April 16, 2025

MIDDLE EAST | Updates from regional conflicts:

• Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement today that his country's military forces will remain in so-called security zones in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria indefinitely – a stance analysts suggest could complicate talks with Hamas over a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza. [more]
• The South Asian archipelago nation of Maldives said yesterday that it has formally changed its immigration laws to bar entry to people with Israeli passports over opposition to the war in Gaza. [more]

U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | Three students were wounded by gunfire and a fourth was injured yesterday afternoon when a yet-unidentified gunman opened fire at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas, Texas. Local authorities say a suspect in the case has been arrested, but have not yet provided details about the person. [more]

U.S. DEPORTATIONS | Saying that Trump administration officials appear to “have done nothing at all” toward returning Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis yesterday ordered testimony from multiple federal officials to help determine if they complied with her orders to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return to the U.S. following his mistaken deportation to a prison in El Salvador. [more]

U.S. EDUCATION | After Harvard University this week rejected Trump administration demands to overhaul its policies and academic programs or lose federal grants, President Donald Trump yesterday threatened to strip the university of its tax-exempt status and called on the school to apologize. [more]

U.S. CLIMATE AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING | A federal judge issued a nationwide temporary injunction yesterday ordering the Trump administration to release billions of dollars allocated by Congress for climate- and infrastructure-related projects across the country during the Biden administration. U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy said the funding freeze was "arbitrary and capricious" and ordered the distribution of funds while court proceedings in the matter play out. [more]

CALIFORNIA | The Pacific Fishery Management Council, which manages West Coast fisheries, says the commercial salmon fishing season in California will be closed for an unprecedented third straight year in 2025 due to the dwindling number of fish. [more]

U.S. PRESS FREEDOM | The White House reportedly intends to implement a new media policy that would sharply curtail access to President Trump's press events by reporters for wire services such as The Associated Press, Reuters, and Bloomberg. The new policy follows a federal court ruling last week that said the White House improperly punished the AP for refusing to rename the Gulf of Mexico by blocking its reporters and photographers from covering presidential events. [more]

U.S. COAL | A list posted online by the Environmental Protection Agency details 47 electricity providers that operate at least 66 coal-fired power plants which have received a two-year exemption from federal requirements to reduce emissions of toxic chemicals such as mercury, arsenic, and benzene. Publication of the list comes after last week's executive order from President Donald Trump aimed at boosting the struggling coal industry. [full list] [more]

U.S. AUTISM | A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 2022 data from 14 states and Puerto Rico indicates that about 1 in 31 U.S. children suffer from some form of autism spectrum disorder – up from the agency's 2000 estimate of 1 in 36. Researchers note that boys continue to be diagnosed more than girls, and that the highest rates of autism spectrum disorder are among children who are Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, or Black. [full report] [more]

U.S. POLITICS | In his first major speech since leaving office, former President Joe Biden said yesterday that the Trump administration has caused significant damage and that it is working to destroy the Social Security program. Biden also said that he has never seen the country so divided. [more]

U.S. AND CANADA | In a new advisory, the Canadian Association of University Teachers, which represents about 70,000 teachers and other staff at Canadian universities, has warned its members against non-essential travel to the United States due to the “political landscape” under President Donald Trump, border crossing difficulties, and reports of detentions. Reports note that border crossings from Canada into the U.S. in March were about 32% lower than in the year-ago period, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. [more]

CHINA | The National Bureau of Statistics reports that China's economy expanded at an annual rate of 5.4% in the January-March quarter, supported by higher-than-usual exports ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s rapid increases in tariffs on Chinese goods. [more]

MOZAMBIQUE | According to a new report from Amnesty International, more than 300 people were killed, more than 3,000 were injured, and more than 4,000 were arrested in a crackdown on protesters by security forces in Mozambique following the country's October 2024 elections. [full report] [more]

U.K. | In a new ruling today, the U.K. Supreme Court said that U.K. equalities law defines a woman as someone born biologically female, meaning, according to legal analysts, that a transgender person with a certificate that recognizes them as female should not be considered a woman for equality purposes. The ruling came in a case considering a 2018 law passed by the Scottish Parliament stating that there should be a 50% female representation on the boards of Scottish public bodies. [more]

HONG KONG | Officials in Hong Kong say the Chinese special territory's postal service will stop shipping small parcels to the United States due to the May 2 end of a U.S. customs exemption on small-value parcels. [more]

SUDAN | Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces fighting Sudan's military in a now-two-year-old civil war, said yesterday that his group intends to form a rival government that will rule the parts of Sudan controlled by the RSF, including the key western Darfur region. [more]

U.K. ECONOMY | The U.K. Office for National Statistics reports that year-over-year consumer prices across the United Kingdom rose 2.6% in March – down from 2.8% in February and the second consecutive monthly inflation decline. Analysts suggest the continued decline puts pressure on the Bank of England to cut interest rates next month. [more]

TECH INDUSTRY | Tech giant Nvidia said yesterday that it expects tighter U.S. government controls on exports of computer chips used for artificial intelligence to cost the company an estimated $5.5 billion in lost earnings. Nvidia shares, and those of related companies, dropped on the announcement. [more]

R.I.P. | Entertainer and television personality Wink Martindale, best known for hosting hit U.S. television game shows such as "Gambit" and "Tic-Tac-Dough," died yesterday at the age of 91, according to a statement released by his publicist. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1948, with the aim of restoring the economies of Europe after World War II, 16 European countries formed the Organization for European Economic Co-operation – later the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.  [more history]