⌨Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa's death at 89 dominated early morning headlines before being overshadowed by developments in Ukraine. Russia's Palm Sunday bombing in Sumy initially reported seven children killed, but later corrected to two, with Zelensky warning failure to stop Putin risked "world war."
Trump dramatically shifted rhetoric, blaming Biden, Zelensky, and Putin collectively for the war, questioning Ukraine's decision to fight "someone 20 times larger." Meanwhile, Germany's Merz approved Taurus missiles for Ukraine, prompting Russian accusations of "wanting escalation."
On economic fronts, China suspended rare earth exports while Trump considered tariff exemptions for automobiles - a significant softening after weeks of escalation. European stocks rebounded with technology sectors leading gains.
Domestically, Italy faced a corruption probe involving 40 officials allegedly receiving free Tirrenia ferry tickets, while criticism mounted over irregularities in school principal selection exams.