Google lays claims to Quantum Supremacy, sending Bitcoin tumbling

Google suffered a resounding defeat in its appeal of a €2.4bn European Union competition fine in a judgment that bolsters the bloc's crackdown on the growing power of Silicon Valley.

Google will spend A$1 billion ($736 million) in Australia over five years, the internet giant said on Tuesday, resetting ties months after a threat to pull its services to avoid tougher government regulation.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Saturday.⁣

Google guesses users' age, gender, marital status, income bracket, and personal interests. Using the tool shows that many of Google's predictions can be off-base, but the majority of them are scarily accurate. It's also possible to stop Google from tracking your information or predicting your profile going forward.

Swedish price comparison firm PriceRunner accused Google of "abusing the market" by promoting its own shopping comparisons in search results despite a 2017 EU ruling.

The price of Bitcoin dipped in early trading on Wednesday, after the US Justice Department announced it had arrested two people and seized Bitcoin worth $3.6 billion that was stolen from the exchange Bitfinex in 2016. The investigation is being closely watched by players in the cryptocurrency sector as to how investigators are tracking criminal activity involving the tokens. Also today, we report on protests in Argentina against the latest agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Friday.⁣

The European Commission and the UK's Market Authority each launched an investigation to see if a 2018 deal between Google and Meta aimed at distorting competition in the digital ad business.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Tuesday.⁣

In September 2021, El Salvador became the first nation in the world to make bitcoin its official currency, along with the US dollar. The experiment in the small Central American country was considered groundbreaking by some and too risky by others. Seven months on, our regional correspondents take a look at how it has changed the lives of Salvadorians, for better or for worse.

The European Union agreed on new regulations that require social media companies and online marketplaces to remove illegal content. Advertisement targeting minors will also be banned.

Central African Republic and El Salvador have made Bitcoin legal tender and Panama has approved a bill to regulate crypto assets. Experts have warned that nations that adopt crypto currencies risk instability.