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Google's profits soared 50% in this year's opening quarter, overcoming the competitive and legal threats that its internet empire is facing amid an economy roiled by a global trade war. The numbers released Thursday by Google parent Alphabet Inc. indicated the company is rising to the challenge so far, but investors are likely to remain concerned about the turbulent times ahead. The Mountain View, California, company earned $34.5 billion, or $2.81 per share, during the January-March period, up from $23.7 billion, or $1.89 per share, at the same time last year. Revenue rose 12% from last year to $90.2 billion. The results easily exceeded analysts’ projections, according to FactSet Research. “We continued to see healthy growth and momentum across the business,” Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai told analysts Thursday during a conference call. Alphabet's stock gained more than 4% in extended trading after the numbers came out. The shares had fallen by 16% since the end of last year. Google’s first-quarter performance illustrated the continuing power of its long-dominant search engine in a sea of uncertainty. While grappling with competitive threats emerging as artificial intelligence reshapes technology, Google is also battling court decisions condemning its search engine and digital ad network as illegal monopolies. The AI-driven upheaval has opened new opportunities for people to find helpful advice, insights and information through more conversational search options from the likes of OpenAI and Perplexity. Google's long-dominant search engine is countering the new competition with a feature called AI Overviews that appear above web links in its results. It is also testing a conversational tool called AI Mode that would usher in an even more radical change to its business model. EU fines Apple 500 million euros, Meta 200 million in digital cases “The company delivered a sound response to those questioning the solidity of the search business amid ever-increasing AI demand,” Investing.com analyst Thomas Monteiro said. But Google is trying to keep its business intact as by the U.S. Justice Department attempts to break up the company and impose other restraints after a federal judge last year branded its search engine an illegal monopoly. To make matters worse, its digital ad network also was found to be illegally abusing its power earlier this month in another case brought by the Justice Department. President Donald Trump’s trade war has injected more uncertainty into the mix by rattling the financial markets amid fears the tariffs will reignite inflation while dragging the economy into a recession. Although Google’s digital services aren’t directly impacted by the tariffs, a recession would likely curtail the spending on ads that generate most of Alphabet’s revenue. But there were few signs of a slowdown in the past quarter. Google's ad revenue during the period totaled $66.9 billion, an 8% increase from the same time a year ago. Although Google's executives are mostly upbeat during Thursday's call, they also acknowledged conditions should the trade war trigger a recession. “We are obviously not immune to the macro environment,” said Philipp Schindler, Alphabet's chief business officer. Google faces off with US government in attempt to break up company in search monopoly case The past quarter's steady growth emboldened Alphabet to stand firm on plans to invest $75 billion on AI and other technologies this year while also pursuing approval of a $32 billion deal to buy cybersecurity firm Wiz.

China’s first high-level automated driving demonstration zone, established in 2020, aims to advance the development of autonomous driving technology and intelligent connected vehicles, following China’s 'vehicle-road coordination' approach to automated driving. The project is being developed in phases, with each stage building on the success of the last. The demonstration zone’s development is structured into four distinct phases. Phase one focused on setting up the experimental environment, while phase two marked a small-scale deployment. In phase three, large-scale deployment began and phase four focuses on expansion and scenario refinement. After four years of development, the zone has now entered phase three, enabling autonomous shuttle driving services in key scenarios such as airports and museums. One of the most significant milestones of this project is the establishment of a city-level engineering test platform that integrates five critical systems: vehicles, roads, cloud computing, networks, and mapping. This platform provides world-class infrastructure for automated driving companies, accelerating innovation within China's automotive industry. To further promote innovation, the demonstration zone has implemented a range of policies designed to create a "friendly" environment for automated driving. These include peak-hour testing, cross-regional test recognition, and approval for unmanned delivery vehicles on public roads, among others. The zone has now demonstrated eight application scenarios: robot shuttles, unmanned delivery, unmanned retail, autonomous buses, unmanned sweepers, unmanned patrol vehicles, and automated freight trucks. Currently, residents in the area can use mobile apps to book autonomous shuttle services, including transfers at Beijing Daxing International Airport. Unmanned sweepers have begun operating on city roads, and automated patrol vehicles assist public security in routine patrols. Meanwhile, automated freight trucks are being tested on highways in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. While these automated driving vehicles are still in the testing phase and have not yet been officially put into operation, the demonstration zone’s innovations are a significant step forward in the development of China’s autonomous vehicle industry.

