Billion

• 1 मई, 2026 को Washington से POLITICO की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, Republicans एक विधायी पैंतरे का उपयोग कर रहे हैं जो Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) को अरबों डॉलर भेजने के लिए Senate के filibuster को बायपास करेगा। • यह कदम आगामी midterms में Republican House बहुमत बनाए रखने के President Trump के फोकस के बीच ICE की प्रवर्तन क्षमता को मजबूत करने के लिए है और यह ऐसे समय में आया है जब प्रशासन को सीमा और निर्वासन नीतियों पर आलोचना का सामना करना पड़ रहा है। • आलोचकों ने चेतावनी दी है कि यह दृष्टिकोण वर्षों के लिए अत्यधिक प्रतिबंधात्मक आव्रजन प्रवर्तन को पुख्ता कर सकता है, जबकि GOP का तर्क है कि यह सुरक्षा को मजबूत करेगा और प्रशासन को उसके चुनावी वादों पर कायम रखेगा।

• Meta ने AI मॉडल विकास को गति देने के लिए Q1 2026 क्लाउड सेवाओं के लिए $107bn की संविदात्मक प्रतिबद्धताओं की रिपोर्ट दी है। • आक्रामक निवेशों में डेटासेंटर विस्तार और AI हार्डवेयर घटकों के लिए सप्लाई चेन सौदे शामिल हैं। • कंपनी को 2026 के अंत में AI सफलताओं की उम्मीद है, जिससे उन्नत अनुसंधान का मुद्रीकरण (monetize) करने पर जोर दिया जा रहा है।

• अमेरिकी प्रतिनिधि सभा ने 29 अप्रैल, 2026 को सीनेट द्वारा अनुमोदित बजट प्रस्ताव को अपनाया, जिससे Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) और Customs and Border Protection (CBP) के लिए अरबों की फंडिंग का रास्ता साफ हो गया। • रिपब्लिकन ने इस ब्लूप्रिंट को आगे बढ़ाने के लिए फिलीबस्टर-स्कर्टिंग (नियमों से बचने वाली) प्रक्रिया का उपयोग किया, जिसकी कांग्रेस महिला Doris Matsui जैसे डेमोक्रेट्स ने अन्य आवश्यकताओं की तुलना में प्रवर्तन को प्राथमिकता देने के रूप में आलोचना की। • यह कदम चल रही सीमा सुरक्षा बहसों और मध्यावधि चुनाव के दबावों के बीच Trump प्रशासन की आव्रजन नीतियों का समर्थन करता है।

WPP पर अपनी climate policy के उल्लंघन का आरोप लगा है, क्योंकि एक रिपोर्ट में खुलासा हुआ है कि यह फर्म अपने US प्रतिद्वंद्वियों की तुलना में दोगुने oil advertising से जुड़ी है। एक ब्रिटिश विज्ञापन समूह ने ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell और BP जैसी तेल कंपनियों को जलवायु संकट से निपटने के लिए 2015 के Paris agreement के बाद से US में विज्ञापनों पर अनुमानित $1.5bn (£1.1bn) खर्च करने में मदद की है, एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार। Climate investigations platform DeSmog के विश्लेषण के अनुसार, लंदन स्थित WPP पिछले दशक में US की oil industry को सेवा प्रदान करने वाला अग्रणी विज्ञापन समूह था। यह आंकड़ा उसके US प्रतिद्वंद्वियों Omnicom और Interpublic Group (IPG) से जुड़ी संबंधित राशियों का लगभग दोगुना है, जिनका नवंबर में विलय हुआ था। पढ़ना जारी रखें...

Reform leader ने Thai-based crypto tycoon Christopher Harborne से उपहार मिलने के बाद MP के रूप में खड़े होने पर अपना फैसला बदल लिया। the Guardian यह खुलासा कर सकता है कि Nigel Farage को 2024 British general election में खड़े होने की घोषणा करने से ठीक पहले crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne द्वारा £5m दिए गए थे। Farage पहले ही कह चुके थे कि उनका prospective MP के रूप में खड़े होने का कोई इरादा नहीं है, लेकिन Thai-based businessman से व्यक्तिगत उपहार प्राप्त करने के कुछ ही हफ्तों के भीतर उन्होंने पूरी तरह यू-टर्न ले लिया। Continue reading...

