Uber expressed curiosity in Expedia

At present’s agenda: Gaza meals scarcity; Meta will get rebuked; Africa and AI; Trump’s crypto embrace; and the astronaut wears Prada

Good morning. We start with an unique story on Uber, which explored a potential bid for Expedia, the practically $20bn US journey reserving web site.

What occurred: The ride-hailing firm approached advisers in latest months after the thought of an Expedia acquisition was broached by a 3rd occasion to look at whether or not such a deal can be potential and the way it could possibly be structured, in accordance with three individuals conversant in the method. 

Why it issues: A cope with Expedia would make it by far Uber’s largest acquisition because it appears to diversify additional and discover new avenues for progress. Lately, Uber has expanded from its ride-hailing roots into practice and flight bookings, meals supply, company logistics and promoting because it seeks to rework itself right into a “super app”.

Uber chief Dara Khosrowshahi advised the Monetary Occasions this week: “Anywhere you want to go in your city and anything that you want to get, we want to empower you to do so.” Including Expedia and its reserving know-how would turbocharge these ambitions. Learn the complete report.

Right here’s what else I’m preserving tabs on at the moment:

• Excessive-level conferences: Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte hosts defence ministers for the primary time since taking on his position. The European Council’s two-day summit begins with Ukraine and Center East wars on the agenda.

• Financial knowledge: The EU has September shopper inflation figures. IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva speaks on the worldwide financial outlook forward of annual IMF and World Financial institution conferences in Washington subsequent week.

• Central banks: The European Central Financial institution and Turkey determine on rates of interest.

• Outcomes: ABB, Blackstone, Centamin, Mondi, Netflix, Nokia, Publicis Groupe and Schindler report.

5 extra high tales

1. The World Meals Programme will run out of provides for a whole bunch of hundreds of individuals in north Gaza in every week and a half if Israel doesn’t instantly enable a pointy enhance in support deliveries, its director within the Palestinian territories has warned. Israel has prevented the UN from offering any support to the north for 2 weeks, in accordance with the pinnacle of the UN company for Palestinian refugees.

2. Meta has been criticised for calling its synthetic intelligence fashions “open-source” by the group that has spearheaded open-source software program for the previous 25 years. The social media group is “confusing” customers and “polluting” the time period through the use of it to explain the Llama AI mannequin, which stops wanting full openness, mentioned Open Supply Initiative head Stefano Maffulli. Learn the complete interview.

3. Many unbranded toys made exterior Europe however offered inside the EU by on-line retailers together with Temu and Amazon are harmful for youngsters, an business survey reveals. Toy Industries of Europe mentioned at the moment that 79 per cent of the toys it examined didn’t meet EU security requirements. Right here’s why toys with choking hazards and chemical substances handle to get by means of.

4. A brand new digital property enterprise promoted by Donald Trump and his three sons is being shunned by a lot of the crypto business as executives worry the challenge will undermine efforts to rebuild belief with shoppers after years of high-profile collapses and frauds. Learn extra on World Liberty Monetary, the crypto enterprise the Trump household is embracing.

5. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer yesterday joined forces with chancellor Rachel Reeves to face down a cupboard revolt over plans for “grim” curbs to public spending subsequent yr. Reeves has confronted resistance from plenty of ministers over her plan to rein in public spending in 2025-26, with some cupboard colleagues writing letters to Starmer to complain in regards to the Treasury’s strategy.

• Capital good points tax: Reeves is more likely to goal her anticipated enhance in UK CGT on the sale of shares moderately than second houses, former Treasury officers mentioned.

The Huge Learn

Synthetic intelligence is being marshalled in a number of fields to alleviate issues in a number of the world’s poorest nations — in Zambia to assist enhance medical diagnostics, in Kenya to allow farmers to determine crop illness and in Ethiopia to tailor training supplies to pupils’ wants. However some worry the technological rush will deepen a digital divide.

We’re additionally studying . . . 

Chart of the day

Federal filings present Kamala Harris raised $500mn greater than Donald Trump within the third quarter because the candidates head into the ultimate stretch of the US presidential marketing campaign. The info, launched late on Tuesday, offers the general public with a greater sense of the campaigns’ steadiness sheets. Listed below are the 4 key takeaways.

Take a break from the information

Prada and the US start-up Axiom Area unveiled yesterday the spacesuits that may take astronauts to the Moon on Nasa’s upcoming Artemis III mission. The 200kg-plus extravehicular mobility unit spacesuit comes with a sizing scheme that’s anticipated to accommodate a variety of physique shapes. Whereas the Italian vogue group is understood for its experimental nature, the spacesuit endeavour is taking it to the subsequent degree.

Extra contributions from Benjamin Wilhelm and Gordon Smith