Quote:President Donald Trump called his global tariff policy an "economic revolution" on Saturday, using his Truth Social platform to defend the sweeping trade moves that led China to announce retaliatory tariffs on Friday.
The president claimed that China "has been hit much harder than the USA" from the recently announced trade policies and urged Americans to "hang tough."
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Trump's mid-week announcement included new tariffs on all imported goods from 180 countries as well as a list of "reciprocal duties" targeting China and other countries, with Asian nations most hard hit, claiming to combat trade imbalances and restore America's manufacturing industry. He hailed the tariffs as the country's "declaration of economic independence."
China, the world's second-largest economy, will face a 34 percent reciprocal tariff, which will start on April 9, and is in addition to a 20 percent tariff that is already in effect. The list claims that China charges a 67 percent tariff on U.S. products. On Friday, China announced the same retaliatory tariff on the U.S. at 34 percent.
Trump's tariffs and shakeup of global trade has rattled global and domestic markets, with Wall Street tanking over the past few days, marking the worst days for the U.S. stock markets since 2020.
What To Know
Trump's universal, baseline 10 percent tariffs went into effect early Saturday. Announced April 2—which Trump dubbed "Liberation Day"—the tariffs have triggered market turmoil and drawn sharp criticism from world leaders who have also responded with retaliatory tariffs.
Meanwhile, many Americans, including some Republicans, have voiced concerns over the state of the economy following Trump's sweeping tariffs.
Quote:Major Japanese automobile company Nissan is considering moving some of its production to the U.S., according to a new report, in what could be one of the first indicators for President Donald Trump that his sweeping tariffs may have the impact the White House intends.
Why It Matters
The White House placed a 25-percent tariff on auto imports, which came into effect on Thursday, as part of a wide-ranging raft of measures that ripped through the global financial markets.
The Trump administration has said the taxes on imported goods will spur on domestic manufacturing, encourage U.S. consumers to buy American-made products and boost the economy. The U.S. automobile industry "has been undermined by excessive imports threatening America's domestic industrial base and supply chains," the White House said last month.
"Hang tough, it won't be easy, but the end result will be historic," Trump said on Saturday, calling the tariffs an "economic revolution." Experts say car prices are likely to rise for consumers.
What To Know
Japan-based business newspaper Nikkei reported on Saturday that Yokohama-headquartered car manufacturer Nissan was considering moving some of its domestic production of vehicles destined for the U.S. to America.
An unspecified chunk of the production for Nissan's Rogue SUV at the company's major factory in the southwestern Japanese city of Fukuoka would be switched to the U.S., according to the newspaper.
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Nissan sold roughly 920,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2024, with around 16 percent exported from Japan, Nikkei reported.
The White House said that U.S. consumers bought 16 million cars, SUVs and light trucks in 2024, half of which were imported. Approximately 1 million U.S. workers are employed in America's automobile and parts industries, according to the Trump administration. Fresh tariffs on imported vehicle parts are expected early next month.
Around 25 percent of the Rogue SUV is made in the U.S., while 40 percent of the vehicle is made in Japan, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Quote:Amassive lithium discovery beneath California's Salton Sea has set off a high-stakes push for what some have implied could be America's best shot at lithium self-sufficiency.
The U.S. Department of Energy confirmed in late 2023 that an estimated 18 million metric tons of lithium—often called "white gold" on account of its silvery-white appearance and economic importance—valued at roughly $540 billion is trapped in the geothermal brine beneath the Salton Sea, a shrinking lake in Southern California's Imperial Valley.
The find is one of the largest known lithium brine deposits in the world and could supply enough material for 375 million electric vehicle batteries, potentially making the U.S. self-sufficient in the critical mineral used in batteries, smartphones and renewable energy storage.
"The current geothermal power plants in the field have the capacity to produce 115,000 metric tons per year of [lithium carbonate equivalent], enough to make almost 4 million EVs annually Michael McKibben, of the University of California, Riverside's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, told Newsweek.
