Senate Passes Republican Budget Plan, Extends Tax Cuts

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Apr 05 2025, 15:20

A bird flies near the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 25, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo

The U.S. Senate passed a Republican budget plan early Saturday, aiming to extend President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts worth trillions and significantly cut government spending.

The 51-48 vote, following a late-night legislative session, unlocks a maneuver called budget reconciliation that will allow Republicans to bypass the Senate’s filibuster – a rule that imposes a 60-vote threshold on most legislation – and pass Trump’s tax, border security and military priorities later this year without Democratic votes.

“Tonight, the Senate took one small step toward reconciliation and one giant leap toward making the tax cuts permanent, securing the border, providing much-needed help for the military and finally cutting wasteful Washington spending,” Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said.

Two Republicans – Senators Susan Collins and Rand Paul – joined Democrats in opposing the measure.

The Senate’s action sent the measure on to the Republican-led House of Representatives, which is expected to take it up next week.

$5.7 Trillion Debt

Non-partisan analysts say the Trump agenda, if enacted, would add about $5.7 trillion to the federal government’s debt over the next decade. Senate Republicans contend the cost is $1.5 trillion, saying that the effects of extending existing tax policy that was scheduled to expire at the end of this year should not be counted in the measure’s cost.

The measure also aims to raise the federal government’s debt ceiling by $5 trillion, a move Congress has to make by summer or risk defaulting on $36.6 trillion in debt. It aims to partly offset the deficit-raising costs of tax cuts by cutting spending. Democrats have warned that Republican targets would imperil the Medicaid health insurance program for low-income Americans.

Republicans warned that allowing the 2017 tax cuts to expire would hit Americans hard, imposing a 22% tax hike on the average taxpayer. The cuts, Trump’s signature legislative achievement of his first term, reduced the top corporate tax rate to 21% from 35%, a move that is not set to expire.

The remainder of the cuts, for individual Americans, were set to expire, a decision made to limit the 2017 bill’s deficit-raising effects.

“Donald Trump has betrayed the American people. Tonight, Senate Republicans joined him in that betrayal. In voting for this bill, Senate Republicans sided with billionaires against the middle class, in total obeisance to Donald Trump,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said after the vote.

Brutal Sell-Off

Hanging over the debate, which began late on Thursday, was a brutal stock market sell-off following Trump’s sweeping new trade tariffs, which economists warned will drive up prices and could trigger a recession.

Some Republicans said economic uncertainty could slow the path forward for Trump’s agenda if market weakness continues.

“My concern is, if we are having the kind of conversation today three weeks from now, then the distraction will be so great that it will slow down what we try to do,” Republican Senator Thom Tillis told reporters.

During a six-hour “vote-a-rama” session to consider amendments, Senate Republicans altered the blueprint to add a deficit-neutral reserve fund to help protect Medicaid and the Medicare healthcare program for the elderly.

Republicans also turned away dozens of Democratic amendments aimed at rescinding Trump trade tariffs and protecting Medicaid, Medicare, nutrition support for low-income women and children, the Social Security retirement system, veterans benefits and other government assistance.

Divide Within Party

Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski, Josh Hawley and Collins backed Democratic measures to safeguard social safety-net programs, but their support was not enough.

If House Republicans get their way, Congress could enact $2 trillion in spending cuts by overhauling Medicaid and food assistance programs and by eliminating popular environmental policies.

The budget blueprint would also make room for tighter security measures along the U.S. border with Mexico, fund administration efforts to significantly ramp up immigrant deportations and bolster U.S. military readiness.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Israel Eliminates Hamas Psychological Operative Al-Bardawil

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 05 2025, 15:04

IsraelEliminatesHamas — An Israeli military vehicle rides on the Golan Heights side of the ceasefire line with Syria, as seen from Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, December 18, 2024. REUTERS/Shir Torem/File Photo

The Israel Defense Forces on Friday said it has eliminated Hamas‘s military wing’s psychological terror operative Mohammed Saleh Mohammed Al-Bardawil.

Sharing details about him, Israel Defense Forces wrote on X, “Bardawil played a central role in Hamas’ propaganda apparatus, spreading false information, leveraging media as a tool for psychological terror and took an active part in producing the cynical propaganda videos in which Israeli hostages were filmed during their captivity in Gaza.”

“While he was referred to as a well-known journalist in Gaza, he was an integral part of Hamas’ incitement,” it said.

The IDF further wrote on X: “The IDF and ISA will continue to operate against Hamas and remove any threat to Israeli civilians.”

Terror Group Commander Killed

In a separate operation, the IDF said a senior commander in the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades, Mohammed Hassan Mohammed Awad, has also been eliminated.

Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades is a terrorist group associated with Hamas.

Sharing details about his death, the IDF said: ” Awad was a senior commander in the Military Intelligence Agency in Gaza and affiliated with senior commanders of the Palestinian Mujahideen terrorist.”
organization.

“On October 7, he infiltrated the Israeli community of Nir Oz several times. He was one of the leaders of the massacre and was likely involved in the abductions and brutal murders of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas. He was also involved in the abduction and burial of Gad and Judi Lynn Weinstein. Moreover, he took part in the abductions of Thai civilians,” the forces said.

IDF said he was actively involved in recruiting terror operatives and in the execution of terrorist attacks against Israel and IDF troops.

Atrocity Crimes In Gaza

The recent killings of 15 medical personnel and humanitarian aid workers in Gaza raise further concerns over the commission of war crimes by the Israeli military, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights told the Security Council on Thursday.

Ambassadors met for an emergency session to discuss the escalation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Rights chief Volker Türk said he was pained to brief the Council once again on the “catastrophic suffering of people in Gaza,” noting that “the temporary relief of the ceasefire, which gave Palestinians a moment to breathe, has been shattered.”

He reported that since March 1, Israeli military operations have killed more than 1,200 Palestinians, including at least 320 children, according to the Gaza health authorities.

Türk said he was appalled by the killing of the medical and humanitarian personnel.

“There must be an independent, prompt and thorough investigation into the killings, and those responsible for any violation of international law must be held to account,” he said.

He highlighted that there is nowhere safe to go in Gaza amid ongoing bombardment. Furthermore, half of the territory is now under mandatory evacuation orders or has been declared a no-go zone.

At the same time, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups continue to launch indiscriminate rockets from Gaza into Israel, in breach of international humanitarian law.

“I am also deeply concerned about the fate and well-being of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza,” he said.

(With inputs from IBNS)

Taiwan Slams China’s War Games As U.S. Talks Begin

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 05 2025, 13:38

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu speaks at a news conference in Taipei, Taiwan January 9, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo

The head of Taiwan’s National Security Council arrived in the United States for discussions with President Donald Trump’s administration, according to a source familiar with the situation. This visit comes just days after China completed military exercises near Taiwan.

Joseph Wu was leading a delegation for a meeting known as the “special channel”, the Financial Times reported earlier. It marked Trump’s first use of the channel since returning to the White House on January 20.

Earlier this week, China’s military concluded two-day war games around Taiwan in which it held long-range, live-fire drills in the East China Sea, marking an escalation of exercises around the island.

