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• Senate Armed Services Committee 已推進 National Defense Authorization Act 的草案版本，其中包括旨在阻止由與 sequester 框架相關的某些預算手段所觸發之軍職人員自動減薪的條款內容。 • 該規定是在 Pentagon 官員警告人為減薪可能引發招募與留才問題，以及數個倡議團體遊說立法者永久廢除 sequester 上限之後提出的。 • Senator Adam Smith 與其他委員會成員主張，軍職人員不應成為政治預算爭鬥中的附帶損害。

• Maine 州長 Janet Mills 週四宣布將撤回其原定的參議院競選計畫，並退出民主黨初選，這實際上為州參議員 Ben Chipman 參與這場公開角逐掃清了障礙。 • Mills 以家庭考量和高關注度參議院選戰帶來的負擔為主要原因，表示在她繼續其第二任州長任期之際，Maine 「需要穩定的領導層」。 • 她的退出重塑了該州的政治版圖，在該州近期全國大選呈現「紫色」（搖擺）趨勢的情況下，此舉可能使民主黨免於一場激烈的黨內初選。

週四發布的這份長達 155 頁的中期報告顯示，對於 12 月 14 日槍擊案，外界所知甚少，且能分享的資訊亦極度有限。獲取我們的即時新聞電子郵件、免費 app 或每日新聞 podcast。如果說從 royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion 提供之 155 頁中期報告中能明確得知一件事，那就是關於 Bondi 慘劇仍有許多未知之處，而已知內容中能與大眾分享的部分也微乎其微。週四發布的報告中，有超過三分之一的建議內容屬於機密項目，儘管 Albanese 政府計畫落實所有建議。繼續閱讀...

• 一個參議院委員會準備推進 Trump 的提名人選，而對於 Fed 的獨立性以及 Powell 的未來仍存在疑慮。 • Donald Trump 選定由 Kevin Warsh 領導 Federal Reserve，他預計將在週三通過一個關鍵的程序性門檻，為其在未來幾週接替 Jerome Powell 鋪路；與此同時，白宮正採取前所未有的舉措，試圖掌控這個全球最強大的中央銀行。 • 參議院銀行委員會定於美國東部時間上午 10 點（GMT 1400）投票，將 Warsh 的提名推進至由共和黨控制的參議院全體會議。在北卡羅來納州參議員 Thom Tillis 撤回反對意見後，委員會內的所有 13 位共和黨人預計都將支持 Warsh。此前，Tillis 將美國司法部在週五決定終止對 Powell 的刑事調查視為對 Fed 政治獨立性的威脅。

• 美國總統的言論可能會讓英國君主的助手們感到尷尬，因為君主通常保持中立。 • Donald Trump 堅稱，查爾斯國王同意他的看法，即絕不能允許伊朗擁有核武器。 • 川普是在週二白宮為訪問的查爾斯與卡米拉舉行的國宴上發表上述言論的，此前兩人已於當天舉行了雙邊會談。閱讀更多...

The Iran conflict has entered a Cold War-like phase with financial sanctions and naval interdictions, leading to a tense stalemate. Higher energy prices are expected to persist, while the risk of escalation remains. President Trump is reportedly weighing new strikes against intensifying sanctions, aiming to force Iran into nuclear program negotiations.

Two months after the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran started the war, peace talks are on hold, with control of the Strait of Hormuz and the future of Iran's nuclear program as the two main points of contention.(Image credit: Vahid Salemi)

Australia is dependent upon UK’s ability to deliver new submarines, but report finds ‘cracks are already beginning to show’ “Cracks are already beginning to show” in the UK’s funding for the Aukus agreement that could derail the ambitious nuclear submarine plan, a British parliamentary inquiry has found, highlighting a threat to Australia’s security.UK shipbuilding has been under-funded for decades and the country’s submarine availability is “critically low”, the House of Commons defence committee’s report found. Continue reading...

Former prime minister says policies will lose support without continued lower prices, while Malcolm Turnbull points to some progress in USGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKevin Rudd has described Donald Trump’s cuts to support for green industries as “unfortunate”, warning that Australians would conclude the clean transition was “bullshit” if it did not offer tangible benefits to their lives.But – in some of his first comments since finishing his term as Australia’s ambassador to the US – the former prime minister said climate policies would have staying power if they delivered affordable prices, a reliable energy supply and new job opportunities. Continue reading...

