NASA Fires Chief Scientist On Trump's Order, More Job Cuts To Come

NASA announced Tuesday the dismissal of its chief scientist and others to comply with orders from President Donald Trump, marking the latest in a series of administration actions undermining climate change research.

While the move affects only 23 people, a spokeswoman indicated more cuts are coming.

The first round notably eliminates the Office of the Chief Scientist, led by Katherine Calvin, a renowned climatologist who contributed to key UN climate reports. She and other US delegates were also barred from attending a major climate science meeting in China last month.

"To optimize our workforce, and in compliance with an Executive Order, NASA is beginning its phased approach to a reduction in force, known as a RIF," agency spokeswoman Cheryl Warner said.

"A small number of individuals received notification March 10 they are a part of NASA's RIF. If they're eligible, those employees may opt to participate in the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, or VERA, or complete the RIF process."

Also eliminated are the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Branch of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

NASA has so far avoided the deep cuts affecting other agencies, reportedly due to last minute intervention by Jared Isaacman, Trump's nominee for NASA chief. Isaacman, an e-payments billionaire and SpaceX customer, is seen as close to Elon Musk -- Trump's key advisor and architect of federal cost-cutting efforts.

In February, NASA had been preparing to lay off around a thousand probationary employees. However, Isaacman reportedly asked for the cuts to be put on hold, according to Ars Technica. NASA has not explained the reversal.

The new layoffs, first reported by NASA Watch citing an internal memo, could signal a shift away from research and toward exploration.

Trump and Musk both support a human mission to Mars. In his State of the Union address last week, Trump declared the US would "plant the American flag on the planet Mars and even far beyond."

NASA plays a crucial role in climate research, operating a fleet of Earth-monitoring satellites, conducting airborne and ground-based studies, developing sophisticated climate models, and providing open-source data to researchers and the public.

Trump, who has called climate change a "scam" and expressed disdain for the UN and climate science, has already pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement for a second time.

Meanwhile, his administration has dismissed hundreds of employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the nation's other key climate agency, with more cuts expected.

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Opinion: Trump's Approach To Indian Tariffs Reeks Of Bullying

US President Donald Trump is on a roll after his re-election, which he believes amounted to a validation of his thinking and policies on the entire gamut of US domestic and foreign affairs. Internally, the Democrats are in disarray after the election loss. With both the House and the Senate under Republican control and the Supreme Court packed by Trump nominees, the system of checks and balances in the US political system has become weaker for the time being.

Trump's slogan of ‘Make America Great Again' has an in-built contradiction. The slogan has domestic resonance, specifically in the context of an economic redressal, of rebuilding America's manufacturing base, US companies investing more at home, creating more jobs, and so on. The slogan appeals to the middle class in particular. However, the question remains, why does he think that America, still the foremost economic, technology and military power, is not great?

Why Is America Not 'Great' Yet?

Trump's leitmotif is that the rest of the world has taken advantage of US generosity and openness and that this is no longer acceptable. He projects a sense of victimhood, whereas many non-Western countries see themselves as victims of the US power over the years. The long list of US military interventions, overthrow of governments, regime change policies, the weaponisation of the US dollar and US control over the global financial system, and the use of sanctions as a tool of foreign policy, constitute the reality of US power. Does, therefore, the vision of ‘Making America Great Again' have overtones of imperialism?

This “Great Again” ambition includes claiming Greenland for national security reasons to counter Russia's domination of the Arctic, the Panama Canal to counter China's control of its ports, re-naming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America to make it sound less Mexican and more American, repudiating Canadian sovereignty by inviting it to become the 51st of the US, and so on.
This imperial mindset leads to inflicting blows on an already debilitated multilateralism by withdrawing from the Paris Climate Change Agreement, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC).

Tariffs As Currency

A key component of Make America Great Again through muscle-flexing is using tariffs as a currency of power. Trump believes that the US has been treated most unfairly by other countries, and this includes friends and foes alike, by raising high tariff walls against imports from America while exporting liberally to it given its low tariffs.

Trump has announced the imposition of 25% tariffs on imports for Mexico and Canada, with whom the US trade deficit is huge. He has not treated the issue of tariffs on them only as a trade-related one but also as a point of pressure to compel both Mexico and Canada to curb illegal immigration and the trafficking of the drug Fentanyl into the US. Trump has suspended the imposition of tariffs on Mexico twice in view of its willingness to cooperate. He has also partially suspended some tariffs in the case of Canada. Trump is of course violating the US-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement by imposing these tariffs, but this seems to be of little concern to him.