A spaceship carrying three astronauts docked Thursday with China’s space station in the latest crew rotation, marking a further step in the country’s ambitions for a crewed mission to the moon and explore Mars. The Shenzhou 20 spaceship took off as planned atop China’s workhorse Long March 2F rocket at 5:17 p.m. local time (0917 GMT). It reached the Tiangong space station about 6.5 hours later, according to the China Manned Space Agency. The rocket lifted off from the launch center in Jiuquan, on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China. The spaceship will remain in space before returning with the current three-person crew. The Tiangong, or “Heavenly Palace,” space station has made China a major contender in space, especially since it was entirely Chinese-built after the country was excluded from the International Space Station over U.S. national security concerns. China's space program is controlled by the People’s Liberation Army, the military branch of the ruling Communist Party. The addition of mechanical arms to the three-module station has also raised concerns from some that China could use them to disable satellites or other space vehicles during a crisis. Musk says he'll spend less time in Washington and more time running Tesla after its profit plunges Since first launching a man into space in 2003 — becoming only the third country to do so — China's space program has advanced at a steady pace. The space agency has also landed an explorer on Mars and a rover on the less-explored far side of the moon, and aims to put a person on the moon before 2030. The Shenzhou, or “Celestial Vessel,” 20 mission will be commanded by Chen Dong, who is making his third flight. He will be accompanied by fighter pilot Chen Zhongrui and engineer Wang Jie, both making their maiden voyages, according to the Manned Space Agency. Unlike previous crews, Shenzhou 20 is entirely male. They will replace three astronauts currently on the Chinese space station. Like those before them, they will stay on board for roughly six months. The space ship is due to be launched into space atop China's workhorse Long March 2F rocket at 5:17 p.m. local time (0917 GMT) and reach the Tiangong about 6.5 hours later. The three-person crew was sent in October last year and they have been in space for 175 days. They are due to return on April 29 after a brief overlap with their replacements. The Tiangong, fully assembled in October 2022, can accommodate up to six people at a time. Google faces off with US government in attempt to break up company in search monopoly case While in space, the astronauts will conduct experiments in medical science and new technologies and perform space walks to carry out maintenance and install new equipment, the Manned Space Agency said.

China was making final preparations for the launch on Thursday of a three-person replacement crew for its orbiting space station that will mark a further step toward a possible crewed mission to the Moon and exploration of Mars. The Shenzhou 20 mission is scheduled to blast off Thursday evening from a launch center in Jiuquan, on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China, reports AP. The Tiangong, or “Heavenly Palace,” space station has made China a major contender in space, especially since it was entirely Chinese-built after the country was excluded from the International Space Station over US national security concerns. China's space program is controlled by the People’s Liberation Army, the military branch of the ruling Communist Party. The addition of mechanical arms to the three-module station has also raised concerns from some that China could use them to disable satellites or other space vehicles during a crisis. How to catch the shooting stars of spring’s first meteor shower, the Lyrids Since first launching a man into space in 2003 — becoming only the third country to do so — China's space program has advanced at a steady pace. The space agency has also landed an explorer on Mars and a rover on the less-explored far side of the Moon, and aims to put a person on the Moon before 2030. The Shenzhou, or “Celestial Vessel,” 20 mission will be commanded by Chen Dong, who is making his third flight. He will be accompanied by fighter pilot Chen Zhongrui and engineer Wang Jie, both making their maiden voyages, according to the China Manned Space Agency. They will replace three astronauts currently on the Chinese space station. Like those before them, they will stay on board for roughly six months. The space ship is due to be launched into space atop China's workhorse Long March 2F rocket at 5:17 pm local time (0917 GMT) and reach the Tiangong about 6.5 hours later. The three-person crew was sent in October last year and they have been in space for 175 days. They are due to return on April 29 after a brief overlap with their replacements. The Tiangong, fully assembled in October 2022, can accommodate up to six people at a time. While in space, the astronauts will conduct experiments in medical science and new technologies and perform space walks to carry out maintenance and install new equipment, the Manned Space Agency said.

