Daily SumUp

A new government is about to take office in Germany, and with a fresh coalition agreement it has just presented its plan for the country over the next few years. The new cabinet will have to deal with sluggish economic growth and the prospest of more stagnation. This in a context of rising geopolitical tensions and volatily, exacerbated by the US's announced shift to a protectionist trade policy. We discuss the challenges facing Germany's economy, and the possible solutions offered by the incoming government, with Marcel Fratzscher, President of the German Institute for Economic Research.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tariffs Pause: China is reaching out to other nations as the U.S. layers on more tariffs in what appears to be an attempt to form a united front to compel Washington to retreat. Days into the effort, it’s meeting only partial success with many countries unwilling to ally with the main target of President Donald Trump’s trade war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China’s 84% tariffs on US products come into force amid market relief after Trump pauses steep tariffs elsewhere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Douglas Alexander’s unpublicised trip to talk with counterparts coincides with that of Adm Sir Tony Radakin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A federal judge is allowing the Trump administration to move forward with a requirement that everyone in the U.S. illegally must register with the federal government, in a move that could have far-reaching repercussions for immigrants across the country.In a ruling Thursday, Judge Trevor Neil McFadden sided with the administration, which had argued that they were simply enforcing an already existing requirement for everyone in the country who wasn’t an American citizen to register with the government.The requirement goes into effect Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The wreckage of the helicopter is submerged in the river. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two American Airlines jet have had a minor collision on the ground at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport - just three months after a deadly crash near there.The Federal Aviation Administration said the wingtip of one aircraft struck another on the taxiway on Thursday afternoon. At least two members of Congress were aboard one of the jets.Nick LaLota, a New York Republican, said no-one was hurt when the wing of their stationary plane was "bumped" by another jet.Sixty-seven people died on 29 January when an Army helicopter collided in midair with a jetliner as it landed at the same airport.LaLota posted on X: "Serving in Congress has come with some once in a lifetime experiences… like just now while stationary on the runway at DCA, another plane just bumped into our wing." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China announces 84% tariffs on US in big trade war escalation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DHS to Begin Screening Aliens’ Social Media Activity for Antisemitism Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump’s pick to run NASA, Jared Isaacman, made waves Wednesday by signaling his intention to create a new focus on Mars exploration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EU takes revenge on Trump’s tariffs as countries approve €20B+ retaliation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump tariff updates: US president unveils 90-day pause for most countries Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spain defends closer trade ties with China after US warns against 'cutting own throat' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Trump suspended his global trade war with all countries except China. This confirms that, even as all eyes were on the chaos in the financial markets, the far bigger threat from Trump’s “liberation day” was a sharp escalation in the US–China conflict that could now plausibly turn violent within the next couple years.Prior to Trump’s “liberation day” the two countries had an unhealthy relationship with steadily building pressures toward conflict. The Biden administration not only retained almost all of the first Trump administration’s antagonistic measures against China but expanded and intensified them. Though it eventually revived the diplomatic exchanges that the first Trump administration shut down, Biden declined to work with China to mitigate the zero-sum forces pushing the two countries against each other. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK capital loses more rich residents than anywhere else on Earth, second only to Moscow – as Labour’s high taxes and falling pound blamed for exodus.London is no longer one of the five wealthiest cities on the planet, after suffering a dramatic exodus of millionaires that has seen tens of thousands of the super-rich abandon the capital over the past decade.According to the latest World’s Wealthiest Cities Report 2025, published by international wealth advisors Henley & Partners in collaboration with New World Wealth, London has lost a staggering 11,300 dollar millionaires in the past year alone, including 18 centi-millionaires and two billionaires.The city now ranks sixth globally, overtaken by Los Angeles, which has surged ahead thanks to a growing population of ultra-wealthy residents and a more favourable tax environment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Migrants who were temporarily allowed to live in the United States by using the Biden-era appointment app called CBP One have been told to leave the country "immediately" or face a permanent ban from reentry, officials said.Nearly 1 million people were allowed in the country using the CBP One app since January 2023, and they were generally allowed to remain in the U.S. for two years with authorization to work under a presidential authority called parole. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Germany to send 'clear signal' of 'strong, effective ... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

