News of the World

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USA

Donald Trump Hits Back at Escalating China Trade War: 'Economic Revolution'

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.

Donald Trump Gets Sign His Car Tariffs Are Working

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.

What Next for California's Salton Sea After $540Bn 'White Gold' Discovery

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.

EUROPE

Hungary Quits International Criminal Court As Netanyahu Is Welcomed

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.

NATO Ally Hails 'Milestone' Hypersonic Missile Tests With US

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.

Major Carmaker Pauses All Shipments to US: What To Know

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.

MIDDLE EAST

U.S. Targets Houthi Link to Russia

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.

Houthis Claim Attack on U.S. Aircraft Carrier: What We Know

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.

CHINA

China Fires F-16 Warning at US Ally

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.