Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Lauds Trump’s Knowledge Of Ukraine Conflict

Apr 12 2025, 20:50

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday commended U.S. President Donald Trump, saying he had a clearer understanding of the Ukraine conflict than any other Western leader.

“When we speak about eliminating root causes of any conflict, including the Ukrainian conflict, this is the only way to resolve the problem and to establish long-lasting peace. Remove root causes,” Lavrov said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in southern Turkey.

“President Trump was the first and so far, I think, almost the only one among the Western leaders who repeatedly, with conviction, several times stated that it was a huge mistake to pull Ukraine into NATO. And this is one of the root causes which we quoted so many times.”

President Vladimir Putin, who launched Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has long cast Ukraine’s tilt to the West, including its desire to join NATO, as a threat to Russia.

Lavrov’s remarks followed talks in St. Petersburg on Friday between Putin and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff about the search for a peace deal.

Witkoff has emerged as a key figure in the on-off rapprochement between Moscow and Washington. However, Friday’s talks took place at a time when U.S.-Russia dialogue aimed at agreeing a ceasefire ahead of a possible peace deal appears to have stalled over disagreements around conditions for a full pause in hostilities.

Commenting on an agreement between Ukraine and Russia to pause strikes on each other’s energy facilities, Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow has been keeping its word and accused Kyiv of striking Russian energy infrastructure almost every day.

“I gave to our colleagues from Turkey, to (Foreign) Minister (Hakan) Fidan, what we gave to the Americans, to the U.N., to the OSCE – the list of facts listing the attacks by Ukraine during the last three weeks against Russian energy infrastructure.”

Ukraine has made similar accusations against Russia since the U.S.-backed moratorium was approved.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Georgia Becomes First US State To Introduce Bill To Recognise ‘Hinduphobia’

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 20:40

Georgia has become the first U.S. state to introduce a bill to formally recognise ‘Hinduphobia’ and anti-Hindu prejudice, according to media reports.

If the bill becomes law, the penal code in Georgia will be updated and consequently enable law enforcement agencies to consider Hinduphobia and take appropriate action, reported Wion News.

The introduction of the bill became significant since Indian-origin lawmakers have been voicing concerns over a rise in Hindu-hatred cases in the country.

The bill, SB 375, dated April 4, was introduced in the Georgia General Assembly, the state legislature, and its sponsors include both Democrats and Republicans, reported Wion.

The four sponsors of the bill are Georgia State Senate members Shawn Still and Clint Dixon, both Republicans, and Democrats Jason Esteves and Emanuel Jones.

Advocacy Group Welcomes

The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), an advocacy group, welcomed the move and said history will be created if the bill is passed in future.

The group wrote on X handle: “The State of Georgia has introduced SB 375, which formally updates the state’s penal code to recognize Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu prejudice, and enables law enforcement and other agencies to consider Hinduphobia while cataloging such discrimination and taking appropriate action.”

“We are proud to work closely with Senator @SenShawnStill on this important bill and thank him along with Senator @emanueldjones, Senator @jasonesteves, and Senator @VoteClintDixon for supporting the needs of the Hindu community in Georgia and the United States,” the group said.

“We also thank Hindus of Georgia PAC for their leadership in this important initiative,” the statement posted on X handle further said.

“SB 375 builds upon the important work that we started in April 2023, when Georgia became the first state to pass a County Resolution condemning Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry while celebrating the positive contributions of Hindus in Georgia and beyond,” the statement said.

The advocacy group said it is looking forward to advocating for the bill once the Georgia legislative session reopens.

(With inputs from IBNS)

US Human Rights Advocates File Lawsuit To Block Trump’s Sanctions On ICC Prosecutor

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 20:23

Two U.S. human rights advocates, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), on Friday filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s sanctions on the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The advocates argue that an executive order Trump signed in February imposing sanctions on ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan and barring U.S. citizens from providing services benefiting him unconstitutionally chills their free speech, in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Bangor, Maine.

Fortify Rights co-founder Matthew Smith and international human rights lawyer Akila Radhakrishnan say the order bars them from speaking with the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor, including by providing legal advice and evidence, in violation of their rights under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.

The White House and ICC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The ICC, which opened in 2002, has international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in member states or if a situation is referred by the U.N. Security Council.

Trump’s ICC Sanctions

Trump’s February 6 order authorised potentially far-reaching economic and travel sanctions on people who work on ICC investigations of U.S. citizens or U.S. allies such as Israel, repeating action he took during his first term.

The order specifically imposed sanctions on Khan, who is British. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control added him to a registry of sanctioned individuals and entities days later.

Trump’s order also said that U.S. citizens who provide services for the benefit of Khan or other sanctioned individuals could face civil and criminal penalties.

The ICC and dozens of countries have condemned the sanctions, pledging to stand by its staff and “continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all situations before it.

In Friday’s lawsuit, Smith and Radhakrishnan said they had been forced as a result of Trump’s order to cease human rights work involving the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor in which they had been seeking justice for victims of atrocities.

Smith, who lives in Maine, said he had previously provided the office evidence of atrocities against the Rohingya, a minority Muslim group in Myanmar. Radhakrishnan said she has advised the office on investigating gender-based violence committed against Afghan women under the Taliban.

“This executive order doesn’t just disrupt our work—it actively undermines international justice efforts and obstructs the path to accountability for communities facing unthinkable horrors,” Smith said in a statement.

(With inputs from Reuters)

EU Mulls Defence Fund To Address Debt Concerns Over Military Gear

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 19:59

European Union (EU) finance ministers began discussions on Saturday on a joint defence fund that would purchase and own military equipment, charging member states a usage fee—an effort to boost defence spending without increasing national debt burdens.

