Bill Gates has withdrawn from delivering the keynote address at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, sparking widespread attention and speculation across global tech and political circles. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation confirmed the sudden decision, stating that Gates would skip the summit “after careful consideration,” just one day after publicly confirming his participation. The event, being held at Bharat Mandapam, is one of India’s most significant gatherings focused on artifi

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday publicly criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the United Kingdom’s handling of the strategically important island of Diego Garcia, warning that London could be making a significant strategic error. In a post on Truth Social dated February 18, Trump said he had advised Starmer that entering into a 100-year lease arrangement concerning Diego Garcia was a “big mistake.” The island, located in the Indian Ocean and part of the Chagos Arc

AI company Anthropic has unveiled its latest model, Claude Sonnet 4.6, describing it as the most powerful Sonnet version to date with major improvements in coding, reasoning and large-scale data handling. The new model is now the default option inside the Claude chatbot for both free and Pro users, signali

​BEIJING — China used its most-watched television event, the annual CCTV Spring Festival gala, to showcase the country’s accelerating ambitions in artificial intelligence, humanoids, and advanced manufacturing, underscoring Beijing’s broader industrial strategy. Four emerging humanoid robotics companies — Unitree, Galbot, Noetix, and MagicLab — presented their latest machines during the high-profile broadcast, an event often compared in cultural impact to the Super Bowl in the Un

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday emphasized that India must position itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence, urging the country to transition from being primarily a consumer of technology to a creator of advanced AI solutions. His remarks came during the ongoing India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, a high-profile international gathering widely regarded as the first global AI forum of this scale hosted in the Global South. In an interview with ANI, the Prime Minister

Veteran civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, one of the most influential Black political figures in modern American history, died on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, prompting an outpouring of tributes from political leaders and activists across the globe. He was 84. While the exact cause of death has not been officially confirmed, Jackson had been living for several years with progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurological condition that affects movement and speech. Jackson rose to national p

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to begin a three-day visit to India on Tuesday, with high-level discussions expected to focus on artificial intelligence cooperation and a potential multibillion-dollar agreement involving Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter jets. The visit underscores the growing India-France relations and reflects both countries’ efforts to strengthen their strategic partnership across defence, technology, and economic sectors. Macron, accompanied by his wife Brigitte

Microsoft’s head of artificial intelligence, Mustafa Suleyman, has triggered intense debate after warning that artificial intelligence could replace most white-collar jobs in the near future. Speaking about the accelerating pace of technological change, Suleyman said automation will not be limited to coders or IT professionals, but could extend to lawyers, accountants, project managers, marketers and other knowledge workers who spend most of their time working on computers. According to him, t

The controversy surrounding the unpublished memoir of former Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane, titled Four Stars of Destiny, has deepened following two posts by Penguin India, three years apart. The row began when Congress MP Rahul Gandhi attempted to quote from the book during the Budget Session of Parliament. Gandhi was seen holding a copy of the book, which has yet to be published and is still awaiting clearance from the Defence Ministry. The confusion stems from a Decem

The Indian government has issued a new directive requiring the six-stanza version of Vande Mataram to be sung or played at all official ceremonies and state functions. The rendition, lasting approximately three minutes and ten seconds, will now be mandatory during significant events, including the unfurling of the Tricolour, the arrival of the President at formal gatherings, and before and after their speeches. The government’s decision aims to ensure uniformity and consi

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and Google-owned YouTube are facing serious allegations in a closely watched trial that began Monday in California, with plaintiffs accusing the companies of deliberately designing social media platforms to be addictive for children. The case marks one of the first times a jury has been asked to directly assess whether major technology companies can be held legally responsible for the mental health consequences their products may have on you

Big technology stocks traded unevenly on Monday as investors attempted to stabilize after a turbulent week that erased more than $1 trillion in combined market value across the sector. While several large-cap names posted gains on renewed optimism around artificial intelligence and cloud demand, others slipped as concerns lingered over rising capital expenditure and broader market volatility. Oracle led the advance, climbing about 9 percent after receiving an upgrade from D.A. David

Major US technology companies are increasingly turning to the H-1B visa programme to recruit skilled foreign professionals as they accelerate investments in artificial intelligence and related digital infrastructure. New data show that a large share of visa petitions filed by leading firms are tied directly to AI-driven roles, underscoring how access to global talent has become central to their long-term strategy. An analysis of labour condition applications indicates that more than

Amazon shares fell sharply on Friday, sliding more than 9% after the company outlined an aggressive capital spending plan that unsettled investors already wary about the sustainability of the artificial intelligence boom. The drop added to a broader technology selloff, as market participants questioned whether escalating investments in AI infrastructure could outpace future returns and create excess capacity across the sector. The e-commerce and cloud computing group disclosed in it

Elon Musk’s long-standing reputation for advancing unconventional technological ideas has taken another ambitious turn, with SpaceX formally proposing to build an orbital network of artificial intelligence data centres powered by solar energy. What initially appeared to be an eccentric concept has quickly moved into the regulatory phase, supported by official filings and public statements that suggest the company is serious about relocating a significant share of AI computing capacity beyon

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has reportedly urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reconsider its decision to boycott the India-Pakistan match in the 2026 T20 World Cup. In a formal letter sent to the PCB, SLC expressed concerns over the severe financial losses that could result from the boycott. The India-Pakistan fixture is one of the most lucrative matches in world cricket, drawing massive global viewership and contributing significantly to the revenue generated during International Cricket

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is preparing to introduce a Senate resolution that would formally condemn and seek the reversal of a proposed sale of 500,000 advanced artificial intelligence chips annually to the United Arab Emirates, arguing the transaction could threaten U.S. national security and raise serious ethical questions about conflicts of interest. The measure is expected to be brought to the Senate floor on Thursday, where Warren plans to call for lawmakers to block the exp

A former BrewDog bar in Columbus’ Franklinton neighborhood has been placed on the leasing market, opening the door for a new operator to take over the high-profile space weeks after the Scotland-based brewery closed the location as part of a broader pullback in the city. Roth Real Estate Group is marketing the freestanding property at 463 W. Town St. as a turnkey opportunity for a restaurant, cafe, brewery, bar or creative retail concept. The building offers more than 4,900 square