Amazon’s $1.7B iRobot purchase faces UK antitrust

Nepal assumes Chairmanship of LDC global coordination bureau Nepal has assumed the Chairmanship of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) for three years. A press release issued by the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, New York, stated that Nepal assumed the chairmanship in a ceremony organized at the UN Headquarters, New York on April 5. Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Nepal to the UN, Amrit Bahadur Rai, presided over the handover ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Rai commended Malawi for successfully leading the group amidst the vortex of multiple crises resulting from the pandemic, climate change, and geopolitical tensions to food, energy and financial woes that had harsh effects on the LDCs. He shared Nepal's commitment to work in the spirit of solidarity with the LDC members, the UN System, and development partners to safeguard and promote the collective interests of the LDCs. As the LDC Chair, Ambassador Rai said that the effective implementation of the Doha Programme of Action would remain our top priority. He also underlined the importance of mainstreaming the Doha Programme of Action into all relevant UN processes and outcomes. In addition, Rai expressed Nepal's commitment to work for poverty reduction and sustainable development, securing enhanced international support measures for graduating countries, building resilience to climate change and disasters, climate financing, enhancing trade and investment opportunities, and addressing gender and social inequalities. Similarly, Ambassador Rai emphasized unity and solidarity of the LDC group to secure robust international support including through official development assistance, debt relief, and technology transfer. He also stressed the need for democratic global governance system where LDCs will have voice and representation in global decision-making processes. Addressing the event, USG and High Representative, Ms. Rabab Fatima, congratulated Nepal for assuming the ve1y important role and assured full support and assistance of her office to the LDC group and its coordination bureau. An Amazon company logo is seen on the facade of a company's building in Schoenefeld near Berlin, Germany, on March 18, 2022. British antitrust regulators have started investigating Amazon's purchase of robot vacuum maker iRobot, adding further scrutiny to the $1.7 billion deal. The Competition and Markets Authority said Thursday April 6, 2023 that it's considering whether the deal will result in a “substantial lessening of competition” within the United Kingdom. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)