
Microsoft launches AI-based Copilot Mode in Edge browser
Rival Alphabet earlier this year launched "
AI Mode
", an AI-only search feature on Google, and last week reported improvements in user engagement on such features.
Microsoft said, under the new feature, users will see a page with a single input box combining chat, search and web navigation features. Copilot will also support voice navigation for browsing in Edge, the company added.
The users will also soon be able to give Copilot permission to access additional browser context, such as user history and credentials, to take more concrete actions like making bookings or managing errands.
Copilot will only be able to access browsing content when users enable it, and will provide visual cues to let users know when it is active in the background, Microsoft said.
The feature will be available for free across Copilot markets in Windows and Mac PCs for a limited time and users can choose to opt out of it through Edge settings.

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Business Standard
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- Business Standard
India's renewable projects without supply deals double in 9 months: Report
India's stranded renewable power capacity - projects awarded but unable to come online - more than doubled over nine months, due to unfinished transmission lines, and legal and regulatory delays, letters from an industry group to the government showed. The South Asian nation aims to more than double its non-fossil fuel power capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030, but the acceleration has left projects without firm agreements to supply power. Renewable projects that won tenders to generate power but are yet to sign power purchase agreements with buyers have surged to over 50 gigawatts, India's Sustainable Projects Developers Association said in a letter to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy on June 27. That compared with stranded projects of over 20 GW, another letter sent by the SPDA on October 4 showed. Both letters were reviewed by Reuters. Tendered projects cumulatively worth billions of dollars awarded to companies including JSW, NTPC, Adani Green, ACME Solar, Renew and Sembcorp are stranded, two industry officials familiar with the matter said. "Energy transition is not just about building solar and wind capacity, it is also about ensuring that clean power reaches in a most optimum cost and timely manner," the SPDA said in its June 27 letter to the renewable energy ministry. The stranded solar and wind capacity without buyers of over 50 GW reported by the SPDA is about a quarter the size of India's current installed renewable capacity of 184.6 GW. The companies did not respond to Reuters requests seeking comment. A spokesperson for India's power ministry told Reuters on Saturday renewable projects of about 44 GW had been awarded generation licences by federal agencies - which account for most tenders - but did not have supply agreements. He did not elaborate on the scale of the increase in stranded projects, the duration of delay or companies affected. Delays in critical transmission infrastructure - especially in sun-drenched states such as Rajasthan and Gujarat - have forced many solar plants to miss commissioning deadlines, the SPDA said in the June letter. Interstate transmission lines connecting renewable energy projects to the grid are being fast-tracked, and compensation for landowners allowing power cables on their property has been increased to facilitate construction, the ministry spokesperson said. India plans to connect 230 GW of renewable energy projects to the grid through interstate transmission lines, of which 20 per cent have been completed, 70 per cent are under construction and the remainder is being bid out, he said, without specifying a timeline for completion. Renewable projects are also stuck due to prolonged legal disputes over land and environmental permissions, SPDA said, adding that several developers have paused operations over unresolved court cases.
