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France 24
21 minutes ago
- Business
- France 24
US House set to vote on landmark crypto bills this week
The US House of Representatives is set to vote on three pieces of legislation this week, including one on the use of stablecoins -- cryptocurrencies pegged to safe assets like the dollar -- that if passed would immediately go to Trump for his signature. The raft of legislation comes after years of suspicion against the crypto industry amid the belief in the Biden administration that the sector, born out of the success of bitcoin, should be kept on a tight leash and away from mainstream investors. But after crypto investors poured millions of dollars into his presidential campaign last year, Trump reversed his own doubts about the industry, even launching a Trump meme coin and other ventures as he prepared for his return to the White House. According to federal financial disclosure forms released last month, Trump pocketed more than $57 million from the crypto venture, World Liberty Financial, that he launched with his sons last year. Trump has, among other moves, appointed crypto advocate Paul Atkins to head the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He has also established a federal "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve" aimed at auditing the government's bitcoin holdings, which were mainly accumulated by law enforcement from judicial seizures. And thanks to his backing, Trump could soon be signing the stablecoin bill -- dubbed the GENIUS Act -- that the US Senate passed last month and that sets rules such as requiring issuers to have reserves of assets equal in value to that of their outstanding cryptocurrency. 'Long time coming' Stablecoins are considered the safest and least volatile of digital currencies because their value is tied to traditional currency or secure assets such as gold. Another provision of the bill empowers banking regulators to oversee stablecoin issuers in the United States. The legislation could extend the US dollar's influence in the world of cryptocurrency, with dollar-backed stablecoins seen as financial havens from local currencies prone to big fluctuations. The US House is also considering the CLARITY Act that would establish a clearer regulatory framework for digital assets -- including cryptocurrencies and other blockchain-based assets. If passed the bill would require passage in the Senate. The act would clarify and divide regulatory authority between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Gerald Gallagher, General Counsel at Sei Labs, a digital asset firm, said the bills could be a game changer for the industry. "GENIUS and CLARITY provide security and certainty for investors that previously were not available, either intentionally or unintentionally," he told AFP. "This has been a long time coming." The Republican-led House is also considering a bill it calls the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act that aims to block the issuance of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) – a digital dollar issued by the US Federal Reserve. Republicans argue that a CBDC could enable the federal government to monitor, track, and potentially control the financial transactions of private citizens, undermining privacy and civil liberties. It also would require passage in the Senate before going to Trump for his signature. © 2025 AFP
France 24
21 minutes ago
- Politics
- France 24
US Supreme Court clears way for Trump to dismantle Department of Education
The US Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Donald Trump' s administration to resume dismantling the Department of Education, part of his bid to shrink the federal government's role in education in favor of more control by the states. In the latest high court win for Trump, the justices lifted a federal judge's order that had reinstated nearly 1,400 workers affected by mass layoffs at the department and blocked the administration from transferring key functions to other federal agencies. A legal challenge is continuing to play out in lower courts. The Supreme Court's action came in a brief, unsigned order. Its three liberal justices dissented. A group of 21 Democratic attorneys general, school districts and unions behind a pair of legal challenges had warned in court papers that Trump's shutdown efforts threatened to impair the department's ability to perform its core duties. Democracy Forward, a liberal legal group representing the school districts and unions, said the court's action "dealt a devastating blow to this nation's promise of public education for all children." "We will aggressively pursue every legal option as this case proceeds to ensure that all children in this country have access to the public education they deserve," said Skye Perryman, the group's president and CEO. Created by Congress in 1979, the Department of Education's main roles include administering college loans, tracking student achievement and enforcing civil rights in schools. It also provides federal funding for needy districts and to help students with disabilities. Federal law prohibits the department from controlling school operations, including curriculum, instruction and staffing. Authority over these decisions belongs to state and local governments, which provide more than 85% of public school funding. The department's Republican critics have portrayed the department as a symbol of bureaucratic waste, underlining the need for smaller federal government in favor of greater state power. In March, Trump sought to deliver on a campaign promise to conservatives by calling for the department's closure. "We're going to be returning education, very simply, back to the states where it belongs," Trump said on March 20 before signing an executive order to close the department to the "maximum extent" allowed by law. Trump said that certain "core necessities" would be preserved, including Pell grants to students from lower-income families and federal funding for