VOUX MAG

Passenger car exports jumped 82.4% year-on-year last month to around 748,000 vehicles, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, up from the 586,000 vehicles exported in February.

Exports of new energy passenger vehicles — including battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids — surged more than 140% in March from a year ago to 363,000 units. That’s also up 31% from the about 276,000 units of such vehicles exported in February.

The biggest Chinese automakers, includingBYDand Geely Auto, have been increasing their efforts in boosting sales abroad, including expanding production facilities outside China. There have also been growing expectations that the global energy shock and higher fuel prices due to the Iran war could prompt more drivers to want to switch to EVs.

Chinese car brands have made inroads over the past months in regions such as Europe, Latin America andSoutheast Asia.

“The impact of the Iran conflict hasn’t fully shown up in March data yet, but it can act as a trigger,” said Chris Liu, a Shanghai-based senior analyst at advisory group Omdia.

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“In many markets that are structurally well suited for EVs, adoption has been slow simply because consumers lacked urgency," he said. “A sharp rise in fuel prices changes that.”

The Chinese carmakers’ strong overseas push also came at a time when domestic vehicle sales in China have come under pressure fromscaled-back government supportthis year to encourage drivers to switch to new energy vehicles.

Fiercecompetitionin China among car brands and a prolonged property sector slump that has weighed on consumers' desire for big purchases also impacted Chinese automakers.

Domestic passenger car sales fell 19.2% last month from a year earlier to nearly 1.7 million units. It was thefifth consecutive monthof year-on-year declines for passenger car sales at home, based on data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

UBS auto analyst Paul Gong believes that the domestic sales weakness will not be too long lasting and that the surge in overseas sales among Chinese carmakers could help with the weaker demand at home.

“For the overall industry, the overseas market’s sales volume growth is more than enough to offset domestic decline on a full-year basis,” said Gong, head of China autos research at UBS investment bank.

Overseas passenger car sales by units for Chinese automakers might grow by 20% or more this year compared with last year, he predicted.

The federal data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) -- which details consumer prices in March -- is expected to show a surge of inflation driven in large part by costs for auto gasoline, airfares and other products impacted by theoil shortage.

Economists expect overall prices to have climbed 3.3% in March compared to a year earlier, which would mark a dramatic rise from a year-over-year inflation rate of 2.4% in the prior month. The anticipated reading would amount to the highest annual inflation rate in two years.

"The impact of the largest energy supply shock since the 1970s will certainly be on full display," Deutsche Bank Research said in a preview of the inflation report shared with ABC News.

Will the US-Iran ceasefire bring down gas prices?

The BLS collected price data over the entire month of March. The inflation report, in turn, will reflect prices for 31 of the first 32 days of war, excluding the outbreak of hostilities on Feb. 28. The ceasefire announced on Tuesday came after 40 days of fighting.

A rapid acceleration of price increases could complicateinterest ratepolicy at the Federal Reserve, which may be reluctant to lower borrowing costs as inflation climbs.

The Middle East conflict prompted Iran's effective closure of theStrait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that facilitates the transport of about one-fifth of global supply of oil and natural gas.

That energy shortage sent oil and gasoline prices surging worldwide. Gasoline prices in the U.S. stood at $4.16 on average per gallon as of Thursday, marking a leap of $1.18 since the start of the war,AAAdata showed.

As part of a two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire announced on Tuesday, Iran says it will allow tankers passage through the Strait of Hormuz as long as they coordinate with the nation's military.

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The resumption of tanker traffic remains uncertain, however. Tanker traffic was suspended on Wednesday after Israeli attacks on Lebanon, Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency reported.

Crude prices fell after the ceasefire announcement but remained highly elevated. U.S. oil prices topped $97 a barrel as of Thursday, standing nearly 50% higher than their pre-war level.

A surge in consumer prices could pose difficulty for the Fed as it weathers a slowdown of economic performance over recent months.

If the Fed opts to lower borrowing costs, it could spur growth but risk higher inflation. On the other hand, the choice to raise interest rates may slow price increases but raises the likelihood of a cooldown in economic performance.

