BBC News Briefing

2 April, 2025

Alex has short blonde hair and blue eyes. She is smiling and wearing a black turtleneck

Alex Binley

Hello. As this newsletter hits your inbox, US President Donald Trump is expected to announce wide-ranging tariffs in a speech to "Make America Wealthy Again" - we'll bring you the latest updates and analysis. From Sudan, Africa correspondent Barbara Plett Usher finds Khartoum gutted by two years of civil war. And finally, a bronze 'Molly Malone' statue in Dublin is to get stewards to prevent people from touching it inappropriately.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

World waits for Trump's tariffs announcement

Donald Trump is speaking into a microphone and standing behind a blue lectern with the presidential emblem on it. He is wearing a blue suit with a small US flag badge on the lapel.

Trump will make his announcement in a speech to 'Make America Wealthy Again'. Credit: EPA

World leaders and businesses are waiting with bated breath as President Trump announces a swathe of import taxes. He says his "Liberation Day" tariffs will address "unfair" trade with other countries - a view shared by some US industries - but analysts warn tariffs could push up global prices. Feeling confused? Read our handy explainer here. No detail was given ahead of the announcement but as soon as Trump begins outlining his plans, our correspondents will dissect what it all means for the US, the rest of the world and you as a consumer. You can follow this, and the latest updates and reaction, on the BBC website.

Latest updates

GET UP TO SPEED

A Buddhist monk with a shaved head walks in front of the ruins of a temple. A golden Buddha statue can be seen at the top of a huge pile of rubble.

Myanmar military agrees to temporary ceasefire

It is hoped that the pause in the civil war will speed up relief and reconstruction efforts following last week's earthquake.

Read more >

An aerial shot shows lots of white buildings in a Greek town surrounded by brown flood water.

Drone footage shows scale of Greek island flooding

Heavy rain and flash flooding swept away cars and caused widespread damage on the Greek island of Paros.

Take a look from the air >

Elon Musk walks in front of a redbrick building. He has short brown hair and is looking down. He is frowning and has the knuckles of his hands pushed together. He is wearing a black coat over a black T-shirt

Tesla sales plunge after Elon Musk backlash

Shares tumbled in Wednesday's early trading after it was announced sales fell 13% compared to the first quarter of 2024.

What happened >

Eric Adams has a bald head and brown eyes. He has a small gold stud in his left ear. He is sitting behind a small microphone wearing a black suit and the top of his blue tie can be seen. He is looking straight ahead

Judge dismisses criminal case against NYC mayor

Previously, a top prosecutor accused him of striking a deal to dismiss his case in exchange for immigration enforcement.

More on this >

AT THE SCENE

Khartoum, Sudan

Fear, loss and hope in Sudan's ruined capital after army victory

An empty child's pram sits on a pavement which has weeds sprouting out of it. Across the road are a number of blackened and destroyed buildings

Once the commercial heart and seat of Sudan's government, Khartoum is now a burnt-out shell. Credit: Barbara Plett Usher/BBC

For two years, Sudan's civil war has been raging. It has claimed an estimated 150,000 lives, displaced 12 million and left countless others facing famine in what the UN has described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. At the end of March, the army recaptured the capital from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) - a key victory which it hopes will mark a turning point in the conflict.

Barbara has long brown hair which is parted on the side, and brown eyes. She is looking into the camera

Barbara Plett Usher, Africa correspondent

The level of destruction in central Khartoum is stunning: government ministries, banks and towering office blocks stand blackened and burned. The tarmac at the international airport is a graveyard of smashed planes, its passport and check-in counters covered in ash. Victory was won at an enormous cost.

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We drove slowly, weaving around unexploded ordnance in the road. At one intersection, body parts were in a heap, two skulls clearly visible. About 100m (328ft) down the road, a body lay in front of a damaged car.

Keep reading

Simple guide: War broke out when the two generals who were running Sudan following a coup, failed to agree on the direction the country was headed in.

Burhan vs Hemedti: Who are the two men at the heart of the conflict?

'Tortured and terrified': Khartoum residents spoke to the BBC, alleging terror and rape by retreating RSF fighters as the army retook the capital.

An aerial view of the crystal blue coastline of the north shore of the island of Kauai in Hawaii

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SOMETHING DIFFERENT

The spirit of Hawaii

Meaning "to give back", the ancient concept of mālama is a way of life.