Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has been heavily criticized by a spokesperson for her role in creating tensions with China, who claims she is a destroyer of cross-Straits peace and a creator of crisis in the region.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1331280.shtmlFormer Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's forum warned that a sharp shift in direction under Donald Trump poses a significant threat to Australia, with former foreign affairs official Heather Smith stating the "rules-based order" has collapsed and is unlikely to return. Professor Hugh White, an expert at Australian National University, believes the US cannot win a war with China in the western Pacific and is unlikely to come to Australia's aid in a conflict. The forum also highlighted that trading with Australia remains in China's interest, rather than triggering conflict around the region.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/worse-than-russia-voters-fear-trump-s-america-20250331-p5lnzn.htmlThe Ukrainian government's efforts to return children forcibly taken from occupied territories have been recognized by the National Resistance Center, which considers this practice a violation of international law and a war crime. Ukraine has successfully repatriated 1,247 children who were illegally taken to Russia.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-society/3976782-another-group-of-ukrainian-children-taken-by-invaders-to-russia-national-resistance-centerv.htmlUkrainian soldiers are seeking military aid from the US, specifically tanks, fighter jets, and air defense capabilities, to counter Russian drone attacks that have been shelling civilian buildings and killing people in cities like Bucha, Irpin, and Borodianka in the Kyiv region.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-society/3976946-ukrainian-soldiers-asking-for-weapons-to-protect-country-not-for-us-money-trumps-spiritual-advisor.htmlThe US Commission on International Religious Freedom has identified several countries with "particularly severe" violations of religious freedoms, including Afghanistan, Burma, China, Cuba, Eritrea, India, Iran, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam. The report specifically mentions the Supreme Court's Ayodhya ruling and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath as examples of concerns raised by the commission.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/columnists/aakar-patel-dont-just-reject-uscirfs-report-refute-allegations-on-specific-points-1870132US aranceles could reach 20%, much higher than Trump's proposed universal tariffs of 10%. The US has struggled to reduce trade deficits, with the deficit increasing last year to $918 billion, the second-highest on record. Economists say the deficit is due to unique aspects of the US economy, including a large federal budget deficit and American consumers' tendency to spend heavily. As a result, US demand for foreign goods and services far exceeds savings, leading to a trade deficit that is largely financed by borrowing from abroad, partly through selling US Treasury bonds and other assets. UCLA economist Kimberly Clausing notes that the trade deficit is a macroeconomic imbalance caused by a lack of saving and a reluctance to tax.
https://apnews.com/article/eeuu-trump-aranceles-comercio-economia-finanzas-exportaciones-importaciones-6a01d17e87c4671b4c6111e07ce1f582US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has dubbed a group of 15 countries with persistent trade imbalances with the US as the "Dirty 15", which includes China, the EU, Mexico, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Canada and India. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde warned Europe faces an "existential moment" in terms of economic independence. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Trump about "productive negotiations" for a UK-US trade deal, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the EU would respond firmly but is open to compromise.
https://www.firstpost.com/world/trump-teases-new-tariffs-promises-to-be-very-kind-to-trading-partners-13876142.htmlChinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently visited Tokyo for the 11th China-Japan-South Korea Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and co-chaired the Sixth China-Japan High-Level Economic Dialogue with Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. The economic dialogue resulted in 20 consensus points, covering trade to green development, and a commitment to hold a trilateral summit by the end of the year.
https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3304376/broken-world-china-japan-korea-cooperation-asias-backbone?module=top_story&pgtype=sectionThe White House has deemed the Signal message chat leak case closed, according to Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary. This decision was made outside the White House in Washington, D.C., where Leavitt addressed reporters on Monday.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/03/31/white-house-case-closed-signal-leak/4331743467794/