Trump Faces Warning From China: “Stop Whining” About Tariffs as U.S. restricts Nvidia Chip Sales in Escalating Trade War

Key Points

• China urges U.S. to ‘stop threatening and blackmailing’ over apparent 245% tariff threat
• Trump admin sues Maine over participation of transgender athletes in girls sports
• Nvidia will face a $5.5 billion setback due to U.S. restrictions on sales to China.
• China’s media suggests the U.S. should cease complaining about trade issues.

Trump states ‘Substantial Headway!’ following discussion with Japanese trade mission

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 10:49 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump shared the following on Truth Social earlier today:

It was quite an honor to meet with the Japanese delegation recently regarding trade matters. Significant progress has been made!

Trump claims the cost of gas and groceries has gone down. Have they?

Wednesday 16 April 2025 22:40
,
Oliver O’Connell

President
Donald Trump
claims he’s driving down the cost of everyday goods such as
groceries
and gasoline with his policies but data from the consumer price index indicates only some products are getting cheaper.

The average prices of gasoline, bread and tomatoes have gone down since Trump took office in January but the cost of other goods
such as eggs
and beef have risen. Those numbers, reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, also have not reflected the impact of
tariffs
.

However, that hasn’t prevented the president from expressing optimism regarding consumer prices, as he continues to do so.

Ariana Baio

reports.

Trump asserts that the prices of gasoline and food items have decreased. Is this true?

California was the first state to file a lawsuit against Trump regarding his tariff proposal.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 10:30 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

California
has become the first state in the nation to sue Donald Trump over his
“imprudent and unheard-of” tariff proposal
, which is projected to wipe billions off the U.S. economy.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday by Governor
Gavin Newsom
and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, argues that as a “global leader in trade,” the Golden State will bear “an inordinate share” of the costs that result from the sweeping levies.

Mike Bedigan

reports.

Gavin Newsom’s California becomes the first state to sue Trump over his tariff plan

Scramble underway to stop Trump tariffs hitting Britain’s pharmaceutical industry

Wednesday 16 April 2025 22:20
,
Oliver O’Connell

Pharmaceutical bosses and the government are racing
to stop
Donald Trump
from slapping tariffs on medicines in a move that would significantly impact Britain’s multibillion-pound industry.

The
US president has warned he will impose a 25 per cent levy on foreign drugs
, which would devastate UK giants GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca.

America is by far the largest market for the firms, making up 40 per cent of AstraZeneca’s revenue, worth more than £20bn.

Archie Mitchell

reports from London.

Scramble underway to stop Trump tariffs hitting Britain’s pharmaceutical industry

Wall Street ended sharply lower on chip export restrictions and Fed chair remarks

Wednesday 16 April 2025 22:13
,
Oliver O’Connell

Wall Street ended sharply lower on Wednesday as Nvidia warned about steep charges from new U.S. restrictions on its chip exports to China and as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated that U.S. economic growth appears to be slowing.

Powell, in remarks for the Economic Club of Chicago, mentioned that larger-than-expected tariffs likely indicate higher inflation and slower growth. However, he pointed out that the U.S. economy is still in a solid position and that the Fed is awaiting greater clarity before considering policy changes.

Stocks added to declines from earlier in the day following Powell’s comments, with Nvidia and other chipmaker stocks among the biggest decliners.

Nvidia announced late on Tuesday
that it would take $5.5 billion in charges
Following the U.S. government’s move to restrict exports of its AI chip known as H20 to China, a crucial market for one of its top-selling products.

Based on initial figures, the S&P 500 dropped 120.84 points, equivalent to a 2.24% decline, closing at 5,275.79 points. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite slid 513.57 points, marking a drop of 3.05%, finishing at 16,309.60. Additionally, the Dow Jones IndustrialAverage decreased by 695.17 points, representing a fall of 1.72%, ending up at 39,673.79.

With reporting from Reuters

The IRS reportedly plans to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 10:10 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

The Internal Revenue Service is planning to rescind the tax-exempt status of Harvard University,
CNN reports
, according to two sources who are knowledgeable about the situation.

The network also mentioned that a final choice regarding the removal of the university’s tax-exempt status should be announced shortly.

The report comes a day after President Donald Trump threatened to strip the university of its tax-exempt status and stated that Harvard should apologize after the school rejected what it called unlawful demands to overhaul academic programs or lose federal grants.

Musk claims to be ‘No. 2 after Trump for assassination’

Wednesday 16 April 2025 22:05
,
Oliver O’Connell

Elon Musk claimed that he was “#2 after Trump for assassination,” in text messages to a former partner who claims to be
the mother of one of his children
.

The technology tycoon messaged Ashley St Clair, with the text being reviewed by the
Wall Street Journal,
as evidence for the idea that “only the paranoid thrive,”
ensure his name isn’t on the child’s birth certificate
.

St Clair told the outlet that she had been ordered not to put Musk’s name on the official document, and warned not to hire an attorney by Musk’s longtime fixer, Jared Birchall.

Mike Bedigan

reports.

Musk says he ranks as ‘Number two after Trump’ for assassination threats.

White House says Abrego Garcia will never set foot in U.S. again

Wednesday 16 April 2025 21:58
,
Oliver O’Connell

At today’s short-notice White House briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says of the wrongly deported father, Kilmar Abrego Garcia: “Abrego Garcia is an illegal alien, MS-13 gang member and foreign terrorist who was deported back to his own country… Abrego Garcia will never be a Maryland father. He will never set foot in the United States again.”

Why RFK is contradicting his own department with autism investigation

Wednesday 16 April 2025 21:40
,
Josh Marcus

Robert F. Kennedy Jr sits atop a government agency that spends $45 billion a year on medical research. The best scientists in the world, with access to the most technologically advanced equipment and cutting-edge artificial intelligence, are at his disposal.

But with confidence that only a Kennedy heir could muster, the health secretary dismissed the findings of those scientists Wednesday, instead announcing his intention to find the
real
the truth regarding what he referred to as an “epidemic” of autism.

“What we should shift focus away from today is the belief that continuous rises are merely due to improved diagnostics, enhanced detection, or modifications in diagnostic standards,” he stated during a media briefing organized to present his personal analysis of an autism report released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

“This epidemic denial has become a feature in the mainstream media. And it’s based on an industry canard,” he continued.

What one person calls a canard is another’s solid scientific proof, as that was exactly the reasoning provided.
the report
from his own department. It noted that the likely cause for a rise in the number of children being diagnosed with autism — from one in 36 Americans under the age of 8 in 2020, to one in 31 in 2022 — was the better availability of diagnoses.

Read our full story for more context.

RFK Jr plays medical detective as he contradicts his own department on autism

WATCH: White House briefs media amid Harvard funding row and tariff fallout

Wednesday 16 April 2025 21:23
,
Josh Marcus

Abrego Garcia: CNN anchor shouts down GOP rep for accusing her of ‘false reporting’

Wednesday 16 April 2025 21:20
,
Oliver O’Connell

CNN anchor Pamela Brown shut down a Republican congressman who accused her of “false reporting” about the Supreme Court ruling that the Trump administration must “facilitate” the return of
a Maryland man wrongfully deported
, pointing out his attempt to “stage a moment” that would earn praise from the White House.

“Allow me to complete my statement!” Brown exclaimed at one moment.

