Children crowding around a charity kitchen holding empty pots and pans clamoring for food to take to their families. Hours spent in search of clean water and scouring piles of garbage looking for trash to burn for a fire to cook or keep warm. These scenes, which NBC News’ crew in the Gaza Strip captured over the past week, come as humanitarian agencies sound the alarm over a dire and worsening situation in in the Palestinian enclave as Israel enforces a blockade on food, water, fuel, medical supplies and other aid and goods. Israeli officials maintain there is "no shortage" of aid in Gaza and accuse Hamas of withholding supplies. Israel says its blockade is crucial to its goal of weakening the militant group's control over the population. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Food Programme (WFP) told NBC News they had seen "no evidence" of a diversion of aid in Gaza. Both warned that supplies in the enclave were running out. 'Scraping the barrel' Humanitarian groups describe a spiraling crisis on the ground, with bakeries shuttered for weeks because of a lack of wheat, food parcels for families running out, supplies of hot meals dwindling and medical supplies drying up. "In terms of humanitarian supplies ... I mean, to say dwindling would be putting it nicely," Liz Allcock, head of humanitarian protection of Medical Aid for Palestinians, a United Kingdom-based humanitarian organization, told NBC News on Tuesday. “We’re really scraping the barrel in terms of being able to provide anything of substance," Allcock, said, speaking from Gaza. Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the World Food Programme, described the situation in Gaza as "dire and worsening," with all WFP-supported bakeries across the territory closing after wheat flour ran out March 31. By early April, she said, the WFP had also exhausted its stocks of food parcels for distribution. "Remaining stocks of hot meals commodities are being dispatched to the kitchens of partners providing hot meals," she said, adding: "We have around 1,000 tons or less left for these hot meals kitchens." The WFP and its partners have 85,000 tons of food waiting to enter the enclave, she said. The Global Nutrition Cluster, a coalition of humanitarian groups, has warned that in March alone, 3,696 children were newly admitted for care for acute malnutrition alone, out of 91,769 children screened — a marked increase from February, when 2,027 children were admitted from a total of 83,823 screened, OCHA said in a report Tuesday. Meanwhile, the United Nations has sounded the alarm that medical supplies in the enclave are running low, while casualties continue to fill hospitals. Etefa added that Israeli military activity across the enclave was affecting humanitarian groups' ability to deliver aid, with the decision to block the flow of aid coming just more than two weeks before Israel shattered its ceasefire with Hamas last month, bringing two months of relative calm in the Gaza Strip to an end. Israeli policy on aid In a statement Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said his country’s policy in Gaza was “clear and unequivocal,” including the policy to stop humanitarian aid, a move he said “undermines Hamas' control over the population, and creating an infrastructure for distribution through civilian companies later." Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Ministry has maintained that there is "no shortage of aid," pointing to the fact that more than 25,000 aid trucks entered the territory during Israel’s ceasefire with Hamas. Hamas was withholding supplies from civilians "in order to create an image of shortage," Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein told NBC News on Wednesday without providing evidence. OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke said the U.N. body's team on the ground described "no evidence of diversion of aid." Etefa said the WFP also had not seen any evidence, adding that the organization did not experience any looting during the ceasefire. Hamas did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the accusation. But Thursday, the militant group, which has faced protests calling for its ouster and an end to the war, accused Israel of committing a war crime by "declaring the use of starvation as a weapon." Under international humanitarian law, parties of a conflict cannot use starvation of a civilian population as a method of warfare or deprive civilians of essential supplies as a legitimate means to subdue an enemy. Marmorstein previously denied that Israel is violating international humanitarian law with its blockade in a post on X, saying war parties are not obliged to allow aid in if it is "likely to assist the military or economic efforts of the enemy." The war in Gaza began after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack, which killed 1,200 and saw around 250 kidnapped, according to Israeli counts. Israel's military offensive in the enclave since then has killed more than 51,000 people, including thousands of children, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, which has been run by Hamas since 2007. By the numbers Data published by COGAT, the Israeli military's