News from April 2, 2025 at 2 AM

US President Donald Trump is set to announce a new round of tariffs, with details to be revealed on Wednesday. Trump has already imposed duties on Chinese imports, steel, aluminum, and some goods from Canada and Mexico, with higher car tariffs due this week. The White House calls it 'Liberation Day' but has not specified tariff rates. Trump previously backed a 10% tariff on all imports, suggesting up to 60% on Chinese goods. The new tariffs could affect multiple countries, including the EU, China, and Canada, heightening global trade tensions. Businesses face increased costs, potentially raising prices for US consumers and raising recession risks.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025, resulting in over 2,700 deaths and thousands of injuries. Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing stated that relief efforts were hindered by the ongoing civil war. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that urgent needs for shelter, food, and water were prevalent in the affected areas. The International Rescue Committee highlighted the urgent need for aid in places like Mandalay, near the epicenter. The military junta in Myanmar has been accused of obstructing aid from reaching areas not under its control. In Bangkok, Thailand, rescuers are searching for signs of life in the ruins of a collapsed skyscraper, with efforts supported by multinational teams including personnel from the U.S. and Israel.

On March 31, US President Donald Trump commented at the White House that French far-right leader Marine Le Pen's conviction and subsequent ban from running in the 2027 presidential election was a 'very big deal.' A French court ruled the same day that Le Pen, convicted of embezzlement, would be barred from public office for five years. Rights advocates have often compared Le Pen and Trump over their anti-immigration stances. Le Pen, a key figure in European far-right politics and a front-runner in polls, faced a setback with this ruling. Trump drew parallels to his own legal issues. France's High Council of the Judiciary expressed concern over the 'virulent reactions' to the ruling, calling for moderation. Le Pen received a four-year prison sentence (two years suspended, two years under house arrest) and a 100,000 euro fine, but these will not apply until her appeals are exhausted.

US prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December. Attorney General Pam Bondi directed federal prosecutors to pursue capital punishment for the 'premeditated, cold-blooded assassination'. Thompson was shot outside a New York hotel on December 4, and Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania days later. He has pleaded not guilty to state charges and has yet to enter a plea for federal charges. The murder is deemed an act of political violence motivated by anger towards US health insurance companies. Mangione faces 11 state criminal counts, including first-degree murder, and federal charges that make him eligible for the death penalty.

South Korea's Constitutional Court announced it will rule on the impeachment case against President Yoon Suk-yeol at 11 a.m. on April 4th, with the verdict determining his presidency. The court, comprising eight judges, requires six votes to pass the impeachment. Yoon was impeached for declaring martial law without a formal cabinet meeting and deploying military police to surround the National Assembly. Yoon has been suspended for 111 days, and the court's review has exceeded 100 days. South Korean police have initiated a 24-hour alert system, anticipating large-scale protests in Seoul on April 4th.

On March 15, the U.S. government accidentally deported Kilmar Arbrego Garcia, a legal resident, to El Salvador due to an administrative error, resulting in his imprisonment in the notorious CECOT prison. Garcia, who came to the U.S. from El Salvador in 2011, was protected by a 2019 court order preventing his deportation. He lives in Maryland with his wife and their 5-year-old autistic child. Garcia's lawyers deny gang affiliation allegations and have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Maryland, demanding Homeland Security Secretary ensure his return. The government argues U.S. courts lack jurisdiction to seek his release. The case is set to be heard in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Friday.

A volcanic eruption occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland on April 1, 2025, prompting the evacuation of the nearby town of Grindavík and the Blue Lagoon Spa, a popular tourist destination. The Iceland Meteorological Office reported that the eruption began around 09:45 local time, north of the small town of Grindavík, with the ground crack widening to 700 meters within an hour. The town and spa were ordered to evacuate prior to the eruption. As of 11:20 local time, the original fissure had extended southward, and a new crack had opened. Officials urged any remaining residents in Grindavík to leave. Most of the town's 4,000 residents were permanently evacuated in November 2023. The length of the magma formed under the crater series on Tuesday was about 11 km, the longest since November 11, 2023. The gas pollution from the eruption is expected to travel northeast towards the capital area, according to the IMO.

On April 1, 2025, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, set a new Senate record with a speech lasting 24 hours and 18 minutes, surpassing the previous record set by Sen. Strom Thurmond in 1957. Booker criticized the Trump administration for posing a 'grave and urgent' threat to the country, emphasizing that the nation is in crisis. His speech went viral on social media, with over 220 million likes on his TikTok live feed. Booker did not leave the podium during his speech, and other Democratic senators joined in support. The speech may impact the Senate's consideration of Trump's nominees.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that US President Donald Trump's threats to bomb Iran violate the United Nations Charter and the safeguards under the International Atomic Energy Agency. Trump's public threat on social media to bomb Iran if negotiations fail severely undermines the essence of international peace and security. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said in a sermon on Monday that he does not believe in a US military intervention, but warned of a tough response if Washington attempts to incite a revolt in Iran. Trump also threatened to impose secondary tariffs on Iran in two weeks unless progress is made in talks on Tehran's nuclear program.

