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Leaving Google’s search engine isn’t easy, government witness says in antitrust case

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:58:24 GMT

By PAUL WISEMAN (AP Business Writer)WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department pressed ahead with its antitrust case against Google Wednesday, questioning a former employee of the search engine giant about deals he helped negotiate with phone companies in the 2000s.Chris Barton, who worked for Google from 2004 to 2011, testified that he made it a priority to negotiate for Google to be the default search engine on mobile devices. In exchange, phone service providers or manufacturers were offered a share of revenue generated when users clicked on ads. In the biggest antitrust case in a quarter century, the government is arguing that Google has rigged the market in its favor by locking in its search engine as the one users see first on their devices, shutting out competition and smothering innovation. Google counters that it dominates the internet search market because its product is better than the competition. Even when it holds the default spot on smartphones and other devi...

Woman with whom Texas AG allegedly had affair appears at impeachment trial but doesn’t testify

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:58:24 GMT

By PAUL J. WEBER and JAKE BLEIBERG (Associated Press)AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A woman with whom Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is said to have had an extramarital affair made a sudden appearance Wednesday at the Republican’s impeachment trial but never testified despite being called to take the witness stand.The affair is central to the historic proceedings and accusations that Paxton misused his power to help Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, who was under FBI investigation and employed the woman, Laura Olson. One of the 16 articles of impeachment against Paxton alleges that Paul’s hiring of Olson amounted to a bribe. Olson was called to take the stand Wednesday morning in the Texas Senate and waited outside the chamber. But her testimony was delayed for much of the day before Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is acting as the trial’s judge, said she was present but was “deemed unavailable to testify.” Patrick said both sides had agreed to that desc...

Red Sox notebook: Jansen tests positive for coronavirus, closer out for at least 7 days

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:58:24 GMT

If this Red Sox season wasn’t already more than halfway into the ground, they took another massive hit on Wednesday.Kenley Jansen tested positive for coronavirus and is going on the COVID-related injured list, manager Alex Cora announced Wednesday afternoon. The Red Sox recalled Left-hander Brandon Walter to fill his spot on the active roster.The veteran closer hadn’t pitched in six days when he took the mound for the ninth inning on Tuesday night. He ended up only facing two batters – giving up a leadoff walk to Oswaldo Cabrera and a single to Everson Pereira – before his manager and a trainer came out to collect him. The Red Sox announced that he’d been removed with “fatigue and illness symptoms.”The veteran closer had been feeling under the weather and dealing with a lingering hamstring issue. Earlier in the week, he was seen wearing a mask in the clubhouse.Under this season’s Covid protocol, Jansen must remain on the list for at least seven days. He’s the second Red Sox player (...

Patriots’ Jonathan Jones explains how to defend Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:58:24 GMT

FOXBORO — No one in the NFL can keep up with Tyreek Hill’s speed, but if anyone can slow the Dolphins wide receiver down, it’s Patriots speedy cornerback Jonathan Jones.The Patriots have played against Hill seven times during his All-Pro career. He hasn’t gained over 100 receiving yards in a game against the Patriots since 2018 and averaged 74.5 yards per game against the Pats last season. He’s averaged 106.9 yards per game as a member of the Dolphins.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots sign rookie defensive back to final practice squad spot New England Patriots | Patriots’ entire starting offensive line is now dealing with injuries New England Patriots | Can Mac Jones take next step for Patriots in Week 2 vs. Dolphins? New England Patriots | Patriots offensive line gets bad news at Wednesday practice before Dolphins game New England Patriots | Bill Belichick ca...

Patriots sign rookie defensive back to final practice squad spot

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:58:24 GMT

The Patriots signed rookie defensive back William Hooper to the final spot on their practice squad Wednesday.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots’ Jonathan Jones explains how to defend Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill New England Patriots | Patriots’ entire starting offensive line is now dealing with injuries New England Patriots | Can Mac Jones take next step for Patriots in Week 2 vs. Dolphins? New England Patriots | Patriots offensive line gets bad news at Wednesday practice before Dolphins game New England Patriots | Bill Belichick cagey with injury updates on three offensive starters Hooper, 23, originally signed with the Packers in May after going undrafted out of FCS-level Northwestern State. The Packers released him during final roster cuts on Aug. 29. Two weeks earlier, the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder practiced against the Patriots during joint practices in Green Bay ahead of presea...