liaison with the Palestinians, shows that 25,200 aid trucks entered Gaza during the ceasefire, carrying more than 447,500 tons of aid into the enclave. Before the war began, around 500 trucks carrying food and other supplies were entering Gaza each day, according to the British Red Cross. This suggests that by prewar standards, the 25,200 trucks that entered during the ceasefire, according to COGAT’s data, would likely be sufficient for around 1½ months, and was already roughly the length of the ceasefire, before the blockade began on March 2. The blockade has gone on for an additional 1½ months, with COGAT's database showing “no data” for aid entering the enclave between March 2 and April 16. Presented with the above data and asked to comment on the current aid situation on the ground, a spokesperson for COGAT told NBC News they could only confirm that more than 25,000 aid trucks had entered Gaza during the ceasefire. The spokesperson referred other questions related to the flow of aid to Israel's political leadership. In a report released this month, the WFP warned that humanitarian aid is the “primary food source” for 80% of households across Gaza. Meanwhile, it said Israel’s closure of crossings into the territory had “exacerbated the fragility of the Gaza market,” leading prices to soar between 150% and 700% compared with prewar levels, and by 29% to as much as 1,400% above prices during the ceasefire. As officials debate the reality of the situation on the ground, families across the enclave tell NBC News that they are struggling to survive.
The leaders of Canada's four major federal parties have been grilled about their response to US President Donald Trump and clashed over energy and housing in their first televised debate of the country's election campaign. The French-language face-off marked a key moment in the election as it gave leaders a chance to woo voters in the seat-rich province of Quebec. It was also a big test for Liberal leader Mark Carney, who has a slight lead in the polls, but whose French is the weakest among the federal leaders. He at times struggled to articulate his points on stage. There is a second debate in English on Thursday, before Canadians vote on 28 April. On the stage were the four main party candidates: Liberal leader and current Prime Minister Carney, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, and leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Jagmeet Singh. The debate was moderated by Radio-Canada journalist Patrice Roy. Mr Roy opened the forum saying that Canada's short 36-day federal election had been "hijacked by Trump", and asked each leader to outline two campaign promises unrelated to the US or its tariffs. But soon afterwards, Mr Roy plunged into a question on how each party would handle the trade war with the US, calling it the "elephant in the room". Trump has implemented blanket 25% tariffs on goods from Canada, with an exemption on products covered by the USMCA - a North American free trade deal. Canada is also hit with global US tariffs on steel and aluminium and cars. The president has also publicly mused about Canada becoming the 51st US state. Poilievre, of the opposition Conservatives, accused the governing Liberals of weakening the country over the past decade, making Canada more vulnerable to economic threats. Carney touted his experience as a former central banker for both Canada and the UK, as well as his time in the private sector. "[Trump] respects people who understand the world and how the private sector works," Carney said. Singh, of the left-leaning NDP, sought to paint both Poilievre and Carney as the wrong option for Canadians whose jobs may be affected by US tariffs. "Both will cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires," he said. For Carney, the French-language debate was arguably the first major test of the campaign trail. A second debate will be held on Thursday night with the contenders speaking in English. That forum will be more widely watched nationwide, but the stakes were high on Wednesday for Carney's Liberals, which are leading in Quebec where the majority of French-speaking Canadians live. His French was the weakest on stage, and he often kept his answers brief and sometimes struggled to get his points across in a debate format with opportunities for rapid exchanges. He also faced the most frequent attacks as the others leaders tried to tie him to the Liberal record of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who resigned last month. "We are still talking about the same party, the same caucus," the Bloc's Blanchet said. He added: "It's not because you change the leader that you change your philosophy." Carney countered that he had accomplishments despite only being sworn in as PM last month. He had "just arrived", he said. There was a moment of levity when Mr Roy asked the leaders if they were buying fewer US products - like many Canadians are in the face of tariffs - at the grocery store. Carney had admitted in an interview early this month that he does not do his own groceries when asked if he still buys US strawberries. Singh and Blanchet both said they bought Canadian berries. Carney said he had given up US wine, while