archiveIndependent Director Insider

In 2006, at an undisclosed location in Iraq, my convoy came under relentless ambush. The sheer intensity of the assault left us momentarily stunned. Our Patrol Leader (PL), overwhelmed by the chaos, froze, causing our convoy to halt directly in the enemy’s engagement area. Amid the confusion, one of our...

Vietnam has announced plans to secure loans from the Chinese government to partially finance an $8.3 billion railway project connecting the two countries, according to Transport Minister Nguyen Hong Minh on Thursday (Feb 13). The country has been actively pursuing railway system upgrades and has approached China for both funding...

Elon Musk expressed optimism about India's potential for innovation, emphasizing the country’s rich history and future prospects. According to Chaturvedi, Musk reiterated multiple times that India is an ancient and great civilization and suggested that in 2025, Indians should view their nation as one poised to reclaim its former global...

Reddit shares fell more than 15% on Wednesday following the company’s release of its fourth-quarter earnings, which revealed weaker-than-expected user numbers despite exceeding revenue and profit estimates. Earnings Performance vs. Estimates Reddit’s results compared with LSEG estimates were as follows: Earnings per share: $0.36 (exceeding the expected $0.25) Revenue: $428...

From 17th-century powdered wigs to 1970s bell-bottoms and peace signs to goat yoga, fashion plays a meaningful role in human culture and economy. It can express joy or anger, individuality or collective power. Just as quickly, though, one-off fashions can fade away, and the spotlight of social attention wanders on....

The translation industry has long struggled with preserving cultural nuance and context. Historically, machine translation tools have been limited to word-for-word conversions, often missing the deeper meaning behind phrases, idioms, and region-specific references. However, advances in Gen AI translation are rapidly transforming this landscape, offering solutions that go beyond literal...

Xiaomi (HKG: 1810, OTCMKTS: XIACY) is accelerating efforts to expand its electric vehicle (EV) production capacity as delivery wait times remain lengthy. Lei Jun, the company’s founder, chairman, and CEO, shared on Weibo that he had visited Xiaomi’s EV factory to discuss strategies with the manufacturing team on increasing capacity...

Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett have collectively contributed nearly $100 billion to the Gates Foundation, underscoring their deep commitment to philanthropy. The foundation’s records indicate that between its inception in 2000 and the end of 2023, Gates and French Gates donated $59.5 billion, while Buffett, the CEO...

Despite the global rise of cryptocurrency, several nations continue to impose strict regulations or outright bans. While some governments cite financial stability and fraud prevention, others raise concerns about money laundering and economic control. Here are ten countries where cryptocurrency remains restricted or prohibited in 2025. China China has maintained...

A recent survey of major Japanese companies has revealed that more than 80% of respondents anticipate raising the prices of their products and services in 2025, largely due to rising costs of raw materials, energy, and labor. The survey, conducted by NHK between mid-December and mid-January, targeted 100 firms, with...