Author: Justin M. Larson
A slogan related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) is displayed on a screen in Intel pavilion, during the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 16, 2024. Denis Balibouse | ReutersBig Tech is doubling down on investing billions in India, drawn by its abundance of resources for building data centers, a large talent and digital user pool, and market opportunity.In under 24 hours, Microsoft and Amazon pledged more than $50 billion toward India’s cloud and AI infrastructure, while Intel on Monday announced plans to make chips in the country to capitalize on its growing PC demand and…
The tariffs will apply to goods from China and other nations. Washington has been pressuring Mexico to move away from dealing with China. Source link
Mexican lawmakers have approved a package of new tariffs, impacting hundreds of products, many of which come from China.The measures, which President Claudia Sheinbaum has said are needed to boost domestic production, were passed by the Mexican Senate on Wednesday.The levies are set to take effect on 1 January 2026 and will apply to goods like metals, cars, clothing and appliances. Dozens of countries that do not have a free trade agreement with Mexico will be affected, including Thailand, India and Indonesia.The move comes as Mexico is in negotiations with the US over steep import taxes that President Donald Trump…
Illustration of the SK Hynix company logo seen displayed on a smartphone screen.Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesSouth Korea’s SK Hynix on Wednesday confirmed that it is weighing a U.S. listing as the memory chipmaker’s valuation soars on global demand for artificial intelligence hardware.The company at the center of the AI infrastructure boom said in a regulatory filing that it was “reviewing various measures to enhance corporate value, including a U.S. stock market listing utilizing treasury shares,” while noting that no final decision has been made.A U.S. listing would give American investors direct access to SK Hynix shares, which…
María Corina Machado, who spent over a year in hiding in Venezuela, greeted supporters in Oslo, hours after her daughter accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in her name. Source link
Watch: Video shows US military seizing oil tanker off Venezuela coastUS forces have seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said, marking a sharp escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro’s government.”We have just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela – a large tanker, very large, the largest one ever seized actually,” Trump told reporters at the White House.Releasing a video of the seizure, Attorney General Pam Bondi described the vessel as a “crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran”.Caracas swiftly denounced the action, calling it an…
Portugal is facing severe disruption to transport, flights, hospitals, schools and other public services on Thursday, as the two main union federations stage a general strike over unprecedented labour reforms.The last time the CGTP and the generally less militant UGT joined forces was during the eurozone debt crisis in 2013, when a “troika” of international institutions demanded cuts in salaries and pensions as part of Portugal’s bailout.Twelve years later, Portugal’s economy has become the fastest growing in the eurozone in recent months, but Prime Minister Luís Montenegro says it is still necessary to tackle “rigidities” in the labour market “so…
Shibuya crossing in known to be the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing© Marco Bottigelli | Moment | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets climbed higher on Thursday, following the Federal Reserve’s third rate cut of the year. The U.S central bank cut the Federal Funds rate by 25 basis points to 3.5%-3.75%, and signalled that it was probably done cutting for now.Fed Chair Jerome Powell, at his post-meeting news conference, said the reduction puts the Fed in a comfortable position as far as rates go.”We are well-positioned to wait and see how the economy evolves,” Powell said, and noted President Donald Trump’s tariffs have…
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the situation in South Kivu province has deteriorated sharply since 2 December due to heavy fighting across multiple territories, including Uvira, Walungu, Mwenga, Shabunda, Kabare, Fizi and Kalehe.According to media reports, members of the armed group M23 entered the key city of Uvira on Wednesday and residents described a sense of fear and uncertainty.Radio Okapi, run by the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO, reported that more than 74 civilians have been killed and at least 83 wounded in clashes between Congolese forces and armed groups since early December. The station…
An environmental group is suing, saying federal law requires an image of public lands, not the president. Source link
The fighting in Congo continues despite Washington’s claims to have brokered an end to the conflict. Source link
The US Department of Justice has released 45-second clip showing what it says is the US military seizing an oil tanker near Venezuela. The footage shows military helicopters approaching the tanker and what appears to be US troops boarding it. The operation, led by the US Coast Guard, was announced by President Donald Trump on Wednesday.According to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who posted the video online, the tanker was used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. Source link
The seizure comes as the United States builds up its forces in the Caribbean as part of a pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro, the leader of Venezuela. Source link
ReutersThe former French president wrote about his brief imprisonment for criminal conspiracyRushed out in under three weeks, Nicolas Sarkozy’s new book “A Prisoner’s Diary” has plenty of colour about what it’s like for a former president to find himself in the isolation wing of a French jail.We learn that prisoner number 320535 had a 12 square metre cell, equipped with a bed, desk, fridge, shower and television. There was a window, but the view was blocked by a massive plastic panel placed outside.”It was clean and light enough,” writes Sarkozy. “One could almost have thought one was in a bottom-of-the-range…
