Donald Trump is finalising what look set to be America’s most expansive tariffs in a century. He is expected to announce them on Wednesday at 4pm local time. The White House said the tariffs on “all countries” would take effect immediately. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said the European Union had a “strong plan to retaliate”, though it still hoped for a “negotiated solution”.
Myanmar’s junta announced an immediate temporary ceasefire in its civil war against rebel groups to support the relief effort after last week’s earthquake. The alliance of groups battling the junta called such a truce shortly after the disaster, but the country’s ruling generals continued air strikes, to international dismay. The junta said the pause would last until April 22nd.
Tesla delivered fewer than 337,000 cars in the first quarter of 2025, far below the nearly 387,000 it delivered during the same period last year. BYD, a Chinese firm, recently overtook Elon Musk’s carmaker as the world’s biggest electric-vehicle firm by sales. Consumers have boycotted Tesla over Mr Musk’s support for Donald Trump; competition from established carmakers and Chinese firms is growing, too.
South Africa’s parliament passed a budget framework without the support of the second-biggest party. The Democratic Alliance, the African National Congress’s main coalition partner, opposed a rise in value-added tax. Smaller parties helped the ANC pass the budget by 194-182. The DA, which has 22% of seats to the ANC’s 40%, is concerned about South Africa’s public finances and lack of growth.
Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, arrived in Greenland amid Donald Trump’s growing calls for America to take over the island. Ms Frederiksen, who will meet the self-governing Danish territory’s incoming prime minister, said she wanted to strengthen her government’s ties with the island, noting the “great pressure” being applied on it. J.D. Vance, America’s vice-president, visited Greenland last week.
Congo overturned the death sentences of three American citizens accused of attempting a coup in the African country last year. A military court sentenced the trio along with 34 others in September. But the president, Félix Tshisekedi, has reduced the sentences of the three Americans to life imprisonment. Mr Trump’s Africa envoy, Massad Boulos, is expected to visit the country this week.
Turkey’s government accused opposition figures of launching a “coup attempt” against the economy by calling for a day-long shopping boycott. The move was the latest protest against last month’s arrest of Ekram Imamoglu, mayor of Istanbul and opposition rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkish authorities have arrested more than 2,000 people since the demonstrations began.
Figure of the day: 29%, the share of Republican voters who view the EU as “unfriendly” or “an enemy”, according to our YouGov polling. Read the full story.
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