"The combination of lithium production from the Salton Sea geothermal field, the Nevada claystones of McDermitt Caldera, and the oil field brines of Arkansas' Smackover Formation could eventually enable the U.S. to become completely self-sufficient in its Li needs for the growing EV and battery electrical storage system (BESS) markets."
The Daily Galaxy cited McKibben as having said: "This is one of the largest lithium brine deposits in the world. This could make the United States completely self-sufficient in lithium and stop importing it through China."
The 120-year-old Salton Sea, accidentally created in 1905 when the Colorado River breached an irrigation canal, has long struggled with environmental degradation. Today, the lake's rapid evaporation and rising salinity threaten ecosystems and human health through dust pollution. The lithium discovery now promises a dual-edged transformation—economic revival and environmental risk.
Quote:Hungary will withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), Prime Minister Viktor Orban's office confirmed Thursday, coinciding with the arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a multiday visit.
Netanyahu, who is the subject of an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, was greeted in the Hungarian capital of Budapest with full military honors.
The Netherlands-based court issued a warrant in November for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The ICC cited evidence they used "starvation as a method of warfare" and deliberately targeted civilians by restricting humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Israel has denied the allegations.
Why It Matters
Hungary's move marks a rare rebuke of the ICC from within its own membership as international scrutiny intensifies over Israel's actions in Gaza.
By hosting Netanyahu and rejecting the court's authority, Hungary further isolates itself from much of the European Union on issues of the rule of law and international justice.
Both Netanyahu and Orban are aligned with a broader anti-institutional movement led by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Their meeting is seen as a public rejection of the ICC's authority, which has issued only a handful of warrants against sitting world leaders. In March 2023, the ICC issued a similar arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over war crimes in Ukraine.
Quote:The U.K. has carried out a "major" test in its hypersonic weapons program in "close collaboration" with the U.S. government, the British Defense Ministry said on Sunday.
Why It Matters
Hypersonic weapons travel at speeds upward` of five times the speed of sound, also referred to as Mach 5 and roughly equivalent to over 3,800 miles per hour. The missiles are able to maneuver mid-flight, making them extremely hard to track or intercept.
They can be land-, sea- or air-launched, and are particularly suited to long-range strikes.
Russia has invested heavily in developing hypersonic missiles, storming ahead with its costly programs before hammering Ukraine with missiles like the Kinzhal and Tsirkon. Both were among the "super weapons" unveiled by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018.
While the Kremlin has flaunted its hypersonic weapons, Western experts have suggested the term is problematic—analysts often veer toward calling the Kinzhal an air-launched ballistic missile. Ukraine has said several times that it has intercepted Russia's hypersonic weapons using U.S.-made Patriot systems.
What To Know
The British government said on Sunday that scientists had completed testing on an engine for an in-development "cutting-edge" hypersonic cruise missile, able to travel thousands of miles per hour.
The engine "successfully" showed how a high-speed, air-breathing propulsion system would work, the U.K. ministry said, unlocking a greater range than a conventional rocket.
Airbreathing propulsion hinges on taking in air in the atmosphere which is then used to generate thrust, and can be more efficient than fuel-powered rocket engines.
Quote:British luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover has announced it is suspending all shipments of its vehicles from the U.K. to the United States for one month in response to President Trump's tariff policy, according to The Times of London.
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In late March, President Trump announced a new 25 percent tariff on all cars entering the United States, which went into effect on Thursday. He followed this up on Wednesday, which he dubbed Liberation Day, with a 10 percent "baseline" tariff on imports, though significantly higher "discounted reciprocal tariffs" were imposed on certain countries, not including the U.K.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday had said the tariffs were likely to boost inflation, as some companies increase prices to compensate for the tariffs while others, like Jaguar Land Rover, suspended exports to the U.S.
What To Know
The Times of London reported Jaguar Land Rover, which exports nearly 100,000 vehicles to the U.S. each year, has paused exports from its main factories in the U.K. to the U.S. for one month as it seeks to calibrate the impact of Trump's tariffs.
In 2024, Jaguar Land Rover sold 431,733 vehicles according to company figures.
Jaguar Land Rover employs 38,000 people in Britain, its main base of operations, along with around 6,000 in the rest of the world. Some of its most popular products in the U.S. are its Ranger Rover Sport and Rover Defender SUVs.
