Opinions

• The United States has shifted its South Asian foreign policy by engaging regional players independently, rather than seeking prior alignment or permission from India. • Washington is pursuing pragmatic cooperation with Pakistan on trade, minerals, and stability, while simultaneously recognizing Bangladesh as a strategic manufacturing powerhouse. • This shift marks a departure from previous strategies where the U.S. viewed nations like Bangladesh primarily through the lens of development aid or Indian security interests.

• The author argues that U.S. diplomacy under the Trump administration has shifted from impartial professional diplomats to real estate investors. • Specific concerns are raised regarding Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, alleging their roles in negotiations with Iran create significant conflicts of interest. • The piece highlights the "emoluments" clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits government officials from accepting payments or titles from foreign states without Congressional consent.

• Traders are increasingly adding Upwork (UPWK) to their buy lists, viewing it as a "value name" likely to benefit from safety flows into lower-priced equities. • Market sentiment remains measured, as there are currently no major catalysts driving a significant surge in stock activity. • Investors are drawing parallels between Upwork's business model and emerging AI agent platforms, sparking debate on how AI will evolve the freelance market.

• The Opinions Editor argues that while immediate economic troubles have eased, the structural foundations necessary for sustainable, long-term growth remain absent. • Key sectors are struggling: high-skilled IT services are under pressure, manufacturing is failing to gain traction, and the financial sector is not creating enough low-to-medium skilled roles. • Job growth is currently concentrated in low-end services, exemplified by Zepto, which saw its delivery rider workforce surge from 49,278 in 2024 to 2.21 lakh in 2026.

Trump’s immigration agenda is on the supreme court docket with rulings still to come on birthright citizenship and TPS for Haitian and Syrian immigrantsSign up for the Breaking News US emailHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.The supreme court is expected to render at least one judgment today as the term is set to come to an end later this month. There are a series of cases yet to be decided that are relevant to Donald Trump, including his attempt to limit birthright citizenship and plan to remove legal protection from Haitian and Syrian immigrants.Donald Trump has signed a 14-point agreement with Iran, claiming it delivered a “major win” for the US. The Guardian’s Andrew Roth argues that the US entered war with maximalist goals and exited it with a pragmatic decision to end conflict despite political cost.A teenager has died after being thrown to the ground on Wednesday when a Central Park carriage horse bolted away from its driver, police in New York have said.On Wednesday, court proceedings revealed that Luigi Mangione’s legal team plans on pursuing a psychiatric defense during his upcoming Manhattan state court trial over the killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson. Continue reading...

• Former Twitter employee Ahmad Abouammo was paid $300,000 by a Saudi official in exchange for confidential data on dissident users while working in San Francisco. • In a separate legal matter, the U.S. Supreme Court addressed the case of Hain Celestial Group, Inc. v. Palmquist on February 24, 2026. • This case involves Texas parents who are suing a baby food manufacturer and seller after their child developed serious physical and developmental disorders.

• The White House has introduced a new proposal that could allow the government to deny research funding to scientists based on their political opinions. • Critics argue the guidance replaces objective expertise with political appointees, potentially gutting the U.S. scientific ecosystem and decoupling the nation from global research collaborations. • This shift is viewed as a dangerous precedent that mirrors authoritarian tactics by prioritizing political loyalty over scientific merit.

• The U.S. Supreme Court announced opinions on the way as of April 17, 2026, shifting focus from the controversial shadow docket to merits cases. • Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson criticized conservative colleagues in viral comments related to emergency relief requests from the Trump administration. • The emergency docket remains a flashpoint, underscoring deep ideological divides within the federal judiciary.