DOMESTIC
Over the past month, President Trump’s recently imposed international tariffs have been ever changing, resulting in a similarly fluctuating stock market and state of global affairs. Trump’s tariffs, an intention built into his plans since his candidacy, began on March 4 with imports from Canada, Mexico, and China. Retaliation began nearly instantly, as Canada responded with a 25 percent tariff on $155 billion of American goods, and backlash from automakers led Trump to pause tariffs on cars from Canada and Mexico for one month. Within just two days, many of the tariffs were put on pause. In the following weeks, multiple countries would continue to respond with their own tariffs, such as farm products exported from China, Canadian-sourced electricity exported to northern states and whiskey exported from Europe. Tariffs then began to expand further than the initial countries, with Trump instating a 10 percent charge on all nations importing goods to the United States. Some countries, rather than imposing their own tariffs in response, have instead asked that their tariffs be temporarily delayed. As of April 9, Trump has paused any reciprocal tariffs for the next 90 days, excluding China’s export tariffs that now amount to 125 percent. In response to this delay, stocks quickly surged after having been steadily dropping.
On Tuesday, April 8, a shooting in Virginia left three killed and three others wounded. Three teenagers, ages 16 to 18, were arrested and charged with malicious wounding and felony firearm use. In addition, another 16-year-old taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound has been charged and will be arrested upon his release. Police have identified the shooting as a result of an illegal gun sale and robbery that occurred around 5:30 pm near a townhouse complex just outside of Fredericksburg. Upon the officers’ arrival, all victims were found outside, with three of the men declared dead at the scene. Two victims have been identified as Chase Feaster and Alonzo Goffney, both 18-years-old, with the 20-year-old third victim still to be identified by the medical examiner’s office. Information on those who were taken to the hospital for gunshot wounds has not yet been released. On Wednesday morning, the surrounding school district opened on a two hour delay, stating that it would help them to accommodate for “the profound impact this incident has had on members of our school community.”
INTERNATIONAL
A devastating roof collapse at a Dominican Republic nightclub on Tuesday, April 8, has resulted in the deaths of more than 124 people. Many still remain missing, and the death toll is expected to increase as responders sort through rubble and forensic specialists continue to work to identify victims. Hundreds gathered outside of the country’s institute of pathology, showing photos of their missing loved ones and awaiting announced names as victims are identified. The Jet Set nightclub has been hosting the renowned merengue singer Rubby Perez, who was among those killed in the destruction. Multiple well-known figures attending the performance were lost, including former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Cabrera. In New York City, home to the largest Dominican population in the United States, hundreds gathered in Washington Square Park in solace and mourning. Similarly, in Lawrence, Mass., community members gathered outside of the restaurant of Dominican business owner Fray Luis Rosoario, who was also killed in the incident. The cause of the collapse remains unknown, and recovery efforts will likely continue in the forthcoming days.
In the midst of Ukraine and Russia’s ongoing conflict, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Beijing of making no efforts to prevent Russia from enlisting Chinese nationals in the fight, estimating that more than 150 soldiers have already taken the battlefield. While Beijing’s foreign ministry has stated that China has always asked its nationals “avoid any form of involvement in armed conflict,” Zelenskyy’s comments have raised suspicions concerning Beijing’s neutrality. Beijing has argued that these claims are not based in fact, but Zelenskyy has insisted that these individuals have been identified by Ukrainian intelligence officials. When investigating Russian military documents, Chinese recruits were reportedly offered sizable compensation, migration documents and payment cards in return for their service. The soldiers are said to be between the ages of 19 and 59, with some even being listed as part of drone units. Zelenskyy claims that the Russian government had been advertising to Chinese men through TikTok— likely to catch the attention of President Trump with the information having been provided to the US. Trump has not yet made any comments on the situation, but US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce called the reported involvement “disturbing” and added that Beijing was “a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine.”
