Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
SCIO briefs media on promoting green development in Zhejiang
China SCIO | June 13, 2025
The State Council Information Office (SCIO) organized a media trip to eastern China’s Zhejiang province from June 11 to 13, bringing together over 40 journalists – including foreign correspondents from the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Singapore, Indonesia, Turkey, South Korea, Japan and Brazil – to observe the progress of green development in the province.
A press briefing was held Thursday in Zhejiang’s capital city Hangzhou, where Xu Wenguang, executive vice governor of Zhejiang province, briefed the media and answered questions.
On June 12, 2025, the State Council Information Office (SCIO) holds a press briefing in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo by Luan Haijun/China SCIO]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited the site of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad, where the London-bound flight carrying 242 people went down a day earlier.
The aircraft crashed minutes after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 people. Only one passenger – a British national of Indian origin – survived.
“The scene of devastation is saddening,” PM Modi said in a post on X after reviewing the wreckage. “Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath. Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy.”
He was accompanied by Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Gujarat State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, and other senior officials during the site inspection.
Flight AI-171, headed to London Gatwick, crashed into the hostel complex of BJ Medical College at 1:38 p.m. IST on Thursday, triggering a massive blaze and a large-scale emergency response.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the crash site on Thursday and later chaired a high-level meeting with Civil Aviation Minister Naidu, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and senior officials to review relief and rescue measures.
Shah said DNA testing was underway to confirm the identities of the victims and assured that results would be delivered at the earliest by Gujarat’s Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU). DNA samples of family members arriving from abroad would be collected on arrival, he added.
A formal investigation into the crash has been launched by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in accordance with international protocols under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), said Civil Aviation Minister Naidu. A high-level expert committee is also being formed to examine the incident and suggest safety improvements to prevent future tragedies.
The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced it would send a team of investigators to India to assist the AAIB.
“The NTSB will be leading a team of US investigators travelling to India to assist the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau with its investigation into the crash of an Air India Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad, India, Thursday,” the agency said, noting that all official updates would come from the Indian government under ICAO’s Annex 13 protocols.
Rescue and Relief Operations Continue
Rescue operations continued through the night as teams sifted through debris for missing aircraft parts.
Parts of the plane’s fuselage were scattered around the smouldering building into which it crashed. The tail of the plane was stuck on top of the building.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson reached Ahmedabad early Friday. The airline said it had set up Friends & Relatives Assistance Centres at Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi, and Gatwick airports to support the families of those on board.
“These centres are facilitating the travel of family members to Ahmedabad,” Air India posted on X. Emergency contact numbers were also issued for those seeking information: 1800 5691 444 for calls from within India, and +91 8062779200 for international callers.
The Tata Group, which took over Air India in 2022, announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the family of each deceased passenger.
“Tata Group will provide Rs 1 crore to the families of each person who has lost their life in this tragedy. We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that they receive all necessary care and support. Additionally, we will provide support in the building up of the B J Medical’s hostel,” Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said on X.
Earlier, Air India released a breakdown of the nationalities of those on board: 169 were Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Tonight, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell to discuss the Trump administration’s unprecedented assault of Senator Alex Padilla:
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Leading off our breaking news coverage tonight is House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Mr. Jeffries, thank you very much for joining us tonight. There is so much for you to consider for us. First of all, let’s begin with Governor Newsom and his big victory in court tonight. This decision that I’ve read by the judge just finds in the governor’s favor all the way through ordering the California National Guard back under the command of Gavin Newsom.
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s a big victory for the people of California, for the governor, for the rule of law and for democracy itself. Donald Trump had engaged in aggressive overreach. That was never a need for this deployment. Things were being managed by the LAPD, the California Highway Patrol, as well as local Los Angeles County sheriffs. We all object and reject any efforts to assault police officers, to be disruptive, to engage in unlawful and unruly behavior. That was not the issue here. The issue is, how do we make sure that we can continue to protect the peaceful assembly that is guaranteed by the United States Constitution as part of the right of every American to petition their government to try to get grievances redressed.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Judge Breyer, Charles Breyer, very carefully reviewed every single event that has happened there that could be called in any way close to violent, every single thing, every mango that was thrown, every bottle that was thrown, every fire in a dumpster that happened. The fires of those driverless cars that happened over the weekend. And he concluded that none of that was beyond the control of LAPD, and in fact, described exactly how local officials, local law enforcement, brought all of those situations under control relatively quickly, thereby proving just in terms of what actually has been happening in Los Angeles, that it was completely under control and no federal support was needed. So he has that finding, in addition to Donald Trump illegally ordered those troops to move into Los Angeles.
