China denies Trump’s Xi call claim

Guo Jiakun, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
©Getty Images/Johannes Neudecker

China’s Foreign Ministry has refuted US President Donald Trump’s claim that he recently spoke with President Xi Jinping. Speaking to the press in Ceiling on Monday, the ministry noted that neither side is working toward a tariff agreement.

In an interview with Time magazine published on Friday, the Trump claimed that his administration was in talks with China to reach a tariff agreement and that President Xi had called him. Beijing has repeatedly denied any such discussions are underway and accused Washington of “misleading the public.”

“He’s called. And I don’t think that’s a sign of weakness on his behalf,” Trump said in the interview, referring to Xi. The American president did not say, however, when the call took place or specify what was discussed.

“As far as I know, there have not been any calls between the two presidents recently,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters. “I would like to reiterate that China and the US have not conducted consultations or negotiations on the tariffs issue.”

According to media reports, the Trump administration indicated it would consider lowering tariffs on certain Chinese imports, pending talks with Beijing.

China, meanwhile, has maintained a firm position on tariffs, insisting that the US must cancel all “unilateral” penalties if it wishes to resolve any trade dispute with Beijing.

Since last week, Trump has repeatedly claimed that his administration is engaged in trade talks with Chinese officials — only to be met each time with firm denials from Beijing.

Trump imposed sweeping tariffs, including a 145% levy on Chinese imports, earlier this month, on what he dubbed “Liberation Day.”

The move was part of a broader campaign targeting more than 90 countries in an effort to address what Trump described as unfair trade imbalances. While most of the new tariffs have been delayed for 90 days — with a baseline 10% tariff remaining in effect — China was excluded from the reprieve. In response, Beijing imposed 125% tariffs on US goods and introduced restrictions on key exports.

Tensions between the world’s two largest economies have fueled global market volatility. On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded its global growth forecast, citing trade uncertainty as a major drag on economic output.

In its World Economic Outlook, the IMF projects global GDP growth at 2.8% for this year, down from 3.3% in 2024. It also lowered its forecast for US growth in 2025 to 1.8%, compared to 2.8% last year. Meanwhile, China’s economy is expected to slow to 4%, reflecting efforts to counter the impact of Washington’s tariffs.

Western Europe ignored Putin’s warnings – Kremlin

FILE PHOTO: World leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a summit in Germany, January 19, 2020.
©Sean Gallup/Getty Images

European leaders who chose to ignore Russia’s security concerns must share the blame for the deterioration of relations with Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

In an interview with French media outlet Le Point magazine published on Wednesday, Peskov condemned the West for disregarding President Vladimir Putin’s warnings that it was jeopardizing Russian national security.

In 2020, Putin denounced Western nations for “doing nothing” to deliver on the promise not to expand NATO in Europe and for dismantling multiple security agreements designed to build trust.

Russians “are certainly not aggressive,” he assured, advocating for a mutual friendship with the West.

Ukraine, where Western officials supported an armed coup in 2014 and encouraged the new government to pursue NATO membership, emerged as the focus of tension with Russia.

”If you aim to guarantee Ukraine’s security by drawing it into NATO, you are violating Russia’s security,” Peskov explained. Western leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, chose not to heed Putin’s calls, he added.

”Neither Macron nor other European leaders wanted to listen to Putin when he told them that Russia had been cornered,” Peskov remarked. “Today, we talk about peace with the Americans, yet the Europeans are demanding war.”

Putin and US President Donald Trump recognize the absurdity of a lack of dialogue among major powers, Peskov said. Mending the rift “is very difficult,” he added.

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky is obstructing the Trump administration’s attempt to mediate a truce between Moscow and Kiev, according to the White House. Trump branded Kiev’s media strategies as “very harmful” to the peace process, stating on social media on Wednesday that Zelensky risks “losing the whole country.”

Zelensky “does not control all of his divisions,” Peskov told Le Point. He highlighted units with radical nationalist personnel who pose a significant obstacle to establishing a ceasefire, citing Russia’s recent experiences.

