OpenAI has filed a countersuit against Elon Musk, escalating their ongoing legal conflict. The tech firm accused Musk of harassment and asked the court to prevent him from taking further “unlawful and unjust actions” against the company. Musk co-founded OpenAI with Sam Altman in 2015 but left in 2018. After launching xAI in 2023, Musk has been accused of attempting to block OpenAI from becoming a for-profit entity. He previously sued OpenAI to halt changes to its corporate structure.

During an open cabinet meeting on Thursday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant emphasized the need for trade agreements to stabilize economic policy. Former President Donald Trump expressed his willingness to strike a deal with China, saying, “It would be great if we could make a deal. It seems possible to reach a beneficial agreement for both countries.” He also mentioned that tariff revenues could be used to reduce the national debt. However, he warned that if no deal is reached within 90 days, tariffs would be reinstated. Trump added that there is progress in resolving conflicts, particularly in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war.

While Donald Trump recently announced a 125% tariff hike on Chinese imports, the White House has clarified that existing tariffs raise the total to 145%. This includes a previous 20% duty already in place. China condemned the move as economic bullying, warning that prices for products like Apple devices will skyrocket.

Russia and the United States have started a second round of talks in Istanbul to resolve issues affecting their embassy operations. The discussions, led by senior diplomats from both sides, aim to stabilize diplomatic missions without touching on political or security matters, including Ukraine. The talks follow years of mutual complaints about visa difficulties, restricted movements, and property disputes. Progress has reportedly been made on some issues, though no major breakthroughs are expected in this session.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a three-month suspension of retaliatory tariffs on most countries while increasing tariffs on Chinese imports to 125%.

On Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Due to China’s disrespect for global markets, we are imposing a 125% tariff on their goods, effective immediately.” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent praised Trump’s bold move, stating that countries willing to negotiate will be rewarded.

Following the announcement, U.S. stock indices surged. Notably, Trump made this decision shortly after receiving a letter from Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, requesting a temporary suspension of the tariffs.

Nine out of the world’s ten richest individuals have lost a combined $370 billion since the beginning of the year, primarily due to market instability triggered by former US President Donald Trump’s trade war policies.

Warren Buffett stands out as the only billionaire who saw his fortune grow—by $11.5 billion—during this period. Others were not so lucky: Elon Musk lost $135 billion, Larry Ellison $44.9 billion, Jeff Bezos $42.6 billion, Larry Page $34.7 billion, Sergey Brin $32.5 billion, Bernard Arnault $26.2 billion, Mark Zuckerberg $24.5 billion, Steve Ballmer $20.4 billion, and Bill Gates $9.45 billion.

Experts warn that continued trade tensions may deal a heavy blow to the global tech industry. China has already signaled this possibility by tightening controls on its tech exports.

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.