Quote:The United States has imposed sanctions on a Houthi network accused of procuring weapons and goods from Russia amid an ongoing military campaign against the Iranian-backed group's strongholds in Yemen.
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The sanctions may have little immediate impact but are another sign of the U.S. seeking to come down heavily on the Houthis while sending a warning to Iran and also to Moscow.
Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea threaten to disrupt global trade. Since 2023, the Houthis, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, have launched hundreds of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
What To Know
The U.S. Treasury Department said it had sanctioned a network of Houthi operatives for purchasing "tens of millions of dollars" in weapons, sensitive materials, and stolen Ukrainian grain from Russia, meant for delivery to Houthi-controlled Yemen, its website stated.
Moscow's growing ties with the Houthis, strengthened by its alliance with Iran, reflect its efforts to counter U.S. influence since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, although past Houthi misfires also targeted Russian vessels.
Key figures in the network identified by the United States include Sa'id al-Jamal, a senior Houthi financier linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, and two Afghan businessmen in Russia who facilitated arms shipments and the transport of stolen grain from Crimea aboard a Russian-flagged ship.
"The Houthis remain reliant on Sa'id al-Jamal and his network to procure critical goods to supply the group's terrorist war machine. Today's action underscores our commitment to degrading the Houthis' ability to threaten the region through their destabilizing activities," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was quoted as saying.
The new sanctions on Houthi operatives align with President Donald Trump's military actions against the group, including air strikes aimed at disrupting their operations in the region and restoring navigation safety.
Since Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel and the subsequent war in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have been attacking commercial shipping and Western military vessels operating in the Red, Mediterranean Seas and Arabian Seas. The organization has vowed to continue and expand attacks unless Israel fully withdraws from Gaza.
Quote:The Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi group claimed a new attack on the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and its accompanying warships in the Red Sea.
The U.S. Navy has not reported damage as American airstrikes continue against Houthi targets in Yemen.
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The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, have claimed multiple attacks against the aircraft carrier since President Donald Trump launched a military campaign against the group on March 15.
The U.S.-designated terrorist group has carried out more than 100 missile and drone attacks on merchant vessels navigating the vital Red Sea corridor since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in October 2023, saying it acting in solidarity with the Palestinians.
What To Know
Ansar Allah said Thursday that its naval, missile and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) forces had targeted the USS Harry S. Truman with cruise missiles and UAVs.
"The engagement continued for long hours, and part of the attack on our country was thwarted," the group's military wing said in a statement on messaging app Telegram.
The U.S. has not reported any damages from this or previous attacks.
U.S. airstrikes have reportedly targeted the city of Sanaa and other parts of Yemen, as well as Houthi sites near the Hudaydah Port.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell announced that the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group would be joined in the (CENTCOM) area of responsibility by the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group on the orders of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a warning to Iran and its proxy groups in the region.
Quote:Beijing has delivered a pointed response after the U.S. State Department greenlit a nearly $5.6-billion sale of F-16 fighter jets and related equipment to the Philippines.
The sale is in line with other U.S. moves that are "fueling the flames" of territorial disputes in the region, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
Why It Matters
The sale comes amid ongoing tensions between China and the U.S. defense treaty ally over the South China Sea, where Beijing's maritime forces have been seeking to normalize their patrols in waters hundreds of miles from Chinese shores and within the Philippines' internationally occupied maritime zone,
This pressure has driven President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to further strengthen security ties with Washington. His administration has committed to spending roughly $35 billion over the next decade to upgrade its aging defense systems and platforms.
What To Know
The U.S. State Department on Tuesday announced its approval of a proposed sale to the Philippines of 16 F-16C Block 70/72 fighter aircraft and four F-16D models, along with Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, radar systems, spare parts, and training support.
The department said the sale would "support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a strategic partner that continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in Southeast Asia."
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun criticized the deal during Wednesday's regular press conference, saying the U.S. and its ally "should not target any third party or harm their interests" or "threaten regional peace and security or escalate tensions."
