EU fines 3 European, 3 Japanese makers of power transformers €67.6 million for cartel

September 30th, 2009 EU warns of new antitrust probes for drug makersBRUSSELS — The European Union's top antitrust official warned drug makers Tuesday to "look out" for new investigations in coming months. EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said regulators were capitalizing on a recent broad inquiry into the pharmaceutical sector that aimed to find out why generic versions of branded drugs were slow to come to the market and if innovation is held back.

July 22nd, 2009 euro61 mn EU fine for chemical cartelBRUSSELS — European Union regulators on Wednesday fined seven chemical companies euro61 million for fixing the price of calcium carbide, a chemical used to make steel. Akzo Nobel NV of the Netherlands escaped a fine because it blew the whistle on the cartel, the European Commission said.

July 17th, 2009 'Transformers 2' becomes biggest-ever China hitHONG KONG — The "Transformers" sequel has become China's biggest box office hit ever by earning 400 million Chinese yuan ($59 million), a publicist for the country's leading state-run film company said Friday. "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" surpassed the 11-year-old record of 360 million yuan set by "Titanic," spokesman Weng Li at the China Film Group, one of the country's two film importers, told The Associated Press.

July 15th, 2009 Midnight hour strikes with $22M for 'Harry Potter'LOS ANGELES — Harry Potter has conjured up a record-breaking witching hour. Warner Bros.

July 13th, 2009 EU antitrust regulators charge LCD panel makersBRUSSELS — European Union antitrust regulators have charged Royal Philips Electronics NV and LG Display with fixing the price of liquid crystal display monitors, Philips said Monday. Philips said it would "vigorously oppose" the allegation that it was jointly liable for a cartel operated by South Korea's LG Display.

July 8th, 2009 EU warns of antitrust probes into drug makersBRUSSELS — The European Union is warning of a wave of antitrust probes into major drug makers Wednesday, saying they were deliberately stalling cheaper generic medicines. It started an investigation Wednesday into France's Les Laboratoires Servier for hindering the launch of generic versions of its heart disease drug.

July 8th, 2009 EU fines E.On and GDF Suez euro553 millionBRUSSELS — European Union regulators on Wednesday fined E.On AG and GDF Suez euro553 million each for refusing to compete against each other for 30 years. The fines are the second largest for an illegal cartel and the first time the EU has fined an energy cartel.

July 8th, 2009 'Transformers' hits $300 million mark in 14 daysLOS ANGELES — "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" has reached another Hollywood milestone. The sci-fi blockbuster shot past the $300 million mark domestically on Tuesday — after just 14 days in release.

July 6th, 2009 'Transformers' wins weekend box office with $42.4MLOS ANGELES — Giant robots have defeated dinosaurs and woolly mammoths at the weekend box office. Distributor Paramount says "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" finished the Fourth of July weekend in first place again with $42.4 million.

June 25th, 2009 'Transformers' strikes midnight chimes with $16MLOS ANGELES — "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" has blasted off at the box office with a $16 million haul from midnight screenings alone. That's the third-best midnight debut ever, behind the $18.5 million taken in last summer by "The Dark Knight" and the $16.9 million for "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith" in 2005, according to box-office figures from Hollywood.com.

June 25th, 2009 'Transformers' has record Wednesday with $60.6MLOS ANGELES — Those "Transformers" robots are record-breakers at the box office. "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" opened with $60.6 million domestically in its first day, a new high for a Wednesday debut, according to distributor Paramount.

June 12th, 2009 Rambus settles EU antitrust probe, avoids finesBRUSSELS — Memory chip company Rambus Inc. said Friday that European Union antitrust regulators had provisionally agreed to drop a probe and any fines if the company reduced its royalty rates for DRAM patents.

June 9th, 2009 EU steel makers seek probe into BHP-Rio dealBRUSSELS — European steel makers called Tuesday for European Union antitrust regulators to probe a joint mining project between the world's No. 2 and No. 3 iron ore miners BHP Billiton Ltd and Rio Tinto PLC.

May 9th, 2009 LONDON - Model-actress Megan Fox is keen to cover her entire right arm with tattoos. The 'Transformers' star already has eight tattoos, including one of Marilyn Monroe's face, which she had done after completing the first 'Transformers' film, reported contactmusic.com.

February 24th, 2009 BRUSSELS - European Union Monday congratulated the makers of the film 'Slumdog Millionaire' which won eight Oscars at the 81st Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood. The film was co-funded under the EU's film support programme MEDIA.