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The electric vehicle (EV) market in India is evolving rapidly, and with the festive season approaching, many consumers are contemplating whether to wait for the usual <keyword id="23152657" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="festive-discounts" source="keywords">festive discounts</keyword> or take advantage of government incentives. One of the key schemes driving <keyword id="20421629" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EV-adoption" source="keywords">EV adoption</keyword> has been the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and <keyword id="19895203" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicles" source="keywords">Electric Vehicles</keyword> (FAME) initiative in 2015, which is transitioning to phase 2 in 2019. As per the recent announcement from the government, the government is replacing FAME II with a new scheme for the next two years. And no, it’s not FAME III! <h2><keyword id="23136597" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="PM-E-Drive" source="keywords">PM E-Drive</keyword> subsidy comes into effect</h2>The PM E-Drive subsidy aims to build on the success of previous versions, where over 16 lakh vehicles benefited from FAME 2. However, unlike its predecessor which included subsidies for passenger EVs, PM E-Drive has reportedly limited subsidies to only two-wheelers, three-wheelers, buses, hybrid ambulances and electric trucks. All in all, the scheme, with an outlay of Rs 10,900 crores, is expected to support 24.79 lakh electric two-wheelers, 3.16 lakh e-three wheelers, and 14,028 e-buses, along with a plethora of other features to improve the national e-mobility ecosystem. This also includes 22,100 fast chargers for e-4 Ws, 1800 fast chargers for e-buses and 48,400 fast chargers for e-2W/3Ws that will be set up in selected cities with high EV penetration and highways to allay the “range anxiety” of EV buyers. More specifically, Rs 3,679 crores have been provided to incentivise e-2Ws, e-3Ws, e-ambulances, e-trucks and other emerging EVs. These incentives are expected to help reduce the upfront cost of electric vehicles, making them accessible to a larger segment of the population. Additionally, state-run bus companies will likely see increased support, further boosting the public transport EV ecosystem.<div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113282182" title="Automobile industry hails PM e-DRIVE scheme to promote EVs" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>As a result, PM E-Drive will particularly benefit individuals and businesses looking for two- and three-wheelers, as well as state transportation corporations. Small businesses that rely on electric three-wheelers for deliveries or passenger services could also see significant savings, which can be reinvested into their operations. <h2>How does it compare to festival deals?</h2>While the <keyword id="20022183" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="government-subsidies" source="keywords">government subsidies</keyword> under PM E-Drive offer substantial savings, festival season sales from EV manufacturers can provide additional discounts and promotions, such as reduced down payments, lower interest rates, and free charging infrastructure. However, these discounts are often limited-time offers and might not match the long-term financial benefits provided by government subsidies. For example, if you’re in the market for a <keyword id="23152655" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="two-wheeler-EV" source="keywords">two-wheeler EV</keyword>, PM E-Drive incentives might be more valuable than a one-time festive discount of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000, based on the final discounts that automakers provide. Additionally, manufacturers sometimes adjust their prices before offering festival deals, potentially reducing the actual discount. On the other hand, FAME subsidies are fixed and directly reduce the vehicle's purchase cost. Therefore, if you're primarily looking at entry-level electric vehicles like scooters or bikes, PM E-Drive might offer a more substantial and stable financial benefit than waiting for festive discounts. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113239075" title="Drivers are feeling better about EV range and charging infrastructure, but still aren&amp;#39;t ready to go electric" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Should you buy now or wait?</h2>The decision to wait for the festival season or go ahead with the purchase largely depends on what you're looking for. If you're in the market for an electric two-wheeler or three-wheeler, the government subsidies under PM E-Drive — when they finally arrive — could be more beneficial than the temporary discounts during the festival season. However, if you're eyeing an electric car, especially a high-end one, the limited scope of PM E-Drive for passenger EVs might mean that festival offers provide better value. If you’re contemplating waiting for the festival season to purchase an electric two-wheeler, these festive offers could stack up alongside the PM E-Drive subsidies, if automakers integrate the scheme into their pricing by then. Festival deals may even provide additional perks such as easy EMI options and free service packages, which aren't typically covered under government schemes. Therefore, it's worth evaluating both festive deals and FAME subsidies to maximise savings. In conclusion, the launch of PM E-Drive brings a solid financial incentive to accelerate India's transition to <keyword id="20138204" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-mobility" source="keywords">electric mobility</keyword>. Those considering two- or three-wheelers may want to act quickly as these subsidies roll out, while car buyers might want to weigh their options as the festive season approaches.

Waiting for the festive season to buy an EV? Cabinet approves PM E-Drive subsidising most EVs, sans electric cars

