International

Taiwan quake leaves four dead, scores injured

Published

2 years ago

April 3, 2024

Taiwan quake leaves four dead, scores injured

At least four persons were feared dead and nearly 60 were injured on Wednesday by a powerful earthquake in Taiwan that damaged dozens of buildings and prompted tsunami warnings that extended to Japan and the Philippines before being lifted.

Officials said the quake and series of strong aftershocks were the strongest to shake the island in decades and warned of more tremors in the days ahead.

“The earthquake is close to land and it’s shallow. It’s felt all over Taiwan and offshore islands,” said the director of Taipei’s Central Weather Administration’s Seismology Centre, Wu Chien-fu.

Strict building regulations and disaster awareness appear to have staved off a major catastrophe for the island, which is regularly hit by earthquakes as it lies near the junction of two tectonic plates.

Wu said the quake was the strongest since one of 7.6-magnitude struck in September 1999, killing around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island’s history.

Wednesday’s magnitude-7.4 quake struck just before 8:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT), with the United States Geological Survey putting the epicentre 18 kilometres (11 miles) south of Taiwan’s Hualien City, at a depth of 34.8 kilometres.

“I wanted to run out, but I wasn’t dressed. That was so strong,” said Kelvin Hwang, a guest at a hotel in the capital, Taipei, who sought shelter in the lift lobby on the ninth floor.

Social media was awash with shared videos and images from around the country of buildings swaying as the quake struck.

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Dramatic images were shown on local TV of multi-storey structures in Hualien and elsewhere leaning over after it ended.

Roads to Hualien, a mountain-ringed coastal city of around 100,000 people were reported blocked by landslides.

The Central Emergency Operations Center said one person on a hiking trail was suspected to have been crushed to death by a dislodged boulder, adding nearly 60 people had been treated for quake-related injuries.

In Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines, authorities initially issued a tsunami warning but by around 10 am (0200 GMT), the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the threat had “largely passed”.

In the capital, the metro briefly stopped running but resumed within an hour, while residents received warnings from their local borough chiefs to check for any gas leaks.

Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes as the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates, while nearby Japan experiences around 1,500 jolts every year.

Across the Taiwan Strait, social media users in China’s eastern province of Fujian, which borders the southern province of Guangdong, and elsewhere said they also felt strong tremors.

China, which sees self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province, was “paying close attention” to the quake and “willing to provide disaster relief assistance,” state news agency Xinhua said.

The vast majority of quakes around the area are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to the depth of the epicentre below the Earth’s surface and its location.

The severity of tsunamis — vast and potentially destructive series of waves that can move at hundreds of kilometres per hour — also depends on multiple factors.

Japan’s biggest earthquake on record was a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea jolt in March 2011 off Japan’s northeast coast, which triggered a tsunami that left around 18,500 people dead or missing.

The 2011 catastrophe also sent three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant, causing Japan’s worst post-war disaster and the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

Japan saw a major quake on New Year’s Day this year when a 7.5-magnitude tremor hit the Noto Peninsula and killed more than 230 people, many of them when older buildings collapsed.

Taiwan quake leaves four dead, scores injured

International

Strait of Hormuz Reopens as US, Iran Confirm Two‑Week Ceasefire

Published

9 hours ago

April 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Strait of Hormuz Crisis - Iran Threatens to Stop Gulf Oil Shipments

Strait of Hormuz Reopens as US, Iran Confirm Two‑Week Ceasefire

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route, has reopened following a two‑week conditional ceasefire between the United States and Iran, confirmed by both countries on Wednesday. The temporary truce comes after escalating tensions in the region and is expected to ease pressure on global energy markets.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that safe passage through the strait will be allowed for the next 14 days, coordinated with Iran’s armed forces and subject to technical considerations. The reopening follows US President Donald Trump’s warning that Iran’s energy infrastructure, including bridges, would face attacks if Tehran failed to comply.

The ceasefire agreement, described by Trump as a “double-sided ceasefire”, also involves Israel, which has agreed to suspend related military operations during the two-week period. Pakistan, which mediated talks between Washington and Tehran, confirmed that an immediate ceasefire is in effect and invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad for further negotiations toward a comprehensive settlement.

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Trump emphasized that Iran’s 10-point proposal provides a workable basis for negotiations, with reports indicating that it includes provisions for lifting sanctions. He hailed the temporary truce as a diplomatic victory for the United States, while Iranian officials portrayed the deal as a major step toward stabilizing the region.

The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is a significant relief for the global oil market, which had been affected by disruptions due to earlier attacks in the region. The strait handles around 20% of global petroleum trade, and its closure had caused spikes in crude prices. Following the ceasefire announcement, Brent crude and US West Texas Intermediate benchmarks fell sharply.

Despite the truce, experts caution that underlying conflicts, including nuclear and regional security issues, remain unresolved. The ceasefire offers a window for diplomatic engagement, though long-term stability will depend on successful negotiations and continued adherence to the agreement by all parties.