Justin Baragona

has the story.

CNN host interrupts Republican representative for alleging false reporting on Abrego Garcia

.Powell states that the Fed can afford to hold off on any interest rate changes

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 9 PM
,
AP

The
Federal Reserve
may choose to remain patient and observe the impact of the tariff measures and other economic strategies implemented by the Trump administration prior to adjusting interest rates, as stated by the Chair.
Jerome Powell
said Wednesday.

“For now, we are adequately prepared to await more definitive information” regarding the effects of policy modifications in sectors like immigration, taxation, regulation, and tariffs, according to Powell.

Continue reading…

Powell says Federal Reserve can wait on any interest rate moves

Concern in U.K. over risks to children if PM agrees to U.S. demands for trade deal

Wednesday 16 April 2025 20:40
,
Oliver O’Connell

British Prime Minister Sir
Keir Starmer
has been warned that giving in to
The U.S. insists on freedom of expression
Securing a trade deal will be detrimental to children.

Concerns have emerged following statements from allies of Vice President JD Vance.
The Independent
that he wants the UK to repeal hate speech laws and ditch plans for a new online safety law in exchange for a trade deal that could see the UK avoid tariffs.

He has previously claimed that free speech is being undermined by laws banning hateful comments, including abuse targeting LGBT+ groups or other minorities, and sees UK legislation aimed at improving online safety as an attack on U.S. tech giants.

David Maddox

and

Harriette Boucher

report from London.

Starmer warned children will be at risk if he agrees US free speech demands

Powell says Trump tariffs even larger than Fed’s upside estimates

Wednesday 16 April 2025 20:25
,
Reuters

The tariffs rolled out by President Donald Trump were larger than even the highest estimates prepared by the Federal Reserve ahead of time, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday.

“The tariffs are larger than forecasters had expected, certainly larger than we expected, even in our upside case,” Powell said in response to a question at an event at the Economic Club of Chicago.

As she draws massive crowds with Bernie Sanders, AOC hauls in staggering $9.6m in just three months

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 8:20 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

New York
Democratic Rep.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
raised $9.6 million during
The initial quarter of this year witnessed an impressive fundraising effort.

The sum exceeds twice that of her next best quarter.
and progressive supporters urge her to take on New York Senator
Chuck Schumer
the Democratic Party’s Senate leader, during the primary in 2028.

Gustaf Kilander

checks the figures.

AOC rakes in $9.6 million in merely three months as she attracts huge crowds alongside Bernie.

China to blast US for bullying, trade war at UN

Wednesday 16 April 2025 20:06
,
Reuters

China will next week convene an informal United Nations Security Council meeting to accuse the United States of bullying and “casting a shadow over the global efforts for peace and development” by weaponizing tariffs.

The move comes as Beijing pursues a hardline stance in an escalating trade war with Washington triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs on items imported from China.

“All countries, particularly developing nations, are victims of unilateralism and bullying practices,” read the concept note for the informal U.N. meeting on “the impact of unilateralism and bullying practices on international relations.”

The invitation letter, sent to all 193 U.N. member countries, calls them to participate in the gathering scheduled for April 23. It particularly takes aim at the United States due to its imposition of tariffs.

“Through the use of tariffs as an instrument of immense pressure, the U.S. has significantly breached international trade regulations, leading to substantial disruptions and instability within the worldwide economy and the multilateral trading framework, thereby undermining global initiatives towards peace and progress,” stated the concept note.

The U.S. mission to the UN passed along a request for commentary regarding China’s scheduled gathering to the State Department; however, they have yet to receive an immediate response.

The UN trade body stated on Wednesday that worldwide economic expansion might decelerate to 2.3%, due to escalating trade disputes and uncertainties fueling a downturn.

Recent poll uncovers surprising levels of mistrust among American conservatives toward scientific findings.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 8 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

New findings from social psychologists at the University of Amsterdam,
published in the journal
Nature Human Behavior,
indicates that America’s conservatives have an even deeper mistrust of science than was previously recognized.

The researchers queried 7,800 Americans about their views on 35 distinct scientific careers and analyzed these responses according to whether participants self-identified as either conservative or liberal.

They found that members of the public who described themselves as right-leaning were overwhelmingly more likely to distrust
scientists
, particularly those whose work in fields such as climate may not align with their political ideology.

Joe Sommerlad

looks at the findings.

Shocking extent to which American conservatives distrust science revealed in new poll

Van Hollen was denied an opportunity to visit or communicate with Abrego Garcia.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 7:54 PM
,
Alex Woodward

Senator Chris Van Hollen mentioned that when he requested from El Salvador’s vice president an opportunity to meet with Kilmer Aguirre Garcia, the response was, “You must arrange your schedule ahead of time to visit CECOT.”

I mentioned that at this time, I am not keen on touring CECOT; instead, I simply wish to meet with Mr. Abrego Garcia,” Van Hollen stated from San Salvador. “However, he informed me that arranging such a meeting was not possible.

He also mentioned that he couldn’t guarantee a visit the following week.

So I inquired whether I could use a videophone or simply a regular phone to speak with Mr. Abrego Garcia.

He was also denied that, he said.

Asked if his family or wife could speak with him, “he said he was not sure whether he could make that happen.”

“We have an unjust situation here,” Van Hollen said.

A reporter also asked him if he thinks he’s still alive.

He said he doesn’t know his health status, which is why he’s trying to meet with him.

Watch: Powell says Fed will never be influenced by political pressure

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

Special guest featured in recently unveiled White House briefing

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 7:45 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

Stay tuned…

Van Hollen states that the El Salvador government has no proof indicating Abrego Garcia is associated with MS-12.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 7:45 PM
,
Alex Woodward

Senator Van Hollen conducted a live session from El Salvador after being barred from meeting with Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

He stated that the Trump administration is “falsely claiming he has been accused of a crime or is linked to MS-19. This is untrue.”

“And this is a life to cover up what they did. … They illegally abducted Mr. Abrego Garcia from Maryland and sent him to CECOT.”

He asked El Salvador’s vice president whether or not El Salvador has any evidence that he’s part of MS-13 or has committed a crime.

“The government of El Salvador has no evidence he is part of MS-13. Why is El Salvador continuing to hold him in CECOT?” he said. “And his answer was the Trump administration is paying El Salvador, the government of El Salvador, to keep him in CECOT.”

Zuckerberg reportedly cozied up to Trump so he could settle Meta’s FTC lawsuit for fraction of total

Wednesday 16 April 2025 19:40
,
Oliver O’Connell

Mark Zuckerberg
, the CEO of
Meta
, supposedly aimed to bypass an antitrust lawsuit trial by proposing a settlement with the
Federal Trade Commission
For $450 million instead of $30 billion, and wanted his ally, President
Donald Trump,
to help.

In March, the CEO of Facebook reached out to the chairperson of the FTC to explore the possibility of negotiating an agreement to bypass a legal trial concerning allegations made by the FTC.
was a breach of antitrust laws when it acquired Instagram and WhatsApp
, according to
a
Wall Street Journal
report.

Zuckerberg reportedly offered $450 million, though the FTC wanted $30 billion.

Ariana Baio

has the details.