Guo also questioned the motives behind recent regional moves: "Who exactly is fueling the flames? Who exactly is instigating military confrontation? Who exactly is turning Asia into a 'powder keg?' Regional countries are not blind."
Jonathan Malaya, a spokesperson for the Philippine National Security Council, emphasized that the F-16 procurement is intended solely for defense and is not aimed at any specific country.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
Quote:Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., chartered a private jet worth up to a staggering $15,000 an hour for several West Coast stops on their "Fighting Oligarchy" tour.
Sanders boarded the luxury Bombardier Challenger private jet at the Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield, California, on Tuesday afternoon, according to a photo captured by a source on the ground and shared exclusively with Fox News Digital. Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, whom the source also spotted boarding the private jet, spoke at their "Fighting Oligarchy" event in Bakersfield just hours earlier.
Flight records reveal the jet landed at Sacramento Mather Airport on Tuesday evening, which is about a 20-minute drive to Folsom, California, where the self-identified Democratic socialists hosted their second rally of the day. After publication Thursday, Fox News Digital obtained new footage of Sanders and AOC exiting the private jet in Sacramento Tuesday evening from California resident Matvei Levchenko.
The jet Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez were seen boarding and deplaning made stops in Salt Lake City and Boise prior to landing in Bakersfield, according to flight records. The arrival dates match the duo's "Fighting Oligarchy" events in Salt Lake City and Nampa, which is about a 25-minute drive from Boise Airport.
"Champagne socialists Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demand Americans surrender their pick-up trucks, air conditioning and meat from the luxe leather seats of their private jets that cost more per hour than most Americans earn in months. Their hypocrisy is staggering," National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesperson Ben Petersen said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
The Bombardier Challenger private jet is operated by Ventura Air Services, which touts "one of the widest cabins of any business jet available today" and provides "superior cabin comfort for its passengers." According to their website, the private jet can cost up to $15,000 an hour.
Sanders has long been ridiculed for relying on luxury private planes while crisscrossing the country, warning Americans about climate change and the threats of billionaires seizing political power. Despite his Democratic socialist platform advocating for universal healthcare, the Green New Deal and ending wealth inequality, Sanders flying private has become infamous.
Sanders' campaign committee, Friends of Bernie Sanders, spent over $221,000 chartering private jets during the first quarter of 2025, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings reviewed by Fox News Digital. The filing, which was released on Tuesday, shows that Sanders dropped the massive haul between three private jet companies: Ventura Jets, Cirrus Aviation Services and N-Jet.
Quote:The suspect in the arson at the Pennsylvania governor's mansion allegedly made a 911 call after he set fire to the residence in which he explained that he was motivated by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Cody Balmer, 38, is charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, terrorism and related offenses for allegedly setting fire to Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro's residence on Sunday.
In a 911 call allegedly made by Balmer, he admits that he set fire to the residence because of what Shapiro, who is Jewish, "wants to do to the Palestinian people," according to audio obtained by Fox 29.
A dispatcher first asked for the address of the emergency before Balmer explained that there was no emergency.
"Well, I don't really have an emergency. I would like to apologize. Governor Josh Shapiro needs to know that Cody Balmer will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people," Balmer said in the call. "He needs to leave my family alone. He needs to get his eyes off of my daughters. And he needs to stop having my friends killed, like he had Manny killed two weeks ago, or last week on Saturday."
"Our people have been put through too much by that monster," Balmer told the dispatcher. "All he has is a banquet hall to clean up. I'm tired of offering extensions of peace. I only want to be able to provide for my children. I should not be taken to these extremes. It's not fair. I wish no harm onto anyone. But that man ... that man, he is doing serious, serious harm to probably yourself included. And I do wish you the best, sir."
Balmer added: "You all know where to find me. I'm not hiding, and I will confess to everything that I had done."
Similar to the 911 call, a search warrant for Balmer’s devices had revealed that Balmer targeted the governor for "what he wants to do to the Palestinian people," PennLive reported. According to the warrant, State Police Cpl. Benjamin Forsythe said the suspect targeted Shapiro over "perceived injustices to the people of Palestine." Forsythe also pointed to the governor’s Jewish faith as a possible motive behind the attack, without elaborating.