France is currently focused on several major planning initiatives, including the "France 2030" investment plan, a recovery plan aimed at boosting the economy and achieving carbon neutrality, and a national climate adaptation plan to prepare for the effects of climate change.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump's tariffs have ignited wildfires across global stock markets, but does that mean we are heading for a recession?The first thing to stress is that what happens in the stock market is not the same as what happens in the economy - falling share prices do not always mean economic misery ahead.But sometimes they do.Very large falls in stock market values, like these, mean there has been a fundamental reappraisal of future profits for the companies that make up the stock markets of the world.What markets quite reasonably expect is that increased tariffs will mean that costs will rise and profits will fall.That doesn't mean that a recession is inevitable but the chances are clearly much higher than they were before Trump announced the most severe and wide-ranging tariffs seen in a century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While healthy weight loss in midlife might improve memory and attention, studies on the link between weight loss and dementia are complex and inconclusive. Some research suggests weight loss may be an early feature or a consequence of dementia, while other studies link weight loss with an increased risk of developing dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease. Maintaining a stable weight, especially in older age, is associated with better cognitive health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suddenly, Donald Trump's trade war is in much sharper focus.Rather than a fight on all fronts against the world, this now looks far more like a fight on familiar Trumpian territory: America v China.The 90-day pause on the higher "retaliatory" tariffs levied on dozens of countries still leaves a universal across-the-board tariff of 10% in place.But China – which ships everything from iPhones to children's toys and accounts for around 14% of all US imports – has been singled out for much harsher treatment with an eye-watering rate of 125%.Trump said the increase was due to Beijing's readiness to retaliate with its own 84% levy on US goods, a move the president described as showing a "lack of respect".But for a politician who first fought his way to the White House on the back of an anti-China message, there is much more to this than simple retaliation.For Trump, this is about the unfinished business of that first term in office."We didn't have the time to do the right thing, which we're doing now," he told reporters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blue Origin is touting it as the first all-female spaceflight since 1963, when the Soviet Union's Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to travel to space on a three-day solo mission. The launch is scheduled for Monday, April 14, at 8:30 a.m. CT, from Blue Origin's launch site in Van Horn, Texas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump raised the tariff on Chinese imports to 125% on Wednesday, hours after China boosted the duty on American goods to 84% in an escalating battle that threatens to disrupt trade between the world’s two largest economies.Citing a lack of respect, Trump set China apart from other countries. He said in a social media post that he is pausing his so-called “reciprocal tariffs” on many other trading partners because they had responded by reaching out for talks rather than retaliating.The tit-for-tat hikes between the U.S. and China are the latest in an ongoing trade war that threatens to raise prices for consumers in America and derail China’s attempts to reinvigorate its sluggish economy. The response from the Chinese government signals its determination not to bend to Trump’s pressure, despite the risks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A provocative new theory suggests that the original Garden of Eden may not have been in Mesopotamia, roughly modern-day Iraq, as has been long-assumed — but rather in Egypt, under the towering shadow of the much older Great Pyramid of Giza. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iraq on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with US energy firm GE Vernova to produce 24,000 megawatts of electricity, the government said, during a visit by an American trade delegation.Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani oversaw "the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding as part of a strategic cooperation framework with GE Vernova", his office said in a statement."The MoU covers projects to establish combined-cycle gas power plants with a total capacity of approximately 24,000 megawatts," it said.It marks "the largest and most advanced electricity generation initiative in Iraq's history," the statement said, adding that it "also includes provisions for securing external financing through major global banks". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has threatened China with an extra 50% tariff on goods imported into the US if it does not withdraw its 34% counter-tariff, as global markets continue to fall.Beijing retaliated on Sunday, following last week's decision by Trump to slap a 34% tax on Chinese imports as part of his "Liberation Day" that set a minimum 10% levy on nearly all of America's trading partners.In a social media post on Monday, Trump gave China until Tuesday to scrap its countermeasure or face the 50% tax.China's commerce ministry labelled the additional levy as "a mistake on top of a mistake" saying it will never accept the "blackmail nature" of the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Delegates from the US and Russia will meet in Istanbul on Thursday as part of continued efforts to normalise embassy operations between the two countries, the US State Department has said.The talks, which will take place at the Russian consulate in Turkey's capital, will not include any discussion of political or security issues, the US said."Ukraine is not, absolutely not, on the agenda," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.The Russian delegation will be led by the newly appointed ambassador to the US, Alexander Darchiev, and the US team by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A federal judge is weighing whether to stop a move by the Trump administration to terminate parole for more than half a million immigrants in the country, including the families of servicemembers and Ukrainians fleeing the war in Russia.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