Taiwan Upset

Taiwan has denounced China for holding the drills. The United States, Taiwan’s most important international supporter and main arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic relations, condemned the latest exercises earlier this week.

Taiwan is only one area of tension between the United States and China whose ties have been tested by multiple issues such as human rights, the origins of COVID-19 and trade tariffs, including measures put in place by Trump this week.

Trump’s tariffs this week also upset Taiwan which called them unreasonable.

Trump has also been critical of Taiwan for taking U.S. semiconductor business, saying he wants the industry to re-base to the United States. Taiwan’s top security official has said the Trump administration’s support for Taiwan remains “very strong.”

‘Parasite’

China has stepped up rhetoric against Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, calling him a “parasite” on Tuesday in the wake of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Asia visit, during which he repeatedly criticized Beijing.

The White House and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has repeatedly denounced Lai as a “separatist”. Lai, who won election last year, rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

Taiwan has lived under the threat of Chinese invasion since 1949 when the defeated Republic of China government fled to the island after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong’s communists, though the two sides have not exchanged fire in anger for decades.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Death Toll From Myanmar Earthquake Stands At 3,354

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 05 2025, 13:00

The death toll in Myanmar’s fatal earthquake has risen to 3,354, with 4,850 injured and 220 still missing, according to state media on Saturday. During a visit to the country, the U.N. aid chief commended local community groups for taking the lead in the relief efforts.

The leader of the military government, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, was back in the capital Naypyitaw after a rare foreign trip to attend a summit in Bangkok of South and Southeast Asian nations, where he also met separately with the leaders of Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and India.

Min Aung Hlaing reaffirmed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the junta’s plans to hold “free and fair” elections in December, Myanmar state media said.

Modi called for a post-quake ceasefire in Myanmar’s civil war to be made permanent, and said the elections needed to be “inclusive and credible”, an Indian foreign affairs spokesperson said on Friday.

Critics have derided the planned election as a sham to keep the generals in power through proxies.

Since overthrowing the elected civilian government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, the military has struggled to run Myanmar, leaving the economy and basic services, including healthcare, in tatters, a situation exacerbated by the March 28 quake.

The civil war that followed the coup has displaced more than 3 million people, with widespread food insecurity and more than a third of the population in need of humanitarian assistance, the U.N. says.

U.N. Aid Chief Applauds Community Groups

United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher spent Friday night in Myanmar’s second-biggest city Mandalay, near the epicentre of the quake, posting on X that humanitarian and community groups had led the response to the quake with “courage, skill and determination”.

“Many themselves lost everything, and yet kept heading out to support survivors,” he said.

The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Friday the junta was restricting aid supplies to quake-hit areas where communities did not back its rule.

The U.N. office said it was investigating 53 reported attacks by the junta against opponents, including airstrikes, of which 16 were after the ceasefire was declared on Wednesday.

A junta spokesman did not respond to calls seeking comment.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Israeli Forces Extend Control In Northern Gaza ‘Security Zone’

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 05 2025, 12:26

The Israeli military said on Friday that its forces were extending their presence in northern Gaza, just days after the government announced its plans to claim significant territory through a southern operation.

Soldiers carrying out the operation in Shejaia, a suburb east of Gaza City in the north, were letting civilians out via organised routes, as troops moved in to expand the area defined by Israel as a security zone in Gaza, a statement said.

Images circulating on social media showed an Israeli tank on Al Muntar hill in Shejaia. This position gave it clear sight over Gaza City and beyond to the shoreline. Shelling on the eastern side of Gaza was non-stop, a local health official said in a text message.

Where Israeli forces moved in, hundreds of residents had already left a day earlier, carrying belongings or loading them on to vans or donkey carts, after the military issued the latest in a series of evacuation warnings that now cover around a third of the Gaza Strip, according to the United Nations.

Israel Strikes Back After Two-Month Pause

Israel resumed its operation in Gaza with a heavy series of air strikes on March 18 and sent troops back in after a two-month pause during which 38 hostages were returned in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Efforts at restarting negotiations, brokered by Egypt and Qatar, have stalled. “There are currently no contacts,” a Palestinian official close to the mediation effort told Reuters.

Over the past two weeks, more than 280,000 people have been displaced in Gaza, according to U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA, adding to misery for families already repeatedly displaced over the past 18 months.

“I swear to God that I am staying in the street, there is no shelter here,” said 40-year-old Hemam Al-Rifi, who said members of his family were killed when the Gaza City school complex they were sheltering in was hit by a deadly strike on Thursday.

“My house was destroyed at first, and I stayed in a tent in a school, not a classroom, and now I don’t know where to go.”

In Gaza City, local people said Israeli strikes had hit a water desalination plant that was vital in providing clean drinking water. Aid supplies have been cut off for weeks.

On the southern edge of Gaza, Israeli troops have been consolidating around the ruins of the city of Rafah and the U.N. says 65% of the enclave is now within “no go” areas, under active displacement orders, or both.

Ministers have said the operation will continue until 59 hostages still held in Gaza are returned. Hamas says it will free them only under a deal that brings a permanent end to the war. On Friday, a spokesperson for the group’s armed wing said half of the hostages were being held in areas where people had been told to evacuate.

“If the enemy is concerned about the lives of these hostages, it must immediately negotiate their evacuation or release,” Abo Ubaida said in a message on Telegram.

Hundreds Killed

Israel has not fully explained its long-term aim for the areas it is now seizing as a security zone, extending an existing buffer area along the edge of the enclave hundreds of metres into the Gaza Strip.

Gaza residents say they believe the aim is to permanently depopulate swathes of land, including some of Gaza’s last farmland and water infrastructure.

Officials say the operations are in line with plans of U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump said in February he wanted to move the Gaza population into neighbouring countries and turn the enclave into a waterfront resort under U.S. control.

Israel says it would encourage Palestinians who wish to leave voluntarily.On Friday, Gaza health authorities said at least 35 Palestinians were killed, most in southern areas of Gaza. Among the dead were 19 members of one family killed when a strike demolished the three-storey building where they were staying.

The military said its forces killed Mohammed Awad, a senior commander in the militant group Palestinian Mujahideen, who it said was involved in the abduction of hostages including the Bibas family during the attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023, and was most likely involved in their killing.

Israel Blames Hamas

Israel accuses Hamas of hiding fighters in civilian buildings and says it takes precaution to limit casualties. But hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since the operation resumed, according to local health authorities. More than 250 of the dead were armed militants, the military says.

The ceasefire agreement that halted fighting in January has collapsed. The risk of a wider return to war has increased, with Israel striking targets in both Lebanon and Syria over recent days.

On Friday, it said an air strike in the Lebanese city of Sidon killed a senior Hamas operative.

Israeli troops have also been engaged in an extended operation in the occupied West Bank, where two Palestinians were killed on Friday.

The war began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages, by Israeli tallies.

Since then, Israel has reduced much of Gaza to ruins and killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the enclave’s health authorities.

(With inputs from Reuters)

U.S. Implements Trump’s 10% Tariff, Disrupting Global Trade Practices

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 05 2025, 11:53

U.S. customs officials started collecting President Donald Trump’s new unilateral 10% tariff on imports from different countries on Saturday. Higher tariffs targeting 57 major trading partners are set to take effect next week.

