live Bab el-Mandeb shipping slumps after Houthi attacks on Saudi oil sites
Ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell to its lowest level in months on Sunday after Yemen's Houthi movement attacked Saudi oil facilities...
In a flurry of negotiations following President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Google has significantly accelerated its acquisition of Israeli cybersecurity firm Wiz, elevating its offer from an initial $23 billion to a whopping $32 billion—one of the largest tech deals in history.
Sources familiar with the matter say that a more favorable antitrust outlook under the new administration was the decisive factor in reviving and sweetening the deal.
Executives revealed that discussions, which had stalled less than a year ago, gained renewed momentum just eight weeks after Trump took office. Key appointments in the White House—particularly within antitrust circles—instilled confidence in both Google and Wiz that regulatory scrutiny would be less severe than anticipated. “The prospect of a friendlier review process made it hard for Wiz executives to turn down the revised offer,” one source said.
The deal, now valued 39% higher than the original bid, includes a reverse breakup fee exceeding $3.2 billion—more than 10% of the total transaction value. This fee, intended to compensate Wiz if the deal collapses due to regulatory reasons, dwarfs typical breakup fees that usually range between 4% and 7% of the deal’s value, according to industry studies.
Wiz’s new Chief Financial Officer, Fazal Merchant—who joined the company in January—and CEO Assaf Rappaport have been instrumental in finalizing the agreement, while Google’s cloud chief Thomas Kurian played a pivotal role in shaping the deal’s framework. Sources indicated that prior to Trump's inauguration, negotiations were sporadic, but regular meetings commenced soon after key antitrust officials were appointed, including Andrew Ferguson at the FTC and Gail Slater at the Justice Department.
The revised offer not only makes the deal economically attractive, with Wiz reportedly generating over $700 million in annualized revenue and experiencing 70% annual revenue growth, but also addresses concerns raised by Wiz’s venture-capital backers. Many had been wary following the collapse of Adobe's $20 billion attempt to acquire Figma due to antitrust challenges, and were particularly anxious about potential regulatory hurdles under the previous administration led by FTC Chair Lina Khan.
While it remains unclear if Google and Wiz engaged in preemptive discussions with U.S. antitrust authorities—a tactic employed by some companies to smooth the regulatory path—the Trump administration’s actions have, at least according to sources, provided a more predictable environment for the deal’s completion.
Bank of America advised Google on the transaction, with Goldman Sachs advising Wiz. Neither Google, Wiz, nor officials from the White House and Justice Department have immediately responded to requests for comment.
As the deal now nears its final stages, industry watchers are noting how shifts in U.S. regulatory policy can dramatically alter the dynamics of major tech acquisitions, setting a precedent for future transactions in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
Russian authorities said 11 people, including four children, had been killed by Ukraine in an overnight attack on a holiday camp, accusing Kyiv on Saturday of deliberately targeting civilians.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told on Sunday.
Ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell to its lowest level in months on Sunday after Yemen's Houthi movement attacked Saudi oil facilities along the Red Sea coast, while vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz also remained subdued despite a pause in U.S.-Iran tensions.
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on Saturday for Russia and Ukraine to freeze the conflict and return to peace talks, saying a negotiated settlement remained possible despite the entrenched positions of both sides.
Marvel Studios used its return to San Diego Comic-Con to reveal several major projects, including a new Ghost Rider film starring Ryan Gosling and the long-awaited Black Panther 3.
Oil prices have fallen more than six per cent as a pause in U.S.-Iran hostilities eased fears of wider supply disruption around the Gulf.
Paramount Skydance agreed to pause its acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery until after a ruling on a challenge by states to the deal, plunging the $110 billion deal into further uncertainty.
China's Foreign Ministry has said it is closely monitoring the United Kingdom's nationalisation of British Steel. Prior to the British government fully taking over the loss-making company on Thursday, it was previously owned by Chinese private steelmaker Jingye.
Apple is closing in on Nvidia's position as the world's most valuable publicly traded company, as investors increasingly bet the iPhone maker can turn artificial intelligence into sustained earnings growth.
AI-powered shopping assistant Phia has been accused of using "cookie stuffing" to claim affiliate commissions for purchases it did not generate, according to a Bloomberg investigation. The company says the issue has now been resolved.
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