Singapore may be placed in the lowest base tier - with a tariff of 10 per cent on goods - but there are «wider and more profound consequences», said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in a YouTube video on Friday (April 4).  This is even though the direct impact on Singapore may be limited «for now», he said. His comments come two days after US President Donald Trump imposed sweeping new tariffs on goods imported from the rest of the world on what he called «Liberation Day». Trump claims that the tariffs will boost the US economy and protect jobs.  PM Wong pointed out that if other countries adopt the same approach as the US, Singapore may take a bigger hit than others, because of our heavy reliance on trade.  «Singapore has decided not to impose retaliatory tariffs. But other countries may not exercise the same restraint. »The likelihood of a full-blown global trade war is growing. «The impact of the higher tariffs, plus the uncertainty of what countries may do next, will weigh heavily on the global economy. International trade and investments will suffer, and global growth will slow,» he said. 

[New Times] The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) rebellion has warned that it will «eliminate the threat at its source» if the Kinshasa regime continues its attacks or provocations against civilians in Walikale.

[UN News] Ongoing violence in North and South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to kill, injure and displace civilians, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned.

[UNFPA] Chance Azina walked slowly along the streets of Goma in North Kivu Province, her body weighed down by the heat at seven months pregnant. Like many others, she was trying to maintain a sense of normality, despite having been displaced multiple times by the intense violence flaring across the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A Srinagar court ordered four men, guilty of drinking and causing public nuisance, to perform community service instead of imprisonment. The community service includes cleaning at a Sufi shrine and a government girls' higher secondary school. The court considers this a more humane and progressive approach to justice.

J&K's National Conference and Congress criticized LG Manoj Sinha for overstepping power boundaries with officer transfers, warning against further interference. A resolution condemned the Waqf Act. The coordination between the elected government and LG remains, but any future conflicts will be brought up in the assembly.

PM Narendra Modi commended the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill by Parliament, highlighting their impact on transparency and socio-economic justice for marginalized Muslims. The legislation aims to eliminate corruption in waqf property management and benefit Muslim women and the underprivileged.

RLD, an ally of BJP, supported the Waqf Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha but has refrained from making public statements to avoid alienating any voter base in western UP. Party leadership has communicated their support quietly, citing the sensitivity of the issue.

How three men in Yalta decided the fate of the planet – and why it still matters Read Full Article at RT.com

US Vice President J.D. Vance has criticized EU policies on migration, defense, and democratic norms Read Full Article at RT.com

Investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev’s trip to the US signals “cautious optimism” about normalizing ties, the Kremlin has said Read Full Article at RT.com

South Korea’s top court has dismissed the country’s embattled president, paving the way for a new election Read Full Article at RT.com

By hitting Moscow with never-before-seen economic warfare, the West has helped it thrive Read Full Article at RT.com

According to the US Secretary of State, the Trump administration remains optimistic that a peace deal can be reached, but understands that the negotiation process will be difficult

The interest in taking part in SPIEF is driven by equal opportunities provided by the forum to all the participants, Alexey Valkov said

The official euro rate was reduced by 18 kopecks to 92.9855 rubles

The meeting in Vienna focused on the tasks of the Russian diplomatic and consular missions in implementing Russia's Foreign Policy Concept, approved by the President of the Russian Federation on March 31, 2023

The export duty rate for wheat and meslin is calculated based on an indicative price of $247.4 per metric ton

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Act East Policy boosts India's economic, diplomatic, and security ties with Southeastern Asia, enhancing trade, infrastructure, and cultural exchanges. Initiatives like the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and regional maritime exercises strengthen India's strategic presence in the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific regions.

Comedian and actor Russell Brand has been charged with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape as well as two counts of sexual assault, the Metropolitan Police said.

One in 10 residents in the tiny Italian village live to be 100, an impressive statistic that has fascinated scientists.

Wall Street opened sharply lower as fears of a global recession mounted in the wake of the US President's extraordinary assault on allies and foes alike.

Statistics Canada says this is the biggest monthly job loss since January 2022, and comes as the U.S. posts unexpectedly high job gains.

Following the United Kingdom's referendum on its European Union membership, in June 2016, and the UK's decision to leave the EU, a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) was signed between the EU and the UK, in 2020. The TCA, in force since 2021, provides the framework for relations between the EU and the UK. In 2025, the European Parliament will adopt – as it did in 2023 – a report on the implementation of the TCA, this time covering the period between January and December 2024. The report will follow the European Commission's presentation of its own implementation reports of 2024 and 2025. In August 2023, the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) published a European Implementation Assessment (EIA) study on 'The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement two years on: Unpacking early evidence', analysing the early outcomes and benefits, risks and challenges in the TCA's implementation. The EIA supported the joint implementation report on the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement by the Committees on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and on International Trade (INTA) (2022/2188(INI)). Following the approval of the joint request from AFET and INTA to draft a second report evaluating the implementation of the EU-UK TCA (2024/2108(INI)), this briefing draws on and complements the findings of the EIA published in 2023. It provides an update of key developments, specifically on the work of the Partnership Council, the Trade Partnership Committee and specialised committees, EU-UK agri-food trade and a potential sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement, the UK's possible accession to the PEM Convention, and mutual recognition of standards and qualifications. The briefing notes that, while the institutional structures established under the TCA are functioning and technical progress has been achieved, implementation remains uneven. Persistent tensions have been present in areas such as fisheries, SPS measures, rules of origin, labour mobility, and mutual recognition of qualifications. In the context of the upcoming review of the TCA in 2026, some committees have engaged in forward-looking discussions. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Kiev used UAVs and artillery to hit Russian energy facilites in Bryansk, Tambov and Lipetsk Regions, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said Read Full Article at RT.com

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained a serviceman allegedly recruited by Ukraine to bomb a military dormitory Read Full Article at RT.com

New Delhi and Dhaka have committed to maintain a “positive and constructive” relationship Read Full Article at RT.com

Over 100,000 German police officers were victims of crimes last year, according to statistics Read Full Article at RT.com

UN investigators have reportedly widened their probe of Karim Khan to include alleged demotions tied to accusations against him Read Full Article at RT.com

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s Immigration and Citizenship Agency has prevented 124 young people from leaving the country through unauthorized routes in the first quarter of 2025, intensifying efforts to combat human smuggling and illegal migration, officials said Thursday.