Last month, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powellsaidthat despite rising energy prices and the potential impact on inflation, he doesn't think the central bank needs to raise interest rates.

Powell noted that central bankers often look past shocks -- such as sudden oil-price increases -- since the upward pressure on consumer prices usually proves temporary.

"We feel like our policy is in a good place for us to wait and see how that turns out," Powell said.

The benchmark interest rate stands at a level between 3.5% and 3.75%. That figure marks a significant drop from a recent peak attained in 2023, but borrowing costs remain well above a 0% rate established at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Iran live updates: Iran says Hormuz is open to all ships that coordinate with Tehran

The Fed will announce its next rate decision on April 29. Investors overwhelmingly expect the Fed to leave rates unchanged, according to theCME FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment.

The tool pegs a roughly 70% chance that the Fed will maintain interest rates at current levels for the remainder of the year.

NEED TO KNOW

• Kardashian is seen in the passenger seat of Hamilton's red Ferrari in the video as he does donuts in Tokyo

• "That's insane," the reality star is seen saying in the video

Kim KardashianandLewis Hamiltonare hitting the gas on their relationship status.

The reality star, 45, and Hamilton, 41, went Instagram official on Monday, April 6 in a new Instagram Reel from the Formula One driver.

The two are seen on a high-speed drive in the video, which showed him whipping around in his Ferrari F40 at the Daikoku Parking Area in Tokyo, Japan.

"HERE WE GO AGAIN 🇯🇵 TOKYO DRIFT VOL. III," Hamilton wrote in the caption of the Reel, which was set to the song "Victory Lap" by Skepta, PlaqueboyMax and Fred Again.

At the end of the video, Kardashian can be seen in the passenger's seat wearing a white turtleneck top. When the camera approached her in the car, the mother of four said, "That's insane," after her joy ride with Hamilton.

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On March 25, a source confirmed to PEOPLE that Kardashian and Hamilton were vacationing together in Tokyo alongside her three younger children,Saint, 10,Chicago, 9, andPsalm, 6, who she shares in addition to daughterNorth, 12, with ex-husbandKanye West.

The SKIMS founder's sister,Khloé Kardashianand her children,True, 7, andTatum, 3, also joined for the trip to Tokyo with Hamilton, according to the insider.

Another source told PEOPLE Hamilton is "an easygoing guy with great energy," and that the reality star's "family likes him."

"Kim's very into him," that source continued, adding, "They are both busy with their careers, but see each other as much as possible. It's more than just a casual connection. It takes a lot to capture Kim's interest and she's definitely intrigued."

Rumors of their romance picked up in March when Hamilton left a flirty comment on Kardashian's Instagram post. On March 16, the SKIMS founder shared snaps from an Oscar party several clips and photos of herself getting ready. In response to the sultry snaps, Hamilton wrote a simple comment: “😍.”

Read the original article onPeople

People gather after a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war was announced, in Tehran

WASHINGTON/DUBAI/CAIRO, April 8 (Reuters) - The United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, reaching a deal less than two hours before President Donald Trump's deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face the wiping out of "a whole civilization".

The announcement by Trump late on Tuesday represented an abrupt turnaround from his extraordinary warning earlier, and came after mediation efforts ‌by Pakistan's military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and its Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Sharif later said in a post on X he had invited Iranian and U.S. delegations to meet in Islamabad on Friday.

The eleventh-hour deal was subject to ‌Iran's agreement to pause its blockade of oil and gas supplies through the strait, Trump said. The waterway typically handles about one-fifth of global oil shipments.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, said in a statement Tehran would cease counter-attacks and provide safe passage through the waterway, if attacks against it stop.

Israel supported the decision to suspend ​strikes on Iran for the two-week period, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said. The ceasefire does not apply to Lebanon, it added, in an apparent contradiction to comments from Sharif, who had said the agreement included a cessation of Israel's campaign in Lebanon.

"This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East."

Iran's Supreme National Security Council portrayed the deal as a victory over the U.S., claiming Trump had accepted Iran's conditions for ending hostilities.

