Oakland City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran has called for a 45-day pause on approvals for new data centers, giving city officials time to examine the facilities’ potential environmental and economic effects. Ramachandran, who represents District 4, wants Oakland to review its existing regulations as the number of data center proposals grows alongside the expansion of artificial intelligence.

Data centers are essential to developing and operating AI technologies, but their substantial demand for electricity and water has prompted growing scrutiny. Officials and community groups have raised concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, utility costs and possible effects on local ecosystems. Ramachandran’s proposal would allow the city to evaluate these issues and determine whether additional safeguards or regulatory changes are needed.

The proposed Oakland moratorium follows similar measures being considered or adopted elsewhere in California’s Bay Area. Oakley approved a 45-day moratorium in April, with provisions allowing it to be extended for up to two years. Gilroy and Richmond have also adopted comparable temporary restrictions, while San Francisco and Hayward have announced plans for ordinances seeking similar pauses.

California lawmakers are also examining ways to improve oversight of data centers. Assemblymember Diane Papan has introduced legislation that would require facilities applying for local business licenses to disclose projected water consumption, identify their water sources and provide estimates of maximum daily and monthly use.

Separately, Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan has proposed requiring data centers to report their power usage effectiveness ratios to the California Energy Commission. The agency would use the information to assess electricity demand trends associated with data centers and recommend ways to limit their impact in its 2027 energy policy report.

Ramachandran’s proposal would therefore give Oakland additional time to evaluate how data center growth could affect infrastructure, resources and surrounding communities before new projects receive approval.

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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has introduced an experimental research tool designed to help scientists better understand how individual biomedical studies connect with the broader body of scientific evidence.

Called Linked Discoveries, the new platform was launched on September 24 by the NIH’s National Library of Medicine (NLM). It allows researchers to start with a publication indexed in PubMed and explore other studies that are closely connected to it through citations and other relationships.

NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya said the rapid expansion of biomedical research has created a growing challenge for scientists trying to understand how individual findings fit into the wider scientific landscape. According to Bhattacharya, researchers need more than keyword-based searches to identify meaningful relationships between studies and follow how scientific ideas develop over time.

More than 29 million PubMed publications are available through Linked Discoveries at launch. The platform creates a research “neighborhood” around a selected publication, allowing users to investigate related papers, including research that seeks to reproduce earlier findings.

The tool is part of a broader NIH initiative focused on improving replication and reproducibility across research supported by the agency. NIH noted that scientists can struggle to evaluate the significance of a particular finding when relevant studies and supporting information are distributed across multiple resources.

Linked Discoveries uses an AI-informed system to identify connections between publications. Researchers can view these relationships through graphical and timeline-based displays, making it possible to follow how research develops and how individual studies relate to earlier or subsequent work.

The platform also offers filters based on information involving conditions, genes and chemicals. In addition, users can identify relationships involving citations, review articles, retractions and publications connected to NIH funding.

NLM Director Peter Embi said the platform is intended to move researchers beyond viewing scientific literature as a fixed collection of information. By examining the surrounding network of studies, researchers can gain additional context about work published before and after a particular finding.

However, NIH emphasized that Linked Discoveries does not determine whether an individual study is scientifically reliable or establish whether a finding has been successfully replicated. Instead, the platform organizes relationships among publications and provides researchers with additional information they can use when evaluating evidence themselves.

The September 24 launch represents the tool’s first public version. NLM plans to continue testing and improving Linked Discoveries, with future development informed by feedback submitted by users through the platform.

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Five prominent Indian-origin figures were among the guests at a White House state dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump for Chinese President Xi Jinping. The gathering brought together senior government officials, business executives, technology leaders and other high-profile personalities during Xi’s visit to the United States.

The Indian-origin guests included Second Lady Usha Vance, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella, Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Micron Technology Chairman, President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, and Sangeeta Mehrotra, Sanjay Mehrotra’s wife.

No Indian government official was listed among the attendees. Instead, the Indian-origin representation came primarily from the US technology and business community, along with Usha Vance, who attended in her capacity as the wife of Vice President JD Vance.

