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• Environmental Protection Agency 已將微塑膠與抗憂鬱劑列為飲用水污染物，以回應 MAHA 運動的倡議以及對公眾健康的擔憂。 • 此分類標誌著在處理美國供水中新興污染物方面邁出了重要的監管步伐，這些污染物已引起健康專家與環保倡導者的關注。 • 該認定可能會促使未來的監管行動，以便為這些物質建立飲用水標準和處理要求。

• 總統唐納·J·川普簽署了一項行政命令，對多名古巴政權官員及實體實施針對性制裁，政府指控這些官員和實體支持鎮壓和侵犯人權的行為。 • 白宮表示，此舉發出了與古巴異議人士團結一致的訊號，並與向拉丁美洲獨裁政權施壓的更廣泛努力相輔相成。 • 國會批評人士（包括部分民主黨人甚至少數共和黨人）認為，此舉可能會因在即將舉行的移民與區域安全談判前限縮了美國的籌碼而產生反效果。

• 週五發布的一項新 POLITICO‑Citrin Center‑Possibility Lab 調查顯示，絕大多數的共和黨人和民主黨人都支持由獨立委員會來劃定美國眾議院選區線，這削弱了反對終止 partisan gerrymandering 的論點。 • 川普政府正在衡量將獨立選區重劃委員會法律化的提議，方法是將聯邦資金與採用此類委員會的州掛鉤，這一策略可能會重塑 2026 年及以後的戰場選區。 • 民權組織和投票倡議者對民調結果表示歡迎，認為獨立委員會將減少對目前偏向兩黨的選區地圖進行的黨派操縱。

全國各地計畫舉行罷工、遊行及其他集會，響應「May Day Strong」示威活動。 數千人準備參加週五 International Workers’ Day 的經濟封鎖，這是全國 3,500 場「May Day Strong」活動的一部分。主辦單位呼籲「不上學、不工作、不購物」，並計畫在傍晚舉行罷工、遊行、街頭派對及其他集會。May Day 長期以來一直是勞工運動的年度抗議日，而今年許多活躍的運動正在匯集，爭取建立一個「將勞工置於億萬富翁之上」的國家。要求廢除 ICE、停止戰爭並向富人徵稅，「May Day Strong」聯盟成員包括工會、移民權利團體、像是 Democratic Socialists of America 這樣的政治組織，以及 No Kings 抗議活動的幕後組織者。週五的經濟中斷行動是延續一月份 Minnesota 的一項類似協調活動，當時數萬名 Twin Cities 居民停課、停工並湧向街頭，抗議聯邦移民官員突襲該市。Continue reading...

• US 參議員與領先的 Chinese 科學家舉行座談會，並警告除非對新技術進行監管，否則將對社會構成風險 • US 參議員 Bernie Sanders 週三在 Capitol Hill 與兩位領先的 Chinese 科學家一同舉行的座談會上，闡述了在監管 AI 方面進行國際合作的重要性。 • 隨著新創公司和科技巨頭（最顯著的在 Silicon Valley 和 Beijing）競相推進和擴大其 artificial intelligence 規模，Sanders 一直是倡導保障措施的 AI 懷疑論者之一。

• 一位具政治野心的康乃狄克州民主黨人在黨內要求參與的壓力下，退出了關於政府撥款的跨黨派談判。 • 此次退出行動加劇了在聯邦預算優先事項和開支削減問題上的緊張局勢。 • 這可能會推遲對即將到來的財政期限至關重要的撥款法案。

• 佛羅里達州州長 Ron DeSantis 公布了新的國會選區圖，這可能會進一步取消民主黨在眾議院的席位。 • 此次重新劃分選區的提案針對民主黨現任議員所在的地區，加劇了 2026 年中期選舉前的競爭。 • 共和黨將此視為維持眾議院多數黨地位的關鍵，而民主黨則警告這是選民壓制手段。

在距離 Ontario 僅數英里之處，Buffalo 的球迷們在比賽開始時麥克風故障導致寂靜時，齊聲填補了空缺。Electric City、Nickle City、Queen City、City of No Illusions。紐約州的 Buffalo 多年來累積了許多綽號，但在兩個傳統盟友之間緊張局勢日益增長的時代，其中一個稱號顯得格外具有共鳴：好鄰居之城 (City of Good Neighbors)。請繼續閱讀...