Poilievre said he buys Canadian beef. Trump was not the only issue on the agenda. The leaders were asked about their plan to address Canada's housing crisis, and how they would balance climate and the economy. On housing, Poilievre vowed to cut taxes and red tape that he says act as a barrier to home building. "We don't need more bureaucracy, we need more front doors," the Conservative leader said in a jab directed at Carney. But the two found common ground on energy, saying the country should ramp up its oil and gas production. Carney said climate remains a priority for his party, adding that he would focus on producing "low-risk", "low-carbon" oil. On immigration, there was also wide agreement that Canada must look at its capacity to integrate newcomers and asylum seekers. Canada has seen a rapid population boom in recent years and social and housing infrastructure has struggled to catch up. Canadian border officials recently noted an uptick in asylum seekers looking to cross the Quebec-US border as a result of the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies. Absent from the debate stage was the Green Party. In a last-minute decision by the debate commission, it was disqualified for failing to meet the criteria by not endorsing candidates in at least 90% of Canada's federal ridings, or constituencies. The party, which had two MPs in parliament when the election was called, also failed to meet the threshold of at least 4% in national support. Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault called the commission's decision "baseless" and "undemocratic". It wasn't the only change to the debate. On Tuesday, the start time was officially moved forward by two hours to accommodate an NHL game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Carolina Hurricanes, with a spot in the Stanley Cup play-offs at stake.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday amid a tense trade standoff with the European Union over tariffs. Meloni’s visit to Washington makes her the first European leader to meet the president since he announced tariffs on European imports earlier this month. Trump is a fan of Meloni, the leader of the right-wing populist Brothers of Italy party — one that has risen in prominence along with a tide of other similar populist parties in Europe. He described her as a “fantastic woman” who was “really taking Europe by storm” when they met in Mar-a-Lago in January. But that rapport — and Meloni’s diplomatic skills — will be put to the test on Thursday, as the leaders meet amid wider concerns of full-blown trade war between the U.S. and the bloc. In early April, Trump announced a 20% “reciprocal” tariff on all imported goods from the EU as part of his wide-reaching global trade tariffs policy. He has since reduced the duty to 10% for 90 days, allowing for negotiations to take place to try to find a trade deal. The EU in turn paused its retaliatory 25% tariffs targeting 21 billion euros’ ($23.8 billion) worth of U.S. exports. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen commented last week that the EU wants “to give negotiations a chance” but should talks not prove satisfactory, EU countermeasures will kick in. The EU will be watching Meloni’s meeting with Trump carefully, hopeful that she could aid talks to find a compromise to resolve what Trump sees as an unfair and unbalanced trading relationship due to the EU’s persistent trade surplus with the U.S. Meloni has been described as something of a “Trump whisperer” who could placate the U.S. leader’s position when it comes to trade with the EU. She earned the moniker after Trump visibly enjoyed a five-hour meeting with her at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in January. She’s also due to host Vice President J.D. Vance in Rome on April 18. Thursday’s meeting “represents a key opportunity for her to demonstrate both her closeness to President Donald Trump and her potential role as a credible interlocutor capable of revitalizing transatlantic dialogue,” Wolfango Piccoli, co-president at risk consultancy Teneo, said in emailed analysis last week. “However, despite having pursued this visit even before the “Liberation Day” period [the name U.S. officials gave to the day global tariffs were announced on April 2], concerns are growing that it could backfire, especially considering Trump’s recent treatment of various foreign leaders,” the analyst added. “One of the major challenges of this visit will be demonstrating that Meloni is acting as a mediator on behalf of the entire EU, not just in defense of Italian interests.” Export-oriented Italy, the euro zone’s third-largest economy, could stand to benefit greatly from an EU-U.S. trade deal as it won’t want to lose a lucrative market for its top exports to the States. Those include machinery and medical products as well as cars, clothes and food and drink. Problematically for the Trump administration, however, Rome recorded a trade surplus of $43.9 billion with the U.S. in 2024, U.S. data shows. When Trump’s tariffs of 20% were announced on EU imports, Meloni was among the leaders lamenting the decision, saying it was “wrong” but urging her European counterparts to try to avert a