Day: February 11, 2025

Washington: The U.S. Senate has advanced Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) following a vote along party lines, paving the way for a final confirmation. According to Politico, the procedural vote, known as cloture, was passed on Monday, setting the stage for her appointment to the country’s top intelligence post. Gabbard, a former Army Reserve lieutenant colonel, Democratic congresswoman, and 2020 presidential candidate, was nominated for the role by U.S. President Donald Trump after shifting to the Republican Party last year. Her confirmation is anticipated to be…

New Delhi – In an effort to avoid potential retaliatory tariffs from the United States, India is considering reducing import duties on more than 30 commodities and increasing its purchases of American energy and defense products, according to a report by Nomura. The study highlights India’s ongoing efforts to prevent trade conflicts with the US. In its latest Union Budget, the Indian government had already lowered import taxes on various goods, including luxury motorcycles, textiles, and electronics. Now, the country is contemplating further tariff reductions on chemicals, solar cells, and high-end…

Washington: In a significant development in the artificial intelligence industry, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is leading a consortium of investors in a staggering $97.4 billion bid to acquire OpenAI. This move, first reported by The New York Times, marks Musk’s latest effort to regain influence over the AI company he co-founded in 2015 but later departed from. Musk’s Strategic Bid The offer, backed by Musk’s AI venture xAI and major investors such as Valor Equity Partners, Baron Capital, Atreides Management, Vy Capital, and Hollywood power broker…

PARIS: U.S. Vice President JD Vance issued a stern warning  against “excessive regulation” in the artificial intelligence sector, cautioning world leaders and tech executives that overregulation could stifle innovation just as AI is gaining momentum. Speaking at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit at the Grand Palais, Vance underscored the Trump administration’s commitment to ensuring that AI systems developed in the U.S. remain free from ideological bias and are not hindered by restrictive policies. He stated that the U.S. would “never restrict our citizens’ right to free speech.” Transatlantic Divide on…

GENEVA: In a significant effort to improve childhood cancer survival rates, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday launched a new platform aimed at providing free cancer medications to children in low- and middle-income countries. As part of the project’s pilot phase, the first shipments of these medications have already been dispatched to Mongolia and Uzbekistan, with additional deliveries planned for Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia. The initiative is expected to benefit around 5,000 children battling cancer across 30 institutions in these six countries this year. “Countries in the pilot…

WASHINGTON: Elon Musk has long positioned himself as a vocal critic of U.S. government oversight, arguing that Tesla’s progress in autonomous driving and electric vehicle technology has been hampered by regulatory scrutiny. However, with Musk’s close alignment with President Donald Trump, many of these regulatory hurdles may soon be relaxed, potentially paving the way for Tesla to capitalize on a more favorable business environment. Regulatory Challenges Easing Under Trump Trump’s administration has been swift in targeting government regulations, dismissing watchdogs and scaling back programs that oversee corporate compliance. For Tesla,…