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https://archive.ph/kY5xf

• China’s finance ministry on Friday said it will impose a 34% tariff on all goods imported from the U.S. starting on April 10.
• The ministry criticized Washington’s decision to impose 34% of additional reciprocal levies on China — bringing total U.S. tariffs against the country to 54% — as “inconsistent with international trade rules.”
• U.S. stock futures and European markets fell sharply on news of the reciprocal tariffs.

France holds rare defence cabinet meeting over Iran as tensions with US mount

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-holds-rare-defence-cabinet-meeting-over-iran-tensions-with-us-mount-2025-04-02/

Russia said on Wednesday that Britain's elite had shown its paranoia and intellectual inferiority by proposing to place anyone working for the Russian state on the highest tier of its upcoming foreign influence registration scheme.

Dan Jarvis told lawmakers that any person or company "carrying out activity as part of any arrangement" with Russian authorities, including government agencies, armed forces, intelligence services and the parliament, will need to register with the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme from 1 July.

Anyone who doesn't sign up faces five years in prison.

alternative source

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/01/china-launches-surprise-military-drills-around-taiwan

The People’s Liberation Army launched joint exercises around Taiwan on Tuesday, marking Beijing’s latest warning to the island’s “separatist forces”.

In a statement, Colonel Shi Yi said that the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command was conducting patrols and exercises that included simulated air and land strikes, as well as control of key passages to test the joint combat readiness of its troops.

added archive link at top

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US military has begun to upgrade its operations in Japan to a new “war-fighting” command, highlighting the Trump administration’s focus on China as its primary security challenge.

“China was, is, and will be an ideal, safe, and promising investment destination for foreign investors,” Xi told the gathering, which included leaders from American businesses including Pfizer, FedEx and asset manager Blackstone. “Going with China is going with opportunities, believing in China is believing in tomorrow, and investing in China is investing in the future.”

Imamoglu, who is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival, accused the US and Europe of prioritizing geopolitical interests over democratic values.

“Their silence is deafening,” Imamoglu wrote of world governments. “Washington merely expressed ‘concerns regarding recent arrests and protests’ in Turkey. With few exceptions, European leaders have failed to offer a strong response.”

Witkoff in Moscow when added to chat?

https://bsky.app/profile/olgalautman.bsky.social/post/3ll663snbc224