The dinner was held in the White House’s East Room and formed part of Xi’s three-day visit to the United States. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted the event, which included more than 130 guests from politics, business, technology, media and other fields.

The guest list featured some of the most recognizable names in the American technology sector. Among those attending were Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple executive chairman Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon executive chairman Jeff Bezos and AMD CEO Lisa Su.

Several senior members of the Trump administration and US lawmakers were also present, alongside members of the Supreme Court and other prominent public figures.

The dinner came during Xi’s first visit to Washington in more than a decade and his second meeting with Trump during 2026. The two leaders discussed subjects including artificial intelligence, trade, Taiwan, the Gulf region and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. China also said that discussions covered the Korean Peninsula.

Artificial intelligence emerged as an important theme during the broader summit, with Xi emphasizing the importance of keeping AI development under human control.

While prominent American business and technology leaders attended the dinner, Chinese corporate executives were reportedly absent from the guest list. According to reporting cited by the Associated Press, US and Chinese planners had discussed inviting executives from major Chinese companies, but disagreements over arrangements reportedly complicated their participation.

Xi’s visit was scheduled to conclude with a visit to the US National Archives, which is marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year.

The participation of Indian-origin leaders such as Pichai, Nadella and Mehrotra highlighted the significant presence of Indian-origin professionals in the US technology and business landscape, alongside Usha Vance’s presence among senior political figures.

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Several Indian-origin business leaders have been featured in TIME’s 2026 list of executives recognized for their influence across technology, data and digital innovation. The list highlights professionals working in areas ranging from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to retail technology, financial services and enterprise transformation.

Among those featured is Suresh Kumar, Walmart’s executive vice president, global chief technology officer and chief development officer. His role involves using artificial intelligence to improve how the retail giant understands and serves its customers. TIME highlighted Walmart’s efforts to develop AI systems capable of anticipating customer needs and making interactions more personalized.

Rahul Patil, chief technology officer at Anthropic, is another Indian-origin executive included in the list. Patil oversees the company’s technology ecosystem around generative AI and Claude. TIME noted the rapid expansion of Anthropic’s business while also highlighting the broader challenge of developing increasingly powerful AI systems while addressing potential misuse.

At OpenAI, Vijaye Raji serves as chief technology officer of applications, working across the company’s Research and Scaling and Infrastructure organizations. His responsibilities include bringing together technical work involving data, experimentation and growth to support products such as ChatGPT and Codex.

The list also recognizes Indian-origin women in senior technology roles. Seemantini Godbole, executive vice president and chief information and AI officer at Lowe’s, has helped guide the home improvement retailer’s adoption of AI and digital tools. Her work includes efforts to make technology more useful for both employees and customers while improving the overall shopping experience.

Amala Duggirala, executive vice president and chief digital and technology officer at Delta Air Lines, is also featured. TIME describes her position as overseeing the airline’s digital and technology organizations, including the systems supporting its global operations and customer-facing digital services. Her work has included tools such as Delta Concierge, an AI-powered assistant designed to support travelers.

The broader “Leaders” category also includes Indian-origin banking executives Hari Gopalkrishnan, chief technology and information officer at Bank of America, and Firdaus Bhathena, executive vice president, chief technology and transformation officer at S&P Global.

Together, their inclusion reflects the expanding presence of Indian-origin professionals in senior technology, AI, data and digital leadership roles across major global companies.

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Indian scientists Roxy Mathew Koll and Neelima Satyam have been selected among the recipients of the American Geophysical Union’s 2026 awards, recognizing contributions to research, education and innovation across Earth and space sciences.

Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune and a recipient of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (Yuva), has been chosen for the AGU’s Pavel S. Molchanov Climate Communications Prize. His work has focused on communicating the effects of climate change and documenting changes taking place across the Indian Ocean and South Asia.

His research and outreach have examined the warming of the Indian Ocean and its connection with changing monsoon patterns, marine heatwaves, cyclones and extreme rainfall. He has also highlighted how these environmental changes can affect communities, livelihoods and economies across the region.

The climate communications prize is presented annually to recognize scientists who effectively communicate climate science, particularly issues associated with climate change. Koll will receive a $25,000 prize along with an engraved award.