Another warrant details Balmer’s interview with state troopers in which he allegedly admitted to "harboring hatred towards" Shapiro. Balmer also reportedly admitted to a trooper that he was responsible for the arson attack and said he planned to attack Shapiro with his hammer if he were to find the governor in the mansion.
Quote:President Donald Trump is "hopeful" Russia and Ukraine can make a deal this week after a temporary Easter ceasefire between the two countries ended.
"Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week," Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.
"Both will then start to do big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and make a fortune!"
The war between the two countries has raged for more than three years and has cost the lives of tens of thousands of people on both sides.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of breaking their ceasefire agreement and said "the Russian army has violated Putin’s ceasefire more than two thousand times."
"The total number of violations by the Russian army of Russia’s own ceasefire promise throughout the day reached 2,935. The highest number of shellings and assaults occurred in the Pokrovsk," Zelenskyy wrote.
"The Russian promise of complete silence did not spread in the Kursk direction either. In total, there were 96 Russian assaults on the front, 1,882 shelling of our positions, and in particular 812 with heavy weapons, Russian FPV drones were used more than 950 times." — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy added that Ukraine will remain a mirror-image and "will respond to silence with silence our strikes in defense of Russian strikes."
"Actions are always more eloquent than words," Zelenskyy said.
Putin ordered his forces to stop all military activity along the front line in the temporary Easter ceasefire until midnight, Moscow time, on Sunday.
Zelenskyy previously said that if the Easter ceasefire actually held up, he would propose extending it longer.
"That is what will reveal Russia’s true intentions – because 30 hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures," he said. "Thirty days could give peace a chance."
Zelenskyy added that "there is no trust in words coming from Moscow" after one of his military leaders reported that Russia had seemed to break their truce.
"We know all too well how Moscow manipulates, and we are prepared for anything. Ukraine’s Defense Forces will act rationally – responding in kind. Every Russian strike will be met with an appropriate response," Zelenskyy said.
Quote:Amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Hamas terrorists in Gaza, the terror group is reportedly facing an unprecedented financial crisis.
Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that salary payments to many Hamas government employees have ceased, and even senior officials received only half of their usual pay during Ramadan. Terrorists, who once earned $200 to $300 a month, are struggling to get paid as the IDF tightens its grip, and the flow of humanitarian aid has been cut off since the collapse of the ceasefire.
Dr. Michael Milstein, head of the Forum for Palestinian Studies at Tel Aviv University, said that while financial difficulties are mounting, Hamas operatives are motivated more by ideology than money. "It’s not just about a paycheck," Milstein said. "Hamas provides essential supplies like food, water and medical care to families, which is crucial in today’s Gaza." Despite the squeeze, Milstein noted that Hamas has weathered similar financial crises in the past without collapsing.
"Two days ago, the IDF killed the battalion commander of the Sajia area for the fifth time. Today, there’s a new battalion commander. They fill the ranks. Hamas had 25,000 military operatives on October 7, and today it has a similar number, even though it lost twenty thousand. They manage with fewer experienced operatives, including children recruited from refugee camps, but manpower is always available in Gaza. As for weapons other than rockets, there is no problem—RPGs, explosives, and rifles are available," Milstein added.
Mkhaimar Abusada, a Gazan political analyst and currently a visiting scholar at Northwestern University, emphasized that Hamas will likely find ways to recover. "Hamas has survived despite external financial pressures for nearly two decades," Abusada said. "They’ve bypassed sanctions and continue to exploit black market activities and taxes on merchants." While money may not drive Hamas fighters, Abusada suggested that the financial squeeze would complicate their operations but not lead to the group's collapse.
Quote:The Trump administration announced sanctions against the International Bank of Yemen Y.S.C. (IBY) on Thursday for its financial support of Houthi terrorists.
Along with the bank, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning key leaders of IBY, like its Chairman of the Board of Directors Kamal Hussain Al Jebry; Executive General Manager Ahmed Thabit Noman Al-Absi and Deputy General Manager Abdulkader Ali Bazara. By sanctioning IBY, the U.S. hopes to stop Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.
