KOMMERSANT (RUSSIA): Дональд Трамп отступил в торговой войне со всеми, кроме Китая. После очередного обмена ударами с Китаем в инициированной США “войне пошлин” американский президент Дональд Трамп объявил 90-дневную паузу в разворачивании торгового противостояния со всем миром. “Перемирие” затронет более 75 государств, тарифы на импорт из которых США повысили сильнее всего. Вероятно, это реакция на мрачные оценки последствий фактической остановки 80% поставок Китая на американский рынок — и пауза рассчитана на то, чтобы успеть договориться о комфортных торговых режимах с альтернативными источниками товаров для американских потребителей. Отношения США с КНР тем временем окончательно зашли в тупик: после уравнивания Пекином уровня пошлин — до 104% — новый шаг Вашингтона, увеличивший их до 125%, мало что может изменить. Ситуация требует политического решения, а продолжение эскалации тарифов ни на что не влияет.

O GLOBO (BRASIL): Mudança nas tarifas por Trump é derrota disfarçada de armistício. O “Dia da libertação” dos Estados Unidos teve validade de apenas uma semana e foi suspenso por uma retirada abrupta disfarçada de armistício. O governo americano foi forçado pela realidade a reduzir por ao menos três meses o tamanho de sua guerra comercial com a maioria do planeta. Ficam de fato libertos, mas da lógica, os que acreditarem na história contada nesta quarta-feira pela Casa Branca para justificar a mudança temporária de rumo. Forças internas, além de Pequim e Bruxelas, se moveram desde quarta-feira passada para interromper a maior aposta até aqui do Trump 2.0. Investidores começaram a vender maciçamente títulos do Tesouro americano, movimento que indica o temor generalizado de uma recessão global provocada pela guerra comercial iniciada por Trump. Ao mercado, se juntaram apoiadores bilionários do presidente, dados a exageros de retórica ufanista mas com pavor de queimar dinheiro próprio em projetos "para o bem do país a longo prazo", como a eventual reindustrialização ianque. O fogo amigo veio inclusive daquele que se julga o mais importante deles, Elon Musk. Parte significativa dos consumidores americanos entendeu rapidamente que as tarifas de Trump foram impostas não apenas às demais nações, mas a eles próprios.

LA NACION (ARGENTINA): Uno de los peores miedos de Donald Trump es proyectar la imagen de hombre débil. Rendirse, nunca; dar marcha atrás, jamás. Ceder es, en la mirada del mandatario norteamericano, para los presidentes frágiles, no para él. Pero los mercados le enviaron ayer un mensaje crudo y terrorífico a la Casa Blanca, uno que el gobierno no esperaba, y Trump tuvo que hacer lo que hace apenas un día había prometido, con burlas y amenazas, que no haría: capitular. Con el anuncio de su ofensiva arancelaria, Trump quiso inaugurar una nueva era norteamericana de coerción, autosuficiencia, menos deuda y poderío industrial ... y, de paso, una era de narcisocracia. Sin embargo, el “día de la liberación” no fue seguido por el amanecer dorado prometido por Trump. En todo caso le sucedieron siete días de caos, internas oficiales, malos augurios económicos, rápida destrucción de riqueza, pánico de los mercados y presión desesperada de los aliados históricos de Estados Unidos.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST (HONG KONG, CHINA): After Trump’s “tactical retreat”, analysts warn “crazy” week is just the beginning. Rapid movements in the US-China trade war, even with a 90-day tariff pause, are throwing the global economy into turmoil, analysts say. While US President Donald Trump’s Wednesday announcement of a 90-day pause on the punitive levies he had aimed at most other nations is “a tactical retreat”, analysts said “no one should relax” as this does not augur any shift in his overall objectives. Amid this “retreat”, tariffs on imports from China were raised to 125% following a retaliatory increase in tariffs from Beijing. Stephen Olson, a visiting senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, cautioned this means the world’s two largest economies remain locked in a dangerous, intensifying trade war. “When the dust settles, we’ll be in a much higher tariff world than we were when Trump walked into office”, he said.

