Some member states are opposed to confiscating the funds due to fears of legal risks, Dmitry Peskov has said

The Kremlin is aware of divisions within the EU over the fate of frozen Russian assets, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. Some members of the bloc are opposed to seizing the funds, citing legal risks.

An estimated $300 billion worth of Russian sovereign assets was frozen by the West following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. Around €200 billion ($209 billion) of this is held by Euroclear, a Brussels-based clearing house. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has repeatedly called for the funds to be tapped for Ukraine’s reconstruction.

This week, Kallas acknowledged that some member states still oppose the move, but did not specify which ones.

Peskov told journalists on Thursday that Moscow is “aware that indeed some countries do not support such an approach, as they understand the inevitable legal consequences of such actions.” 

The Kremlin has condemned the freezing of its assets and warned that seizing them would amount to “theft,” hinting at possible retaliatory measures against Western investments in Russia.

The frozen funds have already accrued billions of euros in interest, with Euroclear transferring €1.55 billion to Kiev last July to back a $50 billion loan for Ukraine provided by the G7.

Some EU members, notably the Baltic and Nordic states, along with Poland and the Czech Republic, have pushed for the immediate transfer of the frozen funds to Kiev. Others, however – including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – have been more cautious, citing legal concerns and arguing that the funds should be kept as leverage.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has warned that confiscating Russian assets would be considered “an act of war” and could provoke a response from Moscow. Other EU officials have also raised concerns that seizing the assets without a legal basis could set a dangerous precedent and alarm global investors.

The International Monetary Fund has warned that appropriating the funds without a clear legal basis could undermine global confidence in Western financial institutions.

Southern Africa will mostly bear the brunt of America’s new trade policy

On April 2, 2025, US President Donald Trump during his ‘Liberation Day’ Speech announced the intention to impose reciprocal tariffs targeting key global trade partners. The tariffs, framed as a measure to protect American manufacturing and reduce the trade deficit, followed his earlier protectionist policies during his first term.

However, amid mounting domestic pressure from businesses and international backlash, the implementation of these tariffs was temporarily suspended, pending further negotiations and assessments of the economic impact. On April 9, Trump announced that the reciprocal tariffs above 10%, which had gone into effect that morning, would be paused for 90 days for all countries except China.

Most of the tariffs announced by Trump never fully materialized – not unlike most of his political moves. They were more bluster than action. Still, the real shift lies not in the tariffs themselves, but in what they signal: a renewed focus on America’s trade balance. This change in priorities poses a deeper challenge for global trade with a greater emphasis on increasing the presence of American-made goods both at home and abroad.

Whether this is achieved through actual tariffs, tough negotiations, or by carving out new niches for US companies is less important than the fact that the foundations of the US are fundamentally changing. Regardless of whether tariffs above 10% ever actually come to pass or whether they simply serve as a negotiating tactic, the list reveals the priorities of the new administration toward its trading partners and redefines the role of the US in their economies.

Africa has emerged as one of the primary victims of this new policy. However, it’s fair to say that most African countries have been affected indirectly; they found themselves caught in the Trump administration’s struggle to level out the balance of trade with the EU and China, and became victims of sector-specific initiatives (such as those related to the automotive and textile industries) driven by internal discussions in the US.

While the US remains a key trading partner for many African nations, Africa itself accounts for just over 1% of total US trade, and its contribution to America’s trade deficit ($1 trillion annually) is less than 1%. Each year, the US trade deficit with African countries amounts to about $10 billion, with just four nations accounting for the bulk of it: South Africa ($7 billion), Nigeria, Algeria, and Libya (over $1 billion annually, each).

The tariff rates themselves still matter, as their planned implementation was only postponed for three months to allow time for negotiations and consultations with key trade partners. This means that the entire negotiation process will unfold under the looming threat of tariffs – a classic “sword of Damocles” tactic. Even if the duties are not immediately enforced, their mere presence in the background gives the US significant leverage in shaping trade terms more favorable to American interests.

On Trump’s list, 20 African countries are facing increased tariffs: Lesotho (50%), Madagascar (47%), Mauritius (40%), Botswana (37%), Angola (32%), Libya (31%), Algeria (30%), South Africa (30%), Tunisia (28%), Namibia (21%), Zimbabwe (18%), Zambia (17%), Malawi (17%), Mozambique (16%), Nigeria (14%), Chad (13%), Equatorial Guinea (13%), Cameroon (11%), the Democratic Republic of Congo (11%), and Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) (11%).

The most significant impact will be felt by South Africa, which accounts for 70% of the overall US trade deficit with Africa. In addition to the base tariff of 30%, 25% applies to imported vehicles. South Africa is home to VW, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, Ford, and Hyundai factories, and its auto exports to the US total $2-3 billion per year. Other major categories of South African exports include platinum group metals, ore, and fruit. However, as a large, diversified economy, South Africa can afford to lose some of its exports to the US even if it incurs losses, and redirect part of that trade toward other African and Asian markets.

Smaller countries such as Lesotho – which has been hit with a staggering 50% tariff – will find it more challenging to cope. Lesotho’s textile industry, developed primarily for the American market (exports amount to about $200 million annually) is under serious threat. Madagascar, which exports around $300 million in textiles to the US, is also strongly affected by these tariffs.

The geographical distribution of African “worst offenders” reveals that countries in Southern Africa – i.e., South Africa, Madagascar, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mauritius – will bear the brunt of these tariffs. In the short term, this will likely lead to a worsening socio-economic situation in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as shifts in export flows and economic restructuring will put additional strain on South Africa.

Despite the seemingly erratic nature of the Trump administration’s actions, the pressure on South Africa appears to be a consistent US strategy.

When analyzing the African nations hit by increased tariffs, we should note those countries that, although mentioned in Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ announcements, received a base tariff rate of just 10%: Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Senegal, and Uganda. Among these, Egypt, Morocco, and Kenya stand out as key US partners, while Ghana, Senegal, and Tanzania represent rapidly growing economies. It seems that for now, the US wants to avoid souring relations with these nations.

If these tariffs are implemented as announced or even if only the 10% base rates remain, it would still spell disaster for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This act provided duty-free access to the US market for certain categories of exports, including energy resources, textiles and apparel, agricultural goods, precious metals, automotive components, and pharmaceuticals. From an economic standpoint, the US has found AGOA less necessary since the mid-2010s, especially after reducing its dependence on African oil and gas imports – in 2008, $61 billion of the $66 billion in imports from AGOA countries were energy products. AGOA will expire in September 2025, and negotiations to renew it haven’t gone well, even under former US President Joe Biden. Meanwhile, Trump’s recent actions make it nearly impossible to preserve the AGOA in its current form.

For those who are unhappy with the tariffs, Trump suggests localizing production in the US. While this requirement makes sense for the EU, China, and even South Africa – countries that export finished goods – it’s unclear how raw material exporters, who make up the majority in Africa, can adapt to this demand.

In practice, the new tariff preference system is likely to take into account a range of factors: political stance and ideology, willingness to negotiate, and the provision of both formal and informal preferences to American exporters and investors.

This approach is already yielding results; for instance, Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently announced his intention to grant duty-free access to American goods. However, this new system will be less transparent and beneficial for African suppliers, and it will be even more politically driven than AGOA.

Trump’s tariff policies and the decline of the AGOA era clearly demonstrate Washington’s evolving approach to global trade. In the late 19th century, America’s primary interest in its relations with African nations was rooted in free trade—specifically, duty-free access to African markets. This was the goal pursued by the US delegation at the Berlin Conference in 1884, which established the colonial division of Africa.

The principle of free trade (including in colonies) also underpinned the Atlantic Charter of 1941, which was a significant step toward dismantling colonial systems. While certain raw materials (like rubber or uranium from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which powered the Manhattan Project) were important for the US, the primary focus in trade with Africa at that time was the export of goods.

However, globalization changed that dynamic, as both worldwide and in its dealings with Africa, the US shifted from being a seller to a buyer. This shift gave birth to AGOA, which provided America with oil and gas.

Since the 2010s, the US appears to be returning to a “seller” model, as evidenced by initiatives aimed at boosting American exports to Africa, such as Obama’s “Power Africa” and Trump’s “Prosper Africa” initiatives. Against this backdrop, Trump’s decisions regarding global trade and Africa seem like a logical continuation of a long-standing strategy to restructure the trade balance, regardless of which administration is in power in Washington.

For African countries, the consequences of Trump’s tariff policy are multifaceted. Firstly, these measures provide an opportunity for African nations to focus on regional markets and develop industries tailored to their national economic needs.

Secondly, the issue of trade deficits remains just as pressing for African countries as for the US. The annual negative balance ranges between $70-$100 billion, and trade deficits continue to be a key factor driving up debt levels and currency shortages. In this context, it’s unlikely that African nations will be able to increase their purchasing power without greater credit access from interested sellers, and current trends do not suggest this will happen.

Finally, it’s now unlikely that Africa will succeed Southeast Asia as the ‘world’s workshop’, particularly through offshoring US-oriented manufacturing capabilities. While relocating some production from China to Africa remains a possible scenario, it will likely be limited in scope. Thus, Africa’s industrialization will primarily depend on internal demand.

Adam Schiff has called for an investigation into who profited from the president’s tariff pause

US Democratic Senator Adam Schiff has called on Congress to investigate President Donald Trump for possible insider trading and market manipulation following his abrupt trade policy U-turn. Global stocks soared after the president paused the imposition of tariffs on a multitude of countries this week.

On Wednesday, Trump announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs against US trade partners, lowering duties to a flat 10% rate. The only exception was China, which he hit with an increase to 125% following Beijing’s tariff hike on US goods to 84%. Immediately after the announcement, US stock markets posted near-record gains after a week-long slump.

Mere hours before the announcement, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well,” followed by, “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT,” referencing his media company’s stock ticker. The timing of his posts, the pause and the resulting market rally sparked speculation about market manipulation online, which became even more heated after White House aide Margo Martin posted a video of Trump praising financier Charles Schwab for making billions during the rally.

Pretty despicable to talk about how much money his friends made because he tanked the market for them. No shame.

— Tom Stone (@Tommystone88) April 9, 2025

“Trump removed many of the tariffs he had imposed in this on-again, off-again… kind of policy. This has just wreaked havoc on the markets,” Schiff said in his video address posted on X. “But there is another profound danger as well, and that is insider trading within the White House.”

“The question is, who knew what the president was going to do? And did people around the president trade stock knowing the incredible gyration the market was about to go through?” he added. Schiff went on to accuse Trump of corruption, citing his family’s crypto trading and the “conflicted self-dealing” of ally, billionaire Elon Musk.

Is Donald Trump's inner circle illegally profiting off of these huge swings in the stock market by insider trading?

