Western Europe

On January 13, a U.S. House of Representatives 'committee' will hold a hearing to discuss legislation that aims to make it easier for autonomous vehicles without the need for human control. Congress has been split for years on whether or not to pass legislation to overcome deployment obstacles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not granting exemption requests by major automakers, but has maintained safety regulations. The current law allows NHTSA?to exempt up to 2,500 vehicles per automaker annually if the company can prove that it would be safe. The Teamsters union and consumer groups have expressed concern about...

Goldman Sachs dominated again the league tables of global dealmaking for 2025. It took the market share and top spot in an year that was marked by high stakes political dramas and ever-larger mergers. Goldman's No. 1 ranking was boosted by the rise of $10 billion deals, which totaled $1.5 trillion last year, or more than double the previous year. According to LSEG data, Goldman ranked No. 1 in the world. The firm was involved in 38 of these deals, more than any other investment bank. Total volume of advised deals was $1.48 trillion. This was the most active period...

Goldman Sachs dominated again the league tables of global dealmaking for 2025. It took the market share and top spot in an year marked by high-stakes politics and ever bigger mergers. Goldman Sachs' No. 1 ranking was aided by the rise of $10 billion deals, which amounted to $1.5 trillion in total last year, a more than two-fold increase from the previous year. According to LSEG data, Goldman ranked No. 1 in the world. The firm was involved in 38 of these deals, more than any other bank. Its total volume of advised deals was $1.48 trillion. This was the...

A lobby group representing European steel-using industry said that the safeguards proposed by the European Union as a way to protect EU mills against the impact of imported steel would "lead" to crippling price increases for European manufacturers. The 'European Using Industries of Steel, a grouping of lobbies that represents manufacturers of products ranging from automobiles and home appliances to farm machinery, has said the measures go too far when it comes to enclosing the European market. It said: "We urge EU Policymakers to ensure that a more cautious and balanced approach is taken in the legislative process for the...

After heavy snowfalls, the French capital Paris was pounded by a slew of snowstorms on Monday. The?civil aviation authority in France asked airlines to cancel up to 15% of flights until the evening. A spokesperson said that airlines can cancel flights as long as they reduce takeoffs and land landings. Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport was asked to reduce flight schedules until 2000 CET (1900 GMT), and Paris-Orly airport until 2330 CET (22230 GMT). The French Transport Ministry urged travelers to make sure their flight was taking off before they left home and to use public transport to get to the...

Snowfall in the Netherlands on Monday disrupted air and train traffic, and all trains in and around Amsterdam were stopped. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, one of Europe's busiest hubs cancelled almost 500 flights on Monday morning, and expects that number to rise throughout the day. Snow and freezing temperatures had forced the airport to cancel hundreds of flights every day since Friday. Snowfall in large parts of The Netherlands on Monday morning caused major traffic problems. No trains ran in the area around Amsterdam, and public transport was affected in many areas. Even though the authorities advised that people should stay...

According to a source in the industry, Urals crude differentials remained stable on Monday, while Kazakh oil output fell by about 6% 'in December, following a Ukrainian drone strike that damaged Russia's Black Sea Exporting Terminal. According to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the situation was sensitive, oil and gas condensate production?from Kazakhstan has decreased in the period December 1-28 to 1,93 million barrels per a day. Sources say that production at Tengiz, an oilfield located in northwest Kazakhstan, on the northeastern coast of the Caspian Sea, has dropped by 10% in the period December 1-28...

Police in Nigeria said that former heavyweight world boxing champion Anthony Joshua, a British man, was involved in an accident which killed two people in Ogun State. Joshua, 36, suffered minor injuries after a collision between his vehicle and another car. The Ogun State Police Command confirmed that Joshua had been transported to the hospital, while they investigated the cause of the accident. Five men were involved in an accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, according to the Federal Road Safety Corps of Nigeria. The agency stated that preliminary findings indicate 'the vehicle carrying Joshua was likely speeding at the time...

