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Trump is doing all he can to save TikTok, the hugely popular video-sharing app owned by Chinese Internet company ByteDance. It's unusual because not long ago Trump had wanted to ban it. In a desperate bid to make TikTok American, he said on Wednesday he would be willing to reduce tariffs on China if it allows ByteDance to sell the app to an American buyer. However, AFP has reported that China has rebuffed Trump's offer, with its foreign ministry saying that it has «repeatedly stated our position» on TikTok. «The Chinese side's stance against imposing additional tariffs is also consistent and clear,» foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said. A US law during the Biden administration ordered TikTok to divest from its Chinese owner ByteDance or be banned in the US, enacted over concerns that Beijing could exploit the video-sharing platform to spy on Americans or covertly influence US public opinion. The law took effect on January 19, a day before Trump's inauguration. TikTok temporarily shut down in the US and disappeared from app stores as the deadline for the law approached, to the dismay of millions of users. Trump suspended its implementation for two-and-a-half months after beginning his second term on January 20, seeking a solution with Beijing. TikTok subsequently restored service in the US and returned to the Apple and Google app stores in February. Trump's reprieve to TikTok is set to expire on April 5. Why did Trump change his stance on TikTok from wanting to ban it to going all-out to save it? Why Trump wants to save TikTok

Shares in companies such as Japan's Toyota and Honda and South Korea's Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp fell, wiping off some $16.5 billion in value, after Trump on Wednesday unveiled a 25% tariff on imported cars and light trucks to take effect on April 3. On the streets of Tokyo and Seoul, and in «motor city» Gwangju, people were concerned the levies would have a far-reaching impact, speaking to the singular role the car industry has played in the post-war economic rise of the two U.S. allies. While car production helped transform Germany, Italy and France after World War Two, its influence in Asia has been even more profound. Automakers form the nucleus of vast networks of group companies that impact almost every facet of working life in the two countries. In Japan, where the industry accounts for roughly 3% of gross domestic product, it is the automakers — particularly Toyota — that set the precedent for national wage increases through annual talks between unions and management.

Muhlenberg College learned in January 2024 — as pro-Palestinian protests were sweeping campuses across the United States — that it was under investigation for discriminating against Jewish students, the small liberal arts institution in Pennsylvania took action. The college fired a tenured professor who had been accused of targeting Jewish students, and the U.S. Education Department, satisfied with Muhlenberg's response to complaints of antisemitism on campus, ended its investigation. So Muhlenberg's inclusion on a list of 60 universities and colleges under investigation by the Education Department for antisemitism was «not anticipated,» Todd Lineburger, a spokesperson for Muhlenberg, said. «To our knowledge, Muhlenberg is not on the DOE list of institutions with open investigations,» Lineburger said. «We have received no further information from the Department of Education and continue our robust efforts to remain fully compliant with all laws and regulations.» The March 10 letter to 60 institutions, signed by the Education Department's acting civil rights chief Craig Trainor, focused on antisemitic activity following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. It warned that Donald Trump's administration would not tolerate antisemitic acts — and institutions that did risked losing federal government funding.

media and telecommunications regulator announced on Thursday that it has fined the operator of the adult-only platform OnlyFans £1.05 million ($1.4 million) for failing to meet age-verification and disclosure requirements, according to a report by Reuters. The fine comes amid growing concerns about the platform's involvement in hosting illegal content, including child sexual abuse material and trafficking. Meanwhile, another Reuters report earlier in January, 2025, noted that the popular subscription-based platform has been at the center of allegations involving its payment processors, Visa and Mastercard. According to the Reuters report, a whistleblower, identified as a senior compliance expert, filed a complaint in January 2023, accusing the two credit card giants of failing to stop their networks from processing payments for illicit material on the platform.

SK Hynix, the world's second-largest memory chipmaker, said on Thursday that some customers have brought forward orders in preparation for new U.S. tariffs on semiconductors. Speaking at the company's annual shareholder meeting, SK Hynix's Head of Global Sales and Marketing, Lee Sang-rak, said the «pull-in» effects, along with the reduction in customers' inventory, led to favourable market conditions recently. But he added it remains to be seen whether the trend will continue.

Amazon and Flipkart this month, seizing items that did not meet quality control standards, as it increased its scrutiny of the two firms. Last week, the Bureau of Indian Standards conducted similar searches at the companies' warehouses in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, saying they stored, sold, and exhibited items that did not have a required standards label. Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart have said they comply with local laws. They did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment on the Delhi raids.

H3C, has flagged potential shortages of Nvidia's H20 chip, the most advanced AI processor legally available domestically under U.S. export controls, in a client notice seen by Reuters. The potential supply crunch could create obstacles for China's artificial intelligence ambitions at a time when its tech firms are aggressively expanding their investments in AI. «H20's international supply chain faces significant uncertainties,» the company said in Tuesday's notice, adding that current inventory was nearly depleted.

Donald Trump had a hilarious exchange with a reporter wearing a mask. While speaking to the press in the Oval Office, President Trump drew attention to a journalist wearing a mask. The reporter asked Trump a question about California, to which he responded: «You know, I haven't seen a mask in so long, you're wearing a mask!» He sarcastically added, «That's so nice of you. I haven't seen anybody wearing a mask in a long time, it's good. You feel more comfortable right, good, that's good.» The exchange came as Trump signed a new executive order imposing 25 per cent tariffs on imports of automobiles and certain auto parts. Trump indicated this was to end unfair trade practices and protect the United States’ national security.