The EU-proposed defence fund, called the European Defence Mechanism, was proposed by the Bruegel think tank in a paper for the ministerial discussions as a way of addressing concerns about how highly indebted countries could pay for costly military equipment.

It is part of a broader European effort to prepare for a potential attack from Russia as EU governments realise they can no longer fully rely on the United States for their security.

“It’s a good starting point for discussion,” Portuguese Finance Minister Joaquim Miranda Sarmento said.

Several other EU countries also expressed initial support, noting that setting up such a fund could be technically relatively simple because it would be based on the model of the euro zone bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism.

“We’ll still have several issues in terms of the mandate, the finance, the contributions, and the leverage in the market. There are several issues on the financing, but also on the military aspect,” Sarmento said.

The EU is already looking to boost military spending by 800 billion euros ($876 billion) over the next four years by loosening its fiscal rules on defence investment and jointly borrowing for large defence projects against the EU budget.

But such options increase national debt – a worry for many high-debt countries – while the Bruegel idea would provide a way to keep some of the defence investment off national books.

Open To Non-EU Countries

The fund would be established under an intergovernmental treaty and have substantial paid-in and callable capital, allowing it to borrow on the market.

The EDM could admit members from outside the EU, such as Britain, Ukraine or Norway. Because the fund would own the equipment it buys, the debt incurred to pay for it would stay on the EDM’s books, rather than national accounts.

The EDM would also promote a single European market for defence equipment to lower costs and pool resources.

Defence procurement and production in the 27-nation EU is highly fragmented with at least seven different types of tanks, nine types of self-propelled howitzers and seven types of infantry fighting vehicles, which increases costs, reduces interoperability and hinders economies of scale.

“We have to consider the possibility of creating new instruments … to reinforce the defence capacities of Europe,” Sarmento said.

The fund could focus on “strategic enablers” – costly military infrastructure and equipment armies need to operate – now often provided by the United States.

These include joint command and control systems, satellite-based intelligence and communication, development of expensive new weapon systems such as fifth- or sixth-generation fighter jets, integrated weapon systems needed by multiple countries like strategic air defence, strategic large-scale air transport and maritime logistics, missiles and nuclear deterrence.

The Bruegel paper on the EDM said Europe had a chance to reduce its military dependence on the U.S. by 2030 only if it pooled procurement to the greatest extent possible and created a common European defence market, including Britain as a major industrial defence player to boost competition.

($1 = 0.9128 euros)

(With inputs from Reuters)

Global Trade May Shrink 3% Due To New US Tariffs, Says UN Trade Agency

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 19:24

Global trade is expected to contract by up to 3% due to the United States’ newly imposed tariffs, but the measures could ultimately pave the way for stronger regional trade ties, the chief of a UN trade agency said on Friday.

“There will be shifting, I think, in supply chains, and there will be a reassessment of global alliances. There will be geopolitical shifts and economic as well,” said Pamela Coke-Hamilton, head of the International Trade Centre (ITC).

90-Day Pause

Speaking in Geneva after Wednesday’s announcement by the White House of a 90-day pause on “reciprocal tariffs” for most countries with the exception of China, Mrs. Coke-Hamilton noted that exports from Mexico had already been “highly impacted” by earlier seismic changes to US trade policy.

“Countries like Mexico, China and Thailand, but also countries in southern Africa, are among the most affected, alongside the US itself,” she said.

While the 90-day pause on the so-called reciprocal tariffs applies to imports from most countries and brings down rates to a still hefty 10%, tariffs on imports from China currently stand at 145%.

China, meanwhile, has raised tariffs against US exports – in effect, import taxes on goods – to 125%.

Already, Mexico’s products for export have shifted away from markets such as the US, China, Europe and other Latin American countries to make “modest gains” instead in Canada, Brazil, “and to a lesser extent, India”, the ITC chief insisted.

Shifts In Trade Flows

Other countries have followed suit, including Vietnam, whose exports “are redirecting away from the US, Mexico and China”, while “increasing substantially” towards the EU, Republic of Korea and others, said Mrs. Coke-Hamilton, whose UN specialised agency offers assistance to developing countries.

The problem for emerging economies is that they are less well equipped to “pivot” when faced with “instabilities”, the ITC chief explained, since they often lack the manufacturing diversity and ability to add value to raw commodities of more industrialized nations.

Especially vulnerable trading partners of the US include Lesotho, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Madagascar and Myanmar which are “the most exposed”, she continued.

Confirming that the World Trade Organization (WTO) had estimated that commerce between China and the US could drop by up to 80 per cent if the highly unusual situation continues, the ITC Executive Secretary pointed out that they constituted only “three per cent to four per cent of world trade…[so] there is 96 per cent out there that is still trading and that will trade”.

‘No Stability’

Nonetheless, the impact of the “indeterminate extension of 90 days on and on” has not been good for global commerce and “does not necessarily lend itself to stability”, Mrs. Coke-Hamilton continued.

“Irrespective of whether there is an extension, on and on, the fact that there is no stability, there is no predictability will affect trade and firms and decisions that are being made in real time.”

She added: “This would not be the first time that there have been tremors in the world economic system. We have seen it over the last 50 years in different dispensations. This one is probably a little more harsh, a little more tremulous.”

(With inputs from IBNS)

Pennsylvania Man Charged Over Threats To Kill Trump, Other Officials

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 19:08

A 32-year-old man from Pennsylvania has been charged with making online threats to kill President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials.

The person was identified as Shawn Monper.

Threat From Butler, PA

The US Department of Justice said in a statement, “Shawn Monper, 32, a resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with making threats to assault and murder President Donald Trump, other U.S. officials, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.”

Attorney General Responds

Attorney General Pamela Bondi appreciated investigative officials for identifying and apprehending the man before he could carry out his threats against Trump and other US officials.