Uber and Lyft have teamed up with Chinese technology company Baidu in order to test self driving taxis in the UK by 2026. They are the latest ride hailing platforms to team up with self-driving car firms. Robotaxis is expected to become a safer form of transportation that reduces operational costs through reducing the reliance on drivers, and by optimizing routes using real-time data. Robotaxi services are being tested in several cities and countries, including robotic food delivery, daily travel and last-mile logistics. Here are some of the most significant robotaxi trials, tests and operations worldwide: UBER, LYFT, AND BAIDU...

Three sources have confirmed that the Russian government has ordered Russian Railways to dispose of a central Moscow skyscraper with 62 floors to help pay down some of the $50 billion debt owed by this railway monopoly. Last month, it was reported that the?government? is discussing ways to support Russia's largest commercial employer. The state-owned Russian Railways employs 700,000 workers and has seen its revenues fall amid the sharp slowdown of Russia's wartime economy. Meanwhile, debt costs are on the rise, driven by interest rates that have reached their highest levels in 20 years. A government meeting held last week...

The shares of medical supply company Medline rose by 41% over their initial offer price on their highly anticipated New York debut, completing a successful year for U.S. Initial Public Offerings. Volumes reached their highest level since 2021. After nearly three years with sluggish activity, new listings made a strong return in 2025. This was boosted by hopes of rate cuts and a more favorable dealmaking environment. The first-day performances of heavyweights like Circle and Figma, who blew everyone away with their performance, also lifted the mood. Dealogic data shows that IPOs have raised $75.3 billion in the U.S. so...

Aena, the Spanish airport operator, announced?on Friday that it had agreed to buy a 51% share in a holding company in the UK that controls Leeds Bradford Airport as well as a part of Newcastle Airport for 270 million pounds ($360.88). Aena is aiming to have overseas operations represent 15% of EBITDA by 2026, after its CEO said that the company planned to grow via asset purchases. InfraBridge retains the remaining 49% of the holding. "This is a significant step for Aena - in countries with high potential, such as the UK - where we have a long history," said...

Berlin's Mayor said on Monday that the German capital's infrastructure was in need of better protection, two days after an arsonist attack left tens of thousands without electricity. The Volcano group, an activist far left, claimed responsibility for this attack, which shut down mobile connections, blocked heating in freezing temperatures, stopped trains, and forced hospitals into using backup generators. In an interview with the Bild newspaper, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said: "Left-wing terrorists are back in Germany and they're getting worse." Volcano, which claims to be against fossil fuels and energy industries, has claimed a number of?attacks on Berlin and...

Officials said that a fire in southwest Berlin, which has left tens?thousands without electricity in the German capital, was likely the result of an?extremist attack on the far-left. The grid company Stromnetz Berlin reported on Saturday that up to 45,000 homes could be without electricity until January 8 due to the suspected arson. It said that efforts were still being made to restore power, and around 35,000 homes and 1,900 commercial entities are still affected. Local media reported a letter purporting to be?from an activist group of the far-left called the Volcano Group? that claimed responsibility for the incident and...

Stromnetz Berlin reported on Saturday that a fire?on a bridge?across the Teltow Canal in south-west Berlin could cause up to 45,000 homes to be without electricity until January 8. The local police are investigating the early morning incident as an arson attack. The fire that broke out near the 'Lichterfelde Heat and Power?station' damaged several high voltage?cables. The company stated in a press release that it expected all customers to be back online by Thursday afternoon. It noted the need for new cables. The report said that mobile phone and landline services could also be affected. According to a note...

Train companies announced that services between Britain, continental Europe and Canada would resume on Tuesday but warned about further disruptions after technical problems suspended travel on Monday and left some passengers stranded on trains for the night. Chaos in rail services between London, Paris and Brussels, as well as Amsterdam, one of Europe's most busy international rail corridors, hit at the height of New Year travel. Eurostar, the company that runs passenger rail service, announced on Wednesday morning that services were resumed after "a power problem in the Channel Tunnel yesterday" and other issues with 'rail infrastructure overnight". It said:...

