Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

“Three U.S. Army soldiers (…) were found deceased in Lithuania today,” the statement reads, adding that their identities are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has extended condolences over the deaths of the soldiers, Baltic News Service (BNS) reported.

Search and recovery operations continue for the remaining fourth soldier.

The search and recovery operation was launched on March 25 to locate four U.S. servicemen and a tracked vehicle that went missing during a training exercise in the General Silvestras Zukauskas Training Area in Pabrade. Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene confirmed on Monday that the armored vehicle had been recovered. It had sunk into a swamp and become deeply lodged in the mud.

The large-scale rescue operation has involved both Lithuanian and U.S. forces, along with other Lithuanian authorities. Several dozen Polish troops equipped with specialized equipment have also joined the effort.

The earthquake struck the Southeast Asian country on Friday, with Mandalay, Bago, Magway, the northeastern Shan state, Sagaing, and Nay Pyi Taw among the hardest-hit regions.

The 7.7 magnitude earthquake was also felt in neighboring countries.

In Bangkok, the latest official figures report that 11 people have died, 32 are injured, and 83 are missing due to a collapsed building in the capital.

As the search for survivors continues in both countries, friends and relatives anxiously await news of their loved ones, holding onto a faint glimmer of hope after a woman was pulled from the rubble in Mandalay after 30 hours.

In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump said he was “very angry” and “pissed off” when Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized the credibility of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s leadership, adding that the comments were “not going in the right location.”

“If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault — which it might not be — but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” Trump said.

“That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States,” he said. “There will be a 25 percent tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil.”

Trump noted that the tariffs on Russia would come within the next month if Moscow does not sign up to a ceasefire with Ukraine.

Trump said Putin knows he is angry, but he has “a very good relationship” with Putin and would speak to the Russian leader again this week.

During a phone conversation on March 18, Trump and Putin agreed that the peace in Ukraine “will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire.”

In a message shared on the social media platform X, Kagame expressed his hope that the occasion would bring peace, happiness, and prosperity to all those celebrating.

“Eid Mubarak to all Muslims in Rwanda and around the world celebrating Eid al-Fitr. May this joyous occasion bring you and your loved ones peace, happiness, and prosperity. Let us continue to uphold the values of compassion, unity, and generosity that define this celebration,” Kagame wrote on Sunday night.

#EidMubarak to all Muslims in Rwanda and around the world celebrating Eid al-Fitr. May this joyous occasion bring you and your loved ones peace, happiness, and prosperity. Let us continue to uphold the values of compassion, unity, and generosity that define this celebration.

— Paul Kagame (@PaulKagame) March 30, 2025

On March 30, Muslims in Rwanda joined millions worldwide in marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan after 29 days of fasting. The national Eid prayer gathering took place at Kigali Pele Stadium in Nyamirambo, where a large number of Muslims came together to observe the religious occasion.

As part of the celebrations, the Rwanda Muslim Community carried out a charitable initiative to support those in need.

During Ramadan, the community raised over 33 million Rwandan Francs, which was used to purchase food for underprivileged Muslims. Through this effort, 21,000 tons of food, including beans and rice, were distributed to vulnerable families, ensuring they could also partake in the festivities.

The celebrations will continue on Monday, March 31, which the government has declared a holiday to allow the Muslim community in Rwanda to mark the occasion.

Eid al-Fitr, one of the most significant celebrations in the Islamic calendar, marks the end of a month of fasting, reflection, and devotion.

According to Li, there was a widespread consensus in China that the U.S. trade war would persist under any administration—whether led by Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, or Donald Trump.

Speaking at a recent public lecture titled The Prospect of a New Stage of China’s High-Quality Development, Li addressed the ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions, asserting that a full-scale trade war is now unfolding.

The event, attended by both local and international journalists, provided insights into China’s strategic response and its focus on advancing high-quality economic development.

{{Escalating Trade Conflict
}}

Since January 2025, the trade conflict between the United States and China has intensified. During his second term, the Trump administration incrementally increased tariffs on Chinese imports, starting with a 10% duty on February 4, followed by a rise to 20% on March 4.

These measures were part of a broader strategy to pressure China on issues such as intellectual property rights and what the U.S. perceives as unfair trade practices.

In response, Beijing has refrained from matching U.S. tariff increases one-for-one but has instead adopted a targeted and multifaceted retaliation strategy.

Chinese authorities have imposed tariffs of 10–15% on select U.S. agricultural products, affecting key exports like soybeans, chicken, and wheat. Additionally, China has implemented non-tariff measures, including suspending import licenses for certain U.S. firms and launching anti-circumvention investigations aimed at limiting U.S. access to its industrial supply chain.

“China has been preparing for this for the past six to seven years. Everybody in China knew that the U.S. trade war would continue under any administration—Biden’s, Harris’s, or Trump’s. We knew this war was coming, and now it has arrived in full scale. We are looking at more tariffs, more policies, and more restrictions on Chinese goods,” Li stated.

Li emphasized that China’s government remains patient and is willing to work toward mutual benefits for both the Chinese and American people.

“We are waiting for the Trump administration to present constructive proposals. Naturally, China must respond to tariff policies, but overall, I would argue that among the world’s major economies, China is perhaps the most patient.”

According to Li, China has long anticipated and prepared for this phase of the trade war. He pointed out that trade with the U.S. now accounts for just 3.4% of China’s GDP, a figure he suggests is not substantial enough to derail the country’s broader economic trajectory.

With this in mind, he downplayed the impact of escalating tariffs and restrictions, framing them as challenges that China is well-equipped to navigate.

{{U.S. and Chinese Priorities
}}

Li noted that President Trump is primarily focused on three key issues: tackling immigration, boosting job creation in key swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and addressing the U.S. federal fiscal challenges.

Conversely, China’s strategic priorities center on maintaining social and political stability, peacefully resolving the Taiwan issue, and sustaining economic growth.

“These three concerns are not diametrically opposed to Trump’s top priorities. In economics, when two parties have different objectives, there is room for collaboration, negotiation, and communication. I remain hopeful that the Chinese government and the Trump administration will eventually find common ground and resolve seemingly unresolvable issues,” Li stated.

Li predicted that the world would be economically and financially divided into three major blocs.

He likened the division to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, with the first bloc consisting of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico forming a relatively self-sufficient trade zone. The second bloc, according to him, would be Europe, which is now highly interconnected.

The third and largest economic bloc would consist of China, ASEAN countries, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) nations, and Africa.

“As a result, we will see a significant increase in Chinese investment and technology flowing to African and Belt and Road countries. This will foster mutual economic benefits between China and these economies. In my view, the world is shifting toward a relatively divided structure with three distinct economic blocs,” he concluded.