Congress must find out. pic.twitter.com/ZZGX99PtFE

— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) April 9, 2025

“We in Congress need to do more than demand answers. We need to do the oversight necessary to get those answers… We’re going to get to the bottom of this,” he pledged.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier claimed that the tariff reversal was part of Trump’s broader negotiation strategy, calling it his “art of the deal.” The White House has so far made no comment on Schiff’s call for a congressional probe.

Other Democrats also voiced concerns. “The President of the United States is literally engaging in the world’s biggest market manipulation scheme,” the House Democratic Financial Services Committee wrote on X, in response to Trump’s “Time to buy” post.

Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada openly questioned whether the pause amounted to market manipulation during a House hearing with Trump’s trade representative, Jamieson Greer on Wednesday.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for all lawmakers to disclose recent stock purchases.

“I’ve been hearing some interesting chatter on the floor,” she wrote on X. “Disclosure deadline is May 15th. We’re about to learn a few things. It’s time to ban insider trading in Congress.”

The Ukrainian leader used a slur to condemn Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s economic envoy who has been engaged in talks with Washington

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has insulted Kirill Dmitriev, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, branding the Kiev-born negotiator a separatist.

Dmitriev, who serves as the Russian presidential adviser on international economic cooperation, is playing a prominent role in normalization talks with the US, focusing on potential projects that could benefit both nations.

Commenting on Dmitriev's role as a negotiator on Wednesday, Zelensky referred to him as “a separ who was born in Ukraine.” The shorthand for “separatist” has been prevalent in Ukraine since the 2014 coup in Kiev, and is used to denounce those seen as disloyal to the Ukrainian government.

Born in 1975 in Kiev, then-Soviet Ukraine, Dmitriev participated in a student exchange program to study at Foothill College in California in the early 1990s. He later pursued higher education at Stanford University and Harvard Business School, where he earned an MBA. He worked in the private sector, including for major Western firms Goldman Sachs and McKinsey, before assuming leadership of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) in 2011.

Zelensky also alleged that Dmitriev is leveraging his business connections in the Middle East to facilitate a scheme allowing Russian nationals to recover assets frozen by Western nations.

Dmitriev traveled to Washington earlier this month to meet with senior White House officials. The US temporarily lifted personal sanctions imposed on him as CEO of the Russian welfare fund to permit his entry.

Senior Ukrainian officials have a history of provocative remarks. Andrey Melnik notably called German Chancellor Olaf Scholz “an offended liverwurst” while serving as Kiev’s ambassador in Berlin in 2022. This week, Zelensky appointed Melnik to lead the Ukrainian delegation at the UN, finalizing a decision he announced in December.

In 2021, Zelensky infamously referred to Ukrainian citizens targeted by his government with sanctions as “species” rather than human beings. The comment followed a decree from the Ukrainian Security Council that restricted the rights of Viktor Medvedchuk, then head of the largest opposition party, whom Zelensky accused of being “pro-Russian.”

Vladimir Zelensky has alleged that Chinese nationals are fighting for Russia, a claim rejected by Beijing

Claims by Vladimir Zelensky that Russia is involving China in the Ukraine conflict are false, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said, insisting that Beijing maintains a neutral stance.

On Tuesday, Zelensky released a short video showing a man he claimed to be a Chinese national captured during the fighting. He alleged that two such individuals are currently in Ukrainian custody, adding that “significantly more” are serving alongside Russian forces.

“That’s not true. China has always maintained a very balanced position, so Zelensky is wrong,” Kremlin spokesman Peskov said on Thursday, stressing that China remains Russia’s strategic partner and friend.

Zelensky has also alleged that Russia is “involving China directly or indirectly” in the Ukraine conflict, urging the US and the EU to respond swiftly.

Beijing has dismissed Zelensky’s claims as “groundless,” with Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian reiterating on Wednesday that the Chinese government consistently advises its citizens against participating in foreign armed conflicts in any capacity.

“China’s stance on the Ukrainian crisis is clear and unambiguous, and it has been widely acknowledged by the international community,” the spokesperson added.

China has consistently rejected Washington’s accusations that its trade with Russia is helping to fuel Moscow’s military production, maintaining that, unlike Western countries, it remains neutral in the conflict.

Ukrainian MP Aleksandr Dubinsky, a Zelensky critic who is facing treason charges, has suggested that Kiev may once again be resorting to fabricating evidence. He posted a screenshot showing that the video shared by Zelensky – purportedly featuring a captured Chinese national – was originally titled “Korean_Soldier_2.mp4” before being renamed. He added that Ukrainian diplomats will now have to explain to Beijing “whether this was a fake or simply a file-naming mistake.”

Ukraine has repeatedly accused other countries of supporting Russia, alleging that Iran has supplied drones and North Korea has sent troops. Washington and its allies have also claimed that Pyongyang dispatched around 12,000 soldiers to Russia for training and potential deployment in the Ukraine conflict, but have failed to provide any evidence.

Several of the bloc’s heavyweights, including Germany and France, earlier warned of legal consequences of an outright confiscation

Several EU member states are “strongly opposed” to handing Russian assets frozen by the bloc over to increase military support for Ukraine, foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has admitted.

The objections to the proposed move, which Kallas supports, are based on legal concerns and financial risks.

Western countries froze around $300 billion in Russian sovereign and state-linked assets following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, with the bulk under EU jurisdiction. Brussels has since been exploring ways to use them to benefit Kiev, including by giving Ukraine the interest earned on the assets. Moscow has strongly condemned these efforts, calling them “theft.”

In an interview with Estonian state broadcaster ERR on Thursday, Kallas said that the bloc’s members are still in talks on the issue. “We’re getting ready, as there are certain risks involved and we need to find ways to mitigate those risks. Plus, some states are strongly opposed to it,” she said.

When asked which countries are opposed, Kallas declined. “I can’t start naming names… it is not very difficult to figure out,” she said. The diplomat noted that countries holding large portions of the frozen assets face greater risks. “For example, take Belgium… they hold most of the assets. As a result, they feel their risk exposure is the highest.”

The proposal to use Russian assets to help Ukraine has faced significant opposition within the EU, with heavyweights such as France, Germany, Belgium, Italy and Austria warning of potential legal repercussions of an outright confiscation.

Meanwhile, Hungary and Slovakia have warned that such a move could escalate the conflict and undermine regional stability.

Responding to Kallas’ comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that “Russia will never renounce its rights to its own assets and will not stop defending them”. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova remarked that Kallas’s interview presents “a unique opportunity to analyze a crime not after its commission, but at the moment of its planning.”

The African state has disbursed $3.1 million to 378 farmers who were displaced under controversial land reform

The government of Zimbabwe has started payment of white commercial farmers who lost land during the controversial land reform programme under former president Robert Mugabe.

State-owned, The Herald newspaper in Zimbabwe reported on Thursday that the payments mark a significant milestone towards resolving the long-standing debacle.

Professor Mthuli Ncube, Zimbabwe’s Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister announced that Harare had issued US$307 million in treasury bonds, and also disbursed US$3.1 million (around R58 million) in cash to 378 farmers.

According to The Herald, the cash payment represents one percent of the US$311 million allocated for the first payment batch.

Last year, IOL reported that Ncube announced that the Zimbabwean government would distribute US$20 million (around R350 million) to compensate an initial 94 former farmers who were affected by the land reform programme.

“On the matter of compensation, BIPPA (Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement) farmers, as you know in the budget we set aside $20 million equivalent for that compensation. That is going to begin in earnest in this last quarter of the year,” Ncube told journalists in Harare in October.

”We have been going through a verification process and that process is now producing credible results. We know who they are, who they are not, so we will be able to begin the compensation process.”

Ncube emphasised that the compensation project was a multi-year programme and “not a once off”.

This week, The Herald reported that Zimbabwe’s land compensation committee has approved a total of 740 land claims.

During the time of the land redistribution programme, around the year 2000, Mugabe was adamant that the programme was aimed at addressing colonial-era land inequities, which left vast tracts of land in the hands of a white minority after independence from British colonial rule in 1980.

Mugabe, who died in 2019, said it was aimed at addressing colonial-era land inequities after the southern African nation gained independence from white minority rule in 1980.

First published by IOL

Social media activity in support of terrorist groups such as Hamas or Hezbollah will be viewed as hate speech and grounds for visa denial

The US immigration will review applicants’ social media accounts and deny visas or residency to individuals who post content the US President Donald Trump administration deems anti-Semitic, according to an announcement the agency made on Wednesday.  

Immigration agents can use social media posts interpreted as supporting “anti-Semitic terrorism” to deny applications for student visas or green cards, according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  

Posts considered anti-Semitic will include social media activity expressing support for militant groups designated as terrorist organizations by the US, such as Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and Yemen’s Houthi, USCIS said in a statement on Wednesday.  

The agency “ will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting anti-Semitic terrorism, anti-Semitic terrorist organizations, or other anti-Semitic activity as a negative factor” in determining immigration benefits, the statement said.  

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said that “there is no room” for the US to take in “the rest of the world’s terrorist sympathizers,” adding that “we are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here.”  

She added that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has made it clear that anyone who believes they can come to the US and invoke the First Amendment – the constitutional protection of free speech – to justify advocating anti-Semitic violence or terrorism is mistaken. “Think again. You are not welcome here,” McLaughlin said.   

The policy takes effect immediately and applies to both student visas and applications for permanent resident “green cards” to stay in the US.  

Trump campaigned last year on promises to tighten immigration policy and reverse what he viewed as his predecessor Joe Biden’s lenient approach to the issue. Since taking office in January, Trump has expanded the expedited removal of illegal immigrants and denied federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions. He has declared a national emergency, thus allowing the deployment of the armed forces to secure the border. His administration is expanding detention facilities to hold up to 30,000 migrants.  

The Trump administration has already targeted foreign students participating in anti-Israel protests on US college campuses as part of its broader deportation efforts, dispatching immigration agents to detain them.   

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said late last month that he had stripped roughly 300 international students of their visas, and was doing so on a daily basis.  

The crackdown follows a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that erupted last year at universities across the US, during which students demanded an end to Washington’s support for Israel amid the war in Gaza.  

The US administration has also cut millions of dollars in federal funding to leading universities, including Harvard and Columbia, accusing them of failing to adequately address anti-Semitism during the campus protests over the Gaza war.

A video released by the FSB shows the handover of Arthur Petrov and Ksenia Karelina

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has released two videos showing a surprise prisoner swap between the US and Russia, which was mediated by the United Arab Emirates.

The exchange took place on Thursday at Abu Dhabi airport and was first reported by CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Moscow released Ksenia Karelina, a US-Russian dual national jailed over donations to a charity that supports the Ukrainian military, while Washington freed Arthur Petrov, a German-Russian citizen arrested for allegedly exporting sensitive microelectronics.

