April 11, 2025

UKRAINE | Today is day 1142 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• British officials say they will provide, in a joint effort with Norway, a new $580 million military support package to Ukraine that includes hundreds of thousands of military drones, radar systems, and anti-tank mines, as well as funds for repair and maintenance contracts. [more]

U.S. AND CHINESE TARIFFS | Responding to a move by U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday to increase tariffs on Chinese goods to a total of 145%, China says it will raise tariffs on imported U.S. goods from 84% to 125% starting tomorrow. Earlier this week, World Trade Organization head Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala warned that the trade war between the U.S. and China "could severely damage the global economic outlook." [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | According to newly released federal government data:

• The U.S. budget deficit grew to more than $1.3 trillion in the first half of the 2025 fiscal year – the second highest six-month deficit ever. [more]
• Annualized consumer inflation, as measured by the year-over-year consumer price index, fell to 2.4% in March – down from 2.8% in February. [more]
• Initial filings for unemployment benefits rose slightly to 223,000 for the week ended April 5 – up 4,000 from the previous week. [more]

U.S. DEPORTATIONS AND IMMIGRATION | In several new developments regarding immigration and deportations:

• Rejecting a Trump administration appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court said yesterday that the federal government must work to "facilitate" the return to the U.S. of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland immigrant who was mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador due to what officials have called an "administrative error." [more]
• In the court case considering the pending deportation of Columbia University pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a memo submitted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggests that Khalil's presence in the United States could damage U.S. foreign policy interests, citing as a basis for the determination Khalil's "past, current, or expected beliefs, statements, or associations that are otherwise lawful." [full memo] [more]
• A federal judge yesterday upheld the Trump administration's upgraded enforcement of a law that requires everyone in the U.S. illegally to register with the federal government and carry documentation. Opponents of the measure say it forces illegal immigrants into a choice between registering and giving their location to a government intent on carrying out mass deportations or risk being charged with a criminal violation of not registering, while supporters say the move is simply an enforcement of existing law. [more]
• Organizers of Chicago's annual Cinco de Mayo parade say the event will not take place this year due to Trump administration immigration policies and concern over possible raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Organizers in Philadelphia also cancelled this year's Cinco de Mayo parade in that city over similar concerns. [more]

MAINE | According to a previously filed U.S. Education Department Office for Civil Rights warning, today is the deadline for the state of Maine to end alleged violations of antidiscrimination laws by allowing transgender athletes to participate in girls’ sports or face Justice Department enforcement and potential related funding cuts. [more]

NEW YORK | Six people were killed yesterday when a sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair and crashed into the Hudson River. Authorities say the victims included the helicopter's pilot and five members of a Spanish family. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. [more]

U.S. MEASLES | Health officials say Ohio has joined the list of states with ongoing outbreaks of measles, with 20 confirmed cases of the disease. Other states with outbreaks – defined as clusters of three or more cases – include Texas with 505 cases, New Mexico with 56, Indiana with six, Kansas with 32, and Oklahoma with at least eight. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | In an overnight vote, the Senate confirmed the nomination of retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, filling the position formerly held by Gen. CQ Brown Jr., who was fired by President Trump in February. [more]

ASIAN MARKETS | Amidst continued market uncertainty, U.S. tariffs, and the U.S.-China trade war, Asian stock markets fell significantly today, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 share index down 4.2%, South Korea’s Kospi down 1.3%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng down 0.4%. [more]

SUDAN | Amidst the country's nearly two-year-old civil war, United Nations officials say Sudan is experiencing the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with an estimated half of the country's 25 million population facing extreme hunger. [more]

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | Authorities in the Dominican Republic’s capital of Santo Domingo say rescue operations at the site of this week's nightclub roof collapse have been suspended and that the death toll from the incident now stands at 221. [more]

HONG KONG AND CHINA | Reports say Chinese officials have warned members of Hong Kong's Democratic Party – the city's last remaining major opposition party – that the party must disband or face "serious consequences," including possible arrests. [more]

NIGERIA | Broadcast regulators in Nigeria are reported to have ordered TV and radio stations in the country to not play the song "Tell Your Papa" by artist Eedris Abdulkareem, which criticizes the country's president and warns that people are dying through hardship, insecurity, and hunger. [more]

MOROCCO | Authorities in Morocco say the North African country's social security databases were breached in a cyberattack this week and that information on pensions and insurance benefits to millions of private sector workers was stolen. Moroccan media have attributed the attack to Algerian hackers, describing it as an episode in a larger cyberwar between the two countries. [more]

CHINA | Authorities in portions of northern China have issued warnings, cancelled classes, and suspended outdoor activities ahead of expected extreme winds that could reach as high as 150kph (93mph). Meteorologists say China's Hebei region, which includes the cities of Beijing and Tianjin, is at particular risk from the winds, which are expected to last through Sunday. [more]

FASHION INDUSTRY | The Prada Group announced yesterday that it has agreed to purchase fashion rival Versace from Capri Holdings in a deal worth an estimated $1.4 billion. [more]

GOLF | Justin Rose shot a 7-under-par 65 yesterday at Augusta National to take the lead following the first round of the Masters golf tournament. [full leaderboard] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1968, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which also included the Indian Civil Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Anti-Riot Act. [more history]