Business
‘US has long benefitted from free trade’: Chinese envoy slams 50% tariffs on India; calls them ‘unfair, unreasonable’ – The Times of India
China took aim at the United States on Monday, sharply criticizing its 50% tariffs on Indian imports, calling the move “unfair, unreasonable” and making it clear that Beijing firmly opposes the move.China’s ambassador to India, Xu Feihong said that Washington has long taken advantage of free trade, but is now using it as a weapon.Speaking at a seminar marking the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, Xu said, “The United States has long benefited from free trade. But now it is using tariffs as a weapon to demand exorbitant prices… The 50% tariff on India is unfair, unreasonable, and China firmly opposes it.”The ambassador also stressed the importance of strong India-China ties for global development. “As the two most significant emerging economies, China and India should prioritise development and foster mutual support and success. This is what President Xi told PM Modi. PM Modi said that India-China cooperation will make the 21st century a genuine Asian century,” ANI reported him as saying.Xu’s remarks, delivered under the theme Learning from History to Safeguard the Light of Peace, Joining Hands to Chart a Blueprint for Development, highlighted the shared history of both nations and their commitment to peace and progress in Asia.His comments come amid growing economic uncertainty after the US imposed a an additional 25% levy on 27 August as a secondary sanction linked to India’s purchases of Russian crude. This came on the top of an already existing 25% tariff on Indian imports to the country, taking the total to 50%.US President Donald Trump defended these measures and warned that “Phase-2” and “Phase-3” tariffs have not yet been implemented against countries maintaining trade ties with Russia. Speaking at a White House press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda, he said the secondary sanctions on India targeted Russia’s oil exports. “Would you say that putting secondary sanctions on India, the largest purchaser outside China, they are almost equal. Would you say there was no action? That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia, you call that no action? I haven’t done Phase-2 yet or Phase-3,” he said.Trump also reiterated his earlier warning that India could face “big problems” if it continued Russian oil imports. “Two weeks ago, I said if India buys, India has got big problems, and that’s what happens,” he added.In a separate interview on The Scott Jennings Radio Show, the US president further claimed that New Delhi had offered a “no tariff” deal following the US decision to raise duties on Indian goods. “India was the most highly tariffed nation in the world, and you know what, they’ve offered me no tariffs in India anymore. If I didn’t have tariffs, they would never make that offer,” he said.Trump further stressed that tariffs are essential for rebalancing trade. “China kills us with tariffs, India kills us with tariffs, Brazil kills us with tariffs. I’ve understood tariffs better than any human beings in the world,” he claimed. Further, describing the US-India trade relationship as a “one-sided disaster,” he added that India had benefited disproportionately over decades, while American companies struggled to enter the Indian market due to high duties. “They have now offered to cut their tariffs to nothing, but it’s getting late. Until now, it was a totally one-sided relationship for many decades,” he concluded.
Business
SC permits Centre to review Rs 6,000cr additional dues on Vodafone-Idea – The Times of India
NEW DELHI: The Union govt on Monday convinced the Supreme Court to permit the department of telecom to review its demand of Rs 6,000 crore additional adjusted gross revenue demand for the FY 2016-17 on Vodafone-Idea. Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was informed by solicitor general Tushar Mehta that since the previous round of litigation, in which Vodafone was ordered to pay the AGR dues, there had been a change of circumstance as the Centre has acquired a 49% stake in the company. Mehta said, “We do not want the company, in which the govt has a huge investment, to go bankrupt to make 20 crore people suffer. ‘Govt wants to prevent monopoly’ Govt wants more players in the mobile telecom sector to prevent monopoly,” said solicitor general Tushar Mehta. Vodafone through senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi had argued that the SC had frozen the AGR dues at Rs 58,254 crore as of 2016-17 and that the DoT cannot raise additional AGR dues in breach of the SC order. Govt had converted Rs 36,950 cr dues as its 49% equity in the telecom service provider.
The bench noticed the element of public interest in the case and permitted the Centre to take a fresh view of the additional AGR demands, especially when the issue is purely in the policy domain and involves the interests of 20 crore people. “We see no reason why the Centre should be prevented from taking a relook at the additional AGR dues,” the bench said.
