INTERNACIONAL
United Kingdom could be only G7 nation not to produce its own steel; Chinese owner blames Trump tariffs

The United Kingdom could be the first G7 nation not to manufacture its own steel, with a major steel firm blaming President Donald Trump’s tariffs for the planned closure of its two blast furnaces.
British Steel, which is owned by Jingye, the Chinese steel group, announced plans to close its two blast furnaces in England, The Telegraph reported. The closures put 2,700 jobs at risk and the end of steel production in the United Kingdom after 150 years. Jingye bought British Steel in 2020.
Jingye said the «imposition of tariffs» had made the blast furnaces and steel-making operations «no longer financially sustainable».
THE LEFT THINKS TRUMP’S TARIFFS ARE A DECLARATION OF WAR. BUT THEY’RE CLUELESS ABOUT THE BATTLEFIELD
A flag with a British Steel logo at the entrance to the steelworks plant in England. The Chinese firm that owns the steelmaker is blaming President Donald Trump’s tariffs for the potential closure of two blast furnaces in England. (Anna Gowthorpe/PA via AP)
Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to the United States that went into effect earlier this month.
Jingye said it has invested billions of dollars to maintain operations since 2020 but that losses have ballooned to around hundred of thousands of dollars daily.
The closures could have national security implications.
«There is a reason why Russia bombed all the blast furnaces in Ukraine pretty much straight away; because countries need steel not just for defense but to build the roads and the infrastructure,» said Sarah Jones, the energy minister.
Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community union, said: «We urge Jingye and the government to get back around the table to resume negotiations before it is too late.»
TRUMP’S 25% TARIFF INCREASE ON ALL STEEL, ALUMINUM IMPORTS TAKES EFFECT, PROMPTING RETALIATION FROM EUROPE

President Donald Trump speaks to an audience. (Donald Trump/Truth Social)
«Given that we are now on the cusp of becoming the only G7 country without domestic primary steelmaking capacity, it is no exaggeration to say that our national security is gravely threatened,» he added.
Trump has fought to keep U.S. Steel in American hands. Nippon Steel, a Japanese company, said it was willing to increase investment in U.S. Steel facilities to $7 billion as it tries to convince Trump thah the Pittsburgh steelmaker would be in good hands with foreign ownership.
«We are also going to keep U.S. Steel right here in America,» Trump said during a September 2024 campaign rally.
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Trump first opposed the deal in February 2024, but said earlier this year that Nippon would negotiate an investment in U.S. Steel, rather than a purchase, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
INTERNACIONAL
«Bomba nuclear»: Marine Le Pen arremete contra los jueces que la sentenciaron y crece la tensión en Francia

“Escándalo democrático”
Los tiempos de la apelación
Malestar en la política francesa
Un aliado en misión de rescate
Los socialistas defienden a los jueces
INTERNACIONAL
China launches large military drills around Taiwan to issue ‘severe warning’

China’s military launched large-scale drills around Taiwan Tuesday to send a «severe warning» and a message of «forceful containment against Taiwan independence,» Beijing officials said.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said it had tracked 19 Chinese navy vessels in the waters surrounding the island in a 24-hour period from 6 a.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday. The exercises – which involved Chinese navy, air, ground and rocket forces – were unannounced.
«China’s blatant military provocations not only threaten peace in the Taiwan Strait but also undermine security in the entire region, as evidenced by drills near Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and the South China Sea,» Taiwan’s Presidential Office wrote on X. «We strongly condemn China’s escalatory behavior.»
Taiwan defense officials added that they had been tracking the movement of China’s Shandong aircraft carrier since Saturday and that its carrier group had entered into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone on Monday. In response, Taiwan dispatched military aircraft and ships and activated land-based missile systems, according to Reuters.
THE US IS NOT READY FOR A NUCLEAR SHOWDOWN WITH CHINA, KEY CONSERVATIVES WARN TRUMP
China’s Shandong aircraft carrier is seen in this screenshot taken from a video titled «Subdue Demons and Vanquish Evils», released by the Eastern Theater Command of China’s People’s Liberation Army on April 1, 2025. (Eastern Theatre Command/Handout via Reuters)
«I want to say these actions amply reflect (China’s) destruction of regional peace and stability,» Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday that «the National Security Council briefed me on this, this morning, and they said that the president is emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait, encouraging the peaceful resolution of these cross-strait issues, [and] reiterating our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion.»
China’s Xinhua News Agency said the Eastern Theater Command on Tuesday conducted «multi-subject drills in waters to the north, south and east of Taiwan Island.»
The theater command «organized its vessel and aircraft formations, in coordination with conventional missile troops and long-range rocket launching systems, to conduct drills of air interception, assault on maritime targets, strikes on ground objects, and joint blockade and control,» Xinhua quoted the command as saying.
TAIWAN’S VOLUNTEER MILITARY SHRINKS AMID GROWING CHINESE AGGRESSION

A military jet lands at Hsinchu Air Base in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on April 1. (Reuters/Annabelle Chih)
The exercises were «aimed at testing the troops’ capabilities of carrying out integrated operations, seizure of operational control and multi-directional precision strikes, the command said.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office also said the exercises were directed at Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s strongly pro-independence president.

This image released by the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense shows China’s Shandong aircraft carrier sailing near Taiwan on Monday, March 31. (Taiwan Ministry of National Defense via AP)
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«Lai Ching-te stubbornly insists on a ‘Taiwan independence’ stance, brazenly labeling the mainland as a ‘foreign hostile force,’ and has put forward a so-called «17-point strategy … stirring up anti-China sentiments,» China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said in a statement. «We will not tolerate or condone this in any way and must resolutely counter and severely punish these actions.»
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
INTERNACIONAL
Estupor en Europa por el plan de Donald Trump para que sus empresas eliminen las políticas de inclusión y diversidad si quieren seguir haciendo negocios en Estados Unidos

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