UK diplomat expelled by Russia over espionage claims
Russia has expelled a British diplomat, accusing him of economic espionage in a move that further strains already tense relations between Moscow an...
Video game giant Electronic Arts (EA), the studio behind titles like Madden NFL, Battlefield and The Sims, is set to be acquired for $52.5 billion in what would be the largest-ever private equity buyout.
The deal is being led by Silver Lake Partners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Affinity Partners, the investment firm headed by Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Shareholders will receive $210 per share. Including debt, the transaction is valued at about $55 billion—well above the previous record set by the $32 billion takeover of Texas utility TXU in 2007.
PIF, already EA’s biggest insider shareholder with a 9.9% stake, will roll its investment into the deal. Analysts note the move aligns with PIF’s strategy to expand its gaming arm, Savvy Gaming Group, which has already bought companies such as ESL, FACEIT and Scopely.
If approved, the deal will end EA’s 36 years as a publicly traded company. Founded in 1982 by former Apple employee William “Trip” Hawkins, EA went public in 1989 with its stock debuting at a split-adjusted 52 cents.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson, who has led the company since 2013, will stay in his role. Headquarters will remain in Redwood City, California.
The buyout comes as global competition in gaming intensifies. Microsoft acquired rival Activision Blizzard for nearly $69 billion in 2023, while mobile game makers such as Epic Games continue to challenge traditional publishers.
For now, the deal cements EA as the centrepiece of Saudi Arabia’s biggest gaming bet yet—and the largest private equity buyout in history.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
NASA is aiming to launch its Artemis 2 mission on Wednesday (1 April), sending astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, officials confirmed. According to the Space Administration, the launch window is due to open at 23:24 GMT, with additional opportunities to 6 April if delays occur.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the U.S is in talks with the new Iranian regime. He said this in a post on his Truth Social account but warned that the U.S. will "Obliterate" Iran's electric and oil facilities if no deal is reached, especially regarding the Strait of Hormuz closure.
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of preparations for the first crewed journey towards the Moon in more than five decades
Iranian Military Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zulfiqari has warned that American soldiers will become 'food for sharks' if U.S. President Donald Trump launches ground attacks against Iran. The threat comes after the U.S. military said it was deploying thousands of Marines to the region.
Russia has expelled a British diplomat, accusing him of economic espionage in a move that further strains already tense relations between Moscow and London. The United Kingdom described the action as intimidation and rejected the allegations outright, Reuters reports.
Two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid from Mexico arrived safely in Havana on Saturday, the Mexican Navy said, concluding a journey in which the vessels were delayed by bad weather and briefly reported missing.
China imposed sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya on Monday, who is a close aide of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, due to his "collusion with Taiwan independence" forces, in its latest move in a diplomatic row over Taiwan.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he talked about a possible security partnership on Sunday with Jordan's King Abdullah over defending against drone attacks amid rising tensions over the Iran conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he had "no problem" with any country sending crude to Cuba as a Russian tanker neared a Cuban port with a badly needed shipment, signalling he was reversing course on blocking oil shipments to the country on Sunday.
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