LA VANGUARDIA (SPAIN): Trump abre 90 días de pausa en la guerra comercial y centra el ataque en China. Esta es una capitulación en toda regla en la particular guerra comercial de Donald Trump que, según la retórica de la Casa Blanca, se convierte en una gran victoria del presidente. Se vendió como una demostración de su arte negociador, porque los países quieren abrir conversaciones. Pero con el fondo del peligro por el impulso de la inflación y los pronósticos de recesión, Trump comunicó este miércoles en su red social una pausa de 90 días en los aranceles recíprocos a todos los países, salvo a China, medida que había hecho que los mercados bursátiles cayeran en picado desde su anuncio de la pasada semana, con la evaporación de miles de millones, y amenazaba con desmontar el comercio mundial. Wall Street se puso en modo celebración. Trump hizo la excepción de China, a la que no solo no incluye en esa pausa, sino que le aumenta hasta un 125% los aranceles, porque Pekín aplicó en paralelo un incremento del 84% en las tasas a las importaciones de EE.UU. “China ha demostrado una falta de respeto al comercio mundial”, subrayó en su mensaje. En respuestas a los periodistas, dijo que “China quiere llegar a un acuerdo pero no sabe cómo hacerlo”.

GLOBAL TIMES (CHINA): China will raise additional tariffs for imported goods originating in the US to 84% from 34% from 12:01am on April 10, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced Wednesday. On April 8, the US further increased the so-called “reciprocal tariffs” on Chinese products exported to the US to 84% from 34%. The US escalation of tariffs against China is a mistake on top of a mistake; it seriously infringes upon China’s legitimate rights and interests and gravely undermines the rules‑based multilateral trading system, said the commission. China urges the US to immediately correct its wrong practices, cancel all unilateral tariff measures against China, and properly resolve differences with China through equal dialogue on the basis of mutual respect.

THE NEW YORK TIMES (USA): For U.S. and China, a risky game of chicken with no off-ramp in sight. China’s latest move: an additional 50 percent tariff on U.S. goods. Neither side wants to look weak by backing down, but a collapse of their trade ties could have profound consequences. A whopping increase in tariffs, followed by a whopping retaliation. Nationalist Chinese bloggers comparing President Trump’s levies to a declaration of war. China’s Foreign Ministry vowing that Beijing will “fight to the end”. For years, the world’s two biggest powers have flirted with the idea of an economic decoupling as tensions between them have risen. The acceleration this week of their trade relationship’s deterioration has made the prospect of such a divorce seem closer than ever.

IZVESTIA (RUSSIA): Последствия для Китая, США и всего мира пока труднопрогнозируемы. С большой вероятностью Китай столкнется со сложностями в поисках новых рынков сбыта. Альтернативными покупателями будут рассматриваться все остальные страны: от членов Евросоюза до африканских государств. Пекин уже начал прощупывать почву в целях создания “антитарифных” альянсов. Так, 30 марта была проведена трехсторонняя встреча между представителями КНР, Южной Кореи и Японии. На переговорах обсуждалась необходимость координации новых тарифов Вашингтона между всеми участниками. Китай ищет союзников и среди других крупных рынков. По данным Reuters, 8 апреля представители посольства КНР в Индии объявили, что, “столкнувшись со злоупотреблением тарифами со стороны США, <...> две крупнейшие развивающиеся страны должны объединиться, чтобы преодолеть трудности”.

