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Good morning, It's Just another day on Earth, where trade talks die, wetlands sink, and your self-driving car might sell your smile.

Have a productive one!

ECONOMY
Trade tension with China boil over

Trump has drawn a new red line in the U.S.–China trade war threatening tariffs on Chinese goods that could reach a staggering 104%. What started with a 34% tariff volley now risks snowballing into a full-scale trade escalation. The former president isn’t just responding — he’s doubling down, and the clock is ticking.

In response to Beijing’s tit-for-tat retaliation last week, Trump announced on Truth Social that unless China backs off, the U.S. will impose an additional 50% tariff effective April 9 bringing the total tax on Chinese imports to 104%. That’s on top of existing levies from his first term and product-specific penalties.

This move could slam importers of goods like clothing, smartphones, chemicals, and machinery with skyrocketing costs. In 2024 alone, Americans purchased $440 billion worth of goods from China — the second-highest after Mexico. If enacted, these tariffs could reshape consumer prices and global supply chains overnight. Trump also warned that if China doesn’t pull back, talks will be “terminated,” and hinted at similar action against any nation retaliating against U.S. trade policy — just as the EU mulls its own countermeasures.

With negotiations dangling and tariffs looming, the message from Trump is blunt: challenge U.S. trade policy, and expect economic firepower in return. As April 9 nears, global markets and diplomats alike are bracing for impact.

ENERGY
Chevron fined $745M for Wetland wreckage

Chevron has been ordered to pay $745 million after a Louisiana jury found it responsible for decades of environmental harm to coastal wetlands. How did a legacy of oil drilling turn into a billion-dollar courtroom battle? The answer lies in a small parish just 10 miles downriver from New Orleans. This ruling not only shakes Chevron but could also set the tone for 40 similar lawsuits targeting major fossil fuel companies across Louisiana's fragile coast. For Plaquemines Parish, the damage is personal — nearly half its land has vanished, with canals carved by oil and gas companies accelerating marshland erosion. The parish had sought $2.6 billion but walked away with $745 million in damages:

• $575M for land loss

• $161M for contamination

• $8.6M for abandoned equipment

Chevron, which inherited Texaco’s operations, denies liability and vows to appeal, arguing regulations didn’t apply retroactively before 1980. As Louisiana pushes its $50 billion, 50-year coastal restoration plan, this verdict may become a precedent in holding energy companies accountable for environmental degradation — and redefining corporate responsibility along America’s vanishing coastlines.

AI & TECHNOLOGY
Waymo Eyes Rider Data for AI and Ad Revenue

Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle unit, may begin using video from interior cameras — potentially linked to rider identities to train generative AI models and personalize ads, according to a yet-to-be-published privacy policy draft discovered by researcher Jane Manchun Wong.

While the language in the draft mirrors standard privacy clauses seen across tech, the inclusion of interior camera footage, which might capture facial expressions or body language, has sparked concern. Though riders can opt out of data sharing and AI training, it's unclear what specific data is being collected or how it's used — or whether it's shared with Alphabet entities like Google or DeepMind.

Currently, Waymo operates over 200,000 paid rides weekly across cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin, with plans to expand to Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C. Despite this growth, the company remains unprofitable. Waymo received $5 billion from Alphabet last year and raised another $5.6 billion, pushing its valuation beyond $45 billion. Still, Alphabet’s “other bets” category, which includes Waymo, posted a $1.2 billion operating loss in 2024 — making new revenue streams like ad targeting and AI data training increasingly attractive.