trade war. “The tariffs are wrong and not in the interest of either party,” Meloni said, noting that Italy would “do everything we can to work on an agreement with the U.S., with the aim of averting a trade war that would inevitably weaken the West in favor of other global players.” Meloni had also warned that Italian food and drink exports could be hit hard by tariffs, noting that “Italian agri-food products are in demand all over the world, starting of course with Europe.” “It must be remembered that the United States is the second-largest destination market, with exports rising by 17% in 2024. The U.S. market is fundamental for us.” Teneo’s Piccoli said Meloni’s cautious response to U.S. tariffs was also driven by her belief that the biggest risks to Italy’s economy do not lie in the tariffs themselves, particularly as they are currently being applied in a reduced form, “but in the potential consequences of a full-blown trade war involving retaliatory tariffs or a U.S. disengagement from European defense.” “Such scenarios could impact Italy’s public finances significantly. Current estimates suggest the tariffs could reduce Italian exports by 0.3% to 0.5% of GDP, though the actual effect is likely smaller due to the limited pass-through effect; many Italian exports are premium or niche products, making them hard to replace in the short term,” he noted.
Nora Aunor, who became one of the biggest stars of Philippine cinema during a career that spanned seven decades, has died. Aunor died Wednesday, according to social media posts from her children. She was 71. No further details on the cause or place of her death were immediately given. Filipina actor Lotlot de León said on Instagram that her mother “touched generations with her unmatched talent, grace, and passion for the craft. Her voice, presence, and artistry shaped a legacy that will never fade.” De León said funeral plans and other details will be shared later. Aunor, born Nora Cabaltera Villamayor to an impoverished family in eastern Camarines Sur province, sold water in a train station in her hometown in her youth. She first gained fame in her teens as a singer in the 1960s before moving on to movies. She amassed more than 200 credits in film and television that included many classics of Philippine cinema, and won dozens of acting awards. Memorable roles included 1976’s “Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos” (“Three Years Without God”), 1984’s “Bulaklak sa City Jail” (“Flowers of the City Jail”) and 1995’s “The Flor Contemplacion Story.” She swept best actress awards in the country for her performance in 1990’s “Andrea, Paano ba ang Maging Isang Ina?” (“Andrea, What is It Like to be a Mother?”) and won best actress at the Asian Film Awards for her portrayal of a midwife in 2012’s “Thy Womb.” Aunor was still acting as recently as last year, starring in the film “Mananambal” (“The Healer”) and appearing on the TV series “Lilet Matias, Attorney-at-Law.” Aunor was named a National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts — the country’s biggest honor for actors — in 2022. In 2014, then-President Benigno Aquino III had denied her the honor because of a previous drug arrest in the U.S., provoking broad outcry. Aunor’s lawyer said the 2005 arrest at the Los Angeles airport came because of a pipe found in a bag she did not pack, noting she was traveling with four assistants at the time. The charges were dropped in 2007 after she completed a diversion program, her lawyer said in 2014. Aunor was married to actor Christopher de León from 1975 until 1996. She is survived by their children Lotlet, Ian, Matet, Kiko and Kenneth de León.
The incident began while a woman was cooking on board. Several passengers, including women and children, died after jumping into the water without being able to swim. A boat has capsized after catching fire in the northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, leaving at least 50 people dead and hundreds missing, a local official said on Wednesday. Dozens were saved following the accident on the Congo River late on Tuesday night, many of them with bad burns. The search for the missing was underway Wednesday with rescue teams supported by the Red Cross and provincial authorities. The motorized wooden boat with about 400 passengers caught fire near the town of Mbandaka, Compétent Loyoko, the river commissioner, told The Associated Press. The boat, HB Kongolo, had left the port of Matankumu for the Bolomba territory. About 100 survivors were taken to an improvised shelter at the Mbandaka town hall. Those with burn injuries were taken to local hospitals.The incident began while a woman was cooking on board, Loyoko said. Several passengers, including women and children, died after jumping into the water without being able to swim. Deadly boat accidents are common in the central African country, where late-night travels and overcrowded vessels are often blamed. Authorities have struggled to enforce maritime regulations. Congo’s rivers are a major means of transport for its more than 100 million people, especially in remote areas where infrastructure is poor or nonexistent. Hundreds have been killed in boat accidents in recent years as more people abandon the few available roads for wooden vessels packed with passengers and their goods.