Karelina was already serving a 12-year sentence in a Russian prison, while Petrov could have faced 20 years in a US prison after being extradited from Cyprus.

The first clip released by the FSB shows a minibus carrying Karelina pulling up to a Russian-flagged plane, with the prisoner being escorted inside by a masked woman.

The second video shows the moment Petrov exits the plane in Abu Dhabi, accompanied by several officials with blurred faces. Petrov is seen immediately boarding another plane, with a doctor checking his blood pressure. Asked how he feels, he replies: “Not bad. But I haven’t slept for two days... It’s been a long transit.”

While the Kremlin declined to comment on the exchange, a CIA spokesperson said it “shows the importance of keeping lines of communication open with Russia, despite the deep challenges in our bilateral relationship.”

This comes after President Donald Trump authorized a 90-day pause on tariffs above 10%

The EU has suspended the imposition of counter-tariffs on American imports, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced. The move follows US President Donald Trump’s decision to pause increased tariffs for three months while negotiations take place.

In a post on X on Thursday, von der Leyen said the EU “took note of the announcement by President Trump” and wants to “give negotiations a chance.”

“While finalizing the adoption of the EU countermeasures that saw strong support from our Member States, we will put them on hold for 90 days,” she stated.

According to von der Leyen, the bloc will not hesitate to go ahead with counter-tariffs if the negotiations with the US fail.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump announced a “90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%.”

He claimed that “more than 75 Countries have called Representatives of the United States, including the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and the USTR [Office of the United States Trade Representative] to negotiate a solution to the subjects being discussed relative to Trade, Trade Barriers, Tariffs, Currency Manipulation, and Non Monetary Tariffs.”

According to the US president, these nations have refrained from retaliating against the tariffs his administration previously placed on them.

That same day, EU member states approved retaliatory measures to the 25% tariffs imposed last month by the US on the bloc’s steel and aluminum, effective April 15. The counter-tariffs do not address the more recent 20% US tariffs on all EU exports that took effect on Wednesday and have since been paused.

While Brussels did not specify the list of targeted goods or tariff levels, media outlets have reported that tariffs ranging from 10% to 25% would cover a wide array of US goods, including poultry, grains, clothing, and metals.

Last week, Trump announced sweeping tariffs targeting numerous countries across the world, citing the need to restore global trade fairness and accusing other nations of “ripping off” the US. The move sent shockwaves across global stock markets, though they have rebounded since Trump announced the pause on Wednesday.

Two Republican congressmen claim a local policy targeting international oil companies threatens American investments in the region

US lawmakers have introduced legislation to block International Monetary Fund (IMF) support for certain Central African countries in protest of a controversial regulation imposed by local fiscal regulators on foreign oil companies.

The Bank of Central African States (BEAC) requires international oil companies (IOCs) to deposit environmental restoration funds – estimated between $5 billion to $10 billion – into accounts controlled by the regional bank. The funds, intended for post-production environmental cleanup, are currently held in foreign banks.

The BEAC’s directive seeks to bolster the foreign reserves of the six Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) members – Cameroon, Gabon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, and the Republic of Congo – whose economies have struggled to recover following the Covid-19 pandemic. The IMF-backed regulation was approved during an emergency summit in December and will be enforced starting on May 1, with penalties of up to 150% of the restoration funds for non-compliance.

However, critics, including Republican Representatives Bill Huizenga and Dan Meuser, who sponsored the legislation (the Central African Exploitation and Manipulation of American Companies Act, or CEMAC Act), claim that the BEAC policy threatens billions of dollars in American oil and gas investments in the region.

The proposed bill, introduced late last month, would prevent the US Treasury from endorsing IMF proposals involving CEMAC member states until the global monetary agency has “publicly clarified that any funds provided to BEAC … for site rehabilitation are ineligible to count towards gross foreign exchange reserves.” 

“By refusing to clarify that these restoration funds will not count towards gross foreign exchange reserves, the IMF has misled the CEMAC member states and directly put tens of billions of dollars of IOCs investment in the region at risk,” the lawmakers said.

“The IMF would be responsible for the loss of investment that the CEMAC region would face if a foreign exchange regulation that mandates extractive industry companies repatriate restoration funds for site rehabilitation to the BEAC is enacted,” Huizenga and Meuser stated.

An IMF spokesperson confirmed to Reuters on Wednesday that the organization is aware of the draft US legislation.

“Staff stands ready to assess the nature of restoration funds for oil sites once the authorities and extractive companies share their final agreement,” the spokesperson reportedly said. Privately owned French oil company Perenco has also told the outlet that it is in talks with the regional authorities to reach an agreement ahead of the April 30 deadline.

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, allegedly a key plotter in the 2008 attacks, was transported on a special flight

A suspected key plotter in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks has been extradited to India from the US. Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who is of Pakistani origin and holds Canadian and American citizenship, arrived in New Delhi on Thursday.

Rana was formally arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) upon his arrival in the Indian capital. He will be tried in a special NIA court for his alleged role in the Mumbai terror attacks, which killed more than 166 people on November 26, 2008.

The 64-year-old is likely to be presented before the Patiala House court in Delhi, where a special NIA judge will preside over the case, reports said.

Rana was born in Pakistan’s Punjab Province. A physician, he served in the Pakistan Army Medical Corps before emigrating to Canada with his wife, also a physician, in 1997. They obtained Canadian citizenship in 2001 although Rana mainly lived in Chicago, owning several businesses, including an immigration service agency. He and co-accused American citizen David Coleman Headley allegedly attended Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror training camps in Pakistan.

The NIA charged Rana in absentia in 2011 after he was arrested in the US as an accomplice of Headley, the purported mastermind who carried out the planning and reconnaissance operations for the Mumbai attacks at the behest of the LeT’s chief, Hafiz Saeed.

Rana was believed to be involved in the planning of the attacks, assisting Headley in procuring a visa and creating a false identity so he could travel to India.

The trial against Rana began in a US District Court in May 2011. In June of the same year a jury acquitted him of conspiracy to provide material support in the Mumbai attacks. The Indian government expressed disappointment over Rana’s acquittal at the time.

However, Headley provided details about Rana’s alleged role during his video-conferencing deposition in March-April 2016.

The US Supreme Court rejected Rana’s plea against his extradition to India in January 2025. US President Donald Trump announced the decision to extradite him during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country, fulfilling a long-standing demand. 

The New Delhi Bar Association has assured a fair and transparent trial for Rana, according to the PTI news agency.

The ‘Swedish model’ could be implemented if volunteer recruitment falls short, the incoming chancellor has said

The incoming German government, set to be led by Friedrich Merz, aims to increase the strength of the armed forces without resorting to mandatory conscription, the conservative politician has said. He shared his plans as the EU aims to spend hundreds of billions of euros on a large-scale militarization program.

Merz is set to become the next chancellor, following successful coalition talks this week between his Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD). A significant part of their agreement focuses on reforming the German military under the current defense minister, Boris Pistorius.

“We will initially strengthen our armed forces on the basis of voluntary service,” Merz said at a press conference on Wednesday. “We hope that with enough volunteers, we will achieve the Bundeswehr’s expansion target.”

The German Armed Forces have faced recruitment challenges for years, with personnel shortfalls reaching a staggering 28% at the end of 2024. Pistorius has argued for the reinstatement of compulsory service, but no such measure was included in the major reforms he announced last April.

Merz said coalition members have agreed to further increase military spending. Regarding the manpower situation, he mentioned the potential adoption of the ‘Swedish model’, which is being considered by several NATO countries experiencing difficulties in volunteer recruitment.

In 2017, Sweden reintroduced mandatory conscription after suspending it seven years earlier. The current system involves screening over 100,000 18-year-olds of both sexes annually, drafting less than 10% deemed the most capable. In 2019, three Swedish men became the first to face jail time for evading the draft.

The EU has outlined plans for broad militarization, potentially costing up to €800 billion ($880 billion) in loans over four years, citing the need to prepare for a potential conflict with Russia. Though Moscow views NATO as hostile and expansionist, it denies having any intentions of attacking NATO member states.

The exchange involved Arthur Petrov, who faced up to 20 years in an American prison on charges of illegal microelectronics exports

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has confirmed the latest prisoner swap with the US, which took place in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. The agency thanked Abu Dhabi for its mediation efforts in the deal.

The prisoner exchange was first announced by CIA Director John Ratcliffe in a statement to the Wall Street Journal. As part of the exchange, Moscow released Ksenia Karelina, a US-Russian dual citizen and ballerina who had been sentenced to 12 years in prison for making donations to a charity that supported the Ukrainian military. Washington freed Arthur Petrov, a German-Russian citizen who had been arrested for allegedly exporting sensitive microelectronics.

Commenting on the exchange, the FSB said Petrov had been detained at the request of American law enforcement agencies in 2023 in Cyprus, and was extradited the following year to the US, where he faced up to 20 years on allegations of violating export control laws.

With the UAE’s mediation, Petrov was exchanged for Karelina, who was sentenced in Russia “for treason in the form of providing financial assistance to a foreign state,” the FSB said. Karelina was pardoned by a presidential decree this month, the agency added.

“We express our gratitude to the leadership of the UAE for the assistance provided,” the FSB statement read.

The latest exchange comes as the administration of US President Donald Trump holds talks with Moscow on restoring bilateral ties, including the operations of diplomatic missions. The two sides are also engaged in dialogue aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict.

Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Zubritsky is listed in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s database of draft dodgers and is wanted for treason

Ukrainian-born Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Zubritsky, who arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, faces a possible 15-year jail term for treason if he is ever apprehended by Kiev, according to media reports.

His sentencing by a court for treason was reported just weeks before he traveled to space alongside fellow Russian Sergey Ryzhikov and NASA astronaut Jonny Kim.

The Ukrainian newspaper Dumska has denounced the retired military pilot as a “traitor-cosmonaut” and deserter following his criminal conviction by a court in Vinnitsa in mid-March. A judge also ordered the confiscation of his property.

According to Zubritsky’s biography, he was born in 1992 in a village in Zaporozhye Region, which is now part of Russia but is still claimed by Kiev. He graduated from a military school in Kharkov as a pilot and served at an airbase in Sevastopol, Crimea during the 2014 Western-backed coup in the Ukrainian capital.

In response to the overthrow of the elected government, Crimeans overwhelmingly voted to break away from Ukraine and join Russia. Zubritsky was among the numerous Ukrainian military personnel who rejected the new government in Kiev and continued their careers in the Russian Armed Forces. He applied to the space program in 2017 and was confirmed as a flight engineer for the Soyuz MS-27 mission last August.