Zuckerberg cozied up to Trump to settle his FTC lawsuit for less: report

‘Smug, self-assured bulls***’: JD Vance rants online about deportation critics

Wednesday 16 April 2025 19:33
,
Oliver O’Connell

Vice President JD Vance has lashed out on X at critics of the Trump administration’s mass deportation plan.

After journalist Jesse Singal accused him of having “mortgaged his morality and his legacy” for “joining the Trump bandwagon,” Vance said: “I hate this smug, self-assured bulls***.”

Vance parodied arguments against him as: “’I know I’m right, and people must be dumb or immoral to disagree with me.’”

The vice president continued: “It’s an easy way to go through life, because then you never have to think seriously about why your worldview is a justification for the mass invasion of the country my ancestors built with their bare hands.”

He continued in a separate tweet:

None of these people can articulate a deportation standard that:

1) would satisfy left-wing critics of the administration’s immigration policy;

2) would satisfy their intuitions about what “due process” is required;

3) would be workable given resource constraints; and

4) would permit deportation of most of the illegal immigrants allowed under Joe Biden’s administration.

They want to nullify the results of a democratic election. It’s that simple.

Here are the posts:

Texas Democrat pleads guilty to posting fake racist comments in order to garner sympathy

Wednesday 16 April 2025 19:20
,
Oliver O’Connell

A former Democratic political candidate from
Texas
has pleaded guilty after being accused of
using fake social media accounts
To throw racial slurs at both himself and his boss in an attempt to win voter support during their individual campaigns.

Taral Patel, aged 31, admitted guilt to two misdemeanor charges related to falsely representing himself as a candidate. The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s office reported this information. As part of his sentence, he was placed under two years of probation and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

James Liddell

has the story.

Texas Democratic member admits guilt for submitting fabricated hate remarks to gain compassion.

Watch: Eric Garcia from The Independent questions Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding his assertions about an alleged autism “epidemic.”

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 7:07 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

Biden criticized Trump’s reductions to Social Security, but what does the president have planned?

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 7 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

Even as President
Donald Trump
has claimed there will be no cuts to
Social Security
payments, there are widespread fears among recipients and
Democrats
that the
retirement and disability program will be slashed.

More than 70 million people receive benefits via the
Social Security Administration (SSA), with more than 20 percent of the federal budget for the 2024 fiscal year being spent on the program, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found.

The agency is under scrutiny from the Department of Government Efficiency.
DOGE
), led by
Elon Musk
, asserts that his team has uncovered billions of dollars in waste and fraud within the federal government. He often makes this claim.
that deceased individuals are collecting Social Security benefits.

In his initial significant address following his departure from the White House, the ex-President spoke about various topics.
Joe Biden
criticized the Trump administration’s attempts to reduce the size of the SSA on Tuesday evening.

Gustaf Kilander

reports from Washington, D.C.

What is happening to Social Security under Trump as Biden condemns president’s plans

Trump officials blocking court testimony from Social Security head over program’s ‘death list’

Wednesday 16 April 2025 18:40
,
Oliver O’Connell

The acting head of the
Social Security
Administration rebuffed a federal
judge
’s request to appear at a hearing to “clarify” reports alleging that the
Trump
administration
is placing thousands of immigrants on the agency’s “death master file” to harass them out of the country.

U.S. District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander heard arguments on Tuesday over whether to extend her temporary restraining order blocking the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from obtaining access to identifying records at the
Social Security Administration.
The order is set to expire on Thursday.

Kelly Rissman

has the details.

Trump officials blocking court testimony from Social Security head over ‘death list’

Angry voters ask Senator Grassley if they can ignore court orders like Trump

Wednesday 16 April 2025 18:20
,
Oliver O’Connell

Angry voters pelted Iowa’s Republican
Senator Chuck Grassley
Tuesday with complaints and questions about the
Trump administration’s
apparent defiance of an order from
the Supreme Court.

“If I get a court order to pay $1,200, can I just say no? Because he [Trump] just got an order from the Supreme Court and he just said NO!” said a very perturbed gentleman in the crowd of about 100 at a packed town hall meeting in Fort Madison, Iowa.

Mary Papenfuss

has the story.

Listen to voters ask Sen. Grassley if they can ignore court orders like Trump

Watch: RFK Jr claims autistic children will never go on dates or pay taxes

Wednesday 16 April 2025 18:19
,
Oliver O’Connell

RFK Jr claims autistic children will never go on dates or pay taxes

Stefanik mulls run for New York governor position, report indicates

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 6:00 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who belongs to the Republican Party, is considering running for the position of Governor of New York. This information comes from two people close to the situation.
told NBC News.

A source stated that Stefanik is seriously contemplating a bid following support from individuals in New York, figures within the Trump sphere, and GOP financiers.

After President Donald Trump removed Stefanik’s nomination as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and requested she remain in Congress instead, she was awarded a fresh leadership position within the House. The party is worried about maintaining their slim majority in the lower chamber.

Stefanik reports having $10 million in available funds based on campaign finance documents, and she has previously outperformed Trump within her constituency.

Mike Lawler, another Republican representative from New York, is contemplating a run for governor as well.

The New York Democratic Governor, Kathy Hochul, will be running for another term in 2026.

Maybe as a sign of backing, this morning, the president shared on Truth Social: “Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is FANTASTIC!!!”

Jesse Watters: ‘Everyone knows’ wearing a Chicago Bulls hat ‘means you’re MS-13’

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 5:50 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

Fox News star
Jesse Watters
backed the Trump administration’s claim that an illegally deported Maryland man is a dangerous terrorist, arguing on Tuesday night that
Kilmar Abrego Garcia
wearing a Chicago Bulls hat “means you’re MS-13” and you “hang around with high-ranking gangsters.”

Justin Baragona

has the story.

Jesse Watters says ‘everyone knows’ that wearing a Bulls hat ‘means you’re MS-13’

Complete narrative: Officials associated with Trump confront criminal contempt charges for disregarding a judge’s directives in the Alien Enemies Act litigation.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 5:40 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump
’s
administration
might face criminal contempt charges for disregarding a federal judge’s instructions to redirect aircraft carrying suspected Venezuelan gang members who were being expelled to an infamous El Salvadorian prison, utilizing a wartime statute authorized by the president.

On Wednesday, Judge James Boasberg ruled that the government’s decision not to bring back those flights to the United States shows “a deliberate disregard” which is significant enough for the court to determine that there is sufficient evidence to consider the Government guilty of criminal contempt.

The Court did not come to this decision easily or quickly; in fact, it provided Defendants plenty of chances to correct or clarify their behavior,” he stated. “However, none of their explanations have been adequate.

Alex Woodward

has been keeping track of the case for
The Independent
.

Trump officials face criminal contempt after defying judge’s orders

Fort Benning takes back its old name, but no longer honors Confederate general

Wednesday 16 April 2025 17:30
,
AP

The Army is restoring the name Fort Benning to its storied training post in
Georgia
, solely for honoring an 18-year-old corporal who served in
World War I
rather than a
Confederate
general.

A ceremony to formalize the name change is set for Wednesday at the facility located just outside of Columbus.

Continue reading…

Fort Benning restores its former name, now to commemorate a distinct serviceman.

Nvidia faces a $5.5 billion charge following a pledge of a $500 billion U.S. investment – did Trump get his wish?