Last month, at Trump’s suggestion, Putin announced a 30-day moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure, while during the Easter weekend he ordered a complete halt to hostilities. Ukraine violated the initial agreement on multiple occasions, according to Moscow, while last week’s truce was only partially successful.

Pope Francis has died, Vatican says

"Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis," Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced on the Vatican's TV channel.

"This morning at 07:35 local time (05:35 GMT) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father," Cardinal Kevin Farrell said in the statement, published by the Vatican.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday, ending an often turbulent reign marked by division and tension as he sought to overhaul the hidebound institution.

He was 88, and had survived a serious bout of double pneumonia.

Francis' death comes a day after the pope had made his first prolonged public appearance since being discharged on March 23 from a 38-day hospital stay for pneumonia.

Newly elected Pope Francis appears at the window of his future private apartment to bless the faithful, gathered below in St. Peter's Square, during the Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican March 17, 2013. REUTERS/Tony Gentile/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

On Easter Sunday, Francis had entered St. Peter's Square in an open-air popemobile shortly after mid-day, greeting cheering crowds. He had also offered a special blessing for the first time since Christmas.

Leaders across the world were reacting to the pope's death with praise for his efforts to reform the worldwide church and offering condolences to the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

"He inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Jose Ramos-Horta, the president of East Timor, where Francis had visited in September 2024 as part of the longest foreign trip of his papacy, said the pope "leaves behind a profound legacy of humanity, of justice, of human fraternity".

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13, 2013, surprising many church watchers who had seen the Argentine cleric, known for his concern for the poor, as an outsider.

He sought to project simplicity into the grand role and never took possession of the ornate papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors, saying he preferred to live in a community setting for his "psychological health".

He inherited a church under attack over a child sex abuse scandal and torn by infighting in the Vatican bureaucracy, and was elected with a clear mandate to restore order.

But as his papacy progressed, he faced fierce criticism from conservatives, who accused him of trashing cherished traditions. He also drew the ire of progressives, who felt he should have done much more to reshape the 2,000-year-old church.

Pope Francis reacts as he is greeted by cloistered nuns at the Duomo during his pastoral visit in Naples March 21, 2015 REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

While he struggled with internal dissent, Francis became a global superstar, drawing huge crowds on his many foreign travels as he tirelessly promoted interfaith dialogue and peace, taking the side of the marginalised, such as migrants.

Unique in modern times, there were two men wearing white in the Vatican for much of Francis' rule, with his predecessor Benedict opting to continue to live in the Holy See after his shock resignation in 2013 had opened the way for a new pontiff. Benedict, a hero of the conservative cause, died in December 2022.

Francis appointed nearly 80% of the cardinal electors who will choose the next pope, increasing the possibility that his successor will continue his progressive policies, despite the strong pushback from traditionalists.

How the Vatican announced Pope Francis' death

"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God. Thank you."

China ‘completely’ stops buying LNG from US – Financial Times

©Getty Images/Art Wager

China has “completely” stopped imports of US liquefied natural gas (LNG) for over ten weeks, extending the trade war between Beijing and Washington into energy cooperation, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing shipping data.

Amid escalating trade tensions, China has imposed tariffs on US hydrocarbons – up to 99% – effectively pricing them out of the Chinese market. The standoff with China comes amid a wider US campaign targeting a number of countries. While most tariffs were paused for 90 days, China was excluded and faces total tariffs of up to 145%. In retaliation, Beijing imposed 125% tariffs on US goods and curbed exports of key high-tech minerals.

Since February, when a 69,000-ton LNG tanker from Corpus Christi, Texas arrived in Fujian province, China hasn’t received any LNG, signaling a sharp breakdown in the energy trade, the outlet said, citing Chinese-based energy traders.

A second tanker was redirected to Bangladesh after it failed to arrive before China imposed a 15% tariff on US LNG on February 10. The tariff has since been increased to 49%, making US LNG too expensive for Chinese buyers for the foreseeable future.

