Two Microsoft employees, Ibtihal Abusad and Baniya Agarwal, have been fired after staging a protest during the company’s 50th-anniversary event. Their protest targeted the use of Microsoft’s AI technology in Israeli military operations.

As Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of AI at Microsoft, was presenting features of the company’s chatbot Co-Pilot, Ibtihal Abusad interrupted the session, walking toward the stage and shouting:
“Mustafa, you should be ashamed. You claim to be using AI for the betterment of humanity, but in reality, you’re empowering Israel’s weaponry and fueling the war machine. Over 50,000 people have died, and yet you continue to aid and support this brutality!”

She threw a keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian resistance, and continued, “Stop using AI to carry out genocide in our region!”

Baniya Agarwal, another employee, joined in, yelling, “Shame on you! You are hypocrites!”

Both employees were immediately dismissed following the incident.

Former US President Donald Trump has made it clear that he is not considering suspending tariffs, although he indicated openness to negotiations. “Many countries are coming to us for deals, and they will make fair agreements. In some cases, they will pay significant tariffs,” Trump said. After speaking with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, he added, “You have to open up your markets—we don’t sell cars in Japan, but Japan sells millions of cars in our country.” Trump also stated that even Israel, despite receiving $4 billion in US aid annually, won’t be exempt from tariffs.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has stated on X (formerly Twitter) that it was advised about the discontinuation of new American aid for 14 countries. While it didn’t specify the nations affected, the agency warned that, if implemented, “this would amount to a death sentence for millions facing extreme hunger and starvation.” The Trump administration has also informed the UN Population Fund that two programs will be terminated—one in Afghanistan and another linked to Syria. USAID, which once had an annual budget of $42.8 billion and accounted for 42% of global aid, has been severely impacted.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States will enter direct talks with Iran regarding a potential nuclear agreement. Iran’s Foreign Minister confirmed the development, calling it both an opportunity and a test. Trump emphasized that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons and warned that failure in talks would result in dire consequences for Iran. Notably, Iran had previously rejected similar dialogue.

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees legally residing in the US under the humanitarian parole program received emails instructing them to leave within seven days or face forced removal. A Homeland Security spokesperson later confirmed the emails were sent in error and the Ukrainian Parole Program, launched after Russia’s 2022 invasion, remains active. Despite the correction, the emails caused significant fear among recipients.

Mass protests erupted in the US and several European cities following new tariff policies introduced by Donald Trump and Elon Musk, which have severely impacted the global economy. Demonstrations took place in Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris, and London, as well as in various US states, including Washington, D.C. Protesters carried signs reading “No Kings in America” and “Deport Musk.” The protests were largely organized by overseas Democratic supporters.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on China and India to contribute to global humanitarian efforts, stating that the US will no longer bear the majority of the responsibility. In the aftermath of the earthquake in Myanmar, Rubio urged wealthy nations, including China and India, to participate in providing aid. He defended the US’s response to the Myanmar earthquake, dismissing claims of delay, and emphasized that the Myanmar military junta made it difficult for aid efforts to proceed.

U.S. stock markets took a major hit following China’s announcement of retaliatory tariffs, with major indices dropping around 6%.
After former President Trump imposed heavy tariffs on Chinese imports, China responded by slapping an additional 34% tariff on all U.S. goods starting April 10.
The S&P 500 fell 6%, Nasdaq dropped 5.8%, and Dow Jones declined 5.5%, while the Russell 2000 dipped 4%. Analysts say this is the worst trading day since the onset of COVID-19.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has introduced a new immigration initiative dubbed the “Gold Card” visa. Priced at $5 million, the visa offers foreign nationals the opportunity for permanent residency in the United States. The card features Trump’s image along with the inscription “The Trump Card.” Trump announced, “This exclusive visa will be available in less than two weeks. I’m the first buyer myself.” The program is being pitched as a premium alternative to the traditional Green Card, with Trump claiming it could create jobs and help reduce the national deficit. In February, he expressed hopes of selling around one million of these visas.

The United States has moved forward with the sale of more than 20,000 assault rifles to Israel, a deal initiated during the Trump administration. Although the Biden administration initially paused the sale over concerns that the weapons could be used by extremist settlers in the occupied territories, a March 6 notification from the U.S. State Department to Congress indicates the transaction is now back on track. According to documents reviewed by Reuters, the sale includes 5.56mm caliber fully automatic Colt carbines, worth an estimated $24 million. Earlier, President Biden had imposed sanctions on individuals and organizations allegedly involved in violence in the West Bank — sanctions that were swiftly revoked by Trump upon taking office.

The United States has imposed new tariffs on at least 12 countries, including Bangladesh. However, the majority of Americans do not support Trump’s “aggressive” trade policies. According to a Marquette Law School poll, 58% of Americans believe Trump’s tariff policies will hurt the U.S. economy, while only 28% think they will be beneficial. The poll also found that 43% of Americans hold a negative opinion of Trump. Additionally, 64% believe that closing institutions like USAID and the Department of Education is beyond a president’s authority. Furthermore, 70% of respondents said judges who rule against Trump’s decisions should not be removed.

The White House has dismissed reports that Elon Musk is stepping down from his role in the Trump administration, calling them “completely baseless” and “nonsense.” White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt stated on X, “Both Musk and Trump have publicly confirmed that Musk will continue as a special government employee until he completes his ‘incredible work’ at the Department of Government Efficiency.” Earlier, Politico, citing discontent among party activists and sources close to the U.S. president, reported that Musk was expected to step down soon.

US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose high import tariffs has drawn criticism from world leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Meloni labeled the 20% tariff on EU products as a “mistake,” while Albanese called the 10% duty on Australian goods “unjustifiable.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez vowed to protect Spanish businesses and workers, reaffirming commitment to a free global market. Ireland’s Taoiseach Michael Martin called Trump’s move “deeply regrettable.” China, facing a 54% tariff on its exports, urged Washington to withdraw the tariffs immediately, warning of retaliatory measures if ignored. South Korea remarked that a full-scale global trade war is now a reality, while Japan and Thailand also expressed concerns over the economic impact.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has left for Bangkok to attend the BIMSTEC Summit. His flight, operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:55 AM on Thursday. According to a briefing by High Representative Dr. Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday, the Chief Adviser will remain in Thailand from April 3-4 for the summit. Accompanying him are Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain and Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin. During the visit, the Chief Adviser is expected to hold bilateral meetings with BIMSTEC leaders and participate in the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated in an interview that Moscow has thoroughly reviewed the US ceasefire proposal but cannot accept it in its current form. According to Russia, the proposal fails to address key concerns that led to the conflict. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, following its annexation of Crimea in 2014. Former US President Donald Trump had previously threatened severe sanctions on Russian oil if Moscow violated agreements.