Edan Alexander, who grew up in New Jersey, was doing voluntary service with Israel’s military when he was taken hostage Oct. 7, 2023. Fears are growing for Edan Alexander, the last living U.S. citizen held hostage in Gaza, after Hamas said it lost contact with the group holding him following Israeli strikes on the area it was based in. “We are still trying to reach them,” Abu Obeida, spokesman for Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, said in a statement Tuesday, adding that the group had come under “direct bombardment” from Israel. As of Wednesday morning, it was unclear whether that had changed. NBC News was not able to independently verify Hamas’ claim and the Israel Defense Forces and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Alexander, who grew up in New Jersey, was doing voluntary service with Israel’s military when he was taken hostage Oct. 7, 2023, along with around 250 others. Israeli officials say 1,200 people were killed during the Hamas-led terrorist attacks, marking a major escalation in a decadeslong conflict. More than 51,000 people have been killed in the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip since then, according health officials in the enclave, which has been run by Hamas since 2007. Alexander is one of at least 59 hostages remaining in Gaza, according to Israeli officials, although less than half are believed to be alive. His family did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But after Hamas released a video of him, likely speaking under duress, on Sunday, his father, Adi Alexander, expressed fears for his son. “It was very tough to observe, very tough to see our son in this situation,” he told NewsNation’s "Morning in America" show. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of those held captive in Gaza, said it would not "respond to or acknowledge" Hamas' statement. “We do not consider any statements from Hamas to be credible,” it added. The group has previously expressed fears that Israel’s military offensive was imperiling the safety of hostages held in the enclave. Hamas said in March that it was willing to release Alexander, as well as the bodies of four dual nationals, but wanted to begin negotiations to start the second phase of a three-part ceasefire deal with Israel. Talks for a permanent end to the fighting were supposed to begin after the first phase of the ceasefire deal — in which Hamas released 25 living hostages and the bodies of eight in exchange for around 1,800 Palestinian prisoners and detainees — ended March 1. But Israeli forces shattered the fragile truce last month and have since launched airstrikes on the enclave while also resuming military ground operations. Meanwhile, Netanyahu, who has shown little sign that he is willing to end the conflict, made a trip to northern Gaza on Tuesday, along with a group that included Defense Minister Israel Katz. Calling on Hamas to release the hostages, his office quoted him as saying that the militant group would "suffer more and more blows," until they were freed. The visit came as he faces mounting pressure from the Israeli public, including former members of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency and the military, to agree to an end to the hostilities.
Assad al-Nassasra's fate had remained unknown since he was targeted along with other Palestine Red Crescent Society medics in Rafah. A Palestinian medic who has been missing for almost three weeks since a deadly attack by Israeli troops on a convoy of emergency vehicles in the Gaza Strip is being detained by Israel, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Wednesday. The ICRC “received information” that Assad al-Nassasra was being held “in an Israeli place of detention,” chief spokesperson Christian Cardon said in a statement Wednesday. He added that the organization had informed Nassasra's family along with his employer, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS). The PRCS said Monday in a post on X that until it was informed by the ICRC that Nassasra was alive, “his fate had remained unknown since he was targeted along with other PRCS medics in Rafah.” The Israel Defense Forces would not confirm if Nassasra was in its custody when asked about his whereabouts by NBC News. The Israeli military has been widely criticized after it walked back its account of the incident March 23, which saw 15 Palestinian paramedics and emergency workers killed. The IDF — having initially said that its soldiers opened fire as the vehicles approached its position “suspiciously” without headlights or emergency signals, killing what it described as nine Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants — later changed its account after contradicting video of the incident emerged. The vehicle was also marked with the Palestine Red Crescent Society’s insignia. Lights on two other vehicles can also be seen flashing when soldiers opened fire on the convoy. The bodies of the killed workers were found buried in a mass grave in the southern Gaza Strip a week later. Autopsy reports for 14 of the 15 people killed revealed