"Financial institutions like IBY are critical to the Houthis’ efforts to access the international financial system and threaten both the region and international commerce," Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender said. "Treasury remains committed to working with the internationally recognized government of Yemen to disrupt the Houthis’ ability to secure funds and procure key components for their destabilizing attacks."
Based in Sana’a, Yemen, the IBY is controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis and provides the group with access to the bank’s Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) network to make international financial transactions, the Treasury said.
The IBY, for instance, has allegedly aided Houthi businesses and officials to pursue oil on the SWIFT network, while also facilitating attempts by the terrorist group to evade sanctions oversight.
Under Thursday’s sanctions, all property and interests in property of the leaders named, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Additionally, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.
Quote:The State Department has accused a Chinese firm of directly aiding Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen by providing satellite imagery used to target U.S. and international vessels in the Red Sea.
The news comes as U.S. airstrikes targeting an oil port held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed 74 people and wounded 171 others on Thursday, the group said.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company Limited is helping the Houthis, who have been attacking commercial and military ships in the area since late 2023 as a means of showing solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza. The Houthi attacks have included missile strikes, drone assaults and attempted hijackings.
Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company Limited is a commercial group with ties to the People’s Liberation Army.
"We can confirm the reporting that Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company Limited is directly supporting Iran-backed Houthi terrorist attacks on U.S. interests," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told a regular news briefing.
"China consistently attempts ... to frame itself as a global peacemaker ... however, it is clear that Beijing and China-based companies provide key economic and technical support to regimes like Russia, North Korea and Iran and its proxies," she said.
"The fact that they continue to do this is unacceptable," she said, adding that the U.S. "will not tolerate anyone providing support to foreign terrorist organizations such as the Houthis."
Bruce said the assistance by the firm to the Houthis had continued even though the United States had engaged with Beijing on the issue.
President Donald Trump has prioritized addressing instability in the Red Sea, citing ongoing concerns that the Houthis remain a threat to the global economy.
The news comes as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched strikes on the Houthi controlled Ras Isa Fuel Port in Northwest Yemen on Thursday, marking the 34th consecutive day of U.S. strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
The strikes were aimed at eliminating the Houthis' fuel, a key source of revenue for the group.
The strikes, which sent massive fireballs shooting into the night sky, represented a major escalation for the American campaign by hitting oil facilities for the first time.
CENTCOM said that "U.S. forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue that has funded Houthi efforts to terrorize the entire region for over 10 years."
"The Houthis, their Iranian masters, and those who knowingly aid and abet their terrorist actions should be put on notice that the world will not accept illicit smuggling of fuel and war material to a terrorist organization," Central Command said.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
Pope Francis led the Catholic Church for 12 years. The first Latin American in the office was as much a pastor as a pope, traditional as well as open to change. But he did not fulfill the many hopes for reform.
He was the first pope from Latin America, and the first Jesuit to head the Catholic Church. And never before had a church leader chosen this name: Francis, recalling Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology and of animals.
The choice was clearly meaningful. The son of a merchant, the original Francis renounced all riches, felt called by Jesus to a life of utter poverty and founded the Franciscan order. The pope's name did not evoke the pomp of papal palaces, nor the office of a head of church and state.
For the Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio, whom the cardinals elected pope in 2013, the choice of name was a program: Like no pope before him, he stood up for refugees and the homeless and fought for the protection of environment and the climate.
Now, after more than 12 years as head of the Catholic Church and the 266th bishop of Rome, Francis has died at the age of 88, making him the second-oldest pope in history.
Pope from the 'ends of the Earth'
Before his papal election in March 2013, Bergoglio spoke in a pre-conclave, in which the cardinals exchanged views on the state of the church. In what was later described as a "firebrand" address, he called for "bold freedom of speech" in the church. The Catholic Church, he said, should not revolve around itself.
The power of this speech could still be felt in the 2018 film "Pope Francis: A Man of His Word," by German director Wim Wenders. In the film, Francis spoke in a relatable way about the church's closeness to people on the margins. From the outset, the pope, who referred to himself as being from the "ends of the Earth" during his first public appearance in 2013, reached out to the marginalized.