Trump told the French news agency AFP that it was a "total and complete victory".

"Total and complete victory. 100 percent. No question about it," Trump said when asked if he was claiming ‌victory with the ceasefire.

He later said on Truth Social: "A big day for World Peace! Iran ⁠wants it to happen, they’ve had enough! Likewise, so has everyone else!"

Iran could start the reconstruction process and the U.S. would help in traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz, he added.

The war, now in its sixth week, has claimed more than 5,000 lives in nearly a dozen countries, including more than 1,600 civilians in Iran, according to tallies from government sources and human rights groups.

A source briefed on ⁠the talks expressed wariness about the two-week ceasefire holding, saying the U.S. side believed Iran might be trying to buy time. It was a “trust-building exercise,” the source said.

Lebanese state news agency NNA reported continued Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon, including artillery shelling and a dawn air strike on a building near a hospital that killed four people. It also reported attacks on several other towns and on a medical point that caused injuries.

Israel's military issued repeated urgent warnings to residents of the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, saying it would strike the area.

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CONDITIONED ON STRAIT'S REOPENING

It was not immediately ​clear ​how soon the ceasefire elsewhere would take full effect. Israeli media said it would begin once Iran reopened the strait and that Israel expected Iranian attacks ​to continue in the interim.

Iraq's Islamic Resistance also said it would suspend operations in Iraq and ‌across the region for two weeks.

More than an hour after Trump's announcement, the Israeli military said it had identified missiles launched from Iran, and explosions from intercepted missiles could be heard in Tel Aviv. Gulf countries including Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also issued near-simultaneous alerts and activated air defences.

Israeli media said its military was striking back at launch sites in Iran.

Trump, who has issued a series of threats in recent weeks only to back away, said progress between the two sides had prompted him to agree to the ceasefire. He said Iran had presented a 10-point proposal that was a "workable basis" for negotiations and that he expected an agreement to be "finalised and consummated" during the two-week window.

Trump later said to AFP: "We have a 15 point transaction, of which most of those things have been agreed on. We'll see what happens. We'll see if it gets there,"

Markets enjoyed a relief rally as oil prices dropped, stocks and bonds surged and the dollar weakened, bolstered by hope that trade through the strait could resume.

Global leaders also welcomed the ceasefire ‌with the Australian government saying that "the longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will be, and the greater ​the human cost".

By agreeing to the ceasefire, Trump may be showing an awareness that the war - which is deeply unpopular in many parts of the United ​States - is dragging on longer than he expected, analysts said.

"In the last few days we've seen President Trump wanting to find ​a route towards a way that the U.S. military can back out of the war with Iran, but also frame that as a kind of victory for the U.S.," said Jessica Genauer, academic director of ‌the Public Policy Institute at Australia's University of New South Wales.

ABRUPT TURNAROUND

Trump's announcement capped a whirlwind day ​that was dominated by his threat to destroy every bridge and power ​plant in Iran unless Tehran reopened the strait. That unnerved world leaders, rattled global markets and drew widespread condemnation, including criticism from the head of the United Nations and Pope Leo.

Some international law experts have said attacking civilian infrastructure indiscriminately could constitute a war crime.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sharply increased oil prices, escalating the chances of a global economic downturn or even recession. The U.S. Energy Information Administration warned earlier on Tuesday that fuel prices could continue to ​rise for months even after the strait reopened.

With the U.S. midterm election campaign ramping up, Trump's ‌approval ratings have hit their lowest level ever, leaving his Republican Party at risk of losing its narrow majorities in Congress. Polls show sizable majorities of Americans are opposed to the war and frustrated by the rising ​cost of gasoline.

As the clock ticked down to Trump's 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT Wednesday) deadline, U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran had intensified, hitting railway and road bridges, an airport and a petrochemical plant. U.S. forces attacked targets ​on Kharg Island, home to Iran's main oil export terminal.

