Google is reportedly arguing that it should not be made to pay about $370,000 in legal fees and other costs the Competition Commissioner is seeking. This comes after the tech giant lost a constitutional challenge in Canada. According to a report in Western Investor, the battle over legal fees comes a few weeks after the Competition Tribunal dismissed a constitutional challenge that formed part of a broader case where Google has been accused by the bureau of causing harm through an allegedly outsized hold on the online advertising world. Now, having lost the challenge, Google wants to avoid paying any fees or at least, see them greatly reduced.In a recent filing made with the Competition Tribunal, Google said that it should be spared from paying the money because of the public interest element of this case. Google argued that the fee is so big that it would violate the company’s constitutional rights, a stand that the bureau disputes.In its submission, Google has pointed to a previous tribunal ruling which waived costs for credit card company Visa because it advanced a “novel” argument. “Without parties like Google who are willing to bring novel challenges, ‘[g]aps in our law and policy will not be identified or remedied,'” Google said. Google cited in part the ruling Visa’s company’s case. If the tribunal decides Google should have to pay the fees, the company says they should be “significantly reduced” because of its public interest argument and acting commissioner Jeanne Pratt’s failure to prevail on one of her primary arguments.Google also said that any fees should be lower than those featured in other cases “to strike a fair and reasonable balance between compensating a successful party and not unduly burdening an unsuccessful party.”

Competition Bureau to Google: You should pay the fees

On their part, the Competition Bureau’s lawyers claimed in submission that Google should have to pay $370,096.88 in fees for the watchdog’s legal representation, experts, transcripts and printing because they are “reasonable, necessary and justified.” Google’s motion alone totalled more than 10,000 pages, included 29 volumes with four affidavits and two expert reports, the bureau said. The Commissioner’s motion was made up of 11 volumes with a single affidavit and expert report. The motion took five cross-examinations, and a hearing spanned 3 1/2 days.Judge Andrew Little took the bureau’s side, ruling that the fine the company could face is “hypothetical at best” but “may be necessary to deter non-compliance.”In this case, Google’s failed challenge took aim at a $91 billion penalty that the company would have to pay if the tribunal eventually sides with the Competition Bureau, which alleges that the tech firm abused its dominant position in online advertising.The Competition Bureau says in its own submission that Google should have to pay because “responding to the motion was also substantially more work for the commissioner than a motion of average or usual complexity.”As for Google’s take that the fees should be reduced because one of the commissioner’s arguments didn’t sway even little, the bureau’s lawyers said, “a successful party should not be penalized simply because not all the points advanced by that party have found favour with the court.”The bureau under Pratt’s predecessor Matthew Boswell launched its broader fight against Google in November. A lawsuit Boswell filed claimed Google unlawfully tied together its ad tech tools — DoubleClick for Publishers, AdX, Display & Video 360 and Google Ad — to maintain its market dominance and lessen competition.In the case Google lost, the search giant maintained that ad buyers have plenty of choice despite the hold it has on the market.

KPMG’s UK arm has told nearly 600 employees in its audit business that their roles are at risk, as the Big Four firm moves to cut costs in a tougher market.The proposed shake-up is expected to lead to up to 440 exits if the redundancy process goes ahead.The affected staff have been informed that they could be laid off, subject to a formal consultation, Bloomberg reported, citing a memo sent to employees and people familiar with the matter.

Up to 440 audit exits possible after consultation

According to Bloomberg, the proposed cuts are centred on assistant managers who are qualified accountants and affect roughly 6 per cent of KPMG UK’s 7,100-strong audit division.KPMG UK confirmed on Saturday that it plans to reduce staff in its audit business, after Bloomberg first reported the potential scale of the move. However, the firm did not specify how many jobs could ultimately be cut.KPMG UK said the decision was being driven by unusually low staff turnover in parts of its audit practice.“Current market conditions mean our attrition rates are very low within certain parts of our audit population, which is why we are proposing to right size those areas,” a KPMG UK spokesperson said in a statement to Bloomberg.“This isn’t a decision we take lightly.”The consultation on the audit cuts is expected to run until mid-May, reported the Financial Times.

Advisory arm also facing fresh redundancies

According to The Financial Times, KPMG has also separately told staff in its advisory business that it plans to cut around 120 roles, while hundreds more could also be considered for possible redundancies.Most of the advisory job losses are expected to fall in the enterprise risk division, which advises companies on governance, risk and compliance. Some back-office roles and staff in an economics team are also said to be affected.One person familiar with the advisory cuts told the FT that the latest round had been “pretty devastating”, especially for employees who had already been through similar disruption last year.Another person was cited by FT as saying that senior leaders were under pressure to meet budgets during a prolonged slowdown, saying the firm had carried “a large bench” of unassigned consultants for around six months and had seen fewer projects in the pipeline.A separate person said the changes would affect just over 2 per cent of the advisory business.KPMG confirmed that it was “launching proposals to reduce roles in some areas” of its advisory arm.“While the firm continues to experience growth in some areas, we are always looking at the shape of our business to stay in step with client demand and to support sustainable growth,” the firm said, as quoted by the FT.

