Apple Takes Fight Against $587 Million EU Antitrust Fine to Court
The European Commission in a decision in April said the iPhone maker's technical and commercial restrictions that prevent app developers from steering users to cheaper deals outside the App Store breached the Digital Markets Act.
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ArabGT
16 minutes ago
- ArabGT
Hyundai Sparks Debate Over the Fate of Manual Transmissions
In a statement that stunned driving purists, Hyundai has acknowledged a sharp drop in global demand for manual transmission vehicles—so much so that in certain markets, such cars are virtually extinct. This bold declaration came from the head of product planning at Hyundai Europe, who didn't mince words: 'Nobody wants a manual anymore… The numbers speak for themselves.' Is this simply a business decision, or are we witnessing the slow death of a driving symbol that once stood for skill, engagement, and control? The news echoes a similar sentiment from Ferrari, which recently stated that anyone seeking a manual Ferrari should turn to the second-hand market. From Hero to Relic: The Manual Transmission's Quiet Exit Just a decade ago, manual gearboxes were dominant, particularly across Europe and Asia. Today, the automotive landscape tells a different story: Younger drivers favor ease and comfort behind the wheel. City traffic has made constant shifting a daily frustration. Automatic transmissions have caught up—offering equal or better performance and fuel efficiency. Even performance-focused models like the Hyundai Elantra N, once a go-to for manual enthusiasts, are now seeing higher demand for the more modern dual-clutch (DCT) option. Why Are Manuals Vanishing from Production Lines? There are several forces accelerating their decline: Economic inefficiency: Developing and maintaining manual gearboxes no longer makes business sense. Technological incompatibility: Advanced systems like autonomous driving and adaptive cruise control don't work well with manual setups. The EV revolution: Electric vehicles eliminate the need for multi-speed transmissions altogether. As a result, the manual transmission is increasingly seen as an outdated technology with no place in the evolving automotive ecosystem. What Are We Losing Along the Way? To many car lovers, driving a manual isn't just about changing gears—it's about immersion. The tactile feedback, the rhythm of shifting, the joy of mastering technique—even the occasional stall—all contribute to an experience that automatics simply can't replicate. Still, automakers like Hyundai argue that emotion alone can't justify production decisions. The market today is driven by convenience, refinement, and efficiency—not nostalgia. Are Consumers to Blame? The numbers don't lie, and perhaps neither do our habits. How often do buyers today actively choose a manual? Would most drivers really want to wrestle with a clutch in heavy traffic? Or would they rather sit back and enjoy the music, air conditioning, and smart controls with no extra effort? This evolution in customer preference has pushed brands like Hyundai to quietly retire manual options, even in models that once thrived on driver engagement. Is There Still a Future for Stick Shifts? A few brands continue to defend the manual transmission's honor—Mazda with its MX-5, Honda with the Civic Type R, and Ford with the Mustang GT—but such cars are now the exception, made in smaller volumes for a shrinking base of enthusiasts.
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
EU plans to rearm within five years. It's unclear how that could be done
Russia could pose a credible security threat to the European Union by the end of the decade, and defense industries in Europe and Ukraine must be ramped up within five years in preparation, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned on Tuesday. In a speech to the European Parliament marking the launch of Denmark's six-month term as holder of the EU presidency, Frederiksen lamented that 'cutting our defense spending in the past 30 years was a huge mistake.' European officials have warned that President Vladimir Putin could soon try to test NATO's Article 5 security guarantee–the pledge that an attack on any one ally would be met with a collective response from all 32. Most of the allies are EU countries. Russia has been accused of acts of sabotage, cyberattacks, and fake news campaigns–largely to weaken European support for Ukraine–and 'while Europe is not at war, it is not at peace either,' NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said. 'Russia's military rearming means that they could within two to five years pose a credible military threat to Europe and NATO,' Frederiksen told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France. 'Strengthening Europe's defense industry is an absolute top priority, and we have to be able to defend ourselves by 2030 at the latest,' she said. 'Never ever should we allow Europe to be put in a position again where we cannot defend ourselves.' Many European leaders insist they have heard the Trump administration's warning that American security priorities now lie elsewhere–in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific–but Europe's effort to arm is moving only slowly. When NATO's ambitions are not enough. At a key summit last month, NATO leaders endorsed a statement saying: 'Allies commit to invest five percent of GDP annually on core defense requirements as well as defense- and security-related spending by 2035 to ensure our individual and collective obligations.' That historic pledge will require them to spend tens of billions of euros (dollars) more over the coming decade, not five years. Spain–NATO's lowest spender with 1.28 percent of GDP last year–quickly branded the target 'unreasonable.' The goal has sparked debate in Slovenia–which spent 1.37 percent of GDP last year–about whether to hold referendums on defense spending and even on NATO membership itself. Belgium has cast doubt over whether it will make the grade. Heavyweights France and Italy are mired in economic woes and will struggle to get there too. Money spent on military support to Ukraine can now be included in NATO's defense calculations, but even that accounting boost will not hike the GDP military spend by much. The EU's Readiness 2030 plan. With the threat of Russian aggression at the forefront of its concerns, the EU's executive branch has come up with a security plan. It hinges on a 150-billion-euro (176 billion) loan program that member countries, Ukraine, and outsiders like Britain could dip into. It aims to fill gaps that the US might leave. Spending priorities for joint purchase include air and missile defense systems, artillery ammunition, drones, equipment for use in cyber and electronic warfare, and strategic enablers like air-to-air refueling and transport. Countries are urged to buy much of their military equipment in Europe, working mostly with European suppliers–in some cases with EU help to cut prices and speed up orders. This is partly to create jobs in the European defense sector and partly to reduce reliance on American systems. On Tuesday, 15 EU countries were permitted to take advantage of another measure–a national escape clause–to allow them to spend more on defense without breaking the bloc's debt rules. To help Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion, the plan aims to provide at least two million artillery rounds each year, supply more air defense systems, missiles and drones, and train tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops annually. Beefing up Ukraine's defense industry is also a pillar. The country produces arms and ammunition faster and more cheaply than its EU partners. Kyiv estimates that 40 percent more of its industrial capacity could be exploited if Europe were to invest. Still, ambition is one thing and the reality another. 'Things are not moving fast enough to be able to defend ourselves in five years,' Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told reporters last week. 'It's a huge, huge challenge to reach that goal.' On the need to take risks. A big part of the problem is that governments and the defense industry are stuck in old ways of thinking, and neither wants to take a risk, even with Europe's biggest land war in many decades still raging in its fourth year. 'You cannot expect industry to invest in production capacity if you don't have long-term orders,' said Joachim Finkielman, the director of Danish Defense and Security Industries. 'If you need to build new factories, if you need to engage a larger workforce, you need to make sure that you have that,' he told The Associated Press on Friday. Demand for 155mm artillery shells is a typical example, Finkielman said. 'When you see the kinds of orders that have been placed around Europe, it is two to three years out in time,' he said, while industry needs five to 10 years' worth of orders to take a chance. Finkielman said that if governments and industries in Britain, France, Germany, and Italy start to move, the rest will follow. When they might do so is unclear. 'The problem is we are confronted with a peace-time logic in a situation where there is war in Europe,' he said.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Al Arabiya
Trump to sign order delaying tariff deadline to Aug. 1: White House
US President Donald Trump is expected to sign an order Monday postponing a deadline for higher tariffs to take effect on dozens of economies ranging from the EU to Japan, the White House said. The July 9 deadline for steeper levies would be pushed back to August 1, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, adding that Trump would address foreign leaders with their 'reciprocal tariff rate' within the next month.