Eurostar announced that it will resume all of its cross-Channel service on Wednesday, but warned that there could be delays and cancellations at the last minute after a power failure had suspended train trips throughout much of Tuesday. A fault in the overhead power supply caused a disruption on Tuesday that disrupted plans for thousands of passengers across 'London, Paris and Amsterdam during one of the busiest weeks of travel. On its website,?Eurostar announced on Wednesday that services had resumed following an electrical problem in the?Channel Tunnel yesterday as well as some additional?issues with rail equipment overnight. It said: "We...

The Russian government has delayed by "several" years its plan to achieve a 100 million-ton annual target for liquefied gas production, Alexander Novak, deputy prime minister, told state television on Thursday. He cited the impact of Western sanctions on Russia's energy industry. Sanctions imposed by the United States over the conflict with Ukraine have impacted Russia's plans to increase its share of the global LNG industry from 8% today to a fifth by 2030-2035. This includes the new Arctic LNG 2 facility. According to a recently updated government strategy, Russia will produce 90-105 millions tons of LNG in 2030 and...

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal has not confirmed these stories and does not guarantee their accuracy. BP is close to selling a majority of its Castrol lubricants division to Stonepeak, valuing the entire business at $10 billion (including debt). ServiceNow, a leading enterprise software company, has announced that it will buy cybersecurity startup Armis for $7.75 billion cash. The move is part of an effort to attract new customers in the face of increasing cyberattack risks. General?Motors, the federal auto safety regulators and other agencies are investigating an airbag that...

The Polish company announced on Tuesday that Poland's oil pipe operator PERN had signed an agreement with Kaztransoil regarding technical cooperation in relation to shipments of Kazakh oil? to Germany. PERN stated in a press release that the agreement includes delivery scheduling, information exchange, inspections, and certification of meters used during the handling process. Since the suspension of Russian shipments?after Moscow invaded Ukraine, PERN has been supplying?oil from Kazakhstan to Germany's PCK Schwedt Refinery. The refinery also relies on seaborne supplies via Gdansk. The state-controlled Russian energy firm Rosneft holds a majority stake of PCK which supplies much of Berlin's...

The Spanish competition watchdog approved rules that set the financial return on power?grid activity at 6.58% over the next six years. It said it was trying to balance the needs of network?investment with the protection of consumers. The massive blackout which hit Spain and Portugal in April has reignited the debate on investment and return on investments. Power companies invest in grids for a guaranteed return, and consumers pay this rate via their electricity bills. The CNMC said in a late-night statement that the financial remuneration 'rate for electricity transmission system operation and distribution 'would increase by 100 % from...

Market sources reported that the differential between Urals crude and CPC Blend remained unchanged on Monday. However, export volumes of CPC Blend remained uncertain due to?repairs continuing on single-point mooring units (SPMs)?at CPC Terminal. CPC is loading oil into SPM-1. SPM-2 has been taken out of service due to a drone attack by Ukraine, and SPM-3 undergoes scheduled maintenance. Oil prices rose on Monday, after the U.S. Coast Guard attempted to intercept an oil-tanker in international waters near Venezuela, a day earlier. Ukraine also damaged two vessels in Russia and their piers, increasing the risk of disruptions in oil supplies....

Sources familiar with data said that Russia's natural gas exports to China will have increased by 25% this year, as Moscow increases its sales to Asia. Calculations showed that this would not compensate for the revenue loss due to the loss of European gas markets. Since the beginning of the Ukraine war in 2022, Russia has diverted most of its oil towards India and China as Moscow and Europe, once its primary commodity export market and revenue source, severed their ties. The 'diversion of gas flows to the east has proven to be more difficult and painstaking discussions to bring...

Iraq's State Oil Marketer SOMO announced?on Sunday that international producers in Kurdistan are still obligated to send their crude oil under a September Export agreement After DNO, the Norwegian government said that it would not be taking part in this agreement. SOMO's statement is in response to an article in September that cited DNO, which said it would sell to the Kurdish region directly and did not have immediate plans to ship through the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline. In the September agreement between Iraq's Oil Ministry, Kurdistan’s Ministry of Natural Resources and production companies, SOMO agreed to?export crude oil from Kurdish oilfields...