
Suzuki Motor halted Swift car production due to China's rare earth curb, Nikkei says
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TOKYO: Suzuki Motor halted production of its Swift model cars in Japan since May 26 due to China 's rare earth restrictions, the Nikkei reported on Thursday.The Japanese automaker had announced the planned production stoppage of the popular model through June 6 but had not given a reason.Suzuki spokesperson was not immediate available for a comment when contacted by Reuters.

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Economic Times
2 hours ago
- Economic Times
Social Security privacy concerns mount as US Supreme Court authorises DOGE's access to data of millions of Americans
Rising concerns over privacy and oversight Live Events Fallout after Musk's departure from DOGE Legal battle over Government transparency (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The US Supreme Court on Friday sided with the Trump administration in two critical decisions involving the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The rulings allow DOGE broad access to personal records held by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and delay enforcement of transparency rules sought by a government watchdog a 6-3 vote, the conservative-majority court granted DOGE permission to access sensitive SSA databases containing the personal details of millions of Americans. This includes financial, educational and medical court also paused a lower court's ruling requiring DOGE to comply with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), allowing the administration to withhold internal documents about DOGE's Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented sharply, writing: 'This court has now greenlit unfettered data access to DOGE regardless—despite its failure to show any need or any interest in complying with existing privacy safeguards, and all before we know for sure whether federal law countenances such access.'Her concerns were echoed by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Together, they warned that the court's action posed 'grave privacy risks' to millions of SSA holds data on anyone with a Social Security number, Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income. It administers $1.5 trillion in federal payments annually, distributing benefits to over 70 million Altman, president of Social Security Works , said, 'There is no way to overstate how serious a breach this is. And my understanding is that it has already occurred.'Elon Musk, who once led DOGE, formally cut ties with the agency on 30 May. His split with President Trump became public shortly after, igniting tensions on social media. The two previously worked closely, with Trump assigning DOGE and Musk to investigate fraud within February, SSA's acting commissioner Michelle King resigned after refusing to provide DOGE staff access to personal records. She stepped down after 30 years in government service, citing concerns over data misuse.A day later, the White House said it had appointed a temporary 'anti-fraud expert' to oversee SSA. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, 'They haven't dug into the books yet, but they suspect that there are tens of millions of deceased people who are receiving fraudulent Social Security payments.'Leavitt added the mission was to, 'Number one, to identify duplicate payments and to end them. Number two, to identify payments that are going to deceased people who are no longer living and should no longer be receiving that number three, to protect the integrity of the system for hardworking Americans who have been paying into it their entire lives.'In a separate ruling, the court also halted an order from Judge Christopher Cooper, who had instructed DOGE to comply with FOIA requests. The suit, filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), sought records about DOGE's internal decision-making, particularly its role in mass federal layoffs and argues that DOGE functions as a de facto government agency and must follow federal transparency laws. The administration insists DOGE is merely an advisory body and is therefore Cooper previously concluded that DOGE likely exercises 'substantial independent authority' and ordered a deposition of DOGE official Amy Gleason. The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit refused to block his order, prompting the administration to appeal to the Supreme its unsigned opinion, the court noted that Judge Cooper's orders 'are not appropriately tailored' and stressed that 'judicial deference and restraint' were required in reviewing internal executive branch responded in court filings that if the administration prevails, presidents could 'create new entities that would functionally wield substantial independent authority but are exempt from critical transparency laws.'DOGE has become a key tool in Trump's broader plan to cut government spending and reduce federal workforce numbers. It has also faced mounting legal challenges from labour unions and advocacy General D. John Sauer called earlier judicial rulings an 'overreach' into executive power. However, critics argue that unchecked access and lack of oversight could result in lasting harm to public trust and data security Maryland District Judge Ellen Hollander, whose SSA data access restriction was overturned, earlier warned that DOGE's search for fraud was a 'fishing expedition.' Her order allowed only limited access to anonymised data unless DOGE could demonstrate a specific Friday's rulings, the future of DOGE remains uncertain. With Musk gone and legal scrutiny intensifying, its role in reshaping federal oversight continues to spark debate over accountability, privacy, and the limits of executive power.


