San Francisco: Meta is halting teens’ access to artificial intelligence characters, at least temporarily, the company said in a blog post Friday.
Meta Platforms Inc, which own Instagram and WhatsApp, said that starting in the “coming weeks,” teens will no longer be able to access AI characters “until the updated experience is ready”
This applies to anyone who gave Meta a birthday that makes them a minor, as well as “people who claim to be adults but who we suspect are teens based on our age prediction technology.”
The move comes the week before Meta — along with TikTok and Google’s YouTube — is scheduled to stand trial in Los Angeles over its apps’ harms to children.
Teens will still be able to access Meta’s AI assistant, just not the characters.
Other companies have also banned teens from AI chatbots amid growing concerns about the effects of artificial intelligence conversations on children.
Character.AI announced its ban last fall. That company is facing several lawsuits over child safety, including by the mother of a teenager who says the company’s chatbots pushed her teenage son to kill himself.
United Nations: The FDI inflows to India in 2025 surged by 73 per cent to USD 47 billion, mainly due to large investments in services and manufacturing, supported by policies aimed at integrating the country into global supply chains, the UN said.
The Global Investment Trends Monitor, released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), stated on Thursday, January 22, that the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows to China declined for the third consecutive year, falling by 8 per cent to an estimated USD 107.5 billion.
“FDI inflows to India surged by 73 per cent to USD 47 billion, mainly due to large investments in services – including finance, IT, and R&D – as well as manufacturing, supported by policies aimed at integrating India into global supply chains,” UNCTAD said.
It added that global foreign direct investment reached an estimated USD 1.6 trillion in 2025, a 14 per cent increase.
However, a significant part of the increase was due to higher flows through several major global financial centres and investment hubs (economies with significant conduit FDI flows), which added more than USD 140 billion to the total, with the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Ireland – in that order – accounting for the bulk.
FDI flows to North America remained broadly stable. The United States – the world’s largest FDI recipient – recorded a 2 per cent increase in inflows. Cross-border M&A activity declined by 22 per cent to USD 132 billion. While M&A sales decreased across most industries, they rose sharply in semiconductors and telecommunications, it said.
The report added that the total value of international project finance increased by 7 per cent to USD 218 billion, while the number of projects declined by only 5 per cent. Project finance activity increased in Syria, the Philippines, Viet Nam, and Uzbekistan, but declined in Egypt and India.
Data centres drove much of the FDI trend in 2025, recording an increase of USD 125 billion in greenfield announcements and of USD 30 billion in international project finance.
The bulk of the growth was thus through greenfield investment, contrasting with the traditionally more important role of international project finance within the telecommunications sector.
Proprietary infrastructure is becoming increasingly important due to growing competition in AI technology.
India was among the top 10 major recipients of data centre investments in 2025, it said, adding that foreign investment in data centres is concentrated in a handful of countries. France, ranked number 1, the United States (2) and the Republic of Korea (3) led as host countries, while emerging markets such as Brazil (4), India (7), and Malaysia (9) also attracted major projects.
“Total greenfield investment in data centres surpassed USD 270 billion, representing more than one-fifth of all investment projects. The leading host countries for these investments were France, the United States, and the Republic of Korea. Notably, emerging markets such as Brazil, Thailand, India, and Malaysia also ranked among the top ten hosts of data centre projects,” it said.
Mumbai: Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty resumed their downward journey to end nearly 1 per cent lower on Friday, January 23, dragged by widespread sell-off and the rupee depreciating to hit a record low against the US dollar.
Besides, investors rushing to safe-haven assets from riskier assets and unabated foreign capital outflows in the absence of domestic triggers added to the gloom, traders said.
The 30-share BSE Sensex tumbled 769.67 points, or 0.94 per cent, to close at 81,537.70. During the day, the index slumped 835.55 points, or 1.01 per cent, to hit an intraday low of 81,471.82.
The 50-share NSE Nifty dived 241.25 points, or 0.95 per cent, to settle at 25,048.65. In the intraday session, it plunged 264.6 points, or 1.04 per cent, to hit a low of 25,025.30.
Among the 30 Sensex constituents, Adani Ports, Eternal, IndiGo, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finserv, Power Grid, Bharat Electronics Ltd, State Bank of India, Maruti Suzuki India, Bajaj Finance, NTPC, Trent, Larsen & Toubro and Reliance Industries were the laggards.
On the other hand, Tech Mahindra, Hindustan Unilever, Infosys, Asian Paints, Tata Consultancy Services, Titan and UltraTech Cement were among the gainers.
The BSE smallcap gauge slumped 2.19 per cent, while the midcap index fell 1.56 per cent.
