Brexit talks “in the endgame”
The EU and UK inched closer to a Brexit deal. Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, told EU27 ministers: “the parameters of a possible agreement are very largely defined”, according to the Financial Times. The British PM Theresa May said in a speech: “The negotiations for our departure are now in the endgame”, but “significant” gaps remain, reported the BBC, Guardian and RTE.
Sinema elected senator
US midterm election results continue to come in: Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat, won the Arizona senate race, reported the Associated Press, DW and NPR. Republicans remain the majority party in the US senate. Senate races in Florida and Mississippi are still outstanding.
Wall Street down on Apple reports
Apple shares dropped 5% and US shares closed 2% lower on Monday after Apple suppliers including Lumentum cut revenue forecasts, reported the Financial Times, Marketwatch and Reuters. Asian tech stocks started trading lower on Tuesday, said Dow Jones.
French and Facebook partner on hate speech
Facebook will give French regulators “unprecedented” access to its content moderation operations in a bid to improve how the site fights hate speech. The programme will start in January and initially run for 6 months, reported Politico and Reuters. Facebook told Ars Technica that government officials would not be “embedded” within the social media giant.
SNCF says Oui to Blablacar
The French startup Blablacar, which runs a popular carpool app, is buying Ouibus, a low-cost intercity coach operator, from SNCF, France’s state-owned railway. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Blablacar said it had raised €101m from SNCF (a new shareholder) and existing investors. Reported by Reuters, Techcrunch and Venturebeat.
Stan Lee dies
The Marvel Comics writer Stan Lee has died, reported the AFP, Hollywood Reporter and TMZ. He created or co-created Ant-Man, The Avengers, Black Panther, Daredevil, Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Mighty Thor, Spider-Man and X-Men. Lee was 95.
Winter fashion
The Independent has the “22 best Christmas jumpers for all the family”, while GQ features the Icelandic actor Sverrir Gudnason modelling “the season’s boldest knitwear”.