Israel To Free 183 Palestinian Prisoners Today

Israel is set to release 183 prisoners on Saturday in the fourth hostage-prisoner exchange under the Gaza ceasefire deal, a Palestinian advocacy group said, more than doubling the previous reported figure.

"The updated number of prisoners to be released tomorrow is 183," said Palestinian Prisoners' Club spokeswoman Amani Sarahneh on Friday, after previously announcing that 90 prisoners would be released from Israeli jails.

The advocacy group published two separate lists of names due for release on Saturday. The first comprised 72 prisoners arrested before Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

A second list of inmates to be freed contained 111 names of Gazans detained after the attack that sparked the war in the Palestinian territory.

Since the truce took effect on January 19, Gaza militants have released 15 hostages after holding them in captivity for over 15 months.

The three hostages to be freed Saturday are Yarden Bibas, Keith Siegel, who also holds US citizenship, and Ofer Kalderon, who also has French nationality, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group.

Since the ceasefire began, Israel has freed hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many of them women and minors.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Canada PM Trudeau Says Tariff Response Will Be "Forceful But Reasonable"

 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada's response will be "forceful but reasonable" if US decide to impose 25 per cent tariffs as threatened by President Donald Trump, The Globe and Mail reported.

President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on its neighbour Canada and Mexico as early as Saturday.

"If the president does choose to implement any tariffs against Canada, we're ready with a response -- a purposeful, forceful but reasonable, immediate response," Trudeau told reporters before a meeting with his advisory council on Canada-US relations on Friday, The Globe and Mail reported.

Meanwhile, Trump on Thursday reiterated his threats saying that the tarrifs are coming and that he had yet to decide whether Canadian oil would be covered in those tariffs.

Trudeau mentioned that along with Canada, the tariffs would also damage US economy and undermine the collective security of two nations.

Trudeau added that Canada would keep making its case that trade with Canada is good for the long-term prosperity and security of the United States, noting Canada's steel and aluminum, critical minerals and clean energy, as well as its "stable democratic institutions, shared values and the best workers in the world.", The Globe and Mail reported.

"If the tariffs are implemented against Canada, we will respond. We won't relent until tariffs are removed and, of course, everything is on the table," Trudeau said.

According to The Hill, Trump remain resolute to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico, citing trade deficit on the US.

"We'll be announcing the tariffs on Canada and Mexico for a number of reasons. "I'll be putting the tariff of 25 percent on Canada and Mexico, and we will really have to do that because we have very big deficits with those countries," Trump said on Thursday.

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Talented pacer Harshit Rana, who has played two Tests, quite surprisingly made a surprise entry into the India playing XI in the fourth T20I against England in Pune on Friday. Though initially not named in the XI, Rana was called upon to replace allrounder Shivam Dube as a 'like-for-like' concussion substitute after the latter was struck on the helmet in the final over of India's innings. Dube, who scored 53, was hit on the helmet in the penultimate ball of the Indian innings by a Jamie Overton delivery.

Following the mandatory concussion test, Dube was cleared to play. However, he was run out on the final delivery of the innings. Dube is a pace allrounder, while Rana has so far played the role of  specialist fast bowler in the Indian cricket team.

Rana, who had recently played in the opening Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, came in to bowl in the 12th over and made an immediate impact, dismissing Liam Livingstone for 9. Rana finished with three wickets. 

England skipper Jos Buttler appeared unhappy with the decision and was seen having a discussion with the umpires on the field. According to ICC's rules, teams are only allowed to name like-for-like replacements if a batsman is ruled out due to a concussion.

The decision to use Rana as a replacement of Dube did not go down well with many social media users, with some calling it cheating. 

How Harshit Rana is a like to like replacement for Shivam Dube?

Is match refree dumb? Does he know anything about cricket?

This is proper cheating from BCCI. Shivam Dube is a part timer & is useless bowler in T20I who doesn't bowl in IPL as well for India much.

Shameful!!

— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) January 31, 2025

Harshit Rana is like-for-like for Shivam Dube?

No wonder IND thought Reddy was a 4th fast bowler in AUS.

— cricketingview (@cricketingview) January 31, 2025

Rather than concussion sub the right word used should be Impact Sub. https://t.co/F2SO8gAV3f

— Prasanna (@prasannalara) January 31, 2025

It's outrageous to have Harshit Rana as a concussion sub for Shivam Dube (two completely different player types). India are literally playing with 12 players here.

— Alagappan Vijayakumar (@IndianMourinho) January 31, 2025

India had posted 181/9 after being sent in to bat. The hosts won the match by 15 runs to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. The final T20I will be played in Mumbai on Sunday.

With PTI inputs 

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Indian Astronaut To Pilot Private Spacecraft Axiom-4, Do Yoga In Space

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, set to become the second Indian to go to space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's journey on board the Soyuz T-11 in April 1984, will take on the role of pilot on the Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4.

The Ax-4 will go to the International Space Station (ISS) from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Kennedy Space Centre in Florida no earlier than spring 2025, Axiom told reporters on Thursday.

Group Captain Shukla, who is serving in the Indian Air Force (IAF), has also been chosen as an astronaut for India's Gaganyaan Mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It was ISRO that sent him to NASA for the Ax-4 mission to the ISS.

Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the private Ax-4 mission, while Group Captain Shukla will serve as pilot, the American space agency told reporters.

"I am really excited to go into microgravity and experience space flight on my own. The tempo for the mission has been building up each month. I think we are at a stage wherein all the pieces are kind of coming together. I'm extremely excited to see how this unfolds in the coming months and for the actual space flight as well," Group Captain Shukla said in response to a question by NDTV.

The Axiom 4 Mission team speaks to NDTV Science Editor Pallava Bagla

"We have been training for the past four-five months. We now understand the entire CONOPS, the concept of operations, and going forward from here it would mostly be repetition of the things that we have done. So we are ready and confident in our abilities to execute this mission successfully," Group Captain Shukla added.

On whether he would perform yoga as was done by Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in space, Group Captain Shukla said, "Yes, now that you have said so, I would probably demonstrate a few poses of yoga while we are up on the station."

"But a more important aspect is that we need to practice while we are on the ground so that we have a healthy body which can house a healthy mind and allow us to execute this mission in our full spirits, truly," Group Captain Shukla said.

He added in Hindi, "I am very excited about this mission, and I think the kind of training we have done so far makes me confident in my abilities. We will be able to execute this mission very well. Thank you."

The Axiom 4 Mission team

Ms Whitson praised her team which has a diverse composition.

"These guys are very intelligent, so they absolutely listen to me," she said. "It is an interesting challenge to bring a diverse group from different countries together. I had that opportunity on the previous Axiom mission. And even on the NASA missions, we work as a very international team. But that is what I love to do. I love to bring people together and to build a team. And so that is kind of my main goal of this mission is to build that elite team. And I think I have got it here."

The first private astronaut mission to the ISS, Axiom Mission 1, lifted off in April 2022 for a 17-day mission aboard the orbiting laboratory.

The second private astronaut mission to the station, Axiom Mission 2, also was commanded by Ms Whitson and launched in May 2023 with four private astronauts who spent eight days in orbit.

The most recent private astronaut mission, Axiom Mission 3, launched in January 2024; the crew spent 18 days docked to the ISS.

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NDTV Sports-Cricket

With his aura and intensity, Virat Kohli could bend anything to his will. But, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday, his mere presence was enough to "inspire" and "overwhelm" his teammates and opponents alike in one of the most keenly followed matches in the history of Ranji Trophy. When he saw the long queue of spectators jostling to enter the stadium much before the first ball was delivered in Kohli's comeback game in domestic red-ball cricket, his Delhi teammate Navdeep Saini was convinced that this was not going to be just another first-class match.

Saini said that for most of the team's young players who have grown up idolising Kohli and watching his exploits on TV, sharing the space with the maestro was a "different thing" altogether.

"His energy is so high, automatically our energy level also goes up with him around. Then his effort, whenever he is batting, fielding or in gym, his intensity, it is always 110 percent," Saini said at the end of first day's play between Delhi and Railways.

"As we were coming in the morning we saw the long line and realised that this is going to be different...The fans would just pour in," the pacer, who has also played for India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru with Kohli, added.

Upendra Yadav negated Delhi's early advantage with a resolute 95 to steer Railways to 241 on day one of their tie dominated by Kohli's grand return to domestic cricket after 13 years.

"It's a matter of great pride, sharing the dressing room, standing in the slips near him, standing in the ground, the bowlers looking to seek his guidance... it's a great learning experience," Saini said.

Such was the excitement around his return that the DDCA officials were forced to open extra stands due to a crowd of over 10,000, which is not heard of for a Ranji Trophy game.