disadvantaged students and children with special needs, though he said those functions would be redistributed to other agencies and departments. Trump in March directed that the department transfer its $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration and its special education services to the Department of Health and Human Services. Although formally eliminating the department would require an act of Congress, the downsizing announced in March by Education Secretary Linda McMahon aimed to slash the department's staff to roughly half the size it was when Trump took office in January. McMahon called the court's action on Monday a "significant win for students and families." "The US Department of Education will now deliver on its mandate to restore excellence in American education," McMahon wrote in a social media post. In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the Supreme Court's action had handed the president "the power to repeal statutes by firing all those necessary to carry them out." "Lifting the (lower court's block) will unleash untold harm, delaying or denying educational opportunities and leaving students to suffer from discrimination, sexual assault, and other civil rights violations without the federal resources Congress intended," wrote Sotomayor, who was joined by fellow liberal Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Boston-based US District Judge Myong Joun, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, had concluded in a May 22 ruling that the mass firings would "likely cripple the department." He ordered the affected workers to be reinstated and also blocked the administration's plan to hand off department functions to other federal agencies. The Boston-based 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals on June 4 rejected the Trump administration's request to pause the injunction issued by the judge. The Justice Department in a court filing asking the Supreme Court to lift Joun's order, accused him of judicial overreach. The plaintiffs had warned that mass firings at the department could delay the disbursement of federal aid for low-income schools and students with special needs, prompting shortfalls that might require cutting programs or teaching staff. They also argued in court papers that Trump's shutdown effort would undermine efforts to curb discrimination in schools, analyse and disseminate critical data on student performance and assist college applicants seeking financial aid.
News18
2 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
At Least 89 Dead In Syria Sectarian Clash. What Sparked The Latest Wave Of Violence?
Last Updated: The violence, now in its second day, has raised fears about the stability of the region's fragile post-war balance At least 89 people have been killed in southern Syria's Sweida province amid fierce sectarian fighting between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters. The violence, now in its second day, has raised fears about the stability of the region's fragile post-war balance. The clashes ignited on Sunday after Bedouin gunmen abducted a Druze vegetable vendor on the highway to Damascus. In retaliation, Druze fighters captured Bedouin hostages. Though the hostages were released, the conflict escalated. Mortar rounds struck villages outside Sweida city on Monday, leaving dozens wounded, according to local news outlet Suwayda 24. Amid the fighting, Israel—whose officials have previously threatened intervention to protect the Druze—said it struck 'several tanks" in Sweida, though no further details were provided. Meanwhile, Syrian military and Interior Ministry forces have been deployed to restore calm. Authorities also opened safe corridors for civilians and vowed to end the violence 'quickly and decisively". The renewed sectarian fighting highlights the challenges faced by interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa. His Islamist coalition ousted President Bashar al-Assad in December, but Syria remains deeply divided after nearly 14 years of war. Despite the transitional government's pledge to include minorities, its 23‑member cabinet features only one Druze minister, Agriculture Minister Amjad Badr. The Druze are a small religious community with around one million adherents worldwide, half of whom reside in Syria. They follow a sect that branched off from Ismaili Shi'ism in the 10th century. In Syria, most live in Sweida province and in south-western suburbs of Damascus. Sunni Bedouin tribes are another influential group in southern Syria. Many of them, once tolerated under Assad's rule, have clashed with Druze communities over land, influence, and control of checkpoints. Since Assad's removal, reintegration of militias has been a complex issue. Druze fighters formed their own local militias during the war, often to shield their communities from Islamist extremist groups like Islamic State. In 2018, IS militants attacked Sweida, killing over 200 Druze civilians and abducting dozens, deepening local mistrust. Wider Violence And Potential Escalation Monday's battles follow a pattern of sectarian flare-ups in Syria. In March, an ambush on regime security forces by Druze factions triggered a cycle of revenge killings, mainly targeting Alawite civilians. The majority of the overall casualties in this cycle were among the Alawite sect—Assad's own community. Elsewhere, tensions are rising in the northeast, where government forces and Kurdish-led authorities remain in deadlock over their long-pending March agreement to integrate forces. The ongoing clashes threaten Syria's uneasy path to recovery. After nearly 14 years of war, the country must rebuild infrastructure, resettle displaced millions, and nurture national reconciliation. The UN once estimated reconstruction at $250 billion; some experts now project figures as high as $400 billion. (With inputs from agencies) view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
2 hours ago
- Business
- News18
Mere Registered Sale Deed Won't Confer Ownership: Supreme Court