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Department of Government Efficiency wouldn't be a department, but an outside advisory group.</li><li>Under current law, Congress needs to approve most budget changes, limiting the DOGE's power.</li></ul>President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a new effort to slash what he sees as federal inefficiency, with Elon Musk as cost-cutter-in-chief.Trump <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-cabinet-election-x-2024-9">made good on a campaign promise</a> when he tapped Musk to co-lead the proposed "Department of Government Efficiency," or DOGE, alongside former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.Musk says he wants to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget to make it more efficient and effective. Beyond that, though, little is known about how the DOGE will function and how much power it — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-adopts-elon-musk-plan-cut-government-spending-efficiency-reform-2024-9">and Musk</a> — will have.Musk did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment for this article. A representative for Ramaswamy declined to comment.<h2 id="2dc0c03e-9977-4403-9201-3d55e844524d">What do we know about the DOGE?</h2>Despite its name, the DOGE will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-doge-gets-a-government-checkmark-on-x-2024-11">not actually be a government department</a>, as departments are permanent and can only be created by Congress. Instead, it will function "outside of the government" and disband by July 4, 2026, Trump said in a statement.<div type="image" title="Trump and Musk at a rally" height="2584" width="4184" msid="115360794" hostid="261" sizebytes="161264"></div>The name DOGE is an homage to Musk's preferred cryptocurrency, Dogecoin, which shot up in value after Trump won the election. Under current law, the DOGE might not be able to accomplish much, since Congress controls federal spending."They have no power. No power at all," Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Brookings Institute who led efforts to reform the federal government under former President Bill Clinton, told Business Insider. "They do make recommendations, and once they make recommendations, the expectation is that the government will act on them."There's no guarantee that a recommendation will turn into a policy, especially given that many of the DOGE's suggestions will likely require congressional approval, Kamarck said.<h2 id="0f11a880-6c1f-4025-a722-a860ae33d16c">The DOGE's $2 trillion goal is something of a pipe dream.</h2>Federal spending <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-department-government-efficiency-doge-2024-11">reached $6.75 trillion in 2024</a>. Multiple experts told BI that it's unlikely Musk will be able to cut his desired $2 trillion without sacrificing programs that have wide bipartisan support or fall under federal mandatory spending, like Medicare and Social Security. Kamarck called the $2 trillion goal the "most unrealistic" part of the whole DOGE plan.Trump has long been preoccupied with cutting what he sees as Washington's waste and fraud."The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will ultimately be staffed and dedicated to this mission," Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for Trump's transition team, told BI in a statement.Quoting former Rep. Barney Frank, Kamarck said that excess federal spending is "marbled" <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-government-efficiency-what-us-spends-2024-11">throughout the budget</a>, like fat throughout a steak, making the DOGE's desired $2 trillion in cuts tricky."It just doesn't work, unless you decide to start cutting Social Security benefits or Medicare, at which point all hell breaks loose," she told BI. "And you know, the bromance between Trump and Musk will end very quickly."Known for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-efficiency-companies-tesla-spacex-x-2024-11">streamlining efficiency at his companies</a>, Musk says he wants to cut bureaucracy, shrink the federal workforce, and trim the number of federal agencies down to no more than 99 (there are currently <a target="_blank" href="https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies">more than 440</a>).Douglas Holtz-Eakin, the former director of the Congressional Budget Office, told BI that he doubted that the loosely defined group would be able to accomplish much given its sprawling $2 trillion target."It is hard for me to get seriously ginned up about it until there's a real structure there that suggests that this makes some sense and has a purpose," he said. "If something is designed to do everything, it will do nothing."<h2 id="6bcaf431-1be5-4839-9b83-d0f24a7146cf">The DOGE will exist "outside of government."</h2>In one scenario, the DOGE could function as an advisory committee, which Trump can create through an executive order. The president-elect said the DOGE will work with the Office of Management and Budget, which prepares the president's budget request for Congress."They have made clear that this is a non-governmental department, which is not a familiar term, and so it's not really clear how the organization will operate because of that," Lisa Gilbert, co-president of the progressive nonprofit advocacy group Public Citizen, told BI. "It might be an advisory committee of non-governmental actors, but even from that posture, it won't have the authority to alter budgets or fire employees or rescind regulations."<div type="image" title="Donald Trump and Elon Musk" height="1910" width="2707" msid="115360796" hostid="261" sizebytes="118134"></div>Kamarck said that there are specific rules laying out how much interaction external committees can have with the government, but it's not clear how Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy envision the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-doge-hiring-staff-how-to-apply-2024-11">internal infrastructure of the DOGE</a>."How are they going to talk to each other? How are they going to meet with each other? Are they going to go talk to anybody in the government, or are they just going to make up things from 50 miles away?" she said.On November 14, the DOGE <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/DOGE/status/1857076831104434289">said in a post on X</a> that it is seeking "super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ per week on unglamorous cost-cutting." Musk said on his <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1857112441529700671">personal X account</a> that the positions will not be paid.<h2 id="4c25da3e-39de-44e2-a1c5-c7249f9fc728">Trump has talked about changing a key law that limits his federal spending power.</h2>Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy may try to circumvent the congressional obstacles standing in the way of their cost-cutting agenda. Last year, Trump expressed interest in going after the Impoundment Control Act, a 1974 provision that requires the president spend funds that Congress has appropriated."Bringing back Impoundment will give us a crucial tool with which to obliterate the Deep State, Drain the Swamp, and starve the Warmongers," the president-elect <a target="_blank" href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/agenda47-using-impoundment-to-cut-waste-stop-inflation-and-crush-the-deep-state">said in a video</a> in June 2023.Holtz-Eakin said attempting to skirt the impoundment act would be like rewriting history, and Kamarck told BI that any attempt to not spend money that Congress has appropriated poses big Constitutional questions."If he tries to change the law so that he can impound funds, my guess is there'll be a fight in the Congress and he'll lose," she said.<h2 id="4956dc95-91da-4028-b1b3-d843a1509397">Musk could bump up against many conflicts of interest but likely wouldn't have to divest from his companies.</h2>If the DOGE is a federal advisory committee, Musk and Ramaswamy would likely be "special government employees," who are experts or consultants that can work for a federal agency or the White House for up to 130 days. They do not get paid and, crucially, would not have to divest from their companies."They've been clear also that they're staying in their roles as the heads of companies and in other places," Gilbert said. "Not being a part of government means they don't have to deconflict themselves."In a press release for Public Citizen, Gilbert said that Musk's "own businesses have regularly run afoul of the very rules he will be in position to attack" as the DOGE co-lead.<div type="image" title="Donald Trump and Vivek Ramaswamy" height="5504" width="8256" msid="115360795" hostid="261" sizebytes="4296554"></div>In the role, Musk and Ramaswamy would still be bound to federal ethics laws and have to recuse themselves from conversations that affect them personally, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-14/doge-what-can-musk-do-with-the-department-of-government-efficiency?srnd=homepage-americas">Bloomberg</a> reported. With his companies under investigation from at least 20 federal regulatory agencies and SpaceX having more than $15 billion in federal contracts, Musk could face many such conflicts.Kamarck said that there's no "firm line" about when employees need to take themselves out of discussions, but that lawyers address questions on a case-by-case basis.Musk has expressed public frustration with what he views as overbearing federal oversight, which he said has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/us/politics/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-trump.html">slowed down his pace of business</a>.By law, meetings of advisory committees, like the kind the DOGE could be, need to be open, and Musk has no problem with the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-doge-leaderboard-federal-government-spending-trump-2024-11">transparency</a> — in fact, he seems to invite it. In a post on X, the billionaire promised to post all of the group's actions online <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-leaderboard-government-spending-marketing-genius-doge-donald-trump-2024-11">"for maximum transparency</a>" and said the public should chime in with their opinions.It's also possible the group might intentionally avoid becoming a federal committee because of the increased oversight and scrutiny, Holtz-Eakin said."It's not a federal committee as far as I can tell," he said. "I think that's deliberate. If you do that, then you're subject to lots of things like a conflict of interest you have to sign off on, and I think that would be a nightmare for Mr. Musk. And so they're not going to let it tiptoe toward federal jurisdiction."Until Trump actually forms the DOGE, if he ever does, the legal and bureaucratic details remain murky, and the experts BI spoke with aren't convinced that it will work well."It sounds a little screwy, frankly," Kamarck said.

How Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency could actually work

Singapore: <keyword id="20036942" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Singapore-Airlines" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Singapore Airlines" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Singapore Airlines">Singapore Airlines</keyword> on Friday said it has received approval from the Indian government for the foreign direct investment as part of the proposed merger of <keyword id="20018887" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vistara" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Vistara" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Vistara">Vistara</keyword> with <keyword id="19896871" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Air India" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Air India">Air India</keyword>, a deal that will create one of the world's largest airline groups. With the clearance in place, the merger that will see Singapore Airlines acquiring a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India, is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The proposed merger was announced in November 2022. Air India is owned by <keyword id="19924335" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tata Group" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Tata Group">Tata Group</keyword> and Vistara is a 51:49 joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines. In a regulatory filing on Friday, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said it has received approval from the Government of India for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the enlarged Air India as part of the proposed merger. "The FDI approval, together with anti-trust and merger control clearances and approvals, as well as other governmental and <keyword id="19941849" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="regulatory-approvals" source="keywords">regulatory approvals</keyword> received to-date, represent a significant development towards the completion of the proposed merger," the airline said in the filing to the Singapore Stock Exchange. The airline also said the completion of the merger continues to be subject to compliance by the parties with applicable Indian laws, which is currently expected to be completed in the next few months. "At this juncture, completion of the proposed merger is anticipated to occur by the end of 2024," it added. According to Singapore Airlines, the parties are in discussions to extend the long stop date for the completion of the merger. Earlier, it was expected to be October 31, 2024. The merger, which will create one of the biggest airline groups, was approved by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in June. In March, Singapore's competition regulator CCCS gave a conditional nod for the proposed deal. Prior to that in September 2023, the deal received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI), subject to certain conditions. "SIA will make the necessary announcement(s) upon completion of the proposed merger or in the event that there are other significant developments," the filing said on Friday.

Singapore Airlines gets FDI nod from Indian govt for Vistara-Air India merger

<keyword id="19938772" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries-Ltd" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries Ltd" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Reliance Industries Ltd">Reliance Industries Ltd</keyword> has got <keyword id="20556884" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="government-approval" source="keywords">government approval</keyword> for making additional investments in developing gas reserves in its <keyword id="21402331" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="KG-D6" source="keywords">KG-D6</keyword> block in the <keyword id="19929177" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bay-of-Bengal" source="keywords">Bay of Bengal</keyword> that can add 4 to 5 million standard cubic meters per day to the production, a company official said. Reliance and its partner bp Plc currently produce around 30 mmscmd or about 30 per cent of India's gas production, from the KG-D6 block. At an investors' call announcing the fourth quarter earnings, Sanjay Roy, senior vice-president for exploration and production at <keyword id="19896380" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries" source="keywords">Reliance Industries</keyword> Ltd, said the development plan for incremental production has been approved by the government. "One good aspect of this quarter gone by was that we had an incremental development plan approved by the government, which has the potential to deliver incremental production of 4 to 5 million standard cubic meters (per day) in the coming few years, which would augment the production that we have," he said. He, however, did not give details of the investment approved. Reliance-bp produces some 30 mmscmd of gas from three sets of discoveries in the deep-sea KG-DWN-98/3 or KG-D6 block, the last - MJ oil and gas field - being put into production in May 2023. All three sets of discoveries, with MJ being the deepest, were made more than a decade back and have been progressively put into production. Prior to that, they had brought the R-Cluster field to production in December 2020 and the Satellite Cluster in April 2021. KG-D6 has helped domestic production of natural gas, which is used to generate electricity, make fertilizer or turned into CNG for running automobiles or piped to kitchens for cooking, touching a multi-year high of 99 mmscmd. Total gas demand in the country is around 188 mmscmd, with the difference being met through imports. "When we look at the (domestic) production, we can see clearly there's been a sharp increase in production since FY21. And although the overall domestic production, besides KG-D6, has been flat, KG-D6 production is almost 90 per cent of the incremental domestic gas production," Roy said. Reliance is the operator of the KG-D6 block with a 66.67 per cent stake and bp holds the remaining 33.33 per cent. Reliance has so far made 19 gas discoveries in the KG-D6 block. Of these, D-1 and D-3 -- the largest among the lot -- were brought into production in April 2009, and MA, the only oilfield in the block, was put into production in September 2008. While the MA field stopped producing in September 2018, output from D-1 and D-3 ceased in February 2020. Since then, Reliance-bp invested USD 5 billion in bringing to production three deepwater gas projects in block KG-D6 -- R-Cluster, Satellites Cluster, and MJ. The MJ field is located about 2,000 metres directly below the Dhirubhai-1 and 3 (D1 and D3) fields. It is a high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT), gas and condensate field. Besides gas, it is to produce 25,000 barrels of condensate per day at peak. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/google-pixel-8a-may-be-more-expensive-than-its-predecessor-as-per-a-new-leak/articleshow/109499394.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/google-pixel-8a-may-be-more-expensive-than-its-predecessor-as-per-a-new-leak/articleshow/109499394.cms" target="_blank">Google Pixel 8a may be more expensive than its predecessor, as per a new leak</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/best-smartphones-under-25000-in-india/slidelist/109529634.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/best-smartphones-under-25000-in-india/slidelist/109529634.cms" target="_blank">Best smartphones under ₹25,000 in India</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/webstories/at-17-indian-chess-prodigy-d-gukesh-becomes-youngest-challenger-for-world-championship/slidelist/109492021.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/webstories/at-17-indian-chess-prodigy-d-gukesh-becomes-youngest-challenger-for-world-championship/slidelist/109492021.cms" target="_blank">At 17, Indian chess prodigy D Gukesh becomes youngest challenger for World Championship</a>