LEADER JEFFRIES: It was an extremely meticulous decision, and this was all about political theater for Donald Trump. He doesn’t want the American people to lock in on the fact that he’s collapsing the economy. He’s failed to lower costs. The GOP Tax Scam is going to rip away healthcare for more than 16 million people, snatch food out of the mouths of children and seniors and veterans, all in service of giving their billionaire donors massive tax breaks. These are all deeply unpopular things. And so, Donald Trump wanted to create a massive distraction in this particular instance. If Donald Trump really believed that we were on the verge of insurrection, then he wouldn’t have attended a Broadway play last evening at the Kennedy Center. It would have been in the Situation Room. Instead, he was out on a night on the town. So this was a fraudulent thing that Donald Trump and his minions at the Department of Homeland Security had engaged in, and it’s now all been exposed in a meticulous decision by Judge Breyer.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: I mean, you know, I said at the outset, when Donald Trump first sent the troops to Los Angeles, that this was specifically, specifically to try to get us to turn our cameras to Los Angeles and away from those senators walking down the halls in Washington who have not been able to come to an agreement on how to do the Trump budget bill in the Senate and to take the focus away from that bill. What are we going to find? What are voters going to find when they put their focus back on this bill and what this bill is trying to do to voters?
LEADER JEFFRIES: You know, Brendan Boyle, the top Democrat in the House on the Budget Committee, has done a tremendous job of pointing out, one, this is the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, on top of the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history, all in service of trying to bring about the largest set of tax breaks for billionaires in American history. It’s extraordinary. And they are going to increase the debt and the deficit by trillions of dollars, force our children and grandchildren to pay for it. And as a result of this one big ugly bill, hospitals will close, nursing homes will shut down, community based health clinics are not going to be able to operate. People are going to die because of the lack of being able to receive the medical service that they need. And so Trump is certainly trying to hide the ball from the American people. But this is a disgusting abomination. And the more the American people learn about the GOP Tax Scam, the worse it gets for them.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Senator Alex Padilla obviously became the news of the day in Washington when that video spread of him being attacked like that in a federal building, a completely secure federal building, that you have to go through metal detectors and have an appointment to get into. Here’s the United States Senator in a federal building being attacked by federal agents, with a Cabinet Secretary looking on, lying about California while that was happening. Where were you when you first saw that video and what was your reaction, maybe holding your phone in your hand looking at that video?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It was disgusting when the news broke. I was on the Hill, we were preparing for a series of votes on the Floor of the House. And when you looked at the video, first of all, to know Senator Padilla, he is just a kind and decent person, a salt-of-the-earth type of individual. He has an extraordinary story, humble beginnings, eventually became an engineer at MIT, educated, and then walked away from what could have been a very lucrative career in order to serve his community and ultimately his state. And to see him assaulted in this fashion, manhandled, and then for the Secretary to lie about it, and the Department of Homeland Security, these people have zero credibility. And so the California Delegation, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, every single part of the House Democratic Caucus stands in solidarity with Senator Padilla. If they can attack a sitting Senator in his home state in this fashion, just imagine what they have in store for the American people. That’s why all of us should be concerned. All of us need to push back, and all of us need to stand up for the principle that in the United States of America, there are no kings.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Senator Padilla has insisted that this story is not about him, it’s what it means to the rest of us. It’s what it means about the people who the ICE agents and the federal agents are going after every day. Let’s listen to what Senator Padilla said when he came out of that federal building after being the– becoming the first United States Senator in history to be manhandled, pushed by federal agents, thrown to the ground and handcuffed for speaking. That has never happened before in American history. Let’s listen to what Senator Padilla said when he emerged from the federal building today.
SENATOR PADILLA (VIDEO): I came to the press conference to hear what she had to say, to see if I could learn any new additional information. And at one point, I had a question. And let me emphasize, the right for people to peacefully protest and to stand up for their First Amendment rights, for our fundamental rights. I was there peacefully. At one point I had a question and so I began to ask a question. I was almost immediately forcibly removed from the room. I was forced to the ground and I was handcuffed. I was not arrested. I was not detained. I will say this, if this is how this administration responds to a Senator with a question, if this is how the Department of Homeland Security responds to a Senator with a question, you can only imagine what they’re doing to farmworkers, to cooks, to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community and throughout California and throughout the country. Pero una gran pregunta es esta: si esta es la reacción a un senador con una pregunta, imagínense lo que están haciendo con cocineros, jornaleros, campesinos y otros inmigrantes no violentos en la comunidad de Los Ángeles, en otras áreas de el estado de California y en el país.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Leader Jeffries that statement about imagine, just imagine what they’re doing to other people if this is what they do to the United States senators does seem to be the lesson of the day.