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 5:15 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

Nvidia
has become the most recent organization affected by the repercussions of President Trump’s actions
ongoing changes in the trading industry
, as the chip manufacturer declared a $5.5 billion (£4.1 billion) charge due to export restrictions imposed on China.

One of the world’s most valuable companies by market capitalisation, Nvidia’s
share price has suffered a dramatic fall
in 2025, touching around $150 in the first week of the year before sinking to below $100 in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s initial tariff announcement.

While the share price has since clawed back some ground, closing above $112 in Tuesday’s market, evening news of the latest hit – and announcing licences being required for some further exports – sent it falling more than five per cent once more in pre-trading, leaving Nvidia approaching 20 per cent down year to date again and wiping $150bn from its market cap.

Yet all this comes after the promise of US-based investment to the tune of half a
trillion
money – and they aren’t alone in doing this. This raises the question: has the Trump administration achieved its goals?

Karl Matchett

reports for
The Independent
.

Nvidia incurs a $5 billion charge even with $500 billion U.S. investment – did Trump achieve his goals?

Judge determines ‘likely justification’ to charge the Trump administration with contempt regarding Venezuelan immigrant deportations.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 5:14 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

Judge James Boasberg has determined that there is sufficient evidence to find the Trump administration in contempt for failing to comply with his directive to return flights under the Alien Enemies Act case involving Venezuelans deported to El Salvador.

Read the full opinion here

The administration must either fix their mistake by April 23 or submit a filing “identifying the individual(s) who, with knowledge of the Court’s classwide Temporary Restraining Order, made the decision not to halt the transfer of class members out of U.S. custody on March 15 and 16, 2025.”

Boasberg further writes: “The Court ultimately determines that the Government’s actions on that day demonstrate a willful disregard for its Order, sufficient for the Court to conclude that probable cause exists to find the Government in criminal contempt.”

Here’s our earlier reporting on the case:

Supreme Court sides with Trump over Alien Enemies Act deportations

EDITORIAL: The US needs to understand that truth and trade are not interchangeable

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 5 PM
,
The Independent

In typical scenarios, when governments negotiate trade deals, they often focus on what could be referred to as fundamental matters, both figuratively and occasionally quite directly—issues related to basic necessities like food and daily provisions.

Tariffs, quotas, regulations… these are the issues that consume negotiators for months, if not years—witness how uncomfortably the Brexit process has unfolded. Regarding the ongoing trade discussions between the UK and the US, they are unfolding differently from the norm.

The potential elements of an aspirational transatlantic pact have been discussed intermittently over several years, though not without limited progress. It has only been recently that this has gained more traction.
with the second coming of Donald Trump,
has Britain been asked to exchange truth for trade. Yet that is, in effect, what the Trump administration will require of Sir Keir Starmer if he is to achieve what has eluded all of his predecessors since the Brexit vote in 2016.

As
The Independent
exclusively reveals
, for the first time in such trade talks, Britain will be asked to adopt a political, indeed “Trumpian” view of the world quite at odds with its traditions and its democratically approved laws.

Read on…

The US needs to understand that truth and trade are not interchangeable

Maryland senator arrives in El Salvador to try and return wrongly-deported man

Wednesday 16 April 2025 16:44
,
Oliver O’Connell

Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen is now in El Salvador to meet with U.S. embassy officials in the country’s capital to discuss Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s release from the country’s notorious prison.

Van Hollen aims to meet with Salvadoran authorities and Abrego Garcia personally during his visit.

The Trump administration remains unperturbed by the senator’s initiatives, insisting without proof that Abrego Garcia is both a gang affiliate and an individual involved in human trafficking.

One of UK’s largest company sees shares hit hard by Trump tariffs

Wednesday 16 April 2025 16:40
,
Oliver O’Connell

One of the UK’s largest public listed companies has seen its share price sink by 25 per cent on Wednesday, after reporting a lower annual forecast for 2025 and
warning over the “uncertainty”
caused by
Donald Trump
’s
tariffs
.

Bunzl is a distributor business which supplies other companies around the world with essential everyday goods such as food packaging and labels for supermarkets, catering equipment for restaurants, and masks, gloves and gowns for hospitals.

Having held a market capitalisation in excess of £10bn, the share price crash of the
FTSE 100
company has seen more than £2bn wiped off that total in hours after CEO Frank van Zanten cited a “challenging trading environment”.

Karl Matchett

reports from London.

One of UK’s largest companies sees £2bn wiped off shares through Trump tariffs impact

Watch: Duffy suggests federal money may be pulled from California high speed rail

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 4:36 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

Complete narrative: The WTO indicates that worldwide trade might decline this year due to President Trump’s tariff policies.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 4:20 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

The
World Trade Organization
indicates that global merchandise trade volumes may decline by approximately 0.2% this year because of shifts in U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and tensions with various countries.
China
However, it would suffer a much heavier blow if Trump follows through with his harshest “reciprocal” tariffs.

The reduction in trade will be notably severe in
North America
even without the stiffest tariffs, the global trade forum said Wednesday, with exports there this year expected to fall by 12.6% and imports by 9.6%.

Read on…

World Trade Organization says global trade could slide this year because of Trump’s tariff policies

Inside Musk’s plan to make a ‘legion’ of babies and get to Mars to save civilization — while paying moms to keep quiet

Wednesday 16 April 2025 16:09
,
Oliver O’Connell

Elon Musk
has a plan to populate the world with more babies of “high intelligence” — and it’s all part of his wider mission to one day occupy Mars to save civilization.

That is according to an explosive report by the
Wall Street Journal
regarding the world’s wealthiest individual and how MAGA supporter Ashley St Clair became entangled in his “love triangle controversy.”

St. Clair, who is 26 years old, came forward with her allegations that
She and Musk became parents to a child in February.
She now asserts that the millionaire proposed a single payout of $15 million, along with an ongoing monthly sum of $100,000 until her child reaches 21 years old, as compensation for keeping quiet.

Rhian Lubin

reports.

Within Musk’s strategy to create a ‘throng’ of infants and reach Mars to preserve humanity.

Watch LIVE: RFK Jr reveals CDC findings after vowing to uncover cause of autism ‘by September’

Wednesday 16 April 2025 15:59
,
Oliver O’Connell

AP accuses Trump White House of defying court order restoring access

Wednesday 16 April 2025 15:47
,
Oliver O’Connell

The Associated Press accused aides to President Donald Trump of defying a court order that restored its access to press events in the White House after a judge determined the news agency had faced unlawful retaliation.

In
a court filing on Wednesday
, lawyers for the AP accused the White House of continuing to exclude its journalists from the small pool of reporters who travel with the president and attend events in the Oval Office, in violation of U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden’s order lifting those restrictions while a lawsuit moves forward.

McFadden discovered that the White House had unfairly treated the Associated Press by persisting in using the term “Gulf of Mexico” in their reporting instead of “Gulf of America,” as instructed by Trump. The court indicated that this action by the White House probably breached constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech.

The White House has challenged McFadden’s decision at a federal appeals court, with hearings scheduled for Thursday.

As stated in today’s document:

The new policy abandons the longstanding role of wire services, which have been included in the pool since its inception to assure that White House reporting reaches the broadest possible audience in the United States and around the globe as quickly and reliably as possible.

This change marks the latest reduction in wire service participation, which the White House continues to use as a pretext for targeting the AP.