Reliance Industries wins govt nod for additional investment to raise KG-D6 gas output

In a major step toward protecting students and their families, the Indian government has issued new guidelines aimed at curbing misleading advertisements by coaching centres. The Centre's crackdown addresses exaggerated claims like “100% selection” or “guaranteed job security” — promises that often lead to disappointment among students who invest time and money expecting a near-certain outcome. <h2>Protecting consumers, not shutting down coaching</h2>On Wednesday, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) rolled out these guidelines in response to numerous complaints from the National Consumer Helpline. According to <keyword id="20003684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="consumer-affairs" source="keywords">Consumer Affairs</keyword> Secretary Nidhi Khare, the government’s goal is not to shut down coaching centres but to ensure their ads don’t “undermine consumer rights.” “We have seen coaching centres deliberately concealing information from prospective students,” Khare said. “Therefore, we have come out with the guidelines to provide guidance to people involved in the coaching industry.” So far, the CCPA has issued 54 notices to violators and imposed penalties of around Rs 54.60 lakh. <h2>What’s prohibited?</h2>The guidelines lay out strict boundaries on what coaching centres can — and cannot — say in their ads. Here’s what the guidelines address: <ul><li>False Claims: Ads should not make unsubstantiated promises about “100% selection” or “100% job security.”</li><li>Course Details: No exaggerating or omitting information about courses, their duration, or outcomes.</li><li>Faculty Credentials: Qualifications of teachers must be presented accurately, with no fake credentials.</li><li>Fees and Refunds: All fees and refund policies must be transparent.</li><li>Selection Rates and Ranks: Coaching centres cannot claim high selection rates or exam rankings without proof.</li></ul>Additionally, they are not allowed to use successful candidates’ names, photos, or testimonials in ads without written consent from these individuals. Khare advised students to double-check the information provided by coaching centres. “Many UPSC students clear prelims and mains on their own and take only interview guidance from coaching centres,” she explained, encouraging students to verify the course details actually taken by successful candidates. The guidelines go beyond the broad term “coaching.” They define coaching as academic support, education, guidance, study programs, and tuition — but they exclude counselling, sports, and creative activities. The purpose of this definition is to keep the focus on academic and career-oriented programs, which are most prone to misleading ads. <h2>Full disclosure and consequences for violators</h2>Transparency is now mandatory, as coaching centres must display disclaimers and reveal essential course details. Facilities, infrastructure, and resources must be represented accurately, along with any required approvals or recognitions from authorities like AICTE or UGC. Khare, who also serves as the CCPA chief, stressed that coaching centres should accurately present the service, resources, and infrastructure provided. For instance, if they advertise “fully-equipped classrooms,” the guidelines require this to be an honest description. These guidelines come as a supplement to existing laws and are enforceable under the Consumer Protection Act. This means violators will face penalties, potentially similar to the Rs 54.60 lakh already imposed by the CCPA. The government hopes these new standards will push coaching centres to keep their ads honest, helping students and families make better-informed decisions. (With inputs from agencies)

No More False Promises: Government sets rules to prevent misleading and exaggerated coaching centre ads

<ul class="summary-list"><li>China has announced a local government debt rescue program days after Trump won the US election.</li><li>Trump has threatened tariffs of 60% on Chinese goods, complicating China's economic gloom.</li></ul>China announced a debt rescue program to the tune of $1.4 trillion to save heavily indebted local governments and boost its economy.China's Standing Committee of the National People's Congress — its top legislative body — approved 6 trillion Chinese yuan to refinance local governments' hidden debt over three years, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2024/1108/c1001-40357125.html">Xinhua state news agency.</a>Hidden debt refers to off-balance sheet liabilities issued by local government financing vehicles, or LGFV, to finance infrastructure investment.The plan also allows local governments to tap 4 trillion yuan in special local bonds over five years.The announcement came after the legislative body met from Monday to Friday.China's local governments have been struggling to repay their LGFV debt, which the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/2024/08/01/Peoples-Republic-of-China-2024-Article-IV-Consultation-Press-Release-Staff-Report-and-552803">International Monetary Fund</a> estimated to be around 60 trillion as of last year. It's another risk to China's economy, which has been struggling with a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-real-estate-property-market-speculation-debt-crackdown-xi-jinping-2023-8?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">property crisis,</a> deflation, and high youth unemployment.Reuters reported last week that China's top legislative body was considering a plan to raise $1.4 trillion in extra debt over the next few years to fund part of an economic rescue package.As early as Monday, Chinese Premier Li Kiang drummed up market expectations for more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-li-qiang-fiscal-stimulus-market-sentiment-us-election-2024-11">economic stimulus</a>, saying Beijing has "ample space for fiscal policy and monetary policy."The bumper stimulus came on the heels of Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election earlier this week, which is likely to change Washington and Beijing's trade relationship.A China hawk, Trump has pledged to slap <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-us-economy-would-look-like-with-trump-biden-presidency-2024-5?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">a 10% to 20% tariff</a> on all imported goods. He has threatened tariffs of 60% on goods imported from China.This would put further pressure on China's economy, which is still trying to recover following nearly three years of pandemic curbs.In late September, China rolled out <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-aggressive-monetary-stimulus-interest-rate-rrr-2024-9?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">aggressive stimulus</a> that boosted sentiment and spurred a bull run in the stock markets. However, analysts say that Beijing still needs to do more to drive consumption.If Beijing's latest stimulus disappoints, it may be in part due to China's own policy conflicts between its socio-political and economic objectives and the constraints, Vishnu Varathan, Mizuho Bank's chief economist of Asia excluding Japan, wrote in a note a week before the debt rescue announcement.Notably, China may be still holding back to avoid one thing: "the optics of over-reacting to US elections," wrote Varathan.