Brand-new smartphones are expensive, and with global trade tensions—partly due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats—prices could climb even higher, especially for Asian-made electronics. To cut costs, many are turning to secondhand phones. The market for pre-owned smartphones is booming. In fact, it’s expanding faster than the new phone market, says U.K.-based tech research company CCS Insight. As people upgrade to the latest models, they often sell or trade in their old devices, which are still in good shape and have plenty of life left. If you're watching your wallet, a refurbished phone can be up to 50% cheaper than a brand-new one. These days, they often come with warranties, payment plans, and customer support, according to CCS Insight. Meanwhile, the price of a top-tier iPhone Pro Max could jump nearly 30%, rising from $1,200 to $1,550, according to UBS. But buying used isn't always simple. Here's a quick guide: What are the most in-demand models?Apple dominates the used phone market, making up 60% of it. Samsung comes next with 17%, and the rest is made up of lesser-known Chinese brands like Xiaomi. Where should you shop?There are plenty of online sources for secondhand phones—but also many scams. Stick to trusted sellers, read reviews, and avoid suspiciously cheap deals. Some good platforms to try include Gazelle, Backmarket, and major retailers like BestBuy or Amazon. Phone carriers often sell certified refurbished models as well. Even Apple and Samsung offer their own secondhand phones, refurbished by their teams. While these options are more reliable, the savings might not be as big, and the model selection can be limited—Apple, for example, currently only offers refurbished iPhone 13 and 14 models. Refurbished typically means the phone has been reset, tested, and repaired as needed. But a used phone could be anything from a barely-used gem to a beat-up device sold “as is” on Facebook Marketplace. These are cheaper, but riskier. “You’ll get the best deal if you’re comfortable with more risk,” says Simon Bryant, VP of research at CCS Insight. Safer peer-to-peer platforms like eBay or Swappa offer buyer protections, including refunds if the phone isn’t as advertised. What about battery health?Just because a phone is refurbished doesn't mean the battery has been replaced—it depends on the seller. Apple and Samsung say their refurbished phones come with new batteries and sometimes even new shells, plus a charger, a one-year warranty, and original packaging. Other sellers might only ensure the battery retains at least 80% of its original capacity. How do I assess condition?Most platforms have their own grading systems, like “Excellent,” “Very Good,” or “Like New.” But there's no industry standard, so ratings vary widely between sellers and can make comparison tricky. “It’s inconsistent,” Bryant explains. “One site’s 'Grade A' might be another’s 'Like New'—which complicates shopping.” How old is too old?Stick to phones that are no more than three generations old. Devices older than five or six generations may no longer receive software updates, which impacts performance and security. “Three generations back is the sweet spot,” Bryant says. “You get modern features, less wear, and solid support.” Could it be stolen?Reputable platforms have checks in place, but always verify the device's IMEI (serial number), which can be accessed by dialing *#06# on most phones. Swappa requires sellers to run an IMEI check before listing a phone. BackMarket works with certified sellers to avoid blacklisted devices but will assist if a stolen one slips through. Can I check for water damage?Newer phones resist water but aren’t waterproof. If buying in person, check for liquid damage. Apple and Samsung both offer guides on how to locate water exposure indicators on their devices. Do accessories come with it?Not always. Chargers, cables, or headphones may be missing, so factor those costs into your budget.