All of this was in keeping with his demeanor. Unlike his predecessors, Francis did not move into the so-called Apostolic Palace, which towers high above St. Peter's Square. Instead, he stayed in two rooms in the Vatican guest house throughout his pontificate, dining with employees and guests at a simple buffet.
He repeatedly criticized globalization and capitalism, delivering his strongest political speeches in his early years in office. In doing so, he always appeared as an advocate for the poor and the Global South.
He addressed the European Parliament in 2014 and criticized "throwaway culture and an uncontrolled consumerism." Speaking before the US Congress and the United Nations in New York in 2015, he highlighted immigration and the refugee crisis. The phenomenon of US President Donald Trump, and what he stands for, remained alien to him.
Francis often called on the international community to implement rapid reforms, and to do more in terms of development aid and climate protection. He dedicated his most important encyclical letter, "Laudato Si," or "Praised Be" to this topic in 2015. This teaching letter for the preservation of creation reads like a political indictment — but it has rarely been heard. Francis followed up in 2023 with another strong letter on the subject, entitled "Laudate Deum." The longer he was in office, the more impatient this pope sounded.
Klaus Schwab has led the WEF — the organization behind the prestigious Davos conference — for over 50 years. But Schwab's life work has also been criticized as a symbol of the elites' detachment from ordinary people.
The founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Klaus Schwab, resigned on Monday as chairman of the forum's board.
"Following my recent announcement, and as I enter my 88th year, I have decided to step down from the position of Chair and as a member of the Board of Trustees, with immediate effect," he said in a statement released by the WEF.
The German-born economist did not offer a reason for leaving the Geneva-based WEF, which organizes annual meeting of the international political and economic elite in the Swiss luxury ski resort of Davos.
Vice Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe will serve as interim chairman, with the search for a new chair having begun after Schwab's resignation was accepted at an extraordinary meeting on April 20.
Davos summit as face of globalization
Schwab established the WEF in 1971 with the aim of creating a forum for policymakers and top corporate executives to tackle major global issues. The first conference was also held in Davos that year, with hundreds attending, including businesspeople, academics and politicians.
Over the decades, however, the WEF and the annual summit started drawing criticism from opponents on both left and right as being too elitist and detached from lives of ordinary people. Schwab himself was targeted by various conspiracy theorists in recent years. One viral controversy links him to the "You'll own nothing. And you'll be happy" quote which was published by the WEF in a 2016 video clip.
The video speculates on the ways the world could change by 2030. Schwab has never said or wrote the words shown on screen, which are actually based on an essay by Danish politician Ida Aukens about possible futures "for better and for worse." However, many have interpreted the video as proof of the WEF working to create a dystopian future without private ownership.
Russian president has previously spurned direct negotiations unless Ukraine holds elections; Ukrainian delegation headed to London. What we know on day 1,154
Vladimir Putin has said for the first time in years that he is open to bilateral talks with Ukraine – having previously demanded Volodymyr Zelenskyy be replaced before it could happen. Zelenskyy, whom Putin has falsely called an illegitimate president, meanwhile said Kyiv was prepared for any discussion to halt attacks on civilian targets. The Ukrainian president, in his nightly video address, said: “Ukraine maintains its proposal not to strike at the very least civilian targets. And we are expecting a clear response from Moscow. We are ready for any conversation about how to achieve this.”
Putin, speaking to Russian state TV, said: “We have always talked about this, that we have a positive attitude towards any peace initiatives. We hope that representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way.” However, Putin has previously stipulated that elections must be held in Ukraine to elect a new president who would be his interlocutor. Elections are not permitted under the Ukrainian constitution while the country is, unavoidably, in a state of martial law.
Putin and Zelenskyy face pressure from the Trump administration in the US which has threatened to walk away from its peace efforts unless some progress is achieved. There have been no direct talks between the two sides since the early weeks after Russia’s February 2022 invasion.