Dumska celebrated Zubritsky’s conviction and suggested that he was not selected due to his qualifications, but for ideological reasons – to showcase a “Ukrainian-turned-Russian who is now going to space,” while neglecting to address the timing of his sentencing. The outlet lamented the fact that the US will likely have no objections to him boarding the ISS.

Russian media has covered Zubritsky’s case with amusement. The outlet Shot reported that the cosmonaut is listed as a draft dodger, though Ukrainian officials cannot apprehend him “because he is in space.”

Scott Bessent has warned the bloc against closer ties with Beijing at the expense of relations with Washington

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has claimed that the EU would be “cutting its own throat” if it seeks a closer alliance with China while loosening ties with Washington.

Bessent commented on Wednesday after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had called for a reassessment of the EU’s trade relationship with Beijing earlier in the day. Sanchez told reporters during a diplomatic trip to Asia that the EU could benefit from closer cooperation with China amid uncertainty surrounding US trade policies and President Donald Trump’s recent moves to hike tariffs for nearly all trade partners.

“Nobody wins with a trade war. Every country loses,” Sanchez warned.

Bessent defended Trump’s tariff moves and urged partners not to side with Beijing, claiming that its trade policies are ruinous to the global economy.

“The economic minister in Spain made some comments this morning, ‘Oh, well, maybe we should align ourselves more with China,’ – that would be cutting your own throat,” Bessent stated at a press briefing. “These Chinese exports that the US tariff wall is gonna keep out… the Chinese business model… it never stops. They just keep producing and producing and dumping and dumping.”

Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for 75 countries, which he had earlier hit with duties ranging from 10% to 50% over what he called unfair trade imbalances, and lowered duties to a flat 10% rate on everyone except Beijing. Instead, he slapped China with a further hike to 125%, accusing Beijing of escalation after it raised tariffs on US goods to 84%.

“In terms of escalation, unfortunately, the biggest offender in the global trading system is China, and they’re the only country who’s escalated,” Bessent claimed.

The Treasury chief said many countries are now seeking negotiations with Washington following the tariff changes, noting upcoming talks with Japan and Vietnam. He also said he hopes to finalize new trade deals with US allies to create a united front against what he called China’s unbalanced trade structure.

China has vehemently opposed the tariffs and vowed to fight them. On Wednesday, the Chinese Finance Ministry called the latest US hikes a “mistake on top of a mistake” that “infringes on China’s legitimate rights and interests and seriously damages the rules-based multilateral trading system.”

Estonia’s ambassador has been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry over the removal of memorials at a Soviet WWII cemetery

The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned the demolition of Soviet WWII memorials at the Tallinn military cemetery and lodged a formal protest with Estonia’s acting chargé d’affaires in Moscow over what it described as yet another act of vandalism.   

The ministry said the demarche took place on Monday following the latest incident involving the destruction of Soviet war memorials.   

Earlier this month, the Russian Embassy in Tallinn reported that staff from Estonia’s Military Museum had dismantled the monuments over the mass graves of Soviet soldiers who died fighting in World War II. The Russian diplomatic mission accused Tallinn of attempting to rewrite history through such actions.  

In response to the latest “act of vandalism,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Estonia’s chargé d’affaires in Moscow, Jana Vanamelder to lodge a formal protest, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.   

The diplomat was told that “following a meeting at the Russian Foreign Ministry in March 2025 over the desecration of Soviet soldiers’ graves, Tallinn had not only failed to draw the necessary conclusions but had also cynically continued to escalate the situation.”  

The ministry added that Estonian officials justify the removal of memorial plaques at the military cemetery by claiming there are no remains of Soviet sailors or Red Army soldiers buried beneath them.   

The ministry noted that such actions are taking place as Estonia continues to commemorate Nazi SS legionnaires, with new monuments being erected in their honor across the country.  

Last year, the Estonian authorities inaugurated a restored monument to two Waffen-SS veterans who fought on the German side against the Soviet Army in World War II.  

The 20th Estonian SS Volunteer Division was part of the Waffen-SS Estonian Legion, which was involved in numerous atrocities.   

Russia “strongly condemns Tallinn’s deliberate actions aimed at desecrating memorials at the burial sites of Soviet soldiers – including those who gave their lives liberating Europe from Nazi oppression,” the ministry said, adding that “such actions are particularly sacrilegious” in the year marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II.  

Estonia considers its time under Soviet rule a military occupation and, like Baltic neighbors Latvia and Lithuania, has been systematically removing symbols from that period – including WWII monuments honoring fallen Soviet troops.  

Russian officials have for years sounded the alarm over the resurgence of Nazi ideology in the Baltic states, claiming that these countries are revising history by portraying their collaboration with Adolf Hitler’s Germany as a fight for independence.

 

Moscow’s deputy foreign minister has met with the Sudanese ambassador to discuss urgent steps toward ending the conflict in the region

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has held talks with the Sudanese ambassador to Moscow, Mohamed Siraj, to discuss the ongoing conflict in the African country, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. 

The discussions were held at Siraj’s request and primarily focused on the military and political crisis in Sudan, “including the urgent need for a ceasefire and the provision of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population,” according to the ministry.  

In addition, Bogdanov and Siraj discussed the prospects of enhancing the traditionally friendly ties between Russia and Sudan, the ministry’s press service noted.

In an interview with Izvestia earlier in April, Siraj expressed Sudan’s ambition to elevate relations with Russia to a strategic partnership. He emphasized that Khartoum views Moscow as a steadfast friend and is counting on comprehensive cooperation across all sectors. 

“We [Sudan] are counting on a meaningful and vital partnership with Russia across all areas, which will enable it to make a clear and direct contribution to the reconstruction of Sudan,” the Sudanese ambassador stated.

Siraj further pointed out that Moscow had consistently backed the Sudanese government since the onset of hostilities in the African country. 

“Although the main military operation in Khartoum has been completed, significant and necessary military operations are still underway to clear the country of terrorist forces that have committed all kinds of violations against the civilian population, especially in the Darfur region in western Sudan,” Siraj stated.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by fierce fighting between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), with both factions vying for control amid a stalled transition to civilian rule. Estimates of fatalities vary, although research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine suggests that over 61,000 people were killed in Khartoum state alone during the first 14 months of the conflict. Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) indicated more than 28,700 fatalities by late November, including over 7,500 civilians killed in targeted attacks.

Last April, Bogdanov visited Sudan in “a signal of support” for the Sudanese army amid its war with the RSF, Reuters reported. The Russia official met with Sudanese army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

The repatriation of the three convicts followed talks between the Central African state’s president and a senior Washington official

Three Americans convicted of attempting to overthrow the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) have been returned to the US to serve out their prison sentences, the Central African country’s presidency announced on Tuesday.

Marcel Malanga Malu, Tylor Thomson, and Zalman-Polun Benjamin were among around 50 people, including a Belgian, a British national, and a Canadian, who were charged with criminal conspiracy, murder, terrorism, and other offenses, following a failed coup last May.

The three, along with 37 others, were sentenced to death by a military court in September. However, last week, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi commuted Marcel, Thompson, and Benjamin’s sentences to life imprisonment.

“The three men… boarded a flight to the United States of America, where they will serve the remainder of their sentences. This decision is part of a dynamic effort to strengthen judicial diplomacy and international cooperation in matters of justice and human rights between the two countries,” the DR Congo presidency stated.

“Officials from the United States Embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo were involved throughout the operation,” it added.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce has confirmed the transfer of the convicts to US custody.

The repatriation came after US President Donald Trump’s senior advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, paid a visit to the DR Congo. According to Reuters, the deal was finalized during the trip, when Boulos met with President Tshisekedi.

It also comes amid talks between Washington and Kinshasa to explore critical mining partnerships, after the Congolese government reportedly proposed a minerals-for-security agreement to the Trump administration.

The former Belgian colony is the world’s largest cobalt producer and a major copper supplier. The country has large coltan deposits, which are essential for the production of electric gadgets such as mobile phones and car batteries. The resources have been the source of decades of fighting in the country’s eastern region between the Congolese government and M23 militants, which escalated earlier this year, killing thousands.

The US president earlier said they were close to an agreement, but China backed out after Washington raised its tariffs

US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about reaching a deal on the sale of TikTok’s US operations to American investors, despite the escalating tariffs on Chinese imports.

TikTok, a popular short-form video platform owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, has faced scrutiny from US lawmakers over national security concerns. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said an agreement is “very much on the table.”

The US formally implemented the increased tariffs on Chinese imports this week, marking the highest rate yet in the ongoing trade dispute. In an effort to ease tensions with other trading partners, Trump announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for 185 countries, temporarily lowering them to 10%. However, tariffs on Chinese goods remain at an elevated rate of 125%. In response, China has increased tariffs on US imports to 84% and blacklisted 11 American companies, further escalating the trade dispute.

“Obviously, I would say right now China is not exactly thrilled about signing it,” Trump said. “We have a deal with some very good people, some very rich companies that would do a great job with it, but we’re going to have to wait and see what’s going to happen with China,” he told reporters. “It’s on the table very much. I think China’s going to want to do it, actually.”

Last week, Trump acknowledged that China might be reluctant to move forward with the TikTok agreement due to the latest tariff increases. He suggested, however, that a reduction in tariffs could expedite approval of the deal, saying China would agree “in 15 minutes” if these concessions were made. The proposed plan would reportedly restructure TikTok’s US operations into a new American-based company, majority-owned and controlled by US investors.

On Friday Trump signed an executive order granting TikTok a 75-day extension to secure a US-based buyer, postponing the potential ban. The extension marks the second delay in TikTok’s divest-or-ban deadline, originally set for April, 5. The initial extension was granted when Trump first entered office in January.

Democratic Senators Mark Warner and Ed Markey criticized the extension, saying Trump lacks the legal authority to grant it. On Wednesday, Markey attempted to pass a bill to move the deadline to October, but the effort was blocked.

China has said that any agreement over TikTok must comply with its laws and that Beijing opposes moves that violate market principles and harm legitimate business interests.

Negotiations revolved around restoring bilateral diplomatic ties, not the Ukraine conflict, officials have said

Diplomatic delegations from Russia and the US have concluded closed-door talks in Istanbul, Türkiye, which were designed to pave the way for normalizing bilateral relations. The negotiations lasted more than five hours.

The Russian delegation was led by Moscow’s newly appointed ambassador to Washington, Aleksandr Darchiev, while US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Sonata Coulter headed the US presence.

Prior to the talks, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed that the sides were focused on “eliminating numerous obstacles, including technical ones, that complicate diplomatic operations.”

According to Ambassador Darchiev, Moscow seeks the removal of “the toxic legacy of the previous American administration.” In particular, he noted the need for a “serious conversation” about the return of diplomatic properties seized by the US – “a key condition” for returning to normalized bilateral relations.

