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• Rusty Hicks 擔心 Democrats 可能在「open」體制中互相排擠，進而將勝利拱手讓給 Republicans • California Democratic party 主席表示，他希望廢除該州特有的「open primary」，稱其為一項失敗，並認為這存在讓眾多 Democratic 候選人互相內耗，甚至導致在全美最藍州份之一選出 Republican 州長的風險 • 「我們現行的制度行不通，」Rusty Hicks 在受訪時表示。「它需要被修正或廢除。」

• Lee Zeldin 在 Senate 宣稱 Trump administration 的計劃將使 Environmental Protection Agency 「更有效率」 • Senate 的 Democrats 在週三的國會聽證會上，指責 Trump administration 放棄了 Environmental Protection Agency 保護人類健康與環境的使命，並抨擊該機構領導層提出的將預算裁減一半的提案。 • Lee Zeldin 出席 Senate 環境委員會，是這位 EPA 署長本週三場預算聽證會中的最後一場。他在會中主張大幅削減該機構資金，而在其領導下，該機構的人員編制已降至數十年來的最低水平。在本週的大部分時間裡，這位來自 New York 的前 Republican 國會議員採取了強硬姿態，以自己的問題回應 House 和 Senate 的 Democrats，有時甚至指責他們準備不足或不關心 EPA 的紀錄。繼續閱讀...

• Treasurer Jim Chalmers 已暗示「過渡性」的擬議變更，因為 Labor 試圖修復「結構性缺陷」的預算 • 關注我們的 Australia news 直播網誌以獲取最新動態 • 訂閱我們的即時新聞電子郵件、免費 app 或每日新聞 podcast

• 財政部長在 Commonwealth Bank 播客中表示，他的目標是「認可人們過去所做的決定」 • 關注我們的澳大利亞新聞即時博客以獲取最新更新 • 訂閱我們的突發新聞電子郵件、免費應用程式或每日新聞播客

• 聯準會官員將高通膨、就業成長緩慢以及中東局勢不確定性列為維持利率不變的原因。 • 訂閱 Breaking News US 電子郵件，在您的收件匣中獲取新聞快訊。 • 美國聯準會（Federal Reserve）在最新的董事會會議後維持利率不變，再次無視 Donald Trump 的降息要求，同時央行正準備在下個月進行領導層的人事變動。

‘Critical debate’ about party’s identity and direction looms if it loses control of Senedd next month after 27 years in powerWelsh Labour is the democratic world’s most successful election-winning machine, coming first in Wales in every general election since 1922 and every devolved election since 1999. Come next month’s Senedd election, however, this history-making run is expected to end.Labour’s collapse has left a vacuum, and former Labour voters are going to opposite ends of the political spectrum. Plaid Cymru and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK are neck and neck in the latest poll, although coalition maths make it highly unlikely Reform would be able to form a government. Continue reading...

Rightwing Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid announce new party before Knesset vote expected later this yearTwo of Benjamin Netanyahu’s most formidable political rivals say they are joining forces in an attempt to oust the Israeli prime minister’s coalition government in the election expected later this year.The former prime ministers – rightwing Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid – issued statements announcing the merger of their parties, Bennett 2026 and Yesh Atid (There is a Future). Continue reading...

• Indian and Pakistani military forces have engaged in heavy artillery exchanges along the Line of Control in Kashmir, with reports of at least 18 soldiers killed and dozens wounded in the most serious escalation in six months. • Pakistan's military spokesperson claimed Indian forces initiated the bombardment Friday morning; India stated Pakistani positions fired first, creating conflicting narratives about the incident's origins. • The US has urged both nations to exercise restraint and resume diplomatic channels; UN Security Council members are monitoring the situation amid concerns about potential nuclear escalation.

Internal email proposes US should reassess support for UK claim to islands because of lack of support for Iran warUK politics live – latest updatesThe UK’s position on the Falklands is resolute and unchanging, Downing Street has insisted, after a leaked Pentagon internal email proposed the US should reassess its support for Britain’s claim to the islands because of a lack of support over Iran.Keir Starmer’s spokesperson did not push back against the likely veracity of the email but insisted that the UK’s defence and security relationship with the US remained extremely strong. Continue reading...