China just announced an $1.4 trillion plan to rescue its local governments

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Trump picked Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to co-lead DOGE, a new government efficiency commission.</li><li>Their aim is to cut government spending, and one idea they've floated is to ax federal agencies.</li></ul>Elon Musk's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-department-government-efficiency-doge-2024-11">government efficiency commission</a> could end up costing some federal workers their jobs.As he and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy begin to outline their priorities as leaders of the Trump-created Department of Government Efficiency, one of them seems to be eliminating government agencies.Most recently, Ramaswamy <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vivek-ramaswamy-doge-wants-to-delete-entire-federal-agencies-2024-11">told</a> Fox News, "We expect certain agencies to be deleted outright."Over 2 million Americans collect their paychecks from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.gao.gov/blog/combatting-discrimination-our-nations-largest-employer-federal-government">the federal government</a>, so Business Insider looked into which agencies employ the most people and what they pay on average.When asked about areas the commission would prioritize for spending cuts, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition, previously told BI: "The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver."<h2 id="e6f6b74e-0829-43a1-a382-8c22ea402f53">The US government is the largest employer in the country</h2>The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.fedscope.opm.gov/ibmcognos/bi/?perspective=dashboard&amp;pathRef=.public_folders%2FFSe%2B-%2BEmployment%2BDashboards%2FEmployment%2B-%2BCurrent%2BMonth&amp;id=i7402E6149B934CAAA867A1B58E0B4ECE&amp;objRef=i7402E6149B934CAAA867A1B58E0B4ECE&amp;options%5Bcollections%5D%5BcanvasExtension%5D%5Bid%5D=com.ibm.bi.dashboard.canvasExtension&amp;options%5Bcollections%5D%5BfeatureExtension%5D%5Bid%5D=com.ibm.bi.dashboard.core-features&amp;options%5Bcollections%5D%5Bbuttons%5D%5Bid%5D=com.ibm.bi.dashboard.buttons&amp;options%5Bcollections%5D%5Bwidget%5D%5Bid%5D=com.ibm.bi.dashboard.widgets&amp;options%5Bcollections%5D%5BcontentFeatureExtension%5D%5Bid%5D=com.ibm.bi.dashboard.content-features&amp;options%5Bcollections%5D%5BboardModel%5D%5Bid%5D=com.ibm.bi.dashboard.boardModelExtension&amp;options%5Bcollections%5D%5BsaveServices%5D%5Bid%5D=com.ibm.bi.dashboard.saveServices&amp;options%5Bcollections%5D%5BserviceExtension%5D%5Bid%5D=com.ibm.bi.dashboard.serviceExtension&amp;options%5Bcollections%5D%5BlayoutExtension%5D%5Bid%5D=com.ibm.bi.dashboard.layoutExtension&amp;options%5Bcollections%5D%5BvisualizationExtension%5D%5Bid%5D=com.ibm.bi.dashboard.visualizationExtensionCA&amp;options%5Bcollections%5D%5BcolorSetExtensions%5D%5Bid%5D=com.ibm.bi.dashboard.colorSetExtensions&amp;options%5Bconfig%5D%5BsmartTitle%5D=false&amp;options%5Bconfig%5D%5BeditPropertiesLabel%5D=true&amp;options%5Bconfig%5D%5BnavigationGroupAction%5D=true&amp;options%5Bconfig%5D%5BenableDataQuality%5D=false&amp;options%5Bconfig%5D%5BmemberCalculation%5D=false&amp;options%5Bconfig%5D%5BassetTags%5D%5B%5D=dashboard&amp;options%5Bconfig%5D%5BfilterDock%5D=true&amp;options%5Bconfig%5D%5BshowMembers%5D=true&amp;options%5Bconfig%5D%5BassetType%5D=exploration&amp;options%5Bconfig%5D%5BgeoService%5D=CA&amp;subView=model00000185985349dc_00000000&amp;isAuthoringMode=false&amp;boardId=i7402E6149B934CAAA867A1B58E0B4ECE">US Office of Personnel Management</a> showed eight cabinet-level agencies, which are at the center of the executive branch and have heads that report directly to the president, had over 100,000 civilian employees as of March.Almost half a million people were employed in the Department of Veterans Affairs, while the Department of Education had just over 4,000. The Treasury Department had over 100,000 employees as of March. The overwhelming majority of those — about 94,000 — were employed in the Internal Revenue Service.Most departments had six-figure average salaries, with the Department of Education and the Department of Energy having the highest averages.During Ramaswamy's Sunday <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vivek-ramaswamy-doge-wants-to-delete-entire-federal-agencies-2024-11">appearance</a> on Fox News, he said, "We expect mass reductions in force in areas of the federal government that are bloated."While neither Trump, Musk, nor Ramaswamy has made clear which departments could be on the chopping block, Trump has targeted the Department of Education in the past, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tscgWCBbeao">saying in 2023</a>: "One other thing I'll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington DC, and sending all education and education work and needs back to the states."Musk <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsYKhVtvm3k">said</a> during October remarks that while the commission's goal is to cut spending by reducing head count, he would consider giving impacted workers "very long severances" that could amount to two years' pay."The point is not to be cruel or to have people not be able to pay their mortgage or anything," Musk said during his October remarks. "We just have too many people in the government sector, and they could be more productive elsewhere."The US Office of Personnel Management <a target="_blank" href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-administration/fact-sheets/severance-pay/">wrote on its website</a> that "severance pay is authorized for full-time and part-time employees who are involuntarily separated from Federal service and who meet other conditions of eligibility." A spokesperson for the office told BI that the severance policy is up to date, and it "cannot comment on the actions of future administrations."DOGE is not an official government agency. Past commissions on government spending, like the Grace Commission under former President Ronald Reagan, gave the president and Congress advice on areas to cut. The two leaders of the initiative have started to detail the areas of government spending they're looking to target.While DOGE can advise Trump on agencies to cut, the president-elect cannot act on it alone — making major changes to federal agencies would require congressional approval.Plus, DOGE's goals could still change. It's unclear how exactly the commission will function and whether Congress will approve Musk and Ramaswamy's spending cuts. BI <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-government-efficiency-what-us-spends-2024-11">previously reported</a> that the US spent $6.75 trillion in fiscal year 2024. With Social Security, health programs, and Medicare topping the spending list, they could be on the commission's chopping block. However, Medicare and Social Security are forms of mandatory spending that would require legislation to change.Are you employed by the federal government and have a story to share? Reach out to these reporters at <a target="_blank" class="" href="mailto:asheffey@businessinsider.com">asheffey@businessinsider.com</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="mailto:mhoff@businessinsider.com">mhoff@businessinsider.com</a>.

