Democratic lawmakers ask for an investigation of the Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
The request by a group of Congress members cites reporting by The Times and echoes a similar request by Democratic senators in September. Source link
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Global AI race: DeepSeek gains ground in developing nations; Microsoft flags widening gap
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is seeing rapid adoption across several developing countries, helping broaden access to generative artificial intelligence even as the overall gap between advanced and emerging economies continues to widen, according to a new Microsoft report.The report said global adoption of generative AI tools reached 16.3% of the world’s population in the three…
US mortgage rates: 30-year home loan rate inches up to 6.16%, stays near 2025 low as housing demand remains cautious
The average interest rate on a 30-year US mortgage edged slightly higher this week but remained close to its lowest level of 2025, offering limited relief to homebuyers amid a still-challenging housing market, according to data released by Freddie Mac.The average long-term mortgage rate rose to 6.16% this week from 6.15% last week, when it…
Big push for road safety: Govt mulls V2V tech in vehicles to cut accidents; spectrum earmarked
The government is working to introduce vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology to help prevent road accidents by enabling real-time information sharing between vehicles, Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday, PTI reported.Addressing a press conference in New Delhi after chairing the annual meeting of transport ministers from states and Union Territories, Gadkari…
Budget 2026: Why home loan rules need a fresh look
For self-occupied homes, the deduction for interest is capped at Rs 2 lakh a year – a figure unchanged since 2015. (AI image) Falling home-loan rates, increase in young population seeking to buy homes and a steady revival in residential sales have encouraged many to take the plunge into home ownership. Tax incentives continue to…
The (Many) Wrinkles in Trump’s Vision for Venezuela
President Trump appears committed to laying claim to Venezuelan oil for a long time. But there are plenty of reasons for U.S. businesses to be wary. Source link
Budget 2026: Rs 1.52 lakh crore locked in Customs disputes; Govt may consider amnesty, duty slab rationalisation
Representative file photo (Budget 2025) With more than Rs 1.52 lakh crore of customs duty locked in litigation, the government may consider introducing an amnesty scheme in the Union Budget for 2026–27 to bring closure to long-pending disputes and provide certainty to businesses, Price Waterhouse & Co LLP said on Thursday, PTI reported.The government could…
U.S. Trade Deficit Fell to Lowest Level Since 2009, Latest Data Show
The monthly trade deficit continued to shrink in October after President Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on foreign imports. Source link
Solar alliance push: India-led ISA to stay course with 125 members after US exit, focus remains on climate goals
India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA) will continue working with its 125 member and signatory countries to advance solar energy deployment and climate objectives, official sources said, after the United States withdrew from the initiative, PTI reported.The Gurugram-headquartered ISA, a joint initiative of India and France, was launched on the sidelines of the COP21 climate summit…
Gas market push: NSE in talks with IGX to launch Indian natural gas futures; aim to deepen price discovery and hedging
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) is in discussions with the Indian Gas Exchange (IGX) to develop and launch Indian natural gas futures, an initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s natural gas market ecosystem, PTI reported.The proposed futures contract is expected to provide market participants with a transparent, efficient and robust risk management tool aligned with…