European Union watchdogs fined Apple and Meta hundreds of millions of euros Wednesday as they stepped up enforcement of the 27-nation bloc’s digital competition rules.   The European Commission imposed a 500 million euro ($571 million) fine on Apple for preventing app makers from pointing users to cheaper options outside its App Store.   The commission, which is the EU’s executive arm, also fined Meta Platforms 200 million euros because it forced Facebook and Instagram users to choose between seeing ads or paying to avoid them. The punishments were smaller than the blockbuster multibillion-euro fines that the commission has previously slapped on Big Tech companies in antitrustcases.   Apple and Meta have to comply with the decisions within 60 days or risk unspecified “periodic penalty payments,” the commission said. The decisions were expected to come in March, but officials apparently held off amid an escalating trans-Atlantic trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly complained about regulations from Brussels affecting American companies.   The penalties were issued under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, also known as the DMA. It’s a sweeping rulebook that amounts to a set of do’s and don’ts designed to give consumers and businesses more choice and prevent Big Tech “gatekeepers” from cornering digital markets.   Both companies indicated they would appeal.   Apple accused the commission of “unfairly targeting” the iPhone maker, and said it "continues to move the goal posts” despite the company's efforts to comply with the rules.   Meta Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan said in a statement that the “Commission is attempting to handicap successful American businesses while allowing Chinese and European companies to operate under different standards.”   In the App Store case, the Commission had accused the iPhone maker of imposing unfair rules preventing app developers from freely steering consumers to other channels.   Among the DMA’s provisions are requirements to let developers inform customers of cheaper purchasing options and direct them to those offers.   The commission said it ordered Apple to remove technical and commercial restrictions that prevent developers from steering users to other channels, and to end “non-compliant” conduct.   Apple said it has “spent hundreds of thousands of engineering hours and made dozens of changes to comply with this law, none of which our users have asked for."   “Despite countless meetings, the Commission continues to move the goal posts every step of the way," the company said.   The EU’s Meta investigation centered on the company’s strategy to comply with strict European data privacy rules by giving users the option of paying for ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram.   Users could pay at least 10 euros ($11) a month to avoid being targeted by ads based on their personal data. The U.S. tech giant rolled out the option after the European Union’s top court ruled Meta must first get consent before showing ads to users, in a decision that threatened its business model of tailoring ads based on individual users’ online interests and digital activity.   Meta rolled out a third option in November giving Facebook and Instagram users in Europe the option to see fewer personalized ads if they don’t want to pay for an ad-free subscription.

Elon Musk says he’ll be spending less time in Washington slashing government costs and more time running Tesla after his electric vehicle company reported a big drop in profits. Musk said on a conference call with analysts Tuesday that “now that the major work of establishing Department of Government Efficiency is done,” that he will be “allocating far more of my time to Tesla” starting in May. Musk said he now expects to spend just “a day or two per week on government matters” Tesla struggled to sell vehicles as it faced angry protests over Musk’s leadership of DOGE, a jobs-cutting group that has divided the country. The Austin, Texas, company reported a 71% drop in profits and a 9% decline in revenue for the first quarter. “Investors wanted to see him recommit to Tesla,” said Wedbush Securities' Dan Ives. “This is a big step in the right direction." Investors sent Tesla shares up more than 5% in after-hours trading, although they are still down more than 40% for the year. The company reconfirmed that it expects to roll out a cheaper version of its best-selling vehicle, the Model Y sport utility vehicle, in the first half of this year. It also stuck with its predictions that it will be able to launch a paid driverless robotaxi service in Austin in June and have much of its fleet operating by itself next year. “There will be millions of Teslas operating autonomously in the second half of the year,” Musk said in a conference call after the results were announced. He later added about the personal use of autonomous vehicles, "Can you go to sleep in our cars and wake up at your destination? I’m confident that will be available in many cities in the U.S. by the end of this year.” Millions take to streets across US against Trump and Musk Auto analyst Sam Abuelsamid at Telemetry Insight said he doubts Musk's predictions. “The system is not robust enough to operate unsupervised. It still