Consulting slowdown and AI transition add pressure

The job cuts highlight the continuing strain across professional services firms, which have been trying to rein in costs after a sharp post-pandemic expansion and a subsequent slowdown in demand for consulting work.Other major firms have also turned to layoffs. McKinsey & Co. has discussed cutting about 10 per cent of headcount in non-client-facing teams, potentially amounting to several thousand jobs over the next 18 to 24 months.KPMG’s latest move comes as firms across the sector try to adjust to weaker client demand while also reshaping their operations for an AI-driven environment.KPMG’s audit cuts are somewhat unusual because earlier Big Four redundancy rounds have generally been concentrated in consulting or support functions, given the more stable nature of audit work. However, low attrition has swelled the number of junior staff, and PwC cut 175 junior auditors last year, the newspaper reported.

Profits rise despite weaker advisory performance

KPMG employs about 16,700 people in the UK. While the firm does not break out staff numbers by division, the advisory arm accounts for close to half of annual sales.According to the FT, KPMG’s advisory business shrank 3 per cent last year, in line with revenue declines at the consulting units of EY, PwC and Deloitte, even as the firm’s overall profitability improved.KPMG’s profit before tax rose 14 per cent to £576 million last year, which the firm attributed to “careful cost management in response to the economic cycle”.UK chief executive Jonathan Holt, who recently lost the race to become KPMG’s next global chief, has been boosting profitability through cost cuts, pay and promotion freezes, and lower headcount. It added that UK partners received an average £880,000 for the 12 months to September, up 11 per cent, marking the first time in more than a decade that KPMG’s UK partners were paid more than those at PwC and EY.

Precious metals are likely to remain in a corrective phase in the coming week, with investors expected to closely track developments in the Middle East and a packed calendar of global economic data for fresh cues.Analysts cited by news agency PTI said that speeches by US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Monday, along with comments from other Fed officials later in the week, will be watched closely for signals on interest rates, which could shape demand for gold and silver.

Middle East tensions and macro data to set the tone

Pranav Mer, vice president, EBG – commodity & currency research at JM Financial Services Ltd, told PTI that geopolitical developments will remain central to market sentiment.“In the week ahead, focus will remain on developments in the Middle East — any sign of escalation and de-escalation may drive the financial market lower or higher,” Mer said.He added that investors will also keep an eye on manufacturing PMI data from major economies, CPI readings from Germany and the Eurozone, as well as key US indicators including consumer confidence, nonfarm payrolls and broader employment data due later in the week.Trading volumes may also stay muted as domestic commodity markets will remain shut on March 31 for Shri Mahavir Jayanti and April 3 for Good Friday, resulting in a shortened trading week.

Gold slips, silver rises in domestic market

In the domestic market, gold futures ended marginally lower at Rs 1.44 lakh per 10 grams over the past week, while silver closed higher by Rs 1,182, or 0.52 per cent, at Rs 2.27 lakh per kilogram on the Multi Commodity Exchange.Mer said domestic bullion continued to find support from the rupee’s weakness against the dollar.“The bullion prices in the domestic market have remained supported by persistent weakness in the Indian rupee against the dollar. Last week, the rupee fell more than 1 per cent to close near 94.80,” he said.He also noted that the recent decline in bullion was driven by ETF liquidation, soft physical demand, a stronger dollar, and elevated US Treasury yields.

Global gold falls nearly 2%; silver rebounds

In international markets, gold settled nearly 2 per cent lower at $4,492.5 per ounce, while silver edged higher to $69.79 per ounce by the end of the week.Choice Broking said silver staged a notable weekly recovery after a long spell of weakness, tracking a sharp rebound in global prices.“Silver posted a strong weekly recovery after a prolonged decline, tracking gains in the global markets where prices rebounded sharply”.“Weakness in US equity markets boosted safe-haven demand, though gold’s traditional appeal showed signs of moderation amid rising Treasury yields and elevated oil prices,” Choice Broking said.Analysts told PTI that geopolitical tensions remained a major driver, with the worsening conflict in the Middle East adding to volatility in bullion prices.They added that while there was temporary relief after US President Donald Trump signalled a 10-day pause on Iran’s energy infrastructure attacks, the dollar index stayed near 100, limiting gains in precious metals.For the week ahead, Choice Broking said gold is likely to remain sideways-to-bullish during the shortened Easter week as traders assess key US economic data.Silver, meanwhile, is also drawing support from strong Chinese physical demand. China’s silver imports rose to an eight-year high of 206.76 metric tonnes in the first two months of 2026, up 49 per cent month-on-month and a sharp 5,910 per cent year-on-year, tightening global supply and lending support to prices.