Economic Times
2 hours ago
- Economic Times
Donald Trump says Elon Musk has 'lost his mind' as feud fallout mounts
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel US President Donald Trump said Friday that Elon Musk had "lost his mind" but insisted he wanted to move on from the fiery split with his billionaire former ally. The blistering public break-up between the world's richest person and the world's most powerful is fraught with political and economic risks all had scrapped the idea of a call with Musk and was even thinking of ditching the red Tesla he bought at the height of their bromance, White House officials told AFP."Honestly I've been so busy working on China, working on Russia, working on Iran... I'm not thinking about Elon Musk, I just wish him well," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to his New Jersey golf club late Trump told US broadcasters that he now wanted to focus instead on passing his "big, beautiful" mega-bill before Congress -- Musk's harsh criticism of which had sparked their the 78-year-old Republican could not stop himself from taking aim at his South African-born friend-turned-enemy."You mean the man who has lost his mind?" Trump said in a call with ABC when asked about Musk, adding that he was "not particularly" interested in talking to the later told Fox News that Musk had "lost it."Just a week ago Trump gave Musk a glowing send-off as he left his cost-cutting role at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after four months working there.- 'Very disappointed' -While there had been reports of tensions, the sheer speed at which their relationship imploded stunned Musk called Trump's spending bill an "abomination" on Tuesday, Trump hit back in an Oval Office diatribe on Thursday in which he said he was "very disappointed" by the spending bill faces a difficult path through Congress as it will raise the US deficit, while critics say it will cut health care for millions of the poorest row then went nuclear, with Musk slinging insults at Trump and accusing him without evidence of being in government files on disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey hit back with the power of the US government behind him, saying he could cancel the Space X boss's multi-billion-dollar rocket and satellite struck a milder tone late Friday when asked how seriously he is considering cutting Musk's contracts."It's a lot of money, it's a lot of subsidy, so we'll take a look -- only if it's fair. Only if it's to be fair for him and the country," he apparently also tried to de-escalate social media right-wing tech baron rowed back on a threat to scrap his company's Dragon spacecraft -- vital for ferrying NASA astronauts to and from the International Space on Friday the usually garrulous poster kept a low social media profile on his X social the White House denied reports that they would talk."The president does not intend to speak to Musk today," a senior White House official told AFP. A second official said Musk had requested a call.- Tesla giveaway? -Tesla stocks tanked more than 14 percent on Thursday amid the row, losing some $100 billion of the company's market value, but recovering partly is now considering either selling or giving away the cherry red Tesla S that he announced he had bought from Musk's firm in electric vehicle was still parked on the White House grounds on Friday. "He's thinking about it, yes," a senior White House official told AFP when asked if Trump would sell or give it and Musk had posed inside the car at a bizarre event in March, when the president turned the White House into a pop-up Tesla showroom after viral protests against Musk's DOGE while Trump appeared to hold many of the cards, Musk also has some to wealth allowed him to be the biggest donor to Trump's 2024 campaign, to the tune of nearly $300 million. Any further support for the 2026 midterm election now appears in doubt -- while Musk could also use his money to undermine Trump's support on the right.


Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Yeida acquires 5,000 acres land for development
The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) on Friday said it has acquired at least 5,200 acres of land in the last five years to develop projects, which will receive a boost due to their proximity to the Noida International Airport which is set to begin operations shortly. Yeida said it is preparing a land bank for the development of four new sectors — 4A, 5, 5A, and 11. These areas will include residential, industrial, and institutional projects, along with special zones such as the Japanese City, Korean City, and Fintech City. The authority plans to buy 5,000 acres more land directly from 2,000 farmers. 'We are talking to farmers and taking land from those willing to sell it. We have bought 5,200 acres in the last five years and the land purchase will continue ,' said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer of Yeida. Yeida said that the Korean City will come up in Sector 4A, where 365 acres will be needed, the Japanese City is planned in Sector 5A over 395 acres. In Sector 11, 750 acres will be used for the Fintech City. Sector 5 will focus on group housing and other residential projects, with land also being set aside for special facilities such as a children's home and orphanage. Multiple land use projects will be allowed in the Japanese and Korean industrial cities. This includes industrial, residential, commercial, and institutional land use to allow construction of residences, hotels, malls, and offices, and more. 'The aim is to provide all necessary facilities within the city, ensuring that Japanese citizens feel at home while preserving their culture. With the airport becoming operational soon, we are now working to bring all these major projects into reality,' said Singh.