In a statement, she said: “Rest assured that whenever and wherever threats of assassination or mass violence occur, this Department of Justice will find, arrest, and prosecute the suspect to the fullest extent of the law and seek the maximum appropriate punishment.”

Threats Posted To YouTube

According to the federal criminal complaint, on April 8, the FBI National Threat Operations Section (NTOS) received an emergency disclosure regarding threats posted to YouTube by user “Mr Satan.”

The Department said Federal agents determined that the threatening statements occurred between January 15 to April 5.

“The subsequent federal investigation affirmed that the internet activity associated with ‘Mr Satan’ corresponded with Monper’s residence,” the statement issued by the US Department of Justice said.

The investigation further established that Monper sought and obtained a firearms permit shortly following President Trump’s inauguration.

Suspect Arrested

The FBI, with the assistance of the Butler Township Police Department, arrested Monper on April 9.

“On April 10, Monper was ordered detained pending preliminary and detention hearings scheduled for April 14, at 1:00 pm,” the statement said.

Shawn Monper is from Butler, Pennsylvania, where President Donald Trump had escaped an assassination attempt last July while campaigning for the presidential polls.

(With inputs from IBNS)

WHO Members Near Deal On Preparing For Future Pandemics

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 18:53

Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) are nearing an agreement on a treaty to prepare for future pandemics, though discussions have been paused until Tuesday, sources said on Saturday.

The pact, which has been arduously negotiated for three years and which would be legally binding, is intended to shore up the world’s defences against new pathogens after the COVID-19 pandemic killed millions of people in 2020-22.

“They (the talks) went overnight until 9 a.m. (Saturday) but didn’t manage to resolve the final issues,” one source involved in the discussions in Geneva said.

A diplomatic source in Geneva added that “big advancement was made … almost all the treaty was agreed upon with few outstanding yet crucial issues”.

The talks missed a key deadline last year despite several rounds of late-night talks.

The negotiating body’s co-chair had earlier told the AFP news agency that it had reached an agreement “in principle”.

The United States, which was slow to join the early talks, left the discussions this year after new President Donald Trump issued an executive order in February withdrawing from the WHO and barring participation in the talks.

The other 192 members of the WHO who joined the discussions would be free to ratify the deal or not after it is formally adopted.

One of the most contentious issues between wealthy countries and developing states is how to share drugs and vaccines fairly to avoid the mistakes of the COVID era.

The negotiations have been vexed throughout by allegations from right-wing commentators, including in the U.S. but also Britain and Australia, that they could undermine national sovereignty by giving too much power to a U.N. agency.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus rejects such assertions and says the accord would help countries better guard against pandemic outbreaks.

This week in Geneva, a small group of campaigners protested against the talks with one holding up a sign with a fanged snake uncoiling itself from the WHO symbol, with the motto: “WHO ARE YOU TO TAKE AWAY MY FREEDOMS?!”

The agreement, if finalised, would be a historic victory for the global health agency. Only once in the WHO’s 75-year history have its member countries agreed to a treaty – a tobacco control accord in 2003.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Three Killed After Small Plane Crashes In South Florida

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 18:52

Hours after six people were killed in a helicopter tragedy in New York’s Hudson River, a small plane crashed and burst into flames near a highway in Boca Raton, Florida, killing three people on board on Friday, according to media reports.

“The aircraft had apparently some mechanical issues and went down here on Military Trail,” Michael LaSalle, assistant fire chief for Boca Fire Rescue, was quoted by ABC News as saying.

“Also, there was a car on the ground,” LaSalle said.

Man On Ground Injured

LaSalle said one man, who was present in the car, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The Cessna 310R aircraft took off from Boca Raton Airport at 10:15 a.m. and was heading to Tallahassee International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration told ABC News.

The small plane reportedly crashed near a Florida highway after remaining in the air for approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

Kurt Gibson, an aviation accident investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, told ABC News that the aircraft will be sent to an NTSB facility, and investigators are gathering video and interviewing witnesses as part of the agency’s probe into the crash.

He said a preliminary report on the incident is expected to be released in 30 days.

Plane ‘Flying Extremely Low’

An eyewitness named Dillon Smith, who was present at his office, told ABC News that he saw the plane flying “extremely low” and appearing like it would hit the roof of a nearby building.

“I saw the plane, basically, turn, come back, and I heard it and saw it go over our building,” Smith said.

“I just saw it drop below the trees” and “heard a boom,” Smith said.

Boca Raton Mayor Mourns

Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer reacted to the mishap and wrote on his X handle: “Our hearts are heavy today with this tragic loss of life. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and all affected. We are grateful for @BocaFireRescue and @BocaPolice and their continued work with other agencies. Our community is caring, strong, and resilient.”

NYC Helicopter Tragedy

At least six people, including three children, died after a helicopter, which they had boarded for sightseeing, crashed into the Hudson River in the US city of New York on Thursday.

A major water rescue operation was initiated after the mishap occurred.

The victims included Agustín Escobar, a Siemens executive, and his family, according to a law enforcement official who was quoted by CNN

According to reports, the family arrived in New York City from Spain.

The exact cause of the crash is still not known.

(With inputs from IBNS)

Trump Ends Deportation Protections For Afghans, Cameroonians

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 17:07

The Trump administration has ended temporary deportation protections for thousands of Afghans and Cameroonians in the U.S., a Homeland Security spokesperson said on Friday, marking the latest move in Trump’s broad immigration crackdown.

An estimated 14,600 Afghans eligible for Temporary Protected Status will now lose it in May. Some 7,900 Cameroonians had access to the status but will lose it in June under the termination.

