Trump is set to impose sweeping tariffs
President Trump’s threats to impose stiff tariffs on goods imported from Canada, Mexico and China are expected to become a reality today. Trump said yesterday that there was no chance for a deal to avert them. Company executives and foreign officials scrambled to prepare.
The tariffs will add a 25 percent fee on all Mexican and Canadian exports coming across those borders and an additional 10 percent for Chinese goods. Canada was poised to retaliate, potentially setting off a trade war, and Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, said: “Whatever the decision is, we will also make our decisions.”
Trump has described the tariffs as an effort to pressure those countries to stop the flows of migrants and deadly drugs. Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, said yesterday that Mexico and Canada had “done a nice job on the border” but that fentanyl deaths had not fallen enough.
China: The president’s threat to add another 10 percent on top of all existing Chinese tariffs has yet to get Beijing to come running with concessions.
Zelensky turns to diplomacy
President Volodymyr Zelensky went back to Ukraine yesterday after a whirlwind tour that included both humiliation, by President Trump, and a warm embrace, from European leaders. He vowed to use all available avenues to pursue an end to the war with Russia but acknowledged there was “a long way to go.”
Russia has given no indication that it will accept any terms other than full surrender and permanent conquest of a large part of Ukraine. Trump, who appears to be standing with Moscow, was expected to begin discussions on suspending or canceling U.S. military aid to Ukraine, according to an official.
Support: Britain and France have promised a “coalition of the willing” to secure a truce between Ukraine and Russia. But how many countries will step up, and does that even matter, given Russia’s rejection of such a coalition as part of any settlement?
Warfare: Drones now do most of the killing in the Ukraine war, causing about 70 percent of deaths and injuries, commanders say.
Israel and Hamas plan for a possible return to war
As cease-fire discussions continue between Israel and Hamas, the two sides are preparing for those efforts to fail and for the conflict to pick back up. Hamas is collecting unexploded bombs to make improvised explosive devices, recruiting new members and replacing commanders, according to a member of Hamas’s military wing. Israel has prepared extensively for a new, more intense campaign in Gaza, Israeli officials said.
Cuttlefish, masters of deception, use camouflage to quickly hide from predators, but they also use visual tricks to bamboozle prey. Researchers observed the cuttlefish in the wild convincingly imitating pale green leaves or the shapes of coral as they hunted. Their wide range of abilities could be a sign of a higher level of cognition.
Lives lived: Khalil Fong, a Hong Kong singer-songwriter who infused a soul and R&B sensibility into Chinese pop songs, died at 41.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
Sean Baker swept the Oscars
There was plenty to take in during the Academy Awards on Sunday night, including a “Wicked” opener, Conan O’Brien gags and memorable speeches (good and bad). Sean Baker, the director of “Anora,” took home four statues. He tied the record set by Walt Disney in 1954, but even Disney didn’t pull off four Oscars on one night for the same movie.
That’s it for today. See you tomorrow. — Emmett
P.S. David Leonhardt, the anchor of The Morning newsletter, is taking on a new role as editorial director.
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