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 2,549.80 crore on Thursday, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought stocks worth Rs 4,222.98 crore, according to exchange data.
“Indian equity markets went on a sell-off mode despite an optimistic global market and supportive domestic PMI data. Sentiment weighed down on uptick crude oil prices, a sharp depreciation of the rupee to record lows, FIIs selling and earnings delivery falling marginally short of expectations amid premium India valuations,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Ltd.
Realty and PSU bank stocks underperformed on execution-related delays and profit booking, while Adani Group stocks came under pressure amid reports of potential summons by the US regulator, Nair added.
In Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index, South Korea’s Kospi index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index closed higher.
European markets were trading lower in mid-session deals. US equities ended higher on Thursday.
“Looking ahead, market sentiment is likely to remain cautious as investors position themselves for the upcoming Union Budget and the US Fed’s interest rate decision, where expectations are muted,” he said.
Gold and silver prices rallied on Friday to hit fresh lifetime highs in the futures trade, tracking record gains in international markets amid a weakening US dollar and rising expectations of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.
The rupee hit an all-time low of 92 on Friday and recovered marginally to settle at 91.88 (provisional) against the US dollar.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose 1.03 per cent to USD 64.72 per barrel.
On Thursday, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 397.74 points to close at 82,307.37, while the broader NSE Nifty rose 132.40 points to settle at 25,289.90.
Mumbai: India is projected to unlock $10–11 billion in additional exports to the European Union (EU) without creating new product capacity, by redirecting existing highly tariffed US-bound trade under the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement, a report showed on Friday, January 23.
India’s top 15 product categories exported to the United States account for nearly 52 per cent share valued at around $45 billion.
Of these, around $21 billion is concentrated in 12 categories that currently have a limited presence in the EU’s import basket.
According to the report by Rubix Data Sciences, if even 50 per cent of these flows are gradually redirected to the EU through tariff reduction, rules-of-origin alignment, and improved market access, the shift could materially alter India-EU trade dynamics beyond their current stagnation.
This potential rebalancing comes at a critical moment for bilateral trade especially since the EU has suspended export benefits for certain labour-intensive Indian goods that were previously covered under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP).
According to Rubix’s latest EU Country Report, India–EU goods trade has remained largely flat at $136.5 billion for three consecutive years (FY2023–FY2025), even as the EU emerged as India’s largest bilateral goods trading partner in FY2025, marginally overtaking the United States.
India accounts for only 2.9 per cent of the EU’s imports and 1.9 per cent of its exports, highlighting the gap between strategic intent and realised trade outcomes.
“Trade flows are also highly concentrated, with over 70 per cent of India’s exports to the EU directed to just five member states, increasing exposure to growth slowdowns in core European economies,” said the report.
The EU, a $21.1 trillion economic bloc in 2025, is experiencing moderate and uneven growth of 1.4 per cent, with its largest economies, Germany, France, and Italy, showing subdued momentum.
Meanwhile, the EU’s goods trade surplus with the US widened to $164 billion in 2024, driven by strong exports of high-value manufactured goods, including machinery, vehicles, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.
However, renewed tariff threats and policy uncertainty risk disrupting these flows, reinforcing the strategic importance of trade diversification for the EU, said the report.
“Against this backdrop, the proposed India–EU Free Trade Agreement takes on added significance,” it added.
Beyond goods trade, the EU remains one of India’s most significant investment partners. Cumulative FDI from the EU into India stood at $119.2 billion between April 2000 and December 2024, accounting for 16.5 per cent of India’s total FDI equity inflows.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Friday, January 23, lifted the ban on bike taxis, dismissing the earlier order that had stopped the operations of two-wheeler transport.
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said he had not yet received a copy of the order and would comment after reviewing it. However, he said the division bench of the High Court had quashed the single-bench order.
“The single-judge bench of the High Court had prohibited bike taxis. The division bench has quashed the single judge bench order and allowed the writ appeal. Let the judgment copy come. I will read it and then discuss it with you all,” the minister told reporters.
The court allowed the appeals filed by service apps Uber, Ola, Rapido and other aggregators.
Uber hailed the court order, saying, “We welcome the Hon’ble High Court’s decision to recognise bike taxis as a legal mode of passenger transport in Karnataka.”
According to the company, bike taxis serve as a vital mobility lifeline for Indian cities, offering an affordable and convenient way to navigate traffic.
“The decision will also bring relief to lakhs of drivers who depend on bike taxis for their livelihood. We look forward to engaging with the state government on operationalising this mobility ecosystem and serving the mobility needs of cities across the spectrum,” their statement read.