Delhi Police also had resorted to a lathi charge to control the crowd at the stadium. "Generally when we play Ranji Trophy match we don't see this kind of crowd, so it feels pretty good when a big player comes and plays with you. It was overwhelming. The kind of crowd that you get to see in IPL, the atmosphere was similar today," admitted Upendra Yadav.

The pace trio of Navdeep Saini, Siddhant Sharma and Money Grewal exploited the early morning conditions to reduce Railways to 66 for five in the first session before Upendra and veteran spinner Karn Sharma (50 off 105) forged a 104-run stand for the sixth wicket.

Asked if they were under pressure seeing such a huge crowd for a first-class match, Upendra said, "We were not under pressure because of the big crowd, we did not throw away our wickets, the credit must go to Delhi bowlers.

"But the intensity was very high today as compared to any other Ranji Trophy match. The crowd too played a big part. We are all entertainers and good crowd also makes us feel good," he added.

The number of spectators is expected to swell on the second day when Kohli comes out to bat.

"So how do we maintain composure when Virat bhaiya comes out to bat, we had our bowlers' meeting and we have made our plans, but I will obviously not share with you guys.

"We don't need to get carried away by the atmosphere. We just have to bowl in the good length area. We were inspired, but we are not under pressure. When a cricketer of this stature plays with you, then obviously you get excited," Upendra said.

Earlier, preparations were also made to telecast this game and more stands than usual were readied for the fans, as Kohli geared up to play in his first Ranji Trophy match since 2012.

'Intensity rubbed off on others'

Saini said the star batter's intensity has rubbed off on others after the team endured a rather unimpressive campaign.

"Ever since bhaiya joined our side, there has been a huge change in the team because he is a legend of the game, so to share a dressing room with him is a moment of pride for the boys in the team," said the pacer.

"So we all get inspired by seeing his intensity that remains so high. Seeing him has got intensity high too, which is a big plus point for us," Saini, who took three wickets on day one, told PTI Videos.

Money Grewal, another Delhi pacer, who enjoyed some success against Kohli in the nets, said that he was told by the batting maestro to target the corridor of uncertainty where he has been found wanting in recent times.

"My plan was simple to pitch the ball in the fourth and fifth stump, move the ball and swing it and bowl in good areas, and even during the net session I had a lot of chat with him so he was explaining to me where I should be bowling," Grewal said.

"He was telling me what corridor I should bowl at, particularly fourth and fifth stump so the chat was mainly regarding that.

"My area of focus against him was no different, it was just to bowl him as much as I could in the fourth and fifth stump line as long as the batter is playing the ball then only a chance for a wicket can arise," he added. 

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Trump Blames "Diversity Policies" Under Obama, Biden After Chopper-Plane Crash

US President Donald Trump blamed diversity policies implemented during the Obama and Biden administrations for compromising air safety standards. This statement came after a devastating mid-air collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, resulting in no survivors.

Trump's remarks have ignited a heated debate about the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The President claimed that these initiatives prioritised policy over safety, stating, "I put safety first. Obama, Biden, and the Democrats put policy first." He further emphasised, "They actually came out with a directive: 'too white.' And we want the people that are competent".

The FAA's hiring practices have been under scrutiny, with some critics arguing that DEI programs can be discriminatory. However, supporters of these initiatives contend that they address historical and ongoing discrimination against underrepresented groups, including racial minorities.

Trump has specifically targeted former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, implying that he hired unqualified individuals with disabilities and psychological issues for air traffic control positions. Trump expressed his doubts about their competence, saying, "I don't think so." He also claimed that the FAA was "ran into the ground" by DEI hires after being deemed "too white".

In response to the crash, Trump is appointing Chris Rocheleau as the acting administrator of the FAA. The agency's hiring practices and safety standards will likely face intense scrutiny in the coming days.

It's worth noting that changes to the FAA's hiring practices were made during the Obama administration, which introduced a biographical test as part of the application process. This move aimed to increase diversity among air traffic controllers. However, some have criticised this approach, arguing that it prioritised diversity over competence.
 

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NDTV Sports-Cricket

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has had a curious journey of late. In and out of the national team over his injury issues, Hardik 'the all-rounder' has become a more reliable player for the team ever since he took up his role as a bowler more seriously. Especially in the T20 format, Hardik has been bowling a lot more consistently of late, hence becoming indispensable to the team's balance. Indian pace great Zaheer Khan, highlighting Hardik's importance as a seamer, feels that the all-rounder himself has also understood how important his role as a bowler is.

Hardik is also a part of India's ICC Champions Trophy squad where his role as an all-rounder will be crucial to the team's ambition of lifting the title. While it isn't yet known if Hardik can bowl 10 overs in a match, Zaheer is just happy to see the all-rounder enjoying his role as a pacer more than before.

"That's what we've been saying... that if Hardik the bowler comes to the party, then the whole balance of the side changes. Over time, he has been a reluctant bowler, hasn't he? He's been fighting his own battles - injuries, back issues - forcing him to be apprehensive about looking at a bigger role with the ball. But slowly and surely, he's understood over a period of time that it's very important for him to take up that responsibility for the team. And that's very important," Zaheer said in a chat on Cricbuzz.

"The numbers are backing that and I'm sure that with time, he's also realised the importance of Hardik the bowler. And it clearly shows now when he's preparing for a series. He is not looking at it in a negative way. That's a great sign. You look at them having 3 spinners, or 4 spinners in the side. They know and trust Hardik enough to do the job," added Zaheer.

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Trump Refuses To Pay $360,000 Legal Bill Over Failed Lawsuit, UK Court Told

US President Donald Trump has refused to pay 290,000 pounds ($360,000) in legal fees after his English lawsuit against a private investigations firm was dismissed, a London court heard on Wednesday.

Trump brought a data protection lawsuit against Orbis Business Intelligence over allegations in a dossier written by its co-founder, former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, but his claim was thrown out in February last year. 

The so-called Steele dossier alleged ties between Trump's 2016 election campaign and Russia as well as other salacious allegations, all of which Trump denied.

Lawyers representing Orbis said on Wednesday that Trump had been ordered to make a payment of 290,000 pounds towards Orbis' legal fees, with further sums also likely to be due.

"No real reason has been given for the non-payment," said Orbis' lawyer Mark Friston. 

He said Trump was now also claiming he had "sovereign immunity" from any enforcement action as a head of state, an argument he said was "completely hopeless" as it had been a private lawsuit.

Trump's lawyer Jacqueline Perry said the court was in a "slightly unusual position, with a slightly unusual client". 

"It's difficult to get instructions when your client is president of the free world and trying to turn everything upside down," she said. "This isn't high in his area of importance."

She said the president was "an innocent party in this" and was bringing a professional negligence claim against his former legal advisers for bringing his High Court lawsuit under the wrong statute. 

"That was the only reason the case was struck out," she said, adding he wanted the action against his former advisers settled before addressing Orbis's "eye-wateringly" high costs.

Judge Jason Rowley ruled that Trump must pay the 290,000 pounds within 28 days, or his would be prevented from addressing the court in April on a future argument about Orbis' legal fees.

Trump's data protection lawsuit was dismissed, with Judge Karen Steyn ruling that "there are no compelling reasons to allow the claim to proceed".

Trump said in a witness statement for the hearing that he brought the case to prove claims in the so-called Steele dossier, published by the BuzzFeed website in 2017, that he engaged in "perverted sexual acts" in Russia, were false.

Many of the claims in the dossier were never substantiated and lawyers for Trump said that the report was "egregiously inaccurate" and contained "numerous false, phoney or made-up allegations".

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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International Cricket Council CEO Geoff Allardice has decided to step down just weeks before the Champions Trophy with a board member indicating that his failure to present a "clear picture" of host Pakistan's lack of preparedness is one of the multiple reasons behind the move. The 57-year-old joined the ICC in 2012 as General Manager of Cricket, coming from Cricket Australia, where he served as Cricket Operations Manager. He was appointed CEO of the ICC in November 2021, after having served as acting CEO for eight months.

"It has been a privilege to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council and I am incredibly proud of the results we have achieved, from enhancing the global reach of cricket to the commercial foundation put in place for ICC Members," Allardice said in a statement.

"I believe this is the right time for me to step down and pursue new challenges," he added.

The official ICC statement made no mention of the exact reasons for Allardice's departure but a top source said the development has been building up for a while.

"The ICC T20 World Cup in the US was big a flop in terms of playing conditions and also it exceeded budget, the auditing is still being done," the board member told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"What broke the camel's back was Champions Trophy where as CEO, he was supposed to give a clear picture about readiness of Pakistan to host a tourney of such magnitude," he added.

