Power

• 立法者同意延長 45 天，但共和黨與民主黨的批評者敦促改革監視計畫 • 美國國會通過了一項法律的 45 天延期，該法律賦予美國情報機構無須搜索令的監視權力。 • 國會共和黨派系對《外國情報監視法》（Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act）第 702 條的激烈內鬥，多次破壞了保守派領導人長期延長這項具爭議性監視法律的計劃。

數十人在明顯的讓步下被授予終身貴族爵位，使其得以重返 red benches。 隨著 Keir Starmer 尋求加速 House of Lords 的變革，數十名席位已被廢除的世襲貴族之立法權力已獲恢復。 據了解，15 名 Conservative 世襲貴族、2 名 Labour 以及 9 名 crossbenchers 已被授予終身貴族爵位，使其得以重返 red benches。 繼續閱讀...

• 一支包含 University of Wisconsin–Madison 研究人員在內的國際團隊，測量了從 Cygnus 系統中 Black Hole 噴射出的 Particle Jets 力量。 • 這項首創性的測量證實了 UW-Madison 天文學家在十年前所做的預測。 • 這些發現驗證了關於 Black Hole Jet Mechanics 的長期理論，推進了對 Astrophysics 的理解。

• Cryptocurrency ATMs 也面臨禁令，此前公眾調查發現 Canada 缺乏 anti-money-laundering 戰略 • Canada 將成立一個全新且強大的執法機構來調查 financial crime，這與 US 形成鮮明對比；在 US，削弱後的聯邦調查人員難以追捕 fraudsters，且 White House 已赦免了被定罪的 money launderers • 建立 Financial Crimes Agency (FCA) 的法案本週在 parliament 完成了首讀。該立法由執政的 Liberals 提出，憑藉其 parliamentary majority，該黨很可能迅速推動其通過政府的兩個層級。Continue reading...

• 2026年4月29日，數百人聚集在 U.S. Supreme Court，針對 Haitians 與 Syrians 的 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) 案件進行辯論，大法官們正審查 Trump 總統終止該計畫的權限。 • 根據聽證會報告，法官席對撤銷驅逐赦免的廣泛行政權力持懷疑態度。 • 裁決可能會影響數千名面臨驅逐的人，並在 midterms 之前測試移民行政行動的限制。

裁決賦予 Republican 州的選區地圖制定者將選區拆為碎片，並將選票稀釋至蕩然無存的權力。Voting Rights Act 是一份以 John Lewis 的鮮血寫就的政治和平契約。US supreme court 對於 Callais v Landry 的裁決擱置了 Voting Rights Act 第 2 條的大部分內容，從歷史中抹去了那些鮮血，以及成千上萬其他為了政治平等而在午餐櫃檯、巴士站和法院與種族隔離白人至上主義者抗爭的美國人的血淚。繼續閱讀...

• 在紐約市議會選舉中，隨著現任者在低民調和選民基礎分裂中苦苦掙扎，Zohran Mamdani 的背書面臨質疑。 • 儘管數據不佳，這位態度強硬的候選人仍拒絕為中間派挑戰者讓路。 • 這場地方選舉預示了城市政治中民主黨動態的轉變，具有全國性的影響。

• Sevii 於 2026 年 4 月 28 日宣布推出其自主網路群集防禦 (Autonomous Cyber Swarm Defense, CSD) 能力，旨在以機器速度與規模對抗海量的 AI 驅動網路攻擊。 • 該 ADR 平台部署了 Agentic AI Cyber Warrior 代理程式，能在 15 分鐘內偵測、圍堵並修復威脅，將分析師的工作量減少 95%，並透過固定的每資產定價模型消除了 AI token 成本。 • CSD 模式具備 Myrmidon Defense Technology (MDT) 以實現高效的微編排 (micro-orchestration)；Synergem Technologies 執行長 Frank Holt 指出，這使得企業在無需額外聘人或外包的情況下，能實現可預測的預算管理。

• SkyfireAI Inc., a US-based autonomous drone startup, raised $11 million in new funding to advance dual-use technology. • The investment targets AI autonomy for public safety, defense, and commercial drone applications. • This funding accelerates development amid rising demand for intelligent unmanned systems in critical sectors.