U.S. President Donald Trump, a Republican, took office in January pledging to deport record numbers of migrants in the U.S. illegally. At the same time, he has swiftly moved to strip migrants of temporary legal protections, expanding the pool of possible deportees.

TPS Program

Trump has criticized high levels of illegal immigration under Democratic former President Joe Biden and said Biden programs offering legal status overstepped the bounds of the law.

The TPS program is available to people whose home countries experience a natural disaster, armed conflict or other extraordinary event. The status lasts 6-18 months, can be renewed by the Homeland Security secretary, and offers deportation protection and access to work permits.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem found that the conditions in Afghanistan and Cameroon no longer merited the protected status, spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

Trump tried to end most TPS enrollment during his 2017-2021 presidency but was thwarted by federal courts. A U.S. district judge in late March blocked his attempt at ending the status for Venezuelans, saying that officials’ characterization of the migrants as criminals “smacks of racism.”

Parole Revoked

The U.S. evacuated more than 82,000 Afghans from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021, including more than 70,000 who entered the U.S. with temporary “parole,” which allowed legal entry for a period of two years.

The Temporary Protected Status offered another avenue of protection. DHS said in 2023 that it was warranted due to armed conflict and insurgency in Afghanistan.

Advocates have said in recent days that migrants who entered the U.S. via a Biden-era app known as CBP One, including Afghans, have been receiving notices revoking their temporary parole and giving them seven days to leave the country.

McLaughlin confirmed this week that the department had revoked some migrants’ parole, saying DHS was “exercising its discretionary authority.” She did not provide the number of revocations.

“Affected aliens are urged to voluntarily self-deport using the CBP Home App,” she said in a statement.

The notices mirror messages sent in error last week to Ukrainians.

(With inputs from Reuters)

China: Beijing Issues Gale Alert, Unusual Weather Disrupts Travel

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 16:48

Emergency team members cut off tree branches following strong winds that damaged a power pole on a street, in Beijing, China April 12, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Beijing braced on Saturday as rare typhoon-like winds swept across northern China, closing historic landmarks, disrupting travel, and bringing unseasonal snow and hail to some areas.

Windows shook and trees crashed onto footpaths and cars, rocked by gusts of wind driven by a cold vortex from neighbouring Mongolia that sent temperatures plunging.

22 Millions Residents Warned

The winds, which started on Friday, are set to continue over the weekend, packing gusts of up to 150 kph (90 mph), the official Xinhua news agency said. They brought late snowfalls in Inner Mongolia and hailstones in southern China.

Beijing issued its second-highest gale alert this weekend, for the first time in a decade, warning 22 million residents to avoid non-essential travel as winds could potentially break April records dating from 1951.

After earlier warnings, some residents said they were very nervous but still managed to get around.

“It wasn’t as severe as I had imagined – not to the point where it was impossible to go out – though it is having some impact on daily life,” said 30-year-old local resident, surnamed Li.

Nearly 700 Flights Cancelled

By 2 p.m. (0600 GMT), winds had felled 703 trees in Beijing while 693 flights had been cancelled at Beijing’s two international airports – Beijing Capital and Beijing Daxing, state media reported.

The winds dominated social media chats, with many people expressing concern for food delivery workers braving the conditions.

“In weather like this, we can choose not to order delivery – it’s too hard for them,” one Weibo user wrote.

Sandstorms

The winds forced the postponement of a half-marathon set for Sunday featuring humanoid robots competing with humans in a bid to showcase China’s technological advances.

Sandstorms raging over a stretch from Inner Mongolia to the Yangtze River region crippled road travel in eight provinces, Xinhua and state broadcaster CCTV said.

Sandstorms were expected to impact Shanghai from Saturday afternoon through to Sunday morning.

Strong winds bringing sand and dust from Mongolia are routine in spring, but climate change has made weather events more extreme.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Presidential Frontrunner Simion Vows To Prevent U.S. Troop Exit From Romania

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 16:29

George Simion, leader of the opposition Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR), talks to media after submitting his candidacy for a repeat presidential election, in Bucharest, Romania, March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Andreea Campeanu/File Photo

Romania’s hard-right opposition leader George Simion, the frontrunner in the presidential election re-run, claims he is the only candidate capable of preventing a potential U.S. troop withdrawal from the country.

Romania, a European Union and NATO member, will repeat the two-round election on May 4 and 18 after the Constitutional Court made the initial ballot in December void following accusations of Russian meddling, which Moscow denied.

There are wider concerns in Romania over a potential cut in U.S. troop numbers in Europe and the future of NATO as U.S. media has reported that Washington is drawing up plans to cut troops in eastern Europe.

‘Natural Allies’

Simion, leader of the opposition Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR), Romania’s second-largest party, is an admirer of Trump and his MAGA movement.

“No longer having American troops in Romania seems dangerous to me and I am the only candidate who can stop that,” Simion said during a marathon news conference late on Friday which lasted more than five hours.

“We are the natural allies, we are ideologically aligned with the Republican Party, the MAGA movement.”

Cancelling the December election placed Romania at the centre of a dispute between Europe and the Trump administration over free speech and suppressing political opponents.

Simion, who backed the cancelled election’s far-right pro-Russian frontrunner and is now his replacement, has called the cancellation a coup and said it made the U.S. more likely to cut its military presence in the country.

“I don’t know what those who made a coup on democracy on Dec. 6 would have expected from the United States, not to react, not to withdraw troops, recognise the election cancellation and applaud it?”

Growing Stature

Simion’s party has developed from a fringe anti-vaccination group during the COVID pandemic into the leading opposition force, appealing to the working-class diaspora and young voters and building on popular anger with mainstream politicians.

The 38-year-old has supported restoring Romania’s pre-World War Two borders, which include areas now in Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine, leading him to be declared persona non grata in the latter two countries.