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First Post
34 minutes ago
- First Post
No change in India's Russian oil import policy despite Trump's sanction threats: Report
India has said it will continue purchasing crude from Russia, despite Trump's remarks that it has stop buying Russian oil, clarifying that there's been no change in its energy policy, says report. read more Indian officials have said that oil refineries will continue purchasing crude from Russia, dismissing claims by US President Donald Trump that New Delhi has halted imports, news agency ANI reported. The clarification comes as Washington prepares to impose fresh sanctions next week on nations maintaining energy ties with Moscow amid the war in Ukraine. Earlier, speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said he had 'heard' India would stop buying Russian oil—calling it a 'good step'—just days after he accused New Delhi of having deep trade and military ties with the Kremlin. 'Well, I understand India no longer is going to be buying oil from Russia. That's what I heard. I don't know if that's right or not,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Indian officials: No directive to halt Russian crude However, Indian government sources, cited by ANI and Reuters, rejected Trump's assertion. 'There has been no change in policy. Oil companies make sourcing decisions based on price, quality, logistics, and market conditions. No directive has been issued to stop Russian imports,' an official said. Russia remains a key crude supplier to India India, the world's third-largest oil importer, has become a major buyer of Russian crude since Western sanctions pushed Moscow to offer steep discounts. Between January and June this year, India imported about 1.75 million barrels per day of Russian oil—accounting for 35% of its total crude imports. A government source defended the policy, saying India's purchases had helped stabilise global oil markets. 'Had India not absorbed discounted Russian crude—alongside OPEC+ production cuts—prices could have soared past the 2022 high of $137 a barrel,' the official said. India adheres to G7-EU price cap mechanism Unlike oil from Iran or Venezuela, Russian crude is not directly sanctioned by the US or EU. It is subject to a G7-EU price cap mechanism aimed at curbing Kremlin revenues while maintaining global supply. Indian oil firms have been buying within this price cap, officials said, maintaining that imports are in line with international norms. Trump's latest comments come amid his new executive order imposing 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods and a warning of penalties for countries importing Russian oil or weapons. He has given an August 8 deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war or face further punitive action. Long-term oil contracts still in force, say officials Despite the pressure, two senior Indian officials told The New York Times that state-run refiners had not received any instructions to halt Russian purchases. 'These are long-term oil contracts. It is not so simple to just stop buying overnight,' one official explained. There have been recent reports that Indian refiners such as Indian Oil Corp and Bharat Petroleum paused fresh Russian orders after July discounts narrowed to their lowest levels since sanctions began in 2022. But sources say this was a commercial—not political—decision. Energy policy driven by market logic: MEA At a weekly press briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that India's energy decisions are guided by market factors: 'We take decisions based on price, availability, and the global situation.' Trump slams India's trade barriers, defense ties with Moscow While Trump has often praised India as a 'friend,' he has also criticised its tariffs and defense ties with Russia. 'India has the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers,' he said, noting that it remains one of Russia's top arms and energy customers. Still, Indian officials insist their oil policy serves both national interests and global market stability—and they are unlikely to back down, at least for now. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD


News18
an hour ago
- News18
India To Continue Russian Oil Imports Despite Trump's Tariff and Penalty Threats: Report
Last Updated: In addition to announcing a new 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports to the US, Trump said that India could face further penalties over its continued purchases of Russian oil Indian companies will continue importing oil from Russia despite US President Donald Trump's move to impose higher tariffs and penalties on New Delhi, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing two government sources. In addition to announcing a new 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports to the US, Trump said in a Truth Social post that India could face further penalties over its continued purchases of Russian oil and weaponry. However, the sources indicated that no immediate shift in policy is expected. 'These are long-term oil contracts," one of the sources explained. 'It is not so simple to just stop buying overnight." Defending India's continued oil imports from Russia, a second source noted that these purchases have played a role in preventing a global spike in oil prices, which have stayed relatively stable despite Western sanctions targeting Russia's energy sector. The source also pointed out that, unlike Iranian and Venezuelan crude, Russian oil is not directly sanctioned, and India is procuring it below the price cap set by the European Union. Russian media reports have indicated that the Government of India has not issued any directive to domestic refineries to halt Russian oil imports or seek alternative suppliers. Meanwhile, a Reuters report on Friday suggested that India, one of the world's major energy importers, might halt purchases of discounted Russian oil. Reacting to the development, Trump told reporters it would be 'a good step" if confirmed. 'I understand that India is no longer going to be buying oil from Russia," he said. 'That's what I heard. I don't know if that's right or not. That is a good step. We will see what happens." However, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India is guided by what is on offer in the international market while securing its energy needs. 'In securing our energy needs, we are guided by what is on offer in the markets, and by the prevailing global circumstances," he said on Friday. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.