The Champions Trophy is due to start on February 19 with India playing its share of matches in Dubai owing to security concerns in Pakistan.

The bigger concern for ICC is, however, the fact that tournament venues in Karachi and Rawalpindi are still partially under construction or renovation and the images that have trickled in from there do not paint a very positive picture.

It remains to be seen whether Pakistan would be ready in time for the marquee event, which features the world's top eight teams and is being held for the first time after 2017.

However, ICC Chair Jay Shah praised Allardice for his contribution to the game.

"On behalf of the ICC Board, I want to sincerely thank Geoff for his leadership and commitment during his tenure as Chief Executive. His efforts have played a key role in advancing cricket globally.

"We are truly grateful for his service and wish him all the very best in his future endeavors," he said.

The ICC Board will now begin the process to identify Allardice's successor.

His departure continues the exodus of former chair Greg Barclay's team from the ICC.

Earlier, Chris Tetley (head of events), Alex Marshall (head of Anti-Corruption Unit) and Claire Furlong (head of marketing and media) had quit their positions on personal grounds. 

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"Trump Will Not Have Greenland," Says Denmark's Foreign Minister

Denmark's foreign minister on Tuesday said that Donald Trump "will not have Greenland", following the US president's expressed desire to control the Danish autonomous territory.

"Trump will not have Greenland. Greenland is Greenland. And the Greenlandic people are a people, also in the sense of international law," Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters, adding that "this is also why we have said time and again that it is ultimately Greenland that decides Greenland's situation."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Big Tech Faces Heat As China's DeepSeek Questions Billion-Dollar Spending

Chinese startup DeepSeek's cheaper AI is sharpening investor scrutiny of the billions U.S. tech giants are pouring to develop the technology and analysts say it will dominate this week's much-awaited results from industry bellwethers.

DeepSeek has claimed it took just two months and cost under $6 million to build an AI model using Nvidia's less-advanced H800 chips. An app powered by the V3 model became the top iPhone download in the U.S. on Monday.

The startup founded in 2023 has said its AI models either match or outperform top U.S. rivals at a fraction of the cost, challenging the view that scaling AI requires vast computing power and investment.

Such a business need has powered an increase of around $10 trillion in the market value of "Magnificent Seven" companies since ChatGPT kicked off the AI boom in November 2022.

"Did DeepSeek really build OpenAI for $5 million? Of course not," Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon said. "It seems like a stretch to think the innovations being deployed by DeepSeek are completely unknown by the top tier AI researchers at the world's other numerous AI labs."

DeepSeek's pricing blows away anything from the competition, he said. Shares of AI chip pioneer Nvidia sank 16%, Microsoft fell 3.8% and TSMC's U.S. stock tumbled 14%.

Rasgon and other analysts argue DeepSeek's training costs for its V3 model could be higher as the nearly $6 million cited by the startup only includes the amount spent on computing power, while little is known about the costs to build the more publicized R1 model.

Still, it is a far cry from the $250 billion analysts estimate big U.S. cloud companies will spend this year on AI infrastructure. That spending has been questioned by investors worried about slow returns in the past year.

With most of the American tech giants set to report results this week and the next, analysts and investors expect executives of the companies to offer more clarity on their strategy.

"(DeepSeek's rise) puts into question whether the current pace of capex spend/technology upgrades is necessary. Commentary from U.S. hyperscalers will be key this week to see if they remain aggressive with AI spend," CFRA analyst Angelo Zino said.

"They will likely stress the need for greater computing power as we shift toward agentic AI and physical AI," Zino added, referring to autonomous AI agents that require little human intervention for routine tasks, as well as robots and self-driving cars.

PRICING PUSH

While the price of using AI models has been falling with rising competition and the progress in the technology, Bernstein's Rasgon said DeepSeek stands out as it has priced its models at up to 40 times lower than OpenAI's comparable models.

That could, analysts said, start a price war for AI services, potentially pressuring tech companies such as OpenAI that are already losing billions of dollars each year due to the high operational costs of running services such as ChatGPT.

"If DeepSeek adoption intensifies, it could initiate price reductions from competitors who have similar open source products," said Gadjo Sevilla, senior analyst at eMarketer.

"Market leaders like OpenAI (pushing for profitability) are unlikely to lower pricing in the short term. They will likely double down on trust and safety as key differentiating features, which happen to matter to enterprise users."

Some experts also doubt that U.S. businesses would be willing to embrace Chinese AI technology, given Sino-U.S. tensions and concerns about data privacy and security.

DeepSeek has said it stores user information in servers in China, which could be a sticking point in its U.S adoption.

Some investors, however, believe American tech giants would pounce on DeepSeek's breakthroughs and that cheaper AI services are bound to increase technology adoption, which could lift demand for chips.

"Did DeepSeek seek and find a more efficient processing model for AI? Maybe, but you can count on the incumbents to adopt any new techniques found," said Mark Malek, chief investment officer at SiebertNXT.

"(This) would only make the AI opportunity bigger in the future."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Arun Dhumal on Monday confirmed that the 2025 edition of the league will kick off on March 21. A total of 182 players were sold for Rs. 639.15 crores during the mega auction, held over two days in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in November last year. Dhumal also confirmed that the final schedule will be announced in the next few days, in consultation with all the stakeholders. "See, the IPL season will start in March. The time is set for March 21. And the schedule will be released in a few days," Dhumal told reporters at the third edition of the Sansad Khel Mahakumbh. He also added that there have been no major changes in the IPL rules, but he is hopeful that two to three matches will be held at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium.

"Definitely, many national matches are being organised here in Bilaspur. Next time too, Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Vijay Hazare trophy, whatever the matches will be played, Bilaspur will definitely get an offer. It is an effort that Dharamshala also gets matches and will definitely get an offer. Hopefully, last time there were two, this time there will be three. No, there is no significant change in the rules. IPL is the most important cricket league in the world, where the players of the world come and play. And this tournament is organized with a very competitive spirit. And definitely, this time it will be even better."

The third edition of the "Sansad Khel Mahakumbh" has begun, and the cricket competition started on Monday at the Bilaspur cricket stadium.A total of 45 teams from across the district are participating in this competition, which will run until March.

Dhumal expressed that the Sansad Khel Mahakumbh has consistently been successful in promoting talented players from rural areas and providing sports facilities. He highlighted that the emerging talents in national sports and other activities are increasingly coming from rural areas.

"If you look at the level of the country, whether you look at cricket or any other sport, whatever talent is coming out today, it is coming from the village. You take cricketers, whatever big names you see, whether you look at Shashwi Jaiswal, look at Rinku Singh, other players, they come from such a background, where there is no such support or background of the family, but they bring their talent to the field of play. Let me also talk about women cricketers.

"Renuka Singh Thakur, a girl from our Himachal, was the Women Cricketer of the Year of ICC last year. When such opportunities are organized here, then more and more talents will get the opportunity to show their talent. And I believe that in the coming time, it will be of great benefit to the country and the state," he concluded.

--IANS

hs/

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China's AI Startup DeepSeek Hit By "Cyberattack", Limits New Registration

Chinese AI sensation DeepSeek on Monday said it was limiting the registration of new users due to large-scale cyberattacks on its services.

The company, whose chatbot took over OpenAI's ChatGPT as Apple's top downloaded app on Monday, cited "large-scale malicious attacks" for outages and its inability to take on new users.

DeepSeek, which was developed by a start-up based in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, has shown the ability to match the capacity of AI pace-setters such as Nvidia.

Its success on the US app store sent shares in AI-linked tech giants plummeting on Monday.

The low-cost Chinese generative AI venture is thought to have matched US companies in its abilities but at a fraction of the cost.

Analysts had long thought that the United States' critical advantage over China when it comes to producing high-powered chips -- and its ability to prevent the Asian power from accessing the technology -- would give it the edge in the AI race.

Available as an app or on desktop, DeepSeek can do many of the things that its Western competitors can do -- write song lyrics, help work on a personal development plan, or even write a recipe for dinner based on what's in the fridge.

It is however subject to the censorship seen in other Chinese-made chatbots like Baidu's Ernie Bot that are very limited on how they interact on political topics.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Tariff War Begins Under Trump. US Acts After Colombia Refuses Migrant Flights

US President Donald Trump on Sunday ordered sweeping tariffs and sanctions against Colombia in retaliation for its refusal to accept deportation flights, as Bogota responded in kind with a 25 percent levy on US goods.