Luke Harding writes from Kyiv that Moscow appears to be deliberately stalling the peace talks, betting that continued battlefield gains will bolster its position and enable it to demand greater concessions at the negotiating table. Russian attacks on Monday killed at least three people in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, after an informal 30-hour Easter ceasefire declared by Putin that Kyiv said Moscow’s armed forces repeatedly violated. Zelenskyy said Russia had launched numerous attacks using artillery and drones, as well as infantry. The most active part of the Easter frontline was near the city of Pokrovsk, in the eastern Donetsk region, he said, while enemy forces also continued combat operations in Russia’s Kursk region where Ukrainian units hold a small amount of territory. Russia claimed Ukraine broke the ceasefire.
A Ukrainian delegation is due in London on Wednesday for talks with Britain, France and the US. Zelenskyy said on Monday: “We are ready to move forward as constructively as possible.” The talks are a follow-up to a Paris meeting last week where the US and European states discussed ways to end the war and the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, reportedly presented Washington’s plan for ending the war. Zelenskyy said the London talks “have a primary task: to push for an unconditional ceasefire. This must be the starting point.”
Leaks suggest the Trump administration is now pushing for a “peace deal” that heavily favours Russia. It would include a pause to the conflict along the existing 1,000km frontline; recognition that Crimea belongs to Moscow; and a veto on Ukraine’s Nato membership. There are also unconfirmed reports that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station – which Russia seized in 2022 – would be part of a “neutral” zone. Russia has maintained its maximalist demands, that Ukraine cede all the land Putin claims to have annexed and accept permanent neutrality. Ukraine says that would amount to surrender and leave it undefended if Moscow attacks again.
Because of Viktor Orbán’s intransigence and siding with Putin over the Ukraine war, Brussels is considering its “nuclear” option of removing Hungary’s voting rights under the European Union treaty, writes Jennifer Rankin. Under Orbán’s prime ministership, Hungary has repeatedly sought to block EU sanctions against Russia, though eventually backed down. It has vetoed the release of €6bn to reimburse EU countries providing military aid to Ukraine and refused to sign declarations in support of its invaded neighbour. The removal of voting rights from Hungary under the EU treaty’s article 7 would deliver a reckoning for Orbán just as he faces his toughest political challenger in years: Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party has extended its lead on Orbán’s Fidesz, with elections due next year.
A Russian journalist who faced up to 10 years in prison for criticising the army has escaped house arrest and is wanted by police, Russian state media has reported. Ekaterina Barabash, 63, was arrested in February. She had been an outspoken critic of Moscow’s war on Ukraine, writing on Facebook that Russia had “bombed the country” and “razed whole cities to the ground”. Putin has made it illegal to criticise the army and the “special military operation” against Ukraine. Former Russian state TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, who protested against the Ukraine war during a live broadcast, escaped Russia in 2022 after fleeing house arrest.
Ekaterina Barabash, 63, facing up to 10 years in jail due to outspoken criticism of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine
A Russian journalist who faced up to 10 years in prison for criticising the army has escaped house arrest and is now wanted by police, Russian state media has reported.
Ekaterina Barabash, 63, had been arrested in February on suspicion of spreading false information about the Russian armed forces in several posts she made on social media.
“The accused has been declared wanted,” the Moscow branch of Russia’s federal penitentiary service said, the state Tass news agency reported on Monday. Authorities were alerted to her disappearance on 13 April by an electronic monitoring system.
Since Russia launched its military offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, authorities have launched thousands of cases against people accused of discrediting the army.
Barabash had written for several news outlets, including Republic and the Russian service of Radio France Internationale.
She had been an outspoken critic of Moscow’s military offensive on Ukraine, writing on Facebook in March 2022 that Russia had “bombed the country” and “razed whole cities to the ground”.
Russia, which denies targeting civilians, made it illegal to criticise the army and its military operations in Ukraine shortly after its offensive began.
Rights groups said authorities are using the law to wage an unprecedented crackdown on dissent reminiscent of the Soviet era.
Fleeing house arrest is risky in Russia, but not unheard of. Former Russian state TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, who protested against the Ukraine conflict during a live broadcast, escaped Russia in 2022 after fleeing house arrest.
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