Reserve Bank of India is set to double to 10% a cap on investment by individual foreign investors in listed companies, as it aims to boost capital inflows, according to two senior government officials and documents reviewed by Reuters. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), pressured by poor earnings, high valuations and prospects of U.S. tariffs, have pulled more than $28 billion out of Indian stocks since September's record high in the benchmark NSE Nifty 50. To boost foreign investment, India is widening to all foreign investors benefits it had until now restricted to overseas Indians, while also raising applicable investment limits, the officials said. «It is felt that these proposals may be implemented as early as possible,» the central bank told the government in a letter last week, pointing to disruption in capital inflows among recent developments in the external sector. Emails seeking comment from the finance ministry, the central bank, and the market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), did not get any response.

Elon Musk's U.S. DOGE Service team of technologists once provided support to a cybercrime gang that bragged about trafficking in stolen data and cyberstalking an FBI agent, according to digital records reviewed by Reuters. Edward Coristine is among the most visible members of the DOGE effort that has been given sweeping access to official networks as it attempts to radically downsize the US government. Past reporting had focused on his youth — he is 19 — and his chosen nickname of «bigballs,» which became a pop culture punchline. Musk turned championed the teen on his social media site X, telling his followers last month that «Big Balls is awesome.»

India, the world's second-biggest sugar producer, in January set an export allowance of 1 million metric tons through September 2025, as both the government and the industry believed there was a surplus for overseas markets. Since then, industry groups have lowered their output forecasts for the current year, raising concerns about potential supply shortages and export restrictions. However, India has more than enough stocks to meet domestic consumption and ethanol requirements, which is why the government has decided that mills would be allowed to export sugar, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. «There is no reason to consider any restrictions on exports. The numbers suggest that we will have more than enough stocks throughout this year, and next year's production will anyway exceed this year's production,» one of the sources said.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell unexpectedly to 2.8% in February, while core inflation continued to remain sticky at 3.5%.  The figures for the 12 months to February came in slightly below the 2.9% forecast by economists polled by Reuters and marked a 0.2 percentage point drop from January's 3% levels.  Tough fiscal measures 'in the offing' as investors expect Reeves to cut spending in Spring Forecast The readings will leave the chancellor and the Bank of England (BoE) «somewhat relieved», said Aberdeen's deputy chief e...

BYD aims to double its sales outside China to over 800,000 cars in 2025 and will look to overcome tariffs by assembling cars locally, its chairman told analysts on an earnings call on Tuesday. BYD, which sold 417,204 units abroad in 2024, expects to see «a substantial rise» in its market share in Britain, which is «very open» to competitive Chinese products, according to a transcript of the call Wang Chuanfu reviewed by Reuters. They also see «great opportunities» to grow rapidly in Latin American and South East Asian countries, where the governments and people are friendly with Chinese brands, he said.

«Samsung is a responsible corporation and fully complies with the laws in India. The issue involves the interpretation of classification of goods by customs,» a company spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday. «We are assessing legal options to ensure that our rights are fully protected.» An official ET spoke with said the demand notice wasn't fresh, but a follow up of one sent in January 2023, as the company had failed to give a «satisfactory» reply to the earlier show cause notice.

The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index plunged 7.2 points to 92.9 this month. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the index sliding to 94.0.

Trump said automobile tariffs are coming soon even as he indicated that not all of his threatened levies would be imposed on April 2 and some countries may get breaks. Potential price hikes, changes in sourcing locations and new U.S. plants are among the actions planned since Trump unveiled the tariffs and threatened potentially more levies. HIGHER PRICES * Best Buy warned of the possibility of higher prices for American shoppers. «The giant wildcard obviously is how the consumers are going to react to the price increases ...,» CFO Matt Bilunas said on a call with analysts.

Gold price could hit the $3,100-mark in coming days even though rates were steady on Monday, underpinned by a weaker U.S. dollar and uncertainty around U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff plans, as per a report. Spot gold was at $3,024.39 an ounce at 1000 (GMT). U.S. gold futures edged 0.3 per cent higher to $3,029.50. «A modestly weaker dollar is probably giving gold a little bit of a tailwind at present,» said Ross Norman, an independent analyst, Reuters reported. The U.S. dollar was down 0.1 per cent against a basket of other major currencies on Monday, but around 3.4 per cent lower so far this month, making gold less expensive for foreign buyers. All Eyes on April 2 Announcements by Donald Trump U.S. President Donald Trump hinted on Friday that there would be some flexibility regarding reciprocal tariffs that are set to take effect on April 2 and are expected to drive inflation and hinder economic growth.

The Bot Company, a robotics startup founded by Kyle Vogt, the former cofounder and CEO of autonomous vehicle company Cruise, has raised $150 million in funding. The round, which valued the startup at $2 billion, was led by global investment firm Greenoaks, Reuters reported, citing anonymous sources. Vogt co-founded the company with Paril Jain, who previously led the AI tech team at Tesla, and Luke Holoubek, a former software engineer at Cruise.

manufacturing expansion failed to offset a slowdown in the services sector, a private survey showed on Monday. HSBC's flash India Composite Purchasing Managers' Index, compiled by S&P Global, slipped to 58.6 in March from February's final reading of 58.8, lower than a Reuters poll's median prediction of 59.0. The 50-mark divides growth from contraction. The manufacturing PMI index increased to 57.6 from 56.3, remaining in the expansion territory for more than three-and-a-half years. But the dominant-services sector's PMI index fell to 57.7 from 59.0 in February, contributing to the fall in the overall index.

IndusInd Bank has appointed Grant Thornton to conduct a forensic review into accounting lapses detected this month and to check if there is any evidence of fraud or internal misstatements, said two people with direct knowledge of the matter. IndusInd is India's fifth-largest private lender with a balance sheet of $63 billion. Its shares have lost about 23.4% since it disclosed on March 10 that its derivatives portfolio was overvalued by around 2.35%, or $175 million, after non-compliant internal trades. The accounting discrepancy contravened Reserve Bank of India rules, though the central bank has said IndusInd is well-capitalised.