*By Alisha Haridasani*
A London court on Tuesday renewed Uber’s operating license for 15 months, a significant victory for Uber that shows faith in the company’s turnaround plan led by new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.
The court ruled that Uber had made “substantial changes” to its business practices and was now “fit and proper” to operate in the British capital.
But the 15-month license, which is far shorter than the five years usually awarded to private for-hire companies, comes with strings; authorities will closely monitor Uber in that time frame to see if it’s playing by the rules before deciding whether or not to grant it a longer-term license.
The city’s transport authority, Transport for London, rejected Uber’s application to renew its license in September, citing poor working conditions and lack of transparency around security incidents, such as sexual assaults, dealing the company a major setback in one of its largest markets. Uber has been allowed to continue operating in London as it appealed the decision.
Since the agency's decision, Khosrowshahi -- who took over from former CEO Travis Kalanick in August -- has been on a mission to revamp Uber’s tarnished reputation for ignoring rules and regulations in favor of its mission of unfettered growth around the world.
"The case over its license was kind of the first big test for Dara," said Aliya Ram, European tech correspondent for the Financial Times. "He flew down within weeks of taking over to meet with the TfL commissioner.... I think that created a general sense that Uber was both interested in and willing to make actual changes."
Uber’s presence in London challenged the city's local and usually [more expensive black cabs](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/in-london-black-cabs-win-a-battle-against-uber-but-is-the-war-over/2017/10/17/8a2c1468-a395-11e7-b573-8ec86cdfe1ed_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.86cd8024554f) that for decades had a stronghold over how Londoners got around during peak hours or at night, when the Underground is shut. As the ride-hailing company grew, so too did the frustration from black cab drivers who consistently held protests around the city.
When TfL announced its decision last year, Khosrowshahi tweeted that Uber is “far from perfect” but asked the city for a chance to “make things right,” pointing out that his company employed 40,000 drivers in the city and had 3.5 million users there.
In court this week, Uber again conceded its flaws and past operating methods but outlined specific company policy changes, such as new reporting tools for possible crimes by drivers.
"After years of operating poorly in London, Uber has now accepted that TfL's action in refusing to renew their was totally justified," said London Mayor and TfL chair Sadiq Khan in a [statement](https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/statement-from-mayor-of-london-on-uber-hearing) about the ruling.
"As a result of us standing up for Londoners, Uber has been forced to overhaul the way it operates."
Those concrete actions rather than Uber's apologies helped convince the court, said Ram.
For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/uber-wins-appeal-to-operate-in-london)
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
Tesla, the car company run by Elon Musk, reported Wednesday that it sold more vehicles in the past three months after boycotts hit hard earlier this year, but profits still fell sharply. Third-quarter earnings fell to $1.4 billion, from $2.2 billion a year earlier. Excluding charges, per share profit of 50 cents came in below analysts' estimate. Tesla shares fell 3.5% in after-hours trading. Musk said the company's robotaxi service, which is available in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, will roll out to as many as 10 other metro areas by the end of the year.
Starbucks’ AI barista aims to speed service and improve experience. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune Business Editor, explains its impact on workers and customers.
As Big Tech reports Q3 earnings, investors await proof that massive AI and cloud investments from Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet are driving real growth.
Eric Trump joins us to discuss American Bitcoin’s mission, market strategy, and why he believes the U.S. must lead the next era of digital currency innovation.