THE TIMES OF INDIA: Trump’s trade war pivot: Relief for most, wrath for China. In an unexpected move, US President Donald Trump pleasantly surprised global markets on Wednesday with a major reversal on his tariff policy — announcing a 90-day pause on increased duties for most countries while unleashing a steep new 125% tariff on imports from China. But while most of the world exhaled, Trump made clear that China would not get a reprieve — only more pressure.Trump has long viewed China as the central villain in his economic narrative — accusing Beijing of dumping cheap goods, manipulating currency, and stealing US intellectual property. He’s also repeatedly claimed that Chinese leaders don’t understand how to negotiate with him, even as talks between Washington and Beijing have stalled for months. Trump’s sudden pivot narrows what had looked like a global trade war into a more focused confrontation with China. It also showcased his willingness to use economic shockwaves as a negotiation tool — and walk them back just as fast. By shielding most countries from harsher tariffs — at least temporarily — Trump is isolating Beijing while attempting to rally allies. But the escalation with China opens a new chapter in an already brutal trade war between the world’s two largest economies. The next 90 days will be a whirlwind of behind-the-scenes negotiations. Bessent confirmed the US will pursue "bespoke" deals — case-by-case arrangements that could touch on trade, security, and even foreign aid.

THE ECONOMIC TIMES (INDIA): Feeling US heat, Chinese companies offer to discount India bill for electronics parts. Chinese electronics components manufacturers, panicked by the tariff war with the US, are offering to drop prices by up to 5% as Indian companies start negotiating fresh sourcing contracts. This is a significant concession as the segment operates on low margins of 4-7% and could boost their own savings by 2-3%, fridge, TV, and smartphone makers said. The Indian manufacturers could pass on some of the lower costs to consumers to stimulate demand. On average, three-fourths of all parts used in electronics products in India are imported from China. The US-China tariff war has significantly slowed fresh orders to Chinese manufacturers as global supply chains are reset following reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US, with the highest on China at 125%. Lower US demand for Chinese electronics goods will dampen demand for components as well. “Component manufacturers in China are under pressure”, said Kamal Nandi, head of the appliance business at Godrej Enterprises Group. “Prices will be renegotiated as export orders from the US slow down”.

LE FIGARO (FRANCE): L’Union européenne a des atouts dans son jeu. Pour les jouer au cœur de cette bataille de titans, il faudra que les 27 fassent preuve de volontarisme politique. Quoi qu’il en coûte... Le bras de fer entre les États-Unis et la Chine se durcit d’heures en heures, faisant basculer brutalement le monde dans une ère, inédite depuis des décennies, de protectionnisme. Jeudi, Pékin portera ainsi ses tarifs douaniers à 84%, et non pas 34% comme initialement prévu, en réponse aux droits de douane de 104%, devenus dans la nuit 125 %, imposés par les États-Unis. “La Chine luttera jusqu’au bout”, avait prévenu le ministère chinois du commerce. De facto, avec des étiquettes qui s’apprêtent donc à doubler dans les rayons sur leurs importations réciproques, les deux géants de l’économie mondiale se ferment quasiment l’un à l’autre leurs marchés intérieurs. Et l’Europe dans tout ça? Ne pourrait-elle pas sortir gagnante de ce duel à la mort ? D’autant qu’il est fort possible que suite au revirement surprise de Donald Trump, ses droits de douane redescendent à 10%.

THE JAKARTA POST (INDONESIA): ASEAN must “act boldly” to accelerate regional economic integration as sweeping US tariffs leave much of the world caught in the middle of a devastating trade war, the bloc’s chief said Wednesday. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which count on the United States as their main export market, were among those slapped with the toughest levies by President Donald Trump. “To remain relevant and resilient in a world where economic chaos is fast becoming the new normal, we must act boldly, decisively, and together to reaffirm ASEAN’s commitment to a stable, predictable, and business-friendly environment”, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn told an investment conference. ASEAN governments have chosen not to the retaliate against Washington, preferring dialogue.

NIKKEI (JAPAN): ASEAN must focus on “realistic” goals, business leader urges. ASEAN must abandon grand ambitions in favor of practical, business-driven reforms to stay competitive amid rising global uncertainty, according to Nazir Razak, the head of the bloc’s business advisory council. The 10 member states should, meanwhile, regard the “Trumpian” crisis triggered by the U.S. president imposing tariffs on every nation as an “opportunity to demonstrate and further cement the unity and resilience of ASEAN”, the Malaysian businessman said.