Trump, back in office for less than a week and peeved after President Gustavo Petro turned away the US planes, launched the tit-for-tat by promising to impose 25 percent on Colombian products, which would rise to 50 percent in a week. His authority to do so was unclear as Colombia, historically one of Washington's closest allies in Latin America, enjoys a free-trade agreement with the United States.

Trump also said he would immediately revoke visas for Colombian government officials and Petro's "supporters" -- and subject Colombians to greater scrutiny at airports.

"These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the criminals they forced into the United States!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Not to be outdone, Petro, a former leftist guerrilla, said that he had instructed his minister for external trade "to raise tariffs on imports from the US to 25%."

In a long diatribe on X addressed to Trump he declared: "You will never dominate us."

'I forbid entry'

Trump took office with promises to round up and swiftly deport foreigners unlawfully in the United States, but has faced resistance from Petro, elected in 2022 as the first left-wing leader of Latin America's fourth-largest economy.

"The United States cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I forbid entry to our territory to US planes carrying Colombian migrants," Petro wrote earlier on X.

In a later post, he said he had "turned back US military planes." Trump said two US planes were not allowed to land.

The Colombian government said it was instead ready to send its presidential plane to the United States to transport the migrants "with dignity." Petro also said he was ready to allow civilian US flights carrying deported migrants to land, as long as those aboard were not treated "like criminals."

In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Petro had authorized the flights but then "canceled his authorization when the planes were in the air." Petro additionally urged what he said were the more than 15,600 undocumented Americans living in his country to "regularize their situation," while ruling out raids to arrest and deport them.

The episode comes days before Rubio is set to visit Latin America -- but not Colombia -- on his first trip as top US diplomat.

Petro's Colombian critics reacted furiously to what they saw as his reckless rumble with Trump.

Former right-wing president Ivan Duque accused Petro of "an act of tremendous irresponsibility" for refusing what he called Colombia's "moral duty" to take back illegal migrants and warned US sanctions would take an "enormous" toll.

'Tied hands and feet'

Trump's deportation threats have put him on a potential collision course with governments in Latin America, the original home of most of the United States' estimated 11 million undocumented migrants.

Brazil, which is also led by a left-wing president, voiced outrage over treatment by the Trump administration of dozens of Brazilian migrants deported back to their country on Friday. 

The migrants, who were deported under a bilateral agreement predating Trump's return, were handcuffed on the flight, in what Brazil called "flagrant disregard" for their basic rights.

Edgar Da Silva Moura, a 31-year-old computer technician who was among the 88 deported migrants, told AFP: "On the plane they didn't give us water, we were tied hands and feet, they wouldn't even let us go to the bathroom."

"It was very hot, some people fainted."

Several deportation flights since Trump's return to office have garnered public and media attention, although such actions were also common under previous administrations.

In a break with prior practice, however, the Trump administration has begun using military aircraft for some repatriation flights, with at least one landing in Guatemala this week.

Several Latin American countries have vowed to welcome back citizens, many of whom have been living and working in the United States for years. Mexico said it planned to open nine shelters for its citizens and three more for deported foreigners, under a scheme called "Mexico embraces you."

Honduras, a central American country that is also a large source of migrants to the United States, said it was launching a program for returnees entitled "Brother, come home," which would include a "solidarity" payment, food and access to employment opportunities.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Padma Vibhushan Osamu Suzuki: The Man Who Gave India Maruti 800 Car

Osamu Suzuki, Suzuki Motor Corp's patriarch and long-time chairman who has been conferred Padma Vibhushan posthumously, headed the company for more than 40 years and revolutionised India's car market with the introduction of the popular Maruti 800 car.

Osamu Suzuki is among seven personalities who were conferred Padma Vibhushans, one of the highest civilian honours in the country, on Saturday.

Osamu Suzuki, who died in late December last year at the age of 94, shared a good rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to PM Modi, Osamu Suzuki was a legendary figure in the global automotive industry.

“His visionary work reshaped global perceptions of mobility. Under his leadership, Suzuki Motor Corporation became a global powerhouse, successfully navigating challenges, driving innovation and expansion. He had a profound affection for India and his collaboration with Maruti revolutionised the Indian automobile market,” the Prime Minister had posted on X social media platform.

A former bank employee, Osamu Suzuki got his break in the automotive business after his marriage to Shoko Suzuki, granddaughter of Michio Suzuki, who founded Suzuki Motor's predecessor company in 1909. Osamu Suzuki took his wife's surname, in accordance with the Japanese custom when there are no male heirs.

His entry into India turned out to be a game-changer as the subcontinent-sized market, saddled with the mid-60s technology Ambassador and Fiat cars, drove up demand for the Maruti 800 small car. The waiting lists of customers stretched for as long as up to three years with the car selling at a premium in the second-hand market.

Suzuki Motor agreed to set up a venture with the Indian government outside New Delhi and acquired a 26 per cent stake in the state-owned carmaker Maruti Udyog in 1982. In December 1983, the venture rolled out the Maruti 800 small car which was an instant hit.

Maruti, now a unit of Suzuki Motor, quickly became the biggest car manufacturer in India and still commands more than 40 per cent share of the market.

Osamu Suzuki's more than 28 years as president made him the longest-serving head of a global automaker. After stepping down as president in 2000, he became Suzuki Motor's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. He came back as president at the age of 78 in December 2008, when Suzuki Motor was expecting its first profit decline in eight years amid the global recession to lead from the front.

Suzuki then passed on the presidency to his son in June 2015 and took over as Chairman and CEO, but then resigned as CEO over an embarrassing fuel-economy misstatement.

Suzuki was a man of spartan habits and was known to fly economy class even during his old age as part of his frugal lifestyle.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Foreign Minister Engages US, Foreign Secretary, China: India's Balancing Act

India's diplomacy stands out globally for its ability to balance ties between adversaries. The latest example of this is happening this week. As foreign minister S Jaishankar touches down in New Delhi after a five-day visit to the US for Donald Trump's inauguration, foreign secretary Vikram Misri heads to China to foster ties with Beijing.

Just ten days ago, during a visit to Spain, foreign minister S Jaishankar had said India is one of the very few countries in the world that can engage both Russia and Ukraine, as well as Israel and Iran. "This is something very, very unique. And it is unique because if you look at the world today, it is a very polarised world," he said.

Donald Trump has threatened to impose hefty tariffs on China and even the BRICS+ countries, which India is a member of as well. China, the world's second-largest economy, has warned that it will retaliate, should Washington actually follow through. President Trump has also targeted China over its presence in the Panama Canal and said the US will take control of the waterway even if it means involving the military. China, on the other hand, has warned Washington over its involvement with Taiwan. Both nations have sanctioned each other.

ENGAGING ALL SIDES

Amid all this, India, which according to PM Modi, has "always chosen the side of peace", aims to engage all sides for positive and constructive outcomes. Earlier this week, S Jaishankar strengthened India-US bilateral ties when he met the US Secretary of State and National Security Adviser for their first foreign engagements after the Trump administration took over. As PM Modi's special envoy, Dr Jaishankar was also given the first seat at the US President's inauguration.

As he returned after concluding "a very positive" visit to Washington, India's foreign secretary heads to Beijing to build the momentum in India-China ties following a meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Russia late-last year. Foreign Secretary Misri's visit was preceded by a visit by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval last month when he met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.

REBUILDING AFTER THE STORM

India and China, two of Asia's leading economies and the world's most populous nations, are working to boost bilateral ties after a four-and-a-half-year-long military standoff along the Line of Actual Control or LAC brought ties to a grinding halt. After dozens of rounds of talks - both diplomatically and militarily - an agreement was reached and troops on both sides pulled back from the buffer zones, returning the status quo-ante. This happened within a week of PM Modi and Xi Jinping announcing it during a meeting in Russia late last year. Following this, Chinese and Indian foreign and defence ministers also met each other on multilateral occasions.

After Ajit Doval, foreign secretary Vikram Misri's will be the second high-level visit by an Indian official to Beijing in a month.

A WELCOME FROM BEIJING

China has welcomed Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's visit this weekend and sounded positive about its outcome. "We welcome Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri's travel to China for the meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between China and India," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said.

India's Ministry of External Affairs also said that "Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will be visiting Beijing on January 26 and 27 for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between India and China. The resumption of this bilateral mechanism flows from the agreement at the leadership level to discuss the next steps for India-China relations, including in the political, economic, and people-to-people domains."

THE AGENDA

Besides bilateral issues such as boundary talks, maintaining peace along the LAC, the building of the world's largest dam on the Brahmaputra, resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, people-to-people ties, resuming direct flights between the two countries, and facilitate the issuance of visas to Chinese citizens, the two sides are also likely to touch upon issues of mutual global interest.