Though solar was initially blamed for loss of power, renewables have helped to insulate Spain from gas price rises caused by war in Middle EastOne year ago today, all of Spain, and much of Portugal, suffered through a blackout of unprecedented scale and duration. In mere seconds, a cascading sequence of events burst through the grid and created Europe’s first “system black” event in recent memory.Traffic signals failed, mobile networks stopped working entirely, petrol stations could not pump fuel and supermarkets couldn’t process payments. Madrid’s metro came to a halt and people had to be pulled out of carriages. “People were stunned because this had never happened in Spain,” Carlos Condori, a 19-year-old construction sector worker, told AFP at the time. “There’s no [phone] coverage, I can’t call my family, my parents, nothing: I can’t even go to work.” Continue reading...

Audias Flores, known as ‘El Jardinero’, of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, captured in western state of NayaritMexican special forces have arrested one of the top commanders of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel in the western state of Nayarit.Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero”, is a regional commander in control of swathes of CJNG territory along Mexico’s Pacific coast. He was considered a potential successor to Nemesio Oseguera, alias “El Mencho”, who ran the cartel and was killed in a security operation in February. Continue reading...

Coordinated attack by JNIM and the Tuareg minority inflicted significant casualties on government forces and Russian auxiliariesWhen al-Qaida-affiliated Islamic militants launched a series of attacks on military bases and raids into major towns in Mali and neighbouring Burkina Faso last summer, observers suggested they had been inspired by their counterparts in Syria, who had overthrown the regime of Bashar al-Assad and taken power six months or so earlier.Despite the tactical successes that earned them the fearful title of the “Ghost Army”, seizing swathes of territory and denying cities and the military of fuel and other essentials, the chances of Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) definitively defeating Mali’s military regime and the thousand or so Russian mercenaries hired to defend it looked poor. Continue reading...

Sarah Mullally hails Leo for addressing the ‘many injustices in our world’ after private meeting with pope in RomeThe archbishop of Canterbury praised Pope Leo on Monday for speaking “powerfully about the many injustices” in the world, in an apparent reference to the pontiff becoming more outspoken in recent weeks, particularly in his criticism of the US-Israeli war on Iran.Sarah Mullally, who in March became the first woman to lead the Anglican church, arrived in Rome on Saturday for a visit aimed at reinforcing relations with the Vatican. Mullally had a private meeting with Leo, the first US-born leader of the Catholic church, at the Apostolic Palace, the pope’s official residence. Continue reading...

Top aide says SNP leader will seek approval to press for independence even if he fails to win majority on 7 MayJohn Swinney will call a vote seeking independence powers on the first day of the next Scottish parliament even if he fails to win an overall majority, his aides have said.The Scottish National Party leader’s senior adviser indicated that if necessary, he would rely on support from the pro-independence Scottish Greens to win that vote in order to demand the UK government gives Holyrood the legal powers to hold a second referendum. Continue reading...

Russian backing for the ruling junta has not stopped rebel fighters striking significant blows in recent daysWhen Assimi Goïta, the leader of Mali’s military junta, sat down with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in the Kremlin last summer, it symbolised Moscow’s commanding sway over Mali at the expense of the west.As the two men spoke, roughly 3,500 miles to the south, about 2,000 Russian troops were propping up the regime in the landlocked desert country, as part of Moscow’s broader push for influence across the Sahel region. Continue reading...

Health secretary’s ‘power grab’ to override Nice comes amid growing concern move may be illegal and benefit big pharmaDozens of MPs are opposing Wes Streeting’s decision to award himself power to dictate what the NHS pays for drugs amid growing concern the move may be illegal.Thirty-one MPs have signed a House of Commons motion voicing their disapproval of the health secretary being handed the power to override the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (Nice) judgment on how much the NHS should spend on individual medicines. Continue reading...

• Apple unveiled iOS 20 on April 25, 2026, featuring Apple Intelligence enhancements for on-device AI processing in Siri and Photos apps, rolling out first to US users. • Key additions include real-time language translation supporting 15 languages and AI-generated summaries for Safari, trained on 3 trillion parameters without cloud dependency. • The update addresses privacy concerns post-EU DMA rulings, boosting Apple's 45% US smartphone market share amid AI race with Google Pixel.