• Iran has announced the resumption of uranium enrichment to 80% purity at its Natanz facility, signaling a breakdown in ongoing ceasefire negotiations with the United States. • International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors confirmed the announcement on Friday; Iran's move violates terms of previous diplomatic agreements and heightens regional security concerns. • The escalation comes as negotiators report deadlocked talks over sanctions relief, with both sides blaming the other for refusing compromise on nuclear program restrictions.

• A military confrontation along the Kashmir border escalated Friday when Pakistani forces fired on Indian positions near Uri, killing 12 Indian soldiers and wounding 18 others in the deadliest incident in two years, Pakistani military sources confirmed. • India's military responded with retaliatory strikes, with New Delhi claiming to have neutralized three Pakistani military positions; Pakistan denied casualties on its side but acknowledged defensive operations. • Regional analysts expressed alarm that the incident could spiral into broader conflict, warning both nations possess nuclear arsenals and recent diplomatic tensions have left few de-escalation channels open.

In February 2025, a cheap Russian drone tore through Chornobyl’s confinement shelter. Workers warn the site of the world’s worst nuclear accident is not safe yetThe dosimeter clipped to your chest ticks faster the moment you step off the designated path inside the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. Step back, and it slows again – an invisible line between clean ground and contamination.Above rises the “new safe confinement” (NSC) – the largest, movable steel structure ever built, taller than the Statue of Liberty, wider than the Colosseum, its arch curving overhead like an aircraft hangar built for giant planes. Continue reading...

Lack of a sustained plan to end the war has convinced US allies that the White House is running out of ideasNearly eight weeks after Donald Trump launched his assault on Iran, the White House has shifted from a strategy of shock-and-awe bombardments and leadership decapitation to a plan of sustained economic pressure as it tests the wills of a regime practiced over decades at wars of attrition.Since the negotiations stalled, the White House has begun to shift its messaging to say it is willing to wait to strike a more durable deal with Iran – despite the growing economic toll inflicted on the world economy by the closure of the strait of Hormuz. The reason, senior officials have said, is because of the joint US-Israeli strikes were so successful that they have fractured Iran’s leadership and prevented a new consolidation of power. Continue reading...

• North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile from its western region Tuesday evening, the sixth such test in the past three months despite frozen nuclear diplomacy with the US. • US officials assessed the missile demonstrated improved guidance systems, suggesting continued weapons development despite economic sanctions and international isolation. • The test complicates efforts to restart dialogue, with South Korea calling for emergency trilateral talks involving Japan to address escalating regional security threats.

Christopher Trybus, of Swindon, also found not guilty of coercive and controlling behaviour towards Tarryn BairdA man has been cleared of waging a campaign of domestic abuse and sexual violence on his wife, who went on to take her own life.Christopher Trybus, 43, was charged with manslaughter, as well as with two counts of rape and coercive and controlling behaviour, but was found not guilty after a seven-week trial at Winchester crown court. Continue reading...

Unwanted vessels left to decay release fibreglass shards into the water, harming marine life. Steve Green – with his trusty van Cecil – is determined to clean things upSteve Green, a boat engineer from Cornwall, was pulled over by the police just before Christmas. He was driving a decrepit-looking VW campervan and towing an even more dilapidated yacht up to Truro. He hadn’t broken any laws, but he admits that Cecil the campervan, which runs on donated chip oil from local pubs and has a crane and a winch on the front, “wasn’t quite what VW intended”.Green (and Cecil) are on a mission to rid the beautiful hidden creeks of Cornwall’s Helford and Fal rivers of 166 abandoned fibreglass yachts, which are leaking plastic and toxins into the predominantly marine waters. Marine biologists have likened the thousands of shards of fibreglass they have found embedded in the flesh of sea-creatures in areas with wrecks such as these to asbestos, a substance known to have a noxious effect on humans.Green uses a detachable crane system at the front of his van to move around bags of plastic after they have been weighed. Cecil is upholstered in recycled denim Continue reading...

Ministers hope tobacco and vapes bill, which will become law next week, will create a ‘smoke-free generation’A bill banning anyone born after 2008 from buying tobacco in the UK has completed its progress through parliament in a move that ministers hope will create a “smoke-free generation”.Under the tobacco and vapes bill anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be able to be legally sold tobacco across the UK, in an effort to save lives and reduce the burden on the NHS. Continue reading...