President of the Namma Bike Taxi Association, Mohammed Salim, said the order marked a much-needed shift for both the public and the riders.
“It is very good news that the bike taxi ban has been revoked. People are allowed to use bike taxis, people have transportation options now and I sincerely want to thank the high court that it really understands our pain, our suffering,” he told NDTV.
Bike taxi operations were halted in June 2025, after the High Court directed an immediate suspension of their services. Companies followed the directive and removed the bike taxi option from their respective apps.
Davos: The World Economic Forum on Friday announced a major global initiative to invest in skill development that will reach more than 850 million people.
It also announced the launch of new skills and education accelerators in India and Jordan, strengthening a global network of 45 national accelerators that have collectively supported 14.8 million people.
These accelerators bring together government, business and civil society to translate global insights into country-specific actions on employment, skills development and inclusive economic growth.
The India Accelerator will focus on addressing barriers to equitable skilling, while the Jordan Accelerator will work to leverage emerging technology to improve education quality.
The WEF said its Reskilling Revolution initiative is on track to reach more than 850 million people worldwide, nearing its target of equipping 1 billion people with better access to skills, education and economic opportunities.
As artificial intelligence, geoeconomic shifts and the energy transition rapidly reshape global labour markets, preparing workers for the economy of tomorrow is an urgent global priority.
The new commitments span corporate pledges, university-employer partnerships and national skills accelerators focused on redesigning how people enter the workforce, transition between jobs and remain employable in an economy increasingly shaped by AI, the WEF said.
Among the Reskilling Revolution commitments, more than 25 technology companies have pledged to support 120 million workers with AI access, skills training and job pathways.
“The global economy is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades. But the future of work is not fixed. How it unfolds for workers depends on opportunities for learning, support for job transitions and backing for entrepreneurship,” WEF Managing Director Saadia Zahidi said.
“Today’s announcements represent decisive action – mobilising education providers, employers and governments to ensure the future of work delivers opportunity for all,” she added.
The initiative works with 79 economies and 18 industries and is supported by more than 350 organisations and over 35 CEOs.
New commitments have come from companies such as Adobe, Cornerstone OnDemand, Cisco, JD.com, SAP, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Snowflake, Wipro and Workday.
Across all Reskilling Revolution commitments, the majority focus on AI and digital skills, emphasize human-centric capabilities and prioritize entry-level roles most vulnerable to disruption.
New research developed with PwC and surveying 9,000 entry-level workers in 48 countries revealed widespread uncertainty about skills relevance and job security as AI reshapes traditional career entry points, the WEF said.
To address this, the WEF launched a Learning-to-Earning Sandbox connecting universities, employers and governments to pilot models integrating paid work experience with skills development.
During the Annual Meeting 2026, nine platform economy companies launched shared principles for responsible platform-enabled work, addressing access to opportunity, earnings and benefits, and safe working conditions.
New Delhi: India Yamaha Motor on Friday, January 23, said it is recalling over 3 lakh units RayZR 125 Fi Hybrid and Fascino 125 Fi Hybrid scooter models to rectify a faulty brake part.
The company has initiated a voluntary recall campaign for 3,06,635 units of its 125cc scooter models manufactured between May 2, 2024, and September 3, 2025, effective immediately, India Yamaha Motor said in a statement.
“This voluntary recall has been initiated to address a potential concern wherein it has been identified that, under certain operating conditions, the front brake calliper exhibits limited function in select units of the RayZR 125 Fi Hybrid and Fascino 125 Fi Hybrid scooter models,” it added.
The replacement of the specific part will be carried out free of charge for all vehicles covered under this campaign, the company stated.
New Delhi: Billionaire Gautam Adani’s group has taken full control of news agency IANS by purchasing the remaining 24 per cent stake for an undisclosed sum of money.
AMG Media Networks Ltd, the media arm of the group’s flagship firm Adani Enterprises, has entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire the remaining stake in IANS India Private Limited, according to a stock exchange filing by the company.
It, however, did not disclose the financial details of the transaction.
The group in December 2023 acquired a majority 50.50 per cent stake in IANS (Indo-Asian News Service), making the newswire agency a subsidiary of the Adani media arm. In January 2024, AMG Media Networks (AMNL) increased its ownership of IANS shares with voting rights to 76 per cent, and nearly all non-voting shares, up from 50.5 per cent each earlier.
“AMNL has now executed a Share Purchase Agreement on January 21, 2026, to acquire the balance stake in IANS. Upon completion of the proposed transaction, IANS shall become a wholly-owned step-down subsidiary of the company,” Adani Enterprises Ltd said in the filing.
