Olympic saboteurs target French fibre network

French telcos hit with fibre outage due to Olympics sabotage

Saboteurs have attacked long-distance fibre cables in an attempt to disrupt the Paris Olympics, according to France’s digital minister.

Marina Ferrari, France’s junior minister for digital affairs, said that in the early hours of Monday morning, multiple locations around France were affected by several “damages” that impacted telecoms providers. They resulted in “localised consequences” to fibre optic services and mobile connectivity.

Service providers in France have also confirmed the attacks. Netalis, an ISP aimed at corporate customers, said the sabotage had impacted its services, while Iliad-owned Free Pro warned it would cause a significant slowdown on the operator’s network.

“Last night, our telecommunications operators were affected by damage in several departments,” Ferrari said. “I condemn these cowardly and irresponsible acts.”

It is the second major sabotage incident to impact the 2024 Olympics, after vandals attacked France’s high-speed rail network on Friday prior to the Opening Ceremony.

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Tesla recalls 1.8m vehicles over safety concerns

Another month, another mass recall for Tesla. The electric vehicle maker is recalling more than 1.8 million vehicles because of a hood issue that could increase the risk of a crash.

Elon Musk’s car-making giant is recalling some 2021-2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y vehicles because the hood latch assembly may fail to detect an unlatched hood after it has been opened.

The issue means that the unlatched hood of the car can potentially open while the vehicle is in motion, with the risk of obstructing the driver’s view, increasing the potential for a crash.

It follows an announcement at the end of last year that Tesla would have to recall over two million vehicles due to a flaw with its autopilot software.

It also had to recall over 100,000 vehicles earlier this year due to a faulty seat belt warning system. Plus, its Cybertruck model faced a recall last month due to a problem with windscreen wipers — the fourth time the vehicle had been recalled.

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EU grants unconditional approval to $14bn HPE/Juniper deal

EU regulators have rubber-stamped HPE’s $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, bringing the merger a step closer to completion.

The European Commission announced this week that it has given unconditional approval to the agreement, leaving a pending investigation by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority as one of the final regulatory hurdles.

The merger will put HPE Juniper directly in competition with networking market leader Cisco, which has dominated the sector since the mid-90s.

In the UK, the CMA’s initial review will determine whether the acquisition warrants a more in-depth investigation. A decision is expected by August 14.

If the deal is finalised, it could close by the end of 2024 or early 2025.

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Uber agrees EV deal with China’s BYD

Uber has reached an agreement with BYD to add 100,000 of the China carmaker’s electric vehicles to its global fleet.

The deal means the ride-hailing firm’s drivers will be offered incentives to switch to BYD cars, such as discounts on maintenance, charging, and leasing.

The deal includes Uber’s operations in Europe and Latin America, which will see the initial rollout before the BYD cars are made available in the Middle East, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Earlier this year, Uber announced a deal with BYD’s biggest rival, Tesla, to promote EV adoption among its drivers in the US. It also unveiled plans to develop a purpose-built EV with South Korean car giant Kia.

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