that they had died mainly from gunshots to the head or chest, according to The New York Times, which obtained the results and published the findings Wednesday. It did not obtain the autopsy result for one United Nations worker who was also killed. The reports showed that four had been shot in the head, while at least six were shot in their chests or backs, the newspaper reported, adding that 11 had gunshot wounds and had been shot multiple times. All 14 had been wearing either part of or their whole Red Crescent or Civil Defense uniforms at the time they were killed, the Times reported citing the reports about the autopsies. The autopsies were carried out between April 1 and April 5 by Ahmad Dhair, the forensic head of the Health Ministry in Gaza. Norwegian pathologist Arne Stray-Pedersen, who had been in Gaza earlier in March, subsequently reviewed photos of the autopsies and consulted with Dhair to write the summary report, the Times reported. The IDF did not comment on the reported autopsy findings but said in a statement to NBC News on Wednesday that the incident had been “transferred to the General Staff’s Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism for investigation.” Meanwhile, Cardon of the ICRC said the organization had not been granted access to Nassasra or any other Palestinian detainees since the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023 which saw 1,200 killed and around 250 people taken hostage, according to Israeli counts, marking a major escalation in a decadeslong conflict. More than 51,000 people have been killed in the Israeli military assault on the Gaza Strip since then, according health officials in the enclave, which has been run by Hamas since 2007. “The ICRC continues to call for access to all places of detention and reiterates publicly and privately that all detainees must always be treated humanely and with dignity,” Cardon said.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) warned on Wednesday that the outlook for global trade has “deteriorated sharply” in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs regime. “The outlook for global trade has deteriorated sharply due to a surge in tariffs and trade policy uncertainty,” the WTO said in its latest “Global Trade Outlook and Statistics” report out Wednesday. Based on the tariffs currently in place, and including a 90-day suspension of “reciprocal tariffs,” the volume of world merchandise trade is now expected to decline by 0.2% in 2025, before posting a “modest” recovery of 2.5% in 2026. The decline is anticipated to be particularly steep in North America, where exports are forecasted to drop by 12.6% this year. The WTO also warned that “severe downside risks exist,” including the application of “reciprocal” tariffs and a broader spillover of policy uncertainty, “which could lead to an even sharper decline of 1.5% in global goods trade,” particularly hurting export-oriented, least-developed countries. The recent tariff disturbances follow a strong year for world trade in 2024, during which merchandise trade grew 2.9% and commercial services trade expanded by 6.8%, the WTO said. The new estimate of a 0.2% decline in world trade for 2025 is nearly three percentage points lower than it would have been under a “low tariff” baseline scenario, the WTO added, and marks a significant reversal from the start of the year when the trade body’s economists expected to see continued trade expansion supported by improving macroeconomic conditions. “Risks to the forecast include the implementation of the currently suspended reciprocal tariffs by the United States, as well as a broader spillover of trade policy uncertainty beyond U.S.-linked trade relationships,” the WTO said. “If enacted, reciprocal tariffs would reduce world merchandise trade growth by an additional 0.6 percentage points, posing particular risks for least-developed countries (LDCs), while a spreading of trade policy uncertainty (TPU) would shave off a further 0.8 percentage points. Taken together, the reciprocal tariffs and spreading TPU would lead to a 1.5% decline in world merchandise trade volume in 2025.” Trump stunned trading partners and global markets in early April, when he announced a raft of “reciprocal” tariffs on imports from more than 180 countries. Beijing was hit the hardest of all, with the U.S. duty on Chinese imports now effectively totaling 145%. China in turn hit back at Washington with retaliatory tariffs of up to 125% on U.S. imports. Widespread market turbulence following the tariffs announcement prompted a temporary climbdown by Trump, with the president last week announcing that the new duties on imports from most trading partners would be reduced to 10% for 90 days in order to allow for trade negotiations with Washington’s counterparts. The WTO said in its Wednesday report that the impact of recent trade policy changes is likely to vary sharply from region to region. In the adjusted forecast, North America now subtracts 1.7 percentage points from global merchandise trade growth in 2025, turning the overall figure negative. Meanwhile, Asia and Europe continue to contribute positively, but less than in the baseline scenario, with Asia’s input halved to 0.6 percentage points. The disruption in U.S.