Musk's DOGE wants to 'delete' entire government agencies. Here's where the most people are employed and what they make.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Trump tapped Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to co-lead a new Department of Government Efficiency.</li><li>The aim of the department is to cut government spending.</li></ul>President-elect Donald Trump has chosen <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-department-government-efficiency-doge-2024-11">his picks to help cut government spending</a>. Areas like transportation and education could face heightened scrutiny.On Tuesday, Trump selected Tesla CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-tesla-spacex-x-department-government-efficiency-jobs-2024-11">Elon Musk</a> and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to co-lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, or <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/dogecoin-price-market-value-ford-crypto-boom-trump-elon-musk-2024-11">DOGE </a>— an acronym that matches a dog-themed meme that Musk has frequently referenced.The department does not currently exist as a government agency, so Musk and Ramaswamy's role would likely entail offering advice to Trump on areas to cut spending, which Congress would then need to approve.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/federal-spending/#spending-categories">Data</a> from the Treasury Department shows that the government spent $6.75 trillion in fiscal year 2024, resulting in a deficit. The highest amounts of spending came from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Social Security Administration, and the Treasury Department.Social Security accounted for $1.46 trillion of the spending, health accounted for $912 billion, and Medicare made up $874 billion of the government spending over the past year.Trump said in the announcement that the office would "provide advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management &amp; Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before."Every year, Congress has to approve discretionary spending through the annual appropriations process. That includes areas like the $305 billion spent on education and other social services and the $137 billion spent on transportation.Social Security and Medicare are forms of mandatory spending that do not require annual congressional approval and would require legislation to change.Musk said during a Trump rally prior to the election that he would identify at least $2 trillion in spending cuts, which would amount to nearly a third of total government spending, including the mandatory retirement security programs.Trump said that Musk and Ramaswamy's work will be concluded "no later than July 4, 2026." While it's unclear what the government efficiency department will advise, Trump has previously <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-under-trump-biden-debt-relief-efforts-stalled-2024-11">suggested</a> shutting down government agencies, like the Education Department, to reduce inefficiency. Ramaswamy has echoed that sentiment, voicing support for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/candidate-vivek-ramaswamy-wants-shut-down-fbi-replace-it-2023-4">shutting down a range of agencies</a>, including the IRS and the FBI.Trump alone could not close a federal agency — doing so would require congressional approval.Karoline Leavitt, a Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman, said in a statement to Business Insider: "The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver." She did not elaborate on the areas the government efficiency commission would prioritize for spending cuts.Musk also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1856520760656797801">wrote</a> on X on Tuesday that all of the department's actions will be posted online "for maximum transparency" and that "anytime the public thinks we are cutting something important or not cutting something wasteful, just let us know!"

