Demands

• A politically ambitious Connecticut Democrat abandoned bipartisan negotiations on government funding amid party pressure for inclusion. • The walkout escalates tensions over federal budget priorities and spending cuts. • This could delay funding bills critical for upcoming fiscal deadlines.

Discrepancy in forecasts raises questions over government planning for net zeroOne vision of the UK’s future involves a decarbonised economy powered by clean, renewable energy. Another involves making the UK an AI superpower.The government departments responsible for these two visions do not appear to have agreed on their numbers. Continue reading...

• Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum demanded an explanation from the U.S. after American officials died during an operation in Chihuahua state. • The incident involves cross-border security efforts, straining bilateral relations. • Details remain limited, but it highlights risks in joint anti-cartel actions and potential policy shifts.

The new strategy to be unveiled by Richard Marles will see defence spending rise to about 2.4% of GDP – but US president has urged allies to spend 3.5%Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor will spend an extra $53bn on defence over the next decade, using the nation’s latest military blueprint to create new special investment programs to fund increases in capability using private capital.The defence minister, Richard Marles, will unveil the new national defence strategy on Thursday, as well as detailing a new integrated investment program for military capability, boosting the current budget by $14bn over the next four years, forward estimates period. Continue reading...

• A survey by AirMDR released on April 14, 2026, in Palo Alto, CA, reveals 80% of US-based cybersecurity investors intend to increase AI cybersecurity funding next year. • 71% expect decisive ROI from AI tools, with capital shifting toward companies proving operational impact and cost reductions over mere product enhancements. • Investors prioritize defensible AI technologies delivering real outcomes, signaling strong market confidence but heightened selectivity for enterprise-ready solutions.

Exclusive: Victoria and Albert Museum has deleted maps and images deemed sensitive by Beijing censors from exhibition publicationsOne of the UK’s leading museums has accepted demands by a Chinese firm that publishes its catalogues to remove images that fall foul of the country’s censorship laws.The Victoria and Albert Museum has agreed to requests by the Chinese printing company it uses to delete maps and images from at least two recent exhibition catalogues, according to documents released to the Guardian under freedom of information. Continue reading...

Ministers admit carer’s allowance penalties will continue while review of more than 200,000 cases is carried outThousands of unpaid carers will continue to be hit with hefty and potentially unfair benefit repayment demands, it has emerged, as a government initiative gets under way to fix welfare injustices that have drawn comparison to the Post Office scandal.Ministers will on Monday launch an audit of more than 200,000 historical carer’s allowance benefit cases, with an estimated 25,000 carers issued with unlawful overpayments since 2015 likely to see their repayment debts cancelled or reduced as a result. Continue reading...

• Iran has laid out preconditions for ceasefire negotiations with the United States, including a truce in Lebanon and the release of frozen Iranian assets before substantive talks can proceed. • The Iranian position reflects the broader regional conflict dynamics, with fighting extending beyond US-Iran direct confrontation to proxy conflicts in Lebanon and other Middle Eastern locations. • These conditions complicate already delicate negotiations in Pakistan, as the US and its allies assess whether such demands can be accommodated within broader regional security frameworks.

Mayor says disinformation, including about London crime rates, is ‘eating away at basic bonds of trust’Sadiq Khan has called on ministers to take significantly stronger action against social media companies that spread disinformation after a study showed a surge in hostile accounts posting falsehoods about London’s crime rates and integration.In an intervention on what he called “the outrage economy”, the London mayor, who has also written to social media firms demanding change, said a lack of action could prompt more domestic terrorism by people who believe conspiracy theories they find online. Continue reading...

Nurul Shah Alam, a nearly blind Rohingya refugee, was left alone in a Buffalo parking lot. His death has been ruled a homicide – what now?On 19 February, the second day of Ramadan, Mohamad Faisal Nurul Amin and his family gathered to pray before sunrise in their apartment on the outskirts of Buffalo, New York. After nearly a year of waiting, they believed their family would be together again. Amin’s father, Nurul Shah Alam, 56, was coming home.“For the first time since we arrived in America, I felt happy,” said Fatima Abdul Roshid, Shah Alam’s wife, speaking through an interpreter. “I thought my husband would be with our two sons and me for Ramadan.” Continue reading...

Senior figures express concerns over medical union’s refusal of pay rise that is higher than offer to other NHS staffTrade unions have privately expressed qualms about the forthcoming doctors’ strikes, expressing frustration at the conduct of the talks and the demands of the British Medical Association.The BMA is pushing for a pay rise higher than the 3.5% offered to doctors by the government, with strikes planned for next week. Continue reading...

• President Trump told allied nations to "go get your own oil" and stated it is not America's responsibility to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, shifting burden of regional security to countries dependent on the waterway. • Trump reiterated the US military could conclude its Iranian operations within two to three weeks and said America will have no further involvement in Middle East strait security following withdrawal. • The statements reflect Trump's isolationist stance on Middle East commitments, placing responsibility for maintaining critical shipping routes on regional allies rather than continuing US military presence and protection.

Treasury department said Financial Times article about Scott Bessent’s views on Fed oversight was ‘manufactured’ The US treasury department demanded on Friday that the Financial Times (FT) retract a report on treasury secretary Scott Bessent’s views on the Federal Reserve, accusing the newspaper of publishing “false claims” in a formal complaint that was escalated to the news outlet’s parent company, Nikkei Inc.The email from treasury officials, addressed to senior editors at the FT and Nikkei, disputed multiple claims in the story and criticized the headline as misrepresenting the underlying reporting. Continue reading...

• President Trump declared that Republicans should not agree to any legislative deal until Democrats pass the "SAVE America Act," a sweeping voting measure. • The bill would require a birth certificate to register to vote and a photo ID to cast a ballot, representing stricter voter identification requirements. • Trump made the demand in remarks delivered in Memphis, Tennessee, as negotiations continue on various legislative fronts.

• As the Iran war enters its 17th day, President Trump is pressuring NATO allies and other nations to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to secure the critical oil route, warning that the United States cannot do it alone. • Trump stated "We'll protect them and if ever needed help, they won't be there for us," signaling frustration with allied hesitancy while claiming numerous countries are on their way to assist despite limited public commitments. • Military analysts suggest a four-week campaign would be required to remove missiles, drones, fast attack craft, and mines from the strategic waterway, with Trump's administration reportedly reaching out to Australia, Japan, South Korea, the UK, France, and China with minimal success in securing open support.

• President Trump is conditioning a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Beijing's assistance in securing the Strait of Hormuz, with US-China trade negotiators meeting in Paris ahead of potential talks. • Trump demanded approximately seven countries deploy warships to police the critical waterway, though his appeals have yielded no firm commitments as oil prices surge; China imports roughly 90% of its energy through the strait. • Chinese and US negotiators held candid meetings in Paris, with China signaling willingness to increase purchases of US agricultural products beyond previous soybean pledges, including poultry and beef.

• President Trump demanded on March 15 that NATO and allied nations help secure the Strait of Hormuz with military vessels, warning that NATO could face a "very bad future" if allies refuse to assist in keeping the critical waterway open. • Trump warned that the US "will remember" countries that do not contribute to securing the strait, applying diplomatic pressure to allies amid escalating military tensions in the Middle East and warnings of potential sanctions waivers if the conflict prolongs. • The demand reflects Trump's strategy of leveraging the energy crisis and geopolitical instability created by the Iran conflict to mobilize international support for US-led efforts to maintain global shipping routes.