Daily SumUp

The Wall Street Journal editorial board said President Donald Trump’s recent remark about tariffs could be used against Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections.Trump last week dismissed concerns about the impact of his 25% tariffs on foreign-made autos by admitting “I couldn’t care less” if they lead to higher prices for American consumers.Trump argued it would boost domestic sales.In an editorial, the Journal’s conservative board slammed Trump’s “ideological fixation” on tariffs and noted how even he has acknowledged they will cause at least short-term pain for Americans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States is significantly reinforcing its military capabilities in the Middle East, a move ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as friction with Iran intensifies and a sustained bombing campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen continues. Washington is also sending an additional carrier strike group (CSG) led by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier to the Middle East. USS Carl Vinson is the same US Navy ship from whose deck the body of Al Qaeda terror group leader Osama bin Laden was dumped in a 'sea burial' after he was killed in a US marine operation inside Pakistan in 2011. Watch this video to know more.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stocks plunged Thursday, turning in their worst performance since early in the Covid pandemic, as market participants reacted to President Donald Trump's announcement of wide-ranging tariffs against nearly all U.S. trading partners. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 4%, a decline of nearly 1,700 points, while the S&P 500 dropped 4.8% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite tumbled 6%, as the major indexes closed near their session lows. The Dow and S&P 500 recorded their biggest one-day losses since June 2020, while it was the worst day for the Nasdaq since March of that year.Stocks had closed higher in yesterday's regular trading session—for the S&P 500, it marked the third straight day of gains—but fell sharply in extended hours after President Trump unveiled his sweeping plan to tax imports.The U.S. is imposing a minimum 10% reciprocal tariff on nearly all countries. Trump also announced country-specific tariffs on 60 nations equivalent to half the rate the administration claims those countries levy on U.S. goods in the form of “tariffs, non-monetary barriers, and other forms of cheating.” The tariffs will be applied to all of America’s largest trading partners, including high rates on imports from the European Union, Japan and China. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The World Health Organization (WHO) budget is primarily funded through a combination of mandatory dues from member states and voluntary contributions from governments and private partners. The WHO's 2024-25 budget, approved at the World Health Assembly, is $6.83 billion.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser has never used his personal email account to send classified material, the White House said, following a report that Mr Mike Waltz and other National Security Council members used Gmail for government work.The Washington Post on April 1 said Mr Waltz and other NSC members used the Alphabet Inc-owned commercial email service to conduct government business, a week after the Trump administration’s security practices came under bipartisan criticism following its use of the Signal messaging app to coordinate military action in Yemen.One Waltz aide used Gmail to share information involving sensitive military positions and powerful weapon systems tied to an unspecified ongoing conflict, the Post reported, citing documents it reviewed and interviews with three US officials. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Türkiye on the brink as economic collapse looks imminent, will Recep Tayyip Erdoğan survive the political Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Plans for the future of U.S. security cooperation with Iraq, including the role of U.S. service members on the ground there, are still being discussed by the U.S.-Iraq Higher Military Commission, or HMC, said the Pentagon press secretary. "The nature of these conversations are focused on transitioning from the global coalition for the enduring defeat of ISIS, the current structure, to what does a longer-term U.S-Iraqi bilateral security relationship look like," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder during a meeting today with members of the civilian news media. "We highly value Iraq as a partner," Ryder said. "They play a very important role in the region when it comes to security and stability, particularly on the counterterrorism front, and, so, we need to allow the HMC the time and space to have those conversations."  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Myanmar's military has announced a temporary ceasefire to speed up relief and reconstruction efforts following last week's devastating earthquake.In a statement, the ruling junta's State Administration Council said the deal would be in effect from 2 April to 22 April.Earlier this week, rebel groups fighting the military unilaterally declared a ceasefire to support relief efforts - the military had refused to do the same until Wednesday's announcement.At least 2,886 people are now known to have been killed after the magnitude- 7.7 earthquake struck last Friday. Hundreds of people are still missing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Instant view: Hefty Trump tariffs surprise markets, stocks slide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tesla sales plunge: Biggest decline in history Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Friday, March 28, a student at the University of Oregon had their visa canceled by Homeland Security due to unspecified criminal charges, according to the school.A UO spokesperson said the university was not notified by federal agents about the unidentified student’s visa termination or given further details about the criminal charges.UO said they are required to inform students when their F-1 visa status is terminated and they are given 15 days to leave the country unless they have another legal pathway for remaining.