Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,057 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• UK to hold Sudan war talks

• The Masters tees off this morning

• Test how well you’re aging

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Big Story

Trump’s Tariffs Pause

President Trump announced a temporary pause on new tariffs.

• Wall Street popped on the news with the S&P 500 surging 9.5% and the Nasdaq jumping 12.6% - their biggest one-day gains in five years. The rally came after Trump posted on Truth Social that he authorized "a 90-day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period.”

• Meanwhile, US-China trade tensions are rapidly escalating. China had just hit back with an 84% tariff on US products (up from its previously announced 34%) in response to Trump's 104% import duties on Chinese goods that went live yesterday. Trump countered again by raising China's tariff to 125%.

• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent clarified that all countries except China would return to a 10% baseline tariff rate during a 90-day negotiation period.

• Tech stocks hit hardest by trade war fears led the rebound, with Apple and Nvidia soaring more than 15% and 19% respectively. Tesla shares surged over 23%, while Walmart rallied 9%.

Big Story

Sudan War Talks

Britain is organizing a meeting of foreign ministers from nearly 20 countries on April 15 to address Sudan's civil war.

• The conflict has created the world's largest humanitarian crisis but has remained low on global diplomatic priorities. Half of Sudan's population faces severe food shortages and 11 million people are internally displaced. (Learn more about the war here)

• The warring parties - Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) - were not invited to the London conference, as diplomats believe they're still far from seeking peace. Instead, the focus is on building consensus among external backers to demand a ceasefire and end impunity for war crimes.

• Sudan's foreign minister is protesting his exclusion and criticizing invitations sent to the UAE, Chad, and Kenya because they are "stakeholders in the war." The UAE are accused of arming the RSF and complicity in genocide, which they've dismissed as a publicity stunt.

Big Story

Building a Brain Map

Scientists have built the most comprehensive brain map ever.

• The team reconstructed a tiny speck of mouse visual cortex, a sample the size of a sand grain containing 84,000 neurons connected by half a billion synapses and 3.4 miles of wiring.

• The project combined three approaches: recording brain activity as mice watched videos, slicing the same brain tissue into 25,000+ ultra-thin layers for electron microscope imaging, and using AI to reconstruct the 3D structure. The resulting 1.6-petabyte dataset equals 22 years of HD video.

• The study could transform our understanding of intelligence, consciousness, and brain disorders like Alzheimer's and schizophrenia. As one researcher explained: "If you have a broken radio and the circuit diagram, you'll be in a better position to fix it."

Quick Stories

US News

• New Mexico Governor Grisham declared an emergency in Albuquerque due to rising crime. She ordered National Guard deployment along Route 66 starting mid-May. (More)

• The Department of Justice and the Coast Guard seized 45,000 pounds of cocaine worth $500 million in a joint operation. The guard has seized over 59 metric tons of narcotics since February. (More)

• The Social Security Administration reversed its planned phone service cuts after weeks of outcry. The agency now allows all claim types via telephone starting April 14, implementing fraud safeguards that may require in-person visits when suspicions arise. (More)

World

• Japan and NATO agreed to increase defense cooperation to counter Russian and Chinese threats. They plan to develop dual-use technologies which are likely to include drones, artificial intelligence and quantum technology. (More)

• Conservatives led by Friedrich Merz formed a coalition with Social Democrats to govern Germany after five months without leadership. Merz promised a strong government amid recession and economic turbulence. (More)

• Hamas filed legal documents seeking removal from UK's terrorist list, claiming it's a liberation movement, not a terror group. (More)

Business & Economy

• Lego opened a $1 billion carbon-neutral factory in Vietnam that will run entirely on clean energy by 2026. The high-tech facility near Ho Chi Minh City will produce toy bricks for growing Southeast Asian markets. (More)

• Microsoft will pause some of its data center construction, including a $1 billion Ohio project, indicating AI demand requires fewer powerful computers than expected. (More)

• Chinese EV company BYD will launch its premium Denza brand in Europe. The Z9GT station wagon will arrive in late 2025, offering both battery-only and plug-in hybrid versions. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• Players will tee off at The 89th Masters tournament today. Scottie Scheffler seeks his third Masters title while Rory McIlroy chases the elusive career Grand Slam at Augusta. The first group starts at 7:40 am ET. (More)

• Kiefer Sherwood scored the overtime winner after Vancouver made NHL history, becoming the first team to score three goals in the final minute of regulation to rally and defeat Dallas 6-5. (More)

• HBO renewed "The Last of Us" for a third season before Season 2 premieres on April 13. Creators Mazin and Druckmann plan to split the series into 1 or 2 more seasons. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Anthrax poisoning killed at least 50 hippopotamuses at Virunga National Park in Africa. Director De Merode remains uncertain about the cause, but the CDC notes anthrax bacteria commonly affects wildlife. (More)

• Chinese scientists report moon samples from the far side suggest it may be drier than Earth-facing side. More samples are needed to understand lunar water distribution, which affects the moon's evolution and astronaut mission planning. (More)

• MIT researchers created a thumb-sized hopping robot that jumps 20cm high while using 60% less energy than flying robots. It navigates ice, wet surfaces, and uneven soil effectively, carrying 10 times more payload than aerial alternatives. (More)

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