USA - How “free” can international trade be if its proponents depend upon a labyrinthine system of rules that requires thousand-page treaties and guidance from the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, central banks galore, the Bank for International Settlements, international standards organizations, law firms specializing in commercial and maritime law, more law firms specializing in the administrative law of specific nations, even more law firms specializing in the labor and environmental laws of each nation, and an ever-increasing number of national and international regulatory bodies to tell producers what they can and cannot produce, how and when to produce what they are permitted to produce, and whom to pay for the “privilege” of producing it — all while restricting which domestic consumers around the world are permitted to purchase what the aforementioned producers end up producing?

That long question only scratches the surface of the sheer complexity of international trade, yet even in its oversimplification, it smacks of coercion, extortion, overbearing micromanagement, government corruption, and blatant racketeering. It oozes the “command and control” odor we associate with a Soviet-type, socialist, or similarly centrally planned economy. Nothing about “free trade” in practice sounds remotely free.

USA - 'Wolf of Wall Street' Jordan Belfort has told Sky News there's "no way" Donald Trump is guilty of insider trading or market manipulation. Opponents say the president has questions to answer after he said it was a "great time to buy" shares - four hours before the stock market surged on Wednesday when he paused tariffs. Mr Belfort told Gillian Joseph the fact Mr Trump made the statement on social media meant it was public, rather than him tipping off a few people. Mr Belfort told Sky News that while he was against tariffs generally, President Trump's dramatic intervention was necessary as the US has an "insane" trade imbalance and imports far more than it exports. "The United States has been drained of its wealth, drained of its factories," he said.

USA - The fraud within the United States government is so rampant that it is leaving Elon Musk shocked. On Wednesday, The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced its findings from an initial survey of unemployment insurance claims since 2020 and uncovered three stunning discoveries regarding unemployment fraud. What they found will leave you livid:

USA - During an interview with automotive designer and internet personality Casey Putsch last week, Tucker mentioned that he is a lifelong fan of Chevrolet trucks but felt he had to “immediately” sell his latest one after spotting a disturbing message on the car’s dashboard. “I bought a truck last year…A Chevy truck, which I’ve always had, and I was at a gas station," he said. “And all of a sudden at a gas station, it says, ‘Stop, we’re downloading information from the internet.'” “While you were driving?” Putsch asked. “No, I was stopped,” Tucker replied. “I sold the car immediately. I brought it back and sold it.” Tucker last year bought his 1987 Chevy Silverado and revealed the car’s lack of technology was a prime appealing factor to him: “There are no electronics in this. There’s no air conditioning, there’s no radio, and there’s no way for the government to turn off my engine if I’m disobedient,” he said at the time.

USA - President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for all countries except for China, which will see an increased tariff of 125%, in a Wednesday Truth Social post. The move comes after Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on several nations on April 2, sending shockwaves across international markets. Markets immediately responded by surging following the president’s Wednesday announcement.

USA - Stocks surged to one of their biggest gains since the second world war after Donald Trump paused his tariffs against most nations except China, as investors had desperately hoped he would. Trump, though, did raise tariffs on China to 125%. The S&P 500 soared 9.5%, though the index is still below where it was when Trump announced his sweeping set of tariffs last week. The Dow Jones industrial average flew nearly 3,000 points higher, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 12.2%.

USA - Donald Trump signed four executive orders on Tuesday aimed at reviving coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel that has long been in decline, and which substantially contributes to planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. Environmentalists expressed dismay at the news, saying that Trump was stuck in the past and wanted to make utility customers “pay more for yesterday’s energy”. The US president is using emergency authority to allow some older coal-fired power plants scheduled for retirement to keep producing electricity. The move, announced at a White House event on Tuesday afternoon, was described by White House officials as being in response to increased US power demand from growth in datacenters, artificial intelligence and electric cars.

JAPAN - The Nankai Trough, a 600-mile (900 km) deep ocean trench, is a region where the Philippine Sea Plate is subducting beneath the Eurasian Plate. This tectonic boundary has historically produced megaquakes every 100 to 200 years. The last major event occurred in 1946. The Japanese government's latest estimates, updated for the first time since 2013, account for inflationary pressures and advanced topographical data, which have expanded the anticipated flood areas.

HAWAII - Scientists were bracing for high lava fountains Tuesday during the latest episode of an ongoing eruption of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano. Lava fountains have reached heights of 1,000 feet (305 meters) during recent eruptive episodes, drawing visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to marvel at the fiery glow. Kilauea, located on the southeastern part of the Big Island, is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Kilauea’s latest eruption began December 23 and has been in an [active] state since.

USA - Absolutely gigantic dust storms are “triggering massive highway pileups” in the middle of the country, virtually the entire Southwest is currently experiencing at least some level of drought, and dust storms and soil erosion are now costing our economy more than 100 billion dollars every year. If you think that what we are witnessing is “normal”, you simply are not being rational. The same conditions that prevailed during the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s are returning, and scientists have warned us that the megadrought that has now begun could continue for a long time to come.

VATICAN - King Charles has met with Pope Francis privately while on a State Visit to Italy, Buckingham Palace said today. The meeting took place at the Vatican after the Pope invited the King for a private audience in light of an official State Visit being postponed due to the Pope’s health. “Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla this afternoon had a private meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican,” the Palace said today. “Their Majesties were delighted The Pope was well enough to host them — and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person.”

USA - Billionaire CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, on Tuesday savaged President Donald Trump's trade advisor Peter Navarro after he criticized the DOGE advisor's car company. Navarro described Musk as a 'car assembler,' as his Tesla vehicles made in the United States required parts manufactured in foreign countries such as China, Japan, and Taiwan. 'When it comes to tariffs and trade, we all understand in the White House - and the American people understand - that Elon is a car manufacturer, but he's not a car manufacturer. He's a car assembler,' Navarro said in an interview.

USA - President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have unveiled plans for a record-breaking $1 trillion defense budget. This landmark proposal signifies the administration’s unwavering commitment to national defense and global leadership. During a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump emphasized the necessity of this substantial investment. Trump: “We have great things happening with our military. We also essentially approved a budget, which is in the facility — you’ll like to hear this — of a trillion dollars. One trillion dollars. And nobody’s seen anything like it. We have to build our military, and we’re very cost-conscious. But the military is something that we have to build, and we have to be strong because you’ve got a lot of bad forces out there now. The message to our adversaries is clear: America’s awake, armed, and ready to lead again."

UK - Thousands of people in the UK have been detained and questioned by police over online posts deemed threatening or offensive, The Times has reported, citing custody data. In 2023 alone, officers from 37 police forces made 12,183 arrests – around 33 per day. The Times said this marks a 58% increase from 2019, when 7,734 arrests were recorded. The statistics have sparked public outcry, with civil liberties groups accusing the authorities of overpolicing the internet and undermining free speech through the use of “vague” communications laws.

UK - At the height of lockdown madness, Matt Hancock casually announced the introduction of ten year jail terms for breaching certain Covid regulations. The then health secretary’s proclamation was greeted with a combination of derision and disbelief. The idea that anyone would ever be incarcerated for a decade for some harmless muddle over the ludicrously complex, ever changing and often arbitrary rules and regulations seemed totally outlandish. Behind the scenes however, the then Tory government was plotting to “get heavy with the police,” to ensure anyone who stepped an inch out of line felt the full force of the law.