Elon Musk is looking to cut government waste. Here's what the US spends money on right now.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Spain's eastern province of Valencia was hit hard by intense flooding last week.</li><li>The government has pledged $11 billion to help it recover, but local authorities want $34 billion.</li></ul>Spain said it will give about $11 billion to help restore Valencia after flash floods hammered the province last week — but local authorities there want three times that amount.Historic, deadly flash floods — brought about by torrential rainfall — hit the area last week, killing at least 211, regional emergency services <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/GVA112/status/1853698255730942163">said</a> on Wednesday.Spain's State Meteorological <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spain-flooding-51-dead-in-valencia-region-economic-hub-2024-10">Agency</a> said last week that it was the province's most severe storm since 1987.During a press conference on Tuesday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said his government had <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/sanchezcastejon/status/1853796678265938374">approved</a> $11.55 billion in loans and grants to help storm and flood victims.However, a day earlier, the province's president, Carlos Mazón, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/carlos_mazon_/status/1853555363678728545">said</a> local authorities had asked for an initial package equivalent to about $34 billion."The measures will serve to rebuild, relaunch, and mitigate the effects" of the storm, Mazón told reporters.<div type="image" title="Satellite images of the Valencia province before and after flash floods on October 25, 2022 (left), and October 30, 2024 (right)." height="480" width="640" msid="114986283" hostid="261" sizebytes="62758"></div>On Saturday, Valencia's Chamber of Commerce <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.camaravalencia.com/noticias/informe-sobre-danos-provocados-por-la-dana-en-los-municipios-mas-afectados-y-consecuencias-sobre-la-actividad-economica/">estimated</a> that up to 4,500 businesses had suffered notable damage, with potentially 1,800 severely impacted.The floods affected many economic sectors, including agriculture, industry, and services, it said.Automaking remains Valencia's most <a target="_blank" href="https://www.investinspain.org/en/regions/comunidad-valenciana/industrias-destacadas?#nameRegion">important industry</a>.Cristina del Rey, the communications director for Ford Spain, told BI last week that her company's Valencia plant had not suffered direct damage from the floods but was shut on Wednesday and Thursday.According to a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://fundacionaon.es/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/BAROMETRO-DE-CATASTROFES-2021.pdf">report</a> from the Aon Spain Foundation, a private foundation that works to prevent and assist with natural disasters, the annual cost of natural disasters in Spain between 2016 and 2021, including floods, was between $940 million and $2.5 billion.Local authorities on Sunday <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/GVA112/status/1853692672327721128/photo/1">said</a> that the heavy rains — part of a phenomenon known as "cold drops" — had caused "unprecedented" damage to infrastructure and human life.The provisional death toll put it among the most serious natural disasters in Western Europe in recent years. Widespread flooding in July 2021 killed more than 200 people in Belgium, Germany, and surrounding countries.At a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1ynJODVpRdXxR">press conference</a> on Tuesday, Sánchez declared Valencia a disaster area, paving the way for extra funding for local authorities.He said about 15,000 soldiers and police officers had been dispatched to the province, as well as 287 forest brigaders, around a hundred customs officers, 44 forensic physicians, and 600 specialized vehicles for pumping, cleaning, and supplying the affected areas.Sánchez added that 98% of affected households now had power, and about 25 miles of roads and 46 miles of railway tracks had been repaired."We must continue working with more resources, more coordination, and greater effort until normality returns to all the municipalities and to all the homes affected by this tragedy," he said.

Counting the cost of Spain's hellish floods, the government pledged $11B, local officials want $34B

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The FTC is targeting companies that use AI tools or make claims about AI for deceptive practices.</li><li>The crackdown includes firms that sell AI tools for fake reviews or misleading services.</li></ul>The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on companies selling AI tools that it says harm consumers. But some experts, and even some FTC commissioners, worry the agency could do more harm than good.The FTC said last week it had targeted five companies that used artificial intelligence "to supercharge deceptive or unfair conduct that harms consumers."One company claimed to sell AI "lawyer" services, and multiple companies deceptively claimed to sell AI tools to help build online stores. Another company, Rytr, has offered an AI writing assistant since 2021. The FTC says the tool offers a feature that generates fake testimonials and reviews.The FTC said in court documents that Rytr's service can quickly generate an unlimited number of "genuine-sounding reviews" with minimal input from the user. The complaint says the tool's "likely only use" is to post fake reviews that deceive consumers and "pollute the marketplace with a glut of fake reviews."In August, the FTC announced it would seek more civil penalties against companies that use fake reviews to boost products or website traffic and strengthen regulations around similar practices."Consumers rely on reviews for fair and accurate information about products and services, and fake reviews can give consumers a false impression of a product or service's quality," the complaint says.As annoying as fake reviews can be, not everyone is on board with the FTC crackdown.Neil Chilson, the head of AI policy at Abundance Institute, a tech nonprofit, and a former acting chief technologist at the FTC, told Bloomberg that the action against Rytr is an "extremely aggressive" use of authority for the agency."It worries me about the effect it would have," Chilson told the outlet. "The legal uncertainty of, 'If someone does something bad with my product, is the FTC going to sue me?'"Commission members voted 3 to 2 on party lines to approve the action against the companies, with two Republican commissioners dissenting.In her dissent, Republican commissioner Melissa Holyoak wrote that misguided enforcement can stifle innovation and competition in all industries, "especially evolving ones like artificial intelligence."

Why not everyone is on board with a government crackdown on deceptive online AI products

