Representational Photo

AI: Aid to the Mind, Not a Substitute for the Mind

The frightening possibility is not that AI becomes more capable than humans. It is that humans stop exercising capabilities they already possess, or have not yet developed, because AI can perform those functions for them.

Months Ahead of the Monsoon: Can AI Give Us an Earlier Warning About El Niño?

AI may genuinely extend the horizon over which seasonal climate risk can be estimated.  For communities across South Asia living under the influence of the monsoon, a longer view could mean the difference between a farmer adjusting her planting in time and a family receiving a flood warning too late to act.

AI at the Crossroads: Who Is Driving Humanity?

The central danger is, therefore, not simply that AI will be monstrous if the accelerator is pressed hard on the speed of technology. It is that the accelerator on human institutions also needs to be pressed harder to govern increasingly powerful technology.

America Has the Brain, China Has the Body: The Next US–China Tech War Will Determine Who Wins the Race for Global Dominance

The fear of Chinese robots being the Trojan horse that can affect American and Western tech dominance and undermine cyber and military advantage will always be a strategic concern, despite attempts to view these fears as overblown.

More on AI, Tech and Innovation

Amid declining forex, Nepal introduces measures to cut imports

Weeks after Nepal’s central bank introduced measures to cut imports, traders and importers have hiked the prices of goods, fueling an artificial shortage in the coming days

Food insecurity up by 22 percent in rural Bangladesh; poverty still an issue despite growing economy

Food insecurity has risen by around 22 percent in rural Bangladesh in comparison to the pre-pandemic period, finds a survey, indicating people are unable to eat enough and healthy nutritious food

Turkish-Qatari delegation in Kabul to discuss deal to run Afghanistan's airports

A joint delegation of Turkish and Qatari officials is in Kabul as both countries try to explore the possibility of jointly running five airports in Afghanistan with the ruling Taliban

Pakistan railways’ total losses touch $6 billion; political neglect, unprofessional heads, mismanagement behind slide

Once a lifeline for the people of the subcontinent, the part of railways that went to Pakistan now stares at a bleak future

World Bank approves $500 million loans to Bangladesh for modernising power distribution

The World Bank on Wednesday approved $500 million in loans to Bangladesh for expanding, modernizing, and sustainably transforming the country's electricity distribution system

Tea for oil: Sri Lanka signs deal with Iran to clear over $250 million oil dues

Sri Lanka has signed a tea for oil deal with Iran, allowing the former to settle its huge pending oil imports dues worth over $250 million, by exporting tea to Tehran over the next several months

Maldives inches closer to its 2021 target of 1.3 million tourists

The Maldives is all set to achieve its tourist footfall target of 1.3 million in the year 2021 as it witnessed remarkable growth in recent months

Pakistan to get $252 million in loan from Islamic Development Bank

Cash-strapped Pakistan, staring at a major economic crisis with mounting inflation and yawning fiscal deficit, will soon receive $250 million in loans from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) which has cleared two proposals for loans to be used for dam construction in Pakistan and vaccine procurements

Pakistan's current account deficit at a three-year high, records $1.9 billion in November

In what seems a troubling sign for the already struggling economy, Pakistan in November recorded a whopping $1.9 billion deficit in its current account—the highest in the last 40 months—as the authority struggled to contain ballooning import bills, which outpaced growth in exports and inward remittance flow

Fitch downgrades Sri Lanka’s sovereign rating to ‘CC’; Colombo says ‘hasty’ move

Fitch Ratings has downgraded Sri Lanka’s sovereign rating to ‘CC’ from ‘CCC’ and warned there is an increased probability of Colombo defaulting on its external debt obligations unless it receives additional external financing

Pakistan, China firms to bolster ties in agriculture, food processing and embroidery

Pakistani and Chinese enterprises have expressed their intention to cooperate in the deep processing of potato starch at an online business-matching meeting jointly held by the Ruzhou International Trade Enterprise Association and the trade mission of the Embassy of Pakistan, Beijing

Under SASEC, Bangladesh to boost capacities of land ports to increase trade with neighbours

To increase trade with its neighbouring countries at a sub-regional level, Bangladesh will upgrade three land ports--Akhaura, Sonamasjid and Tamabil-- to international standards, according to a plan made by Bangladesh Land Port Authority

HCL America accused of wage discrimination, law violation

The US Department of Labor has been asked to investigate claims that HCL America, a subsidiary of India’s third-largest IT outsourcing firm generating 63% of its $11 billion in revenue in the United States, systematically violated the law by paying its H-1B workers much less than its US employees with similar skills and doing the same work

World Bank approves USD 3.51M grant for Bhutan for climate resilience and better public service delivery

Bhutan and the World Bank have signed a USD 3.51 million grant financing agreement to improve risk-informed decision making and development planning in targeted sectors, leading to better public service delivery

Bhutan to expand agricultural export market

Bhutan, which currently exports all of its farm produce to India and neighboring countries, has been making efforts to expand export markets for its agricultural produce