The initial 10% “baseline” tariff took effect at U.S. seaports, airports and customs warehouses at 12:01 a.m. ET (0401 GMT), ushering in Trump’s full rejection of the post-World War Two system of mutually agreed tariff rates.

“This is the single biggest trade action of our lifetime,” said Kelly Ann Shaw, a trade lawyer at Hogan Lovells and former White House trade adviser during Trump’s first term.

Shaw told a Brookings Institution event on Thursday that she expected the tariffs to evolve over time as countries seek to negotiate lower rates. “But this is huge. This is a pretty seismic and significant shift in the way that we trade with every country on earth,” she added.

Trump’s Wednesday tariff announcement shook global stock markets to their core, wiping out $5 trillion in stock market value for S&P 500 companies by Friday’s close, a record two-day decline. Prices for oil and commodities plunged, while investors fled to the safety of government bonds.

Countries Hit Hard

Among the countries first hit with the 10% tariff are Australia, Britain, Colombia, Argentina, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection bulletin to shippers indicates no grace period for cargoes on the water at midnight on Saturday.

But a U.S. Customs and Border Protection bulletin did provide a 51-day grace period for cargoes loaded onto vessels or planes and in transit to the U.S. before 12:01 a.m. ET Saturday. These cargoes need arrive to by 12:01 a.m. ET on May 27 to avoid the 10% duty.

At the same hour on Wednesday, Trump’s higher “reciprocal” tariff rates of 11% to 50% are due to take effect. European Union imports will be hit with a 20% tariff, while Chinese goods will be hit with a 34% tariff, bringing Trump’s total new levies on China to 54%.

Vietnam, which benefited from the shift of U.S. supply chains away from China after Trump’s first-term trade war with Beijing, will be hit with a 46% tariff and agreed on Friday to discuss a deal with Trump.

Canada and Mexico were exempt from both Trump’s latest duties because they are still subject to a 25% tariff related to the U.S. fentanyl crisis for goods that do not comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada rules of origin.

Trump is excluding goods subject to separate, 25% national security tariffs, including steel and aluminum, cars, trucks and auto parts.

His administration also released a list of more than 1,000 product categories exempted from the tariffs. Valued at $645 billion in 2024 imports, these include crude oil, petroleum products and other energy imports, pharmaceuticals, uranium, titanium, lumber and semiconductors and copper.

Except for energy, the Trump administration is investigating several of these sectors for further national security tariffs.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Trump Accuses China Of “Panicking” Over Trade Conflict

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 05 2025, 09:31

A drone view shows containers at the terminals at the port in Kwai Chung in Hong Kong, China, April 3, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

On Friday, China retaliated against U.S. tariffs imposed by President Trump, introducing countermeasures such as a 34% levy on all U.S. goods and export restrictions on certain rare earths, escalating the trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

Beijing also imposed restrictions on about 30 U.S. organisations, mostly in defence-related industries, adding to the already two dozen U.S companies punished over Trump’s tariffs.

‘China Panicked’

Beijing’s sweeping retaliation comes after Trump slapped the world’s No. 2 economy with additional 34% tariffs on Chinese goods, bringing the total new levies this year to 54%. Trump also closed a trade loophole that had allowed low-value packages from China to enter the U.S duty-free.

“The U.S move is not in line with international trade rules, seriously undermines China’s legitimate and lawful rights and interests, and is a typical unilateral bullying practice,” China’s finance ministry said.

China called the new round of U.S tariffs a “blatant” violation of World Trade Organization rules and have requested consultations at the WTO.

Trump accused China of panicking in a comment on Truth Social.

“China played it wrong, they panicked – the one thing they cannot afford to do!”, he wrote on Friday.

Tit-For-Tat

China’s finance ministry matched U.S. duties with additional tariffs of 34% on all U.S. goods from April 10, on top of the 10%-15% tariffs it imposed on some U.S. agriculture goods in March and 10%-15% tariffs on some energy and farming machinery in February.

Agricultural trade took a deeper hit as Chinese customs imposed an immediate suspension on imports of U.S. sorghum from C&D (USA) INC, as well as inbound shipments of poultry and bone meal from three U.S. firms.

China’s biggest imports from the U.S. are soybeans, oilseeds and grains, amounting to $13.4 billion in 2024, as well as $14.7 billion of various fuels and $15.3 billion of electrical machinery, according to U.S. trade data.

“With 34% tariff it will not be possible for U.S. agricultural products to enter China. It is an opportunity for other exporters like Brazil and Australia to increase their market share in China,” said Ole Houe, director of advisory services at IKON Commodities in Sydney.

Rare-Earth Curbs

“As the old Chinese saying goes: ‘Courtesy demands reciprocity’,” said Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry, in a post on Facebook after the announcement of the Chinese countermeasures.

Beijing also announced controls on exports of medium and heavy rare-earths including samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium to the United States, effective April 4.

It added 16 U.S. entities to its export control list, which prohibits exports of dual-use items to the affected firms. The affected include 15 companies in industries including defence and aerospace, as well as non-profit group Coalition For A Prosperous America, which in the past had advocated for the Trump administration to decouple the U.S. economy from China.

Another 11 U.S. entities were added to the “unreliable entity” list, which allows Beijing to take punitive actions against foreign entities. The targeted firms include Skydio Inc. and BRINC Drones over arms sales to democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory.

It also launched an anti-dumping probe into imports of certain medical CT tubes from the U.S. and India, as well as an investigation into Dupont China Group, a subsidiary of the U.S. firm DuPont for alleged violation of China’s anti-monopoly law.

“The application of the export controls on these key materials plus some of these additions to the unreliable entity list reflects China’s growing tool-kit to retaliate in trade wars,” said the Mercator Institute for China Studies’ lead analyst for the economy Jacob Gunter.

Chinese Yuan Tanks

The Chinese yuan has dropped to its lowest level in seven weeks and stock markets slumped on Thursday after Trump unveiled his reciprocal tariffs that were particularly heavy on China.

Trump has ordered the U.S. Trade Representative to determine whether China was living up to its commitments under the 2020 “phase 1” U.S.-China trade agreement by April 1.

The deal required China to increase purchases of U.S exports by $200 billion over a two-year period, but Beijing failed to meet its targets when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

China bought $154 billion in U.S goods in 2017, before the trade war began, Chinese customs data shows, and that figure rose to $164 billion last year.

“I used to buy some American products, but if the price increases I might buy less,” said Huang Zhe, 24, who works in China’s luxury sector.

(With inputs from Reuters)

U.S.: Trump Extends TikTok Sale Deadline Amid Tariff Tensions

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 05 2025, 08:54

Tik Tok logo is displayed on the smartphone while standing on the U.S. flag in this illustration picture taken, November 8, 2019. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

A deal to spin off TikTok’s U.S. assets has been paused after China signaled it would block the agreement, following President Donald Trump’s announcement of new tariffs earlier this week, according to two sources familiar with the situation.

Trump on Friday extended by 75 days a deadline for ByteDance to sell U.S. assets of the popular short video app to a non-Chinese buyer, or face a ban that was supposed to have taken effect in January under a 2024 law.

