Ex U.S. treasury secretary warns of likely recession, 2 mln layoffs

WASHINGTON -- Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Tuesday that the United States is likely heading into a recession, with the possibility of 2 million Americans losing their jobs, as a result of the ongoing tariff increases.

"It's more likely than not that we're going to have a recession - and in the context of a recession, we'll see an extra 2 million people be unemployed," Summers said on Bloomberg Television's Wall Street Week.

U.S. stocks drop as tariff sell-off resumes

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks closed sharply lower on Tuesday, after the White House confirmed plans to move forward with a dramatic increase in tariffs on Chinese goods.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 320.01 points, or 0.84 percent, to close at 37,645.59. The S&P 500 fell 79.48 points, or 1.57 percent, to 4,982.77, narrowly avoiding a bear market. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite plunged 335.35 points, or 2.15 percent, to 15,267.91.

Canada's countermeasures against U.S. auto imports to take effect

OTTAWA -- Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Tuesday confirmed that Canada's new countermeasures announced last week in response to the U.S. tariffs on the Canadian auto industry will come into force at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 9.

Champagne said Canada would continue to "respond forcefully" to all unwarranted and unreasonable tariffs imposed by the United States on Canadian products.

China ready to fight till end if U.S. is bent on tariff war: spokesperson

BEIJING -- China is ready to fight till the end if the United States is bent on waging a tariff war or trade war, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday when commenting on the U.S. threat of an additional 50 percent tariff on Chinese imports.

In response to a relevant query at a daily press briefing, spokesperson Lin Jian said that the indiscriminate imposition of tariffs by the United States seriously violates the legitimate rights and interests of other countries, seriously violates the rules of the World Trade Organization, seriously damages the rule-based multilateral trading system, and seriously impacts the stability of the global economic order.

Philippine vessel repelled after provocative actions near Huangyan Dao

SOUTH CHINA SEA -- A Philippine Coast Guard vessel that repeatedly harassed a China Coast Guard ship patrolling waters near Huangyan Dao has been driven away from the area.

The Philippine ship made multiple dangerous maneuvers on Sunday and Monday, crossing close to the bow of the Chinese vessel in an apparent act of provocation, according to coast guard authorities, who said the Philippine side had seriously disrupted China's law enforcement operations.

UN chief urges unimpeded aid access to Gaza as humanitarian crisis deteriorates

UNITED NATIONS -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday urged immediate and unimpeded aid access to the Gaza Strip, as Israel's month-long blockade worsened the humanitarian crisis and deepened the suffering of civilians in the enclave.

"More than an entire month has passed without a drop of aid into Gaza. No food. No fuel. No medicine. No commercial supplies," Guterres said at a press conference. "As aid has dried up, the floodgates of horror have re-opened."

6 killed, 15 injured in multiple U.S. Yemen airstrikes

SANAA -- At least six people were killed and 15 others injured in multiple U.S. airstrikes across Yemen on Tuesday, according to Houthi-run al-Masirah TV and local health authorities.

Of the casualties, six deaths and 13 injuries took place in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah as U.S. strikes hit a residential neighborhood in the city's Amin Muqbil district, while two other injuries were reported in Dhamar province, where a farm was attacked.

At least 27 dead after nightclub roof collapse in Dominican Republic

PANAMA CITY -- At least 27 people were killed Tuesday when the roof of the Jet Set nightclub collapsed in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, authorities confirmed.

The collapse occurred in the early hours of the morning during a live music event. Emergency officials said 134 people were rescued with injuries and taken to local hospitals.

Spanish PM to visit China

BEIJING -- At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will visit China from April 10 to 11, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced here Tuesday.

Noting this is Sanchez's third visit to China in three years, spokesperson Lin Jian told a daily press briefing that during his visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with Sanchez, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang will hold talks with Sanchez.

Myanmar struck by 98 aftershocks in 11 days following 7.9-magnitude quake

YANGON -- A total of 98 aftershocks have hit Myanmar since a devastating earthquake struck the country on March 28, according to the country's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology on Tuesday.

These tremors ranged in magnitude from 2.8 to 7.5.