NEW DELHI: Former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was admitted to a hospital a day after he was arrested in connection with a culpable homicide case linked to the alleged suppression of the September Gen Z protests.According to the hospital, Oli was admitted following complaints of palpitations.“Former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Nepal Communist Party (UMI) KP Sharma Oli was admitted to TU Teaching Hospital on 2082-12-14 with complaints of palpitations,” a statement from the hospital read.“He is a post-renal transplant patient with hydronephrosis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypothyroidism, atrial fibrillation with APC (on treatment), and cholelithiasis. Currently, he is under observation and monitoring in bed no. 501 of Annex 1 and is being managed by our medical team,” it added.Earlier on Saturday, Oli was taken into custody from his residence in Gundu, Bhaktapur, following a formal complaint filed by the home ministry, which led to an investigation and the issuance of arrest warrants.Authorities said the action was taken to implement the recommendations of a commission led by former Special Court judge Gauri Bahadur Karki.The commission also suggested legal action against several other officials, including then home secretary Gokarna Mani Dawadi, Armed Police Force chief Raju Aryal, former National Investigation Department head Hutaraj Thapa, and then Kathmandu chief district officer Chhabi Rijal.The commission attributed the violent crackdown on youth-led protests to criminal negligence and recklessness, citing a failure to act on prior intelligence warnings about possible escalation. A total of 77 people were killed during the protests, and property worth billions was destroyed.The arrests came a day after Balendra Shah was sworn in as Nepal’s Prime Minister. The 35-year-old leader, who heads the Rastriya Swatantra Party, assumed office under Article 76(1) of the Constitution after his party emerged as the largest in the March 5 parliamentary elections.His swearing-in ceremony was held at the President’s Office in Sheetal Niwas and was administered by President Ramchandra Paudel. Shah, the youngest Prime Minister of Nepal and the first from the Madheshi community to hold the post, has risen to prominence through his strong stance against the federal establishment and his focus on governance reforms.

NEW DELHI: 6,000 piped natural gas (PNG) users have surrendered their Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) connections as of Saturday, a govt official said on Sunday. “6000 PNG consumers surrendered their LPG till yesterday! A big thanks to them!!” said the secretary, ministry of petroleum and natural gas Neeraj Mittal on X. Further urging PNG users to give up their LPG connections he also said, “Join this strong bold group of DoGood citizens who have come forward to give up LPG to help those to get LPG who don’t have PNG. Give up yours today.”In the gas sector, supplies have been prioritised for households and transport, with full allocation to piped natural gas (PNG) and CNG, while industrial and commercial consumers are receiving around 80 per cent of their average usage. Fertiliser plants are being supplied at 70–75 per cent capacity, with additional LNG cargoes being arranged, a government statement said, assuring that govt stepped up measures to secure fuel and gas supplies, reported PTI.The ministry added that expansion of city gas distribution networks is being fast-tracked by easing approval processes and encouraging a shift from LPG to PNG.More than 2,90,000 new PNG connections were added in March. Companies such as Indraprastha Gas, Mahanagar Gas, GAIL Gas and BPCL are also offering incentives to promote PNG adoption.LPG supplies have been affected by the geopolitical situation, although deliveries remain normal with no shortages reported. Daily refill deliveries have crossed 55 lakh cylinders, while measures to curb diversion have been tightened, it said.Commercial LPG supply has been gradually restored to around 70 per cent of pre-crisis levels, with priority being given to hospitality, food services and key industries.The government has also increased kerosene allocations to states and stepped up action against hoarding and black marketing, carrying out around 2,900 raids and seizing nearly 1,000 cylinders in recent days.States have been asked to intensify monitoring, hold daily briefings, counter misinformation and expedite approvals for gas infrastructure. “The government reiterates its advice to the public not to believe rumours,” the statement said.In a further push to PNG, the government plans to stop LPG cylinder supply after three months to households that have access to piped natural gas (PNG) but have not opted for a connection, according to a statement just days ago. An exception will be made in cases where supplying PNG is not technically feasible, provided an authorised entity issues a no-objection certificate.The move comes amid LPG supply pressures due to disruptions in imports from West Asia, from where India sources a significant portion of its requirement. By pushing consumers in pipeline-connected areas to shift to PNG, the government aims to free up LPG supplies for regions that lack such infrastructure.Consumers in areas with PNG networks, including those in rented homes, will be required to transition, with officials treating gas as a basic utility similar to electricity and water. Around 60 lakh domestic and commercial consumers are estimated to be eligible for the shift, and about 2.2 lakh have already moved from LPG to PNG in recent days.The government is also accelerating the expansion of city gas distribution networks, with a target of providing 12.6 crore PNG connections by 2032.

Harbhajan Singh (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh found himself at the centre of a viral social media moment after hitting back at a troll during an IPL broadcast. Known for his outspoken nature, Harbhajan didn’t hold back when he saw a disrespectful comment aimed at him and his fellow commentators.The incident began when a user on X posted a picture of Harbhajan Singh along with Virender Sehwag and Aakash Chopra from an IPL commentary panel and captioned it “three clowns.”