Doubles

The US president has criticised Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and raised the prospect of pulling US troops from Italy and Spain. Plus, 10 big lessons on ending the fossil fuel eraGood morning.Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw US troops from Italy and Spain a day after he saying was looking at curtailing the number deployed in Germany.What has Congress been saying about the war? A senior Democrat in the Senate grilled the US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, on Thursday, accusing him of failing to give Trump an accurate picture of the war on Iran while resorting to “dangerously exaggerated” statements to create an inaccurate picture of a US military triumph.What’s the latest on the suspect? The man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump agreed on Thursday to remain in custody while his federal criminal case moves forward. Continue reading...

Greens criticise premier’s ‘extraordinary attack’ on judiciary and urge him to accept he ‘got it wrong’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales premier has doubled down on an anti-protest law struck down in the state’s highest court last week, defending the legislation introduced by his government as “rational and proportionate”.But advocates for protesters charged at demonstrations restricted under the laws have criticised Chris Minns’ comments, calling them a “extraordinary attack” on the judiciary. Continue reading...

• President Trump has escalated his feud with Pope Leo, doubling down on criticism in an exclusive interview with CBS News on April 13, 2026. • The confrontation reflects growing tension between Trump and religious leadership, with reports indicating Trump is losing some support from religious Americans. • The conflict highlights the broader divide between Trump's political stance and traditional religious institutions' positions on various policy matters.

Decision to reduce duty-free quotas by 47% aimed at curbing Chinese importsThe EU is to go ahead with plans to double tariffs and halve quotas on imports of steel from July, in a move designed to curb Chinese imports but which could damage UK exports to the bloc.The decision by EU lawmakers and member states after late night talks on Monday, will reduce duty-free quotas by 47%. Exact country allocations have yet to be determined. Continue reading...

Unite accuses authority of trying to ‘break’ industrial action as waste dispute enters second yearUnite has accused Birmingham city council of trying to “break” the bin strikes after analysis showed the council had doubled spending on agency staff since the start of the year-long industrial action.Birmingham’s bin workers have taken part in an all-out strike since March last year over proposed pay cuts and role changes. The dispute has left residents without a fully functioning waste collection service and has led to towering waste and overflowing bins on the streets. Continue reading...

• The share of Affordable Care Act customers in plans exceeding $6,000 yearly doubled following expiration of Covid-era assistance, signaling household budget pressures. • US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data shows 2026 enrollment fell 5% to 23.1 million, with further drops expected from premium non-payers. • This cost surge underscores ongoing affordability challenges in the Obamacare marketplace post-subsidy end.

• Shield AI, a San Diego-based defense tech firm, raised new funding that more than doubled its valuation to $12.7 billion on March 27, 2026. • The company projects revenue exceeding $540 million this year, driven by its Hivemind autonomy software used in drones and fighter-jet programs. • This funding underscores growing investor confidence in AI-powered military autonomy amid rising defense tech demand in the US.