The US President had already imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese exports and recently announced an additional 10% duty. In the case of China too, he has sought cooperation to control the flow of precursor chemicals to Mexico and Canada for the production of Fentanyl, of which China is the biggest source. China has retaliated with tariffs of its own, especially on US agricultural products.

Trump has not so far imposed tariffs on EU exports to the US, though in his State of the Union Address, he mentioned the EU, China, Brazil, India, Mexico and Canada as countries that unfairly used tariffs against the US and that now it was America's turn to use tariffs against them. He added that India charged 100% tariffs on US auto exports, that China's average tariff on US products was twice what the US charged them, and that South Korea's average tariff was four times higher despite the fact that the US provided so much help to it militarily and otherwise. 

Flawed Logic

Trump's reasoning, however, is entirely flawed. India's tariff structure is not US-specific, though it may affect the exports of some US products to the country. India's tariffs are entirely compliant with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. India and the US have had trade disputes, and these have been subjected to the WTO's Dispute Settlement Mechanism, until the US made this route dysfunctional by opposing its Appellate Body, blocking appointments to it, and raising concerns about its judicial independence.

The WTO rules explicitly allow for “special and differential treatment” of developing countries by developed countries, which gives them more flexibility to adapt to global trade rules based on their development level. It is worth recalling that to bring major reforms in the international trading system, the WTO launched the Doha Round of negotiations (billed as the Development Round) in 2001 with a view to putting the development of developing countries at the heart of trade negotiations, with special and differential treatment for developing countries at its core. Unfortunately, the Doha Round finally collapsed in 2011 because of opposition by developed countries.

It is important to recall India's position during these failed negotiations, as it has a bearing on our interests even as we are faced with Trump's tariff onslaught and trade demands. India supported the Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) to protect its farmers from import surges. India wanted rich countries to drastically reduce their ‘trade-distorting 'farm subsidies. It wanted a permanent solution to the issue of public food stockholding in developing countries for the purpose of food security. India also opposed the expansion of the multilateral trading system by negotiating and implementing multilateral agreements on investment, competition policy, government procurement, etc.

A Key Disparity

Very simplistically and unfairly, Trump seeks equality of treatment between the US and India in the matter of trade, rejecting the concept of special and differential treatment. As a $30.4 trillion economy and a per capita income of $88,000 compared to India's nearly $4 trillion economy and a per capita income of about $2,700, the US and Indian economies are far from being equal. This disparity does not take into account America's technological strength, the capital at its disposal, the power of its multinationals, the status of the American dollar as the global reserve currency, and the capacity of the US to weaponise it and the global financial system as a result, and so on.

All said and done, the issue now is not one of arguments but of finding a practical way forward for us. The US has now emerged as India's biggest economic partner in goods and services, the biggest investor, the biggest source of modern technology, and also a major defence partner. The India-US relationship has to be managed in this new context. Faced with a mercurial president who does not spare even US allies, India has had to show some nimbleness in addressing Trump's repeated description of it as a ‘tariff king', of not giving US access to its market, and so on. Even during the joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his otherwise rather successful February 2025 visit to Washington, Trump was quite brutal in his remarks about India's tariffs. He simplified the issue to a certain level of absurdity by stating that the problem of Indian tariffs had an easy solution, because the US would impose matching tariffs on Indian exports under the principle of strict reciprocity.

A Simplistic Approach

Trump has already made it known that he has instructed his Commerce and Treasury Secretaries as well as the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to make a detailed study of not only the tariff structures of countries with which the US has a high trade deficit, but also non-tariff barriers, currency and regulatory issues, etc., which impede trade. Trump wants to precipitate matters, disregarding the complexity of the issues involved. India and the US, for example, do not have the same export baskets in their trade with each other. How would strict reciprocity be implemented? If the average tariff on US exports to India is about 15% and that on Indian exports to the US is a little over 3%, how will this reciprocity be fine-tuned?

India had already done extensive homework on the issue of tariffs before Modi's US visit, during which conversations were also held with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and USTR Jamieson Greer. India's strategy is to address the issue through a multi-sectoral bilateral trade agreement with the US, the first tranche of which would be concluded by the autumn of this year, when Trump is expected to visit India for a Quad summit. This figures in the joint statement issued on the occasion of Modi's visit.

