Elon Musk Reaches Settlement with Former Twitter Executives; German Regulators Investigate Temu

Elon Musk, the owner of the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), has reached a legal settlement with four former senior executives who were dismissed following his acquisition of the company. The former leaders had filed a lawsuit seeking $128 million in severance payments, claiming they were terminated just before receiving significant stock options. Details of the agreement remain confidential, and the terms of the settlement have not been made public. This case follows earlier settlements reached with other former employees who had pursued compensation claims after their dismissal.

Meanwhile, the German Federal Cartel Office has initiated an investigation into the business practices of Temu, a rapidly growing Chinese online marketplace. The regulator is focusing on the conditions imposed on merchants selling on Temu's platform and is examining whether Temu's approach to price setting may restrict competition within the German market. Temu operates as an intermediary, connecting sellers and buyers without acting as a direct retailer. Authorities are scrutinizing whether the platform's influence on merchant pricing could potentially lead to higher prices in other sales channels, raising concerns about possible anti-competitive behavior. The investigation is ongoing, and no formal charges have been filed.

In the United States, new consumer protection measures have been enacted in California to address the widespread use of arbitration clauses in consumer contracts. These clauses often prevent consumers from taking disputes to court, instead requiring private arbitration, which can limit collective legal actions. The new rules stipulate that arbitration agreements will now apply only to the specific contract in which they are included, preventing companies from extending such clauses to additional agreements with the same customer. This regulatory change aims to enhance consumer rights and address previous abuses by large corporations.

German lawmakers have also introduced a legislative proposal to simplify cross-border access to electronic evidence within the European Union. The proposed law would enable law enforcement agencies to more efficiently request and secure digital data--including emails, chat messages, IP addresses, and mobile phone locations--from service providers in other EU member states. This initiative aligns with an EU regulation and directive adopted in 2023, seeking to streamline the collection and exchange of electronic evidence for criminal investigations.

Other notable developments include planned changes to Germany's regulations for electric scooters, with new rules under consideration to address safety and usage concerns in urban areas. Additionally, Volkswagen is shifting its strategy for electric vehicle software, opting to purchase external solutions following a partial halt in development by its subsidiary Cariad. The update to rabbitOS 2 for the compact AI device Rabbit R1 and the 35th anniversary of the Minesweeper game are also current topics of interest.

In technology and business news, Synology has lifted drive restrictions on its Plus-NAS devices, enabling broader compatibility with hard drives and SSDs. Law enforcement in London has successfully dismantled a criminal network involved in smuggling stolen smartphones to China, aided by advanced device-tracking technology. Tesla has announced delays in its Optimus humanoid robot production due to technical challenges, while BMW has issued a profit warning despite strong sales figures. The German government is facing debate over plans to increase the national ID card fee, with a proposed 24 percent hike sparking discussion among private service providers and consumer advocates.