This week's news cycle delivered a whirlwind of events, spanning the unpredictable actions of a former US president, the ambitious integration of robots into the Russian economy, a German court's unusual meme-related conviction, and the fascinating (and somewhat controversial) resurrection of a prehistoric creature. Let's delve into the details.
Trump's Tariff Twists and Turns: A 90-Day Reprieve
Former President Donald Trump's economic policies continue to generate headlines. This week saw a significant development regarding the tariffs imposed on various countries, particularly China. Initially, a seemingly uniform 10% minimum tariff was introduced across the board. However, China faced a staggering 145% tariff, a figure that prompted immediate and substantial retaliatory measures from the PRC. This resulted in a tit-for-tat exchange of tariffs, escalating the tension between the two economic giants.
While other countries responded with more conciliatory approaches, attempting to negotiate with the Trump administration, China's assertive response, mirroring the initial tariffs with a 34% levy and subsequently escalating the conflict, appears to have been a key factor in Trump's eventual decision. The Chinese government consistently maintained a stance of unflinching defiance, showing no fear of a protracted trade war.
Bloomberg revealed intriguing insights into the decision-making process behind Trump's eventual 90-day suspension of the new tariffs. A pivotal moment seems to have been JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon's appearance on FOX News, where he voiced concerns about Trump's policies potentially triggering a recession. This warning, coupled with the rising interest rate on 10-year US Treasury bonds (which had climbed from 4.2% to 4.5%), appears to have significantly influenced Trump's thinking.
The final decision involved consultations with then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and then-Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who echoed Dimon's concerns. Notably, prominent tariff advocate Peter Navarro and his associate Ron Vara were excluded from these crucial meetings.
Adding another layer of intrigue, Trump cryptically posted on Truth Social: "Now is the time to buy!!!" Initially dismissed as mere "Maga copium" (optimism among Trump supporters), this message proved remarkably prescient, as the announcement of the tariff pause sent the market soaring by a record 9.5% in a single day.
This dramatic market surge prompted speculation regarding insider trading. The possibility that someone capitalized on advance knowledge of the tariff suspension through the purchase of one-day S&P 500 options warrants further investigation, though determining culpability, given the involvement of the former president, poses significant challenges.
The seemingly abrupt reversal regarding the 145% tariff on Chinese smartphones, chips, and electronics further highlights the unpredictability of Trump's economic strategies. After initially adopting a staunchly uncompromising stance, Trump quietly rescinded these prohibitive duties, a development interpreted by many as a significant victory for China in this particular trade battle.
Prior to the imposition of these tariffs, Apple strategically airlifted approximately 600 tons of iPhones (a noteworthy metric, indicating the sheer volume involved) from India to the United States, preemptively building up inventory to mitigate potential supply chain disruptions caused by the new tariffs. This proactive measure underscores the impact of these trade disputes on major corporations.
International Reactions: A Ripple Effect Across the Globe
The EU's reaction to Trump's initial tariff announcements included calls for negotiations from Ursula von der Leyen, coupled with warnings of retaliatory measures. She even proposed the establishment of a duty-free trade zone between the US and the EU. However, this conciliatory approach didn't last long. The EU subsequently implemented tariffs on certain American goods in response to the tariffs previously imposed on steel and aluminum imports from the EU. This tit-for-tat escalation perfectly exemplifies the complexities and reciprocal nature of international trade relations.
The impact of these trade disputes extended beyond specific tariffs. The US dollar experienced a significant decline against a basket of major currencies (including the euro, yen, pound, Canadian dollar, Swedish krona, and Swiss franc), falling 8% since the beginning of 2025 and reaching levels not seen in several years. Conversely, the Russian ruble strengthened by more than 17% during the same period—a stark contrast highlighting the diverse and interconnected nature of global financial markets.
Beyond Trade: Showers, Robots, and Legal Battles
Trump's influence extended beyond economics, as he once again reversed Obama- and Biden-era restrictions on showerheads, claiming that the low water pressure mandated by these regulations necessitated excessive showering time to maintain his "beautiful hair." This seemingly trivial issue has become a recurring source of political debate, highlighting the unexpected battles fought on seemingly minor regulatory fronts.
