Project STARGATE To Expand To The U.K. [Read It And Eat 17-04-2025]

Major Headlines

• UK Supreme Court rules 'woman' means biological sex under equality law

• In a landmark decision, the UK’s Supreme Court ruled that under the Equality Act 2010, the legal definition of a "woman" refers specifically to biological sex, not gender identity. The unanimous ruling has sparked concern among transgender rights advocates but was welcomed by the government for providing long-awaited legal clarity.

  The case centered on whether a transgender woman with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) — a legal document that affirms someone's transition — is entitled to the same protections as a biological woman under the law. The court concluded that single-sex spaces such as women’s refuges, hospital wards, and sports teams can lawfully exclude trans women in certain circumstances.

  Delivering the judgment, Deputy President of the Supreme Court Patrick Hodge emphasized that the ruling should not be seen as a win for one group over another. “This is not about triumph or defeat,” he said. “It’s about interpreting the law as it currently stands.” Bloomberg

• International Students Challenge Deportation Orders as Trump Revokes Legal Status

• Foreign students across the U.S. are turning to the courts for protection after the Trump administration began stripping thousands of them of their legal right to stay in the country. The move, part of a broader immigration crackdown, has prompted emergency rulings in multiple states, with judges temporarily blocking immigration authorities from taking action.

  On Tuesday alone, courts in at least seven states — including Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Montana, and Washington, D.C. — issued orders preventing deportations. One case involved a 22-year-old Chinese student at MIT, just weeks away from graduation, who had her visa status revoked without warning. “This is popping up all over the country,” noted U.S. District Judge Patti Saris in Boston during the hearing.

  The government has been quietly removing students from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a federal database that tracks international student compliance. Since January 20, over 4,700 students have reportedly been deleted from the system, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association. In many cases, students say the revocations are based on minor infractions or dismissed charges, not the kind of serious criminal activity that would typically warrant such action. As one federal judge in Wisconsin put it, there has been little evidence that these students deserve to be forced out of the country before completing their degrees. Financial Times

  
  

• Temu and Shein Cut Back on U.S. Digital Ads as Tariff Changes Raise Costs

• Temu and Shein — two Chinese e-commerce giants known for their aggressive online marketing are scaling back their U.S. digital ad spending, a shift that's being felt across platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

  These retailers, which have built huge American customer bases by offering ultra-low-cost goods shipped directly from China, are adjusting their strategies in response to a new U.S. tariff policy. An executive order from President Trump will end the “de minimis” tariff exemption on imports under $800 from China and Hong Kong starting May 2, meaning Temu and Shein will soon face added costs on most of their shipments.

  In anticipation, both companies are not only planning to raise prices but are also pulling back on digital ad budgets. According to data from Sensor Tower, Temu’s average daily ad spend across major platforms dropped by 31% in early April compared to the previous month, while Shein’s spending fell by 19%. Marketing experts say these cuts are likely to continue as the companies adjust to higher operating costs in the U.S. The New York Times

  
  

• OpenAI’s $500B Stargate Project Eyes Potential UK Expansion

• The ambitious $500 billion Stargate initiative — backed by OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle — is considering the UK as a possible location for future investment, according to the Financial Times. As the consortium looks to expand its global AI infrastructure, the UK is emerging as a contender alongside other European heavyweights like Germany and France.

  British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s push to position the UK as a global AI leader seems to be gaining traction. His administration has pledged to support innovation through more flexible regulations, increased access to public data, and the creation of dedicated data centre zones — all of which are seen as key incentives for projects like Stargate.

  While Stargate has already committed to investing up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure across the U.S. over the next four years, the project's backers have expressed growing interest in expanding their footprint overseas. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman even hinted earlier this year at the possibility of launching a “Stargate Europe,” saying the company would “love” to bring something similar to the continent.

  Initially unveiled by President Donald Trump in January as a major private sector push to secure AI dominance, Stargate aims to create the infrastructure needed to keep the U.S. — and potentially its allies — ahead in the global AI race. Financial Times

Minor Headlines 

• Trump Administration Warns Harvard Could Lose Access to Enroll International Students.The New York Times

• Single luxury brand Hermes leapfrog’s luxury conglomerate LVMH group. Yahoo Finance

• Marshall Rauch, Jewish Entrepreneur Behind Christmas Ornament Empire, Dies at 102. Wall Street Journal

• Sainsbury’s Surpasses Profit Expectations. BBC

• TSMC Posts Strong Earnings Despite Ongoing Tariff Concerns. Reuters

• UK Regulator Expands to US and Asia in Bid to Lure More Firms to London.ExecSum

• Lazard Launches New Office in Abu Dhabi to Grow Regional Presence. Yahoo Finance

• Former NYPD Sergeant Sentenced to 18 Months for Illegally Acting as an Agent for China. Wall Street Journal

Gen Z Word of the Day

Stan

No, it's not short for Stanley. Instead, it's a combination of "stalker" and "fan." If you stan someone, it means you're obsessed, but not in a creepy way.