“There will be long-term consequences,” the FT quoted Anne-Sophie Corbeau, a gas specialist at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, as saying. “I do not think Chinese LNG importers will ever contract any new US LNG.”

Chinese firms such as PetroChina and Sinopec have signed 13 long-term LNG contracts with US terminals, some lasting until 2049, according to Kpler. The deals were crucial for launching major US LNG projects. Developers, however, are now reportedly seeking to renegotiate terms due to inflation and tariff-related costs.

Beijing has also reportedly slashed purchases of American crude by 90% amid the tariff war.

The standoff with the US could deepen China’s already booming energy ties with Russia, casting doubt on the massive expansion of multibillion-dollar LNG terminals in the US and Mexico, the outlet said.

Earlier this week, China’s ambassador to Russia said Beijing is set to ramp up its imports of Russian LNG.

“I know for sure that there are a lot of buyers. So many buyers are asking the embassy to help establish contacts with Russian suppliers, I think there will definitely be more [imports],” Zhang Hanhui told reporters. He added that the two countries discussed the proposed Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline from Russia to China. The route, however, has not yet been finalized.

Russia has become China’s third-largest LNG supplier, after Australia and Qatar. Last year, China led as the top buyer of Russian LNG in Asia, importing 7 million tons.

Russia Has Evidence Sumy Strike Targeted Ukrainian Troops and Foreign Mercs – Lavrov

Russia possesses information that Ukrainian troops met with their foreign counterparts at the facility targeted by Russian forces in the strike on Sumy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.

On Sunday, Russian forces carried out a missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, targeting a site of a meeting of the Seversk tactical and operational command's leadership. Earlier on Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the strike killed over 60 Ukrainian servicepeople.

"International humanitarian law categorically prohibits the placement of military facilities and weapons around civilian objects. Since the first days of the [Ukraine] crisis, and earlier, even during the Minsk agreements... there have been a million cases of artillery and air defense systems being placed in city blocks near kindergartens. How many videos are posted online of Ukrainian women shouting for the military to get away from stores and playgrounds? But this practice continues. We have facts about who was at the facility that was hit in Sumy. There was another 'gathering' of Ukrainian military commanders with their Western colleagues, who were disguised either as mercenaries or I do not know who," Lavrov told Russian newspaper Kommersant.

It is widely known that NATO forces are present in Ukraine, the minister added.

"The New York Times recently reported that Americans have been playing a leading role in strikes on Russia. Without this part, the majority of [Ukrainian] long-range missiles would never have taken off at their deployment sites," he said.

Russia's attack on city of Sumy is a propaganda tool for the West and Zelensky to build hatred of countries around the world towards Russia

Beyond that, however, a thick fog of war has descended. Or rather, a fog of propaganda. Western media and politicians have denounced the Russian strike as, in essence, an atrocity or war crime. The New York Times, for instance, presented it as slamming “into a bustling city center […] on Sunday morning, […] killing at least 34 people in what appeared to be the deadliest attack against civilians this year.” Incoming German chancellor Friedrich Merz (to be sworn in at the beginning of May), speaking on one of his country’s most popular TV shows, condemned what he called a “perfidious act” and “serious war crime.”

More examples could be added, but the trend should be clear: In the West, almost everyone agrees that the Russian attack on Sumy was an atrocity and in the EU there is talk – if we are lucky, it will remain just that – of exploiting it as a pretext to escalate further the proxy war in which Ukraine is being used up against Russia.

Yet there are two major problems with this escalatory approach: Most importantly, it is not based on facts but on disinformation originating with the Kiev regime, taken over uncritically and spread enthusiastically by Western mainstream media and many political leaders.

Though not, actually, all of them. That is the second, as it were, practical problem for the escalation brigade: The single most powerful Western figure is not playing along. Trump has not condemned Russia. He did call the attack “terrible” and “horrible” and claimed that he was told that “they [presumably meaning Russia] made a mistake.”

Indeed, the few Ukrainian media and politicians who still dare publicly contradict the de facto authoritarian Zelensky regime are clear about the fact that Ukrainian soldiers were the target: The major Ukrainian (not Russian) news site Strana.ua has reported that the Ukrainian authorities have tried to be cagey about the exact location of the Russian strike, while, at the same time, “more and more information is emerging from various sources that the Ukrainian military was the target of the strike.”