The deal, the structure of which was largely finalized by Wednesday according to one of the sources, would have spun off TikTok’s U.S. operations into a new company based in the U.S. and majority-owned and operated by U.S. investors. ByteDance would hold a position of less than 20%.

The deal had been approved by existing investors, new investors, ByteDance and the U.S. government, the source said.

ByteDance said early on Saturday that differences remained over the deal.

“(We are) still in talks with the U.S. government, but no agreement has been reached, and the two sides still have differences on many key issues,” the company said in a statement on its official account on Chinese social media platform WeChat.

“In accordance with Chinese law, any agreement is subject to the relevant review procedures,” it said.

Trump Acknowledges China’s Unhappiness

The Chinese Embassy in Washington, asked about the status of a deal for TikTok, said in a statement: “China has stated its position on TikTok on multiple occasions. China has always respected and protected the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises and opposed practices that violate the basic principles of the market economy.”

The Associated Press was first to report China’s disapproval.

“The deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed,” Trump said on social media, explaining why he was extending the deadline he set in January that was supposed to have expired on Saturday. “We hope to continue working in good faith with China, who I understand is not very happy about our reciprocal tariffs.”

China now faces a 54% tariff on goods imported into the United States after Trump announced he was hiking them by 34% this week, prompting China to retaliate on Friday. Trump has said he would be willing to reduce tariffs on China to get a deal done with ByteDance to sell the app used by 170 million Americans.

Trump has said his administration was in touch with four different groups about a prospective TikTok deal. He has not identified them.

Beijing’s Approval

A major stumbling block to any deal for TikTok’s U.S. business is Chinese government approval. China has not made a public commitment to allow a sale and Trump’s comments suggested renewed Chinese opposition.

“We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the deal,” Trump wrote on Friday.

“We do not want TikTok to ‘go dark’,” Trump added.

Congress passed the measure last year with overwhelming bipartisan support, as lawmakers cited the risk of the Chinese government exploiting TikTok to spy on Americans and carry out covert influence operations. Democratic then-President Joe Biden signed it into law.

Some lawmakers have said Trump must enforce the law, which had required TikTok to stop operating by January 19 unless ByteDance had completed a divestiture of the app’s U.S. assets. Trump began his second term as president on January 20 and opted not to enforce it.

Mid-June Deadline

The Justice Department in January told Apple and Google that it would not enforce the law, which led them to restore the app for new downloads.

The new Trump order will set a mid-June deadline for a deal.

The White House-led talks on the future of TikTok are coalescing around a plan for the biggest non-Chinese investors in parent company ByteDance to increase their stakes and acquire the app’s U.S. operations, Reuters has reported.

The plan entails spinning off a U.S. entity for TikTok and diluting Chinese ownership in the new business to below the 20% threshold required by U.S. law, rescuing the app from a looming U.S. ban, sources have told Reuters.

Jeff Yass’ Susquehanna International Group and Bill Ford’s General Atlantic, both of which are represented on ByteDance’s board, are leading discussions with the White House, Reuters has reported.

Walmart denied an ABC News report that it was also considering joining a group of investors in a deal for TikTok.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Trump’s Tariffs Overshadow Snap Election In Leaderless South Korea

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 05 2025, 06:00

As a snap election approaches, South Korea’s rival parties pledge to prioritise the economy and livelihoods, but the leaderless nation remains constrained in addressing its biggest challenge — Trump’s tariffs.

The country’s Constitutional Court ousted impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday over his shock martial law attempt in December, triggering a new election within 60 days.

Political Instability

Asia’s fourth-largest economy and a staunch U.S. ally, South Korea has been governed for almost four months by a revolving pair of interim presidents who have struggled to orchestrate an effective response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, which stand to hit the export-reliant country hard.

“For the next two months, Seoul will not be able to properly respond to Trump’s fast-paced decisions, let alone coordinate with Washington on key foreign policy challenges, which could impact South Korea’s national security and economic security in significant ways,” said Duyeon Kim, of the U.S.-based Center for a New American Security.

In the wake of the court ruling, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and presumptive frontrunner in the election, promised to “rebuild broken livelihoods, peace, economy, and democracy with the spirit of great unity.”

One DP official said Lee is expected to step down as party leader within days so he can run for president.

“After that the party will focus on people’s livelihoods,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity since the issues were discussed within the party.

Kweon Seong-dong, the floor leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), called Lee “dangerous” and cited the need for the conservative party to do its best to overcome economic headwinds.

“Now, with the global tariff war taking place outside, our economy is in an emergency state, and the people’s economy is in a serious situation,” he said.

Key Concerns

Shoring up growth is a key concern for the government, and any winning candidate will need to respond effectively to changes in U.S. tariff policy under Trump.

On Thursday, the U.S. said it would impose 25% reciprocal tariffs on South Korea as part of its new trade policy, which also includes other measures that will affect key sectors in the country, from autos to chips.

With many of its companies contributing to global supply chains, South Korea relies heavily on international commerce to drive its economic growth.

The tariff shock came after South Korea’s worst-ever forest fires in March, further damaging slumping private consumption that had been weakening in the political turmoil sparked by Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law.

Response After Election

The finance ministry on March 30 proposed a supplementary budget of 10 trillion won ($6.97 billion) to help cope with the losses from the wildfires and to cushion the economy from the U.S. tariffs. The amount was far less than the 30 trillion won proposed by Lee in February.

Moon Chung-in, of Seoul’s Yonsei University, predicted that during the campaign, candidates from all parties will express support for the U.S. alliance and abstain from criticising Trump, but after the election will take more concrete steps to placate Trump, find alternate trade partners or impose other measures.

Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential race, faces his own legal troubles, and some industry figures see the liberal firebrand as less business-friendly than Yoon.

He has turned to some economic issues as a way to reach out to the business sector, including flexibility on working hour restrictions and reforming inheritance taxes.

DP lawmaker Kim Tae-nyeon said the party would use the campaign to pursue an economic policy that appeals to all sides.

“Yoon’s impeachment deprived South Korea of the capability to respond to the Trump administration’s ludicrous tariff policy and dealt a big blow to domestic demand,” he said.

Still, Lee is unpopular with a significant number of people and the conservatives could be competitive if they field a credible candidate, said Andrew Gilholm, director at the risk consultancy Control Risks Group.

“I think a lot of this now depends on how the conservatives position themselves… how much can they distance themselves from Yoon,” he said.

‘Highly Polarised’

In the short term, South Korea is likely to remain highly polarised, perhaps even more so than before, since Yoon’s impeachment has divided the country. However, the official PPP position has been to accept the impeachment decision, Hankuk University professor Mason Richey said.

“The DP also has a special responsibility to accept the impeachment verdict with magnanimity and not over-reach, but try to develop a unifying message,” he said.

Economic analysts generally welcomed the Constitutional Court’s ruling as it settled uncertainty, and market reaction was restrained.

“The biggest takeaway from today is that Korea now has hope that it will be able to do something with an elected leader in two months,” said Seo Eun-jong, BNP Paribas head of market research for Korea in Seoul.

