Framework

• HitPay aims to capture more tourist spending by enabling small businesses to accept foreign digital wallets via Singapore's unified QR system. • The strategy targets the growing influx of international visitors seeking seamless payment options. • This move enhances competitiveness for SMEs in tourism-heavy sectors, potentially increasing transaction volumes significantly.

• Expo, developer of the React Native framework for cross-platform apps, secured $45 million in Series B funding led by Georgian. • The investment supports cloud services and open-source tools used by developers building mobile applications. • This funding bolsters Expo's position in the competitive cross-platform development market amid rising demand for efficient app building.

• US and EU officials finalized a coordinated sanctions package on April 8, 2026, targeting Belarusian entities supplying weapons to Russia. • Measures freeze $300 million in assets and ban 50 officials, including Lukashenko allies facilitating troop transit. • The pact strengthens transatlantic unity against authoritarian axis, vital as Belarus hosts 10,000 Russian troops near Ukraine's border.

• Presidents of Brazil and Argentina held high-level talks on April 6 to establish a new bilateral trade framework reducing tariffs and increasing agricultural and technology sector cooperation, aiming to strengthen Mercosur. • The leaders agreed to coordinate regional responses to global economic pressures and announced plans for joint infrastructure investments; discussions included currency stabilization mechanisms to address exchange rate volatility. • Both nations emphasized commitment to democratic governance and rule of law amid regional concerns about institutional challenges; the initiative signals Latin American countries seeking greater economic autonomy.

• The White House issued 'A National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence,' outlining legislative recommendations to advance U.S. AI priorities. • This follows the July 2025 'America’s AI Action Plan' with over 90 policy actions across innovation, infrastructure, and international security, seeking business input on slowing regulations. • The framework may limit funding to states with AI-restrictive rules, positioning the U.S. as the global AI leader.

• The White House issued its National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence on March 20, 2026, guiding U.S. AI development. • CSIS experts Navin Girishankar and Aalok Mehta discussed the framework's implications in a rapid round-up. • The policy shapes U.S. AI leadership, influencing industry investments and regulations.

• President Trump called on a gridlocked Congress to establish a unified national AI regulatory framework to prevent a patchwork of state laws on March 28, 2026. • States have enacted dozens of AI laws covering child safety, transparency requirements, and whistleblower protections due to federal inaction. • The White House framework emphasizes protecting children from AI harms and consumers from data center cost increases, prompting mixed reactions from lawmakers.

• The House Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence, chaired by Rep. Bryan Steil (WI-01), held a hearing on March 26 to examine how federal agencies are addressing emerging technologies. • The hearing explored how Congress can support responsible innovation while ensuring strong oversight and accountability as AI technologies continue to advance rapidly. • Regulators testified on strategies to keep pace with technology innovation speed, highlighting the gap between regulatory evolution and market velocity.

• On March 20, 2026, the White House issued a four-page National Policy Framework on Artificial Intelligence, recommending Congress preempt state laws interfering with a minimally burdensome federal standard while protecting children and consumers. • The framework prioritizes seven areas, including stronger parental controls for kids, letting courts decide AI training on copyrighted works, and requiring companies to cover data center energy costs without raising residential bills. • It references the March 2026 Ratepayer Protection Pledge by tech firms and calls for streamlined permitting and resources for small businesses; Democrats responded with the GUARDRAILS Act to block a related Trump executive order.

• On March 20, 2026, the White House issued the National Policy Framework for AI, urging Congress to preempt state laws and promote innovation. • Framework emphasizes five principles: child safety, communities, creators, censorship prevention, and U.S. competitiveness, building on December 2025 executive order. • Recommendations include protections against AI scams, workforce training via land-grant institutions, and free speech safeguards for AI outputs.