On April 1, a gas pipeline leak at Petronas in Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia, triggered a massive fire with flames reaching hundreds of meters high, injuring 112 people. The fire department stated that the blaze was caused by a leak in a 500-meter-long pipeline, which has since been shut off, fortunately with no fatalities. Residents in the vicinity were evacuated. Fire and rescue services received the alarm at 8:10 AM and controlled the fire after about 8 hours. The fire damaged 190 houses, 148 cars, and 11 motorcycles. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited the site to coordinate rescue efforts, with the government planning to provide financial aid to the affected. Petronas said it is closely collaborating with all relevant parties to ensure the safety of the community and the national gas supply.

Former Costa Rican President and 1987 Nobel Peace Laureate Oscar Arias announced on Tuesday that the U.S. had revoked his visa, weeks after he criticized U.S. President Donald Trump on social media for behaving like 'a Roman emperor.' Arias, who served as president from 1986 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2010, won the Nobel Prize for his role in brokering peace during the Central American conflicts of the 1980s. He also promoted a free trade agreement with the U.S. and established diplomatic ties with China in 2007. Arias revealed that he received an email from the U.S. government informing him of the visa suspension without providing reasons. In February, Arias accused current President Rodrigo Chaves on social media of succumbing to U.S. pressure to counter China's influence in the region and deporting migrants from third countries. The U.S. had previously revoked visas from three Costa Rican lawmakers who opposed Chaves' decision to exclude Chinese firms from 5G development in the country. On Tuesday, another opposition lawmaker also had her U.S. visa revoked. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Costa Rica in early February and offered to help Chaves 'punish' officials collaborating with 'foreign actors threatening the country's cybersecurity.'

On February 24, 2025, Hooters of America filed for bankruptcy in Texas, seeking to resolve its $376 million debt by selling all of its company-owned restaurants to a franchise group backed by the company's founders. The struggling chain, like many casual dining restaurants, has faced challenges due to inflation, high labor and food costs, and reduced consumer spending. The company owns and operates 151 locations directly, with an additional 154 restaurants operated by franchisees, predominantly in the United States. The privately-owned company, sharing a private equity owner with the recently-bankrupt TGI Fridays, plans to sell all corporate-owned locations to a buyer group consisting of two existing Hooters franchisees who operate 30 high-performing locations in the U.S., mainly in Florida and Illinois. The transaction's purchase price has not been disclosed and requires approval from a U.S. bankruptcy judge. Hooters anticipates completing the deal and emerging from bankruptcy within three to four months, having secured approximately $35 million in financing from its existing lender group.

The UK government is finalizing a deal with Mauritius over the future of the Chagos Islands, where Mauritius would gain sovereignty but allow the US and UK to continue operating a military base on one island for an initial 99 years. The UK is not waiting for further approval from Donald Trump. Earlier, Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated the deal would not proceed if the US president objected. Mauritius confirmed both nations are finalizing the agreement. Announced last October, the plan was delayed due to leadership changes in Mauritius and Trump's election. Trump indicated support for the deal last month. The UK expects to lease Diego Garcia for 99 years, with a possible 40-year extension. The Conservatives criticize the deal, arguing it's not in the national interest. The cost remains undisclosed, but Sir Keir Starmer defends it as crucial for security. The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965, and Britain bought them for £3m, a move Mauritius deems illegal. International pressure has mounted for the UK to return the islands.

Britain's King Charles is returning to public duties this week after being briefly hospitalized last Thursday due to side effects from his cancer treatment. The 76-year-old king has been undergoing treatment since being diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer in February last year. Last Thursday, he experienced what sources described as a 'minor bump in the road,' leading to a short hospital stay for observation and the cancellation of some planned events at the end of the week. Following a restful weekend at his Highgrove home in west England, the king headed to Windsor Castle on Monday to prepare for a usual working week, including investitures and other public appearances. However, a few appointments have been rescheduled ahead of his state visit to Italy next week.

All bakeries in the Gaza Strip were forced to shut down on Tuesday due to shortages of flour and fuel. Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami, head of the Bakery Owners Association, stated that ten bakeries in the south and nine in the north, supported by the World Food Programme of the United Nations, had to close due to flour shortages caused by Israel's blockade. An additional six bakeries stopped baking due to fuel shortages, bringing the total number of closed bakeries to 25. The WFP noted on the X social network that Gaza residents continue to receive hot meals, but the organization has only enough food to support operations for a maximum of two weeks. In mid-January, Israel and Hamas reached a hostage release and ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, which took effect on January 19. During the initial 42-day phase, Hamas released 33 Israeli hostages, and Israel freed over 1,500 Palestinian prisoners. On March 2, Israel suspended humanitarian aid to Gaza and closed all checkpoints, citing Hamas's refusal to accept the Witkoff plan for continued ceasefire talks. On March 18, the Israeli military began strikes on Hamas facilities in Gaza.

Betty Webb, a renowned World War II codebreaker who deciphered enemy messages at Bletchley Park, passed away on April 1, 2025, at the age of 101. Webb, who joined operations at the Buckinghamshire base at 18, later contributed to Japanese code decryption at the Pentagon in the United States. She was awarded the Legion d'Honneur by France in 2021. Webb had never disclosed her work to her parents during her time at Bletchley. After the war, she worked at the Pentagon and later returned to the UK, where she served as a school secretary in Shropshire. In 2021, she was among the 6,000 British citizens honored with the Legion d'Honneur.