Several countries criticised Donald Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs on all cars and some automobile parts imported to America. Germany said that it would “not give in” to Mr Trump’s threats; Japan said that “every option” would be considered in retaliation to the move. Mr Trump said the levies on cars would come into effect on April 3rd, and those on parts a month later.
Hundreds of people took to the streets in northern Gaza for a second consecutive day to protest against Hamas. A senior official from the militant group suggested there were “suspicious political agendas” behind the rallies. Meanwhile Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, threatened to seize territory in Gaza should Hamas refuse to release the remaining Israeli hostages it holds.
Russia launched drone strikes on several Ukrainian cities overnight, injuring at least 21 people in Kharkiv, Dnipro and Zolochiv. The strikes came hours before a summit in Paris where Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, met European leaders. France pledged €2bn ($2.2bn) in defence aid and revived calls for deploying European peacekeepers in Ukraine after a potential peace deal.
Israel’s parliament passed a law giving politicians greater control over judicial appointments. It takes effect after the next election, expected in late 2026. The law reshapes the nine-member committee that selects judges, giving government and opposition politicians veto power. Critics say it undermines judicial independence and protects Binyamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, who is on trial for corruption.
Profits at Chinese industrial firms declined by 0.3% year on year in the first two months of 2025, reinforcing fears about the country’s economy. Industrial firms are defined as those with an annual revenue of at least 20m yuan ($2.8m). Chinese businesses have struggled since the pandemic and the escalating trade war is doing little to enhance their prospects.
Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, said he would call a general election “imminently”. His centre-left Labor government has spent recent months trying to woo voters, including by introducing tax cuts. Opinion polls put Labor neck and neck with the opposition Liberal-National coalition. May 3rd is reportedly Mr Albanese’s preferred date for the vote.
The death toll from wildfires in South Korea rose to 26, as blazes doubled in size on Thursday. The country’s disaster chief called the fires, which began in the central county of Uiseong and have burnt more than 33,000 hectares, the “worst on record”. He added that the tragedy “exposed the harsh reality of a climate crisis”.
Figure of the day: $350m, the price of one of the latest extreme-ultraviolet lithography machines made by ASML, a Dutch firm. Read the full story.
Donald Trump has begun his second term at a blistering pace. Keep up with his executive orders, legal challenges against them and what Americans think about it all on our presidential tracker.