Latest news with #LaborDay
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Judge wrestles with far-reaching remedy proposals in US antitrust case against Google
WASHINGTON (AP) — The fate and fortunes of one of the world's most powerful tech companies now sit in the hands of a U.S. judge wrestling with whether to impose far-reaching changes upon Google in the wake of its dominant search engine being declared an illegal monopoly. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta heard closing arguments Friday from Justice Department lawyers who argued that a radical shake-up is needed to promote a free and fair market. Their proposed remedies include a ban on Google paying to lock its search engine in as the default on smart devices and an order requiring the company to sell its Chrome browser. Google's legal team argued that only minor concessions are needed and urged Mehta not to unduly punish the company with a harsh ruling that could squelch future innovations. Google also argued that upheaval triggered by advances in artificial intelligence already is reshaping the search landscape, as conversational search options are rolling out from AI startups that are hoping to use the Department of Justice's four-and-half-year-old case to gain the upper hand in the next technological frontier. It was an argument that Mehta appeared to give serious consideration as he marveled at the speed at which the AI industry was growing. He also indicated he was still undecided on how much AI's potential to shake up the search market should be incorporated in his forthcoming ruling. 'This is what I've been struggling with,' Mehta said. Mehta spoke frequently at Friday's hearing, often asking probing and pointed questions to lawyers for both sides, while hinting that he was seeking a middle ground between the two camps' proposed remedies. 'We're not looking to kneecap Google,' the judge said, adding that the goal was to 'kickstart' competitors' ability to challenge the search giant's dominance. Mehta will spend much of the summer mulling a decision that he plans to issue before Labor Day. Google has already vowed to appeal the ruling that branded its search engine as a monopoly, a step it can't take until the judge orders a remedy. Google's attorney John Schmidtlein asked Mehta to put a 60-day delay on implementing any proposed changes, which Justice prosecutor David Dahlquist immediately objected to. 'We believe the market's waited long enough,' Dahlquist said. While both sides of this showdown agree that AI is an inflection point for the industry's future, they have disparate views on how the shift will affect Google. The Justice Department contends that AI technology by itself won't rein in Google's power, arguing additional legal restraints must be slapped on a search engine that's the main reason its parent company, Alphabet Inc., is valued at $2 trillion. Google has already been deploying AI to transform its search engine i nto an answer engine, an effort that has so far helped maintain its perch as the internet's main gateway despite inroads being made by alternatives from the likes of OpenAI and Perplexity. The Justice Department contends a divestiture of the Chrome browser that Google CEO Sundar Pichai helped build nearly 20 years ago would be among the most effective countermeasures against Google continuing to amass massive volumes of browser traffic and personal data that could be leveraged to retain its dominance in the AI era. Executives from both OpenAi and Perplexity testified last month that they would be eager bidders for the Chrome browser if Mehta orders its sale. The debate over Google's fate also has pulled in opinions from Apple, mobile app developers, legal scholars and startups. Apple, which collects more than $20 billion annually to make Google the default search engine on the iPhone and its other devices, filed briefs arguing against the Justice Department's proposed 10-year ban on such lucrative lock-in agreements. Apple told the judge that prohibiting the contracts would deprive the company of money that it funnels into its own research, and that the ban might even make Google even more powerful because the company would be able to hold onto its money while consumers would end up choosing its search engine anyway. The Cupertino, California, company also told the judge a ban wouldn't compel it to build its own search engine to compete against Google. In other filings, a group of legal scholars said the Justice Department's proposed divestiture of Chrome would be an improper penalty that would inject unwarranted government interference in a company's business. Meanwhile, former Federal Trade Commission officials James Cooper and Andrew Stivers warned that another proposal that would require Google to share its data with rival search engines 'does not account for the expectations users have developed over time regarding the privacy, security, and stewardship' of their personal information. Mehta said Friday that compared to some of the Justice Department's other proposals, there was 'less speculation' about what might happen in the broader market if Google were forced to divest of Chrome. Schmidtlein said that was untrue, and such a ruling would be a wild overreach. 'I think that would be inequitable in the extreme,' he said. Dahlquist mocked some of the arguments against divesting Chrome. 'Google thinks it's the only one who can invest things,' he said.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Driver in Idaho crash that killed 7 people had a blood alcohol content of .20, police say