"All matters of mutual interest will be discussed," the foreign ministry said at a press briefing in New Delhi ahead of the foreign secretary's visit.

The BRICS+, where both countries are threatened with massive tariffs, might figure in talks as well, as would the latest sanctions threat to countries dealing with Russia and buying Russian oil - again a common threat to both countries. Regional issues such as the situation in the Middle East and in Syria are likely to be discussed too.

US backing out of the Paris Climate agreement and the WHO, as well as the much-needed reform of the United Nations and the Security Council are likely to be discussed as well.

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Trump Says He Wants To Meet Putin Soon To Ensure End Of Ukraine War

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he wanted to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin soon to secure an end to the almost three-year-old war with Ukraine, lamenting what he called the huge loss of life.

In the run-up to his Nov 5 election victory, Trump declared dozens of times that he would have a deal in place between Ukraine and Russia on his first day in office, if not before. His advisers now concede the war will take months to resolve.

"I really would like to be able to meet with President Putin soon to get that war ended," Trump, who returned to the White House on Monday, told the World Economic Forum in Davos by video link.

"And that's not from the standpoint of economy or anything else. It's from the standpoint of millions of lives are being wasted ... It's a carnage. And we really have to stop that war."

Trump also said US efforts to secure a peace settlement were now hopefully underway, but gave no details.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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'Make Your Products In America Or Pay Tariffs': Trump Tells Davos

US President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning to global elites in a video message to the World Economic Forum on Thursday: Make your product in the United States or pay tariffs.
Beamed on a giant screen in the Swiss Alpine village of Davos, Trump received a loud round of applause from political and business A-listers who had eagerly awaited his appearance all week.

Speaking from the White House, Trump touted his plans to cut taxes, deregulate industries and crack down on illegal immigration.

But he also had a tough message.

"Come make your product in America and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on earth," Trump said.

"But if you don't make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply you will have to pay a tariff."

In his wide-ranging speech, Trump made a link between the war in Ukraine and oil prices.

Trump said he would ask Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to bring down crude prices.

"If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately," he said.

The US leader then fielded question from the top executives of Bank of America, Blackstone investment firm, Spanish group Banco Santander and French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies.

Trump is always a top draw in Davos, making waves at two previous in-person appearances during his first term in 2018 and 2020.

But showing up this year was tougher as the forum happened to start on the day of his inauguration in Washington on Monday.

Scores stood in line to hear him speak. Some in the audience included European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

Trump fans

One of the Republican president's biggest cheerleaders on the world stage, Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei, took the stage hours before Trump, delivering a fiery speech against "the mental virus of woke ideology".

Milei said Argentina was "re-embracing the idea of freedom" and "that is what I trust President Trump will do in this new America".

He praised like-minded leaders such as Trump, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele.

"Slowly an international alliance has been formed of all those nations that want to be free and that believe in the ideas of freedom," he said.

He also defended his "dear friend" Elon Musk.

The US billionaire and Trump ally caused a stir this week by making hand gestures at an inauguration event for the US president that drew comparisons to the Nazi salute.

Milei said Musk, the head of Tesla and SpaceX, has been "unfairly vilified by wokeism in recent hours for an innocent gesture that only means... his gratitude to the people".

'Let's not hyperventilate'

Trump already gave Davos a taste of what is to come since his inauguration on Monday, which coincided with the WEF's first day.

He has threatened tariffs on China, the European Union, Mexico and Canada, pulled the United States from the Paris climate pact and renewed his claim the Panama Canal, just to name a few.

His plans to cut taxes, reduce the size of the US federal government and deregulate industries likely found a sympathetic ear amongst many businesses, though economists warn the policies could rekindle inflation.

US trade partners and rivals already had a chance to react in Davos earlier this week, as they brace for a second round of his America First policies.

Without invoking Trump's name, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang warned: "There are no winners in a trade war."

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Brussels was ready to negotiate with Trump.

But she also underscored the European Union's diverging policy with him on climate, saying the bloc would stick by the Paris accord.

World Trade Organization chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on cooler heads to prevail during a WEF panel discussion on tariffs on Thursday, warning that tit-for-tat levies would be "catastrophic" for the world economy.

"Please let's not hyperventilate," she quipped. "I know we are here to discuss tariffs. I've been saying to everybody: could we chill, also?"

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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"Really Hate Mosquitoes": At Davos, Adar Poonawalla Explains Vaccine Plans

With the world having moved away to a large extent from broader concerns on COVID - it is something that is never really going away - it's also time to focus on new vaccines that can change the lives of any number of people around the world. The Serum Institute of India (SII) is a global leader in making vaccines.

Its CEO Adar Poonawalla spoke to NDTV on a range of issues, key among them the vaccine for malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos.

"I just want to say I really hate mosquitoes. They kill more human beings than any other animal on the planet, with all the different mosquito-borne diseases from dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, malaria. So with that in mind, after COVID, I sort of focused our capex and partnerships with various companies to make vaccines for malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Those other vaccines are about two years away from launch," Mr Poonawalla told NDTV.

The Pune-based company's malaria vaccine has already been deployed in Africa. It has an efficacy of 77 per cent, "which is very good," he said.

"The malaria vaccine is already beginning to protect children in Africa. Right now with the Gavi replenishment, where they need to raise billions of dollars for various vaccine programmes in Africa, it is challenging to get enough funding to get the kind of vaccine coverage to scale up volumes to be delivered and procured," Mr Poonawala said, referring to the the vaccine alliance Gavi which works to increase equitable and sustainable use of vaccines globally.

On whether costing is an issue, Mr Poonawalla said that is an area where the Indian company played a huge role.

"This malaria vaccine by other manufacturers in the West was being offered at $10, $8 to $10. We brought down that price to $4," he told NDTV. "So that's more than a 50 per cent reduction, only with the objective of providing more access to more children who can now take it, with the budgets being strained and all of that."

Concerns Over No US Funding

Mr Poonawalla raised concerns over the withdrawal of US funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) by the new American President Donald Trump, and highlighted the importance of multilateral institutions such as WHO in maintaining global standards for medicines.

"I hope that's only temporary and they relook at it because multilateral organisations like the WHO play a very critical role in maintaining, sustaining global standards for medicines and vaccines," Mr Poonawalla said.

Even with American money for WHO, other countries can work together to bridge the gap which "is not a huge amount".

"We have been calling upon leaders and others here [Davos] to step up to bridge that gap; $500 million is not a huge amount in the grand scheme of things for others to pitch in and contribute. I'm sure that the WHO is already making plans to ensure all their critical programmes such as pre-qualifying vaccines and getting them approved and maintaining the standards for vaccines and other medicines are not affected," Mr Poonawalla said. "These are very critical aspects of what WHO does because all these other countries go by their quality standards and recommendations."

He said there could be some impact to vaccine and pharmaceutical companies if the funding gap is not looked into. "I am sure the WHO will be focusing on their key areas and priorities so that nothing takes a backstep. It's still early days to say, but I don't see any major impact as of now."

Vaccines In The Pipeline

Mr Poonawalla said the malaria vaccine works on the falciparum, a species of the parasite Plasmodium that causes malaria and is found in Africa. The vivax is another species of the parasite that is prevalent in India, but there is no vaccine for that at the moment, he said, adding a vaccine could be developed in a few years with some technological advances.

"In the meanwhile, we are going to have a chikungunya vaccine in a year and a half, which is, again, a serious issue in India. And also with climate change, we have seen a drastic increase in all these mosquito-borne viruses because when you have construction going on in development in this part of the world, you have these water bodies which become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. You have got climate change, where even a few degrees difference can increase the breeding of some of these mosquito species," Mr Poonawalla told NDTV.

He said the dengue vaccine will come in a little over two years; it will be a one-shot vaccine, and multiple doses will not be needed.

"There aren't many manufacturers who make these vaccines because typically they are all sold at a very low price. So it's not commercially interesting to most pharmaceutical companies to make these vaccines. That's where we and the Serum Institute play a very key role," Mr Poonawalla said.

The five-day meeting at Davos that began on Monday is exploring how to relaunch growth, harness new technologies and strengthen social and economic resilience, according to the World Economic Forum. The global meeting is seeing participation by nearly 3,000 leaders from over 130 countries, including 350 governmental leaders.

India's participation at Davos aims to strengthen partnerships, attract investment, and position the country as a global leader in sustainable development and technological innovation. India sent five Union ministers, three chief ministers, and ministers from several other states to the WEF this time.