On Friday he said a ban on him entering the two states were “abusive restrictions which were enforced by individuals with Soviet reflexes” and said it would end with his election.

A critic of the current European Union leadership, Simion has also said he would stop military aid to Ukraine, which borders Romania. He has opposed Holocaust education and gay marriage.

On Friday, he said he backed increasing defence spending provided it boosted Romanian industry.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Trump Administration’s Ambitious Trade Deals Face Hurdles

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 16:09

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attends at an Economic Club of New York event in New York City, U.S., March 6, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon/File Photo

The Trump administration aims to finalize 90 trade deals in 90 days, but significant challenges are already emerging that could hinder a swift resolution to the ongoing trade war.

European Union trade chief Maros Sefcovic will on Monday be among the first foreign trade officials to come to Washington for urgent negotiations about the steep tariffs that Trump announced on April 2. The bloc is among the biggest U.S. trade partners with nearly $1 trillion in two-way trade last year.

But when Sefcovic arrives, Trump’s top tariff negotiator, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, will be in Buenos Aires to show support for Argentina’s economic reforms rather than in Washington, even though Argentina accounts for a mere $16.3 billion in total annual trade with the U.S.

Bessent’s absence on Monday highlights doubts among trade experts about how effectively the administration can manage so many simultaneous negotiations and the overall prospects for reaching 90 deals in 90 days.

Opposite Views

“Teeing up these decisions is going to take some serious negotiations,” said Wendy Cutler, a former U.S. Trade Representative chief negotiator who heads the Asia Society Policy Institute. “There’s no way during this timeframe we’re doing a comprehensive agreement with any of these countries.”

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro countered on Fox Business Network on Friday that Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick could accomplish the job.

“So we’re going to run 90 deals in 90 days. It’s possible,” he said.

Ultimately, Trump, “the boss, is going to be chief negotiator. Nothing is done without him looking very carefully at it,” Navarro said.

‘Onus On Trump’s Team’

Trump started the 90-day countdown clock this week when he paused implementing his higher tariffs for many countries after financial markets went into a tailspin over fears of recession and inflation, among other factors. He said the 90-day pause would allow countries to reach bilateral deals with the U.S.

Regaining the confidence of financial markets is another critical objective during the 90 days. Investors sold U.S. Treasury debt this week, spiking interest rates and sending the dollar lower amid fears of a U.S. recession and resurgent inflation. Gold, a haven for investors in times of crisis, hit a record high.

Cutler said this turmoil would put pressure on the Trump team for some quick wins.

“The onus is going to be on them to show that they can quickly conclude agreements with countries and instill some confidence in the market and with other trading partners that there is an off-ramp here,” she said.

‘Huge Task’

Growing friction with China, which did not get a reprieve from new U.S. tariffs and imposed countertariffs in equal measure, added to the gloom this week.

Reaching trade deals that satisfy both Trump and financial markets is a “huge task,” Cutler said.

Instead, the Trump team will probably have to prioritize key countries and extend the 90-day pause for others, she said.

Even the smallest of Trump’s first-term trade deals, revising the automotive and steel provisions of the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement, took over eight months while the comprehensive U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade took more than two years.

But Greer, the USTR, said: “We can get to a point where the president can close these deals. He can negotiate, and if there’s a deal that’s good he can consider taking it, and if not, then he’ll have the tariff.”

‘Working Around The Clock’

The logistics of coordinating 90 sets of negotiations is just one hurdle for the thinly stretched administration.

Many key positions have not been filled and the officials who are there are often busy with other tasks, diplomats said, like the Treasury officials who met on Friday with Ukraine about a critical minerals deal.

Greer told Fox News that his 200-person staff was “working around the clock” as proposals were traded back and forth with foreign counterparts.

The Treasury has just one other senior official confirmed by the Senate, Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender. Trump has not even nominated anyone for the key post of undersecretary for international affairs, and a career official is serving in an acting capacity.

USTR, too, is relying heavily on career staff, with several key deputy positions requiring Senate confirmation unfilled.

No Fixed View

Another complicating factor is uncertainty about U.S. positions on trade matters, a second diplomatic source added, saying the top Trump trade advisers each had his own views.

Some countries, including Britain, Australia and others, have discussed trade with the administration since Trump’s inauguration in January, with little result.

“It’s not like there’s a sheet of paper with firm talking points that is changing hands,” said one diplomatic source. “It’s a process. And I’d say use the term ‘talks’, not ‘negotiations’.”

(With inputs from Reuters)

Taiwan Holds First Tariff Talks With US, Eyes Future Discussions

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 15:19

Taiwan officials held their first tariff talks with their United States counterparts on Friday, expressing hope for further discussions soon, according to the island’s government on Saturday.

While Taiwan, a major semiconductor producer facing tariffs of 32%, complained they were unfair, it moved quickly to lay out proposals with the United States, offering a zero-tariff regime and greater purchases and investments in the country.

In a statement, Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations said its officials held a video conference with U.S. officials whom it did not identify.

Tariff And Trade Talks

The talks focused on reciprocal tariffs between Taiwan and the United States, non-tariff barriers to trade, and a number of other economic and trade issues, including export controls, it added.

“Both sides look forward to conducting follow-up consultations … in the near future and jointly building a strong and stable economic and trade relationship between Taiwan and the United States,” it said.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside of Washington work hours.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would temporarily lower the hefty duties he had just imposed on dozens of countries, while further ramping up pressure on China.

Free Trade Deal

Home to the world’s largest contract chipmaker, TSMC, Taiwan has long sought a free trade deal with the United States, its most important international backer and arms supplier, even though the two have no formal diplomatic ties.

