Russia asks Facebook how it complies with data law - Ifax

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian communications watchdog Roskomnadzor has asked Facebook to explain how it is complying with a Russian law on data localization, the Interfax news agency reported on Thursday.

Spotify puts bank IPO paydays under fund manager scrutiny

LONDON (Reuters) - After shaking up the music industry, Spotify is now prompting investors to question the value they get from investment banks underwriting new listings with its low-cost IPO.

Bitcoin price jumps to two-week high, leads broad crypto surge

LONDON (Reuters) - Cryptocurrency prices jumped on Thursday, led by a surge in bitcoin to two-week highs, with people active in the market citing a squeeze on traders who have bet against prices, given a lack of obvious news to trigger the gains.

EVgo to build fast charging network for GM's Maven unit

(Reuters) - Electric vehicle charging station provider EVgo said on Thursday it would build a dedicated direct current fast charging network for General Motor Co's Maven car sharing and rental unit.

Uber launches new safety features for U.S. riders

(Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc[UBER.UL] said on Thursday it unveiled new safety features including an emergency button that will connect U.S. riders directly to 911.

Bitcoin jumps 10 percent to two-week high, leads broad crypto surge

LONDON (Reuters) - Cryptocurrency prices jumped on Thursday, led by a 10 percent surge in bitcoin to two-week highs, though analysts said they were unsure of what had triggered the spike.

EU's top court asked to probe Facebook U.S. data transfers

DUBLIN/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The ability of firms such as Facebook to easily transfer Europeans' data to the United States was plunged into legal limbo on Thursday when the Irish High Court asked the EU's top court for a detailed assessment of whether the methods were legal.

Google poised to emerge unscathed from European antitrust crackdown

BRUSSELS/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The European Union's top antitrust regulator, Margrethe Vestager, has made it her mission to stem alleged anti-competitive abuses by big American tech companies, threatening as recently as last month to break up Alphabet Inc's Google.

Exclusive: Walmart close to buying majority of India's Flipkart

HONG KONG/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Walmart Inc is likely to reach a deal to buy a majority stake in Indian e-commerce player Flipkart by the end of June in what could be the U.S. retail giant's biggest acquisition of an online business, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said.

UK's Playtech buys 70.6 percent stake in Snaitech in regulated market play

(Reuters) - British gambling technology company Playtech said it agreed to buy a 70.6 percent stake in Italian betting and gaming firm Snaitech for 291 million euros ($359.2 million) in cash, in a move to source most of its revenue from regulated markets.

EU privacy watchdogs to look into harvesting of data from social media

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union privacy watchdogs will look deeper into the harvesting of personal data from social networks for economic or political purposes, following the scandal engulfing Facebook after data from nearly 87 million users was improperly accessed.

'Urban mining' in South Korea pulls rare battery materials from recycled tech

GUNSAN, South Korea (Reuters) - Workers at a rural South Korean factory are busy extracting some of the world's most coveted metals, used in the batteries that power electric cars.

Paris municipality asks court to fine Airbnb over unregistered listings

PARIS (Reuters) - The municipality of Paris has asked a French court to urgently fine Airbnb and two other small companies for unauthorized short-term letting, said an official with the city's administration.

Cyber security firm Avast plans watershed London tech listing

LONDON (Reuters) - Avast, the world's largest consumer antivirus supplier by customers, said on Thursday it will apply to list its shares on the London Stock Exchange in what could be a blockbuster float expected to value the company at around $4 billion.

Exclusive: Walmart close to buying majority of India's Flipkart, deal likely by end-June - sources

HONG KONG/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Walmart Inc is likely to reach a deal to buy a majority stake in Indian e-commerce player Flipkart by the end of June in what could be the U.S. retail giant's biggest acquisition of an online business, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Sequoia Capital's Raanan launches cyber-focused fund

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Gili Raanan, general partner at Sequoia Capital Israel, has raised $50 million for a new venture capital fund called Cyberstarts.

Paris asks court to fine Airbnb over unregistered listings

PARIS (Reuters) - The municipality of Paris has asked a French court to urgently fine Airbnb and two other small companies for unauthorized short-term letting, said an official with the city's administration.

Cyber security firm Avast eyes watershed London tech listing

LONDON (Reuters) - Cyber security software firm Avast said on Thursday it will apply to list its shares on the London Stock Exchange in what sources previously told Reuters would be a blockbuster float expected to value the company at around $4 billion.

WeWork snapping up China-based rival Naked Hub

HONG KONG/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - U.S. co-working space provider WeWork Cos said on Thursday it would buy China-based rival Naked Hub to boost its footprint in the world's second largest economy.

UK's Playtech buys stake in Snaitech for $1.05 billion in regulated market play

(Reuters) - British gambling technology company Playtech said it agreed to buy a 70.6 percent stake in Italian betting and gaming firm Snaitech for 846 million euros ($1.05 billion), in a move to source most of its revenue from regulated markets.