Those in the West who want to pretend otherwise are – this must be said as well – the same politicians and mainstream media outlets who have sided pro-actively with Israel while it has committed an ongoing, stunningly violent and perverse sequence of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes against the Palestinians as well as its neighbors in Lebanon and Syria.

Germany’s Merz, for instance, found strong, false words for condemning the Russian attack on Sumy, and is threatening once again to give German missiles to Kiev. This is the same man who wants to invite internationally wanted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu to Berlin. The hypocrisy is breathtaking, but not surprising.

Russia Wipes Out 60 Ukrainian Troops With Precise Iskander Missile Strike on Sumy

Russian forces on Sunday hit the site of a meeting of Ukrainian command staff in the city of Sumy with Iskander cruise missiles, killing 60 servicepeople, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

©Sputnik/Stringer/Go to the mediabank

"Yesterday, under the conditions of active counteraction of Ukrainian troops by foreign-made electronic warfare and air defense means, the Russian armed forces carried out a strike on the site of a meeting of the Seversk tactical and operational command's leadership in Sumy using two Iskander-M operational-tactical complexes," the ministry said in a statement.

The Kiev regime continues to use civilians as a "living shield" by placing military facilities in heavily populated cities, the statement read.

"The strike killed over 60 Ukrainian troops," the ministry added.

Russian forces strike exclusively at military and near-military facilities in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

Ukrainian broadcaster Hromadske reported that two explosions had occurred in the Ukrainian city of Sumy on the morning of April 13. Former Ukrainian lawmaker Ihor Mosiychuk said that a ceremonial awarding for the military of the 117th brigade of the Ukrainian territorial defense was taking place in Sumy.

Ukrainian lawmaker Maryana Bezuhla also said that the strikes had been carried out during the awards ceremony. US President Donald Trump called what happened in Sumy a mistake.

"In this case, we are talking about the course of the special military operation. Here, we should focus only on the information provided by our defense ministry. You know that we do not comment on the course of the military operation, the course of the military operation itself, in the administration. I can only repeat and remind you of the repeated statements from both our president and our military representatives that our military strikes exclusively at military and near-military facilities," Peskov told reporters when asked to comment on the situation in Sumy and Trump's reaction.

Trump pauses plans to hike US tariffs on China and most countries

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was halting higher tariffs for 90 days on most countries, and is now reviewing higher tariffs on China as well, a stunning reversal in his trade war that has rattled markets.

After days of insisting he would stick to his aggressive trade strategy, Trump announced that all countries that did not retaliate against US tariffs would receive a reprieve and today, like a spit-take, he delayed the imposition of high tariffs.

China on Friday struck back at President Trump's ballooning tariffs, raising its duties on imports of US goods to 125% from 84%.

The Trump administration warned Chinese officials against retaliation before the measures were announced and said that Chinese President Xi Jinping should request a call with President Trump, CNN reported Friday.

Beijing hinted it would not engage in further tariff hikes — even if Washington continues its escalations.

Trump finally suspended tariffs on cellphones, chips and laptops from China. US President Donald Trump's administration has exempted smartphones, computers and some other electronic devices from "reciprocal" tariffs, including the 125% levies imposed on Chinese imports.

In a notice, US Customs and Border Patrol said that the goods would be excluded from Trump's 10% global tariff on most countries and the much larger Chinese import tax.

It marks the first significant reprieve of any kind in Trump's tariffs on China, with one trade analyst describing it as a "game-changer scenario".

Late on Saturday, while travelling to Miami, Trump said he would give more details of the exemptions at the start of next week.

"We'll be very specific," he told reporters on Air Force One. "But we're taking in a lot of money. As a country we're taking in a lot of money."

The move came after concerns from US tech companies that the price of gadgets could skyrocket, as many of them are made in China.

Exemptions - backdated to 5 April - also include other electronic devices and components, including semiconductors, solar cells and memory cards.