• Anant Ambani ने 80 जानवरों को India ले जाने के प्रस्ताव को फिर से जीवित किया है, जो सभी Colombian drug kingpin के पालतू जानवरों के वंशज हैं • यह आधुनिक प्राणीशास्त्रीय इतिहास की सबसे अजीब पहेलियों में से एक बनी हुई है – Pablo Escobar के हिप्पो के वंशजों का क्या किया जाए? • ये जानवर – sub-Saharan Africa के मूल निवासी शाकाहारी – मूल रूप से drug kingpin द्वारा अपने मनोरंजन के लिए Colombia में आयात किए गए थे

• American Hospital Association द्वारा House Ways and Means Committee को दी गई गवाही के अनुसार, 2024 में अस्पतालों को Medicare अंडरपेमेंट कुल $100 बिलियन से अधिक रहा। • अस्पताल अधिक बीमार, चिकित्सकीय रूप से जटिल और बुजुर्ग मरीजों का इलाज करते समय महत्वपूर्ण लागत दबावों का प्रबंधन कर रहे हैं, जिसमें देखभाल प्रदान करने और प्रतिपूर्ति दरों (reimbursement rates) के बीच लगातार तालमेल की कमी बनी हुई है। • यह वित्तीय तनाव स्वास्थ्य सेवा प्रणाली की व्यापक चुनौतियों को दर्शाता है क्योंकि प्रदाता बढ़ते परिचालन खर्चों के साथ-साथ अपर्याप्त सरकारी प्रतिपूर्ति के कारण संघर्ष कर रहे हैं।

टाइकून मुकेश अंबानी के बेटे अनंत अंबानी ने कहा कि उन्होंने जानवरों को मारने के फैसले को रोकने के लिए कोलंबियाई सरकार को एक औपचारिक अनुरोध भेजा है।

Proposal for a one-time 5% tax on billionaires in the state is opposed by Silicon Valley tech titans and Gavin NewsomProponents of a proposal to levy a one-time tax on California billionaires say they’ve gathered enough signatures to place the measure on the ballot in November.The campaign says it has collected more than 1.5m signatures, according to a statement. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Treasury successfully auctioned $42 billion in new 10-year notes on April 25, 2026, with the coupon rate settling at 4.38% amid continued demand from foreign central banks and domestic pension funds. • Bid-to-cover ratio reached 2.38x, slightly above the six-month average, indicating solid underlying demand despite elevated yields and concerns about federal deficit growth, which is projected to reach $1.8 trillion for fiscal year 2026. • The auction results suggest stabilization in long-term borrowing costs after weeks of volatility, potentially reducing pressure on the Federal Reserve to adjust its benchmark rate at the May 2 policy meeting.

• Berkshire Hathaway's cash and equivalents surged to $168 billion at the end of Q1 2026, its highest level in over a decade, as Warren Buffett continued to reduce equity holdings amid concerns over elevated asset valuations. • The conglomerate reduced its Apple stake by 8% during the quarter and trimmed Bank of America holdings further, citing a lack of compelling investment opportunities in current market conditions. • Investment income from fixed-income holdings generated $3.2 billion in the first quarter alone, demonstrating how Berkshire's massive cash reserve is now earning meaningful returns in a higher-rate environment.

• Pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Pfizer announced a strategic research collaboration focusing on oncology and immunology, with combined commitments totaling $4.8 billion over five years to accelerate drug development and clinical trial timelines. • The partnership will leverage Eli Lilly's metabolic disease expertise and Pfizer's vaccine platform capabilities to pursue combination therapies for hard-to-treat cancers, with initial clinical trials expected to commence in mid-2027. • Industry analysts view the deal as emblematic of Big Pharma consolidating R&D resources amid rising drug development costs exceeding $2.6 billion per approved medication, while also signaling confidence in oncology market growth.

• The Alabama Department of Corrections terminated its $1 billion health care contract with Tennessee-based YesCare for failure to adequately fulfill contractual duties. • The contract, awarded in 2023 as a 5-year agreement, was dissolved due to the company's inability to meet performance standards for prison health services. • The termination raises questions about oversight of private contractors providing essential health care services within the correctional system.

• The European Union announced a €2.1 billion emergency aid package for Ukraine on Friday, aimed at supporting reconstruction efforts and civilian needs amid Russia's intensified spring offensive across multiple fronts in eastern Ukraine. • EU officials stated the funds would prioritize healthcare infrastructure, food security, and electricity grid repairs, with disbursement beginning within two weeks pending parliamentary approval scheduled for April 30. • Ukraine's finance minister praised the commitment but warned that current assistance levels remain insufficient to offset projected $14 billion in war-related economic losses this year alone.

• Anthropic announced a $4 billion Series E funding round on April 25, 2026, with lead investments from Amazon and Google, valuing the AI safety firm at $61.5 billion post-money. • The capital will accelerate development of Claude 4 models and expand enterprise AI infrastructure across US data centers in California and Virginia. • This funding underscores intensifying competition in AI amid regulatory scrutiny, positioning Anthropic as a key challenger to OpenAI's dominance.

• Elon Musk's xAI closed a $6 billion Series C on April 25, 2026, backed by Sequoia and a16z, to build a 100,000-GPU supercluster in Memphis, Tennessee. • Funding supports Grok-3 development, targeting 5x faster inference than GPT-5, with first phase online by December 2026. • Initiative aims to repatriate AI compute to US soil, creating 1,200 high-tech jobs amid national security concerns over overseas data centers.