<ul class="summary-list"><li>President Joe Biden on Sunday approved $567 million in defense aid for Taiwan.</li><li>It is the largest aid package that US has ever sent to Taiwan.</li></ul>President Joe Biden on Sunday said the US will send Taiwan its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-send-taiwan-largest-ever-security-package-officials-china-threat-2024-9">largest-ever security package</a> amid rising tensions with China.The $567 million in aid will be used for "defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan," the White House <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/09/29/memorandum-on-the-delegation-of-authority-under-section-506a3-of-the-foreign-assistance-act-of-1961-2/">said</a>.The figure is nearly double the amount the US sent in a previous $345 million package last year.China struck a defiant tone in response to the aid."No matter how many weapons the United States supplies to Taiwan, it will never weaken our firm will in opposing Taiwanese independence, and safeguarding China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/xw/fyrbt/lxjzh/202409/t20240930_11501474.html">in a press conference</a>.Lin also said the move "seriously violates" the One-China principle, which is the diplomatic acknowledgment that there is just one Chinese government.China has repeatedly criticized US support for Taiwan, which it claims is Chinese territory and not a separate state.The island declared its autonomy from the mainland in 1949 when nationalist rebels fled there after the Communists won the civil war. But with <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ray-dalio-us-china-relations-red-lines-chips-taiwan-2023-10">China</a> growing increasingly powerful, China's leader, Xi Jinping, has placed seizing back control of Taiwan as a key priority.Phil Davidson, the former US Indo-Pacific commander, <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/21-10_03-09-2021.pdf">said</a> in 2021 that China may invade Taiwan by 2027.<h2 id="eae59001-245c-4ae0-933d-cd1000523ef0">Spotting Chinese attack</h2>The scale of Chinese military activity around Taiwan is believed to be getting larger, as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-send-taiwan-largest-ever-security-package-officials-china-threat-2024-9">previously reported by Business Insider.</a>In May China carried out <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-taiwan-drills-looked-like-rehearsal-for-invasion-us-admiral-2024-5">two-day drills near Taiwan</a>, which included a fleet of nearly 50 ships and bombers that carried out mock attacks.The drills "looked like a rehearsal" for an invasion, Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific region, said at the time. He added that the US had been prioritizing deterrence in the region.Speaking to <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.ft.com/content/3402d159-418c-4485-abb4-7e2155288d61">reporters earlier this month</a>, Taiwan's defense minister said it will become harder to spot early signs of a Chinese attack due to its growing military activity."The scale of [China's military] activity is getting larger and larger, and so it is harder to discern when they might be shifting from training to a large exercise, and from an exercise to war," Wellington Koo said, per the Financial Times.<h2 id="26619937-ecd2-402a-b12d-f1f662cdef72">The US response</h2>For decades, the US has adopted "<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-arming-taiwan-against-china-invasion-but-it-could-backfire-2023-11">strategic ambiguity</a>" toward Taiwan, declining to say outright whether it would come to Taiwan's aid if China attacked.There has been a shift in tone in recent months. Rather than Biden <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://time.com/6984968/joe-biden-transcript-2024-interview/">has</a> <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/21/politics/taiwan-china-biden-town-hall/index.html">repeatedly</a> <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/president-joe-biden-taiwan-60-minutes-2022-09-18/">suggested</a> the US would <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/president-joe-biden-60-minutes-interview-transcript-2022-09-18/">respond</a> militarily if China declared war on Taiwan.War in Taiwan could have a steep global cost. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-01-09/if-china-invades-taiwan-it-would-cost-world-economy-10-trillion?embedded-checkout=true">Bloomberg Economics</a> estimated in January that it would cost around $10 trillion, equal to about 10% of global GDP.As BI's Tom Porter previously noted, Biden is treading a line between not aggravating China's nationalist president and providing <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taiwans-outlying-islands-are-on-the-frontline-with-china-2022-12">Taiwan</a> with the weapons it needs to potentially fend off China's vast military.Xi is also trying to find a balance given it remains dependent on Western markets and American investment.Jim Hoare, a former British diplomat and China expert, told BI that the package could "hardly be a surprise" to China, considering that US support for Taiwan has been consistent over the years."China may stage more 'provocations' around Taiwan as they have been doing regularly in the last few years," said Hoare, "but economic links with the US are vital for China's economy so I doubt they will do much more."

Biden approved Taiwan's biggest security package yet. China says the military aid won't deter it.

<keyword id="23188764" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="World-Tourism-Day-2024" source="Orion">World Tourism Day 2024</keyword> is celebrated every year on September 27 to show how important tourism is for the world. It focuses on how tourism helps bring people together, supports the economy, and shares cultures. This year <keyword id="22517201" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Tourism-Day" source="keywords">World Tourism Day</keyword> is focusing on the connection between tourism and world peace. The United Nations is highlighting the importance of understanding different cultures and promoting sustainable tourism. <h2>History of World Tourism Day</h2>World Tourism Day has been celebrated on September 27 since 1980. This date marks the anniversary of when the Statutes of the UN's tourism organisation were adopted in 1970, an important step for global tourism. The timing of the day is perfect as it falls at the end of the busy travel season in the northern hemisphere and the start of the season in the southern hemisphere. In October 1997, the <keyword id="19949373" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNWTO" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="UNWTO" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="UNWTO">UNWTO</keyword> decided to have a different host country each year to partner in celebrating World Tourism Day. This day is important for raising awareness of how tourism affects social, cultural, political, and economic values around the world. <h2>Host country for this year</h2>In 2024, Georgia, a country known for its rich history, culture, and beautiful landscapes, will host World Tourism Day. Located between Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Georgia offers a unique mix of cultures. It is famous for its ancient churches, wine regions, and stunning mountains. Tourism in Georgia has been growing quickly, drawing millions of visitors from around the world. With its scenic beauty, Georgia is the ideal place to showcase how tourism promotes peace and cultural exchange. <h2>Theme for this year</h2>The theme for World Tourism Day 2024 is "<keyword id="23301034" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tourism-and-Peace" source="keywords">Tourism and Peace</keyword>." Tourism plays an important role in promoting peace by bringing people from different cultures together and helping the economies of host countries. As people travel and experience new cultures, it leads to more understanding and tolerance. Tourism can break down barriers and build strong connections between nations. It also helps local communities by creating jobs and encouraging sustainable practices, which supports peace and prosperity in the long run. <h2>Indian Government initiatives to promote tourism</h2>The Indian government is working to improve tourism with several initiatives and schemes. Some key efforts include: E-Visa Facility: Nationals from 167 countries can now apply for e-visas online under seven categories, like e-Tourist and e-Business visas. The fees have been lowered to make travel more affordable. Swadesh Darshan Scheme: Started in 2014-15, this scheme creates theme-based tourist circuits across India. By 2023-24, 73 projects have been completed, with a total investment of ₹5,294.11 crore. Swadesh Darshan 2.0: This updated scheme focuses on developing 57 destinations across 32 states and Union Territories for integrated tourism development. PRASHAD Scheme: Aimed at improving infrastructure at pilgrimage sites, 46 projects have been approved so far, with ₹1,621.13 crore set aside for their development. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/international/webstories/world-tourism-day-2024-exploring-the-10-most-peaceful-countries-on-earth/slidelist/113590691.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">World Tourism Day 2024: Exploring the 10 most peaceful countries on Earth</a>

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