Scientists call fraud on supposed extraterrestrials presented to Mexican Congress

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:58:24 GMT

By MARÍA VERZA and FERNANDA PESCE (Associated Press)MEXICO CITY (AP) — Supposed aliens landed in Mexico’s Congress but there were no saucer-shaped UFOs hovering over the historic building or bright green invaders like those seen in Hollywood films.The specter of little green men visited Mexico City as lawmakers heard testimony Tuesday from individuals suggesting the possibility that extraterrestrials might exist. The researchers hailed from Mexico, the United States, Japan and Brazil.The session, unprecedented in the Mexican Congress, took place two months after a similar one before the U.S. Congress in which a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer claimed his country has probably been aware of “non-human” activity since the 1930s.Mexican journalist José Jaime Maussan presented two boxes with supposed mummies found in Peru, which he and others consider “non-human beings that are not part of our terrestrial evolution.”The shriveled b...

Moms march on Beacon Hill, demand stricter gun laws

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:58:24 GMT

A small army of moms marched on the State House Wednesday morning.Clad in mostly matching T-shirts, just before noon the moms walked in several dozens-deep columns from the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, though the Boston Common, up the steps by the Shaw Memorial and waited for the crossing sign at the corner of Beacon and Park Streets to change.“What do we want?” one called, “an end to gun violence!” the answer came.More than 200 moms, many of them the surviving family of gun violence victims, and other supporters representing gun control advocacy groups Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, Giffords, Stop Hand Handgun Violence and the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, continued chanting as they approached the Massachusetts State House and walked up the steps to the General Hooker entrance and into the building.“It’s back to work for the state Legislature, so it’s back to demanding common sense gun laws passed in our state,” Jennifer Robinson, co-chair of the...

Hurricane watch issued for parts of Maine as already rain-soaked New England braces for Lee

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:58:24 GMT

By MICHAEL CASEY and KATHY McCORMACK (Associated Press)LEOMINSTER, Mass. (AP) — Hurricane Lee barreled north toward New England on Wednesday and threatened to unleash violent storms on the region just as communities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island dealt with tornado warnings and a second-straight day of heavy rain that opened up sinkholes and brought devastating flooding to several communities.Late Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for portions of Maine. A tropical storm watch also was issued for a large area of coastal New England from parts of Rhode Island to Stonington, Maine, including Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.The National Weather Service said Wednesday it’s looking into reports of strong winds that toppled trees and knocked down power lines in Rhode Island and Connecticut but is unable to say whether they were the result of tornadoes. A tornado warning was extended until 5:45 p.m. for several Massachusetts...

UAW readies for strike at auto makers

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:58:24 GMT

DETROIT — With just over 24 hours left before a strike deadline, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain says offers from the companies aren’t enough and the union is getting ready to strike.In an online address to members Wednesday, Fain said General Motors, Ford and Stellantis have raised their initial wage offers, but have rejected some of the union’s other demands.“We do not yet have offers on the table that reflect the sacrifices and contributions our members have made to these companies,” he said. “To win we’re likely going to have to take action. We are preparing to strike these companies in a way they’ve never seen before.”The union is threatening to strike after contracts with companies that haven’t reached an agreement by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday. It would be the first time in the union’s 80-plus-year history that it struck all three companies at the same time.Talks continued Wednesday with the companies, but it ap...

The Revolution moving forward with interim head coach Clint Peay

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:58:24 GMT

The upper management of the New England Revolution closed ranks on Wednesday to quell the rebellion in Foxboro.Revolution president Brian Bilello and technical director and interim sporting director Curt Onalfo appeared side by side during a contentious news briefing via Zoom from the club’s headquarters.The recent turmoil that has the roiled the club paint the Revolution as a house divided, a situation that resulted in wholesale changes in the coaching staff on Tuesday evening.Clint Peay, head coach of Revolution II, replaced Richie Williams as interim head coach, with Marcelo Santos serving as first assistant coach. The Revolution parted ways with popular assistant coaches Shalrie Joseph and Dave van den Bergh.“Sometimes when you are in these positions you need to be very clear about what you want to do and sometimes you need to make changes,” said Onalfo. “With all the experience I have doing this it was clear to me that we had to make changes that would allow us to be the most s...