Neelima Satyam, a professor at IIT Indore, has been selected for the AGU’s Devendra Lal Memorial Medal. The award recognizes an early- or mid-career scientist for notable research in Earth or space sciences. Satyam’s work spans geotechnical engineering, seismic hazards, resilient infrastructure and strategies for reducing the risks associated with geological hazards.

Along with an engraved medal, Satyam will receive lifetime membership in the American Geophysical Union.

The 2026 AGU awards also include recognition for scientists of Indian origin working in the United States. Abdul Qadir, an assistant research professor at the University of Maryland, has been selected for the Science for Solutions award. His professional work has included collaboration with the North East Space Applications Centre in Shillong.

Faisal Hossain, a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle and an alumnus of Banaras Hindu University, has been chosen for the AGU Ambassador Award.

The American Geophysical Union has announced 43 awards for 2026. The recipients are scheduled to be honored during the organization’s annual meeting in San Francisco in December.

The recognition of Koll and Satyam highlights Indian contributions to climate and Earth sciences, while the selection of Qadir and Hossain reflects the continuing participation of scientists of Indian background in research and academic institutions in the United States.

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Dr. Sudhir Parikh, President of the Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), has pledged the organization’s support to Maharashtra’s campaign to eliminate tuberculosis, reinforcing collaboration between Indian American medical professionals and India’s public health system. The commitment was announced during a discussion with Sanjay Shripatrao Katkar, Commissioner of Health Services and Mission Director of Maharashtra’s National Health Mission, on ITV Gold, the television network of Parikh Worldwide Media.

The conversation focused on expanding efforts under India’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), which aims to eradicate the disease by 2030. The initiative has strengthened nationwide screening, free diagnosis and treatment, digital patient monitoring through the Ni-kshay platform, and community participation under the Ni-kshay Mitra program. Maharashtra has emerged as one of the key states driving the country’s TB-free mission through extensive outreach and healthcare innovation.

Speaking during the discussion, Dr. Parikh offered GAPIO’s resources and expertise to support the state’s ongoing efforts. Representing nearly 1.4 million physicians of Indian origin across more than 60 countries, the organization is prepared to contribute through medical education, knowledge sharing, telemedicine, and physician engagement. Dr. Parikh said the association is ready to help improve disease prevention, patient care, awareness campaigns, and access to the latest medical research and treatment strategies.

Katkar welcomed the offer, describing tuberculosis as a disease influenced by multiple social factors, including poverty, poor nutrition, and overcrowded living conditions. He explained that Maharashtra follows a comprehensive strategy centered on early detection, effective treatment, prevention, and capacity building. According to him, partnerships with global organizations such as GAPIO can strengthen these efforts by introducing advanced technology, clinical expertise, and innovative healthcare solutions.

The health official noted that India has made measurable progress in reducing tuberculosis cases over the past several years while significantly improving treatment success rates. Thousands of villages across Maharashtra have already achieved TB-free status, and the government continues expanding screening programs, mobile X-ray services, and digital patient tracking to reach remote and tribal communities.

Dr. Parikh also proposed organizing virtual continuing medical education (CME) sessions for physicians, distributing educational resources, and expanding telemedicine services to improve healthcare access in rural regions. He emphasized that tuberculosis remains both preventable and curable when diagnosed early and treated consistently. He added that GAPIO members visiting India are willing to volunteer on the ground while sharing the latest global advancements in TB research and patient care.

The collaboration reflects a growing partnership between India’s healthcare authorities and the global Indian diaspora, combining international medical expertise with local public health initiatives to accelerate progress toward a tuberculosis-free India.

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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has outlined the company’s long-term artificial intelligence strategy, introducing its MAI AI models as the next step in making advanced AI more efficient, affordable, and widely available. The announcement came shortly after a global Microsoft service disruption affected platforms including Microsoft 365, Teams, and Outlook. While the company had not yet explained the cause of the outage, Nadella shifted attention toward Microsoft’s broader AI vision in a detailed post on X.