Waiting For April 2

As a quick follow-up, keeping in mind Trump's declaration that on April 2 he will be announcing the imposition of tariffs on various countries, India had already signalled its willingness to address the issue of tariffs by announcing in the annual budget the lowering of some duties on products of interest to the US. This was noted in the joint statement. India seems ready to make a success of the negotiations on tariffs, given the stakes involved, although agriculture will be a very sensitive issue for it. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently visited the US for talks with Lutnick and Greer, with a message of India's readiness to lower tariffs to expand India-US trade both ways. Trump, always eager to claim success in “deal-making”, has already announced, based on his feedback from Goyal's talks, that India will be lowering tariffs on US goods.

Let's see what Trump announces on April 2. He has India on his mind, but given our anticipatory moves and Trump's changeability, it can be hoped that he will not announce tariffs that might make the negotiations on the envisaged multi-sector trade agreement more complicated. No country likes to negotiate under duress.

(Kanwal Sibal was Foreign Secretary and Ambassador to Turkey, Egypt, France and Russia, and Deputy Chief Of Mission in Washington.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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Pro-Palestinian Campus Protest Leader, Former Columbia Student Arrested

A leader of Columbia University protests against Israel's war in Gaza was arrested by immigration officers, a campus union said Sunday, after US President Donald Trump vowed to deport foreign pro-Palestinian student demonstrators.

Mahmoud Khalil, one of the most prominent faces in the campus's protest movement that erupted in response to Israel's conduct of the war, was arrested Saturday, the Student Workers of Columbia union said.

"On Saturday, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian recent Columbia graduate and lead negotiator for last spring's Gaza solidarity encampment," the union said in a statement.

US campuses, including Columbia's in New York, were rocked by student protests against Israel's war in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. The demonstrations ignited accusations of anti-Semitism.

Protests, some of which turned violent and saw campus buildings occupied and lectures disrupted, pitted students protesting Israel's conduct against pro-Israel campaigners, many of whom were Jewish. 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X that "we will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported."

Khalil, who remains in immigration enforcement detention, held permanent residency at the time of his arrest prompting thousands of people to sign a petition calling for his release, the union statement added. 

"We are also aware of multiple reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents accessing or attempting to access Columbia campus buildings on Friday and Saturday, including undergraduate dorms," the union said.

Columbia did not directly address Khalil's arrest in response to inquiries, but in a statement said "there have been reports of ICE in the streets around campus." 

"Columbia has and will continue to follow the law. Consistent with our longstanding practice and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including University buildings," Columbia said.

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.

Trump railed against the student protest movement linked to the conflict in Gaza, and vowed to deport foreign students who had demonstrated.

He also threatened to cut off federal funding for institutions that he said were not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism.

His administration announced Friday it was cutting $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University, accusing it of failing to protect Jewish students from harassment.

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"Miracle": Drunk Man Sleeping On Track Hit By Train In Peru, Survives

An apparently drunken man somehow survived after being struck Saturday by a cargo train while sleeping along train tracks in Peru, local authorities said.

"The train knocked him over but through some miracle did not kill him," General Javier Avalos, a security official for the town of Ate in Lima province, told AFP.

"He apparently was in a state of intoxication, fell asleep along the train tracks and did not feel the train coming," Avalos said. 

The train was on a regular run toward the Peruvian Andes when it struck 28-year-old Juan Carlos Tello, he said, adding that it stopped quickly.

Surveillance footage released by the city shows the locomotive dragging the young man for several yards (meters). 

He suffered only minor injuries to his left arm, Avalos said.

Accidents have been common on this train line. In August 2024, a young man wearing headphones was struck and killed by a cargo train while trying to cross the tracks.

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Opinion: Opinion: From Banaskantha To Boardrooms - The Women Who Shaped My World

A decade ago, as I cradled my first granddaughter's delicate fingers, I made a silent vow: to help build a world where her aspirations would know no bounds, where her voice would resonate with the same respect as any man's, and where her worth would be measured solely by her character and contributions.

