Good morning, An end to the 15-month war is in sight. Israel and Hamas have reached a phased deal to end the conflict in Gaza that rocked the Middle East, killing thousands. Phase 1 of the agreement, set to come into effect this Sunday, envisions a six-week ceasefire, followed by a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from central Gaza. Hamas is expected to swap as many as 33 hostages with 30 Palestinians detained in Israel. The deal struck with the help of the US, Qatar, and Egypt marks a capstone in President Joe Biden's foreign policy legacy as he demits office. Formally announcing the deal, Biden shared the credit with the incoming President Donald Trump's team. The President-elect, on his part, said his administration would continue to work closely with Israel. He said on Truth Social, "We have achieved so much without even being in the White House. Just imagine all of the wonderful things that will happen when I return to the White House." The world, especially India, is watching Trump's arrival closely. Take a look 👇 Big Story A lot rests on Trump. His stance on key policies can impact India's economy and ties with the US, and recent developments show why. Hard stop: The sweeping US sanctions targeting Russia's oil trade, announced last week, could hit India's imports of cheaper Russian oil. As many as 183 tankers have come under fire. They formed part of Russia's “shadow fleet,” keeping oil flowing to India and China. How much this impacts India will depend on how strictly the Trump administration enforces these sanctions. The AI-s have it: As a parting gift, the Biden administration left behind a proposal that may tighten the US's grip on artificial intelligence hardware. It has proposed a three-tier classification for countries with decreasing access to the export of AI chips and graphics processing units (GPU). India, which has found a place in the middle tier, may face some restrictions when importing crucial AI GPUs. It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will play ball. Last act: The Biden camp has spurred civil nuclear cooperation between India and the US, which has remained in limbo since 2008. The US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) removed three Indian atomic entities from its ‘Entity List', easing export restrictions for certain goods. This jump-start can help the Trump administration take the nuclear deal forward. Scratch back: The murder-for-hire plot against Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Pannun has been a sore point for India-US ties. On Wednesday, a high-level panel set up by the Indian government recommended "legal action against an individual.” The timing of the move points to India's need to have a clean slate as it engages with the new Trump administration. A warning: In his farewell address, Biden warned an oligarchy of “extreme wealth, power and influence” was taking shape in America. Though he took no names, he also pointed to the dangers of the “concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultrawealthy people”. From the Front Page Hit a wall: In 2018, authorities proposed a railway bridge to ease traffic at two railway crossings in Ahmedabad. Rs 65 crore, and six years later, the plan has reached a dead end—quite literally. The ramp of the newly constructed ROB is within touching distance of the boundary walls of private properties. It further leads into a dirt track yet to become a connecting road. So what’s next? Well, the residents might have to wait just a bit more. Must Read Whose is the internet?: Meta's announcement on swapping its fact-checking programme for the X-style community notes on the back of Trump's arrival in the White House turned many heads. Nishant Shah writes why the (not-so) new policy warns us against the risks of privatising digital public spaces. Three cheers: The Indian Navy has commissioned three new vessels. The versatile frontline combatants—a frigate, a destroyer, and a submarine—add unique features and strengths to the Navy’s armoury. And Finally. The onset of AI has rewired the world's dynamics. Big Tech is consumed by its potential. Billions have been poured into AI, but is it giving the desired investment returns? Let's examine the ROI in the AI infrastructure. Before you go, tune in to the latest episode on our ‘3 Things’ podcast, where we discuss the cleanup of the toxic waste at Bhopal’s Union Carbide plant and the success of the Genome India project. That’s all for today, folks! Until next time, Sonal Gupta
