The US government and Google are locked in an awkward, albeit required, legal dance as each side tries to convince a judge how severe or relaxed the remedies to a lack of competition in search will be following a landmark legal ruling.
Last August, US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google had been illegally exploiting its dominance in the search sector to stifle competition and innovation and ultimately harm consumers with less choice.
For those unfamiliar with how big tech antitrust cases work, what’s currently unfolding in court between Google and the Department of Justice might seem unusual.
During the opening arguments of the remedy portion of the trial, the DOJ has pushed for Google to be forced to sell its Chrome browser, which dominates search in terms of market share around the world.
Federal regulators have also expressed the aim of curtailing Google’s development and distribution of artificial intelligence products, with hopes of stopping the company from replicating what it has done in the search sector in the context of the burgeoning AI sector.
The Alphabet-owned Google, meanwhile, disagrees with the assessment that it was illegally squashing competition, and in some ways is still trying to get the case thrown out – but that looks increasingly unlikely.
For Google’s portion of its opening arguments, one of the company’s lawyers bashed the solution pitched by the DOJ, describing it as “a wishlist for competitors looking to get the benefits of Google's extraordinary innovations”.
Meanwhile, much like a regular trial, both sides are calling witnesses to the stand. Competitors, business analysts and industry experts are being peppered with questions about what remedies to Google’s search monopoly might look like, and most importantly, to speculate about the potential ripple effects.
Gabriel Weinberg, chief executive of DuckDuckGo, a browser and search engine competitor to Google, was the latest witness called to the stand this week. Mr Weinberg told the court that Google’s Chrome browser could be worth as much as $50 billion if the company were forced to sell it.
Because antitrust trials of this size are few and far between, experts have been hesitant to speculate on what remedy might be decided upon. The DOJ sought to ask questions that showed how DuckDuckGo might benefit, while Google litigators sought to show how a strict remedy might hurt DuckDuckGo.
Mark MacCarthy, a senior fellow at the Institute for Technology Law and Policy at Georgetown University in Washington, has studied antitrust policy for several decades, and said Google’s dominance presents a unique challenge, even after its legal defeat.
“To do it right would require unprecedented co-operation among the courts involved,” he said. “My view is that this would be better done by a new digital regulatory agency.”
With the Trump administration’s current obsession is with cutting resources to various federal agencies, it’s unlikely there’s an appetite from the White House to create anything new to oversee a Google monopoly remedy.
That said, Mr MacCarthy said enforcement mechanisms need to be applied persistently, and for a long period of time for any sort of effectiveness in the Google case. “To enforce a divestiture the judge would have to supervise ongoing restrictions to prevent Google from recreating the anticompetitive arrangements by contract rather than through ownership,” he explained.
Neil Chilson, who was chief technologist for the Federal Trade Commission during the first Trump administration and is now head of AI policy at the Abundance Institute, didn’t mince words with his criticisms of US regulatory efforts as the remedy portion of the trial gets under way.
“Of particular concern are the remedies seeking to regulate Google’s development and distribution of generative AI tools, which are outside of the scope of the case. Google has some of the world’s best AI technology but competition is fierce and international,” Mr Chilson said.
“Other remedies, like breaking out Chrome, for example, not only wouldn’t address the core conduct that the court found problematic (exclusive contracts for default placements), it would also cripple a very popular free product that consumers love.”
On that point, the both Alphabet and the DOJ might agree: Chrome is the dominant search engine. The question now is, what will happen to it? Whatever the result, hundreds of millions of users could be affected.
All this is unfolding as Google deals with the fallout of another court ruling that found the company abused its market dominance in advertising technology. Google plans to appeal.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
BIOSAFETY LABS SECURITY LEVELS
Biosafety Level 1
The lowest safety level. These labs work with viruses that are minimal risk to humans.
Hand washing is required on entry and exit and potentially infectious material decontaminated with bleach before thrown away.
Must have a lock. Access limited. Lab does not need to be isolated from other buildings.
Used as teaching spaces.
Study microorganisms such as Staphylococcus which causes food poisoning.
Biosafety Level 2
These labs deal with pathogens that can be harmful to people and the environment such as Hepatitis, HIV and salmonella.
Working in Level 2 requires special training in handling pathogenic agents.
Extra safety and security precautions are taken in addition to those at Level 1
Biosafety Level 3
These labs contain material that can be lethal if inhaled. This includes SARS coronavirus, MERS, and yellow fever.
Significant extra precautions are taken with staff given specific immunisations when dealing with certain diseases.
Infectious material is examined in a biological safety cabinet.
Personnel must wear protective gowns that must be discarded or decontaminated after use.
Strict safety and handling procedures are in place. There must be double entrances to the building and they must contain self-closing doors to reduce risk of pathogen aerosols escaping.
Windows must be sealed. Air from must be filtered before it can be recirculated.
Biosafety Level 4
The highest level for biosafety precautions. Scientist work with highly dangerous diseases that have no vaccine or cure.
All material must be decontaminated.
Personnel must wear a positive pressure suit for protection. On leaving the lab this must pass through decontamination shower before they have a personal shower.
Entry is severely restricted to trained and authorised personnel. All entries are recorded.
Entrance must be via airlocks.
'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
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ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
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