European leaders say “intensive work” will continue in the coming days on a US-led plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war, after a joint phone call with President Donald Trump.UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said they “agreed that this was a critical moment – for Ukraine, its people and for shared security across the Euro-Atlantic region”.A White House official confirmed the call took place on Wednesday but did not give details. It comes the day after Trump called European leaders “weak”, suggesting the US could scale back support for Ukraine. In…
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Surgeons at Rambam Eye Institute have made medical history.They restored sight to a legally blind patient using a fully 3D printed corneal implant grown entirely from cultured human corneal cells. This marked the first time a corneal implant that did not rely on donor tissue had ever been transplanted into a human eye.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM…
The Southern Transitional Council has seized control of parts of Yemen over the past week, with ambitions to create a “south Arabian state.” Source link
Mark SavageMusic correspondentGetty ImagesThe pop band VÆB represented Iceland at the 2025 Eurovision Song ContestIceland has joined Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands in saying it will boycott the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.All five countries have withdrawn after Israel’s participation in the competition was officially confirmed last week.”The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RÚV) has decided not to participate in the Eurovision song contest in Vienna, Austria, next year,” a statement said after an RÚV board meeting on Wednesday.”Participation of Israeli national broadcaster, KAN, in the contest has created disunity among both members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the…
After months of anticipation and debate over the government’s controversial move, under 16s woke up to find themselves locked out of popular platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, according to media reports.The ban aims to protect young people from online abuse such as cyberbullying, exploitation and exposure to harmful content, all of which are detrimental to their mental health and well-being.Bans could backfireAs other governments contemplate similar moves, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) cautions that age-related restrictions alone won’t keep children safe. “While UNICEF welcomes the growing commitment to children’s online safety, social media bans come with their own risks, and they may even backfire,” the agency said in a statement. For many children, particularly those who are isolated…
GCHQ has released its annual Christmas challenge, with seven puzzles aimed to put the nation’s codebreaking skills to the test.Devised by in-house puzzlers at the UK’s intelligence agency, the challenge is geared towards testing a range of skills to unlock a festive message. This year, for the first time, extra puzzles feature on the front of the card. These were designed by three schoolchildren, after more than 500 children entered the agency’s competition to hunt down the best budding spies.Some challenges involve codebreaking, maths and analysis, while others test skills including lateral thinking, ingenuity and perseverance – the same blend…
The backdrop for private equity exits is turning more favorable — and a Federal Reserve rate cut could give dealmaking activity more momentum. Investors are firmly focused on the Fed’s rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee, which is predicted to lower borrowing costs by a quarter percentage point at its latest meeting on Wednesday, bringing the benchmark rate to between 3.5% and 3.75%. A decision is due at around 2 pm ET. Michael Bruun, global co-head of private equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, said a lower overall cost of capital is one of several factors — along with the reduction of…
For many, running a small business has become the only viable path to earning an income – and a way to support other women who have lost their jobs. With help from the UN, these entrepreneurs are keeping their livelihoods going, often in the face of intense social pressure and strict rules governing women’s movement.“It was difficult for women to sit at home. They had to come out of their houses and learn,” says Parwin Zafar, who runs a tailoring shop in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. Parwin Zafar in her tailoring shop in Mazar-i-Sharif. She currently employs 16 women. Her…
The US has imposed sanctions on a network it says is recruiting former Colombian soldiers and training individuals to fight in Sudan’s civil war.Eight entities and individuals – primarily of Colombian nationality – have been aiding the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said on Tuesday.Its statement added that hundreds of Colombian mercenaries have travelled to Sudan since 2024, including to serve as infantry and drone pilots for the RSF.Last year, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said those who “spill young blood for money in foreign countries must be punished criminally”.The participation…
“The Security Council resolution is very clear about not calling anything a border or anything else, it is about a territory that needs to be respected in its entirety,” he said, referencing a resolution adopted by the Council on 17 November in support of a comprehensive plan to end the conflict.“We call on all parties to respect the ceasefire and to ensure that we can indeed move to the next phase [of the peace plan],” the High Commissioner told journalists in Geneva. Gaza “remains a place of unimaginable suffering, loss and fear. While the bloodshed has reduced, it has not stopped,”…