OpenAI has released new estimates of the number of ChatGPT users who exhibit possible signs of mental health emergencies, including mania, psychosis or suicidal thoughts.
The company said that around .07% of ChatGPT users active in a given week exhibited such signs, adding that its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot recognizes and responds to these sensitive conversations.
While OpenAI maintains these cases are “extremely rare,” critics said even a small percentage may amount to hundreds of thousands of people, as ChatGPT recently reached 800 million weekly active users, per boss Sam Altman.
As scrutiny mounts, the company said it built a network of experts around the world to advise it.
Those experts include more than 170 psychiatrists, psychologists, and primary care physicians who have practiced in 60 countries, the company said.
They have devised a series of responses in ChatGPT to encourage users to seek help in the real world, according to OpenAI.
But the glimpse at the company’s data raised eyebrows among some mental health professionals.
“Even though .07% sounds like a small percentage, at a population level with hundreds of millions of users, that actually can be quite a few people,” said Dr. Jason Nagata, a professor who studies technology use among young adults at the University of California, San Francisco.
“AI can broaden access to mental health support, and in some ways support mental health, but we have to be aware of the limitations,” Dr. Nagata added.
The company also estimates .15% of ChatGPT users have conversations that include “explicit indicators of potential suicidal planning or intent.”
OpenAI said recent updates to its chatbot are designed to “respond safely and empathetically to potential signs of delusion or mania” and note “indirect signals of potential self-harm or suicide risk.”
ChatGPT has also been trained to reroute sensitive conversations “originating from other models to safer models” by opening in a new window.
In response to questions by the BBC on criticism about the numbers of people potentially affected, OpenAI said that this small percentage of users amounts to a meaningful amount of people and noted they are taking changes seriously.
The changes come as OpenAI faces mounting legal scrutiny over the way ChatGPT interacts with users.
In one of the most high-profile lawsuits recently filed against OpenAI, a California couple sued the company over the death of their teenage son alleging that ChatGPT encouraged him to take his own life in April.
The lawsuit was filed by the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine and was the first legal action accusing OpenAI of wrongful death.
In a separate case, the suspect in a murder-suicide that took place in August in Greenwich, Connecticut posted hours of his conversations with ChatGPT, which appear to have fuelled the alleged perpetrator’s delusions.
More users struggle with AI psychosis as “chatbots create the illusion of reality,” said Professor Robin Feldman, Director of the AI Law & Innovation Institute at the University of California Law. “It is a powerful illusion.”
She said OpenAI deserved credit for “sharing statistics and for efforts to improve the problem” but added: “the company can put all kinds of warnings on the screen but a person who is mentally at risk may not be able to heed those warnings.”
UK domestic airline Eastern Airways has suspended operations and all of its flights have been cancelled.
Customers of the airline, which operated regional services from airports across the UK, are being urged not to go to the airport as flights will not be operating, the UK Civil Aviation Authority said.
Destinations the airline flew to included Aberdeen, Humberside, London Gatwick, Newquay, Teesside International and Wick, according to its website.
Eastern Airways customers are being urged to make their own alternative travel arrangements via other airlines, rail or coach operators.
On Monday morning Eastern Airways (UK) Ltd filed a notice of intention to appoint an administrator at the Insolvency and Companies Court, which is within the High Court.
Selina Chadha, consumer and markets director at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “We urge passengers planning to fly with this airline not to go to the airport as all Eastern Airways flights are cancelled.
“Eastern Airways customers should visit the Civil Aviation Authority’s website for the latest information.”
Following the suspension of Eastern Airways operations, London and North Eastern Railway, ScotRail, TransPennine Express, and Northern will offer free standard class travel to Eastern Airways staff and customers on October 28 and 29, on suitable routes operated by each train company, the UK Civil Aviation Authority said.
To access this support, present either an Eastern Airways employee ID, boarding pass, or flight confirmation to station staff.
SC permits Centre to review Rs 6,000cr additional dues on Vodafone-Idea – The Times of India
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OpenAI shares data on ChatGPT users with suicidal thoughts, psychosis
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