(Reporting by Reuters bureaus worldwide; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

University-of-Wisconsin-President

Jay Rothman hadrefused an offerfrom the board of regents to quietly resign, saying it never gave a clear reason why he should. Rothman has led the system that oversees the state’s four-year universities, including the flagship Madison campus, for nearly four years.

Rothman has to tread carefully dealing with a Republican-controlled Legislature and a board of regents where all current members were appointed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. When Rothman was hired, the board also had a majority of Evers appointees.

Asked Monday about the move to oust Rothman, Evers didn’t take a side. “It’s their call,” he said of the board.

But Republican lawmakers were furious and threatened to fire regents who have yet to be confirmed by the state Senate.

“Make no mistake about it, the firing of UW President Rothman is a blatant partisan hatchet job,” Republican Senate President Patrick Testing said in a statement.

He said Rothman was fired for “not being liberal enough.”

“His only crime was his willingness to work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to get things done,” Testin said.

The vote to fire Rothman came just five days after The Associated Press first reported that the regents asked Rothman to either resign or be fired. Rothman said in two letters to the regents that he would not leave voluntarily without knowing what he did wrong.

Regent President Amy Bogost said in a statement Monday that the board has shared results of a performance review with Rothman, with “direct conversations and clear feedback regarding leadership expectations.” She said the system needs “a clear vision” but did not elaborate on the review’s findings.

She repeated the statement Tuesday following a roughly 30-minute closed session regents meeting. No other regents spoke before the vote to fire Rothman, effective immediately.

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Rothman said in an earlier statement Tuesday that regents repeatedly declined to cite a specific reason for finding no confidence in his leadership. No one ever indicated to him that an evaluation could lead to termination, he said, adding that Bogost called his review “overwhelmingly positive.”

“It is disappointing that the first I heard any sort of defense of their position was when they communicated with the media,” Rothman said. “I am left to conclude that, at best, this reflects an after-the-fact rationalization of a decision that was previously made.”

Rothman declined to comment after the vote.

The state Senate’s committee that oversees higher education scheduled a hearing for Thursday for 10 regents whose appointments by Evers have yet to be confirmed. Testin called for the Senate to reject all 10, which would mean they could no longer serve as regents.

However, the Senate is not scheduled to be in session again this year.

Rothman has served as president of the 165,000-student, multicampus system since June 2022. The former chair and CEO of the Milwaukee-based Foley & Lardner law firm, Rothman had no prior experience administering higher education.

He has spent his tenure lobbying Republican legislators to increase state aid for the system in the face of federal cuts, navigating free speech issues surrounding pro-Palestinian protests, and grappling with declining enrollment that has forced eight branch campuses to close. Overall enrollment across the system has remained steady under his leadership.

Rothman brokereda dealwith Republicans in 2023 that called for freezing diversity hires and creating a position at UW-Madison focused on conservative thought in exchange for the Legislature releasing money for UW employee raises and tens of millions of dollars for construction projects across the system.

The regents initially rejected the deal only to approve it in a second vote held just days later. Evers said at the time the deal left him disappointed and frustrated.

The fight over Rothman’s future comes as the flagship Madison campus is losing its chancellor.Jennifer Mnookinis leaving in May at the end of the current academic year to take the job as president of Columbia University.

Rothman makes $600,943 annually as UW president. He can be fired for no stated reason and he has no appeal rights, said Wisconsin employment law attorney Tamara Packard, who reviewed Rothman’s contract at the AP’s request.

Lee earlier on Monday expressed regret over at least two incidents of drone incursions ​across the border that he said had been carried out by civilians violating government policy, calling it an act of "revolt" against their own country.

Pyongyang has said that drones sent from the South had violated its airspace, accusing Seoul of a serious provocation and saying it had shot ‌them down.

"Our government appreciated it ⁠as a very fortunate and wise behaviour for its own sake," Kim Yo Jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's influential sister, said ⁠in a statement carried by KCNA state news agency, referring to Lee's remarks.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un considered it "a manifestation of a frank and broad-minded man's attitude," she said. Kim Yo ​Jong often ​makes comments on Pyongyang's external policy matters believed ​to reflect her brother's views.