…

The new policy did not include any list of participating outlets or schedule for their rotation into the pool, further underscoring the lack of any indication that the White House has in fact “immediately rescinded” its viewpoint-based exclusion of the AP’s text journalists and photographers.

The White House announced on Tuesday that all wire services, including Reuters and Bloomberg, would no longer have a permanent position in the press pool. The AP contended that the new policy was in clear violation of the previous order and served as a pretext for further retaliation against the AP. Both Reuters and the AP issued statements denouncing the new policy, which places wire services into a larger rotation with around 30 other newspaper and print outlets.

Other media clients, including local news organizations without a presence in Washington, depend on the wire services’ real-time reports of presidential statements, just as global financial markets do. The AP states in its stylebook that the Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for over 400 years, and, as a global news agency, the AP will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name chosen by Trump.

With reporting from wires

NY AG Letitia James targeted for criminal prosecution by Trump admin

Wednesday 16 April 2025 15:40
,
Oliver O’Connell

New York Attorney General
Letitia James
, who prosecuted President
Donald Trump
for alleged financial crimes, has been hit with a federal criminal referral over mortgage fraud allegations, according to a letter
obtained by
The New York Post
.

James, 66, launched a civil fraud case against Trump and his business empire in 2022, accusing him of inflating the value of
Trump Organization
The proceedings concluded with Judge Arthur Engoron instructing the newly elected president to pay a $354 million penalty along with accrued interest.

Here’s a letter from Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte to the U.S. Attorney General now.
Pam Bondi
claims that James “tampered with documents” in August 2023 to obtain home loans for a property in Norfolk, Virginia, which she claimed was her “primary residence,” despite continuing to serve in her position in New York.

Joe Sommerlad

has the story.

The New York Attorney General, Letitia James, was targeted for criminal prosecution during the Trump administration.

Starmer’s ‘freedom day’ from Trump’s falsehoods with a fresh EU customs agreement

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 3:20 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

Andrew Grice

writes:

Prior to last year’s election, several pro-European Union supporters who backed Keir Starmer pondered if a Labour-led government might pursue more ambitious goals regarding European relationships than those outlined by him.
dark red lines in its manifesto
: no return to the single currency, the
customs union
or free movement.

One aide told me then: “We might be able to forge
a
customs union without rejoining
the
[existing] customs union.”

The prime minister has transformed relations with EU leaders but stuck rigidly to his three red lines. However, since Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day,” some senior Labour figures have quietly revived the idea of a new customs arrangement with the EU to “liberate” the UK to limit the
impact of US tariffs
. One Labour MP told me: “Trump has put it back on the agenda.”

Read on…

Starmer’s ‘liberation day’ from Trump lies in a new EU customs deal

Top Hegseth advisor removed from Pentagon and placed on leave amid leak investigation

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 3:00 PM
,
Joe Sommerlad

Dan Caldwell, a top advisor to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was allegedly removed from the Pentagon on Tuesday due to being identified as a potential leaker of information, as reported by a government official.

Graig Graziosi

has the story.

Top Hegseth advisor removed from Pentagon and placed on leave amid leak investigation

WTO reduces 2025 trade expansion prediction, cautions about potential severe downturn.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 2:45 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

On Wednesday, the World Trade Organization significantly adjusted its prediction for worldwide merchandise trade, shifting expectations from substantial expansion to contraction. The organization warned that additional U.S. tariff measures along with associated impacts might lead to the most severe downturn since the peak of the Covid-19 crisis.

The WTO forecasted a drop of 0.2% in merchandise trade for this year, which is revised downward from their previous prediction in October of a 3.0% growth. They stated that this updated projection takes into account the policies implemented as of early this week.

“I am deeply worried because the slowdown in the expansion of global merchandise trade is quite troubling,” said WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to journalists in Geneva.

President Donald Trump imposed additional duties on steel and car imports, as well as more sweeping global tariffs, before unexpectedly pausing higher duties on a dozen economies. His trade war with China has also intensified, with tit-for-tat exchanges pushing levies on each other’s imports beyond 100%.

The WTO stated that if Trump reintroduced the full rates of his broader tariffs, it would reduce goods trade growth by 0.6 percentage points, with an additional 0.8 point cut resulting from spillover effects beyond U.S.-linked trade.

Taken together, this would result in a 1.5% decline, the steepest drop since 2020.

“If we experience a reduction in international goods trading, there’s a worry that this could extend to overall economic output. We’ve observed how trade-related worries can lead to adverse effects across financial sectors and various parts of the economy,” Okonjo-Iweala stated additionally. She further sounded an alert regarding the repercussions for less developed nations.

With reporting from Reuters

Trump slapping 21 percent tariff on tomatoes coming from Mexico

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 2:40 PM
,
Joe Sommerlad

The president’s 2019 trade deal with Mexico will come to an end within 90 days, at which point a tariff of 20.91 percent will be applied to most imported tomatoes from the nation, as stated by the U.S. Department of Commerce earlier this week.

The move marks the latest action Trump has taken against one of the largest U.S. trading partners.

Kelly Rissman

reports.

Feeling bold! Trump imposing a 21 percent tariff on Mexican tomatoes.

Complete narrative: The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against Maine due to the involvement of transgender athletes in girls’ sporting events.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 2:34 PM
,
AP

The
Trump
The administration is taking legal action against Maine’s education department because they have not adhered to the government’s efforts to prohibit transgender athletes from participating in girls’ sports.

The move is an escalation in the dispute over whether Maine is abiding by a federal law barring discrimination in education, based on sex.

The lawsuit follows
weeks of feuding between the Republican administration and Democratic Gov. Janet Mills
.

Continue reading…

Trump administration sues Maine over trans athletes in girls’ sports

Vances to travel to Italy and India on seven day trip

Wednesday 16 April 2025 14:30
,
Oliver O’Connell

CBS News reports
that Vice President JD Vance will travel to Italy this week to participate in Holy Week events and will then head to India with his wife, Usha, the first Hindu American second lady.

The seven-day visit will begin this Thursday, when Vance will go to Rome to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni before meeting with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to participate in ceremonies ahead of Easter Sunday.

It’s unclear if the Vice President will meet with Pope Francis, who was recently hospitalized for 38 days to treat double pneumonia.

The Pope was critical of the Trump administration’s immigration policies in a letter to the U.S. Catholic bishops earlier this year.

Vance, who converted to Catholicism six years ago, is the second Catholic to be elected Vice President — the first being former President Joe Biden. Biden was the second Catholic president, the first being John F. Kennedy.

The vice president is not expected to participate in talks with Iranian negotiators regarding Tehran’s nuclear program, which will also be taking place in Rome on Saturday, a Vance spokesperson told CBS.

Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration’s special envoy to the Middle East, will continue to lead those negotiations with the Iranian government.

In India, the Vice President will visit New Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra. The Vice President will hold meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Vice President and Second Family will also participate in engagements at cultural sites.

Recap: Trump officials won’t share evidence accusing deported Maryland father of ‘human trafficking’

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 2:25 PM
,
Joe Sommerlad

The president appeared to be venting his frustration on social media a short while ago over the persistent press coverage surrounding the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case.

Here’s

Alex Woodward

with the latest.