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First Woman To Head US Military Service Fired By Trump

President Donald Trump's administration has removed Admiral Linda Fagan -- the first woman to lead a US military service -- as the head of the Coast Guard.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Coast Guard, did not immediately respond to a request on Tuesday for comment on Fagan's dismissal.

Fox News cited a senior official saying reasons included her failure to address border security threats, excessive focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, and an "erosion of trust" over the Coast Guard's investigation into sexual assault cases.

Trump and other Republicans have long railed against government programs aimed at fostering diversity, and border security is a key priority for the president, who declared a national emergency at the US frontier with Mexico on Monday, the first day of his new term.

"She served a long and illustrious career, and I thank her for her service to our nation," acting DHS secretary Benjamine Huffman said in a message to the Coast Guard, which is one of the five US military branches.

Fagan had led the Coast Guard since 2022, and previously held posts including vice commandant of the service.

She "served on all seven continents, from the snows of Ross Island, Antarctica to the heart of Africa, from Tokyo to Geneva, and in many ports along the way," according to an archived version of her biography, which is no longer available on the Coast Guard website.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Capital One Arena Takes Centre Stage At Trump's Inauguration

Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday at an inauguration ceremony that has been scaled back due to a forecast of severe cold weather in the nation's capital.

WHAT EVENTS ARE EXPECTED?

Trump will take the oath of office and deliver his inaugural address inside the US  Capitol, instead of outdoors in front of the building, as initially planned.

The traditional inaugural parade, which was set to include marching bands and other groups proceeding down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, has been moved to the Capital One Arena, a professional basketball and hockey venue in downtown Washington.

Trump also held a campaign-style "Make America Great Again Victory Rally" at the arena on Sunday, putting the sometimes-maligned stadium at the center of events for two nights.

WHAT IS THE CAPITAL ONE ARENA?

The arena is home to the Washington Wizards NBA basketball team and the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals team. Built in 1997, it is located near the city's small Chinatown area, roughly equidistant from the Capitol building and the White House.

The stadium also hosts concerts and events like the Monster Jam monster truck rally.

WHO OWNS CAPITAL ONE ARENA?

The arena was owned for 14 years by sports mogul Ted Leonsis, founder and CEO of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Wizards and Capitals. The District of Columbia bought the arena for $88 million last year, after Leonsis planned to relocate the teams across the Potomac River to an arena in Virginia that is yet to be built.

When the relocation plan fell apart, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the district stepped in to keep the teams playing in D.C. The district is leasing the arena back to MSE and both are contributing towards a three-year, $800 million redevelopment project to modernize the arena.

Leonsis also owns a stake in aXiomatic, which has a controlling interest in Team Liquid, a global esports powerhouse with professional teams in 14 games.He has donated in the past to both Democrats and Republicans.

WHAT IS THE SEATING IN ARENA LIKE?

The arena has the capacity to hold around 20,000 people - a small fraction of the approximately 220,000 ticketed guests who had been due to watch from the US Capitol grounds.

WHAT WILL THE TRUMP PARADE LOOK LIKE?

It is unclear how the parade will be organized inside the sports venue, but Trump has said supporters will be able to view his swearing-in ceremony on screens inside the arena.

Monday morning, a desk was sent up in the center of the arena, which could be a spot for Trump to sign executive orders.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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What's Next For Fusion Power And AI? 3 Business Leaders Explain At Davos

The five-day meeting at Davos beginning Monday will explore how to re-launch growth, harness new technologies and strengthen social and economic resilience, according to the World Economic Forum. The global meeting will see participation by nearly 3,000 leaders from over 130 countries, including 350 governmental leaders.

NDTV spoke to Commonwealth Fusion Systems CEO Bob Mumgaard, Abhishek Awadhiya of SimpliAI, and Avanti Fellows founder Akshay Saxena - people who have a real say about where it's all going.

It's been a year of real crisis around the world, whether it's conflict, concerns over sustainable development, and concerns over so many issues, not least of all the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and climate.

Nuclear Fusion Energy

Mr Mumgaard began by giving an overview of the future of nuclear plants in terms of fusion energy and safe operations.

"It's completely different from existing nuclear power. It's the opposite. In fusion, you're combining light elements to make heavier ones the same way the Sun works. That means that there's no meltdown, there's no connection to weapons, and there's no long-lived nuclear waste," said Mr Mumgaard, who is dealing with one of the most interesting aspects of clean energy.

"The issue right now is we still have to develop the technology and deploy it. We're building on the very first power plants right now. Right now, we're about halfway through building the first prototype outside of Boston," he told NDTV.

Mr Mumgaard said his company spun out of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

"We started about three years ago building this machine. In about two years, we'll turn the machine on, and that'll be an important point in the world where we'll have, for the first time, industrial-scale fusion power being created by people," the Commonwealth Fusion Systems CEO said.

On matters of cost, which will be a key factor in producing clean energy, Mr Mumgaard said the goal with all new sustainable energy is to produce energy in a way that the world can enable growth, which means it has to be low cost.

"And one of the great things about technologies like fusion is you're using all these other technologies that have come before, you're adding them up. And so you're getting the cost advantages that came from new ways to manufacture, you're getting cost advantages that come from simulation and the use of AI and fusion itself. And so we think that this could lead to a low-cost energy source. We need to still build this and have the receipts. And that's what we're working on now," he added.

AI And Workplace Disruptions

Abhishek Awadhiya of SimpliAI said he strongly believes that AI will work in conjunction with humanity and workforce to elevate productivity.

"A lot of our work is - while focused on automation at SimpliAI - we firmly believe that in the near term, all of these AI tools are going to elevate the productivity of workforces across functions and across roles. It's very important for all the players to really make that argument very clear, very succinct to the people at large, so that the fear factor around AI is actually replaced with positivity and hope," Mr Awadhiya said.

On jobs disappearing due to AI in the workplace, he said, "Well, as the report of World Economic Forum itself states that while there'll be about 90 odd million jobs which will be substituted by 2030, but 170 million more would be created. So in my mind, it's like what happened in the Industrial Revolution. Jobs will get substituted, the jobs which are repetitive, low value in nature, with high-value jobs being moved up the value chain to people. And to me, that is what is going to unlock productivity for humanity at large."

Future Of Education And AI

Avanti Fellows founder Akshay Saxena cautioned against going too fast with AI in the area of education.

"I think there's a couple of things to be really careful about, especially when you look at it in the context of a country like India, where we already have massive inequity that's growing. One is, like Abhishek said, that the nature of work will change, which means you'll have to almost work with an AI copilot alongside," Mr Saxena said.

"What are our schools doing to equip kids to do that? And how many kids even have exposure to this? Because the majority of kids in India don't even have cell phones of their own, or access to the internet in any meaningful way. And what does that mean for our colleges? Because India has amongst the largest engineering workforce that we produce, but also amongst the least employable engineering workforce," he said. "So how do we quickly remodel our engineering schools, technical schools to actually make graduates AI ready? And if you don't move quickly on these fronts, this could be quite catastrophic for India's youth."

At Davos, India's participation aims to strengthen partnerships, attract investment, and position the country as a global leader in sustainable development and technological innovation. India is sending five Union ministers, three chief ministers, and ministers from several other states to the WEF this time.

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'Mass Arrests Of Illegal Migrants Day After Trump's Oath': US 'Border Czar'

US immigration authorities will carry out mass arrests of undocumented immigrants across the country on Tuesday, a top border official in the incoming administration of Donald Trump has said.

The move would be among the first by Republican Trump, who returns to the White House on Monday, to uphold a campaign pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants from the United States.

The remarks on Friday by Trump's incoming "border czar" Tom Homan to Fox News came in response to reports in the Wall Street Journal and other US outlets that Trump's new administration planned to carry out an "immigration raid" in Chicago beginning Tuesday.

"There's going to be a big raid across the country. Chicago is just one of many places," said Homan, a former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who oversaw a policy that separated migrant parents and children at the border under the first Trump administration.

"On Tuesday, ICE is finally going to go out and do their job. We're going to take the handcuffs off ICE and let them go arrest criminal aliens," he said in the interview.

"What we're telling ICE, you're going to enforce the immigration law without apology. You're going to concentrate on the worst first, public safety threats first, but no one is off the table. If they're in the country illegally, they got a problem," Homan added.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the "large-scale immigration raid" in Chicago was expected to start on Tuesday, a day after Trump's inauguration, would "last all week" and would involve 100 to 200 ICE officers, citing four unnamed people familiar with the operation's planning.

Don Terry, a Chicago police spokesman, told the New York Times that the department would not "intervene or interfere with any other government agencies performing their duties."

But he said the department "does not document immigration status" and "will not share information with federal immigration authorities."

