On April 2, U.S. President Donald Trump declared foreign trade and economic practices a national emergency. As a result, he imposed a baseline 10 percent tariff on imported goods from most countries, including the UK and Australia. According to “The White House,” these tariffs took effect on April 5. On April 9, Trump also imposed a 20 percent tariff on goods from the European Union and raised duty rates on China to 125 percent from the preexisting 20 percent rate. In retaliation, China raised tariff rates on the U.S. from 34 percent to 84 percent according to “NBC News.” Although Trump has now paused higher import duties for dozens of countries, Trump’s announcement of new tariffs had already damaged the U.S. economy. According to “The Guardian,” on April 2 wiped out five trillion in stock market value for S&P 500 companies by April 4. “AP News” projects that Trump’s tariffs will reduce U.S. economic growth by 0.9 percentage points this year. JP Morgan has since increased the probability of a global economic recession this year to 60 percent, up from 40 last year, according to “The Economic Times.”
Myanmar and parts of western Thailand were struck by a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday, March 28. According to “ABC News,” Myanmar’s state media reported 3,354 deaths, 4,850 people injured, and 220 missing by Saturday, April 5. India, China, and Russia have sent aid to assist in the rescue of survivors, but rescue teams from the U.S. have been notably absent. Additionally, extreme heat and heavy rain have also tremendously increased the risk of diseases, such as cholera, complicating rescue efforts. On Wednesday, April 2, state-run MRTV said a unilateral government ceasefire would take immediate effect for 20 days to support relief for the earthquake, pausing the strife between the ruling military junta and the various resistance groups, according to “Reuters.”
The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) is proposing to cut its budget for 2026-2027 from $5.3 billion to $4.2 billion, a total reduction of 21 percent. This is due to the impacts of the U.S. withdrawal from the organization under President Donald Trump’s administration. This decision, announced in January, cited reasons such as the W.H.O.’s response to COVID-19 and its failure to implement necessary reforms. Under U.S. law, the withdrawal process will take one year. The U.S currently supplies 18 percent of the W.H.O.’s total funding. According to “Reuters,” the W.H.O.’s staff are working to secure additional funding from countries, private donors, and philanthropists. This significant budget cut raises concerns about the W.H.O.’s ability to sustain global health initiatives, particularly in low-income regions.
Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, rejected direct talks with the U.S. this Sunday. The response came after President Donald Trump sent Iran a letter to open negotiations, according to “AP News.” The demands further stress the already-strained relationship between the two rivals, concerning the crisis in the Middle East and Iran’s nuclear program. The U.S. has been fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, while the International Atomic Energy Agency stated that Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium. Nevertheless, according to “Reuters,” Iran still wishes to continue indirect talks through longtime channel Oman.
On Wednesday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced new plans to seize territory in the Gaza Strip, signaling a change in Israel’s tactics in the war. According to “The New York Times,” Israel plans on using such claimed territory to force Hamas to return at least 59 hostages. Previously, Israel stormed cities before withdrawing, but now has started to station forces in captured territory. Mr. Netanyahu has repeatedly emphasized that the end of the war must involve Hamas dismantling its arms, which it has rejected. Instead, Hamas officials are demanding an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal in exchange for the remaining hostages. President Donald Trump plans to meet with Netanyahu on Monday to discuss the latest military operations, writes “CBS News.” According to the United Nations, more than 200,000 people have been displaced since the cease-fire between the two groups broke down.