Trump officials won’t share evidence accusing Maryland father of ‘human trafficking’

Watch: AG Bondi takes legal action against Maine over transgender athlete policy

Wednesday 16 April 2025 14:17
,
Oliver O’Connell

Tech moguls who invested in Greenland mining have also given Trump’s campaign $243m, report alleges

Wednesday 16 April 2025 14:10
,
Joe Sommerlad

The Big Tech moguls and other wealthy individuals who donated to Trump’s 2024 campaign could financially profit if the United States takes over Greenland, given their deepening financial ties there.

Here’s

Kelly Rissman

to explain.

Tech moguls invested in Greenland mining also gave Trump campaign $243m: report

Trump admin sues Maine over participation of transgender athletes in girls sports

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 2:08 PM
,
Oliver O’Connell

On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced it has filed a lawsuit against Maine’s education authority for not adhering to the government’s initiative to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports. This move intensifies the debate about whether the state is following a federal statute that bans gender-based discrimination in educational settings.

The legal action comes after weeks of tension between the Republican-led administration and Democratic Governor Janet Mills. This has led to threats aimed at withholding vital federal funds and a confrontation at the White House where she informed the president, “We’ll see you in court.”

“We will keep fighting for women,” Attorney General Pam Bondi declared during a press briefing with Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer who has become a prominent figure against transgender athletes.

The Trump administration’s Departments of Education and Health and Human Services have indicated that the Maine agency is out of compliance with federalTitle IX anti-discrimination legislation by permitting transgender females to compete on female teams.

Watch: Marjorie Taylor Greene claims she gets ‘the most death threats in Congress’ following a town hall disrupted by protesters.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 1:55 PM
,
Joe Sommerlad

Here’s the Trump-supporting Georgia representative on the angry scenes at her constituency gathering last night, which saw at less three members of the public removed, one of whom was Tasered by police officers.

Trump officials blocking court testimony from Social Security head over program’s ‘death list’

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 1:42 PM
,
Joe Sommerlad

The interim leader of the Social Security Administration dismissed a federal judge’s demand to attend a hearing aimed at “elucidating” claims suggesting that the Trump administration is adding numerous immigrants to the agency’s “death master file” as part of an effort to hassle them into leaving the country.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander presided over arguments regarding the potential extension of her temporary restraining order, which currently prevents the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from gaining access to identifiable documents held by the Social Security Administration.

The order is set to expire on Thursday.

Here’s

Kelly Rissman

’s report.

Trump officials blocking court testimony from Social Security head over ‘death list’

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warns US could lose credibility over Trump trade war

Wednesday 16 April 2025 13:26
,
Joe Sommerlad

The chief executive of JPMorgan Chase has warned that President Donald Trump’s trade war could cause the United States to lose credibility overseas, while also urging the administration to “engage” in talks with China sooner rather than later.

Dimon, 69, was one of the most influential voices to come forward last week to predict that sliding into recession was “a likely outcome” for the U.S. if the president did not row back his aggressive reciprocal tariffs program.

Trump duly did so, introducing a 90-day pause for all countries other than China as punishment for its near like-for-like retaliatory measures, acknowledging that the markets had gotten “a bit yippy”.

As conservatives cheered the about-face as a brilliant display of political acumen, doubt persists.

In an interview with
The Financial Times
on Wednesday, Dimon expressed his fear that America could surrender its economic preeminence on the world stage if Trump persists with his efforts to remould global trade more to his liking.

Here’s more.

Jamie Dimon warns US could lose credibility over Trump trade war

FTSE 100 slips as Bunzl’s forecast cut weighs on market

Wednesday 16 April 2025 13:00
,
Joe Sommerlad

Britain’s benchmark index slipped on Wednesday as shares in support services giant Bunzl hit a multi-year low after the distributor lowered its annual forecast, while a softer domestic inflation print at 2.6 percent did little to boost investor sentiment.

As of 10.20am, the blue-chip FTSE 100 index was down 0.3 percent and the midcap index fell 0.5 percent.

Both indexes rallied in the previous session after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated possible exemptions on auto-related levies.

Reuters

Trump rages about illegal immigrants: ‘It’s my job to get these killers and thugs out of here’

Wednesday 16 April 2025 12:45
,
Joe Sommerlad

Apparently referring to the controversy involving Kilmer Abrego Garcia (who has no criminal history and was mistakenly deported to a large prison in El Salvador according to admissions from those in charge), the president criticizes Joe Biden’s handling of immigration at the southern border as he defends his own policies or lack thereof.

As for this follow-up, your guess is as good as mine:

A summary of Trump’s conflict with Harvard

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 12:34 PM
,
Rachel Clun

The Trump administration has
froze over $2.2 billion in funds
to Harvard University, with the president having labeled the institution a ‘joke’ amid an intensifying dispute between the White House and universities.

The administration has singled out seven prominent U.S. colleges and universities, ordering them to revamp their leadership, governance, and college admission procedures to combat anti-Semitism on campuses. They have also mandated the elimination of all diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

On Monday, Harvard replied, emphasizing the efforts undertaken throughout more than a year to transform the university into an inclusive environment for everyone. They also stated they would not succumb to the White House’s requests.

“The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” its letter said.

Other Ivy League schools have been met with similar demands, including Cornell, Brown, and Princeton.

Alan Rusbridger

writes that withholding funds from leading universities that refuse to bend to the president’s wishes show the true colours of the US administration.

Read that analysis here

Trump says Harvard has ‘lost its way’

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 12:22 PM
,
Rachel Clun

President Donald Trump has criticized Harvard University following the institution’s refusal to comply with White House requests for changes in its management.

“He posted on social media this morning that everyone believes Harvard has ‘strayed from its path.'”

“Harvard has been hiring almost all woke, Radical Left, idiots and ‘birdbrains’ who are only capable of teaching FAILURE to students and so-called ‘future leaders.’ Look just to the recent past at their plagiarizing President, who so greatly embarrassed Harvard before the United States States Congress.

“Many others, like these Leftist dopes, are teaching at Harvard, and because of that, Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World’s Great Universities or Colleges.

He continued: “Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Singapore ‘cannot rule out’ recession due to trade war

Wednesday 16 April 2025 12:11
,
Rachel Clun

Singapore’s trade minister warned he couldn’t rule out a recession because of Donald Trump’s trade war.

Singapore has been hit with the Trump administration’s baseline tariff increase of 10 percent, and Gan Kim Yong said Singaporean companies have already been affected by the trade war between the U.S. and China.

He added additional tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceutical industries would have an additional impact on the economy.

Gan stated that due to possible downsides, a recession later this year can’t be completely ruled out.

“Those who have manufacturing operations in China or sell to manufacturers in China for onward sales to the U.S. are already seeing cancelled orders or deferred orders.”

Gan’s comments came after the Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in a lecture that the tariff changes had created global instability.

“No company can comfortably plan long-term investments while knowing that the tariff rates could be changed at a moment’s notice,” Wong said.

Trump orders investigation into potential new tariffs on critical minerals

Wednesday 16 April 2025 11:59
,
Rachel Clun, Reuters

President Donald Trump has ordered an investigation into potential new tariffs on all critical mineral imports to the U.S.

The move, on top of tariffs on steel, aluminum and baseline 10 per cent duties on most US trade partners, would be a major escalation in the global trade war and would add pressure on China, which is a top critical mineral producer.

Trump signed an order on Tuesday directing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to start a national security review under the Trade Expansion Act.