In Russia, developments include the arrest of Anatoly Chubais's property in a lawsuit brought by Rusnano. This lawsuit centers around the troubled Plastic Logic project, aimed at developing flexible tablets for schools, which, despite years of investment, failed to yield tangible results. Chubais, currently residing abroad, is at the center of this ongoing legal battle.
VK, a prominent Russian social media company, secured a substantial investment of 115 billion rubles to prevent financial collapse. Pavel Prass, a significant investor in Yandex following its separation from Arkady Volozh, emerged as the largest investor in this rescue operation, dispelling (and simultaneously confirming) rumors of a Yandex takeover of VK.
Russia is also actively promoting the adoption of robotics, with the government offering significant financial incentives to manufacturers. This initiative includes 50% reimbursement of marketing and exhibition expenses, along with a 20% cashback program for businesses implementing robots in production, even those of foreign origin. This strategic move reflects Russia's ambition to leverage technological advancements in its industries.
The Russian legal system has also taken action against "droppers," individuals who facilitate money laundering, increasing the penalties to include fines ranging from 100,000 to 1 million rubles or imprisonment for 3 to 6 years. However, provisions exist for mitigating punishment for first-time offenders who cooperate with investigations.
Roskomnadzor, Russia's media regulatory agency, reported the deletion of over 373,000 Telegram publications and channels at its request. The situation surrounding the VChK-OGPU channel remains ambiguous, with conflicting accounts regarding its removal. This incident showcases the ongoing tension between online content regulation and freedom of speech. A bot designed to mark Roskomnadzor-registered channels with an "A+" badge also sparked controversy after an administrator obtained a marking using unauthorized data, raising questions about the bot's origin and security.
Global News Bites: From Memes to Mammoths
The UK police reported an alarming number of arrests related to online posts, averaging 30 per day, highlighting the challenges in balancing freedom of expression with online harassment and harm.
In Germany, a right-wing newspaper's editor received a suspended sentence and fine for sharing a meme depicting former Interior Minister Nancy Faeser with a sign reading "I hate freedom of speech," illustrating the potential legal consequences of online satire and political commentary.
Germany's new government announced changes to its naturalization laws, extending the waiting period from three to five years, impacting those seeking expedited citizenship.
Finland banned non-resident Russians from purchasing real estate, citing national security concerns.
Switzerland experienced the unusual phenomenon of negative yields on government bonds, a situation unseen since 2022.
Colossal Biosciences, a startup focused on de-extinction, announced the genetic recreation of a dire wolf. However, closer examination revealed that this "recreation" involved modifying the genome of a gray wolf, rather than creating a true dire wolf, raising questions about the scientific accuracy and the publicity surrounding this project. The company's ultimate goal remains the recreation of a mammoth, but, again, this is likely to involve modifications of an existing elephant species rather than the true resurrection of the mammoth.
Meta unveiled new Llama 4 AI models, promising an unprecedented context window of 10 million tokens. However, benchmark tests indicated that these models didn't perform as well as competing models from Google, OpenAI, and DeepMind.
OpenAI continues to expand its GPT series, with the upcoming release of GPT-4.1, while phasing out the classic GPT-4 model. Meanwhile, OpenAI filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk, alleging attempts to impede its development, seeking legal protection and compensation.
The AI model Flynn was integrated into the Vienna University of Applied Arts, aiming to enhance its algorithms through interaction with students and lectures.
A new AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab, secured $2 billion in funding despite a lack of publicly available information or products.
The CEO of a shopping startup was accused of misrepresenting its AI capabilities, employing Filipino remote workers instead of true AI technology to achieve its services.
Other news highlights include the release of information on a Norwegian-American startup's home robot, NEO; an FBI investigation into cryptocurrency money laundering using a service ironically named "Elon Musk"; the annulment of $2.5 billion in FTX customer claims due to non-compliance with KYC requirements; Conor McGregor's failure to raise sufficient funding for his cryptocurrency; and the prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States, resulting in the release of Ksenia Karelina and Arthur Petrov.
The week’s news provides a fascinating glimpse into the convergence of technological advancements, political maneuvering, and economic shifts, both within specific nations and on a global scale. The unpredictable nature of these events underscores the need for continuous monitoring and analysis of these evolving landscapes.