FREMONT COUNTY, Idaho (ABC4) — Idaho State Police have confirmed that the at-fault driver in a crash that killed seven people in Fremont County, Idaho, had a blood alcohol content of .20, more than twice the legal limit of .08. Shortly before 7:15 p.m. on May 1, Idaho State Police troopers responded to a crash at milepost 399 on eastbound U.S. Highway 20 near Henry's Lake State Park, around 16 miles west of Yellowstone National Park. The crash occurred between a Dodge Ram pickup truck and a Mercedes passenger van — both of which caught fire after the crash, police said. The Mercedes van was reportedly carrying a tour group of 14 people. Six were declared dead after the crash, and the others were taken to the hospital with injuries. The driver of the Dodge Ram pickup truck, Isaiah Moreno, 25, of Humble, Texas — who has since been confirmed to have had a blood alcohol content of .20 during the accident — was also declared deceased. READ: Utah family rushes to help in fiery crash that claimed 7 lives near Yellowstone National Park Courtesy of East Idaho News via Roger Merrill The crash occurred just at the start of the '100 Deadliest Days' — the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when traffic fatalities rise due to increased summer travel, holidays, and impaired driving. 'This tragedy should be a wake-up call,' Idaho State Police Capt. Chris Weadick said. 'No one plans to cause a crash or take a life when they get behind the wheel, but choices have consequences. Impaired driving isn't just illegal — it's deadly. If you see someone unfit to drive, speak up. Lives depend on it.' Alcohol-related crashes remain one of the leading causes of traffic deaths in Idaho. This summer, Idaho State Police and the Idaho Transportation Dept. are joining up to increase DUI enforcement and expand public outreach. 'We ask everyone to help protect lives by staying sober behind the wheel,' an Idaho State Police press release states. 'The public is encouraged to report suspected impaired driving by calling ISP (477) or 911 if they observe erratic or dangerous behavior on the road.' Idaho State Police said the group of 14 people in the Mercedes van were headed to Yellowstone National Park on a tour organized by Ctour Holiday LLC. Of the 14 individuals in the Mercedes van, 12 were of Chinese nationality and one was of Italian nationality. A Utah family that witnessed the crash recalled a haunting story of the moments that followed. Man Labs Skincare tops our Father's Day must-have list Trump administration unveils more detailed proposal for steep 2026 spending cuts Disneyland's 70th Anniversary reflects a celebration of 'Happy' in it's special collection of merch and clothing Changes Health and Fitness shows a pickled snack, and uses the jars as workout weights Driver in Idaho crash that killed 7 people had a blood alcohol content of .20, police say Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Genesee Brew House brings back Mango Peach Kolsch with festivity
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Calling all Genny fans! Genesee Brew House unveiled 'Mango Peach Beach' to mark the return of Mango Peach Kolsch. The summer will include tropical themed food specials, live music, photo opportunities, and great beer. Mango Peach Beach will transport customers to a tropical paradise through Labor Day. Officials said last year's Tropical Oasis attracted more than 2,500 visitors. 'I figured after the spring that we've had here in Rochester, we all need a beach, right?,' Genesee Brew House Manager Carl Falk said. 'And what better way to celebrate a beach with a great beer, Mango Peach Kolsch is out again this year. It's been fantastic.' For more information on events at Genesee Brew House, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
5 hours ago
- Business
- The Hill
Judge wrestles with far-reaching remedy proposals in US antitrust case against Google
WASHINGTON (AP) — The fate and fortunes of one of the world's most powerful tech companies now sit in the hands of a U.S. judge wrestling with whether to impose far-reaching changes upon Google in the wake of its dominant search engine being declared an illegal monopoly. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta heard closing arguments Friday from Justice Department lawyers who argued that a radical shake-up is needed to promote a free and fair market. Their proposed remedies include a ban on Google paying to lock its search engine in as the default on smart devices and an order requiring the company to sell its Chrome browser. Google's legal team argued that only minor concessions are needed and urged Mehta not to unduly punish the company with a harsh ruling that could squelch future innovations. Google also argued that upheaval triggered by advances in artificial intelligence already is reshaping the search landscape, as conversational search options are rolling out from AI startups that are hoping to use the Department of Justice's four-and-half-year-old case to gain the upper hand in the next technological frontier. It was an argument that Mehta appeared to give serious consideration as he marveled at the speed at which the AI industry was growing. He also indicated he was still undecided on how much AI's potential to shake up the search market should be incorporated in his forthcoming ruling. 