Asked on Wednesday to react to the order, China’s foreign ministry said: “Artificial interference in the supply chain violates the laws of the market economy and international trade rules.”

China urges U.S. to ‘stop threatening and blackmailing’ over apparent 245% tariff threat

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 11:48 AM
,
Rachel Clun

China’s foreign ministry has called on reporters to ask the White House about a recent fact sheet that states China is subject to 245 percent tariffs imposed by the U.S.

The document released by the White House on Tuesday stated that China now has to deal with a 245% tariff on goods imported into the United States due to its countermeasures. However, the paper didn’t specify how an additional 100% levy would be applied.

When questioned regarding the fact sheet, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated, “You should direct this matter to the U.S. side,” as reported by Chinese state media.

Lin reaffirmed that the trade war began with the U.S., and China has merely responded by safeguarding its own interests.

“He stated that if the U.S. truly wishes to resolve the issue via talks and negotiations, it must abandon its strategy of exerting intense pressure, cease threats and coercion, and participate in discussions with China grounded in equality, respect, and mutual benefit,” as reported by China Daily.

Trump states that discussions with Japan commence today.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 11:25 AM
,
Rachel Clun

Donald Trump says trade negotiations with Japan will start today, and he will personally attend the meeting.

“Today, Japan will be negotiating tariffs, the costs associated with military support, and ‘FAIR TRADE,’ ” he posted on social media.

“I will attend the meeting, along with Treasury & Commerce Secretaries. Hopefully something can be worked out which is good (GREAT!) for Japan and the USA!”

The president imposed “reciprocal” tariffs of 24 per cent on Japan, which have since been paused for 90 days.

However, the broad-based 10 per cent tariff remains, as does a 25 per cent tariff on vehicles exported to the U.S.

How much additional income might increased U.S. tariffs bring in?

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 11:16 AM
,
Rachel Clun

earlier today, President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. is “collecting RECORD AMOUNTS in Tariffs.” However, what do various projections say about the amount of money these tariffs might bring in as revenue?

As stated by the non-profit organization Tax Foundation, the mean effective tariff rate—which factors in alterations in behavior following the imposition of combined tariffs—will increase to 11.5 percent.

The organization predicts that in reaction to increased tariffs, goods coming into the U.S. will
all by just over $800 billion in 2025
, or 25 percent.

It estimates that a 10 percent universal tariff, which remains in place despite the pause on higher tariffs, could raise $2.2 trillion
over the next decade
.

International bank ING said it appears the Trump administration is looking to gain
an extra $600 billion to $700 billion annually.

Gold prices rise to new high

Wednesday 16 April 2025 11:11
,
Rachel Clun

Investors have continued to flock to the safe bet of gold, with bullion prices rising to a fresh highGold prices have risen to a fresh high of $3,318.

The uncertainties surrounding Donald Trump’s tariff proposals propelled gold into a continued upward trajectory, with the precious metal reaching yet another peak at $3,318 per ounce—a rise of almost 3 percent—thus exceeding the prior high recorded on Monday.

On Wednesday, Asian and European stocks declined, with U.S. semiconductor company Nvidia experiencing losses as well because of American limitations on chip exports to China during the continuing international trade conflict.

ANZ, an Australian bank, revised its prediction for gold prices to reach $3,600 per ounce by year-end, citing increased demand for this haven asset as their reasoning shared on Wednesday.

In images: Chinese President tours Malaysia

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 11:05 AM
,
Rachel Clun

Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a state visit to three countries in South East Asia, amid global uncertainty and turmoil over new U.S tariffs on trading partners.

Xi came to Malaysia today following his trip to Vietnam, with plans to go to Cambodia afterward.

Donald Trump impose reciprocal tariffs of 49 percent on Cambodia, 26 percent on Vietnam and 24 percent on Malaysia before pausing those steep increases for 90 days late last week.

Xi is using the visits to strengthen bilateral relations with the South East Asian nations.

Why do tariffs on Taiwan matter?

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 10:54 AM
,
Rachel Clun

Before suspending an increase in duties, Donald Trump imposed “reciprocal” tariffs of 32 percent on imports from Taiwan. However, he mentioned that tariffs on semiconductors would go up later this week.

Taiwan holds a significant position as one of the leading semiconductor manufacturers globally, contributing approximately 20 percent to the worldwide sector.

Semiconductors play a crucial role in computer chips, and Taiwan similarly leads this sector by producing 92 percent of the world’s most advanced chips, as stated in a report by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS).
U.S. International Trade Commission
.

Potato chips form the foundation of contemporary technology, appearing in devices like iPhones, computers, and vehicles.

U.S. lawmakers tour Taiwan amid looming 32% tariffs

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 10:42 AM
,
Rachel Clun

Three U.S. senators are traveling to Taiwan to talk about bilateral relations and trade between the two nations amid looming tariffs of 32 percent on Taiwanese products sent to the United States.

Republican Senator Pete Ricketts, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on East Asia, is leading the delegation that will be in Taiwan until April 19, the American Institute in Taiwan said in a statement.

Also going on the visit is Republican senator Ted Budd and Democrat senator Chris Coons.

“The delegation will participate in multiple high-level discussions with prominent Taiwanese officials to address topics such as U.S.-Taiwan ties, regional stability, commerce and investments, along with various other key matters of shared concern,” the institute stated.

Their trip highlights the U.S.’s dedication to its alliance with Taiwan and reinforces our joint pledge to enhance a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

The U.S. is urging its trading allies to reduce their dependence on China, as reported.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 10:31 AM
,
Rachel Clun

The U.S. plans to use tariff negotiations to pressure other countries to limit their trade relationships with China, according to reports.

The U.S. wants commitments from dozens of countries facing higher tariffs on their goods exported to America that they will not allow Chinese companies to establish facilities on their territory, people with knowledge of the plan told the
Wall Street Journal
.

Negotiations will also be used to pressure trading partners to now allow the shipment of Chinese goods through their territory and to avoid bringing cheap industrial goods from China into their countries.

Neither the White House nor Treasury responded to the WSJ’s request for comment.

‘Ball is in China’s court’ on trade, White House says

Wednesday 16 April 2025 10:20
,
Rachel Clun

The top White House spokesperson said it was up to China to make a deal with America to resoved the ongoing trade war.

President Donald Trump imposed tariffs of up to 145 percent on Chinese goods to boost tax revenue and force China to make concessions, but so far the Chinese government has responded by raising tariffs on U.S. goods to 125 percent.

China has stated multiple times that although it does not seek out trade wars, it is also not intimidated by them.

The China Daily, which is an official Chinese media outlet, stated late last night that the U.S. “needs to cease complaining about itself as a victim in international trade.”

At a news briefing on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “the ball is in China’s court.”

“China needs to make a deal with us. We don’t have to make a deal with them. There’s no difference between China and any other country except they are much larger,” she said.

“And China wants what we have, what every country wants … the American consumer. Or to put it another way, they need our money.”

Watch: Biden slams Republicans over Social Security cuts

Wednesday 16 April 2025 10:09
,
Rachel Clun

In his first major speech since leaving office, former president Joe Biden hit back at Republicans for their attacks on Social Security.

“Social Security is more than just a government program,” he said
in a speech on Tuesday evening
. “It’s a sacred promise.”