Visa and financial restrictions, freedom of movement for diplomats, form what Darchiev described as “a tight knot of problems.”

“Now the Russian and American delegations are working together to untangle it,” he said.

A short clip released by Russian media on Thursday showed a minibus arriving at the gates of the Russian Consulate General in Istanbul.

US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told media ahead of the meeting that “these talks are solely focused on our embassy operations, not on normalizing a bilateral relationship overall, which can only happen, as we've noted, once there is peace between Russia and Ukraine.”

According to Bruce, the two parties do not intend to discuss any political or security issues, or the Ukraine conflict.

The new talks come after US President Donald Trump engaged in active diplomacy with Russia, including a concerted diplomatic attempt to settle the Ukraine conflict. As a result, Washington and Moscow have gradually moved to restore contacts that were virtually non-existent for approximately three years under the administration of former US President Joe Biden.

The move comes as the two sides hold a second round of talks on normalizing bilateral relations

Russia and the US have conducted another prisoner swap in Abu Dhabi, the Wall Street Journal has reported, citing CIA officials. Moscow reportedly released Ksenia Karelina, a US-Russian dual national jailed over donations to a charity that supports the Ukrainian military, while Washington freed Arthur Petrov, a German-Russian citizen arrested for allegedly exporting sensitive microelectronics. Karelina’s lawyer confirmed her release to RIA Novosti.

The new exchange comes as Russian and US delegations have convened in Istanbul, Türkiye, for closed-door talks to discuss the normalization of bilateral relations, including removing obstacles to the operations of diplomatic missions.

Karelina, a 34-year-old ballet dancer, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for treason last year after she was found guilty of donating around $50 to a US-based charity supporting Ukraine. Petrov, 33, was arrested in Cyprus in 2023 at the request of the US, and was accused of smuggling, wire fraud, and money laundering.

The US Justice Department also said Petrov “allegedly participated in a scheme to procure US-sourced microelectronics subject to US export controls” which were intended for the Russian military.

“Today, [US President Donald] Trump brought home another wrongfully detained American from Russia,” CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in a statement to the WSJ. “I’m proud of the CIA officers who worked tirelessly to support this effort, and we appreciate the government of UAE for enabling the exchange.”

A CIA spokeswoman was as quoted by the WSJ as stating that “the exchange shows the importance of keeping lines of communication open with Russia, despite the deep challenges in our bilateral relationship.” She added that while Washington is “disappointed that other Americans remain wrongfully detained in Russia, we see this exchange as a positive step and will continue to work for their release.”

The previous prisoner swap between the two countries took place in February, when Moscow released Marc Fogel, a former employee of the US embassy in Russia and teacher at an Anglo-American school in Moscow, who was arrested for possessing marijuana and hashish oil. In exchange, the US released Russian crypto businessman and computer programmer Aleksandr Vinnik, who was accused of hacking, fraud, and money laundering.

America must recognize the limits of its power or face dire consequences, the conservative commentator has warned

American policymakers are too arrogant to acknowledge that they have “lost a war with Russia” over Ukraine, US journalist Tucker Carlson has said.

Russian officials perceive the Ukraine conflict as a NATO proxy war – a notion that some Western politicians, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, have openly agreed with.

In an interview with Alex Jones published on Wednesday, Carlson accused those perpetuating the hostilities of ignoring that Russia has emerged victorious.

”We just lost a war with Russia,” the former Fox News host declared. “The US was running that war – the US military, the Pentagon, State Department, CIA – running the war against Russia. It was not… was never about Ukraine.”

Carlson expressed concern that “nobody will say that out loud – that we’re overstating our power.” He likened the US to a divorced 60-year-old man attempting to woo a 25-year-old woman, oblivious to how absurd and humiliating he appears.

Tucker Carlson on the reasons for the conflict in Ukraine:

"We just lost a war with Russia. The US was waging this war. The military, the State Department, the CIA, and the Pentagon are fighting a war against Russia.
This was never about Ukraine. No one in Washington cares about… pic.twitter.com/iRCBPOnAnR

— Victor vicktop55 commentary (@vick55top) April 10, 2025

“That’s called hubris and that’s how empires get destroyed and populations vaporized,” Carlson warned. “Maybe we should readjust our expectations a little bit.”

Jones argued that many advocating for unconditional support of Kiev are “militarily ignorant,” mentioning actor Sean Penn’s dismissal of nuclear escalation risks with Russia. He emphasized that the scenario of major nuclear conflict is termed ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’ for a reason.

In response, Carlson referenced a Pentagon assessment indicating that at one point the risk of the Ukraine conflict escalating to nuclear war reached 50%, arguing that any policymaker comfortable with such odds belongs “in prison for the criminally insane.”

Senior Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have publicly asserted that Moscow will employ all tools at its disposal against what it perceives as an existential threat. Ukraine and its Western supporters have dismissed the Russian leader’s statements as “nuclear blackmail.”

New Delhi has ended a policy that allowed Dhaka to use Indian land routes and ports to export goods

India has ended a facility that allowed neighboring Bangladesh to use its land routes and ports to export goods. India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs announced the step on Monday, rescinding the previous policy with immediate effect.

The facility, introduced in June 2020, enabled Bangladesh to export goods to countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar via Indian ports and airports. The announcement coincides with Bangladesh currently facing a 29% tariff on its exports to the US, while also navigating strained relations with India over former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

New Delhi is also believed to be angered by recent remarks made in Beijing by Dhaka’s interim government chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, that India’s seven northeastern states that border his country were landlocked and that Bangladesh was the “only guardian of the ocean for all this region.”

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said, “Logistical delays and higher costs were hindering our own exports and creating backlogs.” He added, “To clarify, these measures do not impact Bangladesh exports to Nepal or Bhutan transiting through Indian territory.”

During the recent meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yunus on the sidelines of the sixth BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit in Bangkok, Modi conveyed India’s “desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on pragmatism.” He highlighted, however, that “rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement following the talks.  

Industry watchers have pointed out that New Delhi’s decision would help increase Indian exports such as textiles, footwear, and gems and jewelry. Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai was quoted by the PTI news agency as saying that India will now have more cargo capacity.

Others such as the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) had requested the Indian government to suspend the 2020 order allowing Bangladesh’s export cargo to be transshipped through Delhi, citing congestion and increased costs. AEPC chairman Sudhir Sekhri stated that 20-30 loaded trucks arriving daily were causing delays, higher air freight rates, and making Indian apparel exports less competitive. 

Without the transshipment facility, Bangladeshi exporters may now encounter logistical delays, increased costs, and uncertainty, according to think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). Bangladeshi news outlet bdnews24 reported that Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin has begun consultations with senior members of the interim government to determine the next course of action.

The country has bartered away its Russian identity for an “abstract and absurd alternative,” the political scientist has said

Ukrainians have become “collective transgenders” in their desire to get closer to the West and cut ties with Moscow, Russian philosopher and political scientist Aleksandr Dugin has said.

Dugin, who is known for his advocacy of traditional values and the concept of ‘Eurasianism’, which seeks to unite Europe and Asia against Western liberalism, made the remarks in an article published by RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

He described Ukrainians as “Russians who have traded their gender, their ethnicity, for an abstract, fictional, absurd alternative,” adding that they are “collective transgenders.”

“A male transgender does not become a woman. He becomes a freak. So does a Russian who imagines himself to be a Ukrainian.”

Dugin claimed that while pro-Western globalists have praised the Ukrainians and view their cruelty towards Russians as heroism, this will not last.

“Overnight, they will become what they have always been. Pitiful, unintelligent, without loyalty and love for anyone, losers. Nationalists without a nation. Extremists without ideology. Dogs that attack the statehood of others without having their own. Without a trace of style, culture or rationality.”

Though the Ukrainians can cut off their Russian identity, he said, “an ugly void will remain in its place.”

“We understand this and are fighting against it. We are not fighting against Ukrainians, but for them. So that they remain people, that is, Russian people.”

Following the Western-backed coup in Kiev in 2014 and Crimea’s decision in a referendum to join Russia, the new Ukrainian government moved to cut its historical ties with Russia, backed a sectarian war in majority ethnic-Russian Donbass, phased out the Russian language and culture and tried to erase what remained of its Soviet heritage. This campaign only intensified after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

The president wants to include the issue in “package” deals with American trade partners

US President Donald Trump has indicated he would consider pulling American forces out of Europe if Washington’s NATO allies in the region do not pay more as part of broader negotiations over his sweeping tariff policy.

NBC News reported on Tuesday that the US is considering withdrawing up to 10,000 troops from Eastern Europe. Sources noted that while the exact figure is still under discussion, the proposal could affect American forces stationed in Romania and Poland – two NATO members close to the Russian border.

Asked on Wednesday whether he has plans to reduce the number of US troops in Europe or other NATO countries, Trump did not rule out the possibility.

“Well, I could. I mean, it depends. We pay for military over in Europe. We don’t get reimbursed by much,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

It would be one of the things we discuss. That’s unrelated to trade, but I think we’ll make it part of it because it makes sense. [It would be] nice to wrap it all up in one package for each country. You know, it’s nice and clean.

As of early 2025, there were nearly 84,000 US troops stationed in Europe, with the largest concentrations in Germany and Poland, and smaller deployments in Romania, Estonia, and Lithuania, according to US European Command.

NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, General Christopher Cavoli, warned on Tuesday against reducing the forces the Pentagon had “surged forward” under former President Joe Biden following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

“It’s my advice to maintain that force posture as it is now,” Cavoli told a House Armed Services Committee hearing.

In response, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that “the only person that will make a determination about force structure of US troops in Europe will be President Trump, the commander-in-chief.”

“And we will continue to have ongoing discussions, including inside the context of Ukraine-Russia negotiations, about what our force posture should be on the continent – a posture that best addresses American interests and ensures burden sharing in Europe as well,” he added.

The US is NATO’s largest financial contributor, and Trump has repeatedly criticized the bloc’s European members for failing to meet defense spending targets. The discussions about potential troop reductions come as the Trump administration continues to pressure European allies to take more responsibility for their own defense.

Russia has repeatedly expressed strong concern about NATO expansion and the bloc’s military activities near its borders. After Washington entered talks with Moscow aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict and restoring bilateral relations, Russia welcomed what it called a willingness by the US to explore the “root causes” of the crisis – including Kiev’s aspirations to join NATO.

Larry Summers says Trump’s tariff chaos risks a self-inflicted financial crisis

Former US Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers has warned that President Donald Trump’s escalating tariff war is pushing the United States toward a financial crisis, comparing recent market turmoil to conditions typically seen in unstable emerging economies.

Speaking on Wednesday, before Trump announced a surprise 90-day pause on the latest round of tariff hikes, Summers said the volatile situation unfolding in American and global markets was “wholly induced by US government tariff policy.”