Now, blessed with three beautiful granddaughters, this promise burns brighter and more urgent than ever. International Women's Day is not merely a date on the calendar; it's a poignant reminder of the strides we've made and the journey that still lies ahead. For me, this mission is deeply personal across many dimensions - as a young boy being inspired by his mother, as a business leader witnessing the challenges faced by women in leadership, as a husband inspired by my wife Priti's unwavering dedication to the Adani Foundation, and as a grandfather dreaming of a world without limits for the girls who affectionately call me "Dadu."

The Women Who Shape My World

My understanding of gender equity wasn't forged in boardrooms or policy debates; it was nurtured at home, surrounded by remarkable women whose strength and wisdom have profoundly influenced my perspective.

Growing up in the desert terrains of Banaskantha, I observed my mother transform scarcity into sustenance and hardship into harmony. She was the silent force that held our large joint family together, embodying relentless effort, unshakable love, courage, and resilience. In her, I witnessed, and came to appreciate the essence of quiet leadership, selflessness, and graceful perseverance.

Later in life, my wife Priti became the driving force behind our foundation's initiatives, touching millions of lives across India. Seeing her engage with village women across the remote villages of our country, discussing transformative issues for their families' futures, learning from the sanghinis of the Adani Foundation who teach pregnant mothers how to take care of themselves and the child they are to deliver, have all helped me grasp the true essence of empowerment.

It is inspiring to meet young girls in Mundra who, through our education initiatives, now dream of becoming engineers, or to witness the determination of women entrepreneurs in Godda (in Jharkhand) who have transitioned from daily wage laborers to successful business owners. And my own granddaughters, blissfully unaware of the struggles endured by generations before them, embody the limitless potential we strive to nurture.

Breaking Barriers Through Personal Commitment

Several years ago, during a visit to one of our port projects, I noticed the absence of women in operational and leadership roles. It was not due to a lack of capability but rather the absence of pathways for them into these traditionally male-dominated fields. This realization sparked a personal commitment to change. I began posing different questions in our meetings: "Are our policies genuinely family-friendly?" "Who are we mentoring for future leadership?" These were not just metrics; each number represented a life, a dream, a future leader whose perspective would enrich our endeavors.

The Journey Continues

Today, as I walk through our offices and see senior women leading our technology teams, as I visit our renewable energy sites and witness women engineers solving complex challenges, and as I attend foundation events where rural women are building thriving businesses, I am filled with immense pride.

Yet, beneath that pride is a quiet impatience. Because despite how far we have come, my granddaughters may still enter boardrooms where they are the only women at the table. They may still have to fight harder, speak louder, and prove themselves twice over to receive the recognition they deserve. They may still face doors that open too slowly, or not at all.

This is why, today, on International Women's Day, my commitment deepens, not just as a business leader, but as a grandfather. A grandfather who dreams of a world where my granddaughters will never have to fight for their place, because it will already be theirs.

Adani Foundation's Commitment to Women's Empowerment

In alignment with this vision, the Adani Foundation has been steadfast in its commitment to women's empowerment. Recently, we unveiled the 'Butterfly Effect' framework, a transformative approach designed to address the evolving needs of women throughout their lives. This initiative focuses on providing continuous support, from infancy to old age, ensuring women receive the necessary guidance and opportunities to enhance their socio-economic well-being. By emphasizing education, health, sustainable livelihoods, and infrastructure, we aim to empower women to make meaningful choices for themselves and their families. To date, the Foundation has positively impacted several million girls and women, reaffirming our dedication to fostering lasting social change.

Moreover, our 'Lakhpati Didis' initiative celebrates over 1,000 women who have achieved financial independence through enhanced entrepreneurial skills. By supporting women in becoming self-reliant, we contribute to creating a gender-inclusive society where women's contributions are valued and recognized.

These initiatives are more than programs; they are a testament to our unwavering commitment to building a world where every woman can realize her full potential.

My Promise for Tomorrow

To every woman reading this, especially those who have felt overlooked, underestimated, or silenced, know that your journey matters. Your leadership isn't just welcome; it's essential. To every man in a position of influence, whether leading a household, a team, or an organization, I urge you to view gender equity not as a women's issue but as a human imperative. The talents, insights, and leadership of women are invaluable resources we cannot afford to squander.

And to my granddaughters, who may one day read this:

"My dearest girls,

The world you inherit should be one where your brilliance is met with open doors, not glass ceilings. Where your ambitions are never questioned, only encouraged. Where your voice is not just heard, but sought after. I vow to keep pushing, to keep breaking barriers, until that world is not just a vision but a reality. Because you, and every girl like you, deserve to walk into every room knowing you belong."

