Jack Dorsey, co-founder and CEO of Block (and co-founder of Twitter), says the company is cutting nearly half its workforce — reducing staff from 10,000 to under 6,000 — because AI is fundamentally changing how businesses operate. He believes most companies will soon make similar structural changes.

Block, which owns Square, Cash App, and Tidal, expects up to $500m in restructuring costs but reported strong recent profits. Its shares rose over 20% after the announcement.

Nuclear talks between the United States and Iran in Geneva ended without an agreement. Oman said “significant progress” was made. Technical discussions will continue next week in Vienna.

READ MORE

According to CNN analysis, Trump’s approach to Iran echoes the 2003 Iraq War. Geneva talks showed progress, but the U.S. military buildup and unclear strategy maintain the risk of an Iraq-style quagmire.

READ MORE

Tensions explode on the Durand Line: Pakistan declares war on Afghanistan after Taliban attacks. Airstrikes now reach Kabul. Iran and Russia call for dialogue and immediate halt to hostilities.

READ MORE

Iran’s Marshall Plan for Syria Collapsed

Iran invested billions in Syria to rebuild the war‑torn state and secure economic influence, inspired by the U.S. Marshall Plan, Reuters found in looted embassy documents. The strategy, enacted in May 2022, collapsed following Assad’s ouster in December 2024.

READ MORE

NEW: The U.S. State Department authorized the departure of non-essential U.S. government staff and their families from Israel due to security risks.

The U.S. Embassy may also suddenly restrict travel for its personnel in parts of Israel, Jerusalem’s Old City, and the West Bank.

READ MORE

Kostiantynivka, a key Ukrainian logistics hub in Donetsk region, is under heavy and constant Russian attack.

The city is heavily destroyed.

Around 2,000 civilians remain.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to embassy staff:

Anyone who wants to leave should do so today.

Source: Amit Segal

Several Hungarian opposition parties have withdrawn from the April elections to avoid splitting the vote and boost Péter Magyar’s Tisza party, which is currently leading Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz in the polls.

Magyar is urging all remaining opposition groups to step aside, arguing that only a united front can end Orbán’s 16-year rule.

Source: FT

African CDC Warns on Sovereignty Risks in US Health Aid Deals with African Nations

Africa CDC chief Dr. Jean Kaseya said there are huge concerns over data & pathogen sharing in new U.S. health funding deals. Zimbabwe exited a $367m pact & Zambia delayed a $1bn agreement, while 17 African states have signed similar compacts.

READ MORE

Türkiye’s flagship & the world’s first dedicated drone carrier TCG ANADOLU (L-400) arrived in Rotterdam, Netherlands as part of a Turkish naval task group participating in NATO’s Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise.

It was joined by support and frigate ships.

Labour suffers shocking defeat in Gorton and Denton, England, as Green Party wins first northern seat. Starmer faces mounting pressure ahead of May elections.

READ MORE

The Pentagon is developing AI-powered cyber tools to map and exploit vulnerabilities in Chinese infrastructure (like power grids and sensitive networks) to prepare for a potential conflict.

Officials say AI would automate reconnaissance and speed up targeting.

One former CIA official compared it to “the thief in the night who tries the front door to homes until they find one that has been left unlocked.”

The US has already awarded about $200mn in AI contracts to companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and xAI, but tensions are rising.

Some AI labs are resisting unrestricted military use.

A senior official warned Anthropic it could face consequences if it rejected Pentagon terms. One person familiar with the US position said:

“It’s open-ended use, we can’t have shackles on us when it all kicks off.”

Source: FT

NEW: China warns its citizens not to travel to Iran and urges those currently there to leave as soon as possible.

Congo: Mass Graves of 171 Bodies Found After M23 Withdrawal

Governor of South Kivu Province Jean-Jacques Purusi said 171 bodies were found in two mass graves in Uvira, South Kivu, after M23 rebels withdrew.

READ MORE

Israel's Be’er Sheva municipality orders all public shelters across the city to open immediately.

Pakistan Army's Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on strikes against Afghanistan:

So far, 274 personnel of the Taliban regime and Khwarij have been sent to hell. More than 400 are injured.

73 posts of the Afghan Taliban regime have been totally destroyed along the Pak-Afghan border.

18 posts are in our possession; they have been captured.

According to a conservative estimate, 115 tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery pieces of the Afghan Taliban regime’s forces have been destroyed.

Headquarters, defensive installations and locations that provide protection to terrorism and terrorist organizations like Fitna-ul-Khwarij and Fitna-ul-Hindustan were targeted one by one.

In these airstrikes, targets were taken at 22 locations in Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Nangarhar, Khost, and Paktika.

Trump Refugee Policy Prioritizes White South Africans

A State Department document shows the U.S. aims to process 4,500 white South African refugee applications per month, despite a 7,500 annual cap. U.S. Embassy in Pretoria is supporting the effort amid long standing claims of racism by international rights groups.

READ MORE

Pakistan Army's Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry:

It is absolutely clear that behind every incident of terrorism in Pakistan, there is Indian sponsorship, abetment, and design.

They use the territory under the oppressive Afghan Taliban regime as a base of operations.

Our forces are always vigilant on all frontiers—eastern, western, air, and sea.

If anyone wants to "fulfill their desire" at any time, they are always welcome.