In a pivotal move, Ukraine accepted a US-backed ceasefire plan, seeking a 30-day truce, the lifting of intelligence restrictions, security aid, prisoner swaps, and the return of displaced Ukrainian children, signaling a potential breakthrough in the ongoing conflict.
Amid growing US-China tech rivalry and national pride, Chinese firms are enthusiastically adopting DeepSeek's AI models for publicity, potential business applications, and showcasing China's AI prowess, fueled by the international reaction to DeepSeek's success.
Huawei obtains millions of AI chips from TSMC through shell companies, circumventing U.S. sanctions, with 75% of Ascend 910C chips surviving advanced packaging despite defects.
President Trump granted partial exemptions on tariffs for goods from Mexico and Canada that comply with the North American trade deal, delaying the full impact until April 2nd when he plans another round of retaliatory tariffs, after speaking with U.S. automakers' CEOs.
The EU unveiled an ambitious €800 billion defense spending plan, including €150 billion in loans, to bolster military capabilities amid doubts about Europe's readiness to counter Russia without US support due to logistical infrastructure gaps like satellite intelligence and battlefield coordination.
Tariffs, taxes on imported goods and services, are double-edged swords wielded by governments to raise revenue, protect domestic industries, and exert political leverage, but can backfire with higher consumer prices and escalating trade wars, straining economies and international relations.
Mounting fears of stagflation, driven by Trump's tariffs and softening economic indicators, are fueling market volatility and raising concerns about high inflation coupled with sluggish growth, though a severe crisis has not yet materialized.
As US support wavers, French President Macron and British PM Starmer spearhead a push for a Ukraine peace plan, proposing an initial month-long ceasefire, but doubts linger over Europe's ability to secure peace without American involvement amid a potential Republican split on Trump's Russia pivot.
President Trump is poised to unveil a compromise deal with Canada and Mexico that would scale back his controversial 25% tariffs on imports from those countries in exchange for concessions addressing his concerns, potentially easing trade tensions.
President Trump's imposition of steep tariffs on imports from key trade partners sparked retaliatory measures and ignited a trade war, causing market turmoil and major stock losses amid escalating tensions.