Taiwan faces increasing military and political pressure from its giant neighbour, China, which views the democratically governed island as its own territory.

Taiwan’s government rejects those claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future.

Taiwan Eyes Bigger Deal

Speaking to reporters at parliament in Taipei, Economy Minister Kuo Jyh-huei, who said on Thursday Taiwan could buy $200 billion more from the U.S. over 10 years and increase LNG imports as part of a trade deal, said it could be more than that amount.

“This is just the part from the economy ministry,” he said, adding much of the imports could be energy-related.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Chinese Citizens Fighting For Russia In Ukraine Are Mercenaries: US Officials

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 15:03

More than 100 Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in Ukraine are believed to be mercenaries with no apparent direct ties to the Chinese government, according to two U.S. officials familiar with American intelligence and a former Western intelligence official.

Chinese military officers have, however, been in the theater behind Russia’s lines with Beijing’s approval to draw tactical lessons from the war, the former official told Reuters.

The head of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific, Admiral Samuel Paparo, confirmed on Wednesday that Ukraine’s forces had captured two men of Chinese origin in eastern Ukraine after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country had information about 155 Chinese nationals fighting there on Russia’s behalf.

China Rejects Zelenskyy’s Claim

China, which has declared a “no-limits” partnership with Russia and has refrained from criticizing Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, had called Zelenskyy’s remarks “irresponsible” and said China was not a party to the war.

The U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Chinese fighters appear to have minimal training and are not having any discernible impact on Russia’s military operations.

The CIA, the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the National Security Council, as well as China’s embassy in Washington, did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

The former Western intelligence official with knowledge of the issue told Reuters there were about 200 Chinese mercenaries fighting for Russia with whom the Chinese government has no link.

But Chinese military officers have, with Beijing’s approval, been touring close to Russia’s frontlines to draw lessons and tactics from the war. The officers “are absolutely there under approval,” the former official said.

Chinese Support

China has for years provided Moscow with material support to help aid its war against Ukraine, primarily in the shipment of dual-use products – components needed to maintain weapons such as drones and tanks.

Beijing has also supplied Russia with lethal drones to use on the battlefield. In October, the Biden administration sanctioned for the first time two Chinese companies for providing weapons systems to Moscow.

Volunteers from Western countries, including the U.S., have been fighting for Ukraine since the early days of the war, and North Korea has deployed more than 12,000 troops to support Russian forces, thousands of whom have been killed or injured in combat.

(With inputs from Reuters)

NTSB Investigates Hudson River Helicopter Crash That Claimed Six Lives

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 14:53

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched an investigation on Friday into the crash of a tourist helicopter into New York City’s Hudson River a day earlier, which killed all six people on board, including three children.

The NTSB has a team of 10 investigators at the scene, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said. The team has begun examining the wreckage, which has been moved inside a building for closer review. “Everything is off the table,” Homendy said. “We don’t rule anything out.”

Deadly Crash

The tour helicopter plunged upside down into New York City’s Hudson River on Thursday afternoon, killing all six people on board, including a Spanish family with three children and the pilot.

The victims included Agustin Escobar, CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, the train transportation arm of Germany-based technology company Siemens, a company spokesperson told Reuters.

Homendy said the pilot had about 788 hours of total flight experience through late March. She added that dive teams were searching for components, including the main rotor and tail structure, that are believed to be in the river.

Video of the crash showed what appeared to be a large object plummeting into the river, followed seconds later by what appeared to be a helicopter blade. Afterwards, emergency and police boats were seen circling around a patch of river where the helicopter was submerged, with only what appeared to be the aircraft’s landing gear poking above the water’s surface.

The Bell 206 chopper, operated by New York Helicopter Tours, had departed at about 3 p.m. from a downtown helicopter pad and flown north over the Hudson, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

It turned south when it reached the George Washington Bridge and crashed minutes later, hitting the water upside down and getting submerged near Lower Manhattan at around 3:15 p.m., just off Jersey City.

Divers helped remove the victims – the pilot, another two adults and three children – from the water. Four were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others were taken to area hospitals where they died.

Crowded Airspace

The airspace around Manhattan is crowded with helicopters offering tourists a bird’s-eye view of the sights, with at least two dozen operators listed on the website Viator. Many of the operators also offer helicopter shuttle services to the area airports.

New York City has a history of accidents involving helicopters. In 2018, five passengers aboard a helicopter died when it crashed into the East River, while the pilot survived. The helicopter was on a charter flight that featured an open door to allow passengers to take photographs of the skyline.

Helicopter safety has been a topic of discussion in the U.S. Congress after 67 people were killed in a crash between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army helicopter on Jan. 29 near Washington, DC’s Reagan National Airport. The FAA has since permanently restricted helicopter traffic near the airport and is reviewing helicopter operations near other major airports.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Pentagon Removes Greenland Base Commander Following Vance’s Visit

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 12:48

The U.S. military has dismissed the commander of a U.S. Space Force base in Greenland after Vice President JD Vance visited the site, stating the Pentagon will not tolerate conduct that “subvert” President Donald Trump’s policies.

The Pentagon did not specify what exactly Colonel Susan Myers did but her dismissal, disclosed late on Thursday, followed publication of an email she wrote that questioned Vance’s assertions during his visit to the base last month.

Vance had accused Denmark of failing to protect Greenland from “very aggressive incursions from Russia, and from China and other nations,” without detailing the alleged aggression.

“I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the U.S. administration discussed by Vice President Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base,” Myers wrote, according to the news website military.com.

Reuters could not reach Myers for comment.

Trump’s Reasons

Trump has frequently said that the United States has a security imperative to acquire the island, which has been controlled by Denmark since 1721.

The Pentagon said she was fired due to a loss of trust and confidence. Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesperson, wrote on X: “Actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated at the Department of Defence.”