Your Dadu

Together, let us #AccelerateAction, rightfully chosen as the theme for the 2025 IWD, not because it's the right corporate strategy or a popular social cause, but because wives, daughters and granddaughters deserve a future limited only by the expanse of their dreams.

An India that truly embraces all its daughters is an India poised to lead the world.

(Gautam Adani is Chairman, Adani Group)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)

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Mexican Cartel Leader's Son, Who Ordered 100 Killings, Gets Life In Jail

The son of a Mexican drug cartel has been sentenced to life imprisonment for helping his father conduct and lead one of the biggest and deadliest drug trafficking rings in the country.

"El Menchito" Ruben Oseguera, the son of Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, the most-wanted leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel, was found guilty of distributing cocaine and methamphetamine for importation into the United States.

"El Menchito led the Jalisco Cartel's efforts to use murder, kidnapping, and torture to build the Cartel," former US Attorney General Merrick Garland said.

Prosecutors claimed the younger Oseguera shot and killed two people, instructed subordinates to fire down a Mexican military helicopter, and ordered the deaths of at least 100 people in 2015.

The 35-year-old was the second-in-command of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel before he was deported to the United States in February 2020. "El Menchito" was recruited to join his family's drug trafficking enterprise when he was just 14 years old, according to one of his defence lawyers.

US District Judge Beryl Howell sentenced "El Menchito" Ruben Oseguera to a minimum of 40 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison in Washington, DC.

Mr Howell also mandated the surrender of more than $6 billion as part of the penalty.

The Jalisco cartel gained notoriety for manufacturing millions of doses of lethal fentanyl and smuggling it into the US under false pretences of being oxycodone, Percocet, or Xanax.

The US officials referred to the cartel as "one of the world's most violent and prolific drug trafficking organisations."

The elder Oseguera is charged with trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. Mexico and the US authorities have issued a $15 million reward for his capture.

Earlier, Mexican drug kingpin Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the son of his former partner, were taken into custody in July 2024 in El Paso, Texas, the US Justice Department reported.

Zambada and Guzman were charged with several offences in the United States "for heading the Cartel's criminal operations, including its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks."

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"They Make A Fortune With Us": US-Japan Alliance Unequal, Complains Trump

President Donald Trump said Japan is not required to protect the United States militarily and makes "a fortune" from it economically, as he fired off an impromptu broadside at a key ally.

It came as Japan's trade minister is arranging a trip to Washington during which he will reportedly demand an exemption from imminent US tariffs on steel and aluminum.

"We have a great relationship with Japan. But we have an interesting deal with Japan that we have to protect them, but they don't have to protect us," Trump said Thursday.

"And by the way, they make a fortune with us economically," he said. "I actually ask, who makes these deals?"

In response, government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday that Japan trusts Washington to keep its obligation to the two countries' security treaty.

Around 54,000 US military personnel are stationed in Japan, mostly in the Okinawa region east of Taiwan.

Meanwhile Tokyo's economy, trade and industry minister Yoji Muto told reporters that he hoped his US trip would "be a win-win for both Japanese and US national interests."

He said the visit was being coordinated and did not confirm the March 9-13 dates given by Japanese media or reports that he will push US officials to exempt Japan from levies.

Trump has said 25-percent steel and aluminum tariffs will be imposed on Wednesday of next week, without exceptions.

"It is important to closely study the specific content of these (tariff) measures and their impact," Muto said Friday.

He also poured cold water on Trump's announcement that Japan was among the countries looking to invest trillions of dollars in a "gigantic" natural gas pipeline in Alaska.

"This is an issue that the government and the private sector need to study, in terms of profitability and when supply will begin," Muto said.

"I hope to hear more details on this project" from US officials, he added.

Trump has also threatened to impose tariffs of around 25 percent on auto imports. Vehicles represented nearly a third of all Japan's exports to the United States last year.

Without referring to Muto's planned visit, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told parliament on Wednesday that Japan's "contribution to the US economy is significant."

"So we want to appeal resolutely, with emotion and logic," to Washington on the tariffs, he said.

Muto and Japan's foreign minister will hold economic security talks with their British counterparts in Tokyo Friday, touted as a chance to promote free trade and boost business ties.

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