"This is the dream scenario for tech investors," Dan Ives, who is the global head of technology research at Wedbush Securities, posted on X. "Smartphones, chips being excluded is a game-changer scenario when it comes to China tariffs."

Big tech firms such as Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft and the broader tech industry can breathe a huge sigh of relief this weekend, he added.

"President Trump has made it clear America cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones, and laptops," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

"At the direction of the president, these companies are hustling to onshore their manufacturing in the United States as soon as possible."

Trump, who is spending the weekend at his Florida home, told reporters on Friday he was comfortable with the high tariffs on China.

"And I think something positive is going to come out of that," he said, touting his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

These electronic goods are still subject to the 20% tariff on China related to fentanyl, White House Deputy Chief of Staff on Policy Stephen Miller posted on X.

Some estimates suggested iPhone prices in the US could have as much as tripled if costs were passed on to consumers.

The US is a major market for iPhones, while Apple accounted for more than half of its smartphones sales last year, according to Counterpoint Research.

It says as much as 80% of Apple's iPhones intended for US sale are made in China, with the remaining 20% made in India.

Like its fellow smartphone giant Samsung, Apple has been trying to diversify its supply chains to avoid an over-reliance on China in recent years.

India and Vietnam emerged as frontrunners for additional manufacturing hubs.

As the tariffs took effect, Apple reportedly looked to speed up and increase its production of India-produced devices in recent days.

Trump had planned for a host of steep tariffs on countries around the world to take effect this week.

But on Wednesday he announced he would implement a 90-day pause for countries hit by higher US tariffs - except China, whose tariffs he raised to 145%.

Trump said the tariff increase for China was because of the country's readiness to retaliate with its own 84% levy on US goods.

In a dramatic change of policy, Trump said all countries that had not retaliated against US tariffs would receive the reprieve – and only face a blanket tariff of 10% – until July.

The White House then said the move was a negotiating tactic to extract more favourable trade terms from other countries.

Trump has said his import taxes will address unfairness in the global trading system, as well as bring jobs and factories back to the US.

Russian military confirms shooting down Ukrainian F-16 jet

FILE PHOTO: F-16 fighter jets operated by Ukraine.
©Getty Images/Ukrainian Presidency

Russian forces have shot down a US-designed F-16 fighter jet operated by Ukraine, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.

It is the first time that the Russian military has announced the destruction of an F-16 since Kiev’s Western backers began deliveries of the fourth-generation aircraft to Ukraine last summer.

“An F-16 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force was shot down by air defense means,” the ministry said in its daily briefing on Sunday without revealing any further details.

On Saturday, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the loss of one of its F-16 fighters. An interdepartmental commission was then established to find out what caused the plane to go down, it added.

Vladimir Zelensky later confirmed that Ukrainian pilot Pavel Ivanov had been killed “during an F-16 combat mission.” He promised a “strong and precise” response, implying Russia was behind the destruction of the jet.

A government source told BBC Ukraine on Saturday that the F-16 had been shot down by the Russian military. “In total, the Russians fired three missiles at the plane. It was either a guided anti-aircraft missile from a S-400 ground-based system or an R-37 air-to-air missile,” the outlet claimed.

The source also ruled out friendly fire as a reason for the loss of the jet, claiming that Ukrainian air defenses have not been active in that area.

It marks the second confirmed loss of an F-16 by Ukraine. The first was destroyed and its pilot killed under unclear circumstances last August. The results of an investigation into the incident were never announced to the public. However, multiple media reports indicated that the plane was likely shot down by the country’s own anti-aircraft defenses by mistake.

Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway pledged to supply Kiev with up to 80 F-16s after receiving permission to do so from the previous administration of US President Joe Biden, though most of them will take years to arrive. In 2024, Ukraine received about 18 aircraft.

The Kiev authorities once claimed that the US-designed jets would become a game-changer in the conflict with Russia. But since the loss of the first aircraft, their use in combat has been limited, with the F-16 being mainly deployed away from the contact line for air defense purposes.