Strait of Hormuz Reopens as US, Iran Confirm Two‑Week Ceasefire

International

Trump Accuses CNN of ‘Fake News’ Over Iran Ceasefire Victory Report

Published

9 hours ago

April 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Trump Accuses CNN of ‘Fake News’ Over Iran Ceasefire Victory Report

US President Donald Trump has sparked a major controversy after disputing CNN’s report that Iran claimed victory following a recent temporary ceasefire agreement with the United States. Trump labeled the report “fraudulent” and accused the network of sourcing its information from a “fake news site from Nigeria.”

The dispute unfolded shortly after Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, aimed at halting hostilities, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and creating room for diplomatic negotiations. Trump insisted that the ceasefire represented a “total and complete victory” for the United States.

CNN had published a report quoting Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, claiming Tehran had achieved a “historic and crushing defeat” of the United States and forced Washington to accept portions of its proposed discussion framework. Trump rejected the report, stating that it did not reflect Iran’s official position. He demanded that CNN retract the article and issue a full apology.

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In posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump asserted that CNN republished a false statement originally linked to a “trouble-making site from Nigeria”. He described the network’s coverage as dangerous and potentially inflammatory given the sensitive national security context. Trump added that authorities were investigating whether a crime had been committed in issuing the disputed report.

Brendan Carr, Chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission, publicly defended Trump’s position, criticizing CNN for allegedly spreading a hoax headline at a critical moment. “Fake news is bad enough for the country, but pushing out a hoax headline in such a sensitive national security moment requires accountability,” Carr said.

CNN, however, has refused to retract or apologise, maintaining that its report relied on credible Iranian officials and multiple state-backed media sources. A spokesperson emphasized that the network followed standard journalistic verification procedures and accurately reported the statements made by Iranian authorities at the time.

Analysts note that the feud highlights a broader battle over narrative control in the aftermath of the US-Iran ceasefire. While Trump portrays the agreement as a strategic success for the United States, Iranian authorities and international observers point to a more complex and contested outcome.

The ceasefire, which temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, has been recognized globally as a step toward de-escalation in the region, though questions remain over the long-term impact of the deal. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the truce includes a two-week promise of safe transit through the strategic waterway, critical to global petroleum supply.

The dispute underscores ongoing tensions over media credibility, misinformation, and the portrayal of international conflicts, with both sides standing firm: Trump demanding corrections and accountability, and CNN defending its reporting based on official sources.

Trump Accuses CNN of ‘Fake News’ Over Iran Ceasefire Victory Report

International

Trump Threatens 50% Tariffs on Countries Supplying Weapons to Iran

Published

10 hours ago

April 8, 2026

Trends Admin

US President Donald Trump

Trump Threatens 50% Tariffs on Countries Supplying Weapons to Iran

The Donald Trump has warned that any country supplying military weapons to Iran will face immediate 50 percent US tariffs, escalating pressure even as diplomatic efforts to ease tensions gather pace.

In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared that “a country supplying military weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed… 50%, with no exclusions or exemptions,” signaling a strict economic crackdown on nations aiding Tehran.

The warning comes at a critical moment as the US simultaneously explores “tariff and sanctions relief” in talks with Iran, reflecting a dual strategy of economic pressure and negotiation. This development follows Trump’s announcement of a two-week ceasefire agreement, temporarily halting planned US military operations in the region.

According to Trump, the ceasefire is conditional on Iran’s immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping lane responsible for a significant share of the world’s oil supply. The US President described the arrangement as a “double-sided ceasefire,” noting that Washington would suspend bombing operations while monitoring Iran’s compliance.

Trump disclosed that the decision was influenced by consultations with Shehbaz Sharif and Asim Munir, who urged restraint amid fears of wider regional instability. He added that the United States has already achieved its major military objectives and is now close to securing a broader peace deal with Tehran.

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The US President further revealed that a 10-point proposal submitted by Iran is being reviewed and could serve as a framework for a long-term agreement aimed at stabilising the Middle East. He expressed optimism that ongoing negotiations could lead to a comprehensive resolution of the crisis.

Reports indicate that Israel has also aligned with the ceasefire, suspending its military operations during the period, a move seen as boosting the chances of diplomatic progress.

However, conflicting claims have emerged from Tehran. Iranian authorities, including the Supreme National Security Council, have described the development as a major diplomatic victory, asserting that the United States has agreed to lift both primary and secondary sanctions. This claim has not been independently confirmed by US officials, raising questions about the exact terms of the agreement.

Iranian officials also suggested that the proposed framework includes regulated passage through the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian military supervision, a condition that could become a key point of contention in ongoing negotiations due to its global economic implications.

Analysts warn that Trump’s tariff threat could have far-reaching consequences, particularly for countries such as Russia and China, which maintain strategic and military ties with Iran. The proposed tariffs could heighten global trade tensions and complicate already fragile diplomatic efforts.

The announcement came just hours before a previously set US deadline for Iran to comply with demands, underscoring the urgency of the situation. While initial reactions to the ceasefire have been cautiously optimistic, uncertainty remains over whether the agreement will hold and how the tariff threat may reshape geopolitical dynamics.

As negotiations continue, global attention is focused on whether the temporary truce can evolve into a lasting peace agreement, or if renewed tensions could disrupt progress in the region.