Sabrina Crawford among those refused because of rule change, which now also affects children of immigrants born in ItalyIn 2025, after a long and arduous journey in her attempts to gain Italian citizenship, including a pivotal genealogical research trip to a village in Calabria, US-born Sabrina Crawford was hoping to fulfil her lifelong dream of building a life in Italy as she edged towards the final hurdle of the bureaucratic process.But her plans were scuppered when Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government enacted a law stopping access to Italian citizenship via distant ancestry. Since May last year, only those with a parent or grandparent who was an Italian citizen at birth, and who did not take on dual nationality, are eligible to apply. Continue reading...

House Democratic leader says result should serve as a warning to Ron DeSantis after latest blow to Donald Trump’s redistricting battleHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.The vote to approve new congressional maps in Virgina could embolden Florida’s Republican-controlled state assembly to consider tit-for-tat changes to its own map, the House Democratic leader has said.If Florida Republicans proceed with this illegal scheme, they will only create more prime-pick up opportunities for Democrats.We are prepared to take them all on, and we are prepared to win. Continue reading...

Health minister faces backlash from states as he announces major changes to scheme ahead of May budgetGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNational disability insurance scheme service providers will be required to undergo mandatory character checks and eligibility rules will be tightened further for children under 18, as Labor moves to curb growth in the $50bn program.But the health minister, Mark Butler, faces a backlash from state counterparts as he announces major changes on Wednesday, with Queensland accusing federal Labor of walking away from responsibilities to families dependent on long-term care. Continue reading...

• Stripe completed the acquisition of Wise Exchange, a fintech startup specializing in cross-border payment optimization, for $1.2 billion in stock on April 18, expanding its international payment capabilities. • The acquisition adds Wise Exchange's proprietary currency conversion algorithms and partnerships with 40+ financial institutions across Europe, Asia, and Americas to Stripe's existing platform. • Industry analysts view this acquisition as Stripe's strategic response to intensifying competition from Block, PayPal, and traditional payment networks in the global payments sector.

• Artillery and small arms fire erupted along the Line of Control in Kashmir on April 17-18, marking the first significant border clash in eight months and resulting in at least 12 reported casualties on both sides. • Pakistan accused Indian forces of violating a 2003 ceasefire agreement with unprovoked shelling near the Siachen Glacier region; India's military claimed Pakistan-based militants initiated the exchange. • Both nations mobilized additional military units to their shared border; analysts warn the escalation could undermine fragile diplomatic channels reopened in late 2025.

Voters broadly split along generational lines as pro-Russian former president leads in pollsAnna Bodakova’s days tend to be rather hectic at the moment. Hopping between meeting voters on the street, political debates and recording videos for social media, the 23-year-old is standing to become an MP in Bulgaria’s general election.Last year she was among the many young Bulgarians who participated in countrywide mass protests over the government’s economic policies and perceived failure to tackle corruption. Those protests ultimately resulted in the resignation of the prime minister, Rosen Zhelyazkov, and his cabinet in December. Continue reading...

President says he gave Britain ‘better deal than I had to’ but ally was ‘not there when we needed them’ on IranMiddle East crisis – live updatesBusiness live – latest updatesDonald Trump has threatened to row back on the trade deal the US signed with the UK last year, in his latest salvo against the British government over sharp differences about the US’s approach to the Middle East.The US president said the economic deal struck with the UK, which cut some of his tariffs on cars, aluminium and steel, was “better than I had to” and that it could “always be changed”. Continue reading...

Review of original train order is meant to prevent service problems north of Birmingham, but it may do the oppositePlans to change the size of HS2 trains to maximise capacity are likely to inflate costs and mean fewer seats and slower services north of Birmingham, a senior government and rail industry figure has warned.The £2bn order for 54 high-speed trains, to be built in Britain by a joint venture of Alstom and Hitachi, is under review as HS2 Ltd seeks to cut costs and renegotiate contracts. Continue reading...

Use of UK military bases in Gulf region has been ‘invaluable’ to US military operation in IranMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesThe UK’s actions in the Gulf should be the basis for any US judgment of the country’s value rather than Donald Trump’s social media posts, the defence secretary has said.Speaking at a conference in London, John Healey said the UK’s recent efforts “spoke for themselves”, as Keir Starmer flew home after a trip that included discussing how to keep the strait of Hormuz open with Donald Trump, as well as meeting leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Continue reading...