The comments ‌were in stark contrast to the scathing attacks by Pyongyang in recent years against what it called its "most hostile enemy" with which it could no longer pursue a goal of eventual unification.

The two Koreas remain technically in a state of war after their 1950-53 armed conflict ended in a truce.

Lee said an investigation has found a National Intelligence Service (NIS) employee ‌and an active-duty military official were involved in the ​drone incidents, adding they violated South Korea's constitution that ​forbids acts of provocation against North ​Korea.

"Although it was not our government's intention, we express our regret ‌to the North over the fact that ​unnecessary military tensions were ​caused by the irresponsible and reckless actions of some individuals," Lee said in a cabinet meeting.

Lee has made several overtures to the North since taking office in ​June to improve ties, which ‌had plunged to among the worst in decades, saying peace was the best ​policy for both sides to achieve prosperity.

(Reporting by Kyu-seok Shim, Cynthia Kim, ​Jack KimEditing by Ed Davies and Keith Weir)

• About Our Ads

Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah said on April 7 that it would release abducted U.S. journalist Shelly Kittleson, reported Reuters, theNew York Timesand theAssociated Press.The group added that she must leave Iraq immediately.

Kittleson, 49, was kidnapped on March 31 on a busy street in central Baghdad, Reuters andUSA TODAY previouslyreported. Both U.S. and Iraqi officials said Kataib Hezbollah was responsible for the abduction, and the group offered on April 1 to negotiate with the Iraqi government for her release in exchange for several militia members being held by authorities, according tothe New York Times.

Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Smoke rises following an explosion after the U.S. and Israel reportedly launched an attack against Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026, in this screen grab taken from video.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. Two loud blasts were heard in Tehran on February 28 morning by AFP journalists, and two plumes of thick smoke were seen over the centre and east of the Iranian capital.

Israel's defence ministry announced it had launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran as sirens sounded in Jerusalem and people across the country received phone alerts about an "extremely serious" threat.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> U.S. President Donald Trump pumps his fist after disembarking Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., February 27, 2026. Hours later, Trump made live comments about the military strikes he launched against Iran.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Buildings inin Tehran stand after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, February 28, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Latest photos capture US and Israeli strikes against Iran

Smoke rises following an explosion,after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026.

A spokesperson for Kataib Hezbollah said Kittleson was freed "in appreciation of the patriotic positions” of Iraq’s prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who had been negotiating for her release, reported the AP and the Times.

“This initiative will not be repeated in the future,” the militia's statement said, according to the same sources. "We are in a state of war waged by the Zionist-American enemy against Islam and in such situations, many considerations are disregarded.”

The U.S. and Iraqi governments have not yet confirmed Kittleson's release or whereabouts. USA TODAY reached out to Iraq's Ministry of Interior and the U.S. State Department for comment.

Who is Shelly Kittleson?

Kittleson is an independent journalist living in the Middle East,USA TODAY previously reported.Her work has appeared in multiple publications over the past decade, including Al Majalla, Al-Monitor, ANSA and RAI Radiotre, among other freelance work,according to her public LinkedIn account. Other social media profiles show she has worked for publications like BBC World Service and Politico.

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Kittleson also won the coveted Italian journalism award Premio Caravella in 2017 for her war zone reporting, according to the Italian Institute for International Political Studies.

Middle East news siteAl-Monitor, which first identified Kittleson upon abduction, said she has covered several wars in the region and had contributed articles to the outlet. The publication called for her "safe and immediate release" after Iraq's Ministry of Interior confirmed the kidnappingin a March 31 Facebook post.

Americanofficials had previously warned Kittlesonof threats against her, according to a social media post from Dylan Johnson, a U.S. State Department senior official. Johnson said in other posts that the State Department and FBI were working to secure her release "as quickly as possible."

Kittelson is originally from Mount Horeb, a small village in south-central Wisconsin, her mother, Barb Kittleson,told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,part of the USA TODAY network, on April 1.

"She just wanted to help people. She’s just a journalist," her mother said.

This story will be updated.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Journalist Shelly Kittleson released after Iraq kidnapping