makes far too many errors,” he said. “It will suddenly make mistakes that will lead to a crash.” The planned rollout of the robotaxi without a steering wheel or pedals comes as federal regulators still have open investigations into whether the technology that Tesla hopes will allow cars to drive themselves is completely safe. Tesla’s driver-assistance technology that can steer or stop a car but still requires humans to take over at any time — its so-called Autopilot — is being probed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for whether it alerts drivers sufficiently when their attention wanders. And the company’s Full Self-Driving, which is only partial self-driving and has drawn criticism for misleading drivers with the name, has come under scrutiny for its tie to accidents in low-visibility conditions like when there is sun glare. Another challenge to Tesla, which once dominated the EV business: It is facing fierce competition for the first time. Earlier this year, Chinese EV maker BYD announced it had developed an electric battery that can charge within minutes. And Tesla’s European rivals have begun offering new models with advanced technology that is making them real Tesla alternatives just as popular opinion has turned against Musk. The Tesla CEO has alienated potential buyers in Europe by publicly supporting far-right politicians there. Tesla said Tuesday that quarterly profits fell from $1.39 billion to $409 million, or 12 cents a share. That’s far below analyst estimates. Tesla’s revenue fell from $21.3 billion to $19.3 billion in the January through March period, also below Wall Street’s forecast. Tesla’s gross margins, a measure of earnings for each dollar of revenue, fell from 17.4% to 16.3% . Tesla has said it will be hurt less by the Trump administration's tariffs than most U.S. car companies because it makes most of its U.S. cars domestically. But it won’t be completely unscathed. It sources some materials for its vehicles from abroad that will now face import taxes. Tesla warned in announcing its results that tariffs will hit its energy storage business, too. Retaliation from China will also hurt Tesla. The company was forced earlier this month to stop taking orders from mainland customers for two models, its Model S and Model X. It makes the Model Y and Model 3 for the Chinese market at its factory in Shanghai. The company’s side business of selling “regulatory credits” to other automakers that fall short of emission standards boosted results for the quarter. Tesla generated $595 million from credit sales, up from $442 million a year ago. The company generated $2.2 billion in cash flow versus $242 million a year earlier. 'Hands Off!' protests against Trump and Musk are planned across the US Morningstar analyst Seth Goldstein said earlier reports of plunging sales that had tanked the stock made the quarterly results almost predictable. “They’re not particularly surprising given that deliveries were down,” he said. “It was good to see positive cash flow.”

2025 has successfully marked itself as one of the greatest years for video gamers, releasing multiple hits every month. The upcoming month is ready to heighten the excitement with a few big titles and a couple of potential Game of the Year contenders set for launch. Here is a detailed list of the most anticipated virtual games coming up this May. Top Video Games Awaiting Releases in May 2025 . Metal Eden Developed by Reikon Games, the Metal Eden is an adrenaline-pumped sci-fi first-person shooting game. Much to the thrill of fast and furious action lovers, the game teams up a few Hyper Unit soldiers and sends them off on a suicide mission to locate and retrieve the citizens’ COREs. The battleground is a vast, monolithic city named Moedbius, which machines have taken over. Players must fight powerful mecha troops and different elemental forces during their mission. Backed by blood-enraging background music and a colourful, futuristic setting, Metal Eden will be a dream come true for the genre-lover. It will hit PC, PlayStation, and Xbox on May 6, 2025. Read more: Top 10 Football Live Streaming Apps for iOS and Android in 2025 Revenge of the Savage Planet From the developer Raccoon Logic Studios Inc., Revenge of the Savage Planet is a two-player co-op sci-fi satire adventure game. Out of corporate stupidity and utter negligence, the players will find themselves abandoned by their space-exploring company in an alien world with few resources. Now, they have to explore several planets, scan plants, climb mountains, swim in lakes, and spelunk caves; fight alien beasts and creatures; collect resources; and upgrade crafts to finally get on their way home. The settings, narrative, and gameplay set into an upbeat motion, leaving players laughing and enjoying while struggling through challenges. The game will be available across multiple platforms on May 8, 2025. The Midnight Walk The Midnight Walk is unique, with bizarre characters resurrected to life long after the destruction of the regular world. Now the world is traversed by snarled-faced monsters and covered in darkness. Players will follow a lantern creature named Potboy and find their way in his light through the horror and wonder of the world. Read more: Assassin’s Creed Shadows Game Review: What’s New They have to outsmart and kill monsters lurking and rushing behind and after to eat the flame on Potboy’s head. The whole setting in the game is handcrafted with clay and later 3D scanned to a grainy detail. The game will come to players’ reach on May 8, 2025. Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade Re-establish peace, slashing through and destroying demon hordes and bosses in Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade. Developed by 7QUARK, the game, from its settings to its combats, reflects the original Japanese style. Set in the Edo period, the game narrates a time when the peace between demons and mortals breaks down under the influence of the rise of the nine-tailed fox. Players must choose among three characters—an immortal ninja, an oni emissary, and a demon samurai—distinct in combat style and rage, and confront demon forces to their eradication until peace remerges. Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade will launch on May 14, 2025. Read more: April 2025 Video Games: 8 Exciting Virtual Games Scheduled for Launch Doom: The Dark Ages Id Software’s searing first-person shooting title, Doom, returns with its third installment, prequelling the first two’s storyline. The new title, Doom: The Dark Ages, will plunge players into hell, amidst the damned and demons. Players will move in the blood-stained boots of the Doom Slayer, bursting and slashing the heads and bodies of creatures in hell to find their leader, the one who is ruling the underworld. Jampacked action sequences, heavy weaponry, moving background music, and cinematic visuals will all blend together, inviting players to the unworldly menace of the hellish battlefield. Doom: The Dark Ages will launch on May 15, 2025.

Google is confronting an existential threat as the U.S. government tries to break up the company as punishment for turning its revolutionary search engine into an illegal monopoly. The drama began to unfold Monday in a Washington courtroom as three weeks of hearings kicked off to determine how the company should be penalized for operating a monopoly in search. In its opening arguments, federal antitrust enforcers also urged the court to impose forward-looking remedies to prevent Google from using artificial intelligence to further its dominance. “This is a moment in time, we’re at an inflection point, will we abandon the search market and surrender them to control of the monopolists or will we let competition prevail and give choice to future generations,” said Justice Department attorney David Dahlquist. The proceedings, known in legal parlance as a “remedy hearing,” are set to feature a parade of witnesses that includes Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The U.S. Department of Justice is asking a federal judge to order a radical shake-up that would ban Google from striking the multibillion dollar deals with Apple and other tech companies that shield its search engine from competition, share its repository of valuable user data with rivals and force a sale of its popular Chrome browser. Google’s attorney, John Schmidtlein, said in his opening statement that the court should take a much lighter touch. He said the government’s heavy-handed proposed remedies wouldn’t boost competition but instead unfairly reward lesser rivals with inferior technology. “Google won its place in the market fair and square,” Schmidtlein said. ‘Flying taxis’ poised to revolutionise urban commuting The moment of reckoning comes four-and-a-half-years after the Justice Department filed a landmark lawsuit alleging Google’s search engine had been abusing its power as the internet's main gateway to stifle competition and innovation for more than a decade. After the case finally went to trial in 2023, a federal judge last year ruled Google had been making anti-competitive deals to lock in its search engine as the go-to place for digital information on the iPhone, personal computers and other widely used devices, including those running on its own Android software. That landmark ruling by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta sets up a high-stakes drama that will determine the penalties for Google’s misconduct in a search market that it has defined since Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded the company in a Silicon Valley garage in 1998. Since that austere start, Google has expanded far beyond search to become a powerhouse in email, digital mapping, online video, web browsing, smartphone software and data centers. Seizing upon its victory in the search case, the Justice Department is now setting out to prove that radical steps must be taken to rein in Google and its corporate parent, Alphabet Inc. “Google’s illegal conduct has created an economic goliath, one that wreaks havoc over the marketplace to ensure that — no matter what occurs — Google always wins,” the Justice Department argued in documents outlining its proposed penalties. “The American people thus are forced to accept the unbridled demands and shifting, ideological preferences of an economic leviathan in return for a search engine the public may enjoy.” Although the proposed penalties were originally made under President Joe Biden's term, they are still being embraced by the Justice Department under President Donald