Framing the discussion around the future of software, Nadella raised the question of how cutting-edge AI can deliver value across the entire technology ecosystem as software becomes less expensive to create. Rather than depending solely on the largest and most powerful AI models, he said Microsoft’s objective is to achieve high-quality results at a lower operational cost, enabling AI to reach more users and organizations.

According to Nadella, Microsoft’s MAI models are being optimized for products that millions of people use daily. He explained that the company is building AI systems that rely on more than just a single language model. Features such as memory, contextual understanding, user interactions, integrated tools, and specialized skills all contribute to the overall intelligence of Microsoft’s AI platform. This approach ensures the system remains effective and continues improving even if individual AI models are replaced or upgraded.

Nadella also noted that Microsoft’s AI models are trained using insights gathered from real-world customer interactions, workflows, and product usage. This allows the company to refine performance based on practical outcomes instead of theoretical benchmarks alone. He added that the MAI models have already demonstrated stronger performance than some frontier AI models in specific use cases while requiring fewer computing resources.

The company has already begun integrating MAI models into products such as GitHub Copilot, Excel, and Outlook where they have shown promising early results. Microsoft now plans to extend the same AI framework to additional services, including Copilot Chat and PowerPoint, with continuous improvements expected over time.

Beyond consumer applications, Nadella said Microsoft is enabling enterprise customers to build customized AI systems using their own business data, workflows, and evaluation methods. These capabilities are being delivered through Microsoft Foundry and the company’s broader AI development toolchain, allowing organizations to create AI solutions tailored to their specific operational needs.

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Hospitality technology company Mews has strengthened its executive leadership team by appointing Kirupa Pushparaj as its new Chief Legal Officer (CLO). Bringing more than 20 years of expertise across engineering, legal affairs, fintech, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and consumer technology, Pushparaj joins the company as it accelerates the expansion of its payment capabilities across more than 85 countries.

In his new role, Pushparaj will report directly to Mews founder Richard Valtr and oversee the company’s legal, compliance, and policy operations. His appointment comes as Mews continues navigating an increasingly complex global regulatory landscape while expanding its footprint in the hospitality technology sector.

Valtr described the hiring as the result of an extensive search, emphasizing the importance of the CLO position in shaping the company’s long-term strategy. He noted that Pushparaj’s unique combination of engineering knowledge and legal expertise makes him well-suited to support Mews’ growth in highly regulated markets. Valtr also highlighted Pushparaj’s unconventional career path, explaining that he earned his law degree while working full-time as an engineer at Intel before transitioning into senior legal leadership positions at major technology companies.

Before joining Mews, Pushparaj spent more than eight years at Square, now known as Block, where he served as Deputy General Counsel. During his tenure, he played a significant role in guiding the company through its initial public offering and supported several strategic initiatives, including projects involving cryptocurrency and emerging technologies. He later became Chief Legal Officer at fintech company Step, where he led legal, compliance, government affairs, human resources, and strategic partnership functions before the company’s acquisition by Beast Industries.

Earlier in his career, Pushparaj worked as legal counsel at Amazon Lab126, the division responsible for developing Amazon’s consumer electronics, following six years as a hardware engineer at Intel. His academic credentials include a law degree from the University of the Pacific, a master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from PSG College of Technology. He also serves on several AI and legal technology advisory boards and teaches as an adjunct professor at the law schools of Stanford University and the University of California, Davis.

Commenting on his appointment, Pushparaj said the opportunity to work across multiple regulatory systems and global payment networks was particularly appealing. He added that hospitality has long been a meaningful part of his life, making the chance to contribute to a company transforming hotel operations both professionally and personally rewarding.

Mews currently serves more than 15,000 hospitality businesses across 85 countries, offering an integrated platform that streamlines property management, payments, housekeeping, revenue optimization, and guest experiences. The company has also earned multiple industry awards for its hotel technology solutions in recent years.

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Three Indian-origin Labour lawmakers have secured prominent front-bench positions following UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s Cabinet reshuffle, marking a notable increase in Indian representation within the British government. The appointments place Kanishka Narayan, Satvir Kaur, and Harpreet Uppal in influential roles as the new administration takes shape.