($1 = 1,434.8500 won)

(With inputs from Reuters)

US Influencing UN Rights Council After Trump-Era Exit, Say Diplomats

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 05 2025, 04:00

UNrights — Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, attends a side event during the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, March 26, 2024. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

Two months after President Donald Trump halted U.S. engagement with the UN Human Rights Council, Washington is still influencing its activities through both public and behind-the-scenes pressure, according to seven diplomats and rights advocates.

The United States left its UN Human Rights Council seat empty during a six-week session of the 47-member council ending on Friday, but its lobbying and pressure had some success, the sources told Reuters.

They said the U.S., which has accused the council of an anti-Israel bias, had focused on blunting a proposal by Pakistan on the creation of an International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM), the most rigorous type of U.N. investigation, on Israel’s actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The version of Pakistan’s proposal that was passed on Wednesday by the council, whose mission is to promote and protect human rights worldwide, did not include the creation of the IIIM.

The council already has a commission of inquiry on the Palestinian Territories, but Pakistan’s proposal would have created an additional probe with extra powers to gather evidence for possible use in international courts.

A March 31 letter sent by Brian Mast, Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, and James R. Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, cautioned against voting the proposal through.

“Any HRC member state or U.N. entity that supports an Israel-specific IIM … will face the same consequences as the ICC faced,” the letter said.

It appeared to be referring to sanctions approved by the House of Representatives on the International Criminal Court in protest at its arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister over Israel’s campaign in Gaza.

The final version of Pakistan’s proposal referred only to an invitation to the U.N. General Assembly to consider an IIIM in future.

Two Geneva-based diplomats said they had received messages from U.S. diplomats before the change of wording asking them to oppose the new investigation.

“They were saying: ‘back off on this issue’,” said one, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Reuters could not establish whether the revision was a direct result of U.S. actions.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said it was complying with the executive order signed by Trump on February 4, withdrawing the U.S. from the council and would not participate in it, adding: “As a matter of policy, we do not comment on private diplomatic conversations.”

Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Geneva did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

‘Raw Power’

The U.S. and Israel are not members of the council, but, like all U.N. member states, they have informal observer status and a seat in the council’s meeting chamber.

International human rights institutions are now at a critical juncture, said Phil Lynch, Director of International Service for Human Rights, a non-governmental organisation.

“We are potentially confronting a future characterised by lawlessness and raw power,” he said.

The U.S. was once the top donor to the U.N. rights system, but Trump has said the U.N. is “not being well run” and aid cuts by his administration have forced scalebacks.

The U.S. and Israel have also opposed the mandate of one of the council’s independent experts up for renewal this week.

The Israeli ambassador said on March 24 that Francesca Albanese, a critic of Israeli actions in Gaza, had breached a U.N. code of conduct through “blatant antisemitic behaviour and discourse”, a diplomatic note showed.

The U.S. State Department spokesperson said Albanese was “unfit for her role”.

“The correspondence received is under consideration,” council spokesperson Pascal Sim said, adding that he expected Albanese’s term to be renewed.

The internal body that ensures U.N. experts adhere to a code of conduct condemned what it described as a coordinated campaign against Albanese, according to a letter from the Coordination Committee of Special Procedures dated 28 March.

It found no evidence to support Israel’s complaints against Albanese. However, it is introducing social media guidelines for U.N. experts in light of some concerns raised about her X posts.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Italy Mulls Counting Police, Coastguard In Defence Budget To Meet NATO Goals

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 05 2025, 02:00

Italy is considering adding police and coastguard services to its defence budget to show a rapid rise in security spending as it tries to meet U.S.-driven NATO targets, according to two government sources.

The tactic, which one former Italian envoy to NATO said was unusual but would not necessarily break the alliance’s rules, underlined the challenge states are facing as they respond to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to up contributions.

Highly indebted Italy’s projected defence budget for 2024 was 1.49% of gross domestic product, NATO figures show, below the military alliance’s current 2% target, which Trump wants raised to 5%.

Two government sources, who asked not to be named, said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni may include the coastguard and some of the national police forces in the defence budget to get closer to the 2% target without fresh investment.

A third government source said any measure would need cabinet approval, but it was not immediately clear when the plan would be examined.

NATO did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Italian defence ministry said it had no information about the plan.

NATO Factsheet

A factsheet on NATO’s website says coastguards and police can be included in defence spending but only “in proportion to the forces that are trained in military tactics, are equipped as a military force, can operate under direct military authority in deployed operations”.

Stefano Stefanini, a former Italian ambassador to NATO, said he had not heard of other countries making the same move, but thought it could get the go-ahead.

“I don’t think NATO would create problems with such an initiative if it is well constructed and well presented,” he said.

“There is a logic to it given the prevailing concern in the countries over illegal immigration, which also leads to a security implication for the coastguard.”

The European Commission has proposed to let all 27 EU governments increase defence spending by 1.5% of GDP each year for four years without triggering any disciplinary steps, as the bloc weighs options to counter potential threats from Russia.

But a public debt seen rising to almost 138% of GDP from 135.3% in 2024 leaves Rome with limited leeway, and pushed Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti to propose to EU members a common guarantee scheme to finance such spending while limiting the impact on national budgets.

Defence is a sensitive issue in Italy, where a recent poll in the daily Corriere della Sera showed nearly 40% are against the European Commission initiative to rearm the bloc, compared with less than 30% in favour.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Rubio Says US Will Scale Back Role In Global Humanitarian Aid

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 05 2025, 00:00

The United States will no longer shoulder the bulk of global humanitarian aid, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday, urging other wealthy nations to contribute more following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar.

“We’re not the government of the world. We’ll provide global humanitarian aid, just like everybody else does, and we’ll do it the best we can,” Rubio told reporters in Brussels. “But we also have other needs we have to balance that against.”

President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause on all U.S. foreign aid on his first day in office. That action, and ensuing stop-work orders halting many programmes of the U.S. Agency for International Development worldwide, have jeopardised the delivery of life-saving food and medical aid, throwing into chaos global humanitarian relief efforts.

USAID itself has been largely dismantled as Trump and billionaire Elon Musk press ahead with an unprecedented push to shrink the federal government, with much of the agency’s staff put on leave or let go and many of its grants terminated.

The top U.S. diplomat said it wasn’t fair to expect that the United States would shoulder 60-70% of humanitarian aid around the world and that there were a lot of “rich countries” in the world that should pitch in. He specifically cited China and India.

“We are the richest country in the world, but our resources are not unlimited. They are not unlimited, and we have a massive national debt. We have many other priorities as well and it’s time to recalibrate all of that. So we’ll be there. We’ll be as helpful as we can. We’ve got other things we have to take care of as well,” he said.

“China is a very rich country. India is a rich country. There are a lot of other countries in the world, and everyone should pitch in.”

Last Friday’s 7.7-magnitude quake, one of Myanmar’s strongest in a century, jolted a region home to 28 million, toppling buildings such as hospitals, flattening communities and leaving many without food, water and shelter.

The death toll from the quake has climbed to 3,145, with more than 4,500 injured and more than 200 still missing, the country’s military junta said.

Myanmar Not The Easiest Place

The United States, which was until recently the world’s top humanitarian donor, has offered a relatively modest $2 million in response to the earthquake. Washington also said it would send a three-member assessment team, though their arrival has been delayed by problems obtaining visas from the military regime.