Trump, whose first administration filed the case against Google. Since the change in administrations, the Justice Department has also attempted to cast Google's immense power as a threat to freedom, too. In his opening statement, Dahlquist noted that top officials from the Justice Department were in the room to watch proceedings. He said their presence indicated that the case had the full support of federal antitrust regulators, both past and present. “The fact that this case was filed in 2020, tried in 2023, under two different administrations, and joined by 49 states demonstrates the non-partisan nature of this case and our proposed remedies,” Dahlquist said. Dahlquist also said that Mehta would be hearing a lot about AI — “perhaps more than you want, your honor,” — and said top executives from AI companies, like ChatGPT, would be called to testify. He said the court's remedies should include provisions to make sure that Google's AI product, Gemini, isn't used to strengthen its existing search monopoly. “We believe that Google can and will attempt to circumvent the court's remedies if it is not included,” Dahlquist said. “Gen AI is Google's next evolution to keep their vicious cycle spinning.” Schmidtlein, Google's attorney, said rival AI companies had seen enormous growth in recent years and were doing “just fine." Google guilty of ad monopoly, judge rules Google is also sounding alarms about the proposed requirements to share online search data with rivals and the proposed sale of Chrome posing privacy and security risks. “The breadth and depth of the proposed remedies risks doing significant damage to a complex ecosystem. Some of the proposed remedies would imperil browser developers and jeopardize the digital security of millions of consumers," Google lawyers said in a filing leading up to hearings. The showdown over Google's fate marks the climax of the biggest antitrust case in the U.S. since the Justice Department sued Microsoft in the late 1990s for leveraging its Windows software for personal computers to crush potential rivals. The Microsoft battle culminated in a federal judge declaring the company an illegal monopoly and ordering a partial breakup — a remedy that was eventually overturned by an appeals court. Google intends to file an appeal of Mehta's ruling from last year that branded its search engine as an illegal monopoly but can't do so until the remedy hearings are completed. After closing arguments are presented in late May, Mehta intends to make his decision on the remedies before Labor Day. The search case marked the first in a succession of antitrust cases that have been brought against a litany of tech giants that include Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms, which is currently fighting allegations of running an illegal monopoly in social media in another Washington D.C. trial. Other antitrust cases have been brought against both Apple and Amazon, too. Japan's anti-monopoly watchdog accuses Google of violations in smartphones The Justice Department also targeted Google's digital advertising network in a separate antitrust case that resulted last week in another federal judge's decision that found the company was abusing its power in that market, too. That ruling means Google will be heading into another remedy hearing that could once again raise the specter of a breakup later this year or early next year.

Dhaka, April, 21 (AP/UNB)---When the Lyrid meteor shower reaches its peak, it will be spring’s first chance to see shooting stars. The Lyrids have surprised skygazers in the past with as many as 100 meteors per hour, but it’s not predicted to be as active this time around. Scientists claim discovery of 'new colour' never seen by humans During Tuesday morning’s peak, expect to see around six meteors per hour, said Thaddeus LaCoursiere, planetarium program coordinator at the Bell Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota. The waning crescent moon will be 40% full, meaning a decent level of visibility under clear and dark conditions. Viewing lasts until April 26. Here’s what to know about the Lyrids and other meteor showers.   What is a meteor shower? As the Earth orbits the sun, several times a year it passes through debris left by passing comets and sometimes asteroids. The source of the Lyrids is debris from the comet Thatcher. When these fast-moving space rocks enter Earth’s atmosphere, the debris encounters new resistance from the air and becomes very hot, eventually burning up. Sometimes the surrounding air glows briefly, leaving behind a fiery tail — the end of a “shooting star.” You don’t need special equipment to see the various meteor showers that flash across annually, just a spot away from city lights.   How to view a meteor shower The best time to watch a meteor shower is in the early predawn hours when the moon is low in the sky. Competing sources of light — such as a bright moon or artificial glow — are the main obstacles to a clear view of meteors. Cloudless nights when the moon wanes smallest are optimal viewing opportunities. And keep looking up, not down. Your eyes will be better adapted to spot shooting stars if you aren’t checking your phone. When is the next meteor shower? The next major meteor shower, the Eta Aquarids, peaks in early May. END/UNB/AP/MA