'This is what I've been struggling with,' Mehta said. Mehta spoke frequently at Friday's hearing, often asking probing and pointed questions to lawyers for both sides, while hinting that he was seeking a middle ground between the two camps' proposed remedies. 'We're not looking to kneecap Google,' the judge said, adding that the goal was to 'kickstart' competitors' ability to challenge the search giant's dominance. Mehta will spend much of the summer mulling a decision that he plans to issue before Labor Day. Google has already vowed to appeal the ruling that branded its search engine as a monopoly, a step it can't take until the judge orders a remedy. Google's attorney John Schmidtlein asked Mehta to put a 60-day delay on implementing any proposed changes, which Justice prosecutor David Dahlquist immediately objected to. 'We believe the market's waited long enough,' Dahlquist said. While both sides of this showdown agree that AI is an inflection point for the industry's future, they have disparate views on how the shift will affect Google. The Justice Department contends that AI technology by itself won't rein in Google's power, arguing additional legal restraints must be slapped on a search engine that's the main reason its parent company, Alphabet Inc., is valued at $2 trillion. Google has already been deploying AI to transform its search engine i nto an answer engine, an effort that has so far helped maintain its perch as the internet's main gateway despite inroads being made by alternatives from the likes of OpenAI and Perplexity. The Justice Department contends a divestiture of the Chrome browser that Google CEO Sundar Pichai helped build nearly 20 years ago would be among the most effective countermeasures against Google continuing to amass massive volumes of browser traffic and personal data that could be leveraged to retain its dominance in the AI era. Executives from both OpenAi and Perplexity testified last month that they would be eager bidders for the Chrome browser if Mehta orders its sale. The debate over Google's fate also has pulled in opinions from Apple, mobile app developers, legal scholars and startups. Apple, which collects more than $20 billion annually to make Google the default search engine on the iPhone and its other devices, filed briefs arguing against the Justice Department's proposed 10-year ban on such lucrative lock-in agreements. Apple told the judge that prohibiting the contracts would deprive the company of money that it funnels into its own research, and that the ban might even make Google even more powerful because the company would be able to hold onto its money while consumers would end up choosing its search engine anyway. The Cupertino, California, company also told the judge a ban wouldn't compel it to build its own search engine to compete against Google. In other filings, a group of legal scholars said the Justice Department's proposed divestiture of Chrome would be an improper penalty that would inject unwarranted government interference in a company's business. Meanwhile, former Federal Trade Commission officials James Cooper and Andrew Stivers warned that another proposal that would require Google to share its data with rival search engines 'does not account for the expectations users have developed over time regarding the privacy, security, and stewardship' of their personal information. Mehta said Friday that compared to some of the Justice Department's other proposals, there was 'less speculation' about what might happen in the broader market if Google were forced to divest of Chrome. Schmidtlein said that was untrue, and such a ruling would be a wild overreach. 'I think that would be inequitable in the extreme,' he said. Dahlquist mocked some of the arguments against divesting Chrome. 'Google thinks it's the only one who can invest things,' he said.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Horrific year on Oahu's roads as ‘100 deadliest days of summer' begin
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Honolulu Police are urging drivers to be extra careful heading into summer. With school out and more cars on the road, we are officially in the '100 deadliest days of summer,' a period that spans from Memorial Day to Labor Day. HPD emphasizes driver safety as traffic deaths rise 'The thing that we've seen a higher number in recently is pedestrian fatalities and motorcycle riders. The motorcycle riders that we're seeing, a lot of them are speed related. Also, they're not wearing helmets. We all know that helmets save lives,' said Major James Slayter of HPD's Traffic Enforcement Division. HPD said this year, Oahu has already seen 30 traffic fatalities compared to 12 during this time in 2024. Eleven of those have been pedestrians and seven have been motorcyclists.'It's extremely sad,' Slayter said. 'We look at these as numbers. They're statistics, but these are people. Right? These are our community members, whether they're family, friends, coworkers.' Slayter said that speeding gives you less time to avoid hazards and hazardous drivers. 'You always wanna be predictable as a rider as well, not zoom in in and out of traffic,' he added. As for pedestrians, Slayter says that HPD has found that a lot of the victims have been walking in the roadway. Check out more news from around Hawaii 'We actually had one individual lying in the roadway, and we have a lot of them crossing outside of marked crosswalks or against the red signal. So, again, everybody wants to be predictable as a pedestrian as well.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