Midwestern Chicago is one of several Democrat-led US cities that have declared themselves "sanctuaries" for migrants -- meaning they will not be arrested solely for not having legal immigrant status.

A Trump representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Things Trending Positive": Elon Musk On India-US Relationship

Tech billionaire Elon Musk told a delegation of leading Indian business figures at his SpaceX Starbase facility in Texas on Friday that he believes India-US ties are "trending positive" and that he favours an enhanced trade partnership between the two nations.

The Indian entrepreneurs, led by India Global Forum (IGF) to mark the UK-headquartered policy and events platform's expansion into the US this week, toured the company's cutting-edge space exploration facilities and witnessed the successful launch of SpaceX's Starship Flight 7.

During a moderated discussion, Musk emphasised the potential for deeper collaboration between the United States and India, particularly in the technology and space exploration sectors.

"Things are trending positive. I'm certainly in favour of lowering trade barriers to increase commerce between the US and India," Musk was quoted as saying during the session.

He went on to describe India as "one of the ancient civilisations and a very great and very complex one". The entrepreneur behind automotive major Tesla and social media platform X interacted with Indian business chiefs from across diverse sectors on the role of technology and India's growing role in the global innovation landscape.

The meeting comes just days before the inauguration of Donald Trump as US President for a second term on Monday and Musk's proposed role in his top team as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

"This event underscores the growing importance of collaboration between India and global pioneers in shaping a sustainable and technology-driven future," said IGF Founder Manoj Ladwa. "As the world's most powerful democracy transitions to a Trump presidency, meaningful dialogue is more important than ever in these challenging times," he said.

"At India Global Forum, our mission is to bring together global leaders and innovators to tackle the defining challenges of our time... I believe India's rise presents limitless opportunities, and this meeting signifies the potential for powerful partnerships," he added.

The IGF delegation to Musk's Starbase in Texas included Prashant Ruia, Director - Essar Capital; Jay Kotak, Co-Head - Kotak811; Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO - OYO; Kalyan Raman, CEO - Flipkart; Aryaman Birla, Director - Aditya Birla Management Corporation Private Limited; Nilesh Ved, Chairman - Apparel Group; and bestselling author Amish Tripathi, among others.

It followed a set of closed-door discussions on Thursday with members of the incoming Trump administration and key US stakeholders and policymakers, including Jacob Helberg - the Designated Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment in the new American administration. The dialogue, organised for IGF's US launch, also addressed the American economic landscape, exploring opportunities in digital infrastructure, tech, innovation and foreign investment, while highlighting ways to strengthen bilateral collaboration.

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Following India's poor performances in the Test arena as of late, with an unfortunate home series defeat after 12 years to New Zealand last year and a conceding 3-1 defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy away from home, the debate whether Indian stars should play more domestic cricket or stick to just international cricket owing to heavy workload has picked up. Many experts and ex-cricketers have raised their voices in favour of India's superstars playing more domestic cricket for their state teams and giving back to their states and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has even come up with a new 10-point player policy, which makes domestic cricket compulsory.

BCCI on Thursday released new policies for Team India, making it "mandatory" to participate in domestic matches to remain "eligible" for selection in the national team and for the central contracts.

In the policy, BCCI stated that taking part in domestic cricket will remain connected to the cricket ecosystem. The statement added that any exceptions to taking part in domestic cricket will be considered only under extraordinary circumstances.

"Participation in Domestic Matches is mandatory for players to remain eligible for selection in the national team and for central contracts, as per BCCI guidelines. This policy ensures that players remain connected to the domestic cricket ecosystem, fostering talent development, maintaining match fitness, and strengthening the overall domestic structure. It also inspires emerging players by providing them opportunities to compete alongside top cricketers, ensuring continuity in talent progression. Any exceptions to this mandate will be considered only under extraordinary circumstances and will require formal notification and approval from the Chairman of the Selection Committee, ensuring fairness and transparency in the process," BCCI said in a statement.

In recent days, young stars Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill and even Yashasvi Jaiswal are among the ones who have reportedly confirmed their participation in upcoming Ranji Trophy matches, with the status of star seniors Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli still unknown.

Let us look at last Ranji appearances for all Indian Test stars:

Rohit Sharma: His last Ranji appearance for Mumbai came in November 2015 during which he scored 113 in 140 balls against Uttar Pradesh. The match was drawn. Shreyas Iyer also starred with a brilliant 137 and Shardul Thakur made 56 runs. India's current assistant coach Abhishek Nayar also delivered an all-round show with 42 runs and four wickets.

Yashasvi Jaiswal: He represented Mumbai in January 2023 before his Test debut against West Indies later that year, managing scores of 0 and 14 against Maharashtra. The match ended in a draw, as per Wisden.

Shubman Gill: The lanky right hander's last Ranji appearance for Punjab back in January 2022 yielded poor scores of 9 and 19 against Madhya Pradesh in quarerfinals.

Virat Kohli: The 36-year-old's last appearance in Ranji was back in November 2012 against Uttar Pradesh, in which he was dismissed for 14 and 42 runs in both innings by pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. In 155 first-class matches, Virat has scored 11,479 runs at an average of 48.23, with 37 centuries and 39 fifties in 258 innings, with the best score of 254*.

KL Rahul: India's all-format, versatile right-handed wicketkeeper-batter made his last Ranji appearance in 2020 March for Karnataka against Bengal, scoring 26 and 0 during the semifinal, which his team lost.

Rishabh Pant: He was the Delhi skipper when he led his side to the Ranji finals in 2017-18 season against Vidarbha and made just 21 and 32 in the title clash as Vidarbha won the title under Faiz Fasal's captaincy. In seven matches in the tournament back then, Pant scored 315 runs in nine innings at an average of 35.00, with a solitary half-century and best score of 99.

Dhruv Jurel: His last Ranji appearance came in January 2024 against Kerala, in which he played a fine knock of 63. In the same year, he made his Test debut during the home Test series against England. The match ended in a draw.

Sarfaraz Khan: The domestic cricket run machine's last Ranji appearance came in January 2024 and made just one run before being dismissed by Sakibul Gani of Bihar. Mumbai won the match by an inning.

Washington Sundar: His last Ranji appearance came during the 2024-25 last year, in which he scored 152 in 269 balls against Delhi and took six wickets in October. The match ended in a draw and he was handed an Indian comeback by coach Gautam Gambhir during the home series against New Zealand.

Ravindra Jadeja: Jadeja made a Ranji appearance in January 2023 for Saurashtra against Tamil Nadu, taking eight wickets in the match, with 7/48 in the second innings. He also scored 40 runs in the match, including 25 in the second innings and Saurashtra lost the match by 59 runs.

Nitish Kumar Reddy: The young all-rounder made an appearance for Andhra Pradesh against Gujarat in October 2024, scoring 47 and 34 with the bat and taking one wicket in 13 overs. Gujarat won the match by one wicket.

Akash Deep: His last Ranji appearance was a poor one as he could take just one wicket in only one inning he bowled and scored just five runs in two innings.

Jasprit Bumrah: The pace spearhead's workload is highly crucial to the team's success and he last played for his state side of Gujarat in 2017 January, taking seven wickets in total including a six-wicket haul in the second innings. This was the semifinal against Jharkhand which his team won and reached the final. Bumrah got the 'Player of the Match' award.

Prasidh Krishna: The lanky pacer last played Ranji in October 2024, bowling just eight overs and getting wicket of Madhya Pradesh's Himanshu Mantri.

Harshit Rana: Harshit's last appearance in Ranji came against Assam in October 2024, where he took a five-wicket haul followed by a fifty for Delhi, which included four boundaries and three sixes. In the second innings, he took two more wickets and was given an Indian call-up, making his Test debut during historic win at Perth. Delhi won the match by 10 wickets.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday restricted the entry and movement of the mainstream and digital media at its stadiums in Karachi and Lahore which are under construction ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy. The PCB is in a scramble to complete the renovation work of the stadiums ahead of next month's Champions Trophy. The media will now only be allowed to visit stadiums on a fixed day during the week when they can tour the venue and make videos in the presence of PCB media representatives.

"It has become irritating for us the way some people are constantly going to the stadiums without permission and filming or talking about minor issues of construction work and presenting their views on preparations for the mega event," an insider in the board said.

He said the decision to restrict the entry and movement of media at the stadiums was taken because "these conflicting reports are being picked up by the international media" and giving an impression that the country is not ready to host the Champions Trophy.

The National Stadium in Karachi is scheduled to play host to the opening match of the tournament between Pakistan and New Zealand on February 19.

