NEW DELHI: As it looks to mobilise international opinion against Pakistan’s support to cross-border terrorism, the govt briefed the Taliban regime in Afghanistan about the common neighbour’s links with the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Sources said Taliban’s acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi strongly condemned the attack and underscored the need to punish the perpetrators.
Muttaqi met an Indian delegation headed by MEA joint secretary Anand Prakash. The visit came amid soaring India-Pakistan tensions over the Pahalgam attack.
India’s ties with the Taliban dispensation in Kabul have improved dramatically in the recent past, contrary to the fear in Aug 2021 – after the Taliban took over Kabul – that the armed militia would act as a proxy govt run by the ISI.
Pakistan’s ties have seen a steady deterioration, mainly because of the activities of Pakistan Taliban (TTP).

‘India ready to restart work on Afghan projects, invest in infra’

The Taliban, in fact, had categorically condemned the Pahalgam attack last week too, saying such incidents undermined efforts to ensure regional security and stability. Given the current circumstances, Afghanistan is unlikely to allow Pakistan the “strategic depth” it has always sought in the country in the event of a military conflict with India.
Prakash was in Kabul on Sunday to review progress in bilateral ties and was reported to have conveyed to Muttaqi that India was ready to restart work on its projects in the country and also invest in other infrastructure projects. The Taliban have on several occasions in the past few years assured Indian officials of enough security to allow them to work fearlessly in the country.
As per Kabul, the two sides discussed bilateral political relations, trade, transit and recent regional political developments and Muttaqi again underlined the need for normal issuance of Indian visas to Afghan businessmen, patients and students.

Muttaqi emphasised the expansion of diplomatic and economic relations between Afghanistan and India and stated that there were currently good opportunities for investment in Afghanistan. He encouraged Indian investors to take advantage of these opportunities and invest in the country, according to an Afghan readout, while seeking facilitation of movement of people between Afghanistan and India.
Prakash, according to Afghanistan, said India valued its relations with Afghanistan and hoped to further expand ties in various areas.
“He mentioned that India will continue its cooperation with Afghanistan and wishes to invest in some infrastructure projects, as well as resume work on some projects that have been stalled for some time,” the readout said.
Both sides stressed on expanding relations, facilitating exchange of delegation.

India-born Democrat leader Shri Thanedar, who represents Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, announced on Monday that he had introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. This comes just a day before President Trump is expected to hold a rally in Macomb County to mark his first 100 days in office.
“Donald Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he is unfit to serve as President and represents a clear and present danger to our nation’s constitution and our democracy,” said Rep. Thanedar in a statement. “His unlawful actions have subverted the justice system, violated the separation of powers, and placed personal power and self-interest above public service. We cannot wait for more damage to be done. Congress must act.”
“This is not about partisanship. It’s about protecting our democracy and ensuring that no one, not even a President, is above the law,” Thanedar said in a statement.

Who is Shri Thanedar?

Shri Thanedar is an Indian-American politician, businessman, and author. Born on February 22, 1955, in Belgaum, Karnataka, India, he grew up in a lower-middle-class family and worked odd jobs as a teenager to support his family. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, a master’s from the University of Mumbai, and a Ph.D. in polymer chemistry from the University of Akron in 1982. He moved to the U.S. in 1979 and became a citizen in 1988.
Thanedar built a successful career in chemical testing and pharmaceuticals. In 1991, he bought Chemir Analytical Services for $75,000, growing it to $16 million in revenue by 2005. He also acquired Azopharma, which grew rapidly but went bankrupt during the 2008 recession. In 2010, he founded Avomeen Analytical Services, selling a majority stake in 2016 and sharing $1.5 million with employees. He was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year three times (1999, 2007, 2016)
Thanedar is a Democrat and has served as the U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District since 2023, after being a Michigan State Representative (2021-2022). He ran for Michigan governor in 2018 but lost the Democratic primary.
He’s written two autobiographies: one in Marathi (2004) and The Blue Suitcase in English (2008). Thanedar lost his first wife, Shamal, to suicide in 1996; he has two sons, Neil and Samir. He married Shashi in 1999 and lives in Detroit.

