Trump gives Nvidia green light to sell advanced AI chips to China
US President Donald Trump has announced that he will allow AI chip giant Nvidia to sell its advanced H200 chips to "approved customers" in China, BBC reported.
"We will protect National Security, create American Jobs, and keep America's lead in AI," Trump said on social media on Monday.
The decision will apply to other US chip companies like AMD and comes after extensive lobbying by Nvidia boss Jensen Huang, who visited Washington last week to drum up support, according to BBC.
Sudurpaschim and Biratnagar to play first match of Qualifier-1 today
The first game of the qualifier stage is being played today in the second edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) underway in Kathmandu.
Sudurpaschim Royals and Biratnagar Kings are taking on in the match to be held at 4 pm in the TU International Cricket Stadium.
Sudurpaschim Royals and Biratnagar Kings were qualified for Qualifier-1 as the first and second team in the points table.
In the league stage, Sudurpaschim Royals won six games out of seven matches played while Biratnagar emerged victorious in five games.
Today's winner will directly reach the finals and the next team will have the opportunity to play in the eliminator round.
EC opens Office of Election Officer for PR system
The Election Commission on Monday opened the Office of Election Officer for the proportional representation (PR) electoral system for the House of Representatives (HoR) elections slated for March 5.
The Office is established at the EC premises in the federal capital.
Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari inaugurated the Office, EC's Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said.
With the opening of the Office for the proportional representation electoral system, EC Secretary Mahadev Pantha has assumed the responsibility as the Election Officer for the PR system, while Joint Secretary Yagya Prasad Bhattarai is named as the Assistant Election Officer.
A total of 41 staff members have been deployed to manage the PR election.
Under existing law, the 275 members of the House of Representatives are elected through two systems: direct election and proportional representation.
Of these, 165 members are elected directly, while the remaining 110 are nominated through the PR system. For the direct (first-past-the-post) electoral system, the program for filing nominations at the respective election officers' offices is scheduled for January 20.
On the occasion, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Bhandari expressed confidence that establishment of the Office for the PR system will facilitate the process for the stakeholders.
Bhandari mentioned that representatives will be selected based on ethnic, geographic, and gender categories through a formula-based method with support from the National Statistics Office (NSO), which will be trusted from all sides.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Rameshwor Prasad Khanal and Minister for Law Anil Kumar Sinha held discussions with the Acting Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners at the EC regarding the polls preparations.
The discussions focused on the support required from the government to ensure the elections in a free and fair manner.
Minister Khanal also expressed commitment to ensure the required budget for the EC to hold the polls.
7.5 Quake Hits Northern Japan
A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off northern Japan late Monday, injuring 23 people and triggering a 70-centimeter (2-foot) tsunami along parts of the Pacific coast. The quake occurred around 11:15 p.m., about 80 km off Aomori, shaking towns across the region and prompting immediate tsunami alerts. Most injuries resulted from falling objects, while minor damage was reported in hotels, roads, and homes.
Authorities temporarily suspended Shinkansen services, and about 800 homes lost power. At the Rokkasho nuclear facility, around 450 liters of cooling water spilled, but regulators reported no safety risks. Nearly 500 residents evacuated to shelters as defense helicopters surveyed the damage.
Officials warned of possible aftershocks and a slightly increased risk of a larger quake along the northeastern coast. By early Tuesday, all tsunami advisories were lifted, though residents were urged to remain alert and prepared for further tremors.