South Korea's military fired warning shots after North Korean soldiers crossed the rivals' tense border on Tuesday, South Korean officials said, the first known border intrusion by North Korea in nearly a year. According to Assosicted Press violent confrontations and bloodshed have occasionally happened at the Koreas’ heavily fortified border, called the Demilitarized Zone. But Tuesday's incident won't likely escalate, as it didn't cause any casualties on either side and North Korea hasn't returned fire.About 10 North Korean soldiers — some carrying weapons — violated the military demarcation line at the eastern section of the DMZ at 5 p.m. They returned to North Korea after South Korea broadcast warnings and fired warning shots, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawmakers in Russia’s lower-house State Duma on Tuesday ratified a 20-year strategic partnership treaty with Iran, deepening military and political ties between the two countries as they remain under heavy Western sanctions.The pact, signed by President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in January, aims to strengthen cooperation in areas including defense, intelligence sharing, trade and nuclear energy.“The agreement takes [Russian-Iranian relations] to a fundamentally new level,” Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said last week ahead of the vote. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The roof of an iconic nightclub in the Dominican capital collapsed early Tuesday during a merengue concert attended by politicians, athletes and others, leaving more than 60 people dead and 160 injured, authorities said.Crews were searching for potential survivors in the rubble at the one-story Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, said Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations.“We presume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble,” he said. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thousands of migrants who entered the US during the Biden administration and used a special app to arrange asylum appointments are being told to leave "immediately".The roughly 900,000 migrants who entered at the southern border using the app, CBP One, were generally allowed to remain in the US for two years and given "parole" from immigration laws to work in the country legally.Now, many of them are being informed that their paroles are revoked and that they are subject to prosecution if they remain in the US.President Donald Trump has long promised to increase deportations from the US. His administration recently renamed the app to CBP Home and is using it for "self-deportations". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Benchmark Nifty 50 ended over 1.5% higher on Tuesday, rebounding from the previous session's sharp selloff, as bargain hunting and a broader recovery across Asia lifted sentiment amid hopes of U.S. tariff negotiations. The rally also comes ahead of the Reserve Bank of India’s policy decision on April 9, with expectations of a 25 basis point rate cut.The Nifty surged 375 points, or 1.69%, to close at 22,535, while the Sensex rose 1,089 points, or 1.49%, to end at 74,227. During the session, the Sensex had climbed over 1,700 points. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US will take back the Panama Canal from China's influence, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday."Together we will take back the Panama Canal from China's influence, and we will do this along with other capable, like-minded allies and partners," Hegseth told a news conference with Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino in Panama City.Hegseth said US relations with the Central American nation will continue to grow in the months and years ahead."I want to be very clear: China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal, and China will not weaponize this canal," he added. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Keystone pipeline system, which carries crude oil from Canada to the United States, was shut down on Tuesday morning because of an oil spill in southeastern North Dakota, government and company officials said.The pipeline ruptured north of Fort Ransom, N.D., said Bill Suess, manager of the spill investigation program at the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, a state agency. The size and cause of the spill in that city, about 78 miles southwest of Fargo, were not known, he said, and the authorities had also not said when the pipeline could be back in operation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Weight loss drugs can cut dementia risk by a staggering 45% Two new studies published in JAMA Neurology reveal that GLP-1 receptor agonists, like Ozempic and Trulicity, may significantly reduce the risk of dementia, particularly in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An endorsement of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has provoked an angry outcry from anti-vaccine activists."The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine," Kennedy said in the third paragraph of a lengthy post on the social media platform X. Kennedy made the post following meetings on Sunday in Gaines County, Texas with the families of two children who have died of measles during a recent outbreak in the state. He also said he had instructed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to "supply pharmacies and Texas run clinics with needed MMR vaccines," along with other medical supplies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under the changes, teens under 16 are blocked from using Instagram Live unless parents give permission. They also need permission to “turn off our feature that blurs images containing suspected nudity” in direct messages, Meta said in a blog post. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iran is ready to engage with the US at talks on Saturday over its nuclear programme "with a view to seal a deal", its Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said.But US President Donald Trump must first agree there can be no "military option", Araghchi said, and added that Iran would "never accept coercion".He also insisted the negotiations in Oman would be indirect, contradicting Trump's surprise announcement on Monday that they would be "direct talks".Trump, who pulled the US out of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers during his first term, warned that Iran would be in "great danger" if talks were not successful. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump sparks confusion with White House snub of senators...... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump announced Monday that the U.S. would begin direct engagement with Iran.During a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr. Trump said that "we're having direct talks with Iran," beginning Saturday. "We have a very big meeting, and we'll see what can happen," he said. The president said Iran is "going to be in great danger" if the direct talks don't go well. The meeting with Netanyahu is took place as new tariffs Mr. Trump is levying on Israel and the rest of the world are about to go into effect on Wednesday. The U.S. is set to impose 17% tariffs on imports from Israel, effective Wednesday. Other nations, too, are scrambling to try to reverse Mr. Trump's tariffs.Netanyahu said he told Mr. Trump that Israel would soon address his country's trade deficit with the U.S."I can tell you that I said to the president, a very simple thing — we will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States," Netanyahu said. "We intend to do it very quickly. We think it's the right thing to do. And we're also going to eliminate trade barriers." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Warren Buffett Slams Donald Trump For Claiming He Endorsed His Tariff Policy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK Stocks Fall Most Since 2020 on Trump Tariff Chaos... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump Issues 24-Hour Ultimatum to China if retaliatory tariffs not withdrawn by April 8 then get ready to face an additional 50% duty on its exports to the US, effective April 9, 2025. The announcement, made via Truth Social on Monday, escalates ongoing trade tensions between the two nations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US, Iran in direct talks over nuclear program, Trump says.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Giorgia Meloni is gearing up for her highly anticipated bilateral meeting with former US President Donald Trump on April 16, with Italy hoping to reduce "reciprocal" tariffs that are currently in place between the EU and the US.Although no formal mandate has been given, there are growing expectations from the European Commission that the meeting will result in a positive outcome, with Meloni positioned as a key intermediary in facilitating dialogue between the two powers, Caliber.Az reports via Italian media.The proposal on the table is to return to zero tariffs—a suggestion likely to be dismissed by Trump for the time being. However, the more attainable goal is to negotiate a 10% reduction in tariffs for both sides.The Italian government is optimistic that Meloni’s established rapport with Trump could prove crucial in the negotiations, as she is the only European leader with a close relationship to the US President.Recent discussions between EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and US counterpart Howard Lutnick were described as "mostly positive, but inconclusive." Šefčovič has publicly expressed hope that leaders with strong ties to the US will help facilitate the process. Meloni's upcoming talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen may further align the EU’s strategy ahead of the Washington summit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In March, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry reiterated its directive for all "illegal foreigners" and Afghan Citizen Card holders to leave the country by March 31, warning that deportations commenced from April 1. Islamabad has in the past blamed militant attacks and crimes on Afghan citizens, who form the largest portion of migrants in the country. Kabul has rejected the accusations. Thousands of Afghan refugees continued to stream across the Torkham border on Monday (April 7) after Pakistan intensified its deportation campaign, forcing undocumented Afghans to leave the country many of whom had lived there for decades. With belongings packed, one of the Aghani Lal Saeed said he left a loaded car waiting outside and rushed to the prison, hoping for one last chance to bring his sons with him. Pakistan launched its repatriation drive of foreign citizens, most of whom are Afghan, in 2023, but had said they were first focusing on foreigners with no legal documentation. More than 800,000 Afghans hold an Afghan Citizen Card in Pakistan, according to U.N. data. Another roughly 1.3 million are formally registered with the Pakistan government and hold a separate Proof of Residence card.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

World | “We do not rule it out, but we prefer to continue dialogue before taking any other measures,” she said in response to the global... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society has called for an independent international inquiry into Israel's killing of 15 emergency workers in southern Gaza.The organisation released the full video found on the phone of one of its eight paramedics who died when troops fired at a convoy of ambulances on 23 March, which it said constituted a "fully fledged war crime".It called on those responsible to be held to account.Israel's military said on Monday that a preliminary inquiry indicated troops "opened fire due to a perceived threat following a previous encounter in the area, and that six of the individuals killed in the incident were identified as Hamas terrorists", without giving evidence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul-Philippe Hohenzollern, the grandson of the King of Romania, has been detained in France on charges of corruption and money laundering. Romania is seeking his extradition to serve a prison sentence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.