The Pentagon has been firing officers since Trump took office in January, in what appears to be a widening national security purge that has included the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the top Navy admiral and the military’s top lawyers.

Just earlier this week, the Pentagon also confirmed the firing of U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, who holds a senior position in NATO. Chatfield’s dismissal was first reported by Reuters.

Uniformed military officials are supposed to be loyal to the U.S. Constitution and apolitical.

(With inputs from Reuters)

U.S., Ukraine Hold Tense Talks As Mineral Deal Still Hangs In Balance

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 12:26

U.S. and Ukrainian officials held a meeting on Friday to discuss a U.S. proposal for access to Ukraine’s mineral resources, according to a source familiar with the talks. However, the chances of reaching an agreement were low due to the meeting’s “antagonistic” tone.

The strains in the Washington talks stemmed from the Trump administration’s latest draft proposal, which is more expansive than the original version, the source said.

“The negotiating environment is very antagonistic,” the source said, pointing to the “maximalist” draft submitted by the Trump administration last month.

A Treasury Department spokesperson confirmed the discussions, calling them “technical in nature.”

The latest draft would give the U.S. privileged access to Ukraine’s mineral deposits and require Kyiv to place in a joint investment fund all income from the exploitation of natural resources by Ukrainian state and private firms.

The proposed deal, however, would not provide U.S. security guarantees to Kyiv – a top priority of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – for its fight against Russian forces occupying some 20% of its territory.

The source said that one of the “Easter eggs” found in the document was a U.S. demand that the U.S. government’s International Development Finance Corporation take control of a natural gas pipeline from Russian energy giant Gazprom across Ukraine to Europe.

The Ukrainian government has hired law firm Hogan Lovells as an outside adviser on the minerals deal, the source said.

Zelenskyy on Wednesday said a minerals deal should be profitable for both countries and could be structured in a way that would help modernize Ukraine.

Top Ukrainian officials including Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko will be in Washington in two weeks for International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings, including a Ukraine-focused ministers’ meeting on April 25, multiple sources familiar with the plans said.

U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking a deal covering Ukraine’s minerals, which include prized rare earths, as part of his effort to end the war and as a way to recover billions of dollars in U.S. military assistance to Kyiv.

(With inputs from Reuters)

U.S. Immigration Judge Approves Deportation Of Palestinian Columbia Student Khalil

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 11:54

A U.S. immigration judge on Friday authorized the deportation of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, enabling President Donald Trump’s administration to move forward with its plans to expel the Columbia University student from the country, a month after his arrest in New York City.

The ruling by Judge Jamee Comans of the LaSalle Immigration Court in Louisiana was not a final determination of Khalil’s fate. But it represented a significant victory for the Republican president in his efforts to deport foreign pro-Palestinian students who are in the United States legally and, like Khalil, have not been charged with any crime.

Citing the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, Trump-appointed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined last month that Mahmoud Khalil could harm American foreign policy interests and should be deported for his “otherwise lawful” speech and activism.

Judge Denies Motion

Comans said that she did not have the authority to overrule a secretary of state. The judge denied a motion by Khalil’s lawyers to subpoena Rubio and question him about the “reasonable grounds” he had for his determination under the 1952 law.

The judge’s decision came after a combative 90-minute hearing held in a court located inside a jail complex for immigrants surrounded by double-fenced razor wire run by private government contractors in rural Louisiana.

Khalil, a prominent figure in the pro-Palestinian student protest movement that has roiled Columbia’s New York City campus, was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, holds Algerian citizenship and became a U.S. lawful permanent resident last year. Khalil’s wife is a U.S. citizen.

For now, Khalil remains in the Louisiana jail where federal authorities transferred him after his March 8 arrest at his Columbia University apartment building some 1,200 miles (1,930 km) away. Comans gave Khalil’s lawyers until April 23 to apply for relief before she considers whether to issue a deportation order.

An immigration judge can rule that a migrant cannot be deported because of possible persecution in a home country, among other limited grounds.

In a separate case in New Jersey, U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz has blocked deportation while he considers Khalil’s claim that his arrest was made in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment protections for freedom of speech.

Mahmoud Khalil Addresses The Judge

As Comans adjourned, Khalil leaned forward, asking to address the court. Comans hesitated, then agreed.

Khalil quoted her remarks at his hearing on Tuesday that nothing was more important to the court than “due process rights and fundamental fairness.”

“Clearly what we witnessed today, neither of these principles were present today or in this whole process,” Khalil said. “This is exactly why the Trump administration has sent me to this court, a thousand miles away from my family.”

The judge said her ruling turned on an undated, two-page letter signed by Rubio and submitted to the court and to Khalil’s counsel.

Khalil’s lawyers, appearing via a video link, complained they were given less than 48 hours to review Rubio’s letter and evidence submitted by the Trump administration to Comans this week. Marc Van Der Hout, Khalil’s lead immigration attorney, repeatedly asked for the hearing to be delayed. Comans reprimanded him for what the judge said was straying from the hearing’s purpose, twice saying he had “an agenda.”

Comans said that the 1952 immigration law gave the secretary of state “unilateral judgment” to make his determination about Khalil.

Khalil should be removed, Rubio wrote, for his role in “antisemitic protests and disruptive activities, which fosters a hostile environment for Jewish students in the United States.”

Legal Status Of Immigrants

Rubio’s letter did not accuse Khalil of breaking any laws, but said the State Department can revoke the legal status of immigrants who could harm U.S. foreign policy interests even when their beliefs, associations or statements are “otherwise lawful.”

After Comans ended the hearing, several of Khalil’s supporters wept as they left the courtroom. Khalil stood and smiled at them, making a heart shape with his hands.