Singapore’s leader says there is little comfort in tariff pause

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 9:59 AM

Singapore’s Prime Minister has expressed minimal reassurance over the U.S.’s decision to delay most of its planned “reciprocal” tariffs, noting that these alterations have generated significant ambiguity.

“The present base tariff rates remain significantly higher compared to their previous levels. These modifications have generated substantial uncertainty for enterprises across the board,” stated Lawrence Wong during a lecture on Wednesday.

No business can easily strategize for future investments when they’re aware that tariff rates might be altered instantaneously.

China’s president calls for ‘openness and cooperation’ around the world

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 9:47 AM

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged countries to “uphold the multilateral trading system”.

In an opinion piece for Malaysian English-language outlet The Star, Xi said China and Malaysia must “strengthen mutual cooperation in international and regional affairs”.

“We need to support the international system centered around the UN and the global order based on international law, as well as advocate for a more just and equitable approach to global governance,” Xi stated.

“We must uphold the multilateral trading system, keep global industrial and supply chains stable, and maintain an international environment of openness and cooperation.”

Xi is on a three-country tour of South East Asia, where countries face steep tariffs if fully imposed by the U.S. at the end of the 90-day pause.

JPMorgan chief warns trade war could cost U.S its credibility

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 9:32 AM
,
Rachel Clun

The leader of the worldwide financial services company JPMorgan Chase states that President Donald Trump’s trade conflict could jeopardize America’s standing internationally.

Jamie Dimon encouraged the Trump administration to interact with Beijing and reduce tensions from the trade war, as well as alleviate certain “troubling” uncertainties during an interview with the media.
Financial Times
.

“When the liberation day tariffs were announced, they were drastically different from what everyone anticipated. Far removed from expectations, which stunned the entire system—not just within the United States,” he stated.

He stated that the U.S. should engage in talks with major partners such as Europe, the UK, Japan, and Australia.

China portrays itself as the ‘global marketplace.’

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 9:12 AM
,
Rachel Clun

In response to the U.S. increasing tariffs, China has been striving to position itself as a reliable alternative.

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian wrote on social media a short time ago that “China is the world’s market and a source of opportunities for every country.”

The country’s president Xi Jinping is currently on a three-country tour of South East Asian countries, which face high tariffs from the U.S.

Xi arrived in Malaysia, where he said China was ready to work with the country to build a “high-level strategic” relationship, Chinese state media reports.

UK targeting ‘duty-free’ status in negotiations with US

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 9:00 AM
,
Rachel Clun

The U.K. government is aiming for “no tariffs” with the U.S as the countries continue negotiations over a trade deal.

The U.K. has been hit with 10 per cent tariffs, as well as 25 percent tariffs on its car exports to America.

Speaking on BBC radio this morning, minister Lilian Greenwood said British negotiators were “working night and day to secure a trade deal”.

“We have a very longstanding and good relationship with the United States. Obviously, things have been difficult in recent weeks with the announcement of tariffs,” she said.

Greenwood said the U.K. wanted to export to the U.S “with the minimum levels of tariffs possible”.

“Obviously, the minimum tariff possible would be zero tariffs altogether,” she said.

Asked if that was what the U.K. was aiming for, she said: “Of course, we’d be aiming for there to be no tariffs. But that’s part of a negotiation.”

Hong Kong halts U.S parcel shipments

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 8:46 AM
,
Rachel Clun

Hong Kong will cease sending small package deliveries to the U.S., following the Trump administration’s announcement of elevated tariffs on products from China.

Starting from May 2, packages valued at under $800 will be subject to a 120 percent duty, and according to an official announcement, Hong Kong Post stated they would no longer handle these import taxes for deliveries to the US.

“For shipments destined for the U.S., residents of Hong Kong ought to anticipate facing excessively high and unjustified charges as a result of the U.S.’s unfair and coercive actions,” the government stated.

Find the complete report here.

Which tariffs have been implemented so far?

Wednesday 16 April 2025 08:26
,
Rachel Clun

Donald Trump’s tariff regime has changed regularly, and the big news from last week was
the 90-day pause on aggressive “reciprocal” tariffs
on dozens of countries that the president claimed were ripping Americans off.

But other relatively new duties remain in place. Here’s what exporters to the U.S. currently face:

• A broad 10 per cent tariff on most exporters to the U.S., for all goods, unless tariffs already exist on those trading partners
• A 25 percent tax on every product coming from Canada and Mexico.
• A 25 percent tax on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S.
• A 25 percent tax on all automobiles and automotive components imported into the U.S.
• Duties of 145 percent on every product coming from China, with certain electronic items exempted.

The Trump administration has additionally announced plans to implement new tariffs on semiconductors, which are essential components of computer chips.

China names a new international trade negotiator.

Wednesday 16 April 2025 08:17

China has appointed a new top trade negotiator amid the ongoing trade war with the U.S.

Li Chenggang will replace Wang Shouwen as China’s envoy to the World Trade Organization.

Li was China’s assistant commerce minister during Donald Trump’s first term.

Earlier on Wednesday, China announced its economy had grown by 5.4 percent annually, due to strong exports.

Analysts are expecting that growth to slow significantly as tariffs from the U.S take effect.

Nvidia to take $5.5 billion hit as U.S restricts sales to China

Wednesday 16 April 2025 08:04
,
Rachel Clun

Major U.S chipmaker Nvidia says it will take a $5.5 billion hit after the U.S government limited exports of its most advanced product to China.

A U.S. Commerce Department spokesperson said it was issuing new licensing requirements for chip exports, including Nvidia’s H20, AMD’s MI308 and equivalents.

“The Commerce Department is committed to acting on the President’s directive to safeguard our national and economic security,” the spokesperson said.

The H20 is Nvidia’s most advanced chip available for sale in China, but on Tuesday the company said the government was restricting its sales because of the risks the chips could be used in a supercomputer.

Nvidia’s shares were down about 6 percent in after-hours trading.

Trump claims U.S taking ‘record’ tariffs

Wednesday 16 April 2025 07:51
,
Rachel Clun

Donald Trump claims the U.S is taking in record tariff revenue, which is helping to bring inflation down.

“The United States is taking in RECORD NUMBERS in Tariffs, with the cost of almost all products going down, including gasoline, groceries, and just about everything else,” he wrote on social media.

“Likewise, INFLATION is down. Promises Made, Promises Kept!”

U.S. ‘should stop whining’ over trade: Chinese media

Wednesday 16 April 2025 07:43
,
Rachel Clun

China’s official media outlet the China Daily said they U.S. “should stop whining about itself being a victim in global trade”.

In an editorial published on Tuesday evening, the outlet said Donald Trump’s “constaint refrain” that trading partners were ripping America off was a fabrication.

“The U.S. is not getting ripped off by anybody. The problem is the U.S. has been living beyond its means for decades,” the editorial said.

“It consumes more than it produces. It has outsourced its manufacturing and borrowed money in order to have a higher standard of living than it’s entitled to based on its productivity. Rather than being ‘cheated’, the U.S. has been taking a free ride on the globalization train.”

The editorial went on to say: “Instead of complaining about perceived grievances in international commerce and engaging in erratic and harmful actions, the U.S. ought to dedicate itself to collaborating with its trading allies. They should work together to create a modern, equitable, open, and World Trade Organization-focused global trade framework.”