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Justin Trudeau Rules Out Contesting The Next Canadian Election

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that he will not be running in the upcoming federal elections, scheduled for October this year. This decision comes after Trudeau stated last week that he would step down as Prime Minister as soon as his Liberal Party chooses a new leader. "In terms of my own decisions, I will not be running in the upcoming election," Trudeau said during a press conference in Ottawa.

Trudeau expressed uncertainty about his future after leaving politics, stating, "As to what I might be doing later, I honestly haven't had much time to think about that at all. I am entirely focused on doing the job that Canadians elected me to do in an extraordinarily pivotal time right now." He also met with Canada's premiers, the ambassador to the US, and some federal cabinet ministers to discuss how Canada would respond to Trump's tariff threats.

After serving as Prime Minister for over nine years, Trudeau faced pressure from the opposition and within his party to resign. This pressure intensified after the resignation of his finance minister, Chrystia Freeland. Trudeau announced, "I intend to resign as party leader, as Prime Minister, after the party selects its next leader through a robust nationwide competitive process".

The process to replace Trudeau has not officially begun, but some well-known Liberal faces have started announcing their intentions to run. Interested candidates must notify the party and make an initial payment by January 23, and the party's new leader will be announced on March 9. Former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney and former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland are expected to be leading contenders.

Trudeau will remain Prime Minister until the Liberal leadership election concludes in March and plans to serve as a member of Parliament until the next federal elections are held. However, he will cease to be an MP in the new Parliament if he does not contest and win in the election.
 

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Walmart Unveils New Logo But The Internet Is Unimpressed

Walmart's first logo update in 17 years is garnering significant online attention, though it may not be the kind the retail giant anticipated. The redesign, which the company describes as a modernisation grounded in tradition, includes a bolder font, a richer blue background, and a "more energised" yellow spark icon.

Speaking about the change, William White, the senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Walmart US, said in a press statement: "This update, rooted in the legacy of our founder, Sam Walton, demonstrates our evolving capabilities and longstanding commitment to serve our customers of today and tomorrow."

The internet, especially X (formerly Twitter), is awash with memes and jokes about the new logo

A user commented, "Some consulting firm fleeced them for $500M for this."

Some consulting firm fleeced them for $500M for this.

— Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) January 13, 2025

Another user wrote, "Breaking: Walmart spends millions to shift their logo's shade by one hex code. Innovation at its finest."

Breaking: Walmart spends millions to shift their logo's shade by one hex code. Innovation at its finest. ??

— Kentucky Kernels Of Truth (@TrackDaddyKy) January 13, 2025

How much do you think they paid for this? $1M? $10M? $100M?

— Kody Nordquist (@KodyNordquist) January 13, 2025

The third user asked on X, "How much do you think they paid for this? $1M? $10M? $100M?"

The fourth user wrote, " Did Walmart release a new logo or a vision test? Just asking."

Did Walmart release a new logo or a vision test? ?

Just asking ? pic.twitter.com/L2iW10esvA

— ♥️?Mariel Schaab ?? ?? Coach4Expats (@MarieSchaab) January 14, 2025

Walmart just unveiled their new logo. It looks the fucking same. pic.twitter.com/UwoQDX4Ij9

— Tiffany Fong (@TiffanyFong_) January 13, 2025

The fifth user wrote, "Walmart just unveiled their new logo. It looks the f****** same."

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Meta To Fire 3,600 Employees; Mark Zuckerberg Says Will Hire New People

Meta plans to dismiss approximately 3,600 employees identified as low performers and replace them with new hires, according to an internal memo reported by Bloomberg on Tuesday.

The company, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, confirmed to AFP that CEO Mark Zuckerberg's decision will affect five percent of its workforce.

Meta had approximately 72,400 employees as of September.

"I've decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster," Zuckerberg said.

The CEO said the performance-based cuts are intended to ensure that the company has the "strongest talent" and is able to "bring new people in."

Performance-based dismissals are a common practice among major US corporations. Microsoft announced similar cuts last week affecting less than one percent of its workforce, Business Insider reported.

The layoffs come amid broader changes at Meta, in advance of Donald Trump returning to the White House on January 20.

Zuckerberg has recently aligned more closely with conservative ideas and political figures, including having dinner meetings with Trump and nominating a Republican as Meta's head of public affairs.

Last week, Zuckerberg announced the end of the company's US fact-checking program that aimed to combat misinformation on its platforms. The program had faced criticism from conservative voices who viewed it as censorship.

Under the new system, users will be able to add context to posts, similar to features on X, formerly Twitter, and championed by Elon Musk, the platform's owner.

The company has also scaled back its diversity initiatives and relaxed content moderation rules on Facebook and Instagram, particularly regarding certain forms of hostile speech.

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S Jaishankar On India's Potential Role In Ending Global Conflicts

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has underlined India's potential role in ending global conflicts, saying that it is one of the few countries that is in a position to hold talks with both Russia and Ukraine, and with Israel and Iran.

Mr Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to Spain, made these remarks during an interaction with the Indian community in Madrid on Monday in an apparent reference to the wars in Ukraine and in West Asia, where Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hamas.

The minister said India is today seen as contributing to a global conversation that when the "world is looking at many, many challenges, different issues, we also come up with ideas and initiatives".

“There are very few countries today who are in a position to talk to Russia and to Ukraine,” he said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year visited Russia twice and also went to Kyiv in Ukraine.

India is one of the few countries which is in a position to talk to Israel and Iran as well and Prime Minister Modi is able to do both, being a member of the Quad and BRICS, he said.

“So, this is something which is actually very, very unique. And it is unique because if you look at the world, it is a very polarised world,” he added.

The Quad consists of Australia, Japan the US and India while the BRICS grouping now has Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the UAE as its members.

Mr Jaishankar further said India was the one who brought the African Union into the G20 which should have been done years ago.

The minister said India has a plan to make 4,000 kilometres of new tracks every year, and every day 12 to 14 kilometres of new rail tracks are built.

The minister further said that 28 kilometres of highways are being built every day and in the last 10 years, the number of airports in the country has doubled from 75 to more than 150.

Mr Jaishankar said the number of metro trains in India has grown from six in 2014 to 21 today and we plan to take it to 60 cities.

The external affairs minister also highlighted India's achievements in sectors like space technology as it managed to land on the south side of the moon with its Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Mr Jaishankar said India and Spain would mark 2026 as a "dual year", where they would be celebrating culture, tourism and artificial intelligence in both countries.

Mr Jaishankar said he has been to Spain as a tourist a little more than 20 years ago and added that in 2017, he had the privilege of coming here with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017.

He said President Pedro Sanchez's visit to India last year was a very successful one and his agreement with Modi that both countries should make a special effort to take their relationship forward.

Mr Jaishankar also announced that Spain will soon open a consulate in Bengaluru, calling it a “good sign” for deepening the relations between both the countries.

He urged the diaspora to remain in touch with India and follow the debates and conversations happening in the country.

“The biggest change I have seen in the last 10 years is the importance that the Government of India, the people of India have put on the contribution of diaspora,” he said.

Mr Jaishankar credited PM Modi for making Indians understand the invaluable contribution made by the diaspora.

This is Mr Jaishankar's first visit to Spain as the external affairs minister - nearly two-and-a-half months after Spanish President Pedro Sanchez visited India.

On Monday, Jaishankar met his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares and discussed regional and global issues. PTI GSP GSP

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EU Considers Expanding Probe Into Elon Musk's X: Report

The European Union is considering expanding its investigation into whether Elon Musk's social media network X breached its content moderation rulebook, Bloomberg News reported on Monday, citing the bloc's tech policy chief.

The EU started investigating X, formerly Twitter, in late 2023 over suspected breaches of obligations, partly relating to posts following Hamas' attacks on Israel, its first probe under the EU's Digital Services Act, or DSA.

"We are currently assessing if the scope is large enough," European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen told Bloomberg TV when asked about the ongoing X probe.

The bloc's scrutiny into the social media platform increased in recent months as Musk, now an adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, started endorsing far-right personalities such as chancellor candidate Alice Weidel from the Alternative for Germany party, ahead of the country's Feb. 23 snap elections, according to Bloomberg.

The commission is examining whether a live-streamed conversation between Musk and Weidel on X last week was unfairly boosted to give a political candidate an advantage, in violation of the DSA, the report said.

Both X and the European Commission did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

In July, EU tech regulators ruled that X breached European Union online content rules and its blue checkmark deceives users, which led to Musk saying that he looked forward to a "very public battle in court, so that the people of Europe can know the truth."

The charges by the European Commission, the first issued under the DSA, followed a seven-month-long investigation. The rules require very large online platforms and search engines to do more to tackle illegal content and risks to public security.

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