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s incredibly powerful words from Senator Padilla. I think it’s one of the reasons why there was such a visceral reaction on the Hill both because we know him to be such a good man and this is just an example of how out of control the Trump administration is at this point. We’ve seen an unprecedented assault on the economy, on healthcare, on Social Security and of course, on the rule of law, on the American way of life, on democracy itself. But that’s why it’s going to be important for all of us to continue to show up and speak up and stand up, push back aggressively against the Trump administration, their extremism against Donald Trump and his minions in Congress who are nothing more than a Reckless Rubber Stamp for his extreme agenda. And we’ll continue to do that in the Congress, in the courts, and in communities all across the country.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: In any other presidency, I would expect you to be getting briefed very soon, if not already, about what has happened on Israel’s strike against Iran tonight. Have you been briefed in any way by the intelligence services about what is happening tonight?
LEADER JEFFRIES: I have not received an extensive briefing. There was minimal outreach from the administration, but I do expect sooner rather than later that we will receive a more comprehensive briefing about the state of affairs and the situation that exists. I mean, one of the things that Donald Trump, of course, promised on day one of his presidency, in addition to lowering the cost of living that, of course, has not happened. He talked about ending the war in Ukraine. That hasn’t happened. Talked about restoring peace to the Middle East. That has not happened. And so the whole Trump presidency has been a complete failure characterized by chaos, cruelty and corruption. And, you know, I’m hopeful that cooler heads will prevail in the Middle East and the situation is de-escalated. We certainly believe that Iran should never be allowed to become nuclear capable. They are an enemy not just to Israel, but to the United States and to the free world. But we also want to see a reduction in hostilities.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you very much for joining us in our breaking news coverage tonight on this important night.
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) today introduced a Senate resolution honoring the life, achievements, and public service of former First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush on the week of her 100th birthday. Text is below, and you can view the full resolution here.
“Whereas, on June 8, 1925, Barbara Pierce Bush (referred to in this preamble as ‘Barbara Bush’) was born in New York City, New York;
Whereas Barbara Bush attended Ashley Hall and Smith College;
Whereas Barbara Bush worked a factory job to support the United States war effort during World War II in 1943;
Whereas, on January 6, 1945, Barbara Bush married George Herbert Walker Bush after he returned from serving in World War II;
Whereas, in 1948, Barbara Bush and George Herbert Walker Bush moved to Odessa, Texas, and had 6 children, George W., Robin, Jeb, Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy;
Whereas Barbara Bush supported the early business ventures of her husband in oil, which would later evolve into the Pennzoil Corporation;
Whereas Barbara Bush supported the first forays of her husband in politics during his 1963 Harris County Republican Party chairmanship and 1966 election to the House of Representatives in the 7th Congressional District of Texas;
Whereas Barbara Bush kept the constituents in Houston informed of happenings in Washington, DC, by writing frequent newspaper columns during the time George Herbert Walker Bush served in the House of Representatives;
Whereas, during the career of George Herbert Walker Bush before becoming President of the United States, Barbara Bush orchestrated cross-country moves for her family 29 times in 44 years;
Whereas Barbara Bush supported the political ascension of George Herbert Walker Bush during his appointments as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations in 1970, the Chair of the Republican National Committee in 1972, and the Director of Central Intelligence in 1976;
Whereas Barbara Bush became Second Lady of the United States when George Herbert Walker Bush was sworn in as the 43rd Vice President of the United States in 1981, and again in 1985 after the 1984 re-election of the Reagan-Bush Administration;
Whereas, as Second Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush revitalized the vice presidential residence at 1 Observatory Circle with extensive renovations and the hosting of more than 1,000 social events;
Whereas, as Second Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush used her platform in the Reagan-Bush administration to champion public literacy to combat the cycle of poverty in the United States;
Whereas, as Second Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush played a significant role in the successful presidential campaign of George Herbert Walker Bush, which saw him win the 1988 Presidential election with 426 electoral votes, a feat which has not been matched since;
Whereas, as First Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush continued to champion public literacy by establishing the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy in 1989, and played a significant role in the passage of the National Literacy Act of 1991 (Public Law 102–73; 105 Stat. 333);
Whereas, as First Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush showed immense compassion to AIDS patients at a time when public opinion was still hostile towards their plight;
Whereas, after leaving the White House, Barbara Bush published her bestselling book, ‘Barbara Bush: A Memoir’;
Whereas, after the victory of her son George W. Bush in the 2000 Presidential election, Barbara Bush became the second woman in the history of the United States to have been both married to a President of the United States and the mother of a President of the United States;
Whereas Barbara Bush showed unwavering support for the presidential campaigns of her sons, George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004, and Jeb Bush in 2016; and
Whereas, on her passing at her Houston home on April 17, 2018, Barbara Bush was survived by her husband of 73 years, George Herbert Walker Bush, 5 children and their spouses, 17 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That Congress—
(1) honors the life, achievements, and distinguished public service of Barbara Pierce Bush (referred to in this resolution as ‘Barbara Bush’); (2) recognizes Barbara Bush on the occasion of her 100th birthday and expresses thanks and commendations to her and her family; (3) acknowledges the positive impact that Barbara Bush contributed to the United States through her tireless dedication to promoting literacy and uplifting her fellow citizens; and (4) celebrates the legacy of Barbara Bush as a model citizen and public servant of the United States.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Marc Veasey (33rd District of Texas)
Headline: Statement from Congressman Marc Veasey on the Crash of Air India Flight 171
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33), a member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, issued the following statement in response to the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171, which departed from Ahmedabad International Airport and claimed the lives of 290 passengers and crew:
“I am heartbroken by the devastating crash of Air India Flight 171. My deepest prayers are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this unspeakable tragedy. As we mourn the loss of 290 souls, we stand in solidarity with the people of India during this painful time.
