted Since The Start Of 2025

    Nobody likes the thought of their online accounts being deleted, which is why there was something of a panic around Google sending emails about just such a purge when they hit inboxes towards the end of 2023. Of course, that panic was unjustified, as the emails referred to a change in Google’s inactive account policy, which meant that those left unused for two years were being deleted. But what if active accounts are being purged, as is the case with the Facebook confirmation, is that cause for concern? The answer, at least for the overwhelming majority of legitimate Facebook users, is a resounding no. In fact, I’d argue it’s cause for security celebration.

    A July 14 announcement in the Facebook creators blog explains exactly why in its lede: “We believe that creators should be celebrated for their unique voices and perspectives, not drowned out by copycats and impersonators.” Given the warning issued to all 220 Amazon Prime customers regarding attacks where brand impersonation was front and center, it should come as some relief to us all that Meta is taking the issue seriously when it comes to Facebook creators. All too often, such impersonation is just one step away from malicious intent, using the reputation of others to engender trust and leverage attack methodologies.

    As a continuation of efforts to remove spammy content, including fake engagement and impersonation, Facebook has confirmed that since the start of the year, it “took down around 10 million profiles impersonating large content producers.” This is in addition to 500,000 accounts found to have been engaging in said spammy behavior and fake engagement having comments demoted, reach reduced and monetization stopped. The good news is that Meta intends to carry on doing more of the same. “Facebook aims to be a place where original content thrives, and creators are rewarded for their hard work and creativity,” the announcement concluded.

    ForbesWeb Browser AI Hack Attacks Confirmed — What You Need To KnowBy Davey Winder

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  • Festivalgoers help drive Burberry to best sales performance in 18 months | Burberry group

    Festivalgoers help drive Burberry to best sales performance in 18 months | Burberry group

    Shoppers snapping up Burberry wellies, scarves and light jackets to wear at music festivals have helped the fashion brand to its best sales performance in 18 months despite lacklustre spending by tourists around the world.

    Sales of the luxury British brand fell 2% to £433m in the three months to the end of June, with a 1% decline at established stores, an improvement from the 6% fall in the previous quarter and the best performance since Christmas 2023.

    Shares in Burberry rose more than 4% on Friday morning on the better-than-expected performance, as Joshua Schulman, who was appointed a year ago, attempts a turnaround.

    Festivalgoers have given a boost to Burberry, which is ‘still in the early stages of our turnaround’. Photograph: Burberry

    Sales rose in Europe and the Americas but continued to fall in Asia, including its all-important Chinese market, which accounts for 30% of sales.

    Schulman, the former boss of the US fashion brand Coach, said: “Its a tough macro [environment] out there and we are taking things step by step but we are optimistic about the quarters ahead and the business in general.”

    He said the company had appealed to “elite VIP” customers with events linked to its partnership with King Charles’s Highgrove estate and also to a younger luxury customer through festival-linked pop-ups featuring DJ sets located in shopping centres. A trial of dedicated “scarf bars” within stores have also gone well and the company plans to install 200 in total.

    “We are appealing to a much broader range of luxury consumers,” he said.

    Adam Cochrane, an analyst at Deutsche, said further growth was largely dependent on Burberry’s ability to “replicate the success” of its core products in other areas.

    The company said it was “still in the early stages of our turnaround” with aims to continue simplifying the business and improving productivity and cashflow.

    It expects to achieve £80m of its planned £100m cost cuts this financial year, with the remainder next year, and has already reorganised the business under four regional heads.

    The company said in May it was cutting up to 1,700 jobs, including an entire shift at its Yorkshire raincoat factory, in an effort to make £60m in cost savings on top of a £40m savings programme announced in November.

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    Schulman said Burberry’s autumn ranges were being “well received”, although the external environment “remains challenging. Over the past year, we have moved from stabilising the business to driving Burberry forward with confidence.

    “The improvement in our first quarter comparable sales, strength in our core categories, and uptick in brand desirability gives us conviction in the path ahead,” he said.

    He called on the UK government to implement policies that would “encourage tourism” as he said: “International consumers are not shopping in the UK to the extent we would like due to the lack of a VAT refund scheme.” The scheme was phased out under the last government.

    “All luxury brands and all retail brands would benefit from that,” he said.

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