European consultations on Ukraine. France is hosting another emergency meeting of European leaders today regarding their policy on the war in Ukraine. European countries are working to define a joint position after the Trump administration’s move to talk directly with Russia. Yesterday, Trump appeared to falsely blame Ukraine for the war with Russia, saying “you should have never started it.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Trump was pushing “a lot of disinformation coming from Russia.”
Potential U.S. car, chip, pharma tariffs. Trump said yesterday he is considering imposing duties of around 25 percent on imported cars, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals as soon as April 2. He added that he wanted to give firms the chance to move their plants to the United States to avoid the tariffs. For semiconductor chips and drugs, the rate could go “substantially higher over the course of a year,” Trump said. He did not give details on potential exemptions.
Brazil’s coup plot charges. The country’s attorney general charged former President Jair Bolsonaro with trying to hold on to power after losing the 2022 election through attempting to annul the vote, disband courts, and assassinate the president-elect. Thirty-three others were also charged in the indictment, which moves the case to the country’s top court. Bolsonaro could face at least twelve years in prison if convicted. He denied the allegations, calling them an attempt to silence his political movement.
The Pope’s pneumonia diagnosis. Pope Francis, 88, has been hospitalized since last week. He has pneumonia in both lungs and test results suggest “a complex picture,” the Vatican said. Francis is one of the oldest popes in the Catholic Church’s history. Well-wishers gathered outside the hospital to pray for his recovery. His public events have been canceled through Sunday.
Attacks and negotiations in Sudan. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied groups are preparing to sign a political charter setting up a parallel government, an advisor to the RSF’s leader said. As the charter was delayed this week to allow for more talks with a potential member, Sudanese officials and rights groups denounced a series of RSF attacks that they said killed hundreds of people in the southern White Nile state. Reuters could not immediately reach the RSF for comment.
Taliban visit to Japan. Officials from Afghanistan’s Taliban government are meeting with Japanese officials on a multi-day visit to the country, Japan’s cabinet secretary said. He added that Tokyo would urge the group to respect human rights. The visit is part of the Taliban’s gradual reengagement with some in the international community following their 2021 takeover. The private Japanese groups coordinating the visit aim to raise awareness about conditions faced by Afghan women and children.
CIA drone flights over Mexico. The agency has increased its surveillance flights over Mexico in recent weeks, unnamed U.S. officials told multiple news outlets. The Trump administration has promised stepped-up efforts to combat Mexican cartels and fentanyl labs. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the flights were part of “coordination” between the two countries.
Qatari investments in India. Doha plans to invest $10 billion across Indian sectors including technology, manufacturing, and logistics, the two countries said in a joint statement. New Delhi also said the countries are exploring a free trade agreement. It was the first time a Qatari Emir had visited India in ten years.