Prior to this, AMNL held 76 per cent of Category-1 shares of IANS and 99.26 per cent of Category-II shares.
“Acquisition of following shares in IANS (is being done) by AMNL – 24 per cent Category I shares – with voting rights; 0.74 per cent Category II shares – without voting rights,” it said.
IANS, one of India’s established multi-language news agencies, provides news content across print, digital and broadcast platforms. The full takeover further deepens Adani’s presence in the media and content ecosystem, following earlier moves, including stakes in NDTV and other media properties.
Adani Group’s entry into the media sector began in 2022 as part of a strategic diversification beyond its traditional strengths in ports, energy and infrastructure. In April 2022, Adani Enterprises set up AMG Media Networks Ltd as its primary vehicle for media and publishing acquisitions. Soon after, AMG Media bought a stake in Quintillion Business Media Ltd, operator of the business and financial news digital platform BQ Prime.
In December 2022, the group moved into mainstream broadcast news by acquiring a controlling stake (around 65 per cent) in NDTV, one of India’s leading news broadcasters.
This was followed by the group’s first acquisition of IANS (Indo-Asian News Service) on December 15, 2023.
The acquisitions – from BQ Prime to NDTV to IANS – underscore Adani’s rapid build-out of a multi-platform media presence, spanning digital, broadcast and newswire services.
The IANS acquisition extends Adani’s presence across the content supply chain that serves publishers, broadcasters and digital platforms.
Hyderabad: At the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026, the Telangana government officially launched Aikam, its flagship autonomous, unified, and globally oriented AI innovation entity.
The launch was chaired by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, and attended by state IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy.
Institutionalised to position Telangana among the world’s Top 20 innovation hubs, Aikam is India’s first-of-its-kind innovation entity built to translate AI ambition into real-world execution at population scale, an official release said here on Thursday.
Aikam brings together a “powerful set of capabilities” under a unified framework, including developing a globally competitive AI workforce through mass upskilling, accelerating AI-first startups, and deepening research–industry collaboration, supported by population-scale datasets, highly efficient compute infrastructure, and a dedicated AI Fund-of-Funds, it said.
“Telangana believes in execution, not experimentation. Aikam institutionalises our execution-first approach by converging existing and upcoming initiatives under a unified global entity. As the world moves from AI pilots to deployment at scale, we invite global partners to anchor their proving ground in Telangana—where AI is deployed responsibly, governed transparently, and scaled with trust,” CM Revanth Reddy said.
Sridhar Babu said Aikam enables a clear execution pathway—from ideas to globally scalable solutions.
A core driver of Aikam is its emphasis on deep, symbiotic collaboration across global enterprises, research institutions, and academia, enabling it to operate as a truly global, unified AI innovation entity.
This approach was cemented through the signing of multiple strategic MoUs with global partners spanning the entire AI value chain—from world-class skilling to highly efficient compute infrastructure; from breakthrough applied research to design-led, deployment-ready solutions, according to the release.
Under some of the key MoUs, Pearson intends to anchor a globally benchmarked AI Academy for world-class skilling and credentialing and DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre) intends to activate high-impact, cross-border startup corridors between Telangana and Dubai.
“Aikam is being built as a global institution from the outset. The MoUs signed at Davos represent our first concrete steps in establishing an ecosystem that is global, execution-focused in its design, and grounded in collaboration,” stated Sanjay Kumar, Special Chief Secretary (ITE&C ).
Hyderabad: For all those looking to shift from Android to an Apple device, there’s good news. The latest Apple iPhone 17 is on sale at a price below Rs 75,000 on Flipkart’s Republic Day sale.
Early bird offers have already begun on the Walmart-owned e-commerce platform. Among the headline deals, the base variant of Apple’s flagship iPhone 17, which originally launched in India in September 2025, is being listed in the mid-Rs 70,000 range, dipping below the Rs 75,000 mark once exchange and bank offers are factored in. Sale banners show the 256 GB model hovering around Rs 74,990, significantly down from its launch price of about Rs 82,900.
About the iPhone 17
The iPhone 17 series marked a notable upgrade in Apple’s mainstream smartphone line. The standard model features a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion adaptive refresh rates up to 120 Hz and peak brightness levels reaching 3,000 nits, a significant enhancement over the previous generation.
The device is powered by Apple’s A19 chip with a 16-core Neural Engine, and is equipped with a dual rear camera system comprising two 48-megapixel sensors alongside an 18-megapixel front camera.
Apple has also included industry-standard durability features such as Ceramic Shield glass and IP68 water and dust resistance on the iPhone 17, positioning the model as a compelling all-around handset in the premium segment.