• 根據 2026 年 3 月 17 日發布的 Axios/Ipsos American Health Index，大多數美國人對醫療成本上升表示擔憂，並支持增加聯邦稅收支出以應對這些挑戰。 • 該民調顯示，在解決醫療可負擔性的政府行動上具有跨黨派的支持，反映出美國公眾對醫療費用攀升的普遍擔憂。 • 美國人對政府處理兒童疫苗接種決定的信任度也有所提升，顯示出公眾對健康政策干預具有更廣泛的信心。

Residents and visitors in California alert each other whenever they spot the above average size animal at Pier 39A gigantic 2,000lb steller sea lion nicknamed “Chonkers” has become an unexpected local celebrity after taking up residence in the San Francisco Bay.The massive sea lion swam up to a dock on Pier 39 in San Francisco around a month ago and has remained in the area since, drawing attention from residents, visitors and social media users who have been sharing frequent photos and videos of the animal looming over its peers. Continue reading...

Candle-making kits and rubber toys among products recalled after revelation about play sand sold by HobbycraftMore than 30 children’s toys have been recalled in the UK after the Guardian revealed that play sand sold by Hobbycraft was contaminated with asbestos.Over the past three months, other children’s products ranging from candle-making kits to stretchy rubber toys have been recalled by retailers including Tesco, Primark, Matalan and M&S after being found to contain the substance. Continue reading...

• The United States announced Friday a temporary suspension of certain oil-sector sanctions against Venezuela pending the outcome of renewed diplomatic negotiations scheduled to begin Monday in Mexico City, marking the first high-level talks in 18 months. • State Department officials stated the measure aimed to create "negotiating space" for discussions on political prisoners, election transparency, and humanitarian access, with hopes of establishing a pathway toward normalized relations. • Venezuela's government welcomed the development but demanded complete lifting of financial sanctions, which have contributed to severe shortages of food and medicine affecting 28 million citizens, according to UN estimates.

Meta to lay off 10% of its staff and Microsoft to offer retirement to 7% of US workforce. Plus, Iron Maiden at 50Good morning.Meta and Microsoft are cutting thousands of employees as they bet big on AI and executives claim that the technology is meeting productivity needs.What have they said about AI? Mark Zuckerberg said in January that AI was making some hiring unnecessary. Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft’s AI chief, said in February that he believed AI would be able to replace most white-collar work within the next 12 to 18 months.How many tech layoffs have there been in 2026? In four months, more than 92,000 employees in the industry have lost their jobs, according to the tracker Layoffs.fyi. But some experts believe companies may be “AI washing” – using it as cover for a slowing labor market and demand or rising costs. Continue reading...

MPs call for investigation into Essar Energy, owner of Stanlow refinery, which shifted loans from ‘Putin’s piggy bank’ VTB to MauritiusDays after the first wave of Russian tanks surged over the border into Ukraine in March 2022, dockers at a port in northern England took a stand.Appalled by Vladimir Putin’s brutality, workers at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire vowed never to unload any Russian oil destined for the nearby Stanlow refinery, a major hub for UK fuel supplies. Continue reading...

Radio presenter arrives for case management hearing into allegations he breached his Kiis FM radio contractFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKyle Sandilands says his legal fight with ARN Media is getting “pretty ugly” and he just wants to get back on air.The former Kiis radio breakfast host made the comments on Friday morning as he arrived at the federal court in Sydney in a Rolls Royce in front of a large media pack. Continue reading...

More than 200,000 have signed petitions urging the government to break contracts, amid concerns about the company’s ‘supervillain’ manifestoOver 200,000 people have called on ministers to break contracts with Palantir in an apparent groundswell of public concern about the US tech company’s role in the NHS, police, military and councils.Two petitions have attracted 229,000 signatures, one calling for the government to end all public contracts with the firm, whose software is used by Donald Trump’s ICE immigration enforcement programme and the Israeli military, and another urging the health secretary, Wes Streeting, to cancel its £330 patient data contract with the NHS. Continue reading...

