Illinois, Connecticut AGs will probe JPMorgan breach

The attorneys general of Illinois and Connecticut will look into a breach of JPMorgan Chase’s computer servers.

The office of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Friday it will investigate the breach and will work with the office of Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen. Jepsen’s office says it has been in touch with JPMorgan Chase since August. The New York bank said Aug. 28 that it was working with law enforcement officials to look into a possible cyberattack.

JPMorgan said Thursday that the breach compromised customer information pertaining to roughly 76 million households and 7 million small businesses.

European Commission OKs merger of Chiquita, Fyffes

The European Union’s antitrust body says it has approved a merger between U.S. banana company Chiquita and Fyffes of Ireland in a deal that creates the world’s largest banana supplier.

The 28-nation bloc’s executive Commission said Friday “wholesale and retail customers would still have a significant number of other … suppliers to choose from” even though the companies are the two largest banana suppliers in Europe.

The EU’s approval is conditional on Fyffes giving up an exclusivity clause with shipping line Maersk to ensure fair transport competition. Chiquita Brands International Inc. and Fyffes PLC also agreed to refrain from seeking similar deals for 10 years.

Chiquita will relocate its headquarters from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Ireland in a so-called “inversion.”

European Commission lets Facebook buy WhatsApp

Facebook won European Union antitrust approval to buy messaging service WhatsApp for about $19 billion, its biggest acquisition to date.

The European Commission cleared the deal without seeking any concessions.

John Lewis boss apologizes for comments about France

The boss of British retail chain John Lewis apologized Friday for saying France is “in decline” and “finished.”

The Times reported that managing director Andy Street had made the critical comments at an event for entrepreneurs in London this week.

It said he called France “sclerotic, hopeless and downbeat,” and said “nothing works and worse, nobody cares about it.”

Street also described the Gare du Nord station in Paris as “the squalor pit of Europe” and told his audience: “If you’ve got investments in French businesses, get them out quickly.”

In a statement Friday, Street said his comments “were supposed to be lighthearted views, and tongue in cheek.”

“On reflection I clearly went too far,” he said. “I regret the comments, and apologize unreservedly.”

The French embassy in London was not amused.

– From news service reports