Melissa Chiu, 54, director of Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, led the institution for 12 years A museum director at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington has announced that she is leaving to take over at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.Melissa Chiu has been director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden on the National Mall for 12 years. In an interview on Thursday, she insisted that her departure is not related to Donald Trump’s efforts to interfere with the Smithsonian. Continue reading...

The prime minister clearly believed that Trump’s threat of mass bombings of bridges and power plants crossed a new lineGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese has adopted a careful and deliberate strategy for dealing with Donald Trump since his return to the White House in early 2025: don’t buy-in, don’t bite back.The approach is a calculation that there is little to be gained from responding to Trump’s every Truth Social post, lest it distract the government, provoke the president or, heaven forbid, threaten the Aukus pact. Continue reading...

With polls suggesting Plaid Cymru, the SNP and Sinn Féin could be in power after May vote, constitutional challenges may lie aheadIn four weeks, the shape of British politics is likely to change dramatically. For the first time, nationalists who aspire to break up the UK are expected to be in control of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland simultaneously. “The change will be seismic,” said Angus Robertson, a senior minister in the Scottish government.Opinion polls consistently suggest that after the elections on 7 May, England will be flanked by countries run by restless centre-left nationalist parties – Plaid Cymru in Cardiff, the Scottish National party in Edinburgh and, in Belfast, Sinn Féin, which shares power with the Democratic Unionists. Continue reading...

• India's Reserve Bank of India began its 3-day monetary policy meeting on April 7th, with the decision scheduled for announcement on April 8th, affecting regional market sentiment. • A CNBC TV18 poll indicates market consensus expects no change to repo rates in the upcoming policy decision, suggesting the RBI will maintain its current monetary stance. • The policy meeting comes amid mixed signals from Indian corporate earnings, with HDFC Bank reporting business growth above expectations while Kotak Mahindra Bank fell short.

Union says new entitlements, part of Employment Rights Act 2025, will help lower-income householdsUp to 9.6 million UK workers are to benefit from the changes to sick pay rules, according to unions. They say the policy has widespread support from voters despite pushback from some businesses.From Monday, about 8.4 million workers who rely on statutory sick pay – the minimum amount employers must pay – will be paid from the first day of becoming ill rather than from day four, according to an analysis by the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Continue reading...

• President Trump is weighing further personnel changes in his administration after removing Attorney General Pam Bondi from her position on Thursday. • Reports indicate Bondi fell from favor for failing to be effective enough at defending Trump and prosecuting his political enemies, despite her demonstrated loyalty to the president. • The potential additional removals signal ongoing instability within the Trump Cabinet as the president reassesses key positions.

Body that funds Alan Turing Institute says it should offer better strategy and more value for moneyThe UK’s leading AI research institute has been told to make “significant” changes by its main source of taxpayer funding.The warning comes after the Guardian revealed the board of the Alan Turing Institute was reminded of its legal duties last month by the charity watchdog after a whistleblower complaint. Continue reading...

• Following April 1 shelling that killed 12 Indian soldiers and 8 Pakistani troops, US-mediated talks led to a 72-hour ceasefire along the Line of Control. • Details include troop pullbacks by 2 km and no-fly zone for drones, verified by US satellites. • The de-escalation prevents nuclear escalation fears, with markets in Mumbai and Karachi rising 1.8%.

• Brookings Institution updated its regulatory tracker on March 31, 2026, monitoring new, delayed, repealed rules, guidance, policy revocations, and executive actions in the second Trump term. • Rules tracked are current as of March 30, 2026, providing a curated view of deregulatory efforts across agencies. • The tracker highlights significant shifts in federal oversight, influencing policy implementation and compliance.

• Legendary golfer Tiger Woods has been arrested on another DUI charge, prompting concern from his inner circle about his current lifestyle and behavior. • According to sources close to Woods cited by People magazine, friends are expressing frustration that the 50-year-old golfer has not taken steps to change his behavior, with one source stating "Tiger has yet to look in the mirror and say, 'You're 50 years old and need to act like it.'" • The latest incident marks a continued pattern of legal troubles for the golf icon, raising questions about his personal well-being and future.