Nobel Prize winner and AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton was awakened in the middle of the night last year with the surprising news that he had won the Nobel Prize in physics, a recognition he never expected for his groundbreaking work in neural networks.
“I dreamt about winning one for figuring out how the brain works. But I didn’t figure out how the brain works, but I won one anyway,” Hinton told CBS Saturday Morning in a recent interview.
The 77-year-old researcher, often called the “Godfather of AI,” earned the prestigious award for his pioneering work in neural networks. His 1986 method to predict the next word in a sequence became the foundation for today’s Large Language Models (LLMs).

Geoffrey Hinton’s sees AI as a “tiger cub” that might eventually kill humans

Despite his contributions to the field, Hinton has become increasingly concerned about AI’s rapid development. In his CBS interview, he warned that people “haven’t understood what’s coming” and compared humanity’s relationship with AI to raising a tiger cub that might eventually turn dangerous.
“The best way to understand it emotionally is we are like somebody who has this really cute tiger cub,” Hinton explained. “Unless you can be very sure that it’s not gonna want to kill you when it’s grown up, you should worry.”
Hinton estimates a 10% to 20% chance that artificial intelligence will eventually take control from humans, echoing concerns from industry leaders like Google CEO Sundar Pichai and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. However, he criticizes these same companies for prioritizing profits over safety and lobbying against regulation.
In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech last December, Hinton addressed both the potential benefits and dangers of AI:
“This new form of AI excels at modeling human intuition rather than human reasoning and it will enable us to create highly intelligent and knowledgeable assistants,” he said. “If the benefits of the increased productivity can be shared equally it will be a wonderful advance for all humanity.”
However, he cautioned about immediate risks like divisive echo chambers, government surveillance, and cyber attacks, as well as the existential threat of creating digital beings smarter than humans. “We urgently need research on how to prevent these new beings from wanting to take control,” Hinton warned. “They are no longer science fiction.”

NEW DELHI: Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar from Maharashtra has stirred controversy by questioning whether terrorists involved in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack actually verified victims’ religious identities before the killings.
Wadettiwar called on the central government to take responsibility for the attack and ensure that the perpetrators are punished.
“The government should take responsibility for the Pahalgam terrorist attack. They (the government) are saying that terrorists killed people after asking them (about their religion). Do terrorists have time for all this?” the Congress MLA said.
“Some people say that this did not happen. Terrorists have no caste or religion. Catch those who are responsible and take action. This is the sentiment of the country,” he added.
Latching on to Wadettiwar remarks, Bharataiya Janata Party came down heavily on Congress and suggested its leaders to “get out of the competition to become Pakistan‘s proxy partners.”
BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “Some people need to get out of the competition to become Pakistan’s proxy partners. This is neither in their interest, nor in the interest of the country.”
“What kind of political gain are they trying to aim for when the nation is asking for action against Pakistan in one voice?” he added.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also claimed that Congress leaders are competing to give a clean chit to Pakistan.
“Congress leaders are competing to give a clean chit to Pakistan one after the other… Now Vijay Wadettiwar says that the government is responsible, Pakistan is not responsible and is there any proof that terrorists killed people based on religion. This is not being said for the first time, the same thing has come from Anil Deshmukh of NCP-Sharad Pawar faction,” the BJP leader said.
“In the all-party meeting, they will say that Pakistan is responsible, take action against Pakistan, take action against terrorists, we are with you. And after the all-party meeting, they say don’t take action against Pakistan,” he added.
The terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir Pahalgam area, near the popular tourist town, took place in the Baisaran meadow.
It was one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike, which resulted in the deaths of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.
In response to the incident, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has ramped up its efforts to gather evidence. Teams, led by senior officials including an IG, DIG, and SP from the anti-terror agency, have been stationed at the Pahalgam attack site since April 23.