EL UNIVERSAL (MEXICO): El presidente interino de Corea del Sur, Han Duck-soo, ha asegurado que su país no formará una coalición con China y Japón para responder a los nuevos aranceles impuestos por Estados Unidos, y que apuesta por una vía negociadora con Washington para evitar una escalada comercial. “No creo que esa forma de contraatacar vaya a mejorar dramáticamente la situación”, declaró Han en una entrevista en exclusiva con la cadena estadounidense CNN.

RENMIN RIBAO (CHINA): Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries and striving to open new ground for China’s neighborhood work. In his speech, Xi systematically summarized the achievements and experience of China’s neighborhood work in the new era, scientifically analyzed the current situation, and outlined the goals, tasks, ideas and measures for the next phase of neighborhood work. The conference highlighted that China’s vast territory and long borders make its neighborhood a vital foundation for national development and prosperity, a key front for safeguarding national security, a priority area in the country’s overall diplomacy, and a crucial link in building a community with a shared future for humanity.

THE HILL (USA): The White House is arguing that revenue from President Trump’s tariffs on U.S. importers is going to help pay for domestic tax cuts. But there is a lot more to this argument than simple addition and subtraction. The tariffs’ inflationary effects could undercut savings for American households spurred by the tax cuts, undermining revenue gains from higher consumer spending. Looked at another way, tax cuts for consumers could end up effectively subsidizing cost increases spurred by tariffs. And Trump’s tariffs —if they work as intended — could shrink their own tax base as businesses import fewer goods from abroad and Americans shift their spending away from higher-tax foreign goods. On top of that, projected tariff revenues are just a fraction of the cuts Trump is seeking legislatively. Official government accounting separates revenue changes resulting from legislation from those resulting from executive actions, potentially making it difficult to get an official score.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (USA): Trump’s tariffs put Fed chair Powell in a “no-win situation”. A trade war ties the Fed’s hands by pushing up inflation at the same time that uncertainty is sapping growth. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is facing an increasingly dreadful task. Economists, business owners and investors are betting that the uncertainty created by the sudden rollout of President Trump’s large tariff hikes, many of which are set to take effect Wednesday, will push the economy closer to a recession by weakening hiring and spending. That would call for cutting rates to cushion any downturn.

THE ASAHI SHIMBUN (JAPAN): Even if there is no change to the importance of the relationship with the United States, the current situation in terms of the economy and national security should not be taken as a given. There also is a need to seek out a more highly autonomous strategy that also includes consideration of the risk of being pushed away by the United States. Japan must further deepen cooperation with other nations that are also allies of the United States, including South Korea, Australia and the Philippines, as well as ASEAN, India and other newly emerging and developing nations of the so-called Global South group. Japan must push forward with multilateral cooperation to reduce as much as possible the confusion that Trump is bringing to the international community.

TEHRAN TIMES (IRAN): As Iran and the United States prepare to hear each other’s gripes during indirect Oman-mediated negotiations on Saturday, President Masoud Pezeshkian told a number of officials gathered to celebrate Iran’s nuclear achievements that the country has no intention of developing nukes but won’t relinquish its impressive progress in the field either.

THE WASHINGTON TIMES (USA): The Trump administration will enter direct nuclear negotiations with Iran this weekend in Oman with a seemingly endless list of high-stakes questions in play, starting with whether the U.S. will push for the full dismantlement of Iran’s plutonium production and uranium enrichment programs or accept something short of that. Should the Trump administration roll back Iran’s ballistic missile program? Is Tehran’s financial support of terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Yemen-based Houthi rebels on the table? Or its provision of drones to Russia for its war in Ukraine? Could the White House aim for a deal so sweeping, perhaps with lucrative financial incentives through the lifting of sanctions and potential U.S. investment in Iran, that it could chip away at Tehran’s deepening military and economic alignment with Russia, China and North Korea as part of the “axis of authoritarians?” Foreign policy analysts are split on what kind of agreement President Trump can secure, how aggressive he should be with his goals and whether engaging with Tehran’s theocratic regime is worthwhile. So far, little is in the way of a clear framework guiding the negotiations other than this core principle: The administration insists Iran cannot and will not acquire a nuclear bomb. In a best-case scenario this time, some specialists say, Mr. Trump must accept a limited deal that constrains Iran’s nuclear program but keeps some economic sanctions in place because Tehran will likely be unwilling to end its material support for terrorist groups.