“Long-term interest rates are gapping up, even as the stock market moves sharply downwards,” Summers wrote in a series of posts on X. “This highly unusual pattern suggests a generalized aversion to US assets in global financial markets. We are being treated by global financial markets like a problematic emerging market.”

Summers, who led the Treasury Department under President Bill Clinton, warned that the combination of rising government debt, widening deficits, and foreign investor anxiety could trigger a dangerous downward spiral. “This could set off all kinds of vicious spirals, given government debts and deficits and dependence on foreign purchasers,” he cautioned.

Trump’s initial decision last week to impose a “baseline” tariff of 10% on all imports, and later to raise levies on Chinese goods to 125%, sent shockwaves through US financial markets, wiping out more than $10 trillion in stock market value. At the same time, the ten-year Treasury yield – normally considered a safe haven during market turmoil – surged to nearly 4.5%. The abrupt announcement of a 90-day freeze on further tariff increases sparked a dramatic rebound on Wall Street, although markets recovered only about half of the losses sustained.

Reacting to Trump’s reversal later on Wednesday, Summers doubled down on his criticism, accusing the administration of reckless policymaking and undermining America’s global credibility.

“Bullies back down. It is tragic to see the United States following banana republic policy approaches and market patterns,” Summers wrote. “The Administration was crowing over the weekend about all the countries that wanted to talk. No postponement then. Now they are rightly scared after collapsing markets.”

Summers blasted the White House’s trade strategy as “reckless improvisation, not a strategy,” and accused officials of dishonesty about their motives.

“Even their new regime has tariffs near Smoot-Hawley levels and will cost middle-class families close to $2,000,” he warned, referring to the infamous 1930s tariff law widely blamed for deepening the Great Depression. “We are far from being out of the woods. Much credibility has been lost. Be afraid.”

While the White House has defended its tariff campaign as necessary to protect American jobs and force fairer trade terms, critics like Summers argue that the unpredictable swings in policy have rattled investors and risk causing long-term damage to the US economy.

The president has warned China and other trade partners against escalating beyond the trade war

President Donald Trump has boasted about US military power and weapons that “nobody has any idea” about, in response to concerns that his tariff war with China could spiral out of control.

Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods to 125% on Wednesday, in retaliation for countermeasures imposed by Beijing. China has yet to respond to the latest hike, though the Ministry of Commerce previously vowed to fight the trade war “to the end.”

Asked whether he was concerned about Beijing’s next moves – and a potential “escalation beyond the trade war” – Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping is “one of the very smart people of the world” who would never “allow that to happen.”

“We’re very powerful. This country is very powerful. It’s far more powerful than people understand. We have weaponry that nobody has any idea what it is, and it is the most powerful weapons in the world that we have. More powerful than anybody even, not even close,” he told journalists in the Oval Office.

“So nobody’s going to do that,” Trump added, reiterating that Xi is a “very smart man” who “knows exactly what has to be done.”

The US president, who has previously teased secret weapons using unusual scientific terminology, did not elaborate on the kind of weapons he was referring to this time.

In 2020, Trump touted what he called a “super duper missile” that could fly “17 times faster” than anything America’s adversaries had in their arsenals. He also claimed that Russia’s hypersonic technological breakthroughs resulted from stealing US missile plans during the presidency of Barack Obama – despite the fact that the US has yet to field an operational hypersonic weapon.

Moscow and Beijing have pulled ahead in the race to develop hypersonic weapons over the past decade. Russia put its first system of the kind, the air-launched Kinzhal missile, into service in 2017. China rolled out its DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle two years later.

Russia has used both the Kinzhal and the naval Zircon hypersonic missile during the Ukraine conflict. Last November, Moscow also carried out the first combat test of its Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, fitted with multiple independently targetable warheads capable of hypersonic speeds.

In December, after multiple delays and failed tests, Washington announced the successful test launch of its Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, which has been developed by Lockheed Martin since 2017. The US hopes to equip the first unit with a ground-launched version of the missile this year.

The US president has said Israel would be the “leader” of a potential bombing campaign if talks with Tehran collapse

US President Donald Trump has said he has a deadline in mind for reaching a deal with Tehran over its nuclear program, stating that he would “absolutely” consider military action if negotiations fail.

The two countries are set to engage in talks in Oman on Saturday, initiated by Trump, to address concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The US president has claimed that the discussions will be direct, while Tehran insists they will remain indirect, saying Washington cannot be trusted.

Asked whether he expects “something definitive” to emerge from the meeting, Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday that he views the Oman talks as the beginning of a process, while confirming that he has a specific deadline in mind.

“It’s a start. We have a little time, but we don’t have much time. Because we’re not going to let them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “When you start talks, you know if they’re going along well or not. And I would say the conclusion would be when I think they’re not going along well. So that’s just a feeling.”

Earlier this week, Trump warned it would “be a very bad day for Iran” if the negotiations collapse. Asked by reporters whether this means he is willing to use force, the president made his position clear.

Oh, if necessary? Absolutely... With Iran, yeah, if it requires military, we’re going to have military… Israel will obviously be very much involved in that – they’ll be the leader of that.

During his first term, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – a multinational agreement aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

Since returning to office in January, he has reinstated his ‘maximum pressure’ policy, accusing Tehran of seeking to develop a nuclear weapon and imposing new sanctions targeting Iran’s oil sector.

In early March, Trump revealed that he had sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, proposing renewed negotiations. He warned that if Tehran rejected the offer, it could face military action “the likes of which it has never seen.”

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful and has denounced the US sanctions as illegal and unjustified. Iranian officials have said the country is prepared to respond to any aggression and has reportedly placed the military on high alert.

Speaking at a National Nuclear Technology Day ceremony on Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi would deliver Khamenei’s instructions during the Oman talks.

“As the Supreme Leader has stated, the Islamic Republic is ready for engagement… but this engagement must be indirect, dignified, and accompanied by clear guarantees, because we still do not trust the other side,” a press release from the president’s office reads.

The US president has explained the sudden tariff pause after telling Americans to “be cool”

President Donald Trump has admitted that his decision to delay further tariff hikes was driven in part by a sharp downturn in the US financial markets, saying he was closely monitoring investor sentiment as people grew too “yippy” and “afraid” before announcing a 90-day freeze.

On Wednesday morning, Trump urged Americans to “be cool” and told investors that “this is a great time to buy,” after US markets lost more than $1.5 trillion in capitalization the day before. The sell-off came ahead of the implementation of a 104% tariff on Chinese imports and sweeping tariffs on dozens of other countries.

Just hours later, the president announced his decision to keep most tariffs at a “baseline” 10% – except for China, which saw its rate raised even further to 125%. Speaking to reporters later that day, Trump said he had been tracking the markets closely before taking action.

“I was watching the bond market. The bond market is very tricky. I was watching it. But if you look at it now, it’s... it’s beautiful,” he said. “But, yeah, I saw last night where people were getting a little queasy.”

I thought that people were jumping a little bit out of line. They were getting yippy, you know? They were getting a little bit yippy, a little bit… afraid.

Trump’s announcement triggered a historic rally in the US stock markets. The S&P 500 closed up 9.5% – its biggest gain since 2008. The Dow Jones rose 7.9%, marking its best day since 2020, and the Nasdaq soared 12%, its largest single-day increase in 24 years.

While Wednesday’s surge added over $5 trillion in market value, the US markets have yet to fully recover losses sustained since the president launched the tariff war last week. Nevertheless, Trump insisted that his “reciprocal” trade actions marked a turning point.

“The big move wasn’t what I did today. The big move was what I did on Liberation Day. We had Liberation Day in America. We were liberated from all of the horrible trade deals that were made,” he said.

Asked whether some American companies could be granted exemptions during the 90-day period, Trump said the administration would evaluate requests on a case-by-case basis. “Some [companies] get hit a little bit harder, and we’ll take a look at that – just instinctively, more than anything else,” he said. “You almost can’t take a pencil to paper. It’s really more of an instinct.”

Trump also cautioned that the situation remains fluid, adding that “nothing is over yet,” with dozens of countries – including China – now seeking to secure fair deals with the US to avoid the full impact of the tariffs.

The two nations’ space agencies have not yet decided on any concrete date but are working “as a team,” Ken Bowersox has told TASS

The Russian and American space agencies are developing a plan for de-orbiting the International Space Station (ISS), NASA’s associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate, Ken Bowersox, has told TASS.

Launched back in 1998, the project has seen Russia, the US, Canada, Japan, as well as multiple European nations join forces to keep the station operational.

Speaking to TASS on Wednesday, Bowersox said that “we work together to come up with a detailed plan for how we will actually end station.” 

“There is always a chance that we could go longer. There is always a chance we could go shorter if something bad were to happen on station,” he added, noting that NASA specialists are cooperating with their colleagues from Russia and other partner nations “as a team.” 

According to Bowersox, the topic of ISS operations is discussed by Moscow and Washington on a regular basis.

On Monday, NASA’s associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate met with Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Bakanov at the Russian-operated Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

According to a Roscosmos press release, the two officials reviewed several initiatives, including preparations for future launches from the new Baiterek Rocket Complex – a joint Russian-Kazakh project designed to support the launch of the new Soyuz-5 rocket.

The discussions came ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – the first manned spaceflight jointly carried out by the US and Soviet Union in 1975.

Despite the Ukraine conflict and the drastic decline in bilateral relations, space cooperation between the US and Russia has been among the few realms that have remained largely unaffected. NASA and Roscosmos recently extended their cross-flight agreement to the ISS through 2026, and have collaborated continuously on station-related missions over the past three years.

Washington is not trusted, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said

Iran is ready for dialogue with the US, but any talks must be indirect and backed by guarantees, President Masoud Pezeshkian has said. A lack of trust is behind Iran’s position, he added.

The two countries are set to hold negotiations in Oman on Saturday, initiated by US President Donald Trump, to address Tehran’s nuclear program. Trump has claimed the talks will be direct while Tehran had insisted they will be indirect.

Speaking at a ceremony on Wednesday marking National Nuclear Technology Day, Pezeshkian said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will convey Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s instructions during the talks.

“As the Supreme Leader has stated, the Islamic Republic is ready for engagement … but this engagement must be indirect, dignified, and accompanied by clear guarantees, because we still do not trust the other side,” a press release from the president’s office stated.

During his first term, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – a multinational agreement aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities, in exchange for sanctions relief.

Since returning to office in January, Trump has reinstated his “maximum pressure” policy, accusing Iran of seeking to develop a nuclear bomb and imposing fresh sanctions on the country’s oil sector.

Tehran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful and has repeatedly denounced US sanctions as illegal and unjustified.
Trump revealed in early March that he had sent a letter to Khamenei, proposing renewed negotiations. He also warned that if Tehran rejects the offer, it could face military attacks from the US “the likes of which it has never seen.”