-China trade is expected “to trigger significant trade diversion,” the WTO added, raising concerns among third markets about increased competition from China. “Chinese merchandise exports are projected to rise by 4% to 9% across all regions outside North America as trade is redirected. At the same time, U.S. imports from China are expected to fall sharply in sectors such as textiles, apparel and electrical equipment, creating new export opportunities for other suppliers able to fill the gap,” the trade organization remarked, noting that this could open the door for some least-developed countries to increase their exports to the U.S. market.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta sued the Trump administration in federal court Wednesday over President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on U.S. trading partners, arguing that it was illegal for Trump to use certain emergency powers to impose them. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, argues that Trump doesn't have the presidential authority to unilaterally impose tariffs using the International Economic Emergency Powers Act because it "violates the separations-of-powers doctrine." "Trump claims this law is the reason he can impose these tariffs, and he is wrong," Bonta said at a news conference alongside Newsom in Stanislaus County, in California's Central Valley. "The truth is the IEEPA does not apply here. Trump has had to resort to creating bogus national emergencies that defy reason." The state asks the court to declare the tariffs void and block their implementation.Announcing the lawsuit on his latest podcast episode, released Wednesday morning, Newsom said Trump doesn't have "the unilateral authority to impose one of the largest tax increases in U.S. history," emphasizing the impact of tariffs in potentially leading to higher prices. Newsom continued, "Impacts of these tariffs are disproportionately being felt here in California, the No. 1 manufacturing state in America, a state that will be significantly impacted by this unilateral decision by the president of the United States.” At the news conference, Newsom, a Democrat, denounced Republicans who control the House and the Senate for not challenging Trump. "Where the hell is Congress? Where the hell is Speaker [Mike] Johnson? Do your job. They’re sitting there passively as this guy wrecks the economy in the United States of America, which has dominated the global economy," he said. Newsom said California will defend people who voted for Trump, who he said didn't follow through on his promises. “I’m here because they’re disproportionately hurt by this, by the guy that’s betrayed them," he said. "Donald Trump is betraying the people of the Central Valley. He is betraying the people that supported him. Donald Trump has turned their back, his back, on his supporters. We will not turn our back on those that supported Donald Trump. We will have their back." Newsom is a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender and frequent Trump critic. On his recently launched podcast, he has hosted some conservatives as guests, such as Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon, drawing criticism from fellow Democrats after he seemed to agree with them on some issues, including transgender athletes’ participation in women's sports. Bonta said it is the 14th lawsuit his office has brought against the Trump administration in the last 14 weeks. "The president is exercising authority that he doesn’t have," he said at the news conference. "The president can’t do unlawful things. Really, it's that simple. And he thinks he’s above the law. He’s not. He thinks he can violate the Constitution and the law, and he can’t. And so it’s up to us to hold him accountable to following the law." The lawsuit argues that Trump can't use the International Economic Emergency Powers Act to unilaterally impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China or create an across-the-board 10% tariff. Trump has imposed tariffs on most foreign countries, with China facing the largest, 145%, and other nations facing 10% after he backed off last week from implementing higher duties for 90 days. Trump touted the tariffs as he spoke to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, saying: "We're making tremendous amounts of money, taking in billions and billions, hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs from other countries that, for many, many decades, just ripped off the United States. And it’s time that we not allow that to happen." Asked for comment on the state's lawsuit Wednesday, White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement, "Instead of focusing on California’s rampant crime, homelessness, and unaffordability, Gavin Newsom is spending his time trying to block President Trump’s historic efforts to finally address the national emergency of our country’s persistent goods trade deficits." He added, "The entire Trump administration remains committed to addressing this national emergency that’s decimating America’s industries and leaving our workers behind with every tool at our disposal, from tariffs to negotiations.”