Gold price prediction: Where are gold prices likely to head this week? What are the global cues to watch out for and what should your strategy be for gold? Manav Modi, Senior Analyst, Commodity Research at Motilal Oswal Financial services Ltd explains:
Gold prices saw heightened volatility last week, initially surging to an all-time high of $3,500/oz on COMEX before retreating below $3,300. The rally was driven by safe-haven demand amid heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainty.Key catalysts included U.S. PresidentDonald Trump’s criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and concerns over prolonged U.S.-China trade tensions. Trump warned that the U.S. economy could slow unless interest rates are cut immediately, increasing pressure on the Fed.
However, gold prices corrected sharply as Trump backed away from firing Powell and signaled optimism over potential trade negotiations with China. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent added to the mixed signals, suggesting de-escalation but offering no clarity on timelines. Meanwhile, global sentiment was rattled by the IMF’s downgraded global growth forecast to 2.8% for 2025, with inflation expectations revised upward.
Adding to the uncertainty, President Putin hinted at peace efforts regarding Ukraine, and the White House was reportedly considering tariff cuts on Chinese imports. Despite the dip, investor attention remains focused on central bank independence, elevated inflation expectations, and uneven U.S. economic data, including mixed PMI readings and durable goods orders.
Markets now await comments from Fed officials for policy direction. Unless there are any updates from President Trump or Chinese officials regarding the trade war, this profit booking could continue.
Strategy for Gold: Sell Gold
Stop Loss: above Rs 96,500 and Target: Rs 93,500/92,800
(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market and other asset classes given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

TOI Correspondent from London: Hundreds of Indian-origin supporters gathered Sunday outside the Indian high commission in London, overwhelming a small protest organised by British Pakistanis aimed at “rejecting Indian propaganda” following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack that left 26 people dead, mostly tourists.
While about 50 people turned up for the Pakistan protest opposite the high commission, hundreds of PIOs (persons of Indian origin) filled the area in front of the mission building. The Indian side, separated by police barricades, displayed a massive Tricolour on the building and used a loudspeaker to outvoice the Pakistani protesters, singing the national anthem and chanting “Jai Shri Ram”, “Vande Mataram”, and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”. Some could be seen shaking water bottles.
The Pakistani protesters raised slogans against PM Narendra Modi and shouted “Pakistan Zindabad”, but lacked placards and enthusiasm. “This is a disaster,” said a Pakistani journalist on the scene. Mohsin, a protester, claimed the tensions were linked to upcoming assembly elections in Bihar.
“Modi needed this because of the elections in Bihar. They have blamed Pakistan without any investigation,” he said. “There won’t be war,” added Zubair, another protester, claiming that accusations of Pakistani involvement in the Pahalgam massacre lacked proof.
“They can’t stop the water coming to us as they have no dams. They can’t keep the water,” Zubair said, referencing India suspending Indus Waters Treaty in response to the Pahalgam attack.
On the Indian side, some participants waved both Indian and Israeli flags. Dheeraj questioned the motives behind the Pakistani protest: “Why are they even here protesting in front of the India high commission?” Placards held by Indian supporters read “Hafiz Saeed Mastermind 26/11” and “Professionalism at the best sar tan se juda — Pakistan high commission hospitality,” referencing a throat-slitting gesture made Friday.
“They are shamelessly protesting and pretending to be victims,” said Gaurav. Another supporter, Indranil, pointed to economic gains in J&K: “GDP has gone up considerably. Pakistan does not want to see J&K flourish. The terrorists shot men in front of their children. It was a cold-blooded genocide,” he said.
The protests have riled right-wing commentators in UK. Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, shared a video of the confrontation, writing: “If it’s not Gaza it’s India v Pakistan sectarian politics being fought on our London streets. Chaps this is Britain. Take your national disputes elsewhere.”
Journalist Isabel Oakeshott also posted a video, saying: “Dozens of Met Police are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protesters as they hurl abuse at each other. UK multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!” GB News aired a segment titled “Has multiculturalism failed?” focusing on the protest.