iWorld
Netflix faces DOJ scrutiny over $82.7bn Warner Bros acquisition
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK: The US Department of Justice is probing whether Netflix deployed anti-competitive tactics around its proposed $82.7bn acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery’s studios and streaming business, the Wall Street Journal reported, signalling early antitrust unease over a deal that could redraw Hollywood’s power map.
In a civil subpoena reviewed by the paper, the department asked another entertainment company to detail “any other exclusionary conduct” by Netflix that could plausibly entrench market or monopoly power. Regulators also sought views on whether rival bids, most notably from Paramount Skydance, could harm competition, and how past studio or distributor mergers have affected bargaining power for creative talent, including variations in talent contracts across studios.
Warner Bros’ appeal is obvious: marquee film and television studios, a deep content vault, and franchises spanning Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and DC Comics’ Batman and Superman. But the scale is precisely what has caught regulators’ attention. The DOJ’s review, the WSJ said, is at an early stage.
The spotlight is not limited to Netflix. The DOJ is also reviewing Paramount’s proposed bid, which Warner Bros’ board has unanimously rejected as “inadequate” and “not in the best interests” of shareholders. Paramount is pressing to wrap up the government’s review within weeks, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Once information requests are satisfied, a 10-day waiting period will begin for the DOJ to decide whether to challenge the offer on competition grounds.
Politics is adding heat. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos faced sharp questioning from US senators this week over how the deal might affect competition across entertainment. Overseas, scrutiny is building too: British politicians and former policymakers have urged the UK’s competition watchdog to open a full review, while EU antitrust regulators are expected to examine rival bids by Netflix and Paramount Skydance in parallel.
Markets, for now, shrugged. The S&P 500 rose about 2 per cent and the Nasdaq gained more than 2 per cent.
iWorld
Tech firms tweak office operations amid LPG shortage concerns
Infosys, HCLTech and Cognizant adjust cafeteria services and work policies.
MUMBAI: When geopolitics turns up the heat, even office cafeterias start feeling the burn. Several technology companies in India are adjusting workplace operations and food services as concerns over a nationwide shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) grow following escalating tensions in West Asia. Major IT firms including Cognizant, Infosys and HCLTech have begun rolling out contingency measures to reduce dependence on office cafeterias that rely heavily on commercial LPG.
The disruption stems from rising geopolitical tensions involving Iran after military action by the United States and Israel reportedly led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route for oil and gas supplies. The closure has disrupted the movement of LPG and liquefied natural gas across international markets, triggering concerns about supply constraints and price volatility.
According to a report by The Times of India, Cognizant has advised employees to bring their own meals to office where possible to reduce reliance on office cafeterias dependent on LPG based cooking.
The company has reportedly told staff that it is preparing for potential disruptions driven by supply prioritisation, price fluctuations and pressure on vendor networks.
As part of contingency planning, Cognizant is identifying alternative food vendors that do not rely on LPG. These include kitchens using induction based or solar powered cooking systems.
The company is also exploring partnerships with cloud kitchens that operate on electric or solar power to ensure uninterrupted food supply in case conventional cooking gas availability worsens.
Additionally, Cognizant is evaluating the possibility of expanding work from home or hybrid arrangements for non critical roles, partly to reduce commuting exposure if fuel prices rise sharply due to global energy disruptions.
Meanwhile, HCLTech allowed employees at its Chennai office to work from home on March 12 and March 13 after cafeteria vendors were unable to operate because of the LPG shortage.
Several food service vendors at the campus reportedly suspended operations as they struggled to secure cooking gas supplies, prompting the company to permit staff to work remotely for the two days.
Infosys has also issued internal advisories across multiple locations, including its campuses in Bengaluru and Chennai.
The company informed employees in Bengaluru that cafeteria services would continue but with reduced menu options due to concerns around commercial LPG availability.
As part of the temporary adjustments, live food counters have been suspended, and employees have been encouraged to bring home cooked food while the situation evolves.
While LPG shortages in India remain a developing situation, the measures taken by these technology firms highlight how global geopolitical disruptions can ripple through unexpected corners of the economy, even the humble office lunch.
For companies with large campuses and thousands of employees relying on daily cafeteria services, cooking fuel shortages can quickly turn into an operational challenge. Until global supply chains stabilise, many workplaces may find themselves rethinking everything from food sourcing to flexible work policies.