In past years, the U.S. has regularly deployed skilled rescue workers quickly to save lives in response to tsunamis, earthquakes and other disasters around the world.

Rubio rejected the criticism that Washington was slow to respond to the earthquake because USAID was dismantled.

Instead, he said Myanmar was not “the easiest place to work”, saying the ruling military junta does not like the United States and prevents it from operating in the country the way it wants to.

The United Nations human rights office said on Friday that Myanmar’s military is limiting critically needed humanitarian aid for earthquake victims in areas where it sees opposition to its rule.

The American absence shows how Trump’s moves to slash the size of the U.S. government have hobbled its ability to act during disasters, three current and former U.S. officials told Reuters.

(With inputs from Reuters)

In Photos: PM Narendra Modi Arrives In Sri Lanka For A 2-Day State Visit

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 04 2025, 23:29

sri lanka — PM Narendra Modi lands in Colombo for a 2-day State Visit to Sri Lanka.

PM Narendra Modi lands in Colombo for a 2-day State Visit to Sri Lanka.

PM Narendra Modi receives a warm welcome from the Indian community in Colombo, Sri Lanka

PM Narendra Modi witnessed glimpses of a puppet show highlighting parts of the Sundar Kand.

During the community welcome, PM Narendra Modi also saw translations of the thoughts of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, Sri Sri Madhabdev, books on music, Indian stories and parts of the Gita Govinda in Pali.

PM Narendra Modi was welcomed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake with a ceremonial reception at the Independence Square in Colombo.

PM Narendra Modi held a productive meeting with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

PM Narendra Modi & Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake jointly e-inaugurated High Impact Community Development Project in the field of agriculture

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake conferred PM Narendra Modi with the Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana award, country’s highest honour bestowed on foreign leaders.

PM Narendra Modi met Sri Lanka’s Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa.

PM Narendra Modi met the leaders of the Tamil community of Sri Lanka.

PM Narendra Modi interacted with the leaders of Indian Origin Tamil community in Colombo.

PM Narendra Modi paid his respects at the ‘Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) Memorial’ in Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, near Colombo

PM Narendra Modi met the Sri Lankan stars who lifted the 1996 Cricket World Cup for Sri Lanka.

PM Narendra Modi along with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple in Anuradhapura.

PM Narendra Modi & Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake jointly inaugurated India-assisted railway modernisation projects in Anuradhapura

PM Narendra Modi's state visit to Sri Lanka concludes

BIMSTEC: Modi Meets Oli, Stresses Strong India-Nepal Ties

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 04 2025, 22:02

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok and said New Delhi attaches immense priority to relations with the Himalayan nation.

After the meeting, Modi said he had ‘productive’ talks with Nepal’s PM Oli.

“Had a productive meeting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in Bangkok. India attaches immense priority to relations with Nepal,” Modi wrote on X after the meeting.

“We discussed different aspects of India-Nepal friendship, especially in sectors like energy, connectivity, culture and digital technology,” he said.

Modi discussed the positive outcomes of the BIMSTEC Summit, which ranged from maritime transport to disaster management, with Oli.

BIMSTEC 21-Action Plan

Narendra Modi, on Friday, proposed a 21-point Action Plan covering different aspects of cooperation among the BIMSTEC nations at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in the Thai capital.

He remarked on boosting business across BIMSTEC nations and harnessing the rich potential of the IT sector.

He also urged the need to work together in the field of disaster management in the wake of the recent earthquake affecting Myanmar and Thailand.

Modi emphasised working in the world of space and strengthening the security apparatus.

Urging to collectively energise BIMSTEC and underlining the role of youth who will take the lead, he expressed hope that the cultural linkages will further bring the BIMSTEC nations closer.

Participating in the summit, 6th BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit hosted by Thailand, the current chair, Modi underlined that the Group had become an impactful platform for regional cooperation, coordination and progress. In this regard, he called for further strengthening the agenda and capacity of BIMSTEC.

India Initiatives

Prime Minister Modi announced several India-led initiatives towards institution and capacity building in BIMSTEC.

“These include the setting up of BIMSTEC Centres of Excellence in India on Disaster Management, Sustainable Maritime Transport, Traditional Medicine, and Research and Training in Agriculture.

He also announced a new programme for skilling the youth – BODHI [BIMSTEC for Organized Development of Human Resource Infrastructure] under which training and scholarships would be provided to professionals, students, researchers, diplomats and others,” read a statement issued by the Indian government.

He also offered a pilot study in India to assess regional needs in Digital Public Infrastructure and a capacity-building programme for cancer care in the region.

Calling for greater regional economic integration, Modi offered to establish the BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and to organise the BIMSTEC Business Summit every year in India.

(with inputs from IBNS)

Bangladesh: Myanmar Approves Return of 180,000 Rohingya Refugees

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Team StratNews;

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Apr 04 2025, 21:48

Myanmar has announced that 180,000 Rohingya refugees who fled their homeland and are currently staying in Bangladesh are eligible to return, according to the Bangladesh government’s press office on Friday.

The announcement, following talks in Bangkok, offered a possible breakthrough in the long-stalled repatriation process, although many Rohingya refugees say all of them should be allowed to go home.

More than a million Rohingya have been crammed into the camps in southeastern Bangladesh, the world’s largest refugee settlement. Most fled a brutal crackdown by Myanmar’s military in 2017, although some have been there for longer.

Around 70,000 Rohingya crossed into Bangladesh last year, many fleeing worsening hunger and violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

Friday’s announcement followed a meeting in Bangkok between Khalilur Rahman, High Representative of Bangladesh’s interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, and Than Swe, Myanmar’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, on the sidelines of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit.

Final Verification Of Many Still Pending

The 180,000 names were part of a list of 800,000 Rohingya that Bangladesh submitted to Myanmar in six batches between 2018 and 2020. Myanmar has also indicated that final verification of another 70,000 refugees is pending further review of photographs and identity details.

The statement said Myanmar had pledged to expedite the verification process for the remaining 550,000 names on the original list.

Myanmar’s government did not immediately comment on the outcome of the meeting in Bangkok.

The Rohingya refugees have little hope of returning to their homeland, where they continue to face systematic denial of citizenship and basic rights.

Attempts to begin repatriation in 2018 and 2019 failed as the refugees, fearing prosecution, refused to go back.

“After all these years, they are confirming only 180,000 names. This feels like nothing more than an eyewash. We want a genuine solution,” one Rohingya refugee, Shafiqur Rahman, told Reuters.

“Myanmar must take all of us back — not just a selected few — and they must ensure we return with full rights, dignity, and citizenship. Without that, this process means nothing to us.”

(With inputs from Reuters)

UN Says 280,000 Gazans Newly Displaced Since March 18 Hostilities

By

Team StratNews;

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Apr 04 2025, 21:29

mohammed-ibrahim-jrcvHflmKvg-unsplash (1) — A column of smoke resulting from the Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash/Mohammed Ibrahim

The United Nations (UN) on Friday said 280,000 Gazans are estimated to have been newly displaced since the intensification of hostilities began in the region on March 18.

