Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 3rd, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Trump launches historic global tariff wave
Standing in the White House Rose Garden, President Donald Trump announced what he dubbed “Liberation Day,” unveiling the most extensive use of trade powers in modern U.S. history. A new 10% baseline tariff on all imports will take effect Saturday, with steeper rates for countries accused of unfair trade practices.
Holding a chart of new levies, Trump declared: “Now it’s our turn,” citing decades of economic disadvantage for American workers. The White House said countries with “massive non-tariff barriers” will face additional penalties, with China hit hardest at 54%, followed by Vietnam (46%), Cambodia (49%), and others. Canada and Mexico remain temporarily exempt under existing migration-related tariffs.
Strategic imports — including steel, auto parts, energy, and semiconductors — will be excluded.
Cabinet members cheered the move, framing it as essential to national security. “Economic security is national security,” said NSA Mike Waltz. But markets shuddered: Nasdaq futures dropped 2.5%, gold surged above $3,100/oz, and major auto stocks fell sharply.
UK officials, facing a 10% tariff, called the outcome “manageable” but warned retaliation remains on the table. “Nobody wants a trade war,” said Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.
Economists fear ripple effects across global supply chains. “This is worse than we feared,” warned Mary Lovely of the Peterson Institute, predicting price hikes in key sectors like food, electronics, and transport.
Elon Musk set to step down from government role
Elon Musk is expected to step down from his role as a special government employee by May 30, marking the end of his 130-day tenure. President Donald Trump confirmed the upcoming departure during a March 24 cabinet meeting, where he praised Musk as a "patriot" and emphasized that “he has never asked me for anything.”
Musk’s exit aligns with the planned shutdown of the temporary Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), set to be dissolved by July 4 next year as part of broader federal downsizing efforts.
Musk recently disclosed that some DOGE staffers have received daily death threats in response to the sweeping cuts he's overseen—moves that have led to the closure of federal agencies and tens of thousands of job losses. Despite the controversy, Trump reaffirmed that Musk will soon return to the private sector, though the exact date remains unspecified.
Trump’s envoy on Ukraine says Moscow, Kiev ‘on precipice’ of ceasefire
Participants in the consultations on resolving the Ukrainian conflict are reportedly close to reaching a ceasefire agreement, according to Keith Kellogg, the U.S. presidential special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Speaking to Fox Business, Kellogg said, “Our aim is to establish a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire. Once that’s in place, it becomes very difficult to reignite the conflict. I truly believe we’re on the verge of achieving that.”
He noted that both parties will have to compromise: “Neither side is going to get everything they want, but they’ll need to find some form of accommodation.”
Kellogg emphasized that U.S. President Donald Trump is “very, very engaged” in efforts to resolve the conflict. “We’re going to get there,” he said, expressing confidence in a peaceful outcome.
He added that a 30-day comprehensive ceasefire—covering air, sea, land, and halting attacks on cities—is the key objective in the short term. “That’s going to be the most important piece, and that’s what we’re driving toward,” Kellogg stated. He also noted that both sides appear increasingly interested in ending the war and resetting relations with the United States.
‘Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders,’ says Danish PM
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen firmly rejected renewed U.S. interest in acquiring Greenland, stating during a visit to Nuuk that “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.” Her comments came after U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized Denmark’s role in Greenland’s security, suggesting the U.S. could do better.
Frederiksen emphasized unity within the Danish realm amid growing Arctic geopolitical tensions and pledged equal rights and stronger cooperation with Greenland.
Greenland’s incoming PM, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, welcomed Frederiksen’s support while reaffirming the island’s long-term goal of independence. He urged respectful dialogue with the U.S., rejecting talk of annexation.
The visit underscores Denmark’s commitment to Greenland amid historic grievances and rising international interest in the island's strategic and resource potential. While many Greenlanders support eventual independence, economic and geopolitical concerns fuel caution.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier concludes his visit to Azerbaijan
President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, concluded his official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan on April 2.
A guard of honor was assembled at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, which was adorned with the national flags of both Germany and Azerbaijan.
President Steinmeier was seen off by Azerbaijan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov, Deputy Foreign Minister Fariz Rzayev, and other senior officials.
A Ukrainian drone strike on a beach in the Russian city of Kursk has killed at least three people, including a member of Russia’s National Guard, an...
At least nine people have died after a bridge collapsed over a river in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Wednesday, according to local police qu...
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution...
Maritime security teams from Greece’s Diaplous and Britain’s Ambrey began a high-risk operation on Wednesday to evacuate the 22-strong crew from t...
Energy integration between Azerbaijan and Europe, along with opportunities to increase gas supplies was discussed during Energy Minister Parviz Shahba...
A Ukrainian drone strike on a beach in the Russian city of Kursk has killed at least three people, including a member of Russia’s National Guard, and left seven others injured, regional authorities reported early Wednesday.
At least nine people have died after a bridge collapsed over a river in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Wednesday, according to local police quoted by the Press Trust of India.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
Maritime security teams from Greece’s Diaplous and Britain’s Ambrey began a high-risk operation on Wednesday to evacuate the 22-strong crew from the Greek-owned Eternity C ship after a Houthi drone-and-speed-boat assault off Yemen on Monday killed four sailors and wounded two according to officials.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A deadly mass shooting early on Monday (7 July) in Philadelphia's Grays Ferry neighbourhood left three men dead and nine others wounded, including teenagers, as more than 100 shots were fired.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged stronger sanctions and defence support for Ukraine as the EU's 18th sanctions package against Russia nears approval.
Archaeologists have uncovered a 3,500-year-old city in northern Peru that likely served as a key trade hub connecting ancient coastal, Andean, and Amazonian cultures.
The United States has rescinded licensing restrictions on ethane exports to China, allowing shipments to resume after a temporary halt and signalling progress in efforts to ease recent trade tensions.
Shipments of antimony to the United States have jumped to more than 3,800 tonnes in five months via Thailand and Mexico, customs data show, as buyers find back-door routes around Beijing’s export ban on critical minerals bound for the U.S.
From launching 25% duties on Mexican goods in February to unveiling a 50% levy on imported copper on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump has fired off a rapid-fire series of tariff moves that has jolted financial markets and unsettled global supply chains.
Russia has confiscated 3.9 trillion roubles (about $50 billion) in company assets since 2022, signalling a decisive shift towards a 'fortress Russia' economic model, the Kommersant business daily reported on Wednesday.
A Ukrainian drone strike on a beach in the Russian city of Kursk has killed at least three people, including a member of Russia’s National Guard, and left seven others injured, regional authorities reported early Wednesday.
At least nine people have died after a bridge collapsed over a river in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Wednesday, according to local police quoted by the Press Trust of India.
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