Judge orders Google to share search data
Google now has to share its search data with competitors to to address monopoly concerns, but will not be forced to break itself up, according to The New York Times. U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta issued the ruling on Tuesday. The decision also put restrictions on Google’s exclusive agreements to stay as the default search engine on smartphones, though Judge Mehta did not force the sale of Chrome. Google plans to appeal this decision.
Israel begins ground operations in Gaza City
Israel has launched a ground operation in Gaza City, according to ABC News. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message that they are now facing a “decisive stage” of the war. Defense Minister Israel Katz has warned that Gaza City could face the same destruction as Rafah, unless Hamas accepts a ceasefire.
The Israeli government has outlined five principles that are necessary to end the war. Among these principles are dismantling Hamas, the release of all hostages and the establishment of a new civil authority without Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. Meanwhile, in the past 24 hours, the Hamas-run Health Ministry has reported at least 76 people killed and 281 injured, including civilians seeking aid.
Trump announces strike on alleged drug boat
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that U.S. forces were ordered to carry out a military strike on a boat that he claimed was linked to Tren de Aragua, a South American gang, ABC News reported. The attack took place in international waters, and 11 “narcoterrorists” were killed, according to Trump.
Trump teased the announcement in the Oval Office and framed the operation as being a part of his approach to crime and border security. Trump has posted a video of the strike on his social media platform, calling it a “kinetic strike.”
Judge restricts Trump’s use of troops in L.A.
Senior U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled that President Trump should not have used military forces in Los Angeles for police work, according to The New York Times. The court had found that troops were not deployed to guard federal property, but also to handle arrests, searches, traffic stops and crowd control, which violates the Posse Comitatus Act. This law prohibits the military from engaging in domestic policing. Judge Breyer’s order, set to take effect on Sept. 12, blocks the federal government from continuing those practices.
The decision only applies to California, but as Trump has spoken on sending troops into Chicago this court ruling will make it harder to use Los Angeles as a precedent to justify it. Democratic leaders had praised the decision. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul both stated that no emergency would allow Trump to bypass the court decision.
Trump has dismissed Breyer as a “radical left judge” and vowed to continue pressing his case, citing shootings and violence in Chicago and other cities. Still, legal experts note that unless the administration appeals, the ruling could set limits on presidents using federal troops on U.S. soil.