Leaders will discuss how to respond to surging energy prices amid the war in the Middle EastEurope live – latest updatesEU leaders have welcomed the end of diplomatic deadlock over a long-awaited €90bn (£78bn) loan for Ukraine, after the bloc finalised the agreement along with a 20th package of sanctions against Russia.After weeks of delay, the EU signed off on the loan on Thursday, in time for summit talks in Cyprus that are scheduled to begin in the evening and will include talks over a dinner with the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Continue reading...

British foreign secretary told to impose new measures, with ruble-pegged cryptocurrency A7A5 being supported in countryMore than 20 MPs and peers have called on the foreign secretary to take action against institutions and individuals in Kyrgyzstan allegedly facilitating large-scale Russian sanctions evasion.They urged the UK to levy personal sanctions against three top Kyrgyz officials for their alleged role in facilitating Russian sanctions evasion more broadly, and more specifically for allowing Kyrgyzstan to host infrastructure supporting the cryptocurrency A7A5. Continue reading...

Georgia players celebrated championship at White HousePresident shakes hands of men, not women in videoFormer tennis star Navratilova leads criticismA White House photo celebrating a champion women’s sports team has drawn backlash due to the positioning of Donald Trump and a group of men, who overshadowed the female athletes by lining up in front of them.The University of Georgia women’s tennis team was one of several collegiate teams to visit the White House on Wednesday to mark a recent championship win. In a photo shared by press aide Margo Martin, a group of six men, including Donald Trump, took up the front row of a stage setup, with 11 women standing in the background largely obscured. Continue reading...

Move comes after Hungary and Slovakia dropped opposition following reopening of the Druzhba oil pipelineEU leaders are set to meet in Cyprus this evening to discuss the latest on the Middle East and the next EU budget, starting in 2028.But it looks like they will have a bit of a detour – and a reason to celebrate, too – as the long-awaited €90bn loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against Russia are on course to be unblocked after four months of delays caused by Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. Continue reading...

Radio company ARN’s defence alleges the shock jock denigrated executives, censors, critics and the audience of the Kyle and Jackie O ShowFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesSign up for Guardian Australia’s free weekly media newsletter hereKyle Sandilands repeatedly berated Kiis FM executives, the radio station’s censors, critics of the Kyle and Jackie O Show and the Melbourne audience in expletive-laden rants, according to federal court documents.The details of the alleged tirades, which aired months before the shock jock was sacked and accused of “serious misconduct” by ARN, are contained in the company’s defence of an $85m claim filed by Sandilands. Continue reading...

• The Biden administration announced comprehensive sanctions targeting Russian entities involved in chemical weapons production and deployment, following reports of their use against Ukrainian forces in recent weeks. • The Treasury Department froze assets of 12 Russian companies and individuals, with officials stating the measures aim to deter further violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention. • Security analysts warn that chemical weapons escalation signals Russia's desperation as its conventional military capabilities face sustained Ukrainian resistance.

• The US Treasury Department announced targeted sanctions against 15 military leaders and three jade trading companies linked to Myanmar's junta, citing credible evidence of systematic ethnic persecution against Rohingya and other minorities. • The sanctions block access to the US financial system and freeze assets estimated at $40 million, with the State Department formally classifying the military's actions as crimes against humanity. • International human rights bodies praised the measures but noted they represent a limited response, calling for broader multilateral action and ICC referral to hold perpetrators accountable.

News follows Guardian report on licence given to British firm exporting machinery to Armenian firm linked to Russian war effortBritish firms will face “much tougher” controls to prevent their goods from reaching Russia via other countries, undermining sanctions and aiding Vladimir Putin’s assault on Ukraine.Under plans to be unveiled on Wednesday, the government will be able to require UK manufacturers to obtain a licence if they want to export to a country suspected of acting as a staging post for exports ultimately destined for Russia. Continue reading...

• The latest POLITICO-Citrin Center-Possibility Lab survey reveals strong majorities in both parties favor an independent panel for drawing House district lines. • Over 70% of Democrats and Republicans support the nonpartisan approach to prevent gerrymandering ahead of midterms. • This consensus could pressure Congress to reform redistricting processes and reduce partisan map battles.