Last Updated: The court highlighted issues concerning the avoidance of proper deed execution and registration as modes of freehold immovable property transfer The Supreme Court has ruled that a registered sale deed alone does not confer ownership of a property. A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran observed in a case that while the title was claimed to have been validly obtained through instruments of conveyance, the vendor's title was questionable. Furthermore, actual possession had not been proven. The court was addressing an appeal by Mahinoor Fatima Imran and others against the Telangana High Court's division bench judgment that dismissed their appeal against a single judge's order. The appellants, legal representatives of the original owners/declarants, asserted their possession and ownership. The respondents, who were the writ petitioners, claimed their possession based on unchallenged title deeds. The appellants argued that the sale agreement from March 19, 1982, and the executed title deeds could not confer any title to the vendees, as the vendor did not have valid title. The respondents, who were the writ petitioners, based their claims on the decision in Suraj Lamp & Industries Pvt Ltd Vs State of Haryana & Anr (2012). The bench, however, said, 'The decision has been cited to argue that the title deeds; registered instruments of conveyance, are to be deemed valid unless set aside or declared void by a Civil Court of competent jurisdiction. There is no such dictum in the said decision wherein a division bench of this court was concerned with conveyances made on the strength of agreements of sale, General Power of Attorney and Wills." The court highlighted issues concerning the avoidance of proper deed execution and registration as modes of freehold immovable property transfer, particularly in light of Sections 17 and 49 of the Registration Act. The practice of using Power of Attorney sales with sale agreements and wills, instead of proper deeds of conveyance upon full consideration receipt, was criticised. The court stressed that while document registration informs the public that a document has been executed, it does not confer unimpeachable validity on all registered documents. The bench noted that the writ petitioners claimed proper conveyances through registered sale deeds from Bhavana Society, based on an unregistered agreement from 1982, which cannot be recognised as a valid transfer method. The bench pointed out, 'An instrument of conveyance is compulsorily registrable as required under the Registration Act. Section 23 prescribes four-months' time for presenting a document for registration from the date of its execution. Section 24 provides that if there are several persons executing a document at different times, such document may be presented for registration or re-registration within four. months from the date of such execution." The court concluded that the original and revalidated 1982 agreement could not result in a valid title, even if the subsequent instrument was registered. In the case, the single judge did not decide the title but raised valid suspicion regarding the vendor's title in the deed of conveyance. The writ petitioners' claim was based on a sale agreement, which is not a proper deed of conveyance, especially as it was not a registered document. The bench stated that the title is prima facie suspect, disqualifying the petitioners from claiming rightful possession, which was also unproven. The dispute involved approximately 53 acres of prime land in Raidurg Panmaktha, Telangana, claimed based on registered sale deeds executed by M/s Bhavana Cooperative Housing Society. The court, while restoring the single judge's judgment, held that Bhavana Society had no valid or legal title to transfer, making the sale deeds void. view comments First Published: July 15, 2025, 03:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
2 hours ago
- Health
- News18
AI Robot Performs Gallbladder Surgery, Leaves Researchers Amazed
The robot identified and corrected its own errors, achieving 100% success in 17 tasks repeated 8 times each—making up to 6 corrections per task, all without human help In a groundbreaking development at Johns Hopkins University in the US, an AI robot has successfully performed a complex surgical procedure, removing a gallbladder from a deceased pig entirely on its own. This marks the first time a robot has executed such an intricate operation without human assistance. The AI robot was meticulously trained, utilising 17 hours of surgery videos and over 16,000 human hand movements. The robot operates through a two-layer system. The first layer provides simple language instructions by analysing the endoscope video during surgery, such as 'clip the other tube'. The second layer translates these instructions into three-dimensional tool movements. Remarkably, the robot identified and corrected its own mistakes autonomously, achieving a 100% success rate across 17 tasks, each of which it repeated eight times. Although it required up to six corrections per task, all adjustments were performed without human intervention. If the robot made a mistake while catching an artery, it corrected itself and grasped it properly. Watch The Video Here Despite this milestone, there are still limitations. For example, the robot needed human assistance to change a surgical tool, indicating that complete autonomy has not yet been achieved. Nevertheless, experts view this as a significant turning point. Ferdinando Rodriguez of Imperial College London remarked, 'The future belongs to robotic surgery, but much work remains to be done on regulations and safety standards before it can be used on humans." The next phase involves performing surgery on a live animal, which will introduce more realistic conditions such as breathing and bleeding. This advancement heralds a new era in medical science, bringing us closer to fully autonomous robotic surgery. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