Among the three, Kanishka Narayan has received one of the most significant appointments, taking charge as Minister for Artificial Intelligence. The newly established position reflects the government’s growing focus on AI and emerging technologies. Narayan will serve across both the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, helping shape the UK’s AI strategy and digital innovation agenda.

Originally from Muzaffarpur in Bihar, Narayan relocated to Wales with his family at the age of 12. He later studied at Eton College, the University of Oxford, and Stanford University before entering politics. Since being elected as the Labour MP for Vale of Glamorgan in 2024, he has steadily advanced through government ranks, previously serving in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology before his latest promotion.

Satvir Kaur has also earned a key role in the reshuffle. The Labour MP for Southampton Test has been appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, while simultaneously serving in the Home Office. Her responsibilities include overseeing policies related to safeguarding, violence against women and girls, and equalities. The daughter of Punjabi immigrants who operated a saree business in Southampton, Kaur returned to government service earlier this year after maternity leave.

Meanwhile, Harpreet Uppal, the Labour MP representing Huddersfield, has been named Assistant Whip. In this position, she will help coordinate parliamentary business, ensure party discipline, and manage voting strategy within the Labour Party. Before winning a parliamentary seat in 2024, Uppal worked on Andy Burnham’s successful Greater Manchester mayoral campaign, building experience in political organization and public service.

The reshuffle also resulted in senior Indian-origin politicians Seema Malhotra and Preet Kaur Gill moving from ministerial positions to the backbenches. At the same time, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy retained her Cabinet role, ensuring continued Indian heritage representation at the highest level of government.

With these appointments, the Labour government’s front bench now includes greater ethnic diversity, featuring Indian-origin leaders in portfolios spanning artificial intelligence, equalities, and parliamentary affairs, highlighting the growing influence of British politicians with South Asian roots in national leadership.

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Indian-origin physician-scientist Dr. Ravi Thadhani has been appointed to one of the most senior leadership positions at Cedars-Sinai, taking on the newly established roles of executive vice president, chief physician executive, and dean of the Medical Faculty. Beginning September 1, Thadhani will guide the institution’s academic, clinical, and educational initiatives while helping shape its long-term healthcare and research strategy.

In his expanded position, Thadhani will oversee Cedars-Sinai’s integrated clinical and academic operations, bringing together patient care, medical research, and physician education under a unified leadership structure. His responsibilities will include directing department chairs, institute leaders, executive vice deans, vice deans, and chief medical officers across the organization.

Thadhani succeeds Dr. Shlomo Melmed, who spent nearly three decades serving as dean of the Medical Faculty and executive vice president of Medicine and Health Sciences. Following the transition, Melmed will assume the titles of dean emeritus and executive adviser to Cedars-Sinai President and CEO Dr. Peter Slavin.

Announcing the appointment, Slavin praised Thadhani’s extensive experience in academic medicine, organizational leadership, and scientific research. He said Thadhani’s background makes him exceptionally well-qualified to strengthen every aspect of Cedars-Sinai’s mission, from patient care and innovation to medical education and research excellence.

Before receiving this promotion, Thadhani served as executive vice president of Clinical Affairs and chief medical officer for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Health System. In addition to continuing oversight of clinical quality, patient safety, and medical standards, he will now supervise Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University and the Burns and Allen Research Institute, expanding his influence across the organization’s academic programs.

Throughout his distinguished career, Thadhani has held leadership positions at some of the nation’s leading medical institutions. He began at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School before previously serving as vice dean for Research and Education at Cedars-Sinai. He later returned to Harvard, where he became professor of medicine, chief academic officer, and dean for Faculty Affairs at Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School. In 2022, he joined Emory University as executive vice president for health affairs while also serving in key leadership roles within Emory Healthcare.

An internationally recognized expert in nephrology and preeclampsia, Thadhani has authored or co-authored more than 300 scientific publications in leading medical journals. His research helped develop the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved test designed to predict preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy-related condition. His contributions have earned prestigious honors, including election to the National Academy of Medicine and recognition as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Accepting the appointment, Thadhani said he is honored to lead Cedars-Sinai during an important period of growth and looks forward to advancing its clinical, research, and educational mission alongside its faculty and leadership team.

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