AL-AHRAM (EGYPT): Will Trump go to war against Iran? Trump is flipping the script on Iran but going to war with the Islamic Republic is not inevitable. The tug of war between US President Donald Trump and Iran is continuing unabated, further raising the stakes in the Middle East and unleashing fears of a wider conflict. Tensions have been building since Trump returned to office in January, with his administration increasing the pressure on Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon and forcing it to dismantle its network of regional proxies. Beyond the rhetoric, both sides flexed their muscles with displays of their military buildup, intended either to signal defiance or deterrence. Yet, whether either side is in a position to achieve its stated objectives through military force remains a dangerous strategic gamble that both need to consider as they play power projection.

VEDOMOSTI (RUSSIA): В Германии сформировали правящую коалицию. Министерство иностранных дел досталось сторонникам ужесточения политики в отношении России. Коалиционное соглашение между консервативным блоком ХДС/ХСС и социал-демократической партией Германии (СДПГ) было подписано 9 апреля, спустя полтора месяца после проведенных 23 февраля внеочередных выборов в бундестаг. На пресс-конференции лидер ХДС и будущий канцлер Фридрих Мерц огласил несколько пунктов программы нового правительства. Среди них – снизить налог на электроэнергию до минимального европейского уровня и ввести новое базовое пособие вместо прежних. Кроме этого новое правительство, по словам Мерца, положит конец нелегальной иммиграции.

THE JERUSALEM POST (ISRAEL): Israel, Turkey look to create deconfliction mechanism in Syria. Israel and Turkey have recently discussed creating a coordination mechanism in Syria in efforts to prevent friction, a source familiar with details told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday. According to the source, the two countries are looking to “establish a mechanism similar to the one that had existed with Russia” during the rule of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. The source noted that the mechanism “successfully prevented unnecessary friction” between Moscow and Jerusalem in the past. The talks between the two nations are at a preliminary stage, the source added.

DAILY SABAH (TURKEY): Strategic realignments in the Balkans: New alliances, old fears. The Balkans were supposed to be a liberal success story – now they’re a case study in strategic distrust. NATO and the EU spent two decades promoting integration, the rule of law and regional cooperation. But today, Balkan states are forging new military alliances outside institutional frameworks, reshaping the regional order through raw power politics. The return of realism is not theoretical – it is happening on the ground, driven by states that no longer trust Western institutions to deliver security or stability. The answer lies in the erosion of trust, both in liberal frameworks and in the ability of Western institutions to manage strategic competition. The alliances emerging between Albania, Croatia and Kosovo on one side, and Serbia’s outreach to Hungary and Slovakia on the other, represent not just regional realignments but a rejection of liberal idealism in favor of realist pragmatism.

LA LIBRE (BELGIUM): Panama et Washington à la recherche d’un compromis pour le transit militaire sur le Canal. Washington exige la gratuité pour les bateaux de sa marine empruntant le canal, qui relie le Pacifique au golfe du Mexique, une revendication réitérée lors d’une visite de deux jours dans le pays par M. Hegseth, qui a demandé une utilisation “prioritaire et gratuite” de l’infrastructure. Le ministre du Canal, José Ramon Icaza, a évoqué la création d’un “mécanisme permettant aux bateaux de guerre et aux navires auxiliaires de bénéficier d’un système de compensation pour leurs services”, qui compenserait le coût d’utilisation du Canal sans toutefois rendre celui-ci “gratuit” par principe. Les deux parties ont finalement signé mercredi un accord en vue de la recherche d’un tel mécanisme, a annoncé le gouvernement panaméen.