“Increasing numbers of people are moving into the remaining shelters, which are already overcrowded. Infestations of fleas and mites are reported, causing skin rashes and other health issues,” The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement.

OCHA says that addressing these challenges remains difficult due to the lack of necessary materials available in Gaza to implement vector control measures or improve hygiene conditions.

UN Rights Chief Warns

The recent killings of 15 medical personnel and humanitarian aid workers in Gaza raise further concerns over the commission of war crimes by the Israeli military, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights told the Security Council on Thursday.

Ambassadors met for an emergency session to discuss the escalation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Rights chief Volker Türk said he was pained to brief the Council once again on the “catastrophic suffering of people in Gaza,” noting that “the temporary relief of the ceasefire, which gave Palestinians a moment to breathe, has been shattered.”

The UN rights chief reported, citing local health authorities, that since March 1, Israeli military operations have killed more than 1,200 Gazans, including at least 320 children, according.

Call For Investigation

Türk said he was appalled by the killing of the medical and humanitarian personnel.

“There must be an independent, prompt and thorough investigation into the killings, and those responsible for any violation of international law must be held to account,” he said.

He highlighted that there is nowhere safe to go in Gaza amid ongoing bombardment. Furthermore, half of the territory is now under mandatory evacuation orders or has been declared a no-go zone.

At the same time, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups continue to launch indiscriminate rockets from Gaza into Israel, in breach of international humanitarian law.

“I am also deeply concerned about the fate and well-being of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza,” he said.

Humanitarian Aid Blockade

Meanwhile, a month has passed since Israel imposed a complete blockade on vital humanitarian aid and supplies entering Gaza, including food, water, electricity, fuel and medicines.

“The blockade and siege imposed on Gaza amount to collective punishment and may also amount to the use of starvation as a method of war,” he said.

The UN rights chief was alarmed by the inflammatory rhetoric by senior Israeli officials around seizing, annexing and dividing territory, and about transferring Palestinians outside Gaza.

“This raises grave concerns about the commission of international crimes and runs counter to the fundamental principle of international law against the acquisition of territory by force,” he said.

(With inputs from IBNS)

U.S. Resumes Rifle Shipment To Israel Previously Delayed By Biden, Sources Say

By

Team StratNews;

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Apr 04 2025, 21:17

The Trump administration approved the sale of over 20,000 U.S.-made assault rifles to Israel last month, according to a document seen by Reuters and a source familiar with the matter.

The deal, which had been stalled under former President Joe Biden due to concerns about their potential use by extremist Israeli settlers, is now moving forward.

The State Department sent a notification to Congress on March 6 of the $24 million sale of the Colt Carbine 5.56 mm caliber fully automatic rifles, saying the end user would be the Israeli National Police, according to the document.

The rifle sale is a small transaction next to the billions of dollars worth of weapons that Washington supplies to Israel. But it drew attention when the Biden administration delayed the sale over concerns that the weapons could end up in the hands of Israeli settlers, some of whom have attacked Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The Biden administration had imposed sanctions on individuals and entities accused of committing violence in the West Bank, which has seen a rise in settler attacks on Palestinians.

On his first day in office on January 20, Trump issued an executive order rescinding the sanctions on the settlers in a reversal of U.S. policy. Since then, his administration has approved the sale of billions of dollars worth of weapons to Israel.

The March 6 congressional notification said the U.S. government had taken into account “political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations.

The State Department did not provide comment when asked whether the administration sought assurances from Israel on the use of the weapons.

Close Ties

Since a 1967 Middle East war, Israel has occupied the West Bank, which Palestinians want as the core of an independent state, and has built settlements that most countries deem illegal. Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the land.

Settler violence had been on the rise prior to the eruption of the Gaza war, and has worsened since the conflict began over a year ago.

Trump has forged close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pledging to back Israel in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. His administration has in some cases pushed ahead with Israel arms sales despite requests from Democratic U.S. lawmakers that the sales be paused until they received more information.

The U.S. Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected a bid to block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel over human rights concerns, voting 82-15 and 83-15 to reject two resolutions of disapproval over sales of massive bombs and other offensive military equipment.

The resolutions were offered by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.

The rifle sale had been put on hold after Democratic lawmakers objected and sought information on how Israel planned to use them. The congressional committees eventually cleared the sale but the Biden administration kept the hold in place.

The latest episode in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict began with a Hamas attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023 with gunmen killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s campaign has so far killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, Gaza health authorities say.

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, oversees the Israeli police force. The Times of Israel newspaper reported in November 2023 that his ministry put “a heavy emphasis on arming civilian security squads” in the aftermath of October 7 attacks.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Modi Meets Myanmar’s Junta Chief On Sidelines Of BIMSTEC

By

Team StratNews;

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Apr 04 2025, 20:51

1 (2) (1) — Narendra Modi meets Myanmar Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing. Photo Courtesy: PIB

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Myanmar’s Junta Leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok and condoled the loss of lives in the deadly earthquake that hit Myanmar last week.

During the meeting with the junta chief, Modi reassured India’s assistance to the people of Myanmar in this critical time.

“Both leaders discussed bilateral relations between India and Myanmar, particularly in sectors like connectivity, capacity building, infrastructure development and more,” read the statement issued by the Indian government.

After the meeting, Modi posted on X: “I had a separate meeting with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. I reiterated my condolences for the loss of lives and property due to the severe earthquake. India is doing everything possible to help our brothers and sisters in Myanmar in this difficult time.”

Myanmar Earthquake

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar last Friday, which left 3145 people dead.

India sent its medical, rescue experts and other humanitarian aid to the neighbouring nation after the quake.

Rescue operations in the country are still underway.

Modi Discusses Bilateral Ties

Apart from discussing the earthquake and its effect on the nation, Modi and the Myanmar leaders also held bilateral talks.

“We also discussed bilateral relations between India and Myanmar, particularly in sectors like connectivity, capacity building, infrastructure development and more,” Modi said.

Modi Meets Bhutan PM

Modi met the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, on the sidelines of the 6th BIMSTEC summit in the Thai capital on Friday.

In a post on X, he stated: “Had a great conversation with my good friend, PM Tobgay. India’s friendship with Bhutan is robust. We are cooperating extensively in several sectors.”

Modi And BIMSTEC

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday participated in the 6th BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit hosted by Thailand, the current chair.

The theme of the Summit was – “BIMSTEC: Prosperous, Resilient and Open”.

It reflected the priorities of the leaders and the aspirations of the peoples of the BIMSTEC region, as well as the efforts of BIMSTEC in ensuring shared growth in times of global uncertainties.

The Prime Minister began his address by offering condolences on the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand.

Highlighting BIMSTEC as a vital bridge between South Asia and South-East Asia, the Prime Minister underlined that the Group had become an impactful platform for regional cooperation, coordination and progress.

In this regard, he called for further strengthening the agenda and capacity of BIMSTEC.
The Prime Minister announced several India-led initiatives towards institution and capacity building in BIMSTEC.

These include the setting up of BIMSTEC Centres of Excellence in India on Disaster Management, Sustainable Maritime Transport, Traditional Medicine, and Research and Training in Agriculture.