Khalil has said criticism of the U.S. government’s support of Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian territories is being wrongly conflated with antisemitism. His lawyers told the court they were submitting into evidence Khalil’s interviews last year with CNN and other news outlets in which he denounces antisemitism and other prejudice.

His lawyers have said the Trump administration was targeting him for protected speech including the right to criticize American foreign policy.

“Mahmoud was subject to a charade of due process, a flagrant violation of his right to a fair hearing and a weaponization of immigration law to suppress dissent,” Van Der Hout said in a statement after the hearing.

The American immigration court system is run and its judges are appointed by the U.S. Justice Department, separate from the government’s judicial branch.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Former OpenAI Staff Back Musk’s Lawsuit To Preserve Nonprofit Status

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 10:56

A dozen former OpenAI employees filed a legal brief Friday supporting co-founder Elon Musk’s lawsuit to preserve the company’s non-profit status, adding a new twist to the ongoing battle over the AI firm’s future.

Corporate leaders want to give investors control, drawing a host of concerns and a lawsuit from Musk and others who say business interests must be subordinated to humanitarian goals.

Altman’s Denial

Last year, Musk, who is also the CEO of electric carmaker Tesla, sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, accusing OpenAI of straying from its founding mission – to develop AI for the good of humanity, not corporate profit. OpenAI and Altman have denied the allegations.

In their federal court filing on Friday, the former employees contended that stripping the nonprofit of its controlling role would “fundamentally violate” its mission, as it would lose oversight of the for-profit AI development entity.

The former OpenAI employees, who said they held technical and leadership roles in the company, said the nonprofit’s oversight was crucial to its overall strategy, and that while they worked at the firm, OpenAI executives had emphasized repeatedly the structure’s importance in OpenAI’s ability to execute on its mission. The structure also helped with recruitment, and many employees joined because they were inspired by the nonprofit’s mission, they said.

OpenAI’s Stance

OpenAI has argued that it needs to remove the nonprofit’s controlling role in order to raise funds from investors. The nonprofit will retain a stake in OpenAI that will become increasingly valuable as the company grows, enriching the nonprofit with deep resources to carry out its mission, the company argues.

In a statement, OpenAI said the transition would not affect its mission: “Our Board has been very clear: our nonprofit isn’t going anywhere and our mission will remain the same.”

Allegations Against Musk

Musk and Altman cofounded ChatGPT maker OpenAI in 2015, but Musk left before the company became a technology star.

Musk’s opposition to the change in structure led to the current suit, and the two parties are set to begin a jury trial in spring next year.

Recently Musk also went on to create his own AI firm, xAI, in 2023, and Altman alleges that Musk has been trying to slow down a competitor.

OpenAI, meanwhile, faces pressure from investors to change its structure. In order for OpenAI to secure a $40 billion fundraising round, the company must complete its transition by the end of the year.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Iran, U.S. Set For High-Stakes Nuclear Talks In Oman

Team StratNews;

Apr 12 2025, 10:11

Iran and the United States are set to hold high-level talks in Oman on Saturday, aiming to revive stalled negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programmes. The discussions come amid warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened military action if a deal isn’t reached.

Iran is approaching the talks warily, sceptical that they could lead to a deal and suspicious of Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran if it does not halt its nuclear programme.

Tensed Surroundings

While each side has talked up the chances of some progress, they remain far apart on a dispute that has rumbled on for more than two decades and have not agreed on whether the talks will be face-to-face, as Trump demands, or indirect, as Iran wants.

Signs of movement could help cool tensions in a region aflame since 2023 with wars in Gaza and Lebanon, missile fire between Iran and Israel, Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping and the overthrow of the government in Syria.

‘Severe Consequences’

However, failure would aggravate fears of a wider conflagration across a region that exports much of the world’s oil. Tehran has cautioned neighbouring countries that have U.S. bases that they would face “severe consequences” if they were involved in any U.S. military attack on Iran.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who in the Islamic Republic’s complex power structure has the final say on key state matters, has given Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi “full authority” for the talks, an Iranian official told Reuters.

Araqchi is leading the Iranian delegation, while the talks will be handled on the U.S. side by Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.

“The duration of the talks, that will only be about the nuclear issue, will depend on the U.S. side’s seriousness and goodwill,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Iran has ruled out negotiating its defence capabilities such as its missile programme.

Decades-Long Dispute

Iran has always maintained its nuclear programme is intended for purely civilian purposes, but Western countries believe it wants to build an atomic bomb.

They say Iran’s enrichment of uranium, a nuclear fuel source, has gone far beyond the requirements of a civilian programme and has produced stocks at a level of fissile purity close to those required in warheads.

Trump, who has restored a “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran since February, ditched a 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six world powers in 2018 during his first term, reimposing crippling sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Since then, Iran’s nuclear programme has leaped forward, including by enriching uranium to 60%, a technical step from the levels needed for a bomb.

‘Prevailing Confrontational Hoopla’

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday he hoped that the talks would lead to peace, adding that “We’ve been very clear what Iran is never going to have a nuclear weapon, and I think that’s what led to this meeting.”

Tehran responded the following day, saying it was giving the United States a “genuine chance” despite what it called Washington’s “prevailing confrontational hoopla”.

Washington’s ally Israel, which regards Iran’s nuclear programme as an existential threat, has long threatened to attack Iran if diplomacy fails to curb its nuclear ambitions.

Tehran’s influence throughout the Middle East has been severely curbed, with its regional allies – known as the “Axis of Resistance” – either dismantled or badly hurt since the start of the Hamas-Israel conflict in Gaza and the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria in December.

The Axis includes not only Hamas but also Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and various Shi’ite armed groups in Iraq and Syria.

(With inputs from Reuters)