Iran has said it is ready to respond to any aggression and has reportedly placed its military on high alert.

Pezeshkian insisted Tehran’s commitments under the JCPOA, from which Washington unilaterally withdrew, had been fulfilled. “If they believe we have weakened and can be challenged, they are under a naïve illusion,” he said.

Pezeshkian also rejected Western claims that Iran is secretly pursuing a nuclear weapons program, despite what he said were hundreds of inspections.

“We are not pursuing nuclear weapons, and never have,” he said.
International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said late last year that Iran had ramped up uranium enrichment to 60% purity, raising some concerns. Weapons-grade material requires enrichment of around 90%.

The step is necessary to withstand Russian pressure on the battlefield, according to Aleksandr Syrsky

Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Aleksandr Syrsky, has said Kiev must mobilize 30,000 soldiers every month to sustain resistance against the Russian army. He also highlighted the growing disparity between the military capabilities of the two countries.

In an interview published on Wednesday by the Ukrainian outlet lb.ua, Syrsky claimed that Russia can mobilize up to 5 million trained and experienced troops, with a total potential force of 20 million. He emphasized this gap to underscore the urgency of continued mobilization by Ukraine amid the mounting battlefield pressure.

According to Syrsky, Russian forces have increased fivefold since the conflict escalated in 2022 and now number approximately 623,000. “Every month, they increase it by 8,000-9,000; in a year, it’s 120,000-130,000,” he said.

Russia has avoided a full nationwide draft. Following its partial mobilization in fall 2022, the Kremlin has largely relied on contract soldiers and financial incentives to recruit volunteers. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in December that in 2024 more that 1,000 volunteers were signing contracts each day to go to the front.

The Ukrainian general claimed that in some frontline areas Russian troops outnumber the Ukrainians by a ratio of ten to one, illustrating the growing strain on Ukraine’s manpower.

Following the escalation of the conflict, Ukraine declared a general mobilization, barring most men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country. However, the campaign has been marred by corruption and draft dodging. In response, Kiev lowered the conscription age to 25 and introduced stricter penalties for draft evasion and desertion last year.

In light of the severe troop shortages and mounting casualties, Ukraine also launched a new voluntary military contract program in February targeting men aged 18–24, aiming to boost recruitment while addressing Western pressure to lower the conscription age. The program offers one-year contracts with a 1 million hryvnia ($24,000) payout – four times the standard rate – plus monthly combat bonuses starting at 120,000 hryvnia ($2,880), along with other benefits.

To address the recruitment shortfalls, Ukrainian enlistment officers have adopted increasingly draconian methods to fill the ranks. In recent months, numerous videos circulating on social media have shown officers detaining men in public, often using physical force, and transporting them in minibuses to enlistment centers. There have also been reports of injuries and even deaths involving individuals who resisted mobilization efforts.

The recent case of 15 uniformed first responders killed on their way to work is but the latest in a long, long line of similar crimes

The Israeli army has executed 15 Palestinian medics in Gaza, buried them and lied about them being “terrorists.” For those paying attention, this barbarism is not new, only the latest war crime committed by Israel in a litany of war crimes over the decades.

The combination of the medics being tied up, executed and buried in a mass grave was so horrific that even usually indifferent global media reported on it, albeit without the outrage that would have accompanied such reports were the perpetrator an enemy of the West. (Warning: disturbing video.)

On March 31, Jonathan Whittall, the Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OCHA) posted on X, “First responders should never be a target. Yet today @UNOCHA supported @PalestineRCS and Civil Defense to retrieve colleagues from a mass grave in #Rafah #Gaza that was marked with the emergency light from one of their crushed ambulances.”

His thread went on to detail how a week prior, on March 23, contact was lost with ten Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and six Civil Defense first responders, in five ambulances and one fire truck, who’d been dispatched to collect injured people, noting, “For days, OCHA coordinated to reach the site but our access was only granted 5 days later.”

When they finally accessed the site, they “recovered the buried bodies of 8 PRCS, 6 Civil Defense and 1 UN staff,” he wrote, noting, “They were killed in their uniforms. Driving their clearly marked vehicles. Wearing their gloves. On their way to save lives. This should never have happened.”

Palestinian Civil Defense spokesperson, Mahmoud Basal, separately said, “One of the Civil Defense crews had his feet tied, another had his clothes removed from his upper body, another was beheaded. Among all the martyrs, the least harmed had 20 bullets fired at him, in his chest.”

According to the PRCS, a ninth EMT is missing and is believed to have been detained.

The UN, The Red Cross, and OCHA have all issued statements of outrage and condemnation of these murders. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Secretary General Jagan Chapagain said: “They wore emblems that should have protected them; their ambulances were clearly marked. They should have returned to their families; they did not. These rules of International Humanitarian Law could not be clearer – civilians must be protected; humanitarians must be protected. Health services must be protected.”

According to Chapagain, 30 PRCS volunteers and staff have been killed since October 2023 alone.

OCHA called the murders “a huge blow to us” and said, “these abhorrent acts require accountability.” According to the UN, “408 aid workers including more than 280 UNRWA staff have been killed in Gaza since the war began on 7 October 2023.”

Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, wrote, “They were killed by Israeli forces while trying to save lives. We demand answers & justice.”

The Guardian cites PRCS’ Dr. Bashar Murad, who spoke to one of the paramedics in the convoy:

“He informed us that he was injured and requested assistance, and that another person was also injured. A few minutes later, during the call, we heard the sound of Israeli soldiers arriving at the location, speaking in Hebrew. ‘Gather them at the wall and bring some restraints to tie them.’ This indicated that a large number of the medical staff were still alive.”

The Israeli army media spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, predictably denied Israeli army wrong-doing and blamed Hamas, claiming the ambulances were “advancing suspiciously” toward Israeli forces. He declared the execution of the medics be an elimination of “a Hamas military operative, along with 8 other terrorists from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.”

Observers on X rebuffed Shoshani, including pointing out the Israeli army has been attacking ambulances for a very long time.

Gaza medics under Israeli attack since 2009

I can speak from personal experience. During the January 2009 Israeli war on Gaza, I was among a handful of international volunteers riding in PRCS ambulances, to document their work and the victims they rescued.

The first night of the Israeli land invasion, we were based in a PRCS center in Ezbet abed Rabbo, east of Jabaliya, with Israeli shelling around us. By morning, we had to evacuate. By the end of the war, the center was nearly destroyed.

But in terms of direct attacks on ambulances, and hospitals, I can attest they occurred against unarmed medics in ambulances not carrying any Palestinian resistance, but retrieving wounded or killed Palestinian civilians, including elderly ones. 

In one instance, an Israeli sniper fired at least 14 shots at medics and the ambulance I was in, targeting the uniformed medics during supposed ceasefire hours, shooting one medic in the leg and damaging the vehicle.

A week prior, a medic I had accompanied one dangerous evening in the northwest of Gaza was killed the next day when the Israeli army fired a flechette shell (dart bomb) directly at his ambulance, shredding him with the razor sharp darts, killing him. Survivors from the scene corroborated there were no resistance, only medics and wounded and killed civilians.

A week later, the Israeli army repeatedly bombed al-Quds hospital, meaning medics had to evacuate to al-Shifa hospital, risking being shot by Israeli soldiers while doing so. I was with the medics and saw the damage and resulting fire from the Israeli bombing of the hospital.

I later took testimonies from other PRCS medics who had been targeted by the Israeli army, some multiple times over the years.

Two medics told me how after getting permission from Israel, via the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to retrieve the wounded and the dead, three ambulances and an ICRC jeep came under Israeli fire repeatedly in northern Gaza.

“We were driving to the area, speaking with the Israelis on the phone. They’d tell us which way to drive, what road to take. When we got near the wounded, Israeli soldiers started firing. I told them, ‘We have coordination’ and they said to wait. Then they began firing at us again.”

According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), that same day, Israeli soldiers fired on a convoy of 11 ambulances led by a clearly marked ICRC vehicle in central Gaza, injuring an ICRC staff member and damaging the vehicle.

Another medic was shot in the leg while on a mission for PRCS in May 2008, and was twice targeted by Israeli snipers during the 2009 war. He was also in a building that was being bombed while emergency workers tried to evacuate the victims.

“I was with Dr. Issa Saleh coming down the stairs from the sixth floor of an apartment building in Jabaliya, evacuating a martyr, when the Israelis again shelled the building. They knew there were medics inside. They could see our uniforms and the ambulances outside.” Dr. Saleh was killed, decapitated by the bombing.

The testimonies I took then included many more cases of medics going to save injured Palestinians and coming under Israeli fire, preventing them from reaching those who needed help. Reports at the time also spoke of a handwritten order in Hebrew found in Gaza, directing Israeli soldiers to “open fire also upon rescue.”

In 2007, in the West Bank, during an Israeli invasion of Nablus, I saw Israeli soldiers take a Palestinian Medical Relief (PRM) volunteer (who had been part of a group escorting civilians to their old city homes) hostage, blindfold and handcuff him and use him as a human shield.

Even back then, targeted arrest and detention of medics was common as a form of collective punishment for the volunteers providing essential emergency services to wounded Palestinians. When not arrested, medics and ambulances would still be routinely denied access to emergency areas, denying the wounded the attention they desperately needed.

Fast forward to 2023 and 2024. The Israeli army repeatedly bombed hospitals throughout Gaza, invaded them, occupied and destroyed them, routinely killing medics, doctors and emergency workers.

It is clear that for Israeli soldiers, killing medical workers is a policy, whether in ambulances or hospitals. It’s also clear that while words of condemnation will sometimes be uttered by Western powers, Israel is never held accountable for these crimes.

Denying civilians medical care

In January, I wrote about Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a Palestinian doctor from northern Gaza abducted and imprisoned by the Israeli army last December. In that article I noted that three doctors from Gaza in Israeli prisons had already been tortured to death in the last year plus, and that there is grave concern for Dr. Abu Safiya’s life.

Since then, other Palestinian hostages released from Israeli detention have confirmed Dr. Abu Safiya is being tortured. More recently, the Israeli Beersheba Court has issued a six-month administrative detention order for Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, administrative detention being the means Israel uses to imprison Palestinians without charge.

The abduction and torture of Palestinian doctors is another aspect of Israel’s all-out attack on Gaza’s health system. It is part of Israel’s attacks on Palestinians themselves, depriving them of life-saving care, part of the decades-long policy of killing Palestinians by every means possible, including by preventing the entry of medical equipment and food, starving Palestinians who escaped bombs and sniping.

I will post the same rhetorical question I’ve posed ad nauseam: What would the international reaction be like if it were Russia point-blank assassinating uniformed, unarmed medics? It would be non-stop 24/7 howling in corporate media, victims faces and stories spoken of, demands for more sanctions...