LE SOLEIL (SENEGAL): La Commission de la communauté économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (Cedeao) a lancé un appel aux autorités maliennes et algériennes afin qu’elles œuvrent à désamorcer les tensions, favorisent le dialogue et exploitent les mécanismes régionaux et continentaux pour résoudre leurs différends. Cette déclaration a été rendue publique dans un communiqué diffusé mercredi. La Cedeao a exprimé son inquiétude face aux récents événements qui ont affecté les relations entre la République du Mali et la République algérienne démocratique et populaire, tels qu’ils ont été relatés à travers les communiqués officiels publiés par les deux pays ces derniers jours. Pour rappel les relations entre ces deux pays voisins se sont plus détériorées depuis fin mars dernier. En fait, un drone de l’armée malienne a été abattu dans les environs de Tinzawatene, à la frontière entre le Mali et l’Algérie. Les faits se sont déroulés dans la nuit du 31 mars au 1er avril dernier. Et selon les autorités maliennes l’appareil était en mission ordinaire de surveillance du territoire. Quant à la partie algérienne, elle déclare avoir abattu un drone de reconnaissance armé qui avait pénétré son espace aérien sur une distance de 2 kilomètres. Actuellement, les deux parties ont rappelé chacun leurs ambassadeurs respectifs.

ASHARQ AL-AWSAT (GB): After Israel killed a string of its leaders, Hamas anointed new commanders to top ranks, this time shrouding their identities in secrecy to protect them from assassination. Israel vowed to crush Hamas in retaliation for the October 7 attack, launching a blistering offensive in Gaza that has massively weakened the movement while reducing much of the territory to rubble. Yet unlike its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, whose cult of personality around its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah was a key pillar of its identity, Hamas has placed less of an emphasis on its top ranks. The group has remained tight-lipped over the names of its top ranks, particularly the Ezzedine al-Qassam brigades.

THE GUARDIAN (GB): The global rush to AI technology will require almost as much energy by the end of this decade as Japan uses today, but only about half of the demand is likely to be met from renewable sources. Processing data, mainly for AI, will consume more electricity in the US alone by 2030 than manufacturing steel, cement, chemicals and all other energy-intensive goods combined, according to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). Global electricity demand from datacentres will more than double by 2030, according to the report. AI will be the main driver of that increase, with demand from dedicated AI datacentres alone forecast to more than quadruple. One datacentre today consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households, but some of those currently under construction will require 20 times more.

ARAB NEWS (SAUDI ARABIA): Saudi Aramco has made a series of groundbreaking oil and gas discoveries in the Eastern Province and the Empty Quarter, further cementing Saudi Arabia’s position as a global energy leader. Announced by Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman on Wednesday, the discoveries include six oil fields, two oil reservoirs, two natural gas fields, and four natural gas reservoirs—highlighting the Kingdom’s vast and growing hydrocarbon potential.

NEW YORK POST (USA): An AI-generated video mocking the prospect of Americans working factory jobs has been viewed over six million times in the wake of President Trump’s tariff agenda. The video — aimed at undermining the Trump administration’s promise to create US manufacturing jobs using tariffs — depicts depressed-looking, larger-bodied “Americans” working in sweatshop-like environments set to a twangy score of traditional Chinese music. The US workers are depicted as obese, middle-aged, and dull-witted as they sit, twiddling at sewing machines, in the video shared by TikTok user Ben Lau, who captioned the AI clip “Make America great again #tariff #america”.

INDEPENDENT (GB): Surprising origin of ‘city-killer’ asteroid that may strike Moon revealed. A “city-killer” space rock headed for a potential collision with the Moon likely originated in the asteroid belt near Jupiter, a region not known to produce Earth-crossing asteroids, according to a new study. Astronomers used the Keck Observatory in Hawaii to study the physical properties and potential origin of 2024 YR4, first discovered in December 2024 and initially thought to be on a collision course with the Earth. The study, set to be published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, revealed that the nearly 60m space rock was hockey puck-shaped and rapidly rotated every 20 minutes.