France’s jailed ex-president Sarkozy targeted by death threats, prosecutor office says
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been the target of death threats from an inmate at Paris’s La Santé prison, where he began serving his ...
The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday abandoned its proposal that would have forced Alphabet’s Google to divest its investments in artificial intelligence companies, including rival Anthropic, as part of its broader antitrust case aimed at curbing Google’s alleged illegal search monopoly.
The decision comes amid ongoing litigation and regulatory actions targeting Big Tech.
The proposal, initially drafted in November, would have required Google to sell its stakes in AI ventures in an effort to boost competition in online search. Instead, the DOJ and a coalition of 38 state attorneys general are now focusing on securing a court order that would compel Google to divest its Chrome browser and implement additional measures designed to address anticompetitive practices. In court papers filed in Washington, prosecutors argued, “The American dream is about higher values than just cheap goods and 'free' online services. These values include freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom to innovate, and freedom to compete in a market undistorted by the controlling hand of a monopolist.”
A Google spokesperson countered that the sweeping proposals “continue to go miles beyond the Court's decision” and would harm American consumers, the economy, and national security. The company also announced that it intends to appeal the decision. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Anthropic did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The DOJ’s shift in focus follows evidence obtained since the draft recommendation that suggested banning Google from AI investments could lead to unintended consequences in the rapidly evolving AI sector. Instead, the government now seeks a requirement that Google provide prior notice of any future investments in generative AI. This move comes as part of a broader campaign by President Donald Trump, who has vowed to continue cracking down on Big Tech. Trump has appointed veteran antitrust attorney Gail Slater to lead the DOJ’s efforts in these cases.
Google currently holds a minority stake in Anthropic valued at billions of dollars. Critics argue that forcing a sale could inadvertently hand a competitive edge to OpenAI and its partner Microsoft. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta has scheduled a trial on the remaining proposals for April.
The case is one among several high-profile antitrust actions facing major tech companies, with Apple, Meta Platforms, and Amazon also confronting allegations of maintaining illegal monopolies in their respective markets. Since his reelection, Google has warned that the DOJ’s approach could undermine its competitiveness in AI and jeopardize America’s global economic and technological leadership.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been the target of death threats from an inmate at Paris’s La Santé prison, where he began serving his sentence this week, prompting an official investigation, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday.
During a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he expected to reach a trade agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping when the two meet in South Korea next week.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Wednesday ruled that Israel is obliged under the Geneva Convention to permit and facilitate humanitarian aid from third states and neutral organisations,
The European Union has approved its 19th package of sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, introducing a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), the Danish presidency of the EU announced on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Russia reported that its military had carried out large-scale strikes on Ukraine’s energy facilities, while Ukraine said its forces had targeted a Russian chemical plant.
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