But Israel does this again and again over the decades and all Palestinians get are muted words of concern and calls for investigation, allowing Israel to continue slaughtering medics and emergency workers unabated. No justice.

The US-China standoff risks escalating into an “outright financial war” with no winners, the bank’s head of global FX research has warned

The US-China tariff escalation is moving the global financial system into “unchartered territory,” and could cause “outright financial war,” George Saravelos, Deutsche Bank’s global head of foreign exchange research, has warned.

Saravelos issued the warning in a note to clients on Wednesday, which was quoted by multiple media outlets. The analyst, who has repeatedly warned about a looming dollar crisis and a global loss of trust in the US currency, described the current situation as a “collapse” in markets. 

“We are witnessing a simultaneous collapse in the price of all US assets, including equities, the dollar versus alternative reserve FX and the bond market. We are entering unchartered territory in the global financial system,” he wrote. 

The global market is rapidly de-dollarizing faster than previously anticipated, and it remains unclear “how orderly this process can remain,” Saravelos warned. The current situation appears to be different from a “typical crisis environment,” when the market “would be hoarding dollar liquidity to secure funding for its underlying US asset base,” he noted. 

“Dynamics here seem to be very different: the market has lost faith in US assets, so that instead of closing the asset-liability mismatch by hoarding dollar liquidity it is actively selling down the US assets themselves,” Saravelos wrote, adding that the actions of the administration of US President Donald Trump have been “encouraging the sell-off in US Treasuries.”

The US-China trade war may have serious implications for the global economy and risks devolving into an “outright financial war,” given that the extreme tariffs imposed by Trump have left little room “for an escalation on the trade front,” Saravelos warned. Beijing now “appears to be maintaining the optionality of weaponizing the currency while signaling a far more supportive domestic economic stance.”

“The next phase risks being an outright financial war involving Chinese ownership of US assets, both on the official and private sector front. It is important to note there can be no winner to such a war: it will damage both the owner (China) and the producer (US) of those assets. The loser will be the global economy,” he wrote. 

China has become the central target of Trump’s purported effort to straighten out America’s trade balance, which involves the introduction of “retaliatory” tariffs on most of the world’s nations. In March, Trump imposed a 20% tariff on Chinese imports, adding an additional 34% last week. Beijing responded in kind, introducing a 34% tariff on US goods – after which Trump slapped on another 50%, bringing the total to 104%.

This week, China rolled an additional 50% on American imports, bringing the levy to a total of 84%. Trump responded by raising the tariffs to 125% on Wednesday before the latest Chinese measure even took effect.

The decision comes shortly after Beijing retaliated against Washington’s previous tariff rise

US President Donald Trump has raised the tariffs on Chinese goods to 125% in response to retaliatory measures imposed by Beijing earlier on Wednesday.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that “based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately.” 

He expressed hope that Beijing would realize that “ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable.”

The move came hours after China’s Finance Ministry announced a tariff hike of its own, which brought tariffs levied on American imports to a total of 84%, thus mirroring Washington’s previous increase by 50%.

The continual tit-for-tat escalation of the trade war between the world’s two top economies was set in motion when Trump imposed a 20% tariff on all Chinese goods in March. Last week, he added an additional 34%, to which Beijing responded in kind.

Writing on Truth Social, the US president also announced a 90-day pause and a “substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately” granted to the multitude of other nations that Washington has recently imposed sweeping tariffs on.

Trump cited calls made by “more than 75 countries” to the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and the Office of the United States Trade Representative. According to the president, these nations expressed willingness to discuss trade barriers, tariffs, currency manipulation, and non-monetary tariffs.

Trump also pointed out that, unlike China, “these Countries have not, at my strong suggestion, retaliated in any way, shape, or form against the United States.”

They’re messy, risky, and unpopular – but they might be part of a bigger, smarter plan

Let me play devil’s advocate for a minute. I’m not here to defend President Donald Trump’s tariffs. But I do want to push back against the way the conversation around them often unfolds – dismissing them offhand with a smug “well, that’s just dumb,” without any regard for the broader economic context, either at home or globally.

Yes, Trump often shoots from the hip. He lies outright, makes rookie mistakes in his speeches, and fumbles the details. But behind the bluster is a surprisingly coherent strategy – one that wasn’t cobbled together by fools. You don’t have to agree with it to at least try to understand what it is.

I don’t claim to have all the answers (frankly, I’m suspicious of anyone who says they truly understand what’s going on inside Trump’s head), but here’s how I see it.

What you need to know about global imbalances

At their core, global trade imbalances are the result of mismatches between national savings and investment. In countries such as China, Germany, Japan, and major oil exporters, savings tend to outpace domestic investment – capital has to go somewhere, so it flows abroad. This shows up as a trade surplus.

In the US, it’s the reverse. Americans save less than they invest, and the gap is filled by foreign capital. This creates a trade deficit.

So how did we get here?

1. For decades, export-driven economies (China, Germany, Japan) have followed policies that shift income away from households – which are more likely to spend – toward corporations and the government, which tend to save. This artificially boosts the national savings rate. But since those savings can’t all be invested domestically, the excess capital flows abroad.

2. A lot of it – roughly a trillion dollars a year – ends up in the US. There are two main reasons for this:

• The American economy is built to encourage consumer spending, not saving.

• And in times of uncertainty, everyone from investors to governments runs to the dollar – it’s still the world’s safe haven.

Why is that a problem for the US?

In the short term, maybe it doesn’t look like a problem. The US economy remains strong. No one’s sounding alarm bells. But beneath the surface, imbalances are piling up: Persistent trade deficits, ballooning federal debt, and rising interest rates are a dangerous mix. As borrowing becomes more expensive, it gets harder and harder to service that debt.

On top of that, China has slowed its push to boost domestic consumption, and Europe’s economic woes are driving even more capital into the US. This only deepens the imbalance.

Trump knows his political clock is ticking – midterms are around the corner. If he’s going to act, it has to be now.

What are his options?

So how can the US boost savings, shrink the trade deficit, and bring down long-term interest rates? In theory, there are several levers:

• Cut government spending – Trump has pushed for this (just look at the work of DOGE and others).

• Slash corporate taxes and invest in industry – the first increases inequality, and the second is hard to pull off in a polarized political system. Still, both are being pursued, in part through tariffs.

• Limit capital inflows – politically toxic.

• Reduce the dollar’s role as the global reserve currency – difficult to do unilaterally, and potentially destabilizing.

• Impose tariffs – politically the easiest, and the one Trump has clearly chosen.

My guess? Tariffs are just the tip of the spear. The broader plan likely includes pieces of all five approaches.

Legit critiques

Still, the criticisms are real – and in many cases, valid.

First: Why is Trump using a slapdash, anecdotal chart of tariff levels across countries to justify his actions? As Olivier Blanchard quipped, we all run trade deficits with our baker and surpluses with our employer. It’s the same at the international level. Trying to ‘balance’ every bilateral trade relationship is not just naive – it misses the point entirely.

But Trump isn’t necessarily trying to balance trade; he’s trying to negotiate. The US market is so critical to so many countries that Trump seems to be leveraging access to it for concessions. If you’re going to raise tariffs anyway, why not squeeze some extra benefits out of it?

Second: Some warn this could lead to a global crisis. They point to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which many blame for deepening the Great Depression. But let’s not oversimplify history. Back then, the US had a trade surplus, a consumption shortfall, and rampant overinvestment – tariffs only made things worse. Today, the US has the opposite problem.

That said, we can’t rule out a disaster. It all depends on how the trade war unfolds. I suspect a good chunk of the tariffs will eventually be rolled back as part of negotiated deals. And even if they’re not, the initial pain will fall hardest on surplus countries like China, Germany, Japan, South Korea – and yes, Russia. The US would feel the impact last.

There’s even a real possibility that the US, after triggering a global crisis, could emerge in a stronger position.

But inflation is no joke

The biggest immediate risk is inflation – and maybe even stagflation. Trump argues that domestic production will ramp up to meet demand and keep prices in check. I’m skeptical. Production takes time. Price increases don’t.

And there’s still too much we don’t know:

• How dependent are US companies on foreign components?

• How much of future inflation will be driven by imported parts and materials?

• Will the other parts of the deficit-reduction plan actually happen?

• And how will global deflationary forces – countries dumping excess goods into non-US markets – interact with rising domestic prices?

The bottom line

Trump is gambling – big time. Tariffs are a blunt, inefficient tool. Economists know this. That’s why so many of them are freaking out.

But this isn’t really about tariffs. It’s about trying to reshape the economic model the US – and the world – has operated under for the past 30, even 80 years.

It’s bold. It’s dangerous. I don’t think it’s justified. But it’s not insane.

The countermeasures, which take effect next week, will reportedly be limited to certain products

EU member states have approved retaliatory measures to counter the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on the bloc’s steel and aluminum. The response does not address the 20% US tariffs on all EU exports that came into force on Wednesday.

Trump, who has repeatedly accused the EU of treating America “badly,” introduced 25% duties on metals last month, saying the policy targeted nations that impose high barriers for US goods.

The European Commission did not disclose the list of targeted goods or tariff levels, but media reports citing internal documents said the measures would cover a wide range of US goods, including poultry, grains, clothing and metals. Most of the goods would reportedly face a 25% tariff, with a few categories subject to 10%. According to a statement, released by European Commission on Wednesday, the bloc’s countermeasures will take effect on April 15.

EU diplomats with direct knowledge of the decision told Politico that only Hungary opposed the package, while all other 26 members backed it.

The volume of US imports affected will reportedly be slightly less than the volume EU exports hit by the US tariffs, at around €22 billion ($23.8 billion) per year. Bourbon was removed from the list due to pressure from France, Ireland and Italy after Trump warned that targeting it could trigger a 200% tariff on European alcohol, media wrote.

The Commission said that the EU considered US tariffs “unjustified and damaging,” causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy. The countermeasures could be suspended “at any time” if the US agrees to a “fair and balanced negotiated outcome,” it added.

The current measures do not address Trump’s separate move to impose 20% tariffs on all EU exports, which came into force on Wednesday as part of his so-called ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, nor his latest 25% tariff on cars.

The Commission is preparing a second package of retaliatory measures to respond to those tariffs, which could be presented as early as next week, trade spokesperson Olof Gill said on Tuesday.

Trump announced sweeping global tariffs last week, arguing they were necessary to restore global trade fairness and accusing other nations of “ripping off” the US through “harmful policies.” 

He called the EU “very tough traders” and said American firms pay more than $200 billion a year in value-added taxes across Europe. Trump warned of further measures if the bloc retaliates.

The escalating trade tensions have rattled global markets and raised concerns of a global recession.