US freight rail companies and unions representing their workers have reached a "tentative agreement" to avert the first national rail strike in 30 years; the deal follows months of back and forth negotiations and 20 hours of talks on working conditions

The House of Representatives voted to reauthorize a controversial surveillance program of the country's foreign intelligence-gathering operation; the bill now passes on to the Senate, expected to give its approval: without it, it would expire on 19 April

The total solar eclipse of 8 April, ascending from the Pacific coast towards northeast, led to a 88% increase in bookings on short-term rental sites like Airbnb; experts predict the extraordinary astronomical event will bring a $6 billion economic boost

For the first time since 2009, none of Forbes World’s Youngest Billionaires under 30 are self-made this year: they all inherited their wealth, due both to the self-made ones aging into their 30s and the start of the "great wealth generation transfer"

The coming months will determine if it is possible to reestablish constructive diplomacy with Beijing, a top White House official said, stressing the need for "Cold War"-era hotlines and other crisis mechanisms