“We are working to understand more about this situation and are committed to handling this matter with care and respect for the student’s privacy,” a UO spokesperson wrote to FOX 12. “When a student’s visa is revoked, the university offers any assistance we can provide.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Qatar joins Israel for 'side by side training' in aerial drills in Greece Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kazakhstan discovered its largest deposit of rare earth metals, containing around one million tonnes of the elements that are seen as vital for the future economy, the Central Asian country said Wednesday.Rare earths comprise 17 raw materials that are essential for the green energy transition and highly sought by the likes of China, Russia, the United States and Europe."As of today, this is the largest rare earths deposit" in Kazakhstan, a spokesperson for the industry ministry told AFP.The deposit -- in central Kazakhstan's Karaganda region -- contains cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, and yttrium, they said. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 A great-grandparent or even a great-great grandparent from Italy used to be all it took to guarantee Italian citizenship. A surprise decree has now changed all that, making it much harder for those with Italian ancestry to use blood line as a pathway to become Italian.On March 28, the Italian government tightened regulations for claiming citizenship by jus sanguinis, or descendent blood line, effective immediately. The law will go to parliament to be ratified in 60 days, and some changes could be introduced, but for the moment new applications for citizenship must meet new requirements. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A federal judge has permanently dismissed the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, weeks after the Trump administration directed prosecutors to drop the corruption charges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump has reportedly informed his Cabinet and inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping back from his high-profile government role in the coming weeks.The Tesla and SpaceX boss will soon be returning to the business world, Politico reported.Revelations about the shock move rattled the stock market and stunned Washington Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two years ago, as Cyclone Mocha whipped towards the western coast of Myanmar, packing wind speeds of some 280 kilometres per hour (175mph) and threatening disaster, the country’s military ruler Min Aung Hlaing appeared unconcerned.Despite predictions of widespread destruction as the cyclone made landfall, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and most of his cabinet were in the east of the country consecrating a Buddhist temple. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Muslims in Nigeria and around the world marked the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and ushered in the holiday of Eid al-Fitr on Sunday with prayers.Eid prayers are an important part of the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Fitr. These prayers are typically performed in congregation in a mosque or an open area.19-year-old Aisha Sanni says she has mixed feelings following the end of the Holy month.“Ramadan is very, very good and I feel so much happy but at the same time, I feel so much sad because there are so many goodness in Ramadan,” said Aisha Sanni.The Islamic calendar is lunar and depends on the sighting of the moon — something Muslim religious authorities tend to disagree on.Muslims believe that fasting during Ramadan teaches self-discipline, self-control, and empathy for those who are less fortunate.In addition to fasting, Muslims engage in increased prayer, and acts of charity during Ramadan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China has approved the country's first-ever autonomous passenger drones, or "flying taxis", for commercial use. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has approved air operator certificates for the first-ever autonomous flying taxis, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Chinese military said Tuesday it had launched joint exercises involving its army, navy, air force and rocket force around Taiwan as a “stern warning,” days after US defense chief Pete Hegseth vowed to counter “China’s aggression” on his first visit to Asia.China’s armed forces will “close in” on the self-governing island from “multiple directions” in the drills and practice maneuvers including “assault on maritime and ground targets” and “blockade on key areas and sea lanes” to test joint operations capabilities of the troops, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)’s Eastern Theater Command said in a statement on social media.“It is a stern warning and forceful deterrence against ‘Taiwan Independence’ separatist forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity,” the statement added. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo have agreed to cooperate more closely on free trade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liberal MP from the Toronto area, Paul Chiang, is stepping down from the federal race just hours after Canadian police announced an investigation into his remarks about Conservative opponent Joe Tay. In January, Chiang stated that people should take Tay to the local Chinese consulate 'to collect a bounty.' Despite this, Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney had ruled out dropping Chiang from the race. Conservative leader and PM candidate Pierre Poilievre said the comments had left Tay 'afraid for his life.' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The breakdown of the ceasefire and resumption of intense bombardments and ground operations in the Gaza Strip has reportedly left at least 322 children dead and 609 injured – constituting a daily average of around 100 children killed or maimed over the past 10 days. Most of these children were displaced, sheltering in makeshift tents or damaged homes. These figures include children who were reportedly killed or injured when the surgical department of Al Nasser Hospital, in southern Gaza, was struck in an attack on 23 March.The resurgence of relentless and indiscriminate bombardments, combined with the complete block on supplies entering the Gaza Strip for more than three weeks, has put the humanitarian response under severe strain and Gaza’s civilians – especially its one million children – at grave risk.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finland will withdraw from the international agreement banning antipersonnel mines, also known as the Ottawa Convention, and spend 3 percent of GDP on defense, the country's President Alexander Stubb said Tuesday."Finland will prepare for the withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention," he posted on X. "The decision is based on a thorough assessment by the relevant ministries and the Defence Forces. Finland is committed to its international obligations on the responsible use of mines," he added.The 1997 Ottawa Convention — also known as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty — has come under increasing pressure because of the Kremlin's war on Ukraine, especially in countries neighboring Russia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

German and Italian authorities have arrested dozens of suspects, including a policeman, in raids against the 'Ndrangheta criminal organisation over fraud involving the sale of expensive food and pizza-making equipment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An acrimonious boardroom battle has seen Prince Harry, his co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and trustees resign from their roles at the charity and insiders claimed personality clashes and tensions around leadership of the charity added to Sentebale's challenges.The financial fears were despite the charity receiving an extra £1.2m from Prince Harry's earnings from his best-selling memoir Spare.Sentebale said it had successfully hired consultants to find new US donors – and the one-off money from Spare was "incredibly useful" but did not represent a long-term "funding pipeline". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The eruption began at 9:45 a.m. local time (0945 GMT), triggering warning sirens in the town of Grindavik where webcams showed molten rock spewing toward the community. It had subsided by late afternoon, though the volcano was still active, Iceland's Met Office said. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2021, the Senegalese village of Niéti Yone welcomed investors Frank Timis and Gora Seck from a U.S.-registered company, African Agriculture. Over cups of sweet green tea, the visitors promised to employ hundreds of locals and, one day, thousands. Timis, originally from Romania, was the majority stakeholder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The battered heart of Khartoum lies eerily quiet now, after weeks of intense urban combat in the Sudanese capital.We entered the city just days after Sudan's army recaptured it from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the culmination of a six-month offensive through the central part of the country.Once the commercial heart and seat of Sudan's government, Khartoum is now a burnt-out shell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had testified in an ongoing investigation into whether his aides received payments from Qatar. He calls the investigation a witch hunt. However, political tension in Israel is rising, leading to growing anger towards the leader. Solange Mougin reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK government is indeed working with Mauritius, specifically on a "green project task force" to help the island nation access international loans for climate change mitigation, with a budget of £12 million.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement:“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America. After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again.”As alleged, Luigi Mangione stalked and murdered UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024. The murder was an act of political violence. Mangione’s actions involved substantial planning and premeditation and because the murder took place in public with bystanders nearby, may have posed grave risk of death to additional persons.  Following federal murder charges handed down on Dec. 19, 2024, Attorney General Bondi has now directed Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky to seek the death penalty in this case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Animal sanctuary owner, at least 100 cats killed in suspicious Long Island fire: ‘It’s a horrible situation’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elon Musk has responded to Ashley St. Clair’s claims that he reduced child support payments for their alleged son, stating he is open to verifying paternity. Despite not confirming he is the father, Musk said he has given her $2.5 million and is providing $500K annually. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bodies of three out of four US soldiers whose vehicle was submerged in Lithuani... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 370,000 babies born in 2024 marked the 16th consecutive annual decline and was the lowest figure since the country's unification in 1861. It was down 2.6% from 2023, ISTAT said, and 35.8% lower than in 2008 - the last year Italy saw an increase in the number of babies born. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Leyland Lucas was a Ph.D. student at Rutgers University, there weren't a lot of professors in the business department who looked like him. He's Black and originally from Guyana, in South America.He says a small nonprofit, called the Ph.D. Project, helped him successfully navigate and complete his Ph.D."I am incredibly grateful to the program, which was fulfilling a very critical role," says Lucas, who is now a dean at the University of Guyana.For about 30 years, the Ph.D. Project has provided support, mentorship and guidance to students from underrepresented groups who are earning doctoral degrees in business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chinese rescuers have saved six lives across earthquake-rattled Myanmar as of 8 a.m. local time on Monday.The China Search and Rescue Team continued to carry out work in the hard-hit Mandalay city and successfully pulled out four survivors, including three adult females and a girl. All Chinese rescuers have so far rescued six survivors in Myanmar.Members of the China Search and Rescue Team rescued the four survivors in Mandalay at 00:40, 05:37, 06:20 and 07:15 local time on Monday, respectively, including a pregnant one. The rescued have been sent to the hospital for treatment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iran would have to acquire a nuclear weapon if attacked by the United States or its allies, an adviser to the country's supreme leader warned on Monday, following a threat by US President Donald Trump. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Israeli military has issued a sweeping new evacuation order for the southern Gaza Strip - the biggest since its offensive in the Palestinian territory resumed earlier this month.The military instructed residents of the city of Rafah and parts of neighbouring Khan Younis to leave immediately for the al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, warning that its forces were "returning to intense operations to dismantle the capabilities of the terrorist organisations" in the areas.Palestinians who had returned to their homes in Rafah during the recent two-month-long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas are now starting to flee.About a fifth of Gaza is now covered by evacuation orders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ruling effectively stops the far-right front-runner from competing in the 2027 presidential election... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marine Le Pen has attacked her ban from running for public office for five years as a "political decision" by the judgeShe also accused the court of trying to block her candidacy for the 2027 French presidential election, calling the ban worth of "authoritarian regimes" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Birmingham declares major incident over bin strike. A major incident has been declared by Birmingham City Council over the ongoing bin strike, which has left 17,000 tonnes of waste on the streets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs on the EU should be the start of a “march to independence” for the continent, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said Monday.In an interview with France Inter days before the U.S. president’s 25 percent tariff on automobile imports and broader “reciprocal” tariffs are due to enter force, Lagarde said the moment represented a unique opportunity for Europe, and that it should not “lie down” in front of the U.S. onslaught.“I consider it a moment when we can decide together to take our destiny into our own hands, and I think it is a march to independence,” she argued, adding that this applied to the fields of finance and information technology as much as to defense and energy.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Kremlin offered a muted response on Monday to Donald Trump's remarks that he’s “very angry” and “pissed off” with Vladimir Putin.The US president, who made the remarks to NBC News over the weekend, also threatened to place tariffs of up to 50% on countries that import Russian oil if a ceasefire deal is scuppered by Moscow.In a daily press briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov downplayed any deterioration in relations with Washington.He suggested parts of the statement were paraphrased, rather than “direct quotes”, said work on a Ukrainian peace process is “ongoing", and called talks about a potential maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea a “work in progress”.Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, said on Sunday that Putin “does not care about diplomacy”, and called for further pressure on Russia to end the war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump warned the Houthis that attacks will persist until they stop targeting US ships. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine’s growing military strength is an underrated factor in peace talks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rescuers are desperately searching for survivors more than three days after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, toppling buildings as far away as the Thai capital Bangkok and sending tremors through nearby Chinese provinces.The first 72-hours after a quake are widely regarded as the “golden” window to reach victims buried alive under rubble - after that period the chances of survival without a water source diminishes rapidly.More than 2,000 people are now confirmed dead in Myanmar after what was the largest earthquake to hit the war-ravaged country in more than a century, authorities say. Experts fear the true death toll could take weeks to emerge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Virginia Giuffre, a prominent Jeffrey Epstein accuser who alleged Prince Andrew abused her, said in an Instagram post she got into a car accident with a school bus and doctors gave her “four days to live” Sunday.In the post, Giuffre shared a photo of herself lying in a hospital bed with her face covered in bruises.“I’ve gone into kidney renal failure, they’ve given me four days to live,” she wrote. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK prime minister announces framework for peace plan with Ukrainian President... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.