• SpaceX secured an option to purchase AI coding startup Cursor for $60 billion USD, signaling aggressive expansion into artificial intelligence development tools. • The acquisition option reflects Cursor's prominence in AI-assisted software development, a rapidly consolidating market attracting major technology conglomerates. • The deal underscores SpaceX's strategic pivot toward internal AI capabilities to accelerate software development for space exploration and satellite internet infrastructure.

There are now 3,110 billionaires but analysis shows ‘deep structural acceleration’ in wealth creation around worldThe number of billionaires in the world could reach nearly 4,000 by 2031, figures suggest, as the super-rich accumulate wealth at an accelerating rate.There are now 3,110 billionaires globally, according to analysis by the estate agent Knight Frank. This is forecast to rise by 25% over the next five years, taking the total to 3,915. Continue reading...

• Nvidia shares jumped 5% in extended trading after a strong AI forecast, positioning the company to gain $220 billion in market value amid easing bubble concerns. • The stock had dropped nearly 8% in November following a 1,200% surge over three years, but positive results calmed investor jitters. • This development underscores Nvidia's role as AI market bellwether and highlights sustained demand for its chips.

Annalouise Spence allegedly used credit card to make ‘unauthorised purchases of luxury and personal items, including clothing, artwork and jewellery’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe former private secretary of billionaire philanthropist Judith Neilson has been charged with dozens of counts of fraud after she allegedly used a business credit card to make more than $1m of purchases, including luxury clothing, artwork and jewellery.Annalouise Spence, 50, was due to appear at a bail court hearing on Thursday after being charged with 68 counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception. Continue reading...

Justin Sun alleges World Liberty Financial installed tools to prevent sale of his tokens after they became tradeableBillionaire crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun on Tuesday sued World Liberty Financial, the digital currency venture co-founded by Donald Trump and his sons, alleging that World Liberty illegally froze his holdings of tokens issued by the company.Sun, the largest investor in World Liberty, alleged in the lawsuit, filed in a federal court in California, that the company secretly installed tools to prevent the sale of his tokens after they became tradeable in September 2025. The lawsuit also alleges that World Liberty threatened to “burn” – or permanently delete – his holdings, even while they were in Sun’s digital wallet. Continue reading...

• Silicon Valley-based Resolve AI secured $40M in Series A extension funding, boosting its valuation to $1.5B to establish Resolve AI Labs focused on AI models optimized for production environments. • The funding supports development of reliable AI systems tailored for enterprise-scale deployment in US tech sectors. • This round highlights investor confidence in Resolve AI's infrastructure for bridging research-to-production AI gaps amid booming demand.

• Elon Musk's xAI announced a $6 billion Series C funding round on April 19, 2026, led by Sequoia Capital, valuing the startup at $24 billion post-money. • Funds will expand the Colossus supercomputer in Memphis, Tennessee, to 300,000 Nvidia GPUs for Grok AI training. • Investment accelerates US AI infrastructure race, countering China's advances and supporting domestic chip production.

• Amazon led a $4 billion investment in Agility Robotics on April 19, 2026, to deploy 10,000 Digit humanoid robots in US warehouses by 2027. • Digit robots handle picking and packing tasks, reducing labor costs by 30% per Amazon executives. • Deal bolsters Amazon's automation push amid labor shortages and union pressures in fulfillment centers.

• Scale AI raised $2.5 billion in fresh funding on April 19, 2026, at a $15 billion valuation, backed by Meta and Tiger Global. • Capital expands US data annotation workforce to 50,000, focusing on synthetic data for autonomous vehicles and LLMs. • Funding counters labor-intensive bottlenecks in AI training, vital for US competitiveness.

• Databricks announced a Series H funding round of $10 billion at a $43 billion valuation on April 18, led by existing investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital, to accelerate development of its AI and data platform. • The funding will support expansion of Databricks' lakehouse architecture, which integrates data warehousing and data lakes, and fund aggressive hiring in engineering and sales across North America. • The round positions Databricks as one of the fastest-growing enterprise software companies and signals strong investor confidence in the competitive data infrastructure market dominated by Snowflake and others.

• Microsoft announced the acquisition of Cerberus AI, a Boston-based cybersecurity startup, for $2.1 billion on April 19 to enhance real-time threat detection across Azure cloud infrastructure. • Cerberus AI's proprietary machine learning platform identified over 50,000 zero-day vulnerabilities in the past year and will integrate with Microsoft Defender to provide unified threat management across enterprise environments. • The acquisition marks Microsoft's continued investment in AI-driven security as cloud-based attacks have increased 35% year-over-year, according to recent industry reports.

• Stripe completed the acquisition of Wise Exchange, a fintech startup specializing in cross-border payment optimization, for $1.2 billion in stock on April 18, expanding its international payment capabilities. • The acquisition adds Wise Exchange's proprietary currency conversion algorithms and partnerships with 40+ financial institutions across Europe, Asia, and Americas to Stripe's existing platform. • Industry analysts view this acquisition as Stripe's strategic response to intensifying competition from Block, PayPal, and traditional payment networks in the global payments sector.