Washington reportedly limits satellite data after minister spoke publicly about suspected facility in North KoreaThe US has partly restricted intelligence sharing with South Korea after the country’s unification minister publicly identified a suspected North Korean nuclear site, according to reports in South Korean media.Chung Dong-young told lawmakers in March that North Korea was operating uranium enrichment facilities in Kusong, a north-western area that had not previously been officially confirmed as a nuclear site alongside the known facilities at Yongbyon and Kangson. Continue reading...

The 82-year-old was accused of abusing girls in the 1960s but was acquitted in Perth despite judge finding the alleged victim was telling the truthGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe former champion footballer Barry Cable has been acquitted of a slew of historical child sexual abuse charges despite a judge finding the alleged victim was likely telling the truth.The 82-year-old faced a judge-only criminal trial over allegations he abused a girl aged about eight or nine at his family home in the late 1960s. Continue reading...

• US President Donald Trump warned Iran of 'no more Mr Nice Guy' and threatened new strikes if no deal is agreed by Wednesday, following stalled talks over nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz. • Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz until the US lifts its blockade, with Revolutionary Guard navy confirming the move amid risks to global oil shipments; 13 US service members killed in related conflict. • Negotiations in Islamabad saw US propose 20-year Iranian nuclear suspension, countered by Iran's 3-5 year halt offer; Tehran reports progress but fundamental gaps remain per speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

• President Trump signals he will not extend Iran's ceasefire deadline if a comprehensive deal is not reached by Wednesday, warning of renewed military action including 'dropping bombs' if negotiations fail. • Trump declares the Strait of Hormuz now open due to a U.S. Navy blockade and pointedly rejects NATO's offer of assistance, highlighting America's unilateral stance in Middle East tensions. • The escalating pressure on Iran represents a significant shift in Trump administration foreign policy and challenges traditional alliance structures in addressing regional security threats.

The defence minister insists that increases in spending did not happen because of thinktanks, retired generals ‘or washed-up bureaucrats’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIf there’s anyone who knows just how much pressure Donald Trump is heaping on allies to lift defence spending, it’s Richard Marles.The message was received loud and clear when he met his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, in Singapore nearly a year ago. Continue reading...

Pyongyang making ‘very serious’ progress on producing weapons, with rapid rise in activity at main nuclear complexNorth Korea has made “very serious” progress in its ability to produce more nuclear weapons, the head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog has warned, in another sign that the regime is seeking to use its nuclear arsenal to ensure its survival.North Korea is thought to have assembled about 50 nuclear warheads, although some experts are sceptical of its claims that it is able to miniaturise them so they can be attached to long-range ballistic missiles. Continue reading...

Chancellor ‘frustrated and angry’ at decision to attack Iran ‘without being clear what the objectives are’UK politics live – latest updatesMiddle East crisis – live updatesRachel Reeves has hit out at the “folly” of Donald Trump’s decision to go to war against Iran without a clear exit plan.Speaking to the Mirror before a trip to Washington for the International Monetary Fund spring meeting, the UK chancellor renewed her criticism of the war, which has pushed up oil prices and threatens a new jump in inflation across the west. Continue reading...

Lisa Nandy says there are no grounds to refer Axel Springer deal to Ofcom, ending almost three years of uncertainty for titlesBusiness live – latest updatesThe culture secretary has cleared Axel Springer’s £575m takeover of the Telegraph, paving the way for the end of almost three years of uncertainty over the ownership of the titles.Lisa Nandy said that she does not believe there are grounds to intervene and refer the deal to the media regulator, Ofcom, for an in-depth regulatory investigation. Continue reading...

• President Trump announced on April 12 that the U.S. Navy would begin a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and intercept any vessel that has paid tolls to Iran to transit the strait safely, following the failure of 21-hour nuclear negotiations. • Vice President JD Vance confirmed in Islamabad that no agreement was reached, with Iran's refusal to abandon its nuclear program cited as the primary sticking point. • Iran's state-affiliated Fars news agency reported the country has no plan for a next round of negotiations, marking a significant escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict.

• Vice President JD Vance announced at a press conference in Pakistan on April 12 that 21 hours of negotiations with Iran have concluded without reaching an agreement, with the primary sticking point being Iran's refusal to abandon its nuclear program. • Vance characterized the lack of progress as "bad news for Iran," while Iran's state-affiliated Fars news agency reported that Tehran has "no plan for a next round of negotiations" according to sources close to the negotiating team. • The failed talks carry significant implications for Middle East stability and global security, with experts examining how the diplomatic breakdown affects ongoing regional conflicts and US-Iran relations.