Statue – one of city’s most popular tourist attractions – on steps of Philadelphia Museum of Art key plank of new showA statue of Sylvester Stallone’s fictional boxer Rocky Balboa is the focal point of an examination of the power of monuments opening at the Philadelphia Museum of Art this weekend that marks two millennia of boxing and celebrity.The statue, placed on the “Rocky Steps” of the museum in 1982, six years after the the 1976 film Rocky made Stallone a star, is one of Philadelphia’s most popular tourist attractions, visited by an estimated 4 million people annually. Continue reading...

Diplomats poke fun at Donald Trump while Madonna loses her corset off the back of a golf buggyThe one upside to a rolling international crisis is that it can give backroom people a rare chance to shine. Witness, this week, the breakout stars of the Iranian diplomatic corps, who from two different diplomatic missoverions managed to poke fun at Donald Trump while maintaining the base-level decorum that so eludes the American president. Continue reading...

• Power Solutions International reduced its debt-to-equity ratio from 2,140% to 54.6% over five years, signaling substantial improvement in financial health. • The company achieved 64.5% earnings growth last year, outpacing the electrical industry average of 21.4%. • Despite recent share price volatility, the company's financial restructuring and strong earnings demonstrate improved operational performance.

Budget outlines funding for autonomous drone warfare program as experts say military unprepared for risksThe Pentagon is aiming to increase funding more than a hundredfold for an autonomous drone warfare program, according to budget documents released this week, signalling a major pivot towards AI-powered war.In its 2027 budget, the Pentagon has asked for over $54bn to fund the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, a 24,000% increase on last year. Continue reading...

• Nashville SC rose in ESPN's MLS Power Rankings after a strong week, solidifying their position as East leaders. • The team continues its impressive form, positioning them as one of the league's strongest sides. • This ascent signals Nashville's title contention potential amid ongoing MLS action.

PM says in Commons statement he has ordered inquiry into any security concerns relating to Mandelson’s tenure in USUK politics live – latest updatesThe Foreign Office has been stripped of its powers to overrule vetting decisions after the Peter Mandelson scandal, Keir Starmer has told MPs, as he sought to set out his side of events in a politically crucial statement in parliament.Saying to jeers that he accepted it appeared “incredible” he and other ministers were not told Mandelson was initially refused security vetting, Starmer also said he had ordered an investigation into any security concerns related to Mandelson’s tenure as ambassador to Washington. Continue reading...

People in affected areas urged to evacuate as quake registering 7.5 magniture occurred off the coast of SanrikuThe strength of the earthquake has been revised up to 7.5 and the biggest waves due to the tsunami are expected in Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures, authorities said.Reuters reported that prime minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had set up an emergency task force and urged citizens in the affected areas to evacuate to safety. Continue reading...

• President Donald Trump signed a series of emergency executive orders from the Oval Office, with the White House describing them as the 'World's Most Powerful Reset,' reportedly granting the administration vast new powers over the U.S. economy and financial system. • The orders are grounded in national security protocols and reportedly address economic stability and foreign threats, with details remaining tightly controlled by the White House. • The executive action has triggered fierce debate over presidential constitutional authority and sparked volatile political reactions from both Democrats and Republicans across the political spectrum.

• Wealth.com, an AI platform modernizing estate and tax planning for wealth management firms, closed an oversubscribed $65M Series B funding round. • The funding will accelerate product enhancements and expand adoption among high-net-worth advisors handling complex client portfolios. • This raise highlights surging investor interest in AI tools automating legacy financial planning processes amid rising wealth transfer demands.

• IBM launched IBM Autonomous Security on April 17, 2026, a multi-agent AI service automating detection, policy enforcement, and remediation against frontier AI-driven attacks in hybrid environments. • The solution addresses emerging 'agentic attacks' where adversaries use advanced AI models, with nearly 80% of global IT leaders citing AI as a major security risk. • IBM also released an enterprise cybersecurity assessment tool focused on threats from large language models and generative AI.