He also announced a new programme for skilling the youth – BODHI [BIMSTEC for Organised Development of Human Resource Infrastructure] under which training and scholarships would be provided to professionals, students, researchers, diplomats and others.

He also offered a pilot study in India to assess regional needs in Digital Public Infrastructure and a capacity-building programme for cancer care in the region.

Calling for greater regional economic integration, the Modi offered to establish the BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and to organise the BIMSTEC Business Summit every year in India.

(With inputs from IBNS)

Turkey Seeks To Avoid Conflict With Israel In Syria, Says Foreign Minister

By

Team StratNews;

-

Apr 04 2025, 20:48

Turkey does not seek a confrontation with Israel in Syria, but continued Israeli airstrikes on military sites are weakening the new government’s ability to counter threats from groups like Islamic State, Turkey’s foreign minister told Reuters on Friday.

In an interview on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Hakan Fidan said Israel’s actions were fuelling regional instability by targeting Syria, where the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa is a close ally of Turkey.

“We don’t want to see any confrontation with Israel in Syria because Syria belongs to Syrians,” Fidan said, adding that Syrians alone should decide their country’s security.

NATO member Turkey has fiercely criticised Israel over its attacks on Gaza since 2023, saying they amount to a genocide against the Palestinians, and has applied to join a case at the World Court against Israel while also halting all trade.

Israel Denies Genocide Accusations

The animosity between the regional powers has spilled over into Syria, with Israeli forces striking Syria for weeks since a new administration took control in Damascus. Turkey has called the Israeli strikes an encroachment on Syrian territory, while Israel has said it would not allow any hostile forces in Syria.

In this “transition period”, Fidan said, Turkey does not want to see Islamic State (ISIS) or the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group take advantage of “the absence of the regular forces, some absence of military capabilities” in Syria.

Unfortunately, Israel is taking out, one by one, all these capabilities that a new state can use against ISIS and other terrorist attacks and threats,” he said.

“What Israel is doing in Syria is not only threatening the security of Syria, but also is paving the way for future instability of the region”.

However, if the new administration in Damascus wants to have “certain understandings” with Israel, which like Turkey is a neighbour of Syria, then that is their own business, he added.

Turkey has emerged as one of the main foreign allies of Syria’s new Islamist government. Ankara had for years backed the rebels who now make up the bulk of the new government as they fought to topple former President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkey has vowed to help rebuild Syria, from infrastructure to state institutions, and provided it with political support in international platforms. It has called for the full lifting of Western sanctions on Syria for reconstruction efforts to start, while welcoming the formation of a transitional government.

Ties With U.S.

On Friday, Fidan, who held talks last week with U.S. officials in Washington, said that he understood the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was reviewing its policy regarding Syria and the sanctions imposed on it.

“They are… reviewing the Syrian file (and) understand that there is a need to make a change on sanctions policy because that was introduced for a different regime and different threat assessment,” Fidan said.

“Now we have a new Syria. I think that new Syria requires a different approach,” he said, adding that Ankara had been conveying its views on the matter to its Western allies.

While eyeing warmer ties with Washington under Trump and backing its initiative to end the Ukraine war, Turkey has also opposed some of the new administration’s Middle East policies, including a plan to take over the Gaza Strip and turn it into a “Riviera of the Middle East”.

Fidan pointed to Trump’s “problem-solving techniques” as a way of resolving lingering disputes between the two NATO allies, especially U.S. sanctions on Turkey’s defence industry, and added he was hopeful a solution could be found.

He said any possible peace deal brokered by the U.S. between Kyiv and Moscow would be “difficult to digest”, but still better than more death and destruction, and added a deterrence factor was needed to ensure the war did not restart.

Asked about Trump’s threats of U.S. military strikes against Iran, Fidan said diplomacy was needed to resolve the dispute and that Ankara did not want to see any attack taking place against its neighbour Iran.

(With inputs from Reuters)

BIMSTEC: Modi Pushes For Digital Payments, Enhanced Security Cooperation

By

Huma Siddiqui;

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Apr 04 2025, 20:19

BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand — Myanmar's junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra arrive ahead of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit, in Bangkok, Thailand, April 4, 2025. Thailand Government House/Handout via REUTERS

As BIMSTEC leaders wound up discussions in Bangkok, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed linking India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with the payment systems of BIMSTEC member nations, a move aimed at boosting trade, business, and tourism across the Bay of Bengal region.

“Connecting UPI with regional payment systems will facilitate seamless cross-border transactions, benefiting trade, industry, and tourism at all levels,” Modi said, highlighting the transformative power of digital platforms for the region’s future.

He recommended conducting a pilot study to assess the needs of BIMSTEC countries for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), drawing on India’s extensive experience in creating digital solutions.

In his address at the summit, Modi noted, “By sharing our experience, we can help other nations in the region build the digital infrastructure necessary to propel their economies into the future.”

This initiative would help bridge the digital divide and enhance access to services such as healthcare, education, and financial transactions across the region.

Modi also outlined plans to offer scholarships and training through the BODHI (BIMSTEC for Organized Development of Human Resource Infrastructure) program, aimed at skilling youth and professionals in digital technologies, governance, and other critical areas.

“BODHI will empower our youth and foster a culture of innovation that will drive regional prosperity,” he promised.

Security And Disaster Management

Modi proposed a BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence for Disaster Management in India, which would focus on enhancing regional cooperation in disaster preparedness, relief, and rehabilitation.

He said India would host the fourth joint BIMSTEC disaster management exercise later this year, reinforcing the region’s commitment to collective action in times of crisis.

Addressing the region’s growing security concerns, Modi called for the establishment of a Home Ministers’ Mechanism to combat cyber threats, terrorism, and other transnational crimes.

“This forum can play a vital role in addressing common security challenges and strengthening cooperation in law enforcement,” he said.

In the Space Sector, the prime minister talked about setting up ground stations for manpower training for BIMSTEC countries. And also, for use of remote sensing data, design, fabrication and launching of Nano Satellites.

Maritime Security

The BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Agreement was signed to enhance cooperation in shipping, cargo transport, and safety protocols. Modi expressed confidence that this agreement would accelerate trade and improve logistical connectivity across the Bay of Bengal.

Furthermore, India proposed the establishment of a Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre in India to work on enhancing regional coordination in maritime research, policy development, and capacity building.

Expanding Regional Connectivity

The prime minister has proposed the establishment of a BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce to enhance trade and business links within the region, alongside annual BIMSTEC Business Summits. The creation of this forum is expected to help drive investments and create new opportunities for businesses in the Bay of Bengal area.

He also suggested exploring the feasibility of promoting trade in local currencies across BIMSTEC nations to reduce dependence on foreign currencies and enhance regional trade efficiency. This idea aligns with Modi’s vision of a more integrated regional economy, built on mutual trust and shared prosperity.

People-to-People Engagement

India will host the BIMSTEC Young Leaders’ Summit and BIMSTEC Hackathon later this year, creating platforms for young people to collaborate on regional challenges. Modi also proposed the establishment of the BIMSTEC Traditional Music Festival to celebrate the region’s rich cultural diversity.

India will also host the first BIMSTEC Athletics Meet this year and the inaugural BIMSTEC Games in 2027, marking the 30th anniversary of BIMSTEC.