As a proud member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, I know how deeply connected our communities are. This tragedy is not just India’s loss — it is a shared loss felt across continents and cultures. The United States grieves with India today.”
In addition to being a member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, Congressman Veasey co-chairs the Congressional Aviation Safety Caucus.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Marc Veasey (33rd District of Texas)
Headline: ICYMI: Congressman Veasey Blasts Republican Hypocrisy for Badly Plagiarizing Democratic Policies, Argues Democrats Have Winning Agenda
ICYMI: Congressman Veasey Blasts Republican Hypocrisy for Badly Plagiarizing Democratic Policies, Argues Democrats Have Winning Agenda
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) is pulling no punches in his NBC op-ed, “If Republicans Are Copying Democrats, We Must Be Doing Something Right,” where he torches Republican lawmakers for publicly parroting Democratic policies while dismantling the very programs that make those policies work.
Congressman Veasey lays out how Trump and his allies are pushing legislation that loots the American safety net — all while pretending to champion working people.
“Republicans are copying our policies like knock-off brands — slapping on new labels while gutting the real product,” said Veasey. “They’re plagiarizing our ideas while sabotaging working families in the same breath.”
“We don’t resent success. We resent selfishness. We don’t loathe ambition. We oppose a rigged game. What we reject is a system in which a handful of billionaires guard the gates of opportunity, locking others out to keep the wealth all to themselves. Because the American Dream was never meant to be a gated community.”
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Jun 13, 2025 0100 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook
Updated: Fri Jun 13 00:33:01 UTC 2025 (Print Version | | )
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table
Forecast Discussion
SPC AC 130033
Day 1 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0733 PM CDT Thu Jun 12 2025
Valid 130100Z – 131200Z
…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PLAINS…
…SUMMARY… Scattered thunderstorms, a few severe, will spread across portions of the central and northern Plains this evening. Hail and wind are the primary risks.
…01z Update…
Low-amplitude short-wave trough is ejecting across the northern High Plains of eastern MT/northeast WY early this evening. Scattered strong-severe thunderstorms have developed along the southern influence of this feature, particularly from southeast WY into north central NE, along a synoptic boundary draped across this region. While LLJ is not forecast to be particularly strong overnight, some increase is possible into this boundary over the next few hours and this could encourage additional storms as well as support ongoing activity. Latest radar data suggests large hail is occurring with the strongest updrafts, perhaps as many as half a dozen storms along the frontal zone. As heights are suppressed across the northern Plains tonight, low-level warm advection will likely support at least one or more MCS-type clusters to evolve and propagate toward the upper MS Valley by daybreak.
..Darrow.. 06/13/2025
CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT
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Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Current Mesoscale DiscussionsUpdated: Fri Jun 13 04:46:02 UTC 2025 No Mesoscale Discussions are currently in effect.
Notice: The responsibility for Heavy Rain Mesoscale Discussions has been transferred to the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) on April 9, 2013. Click here for the Service Change Notice. Archived Convective ProductsTo view convective products for a previous day, type in the date you wish to retrieve (e.g. 20040529 for May 29, 2004). Data available since January 1, 2004.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Israel launched widescale strikes against Iran on Friday, saying it targeted nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders and that this was start of a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon.
Iranian media and witnesses reported explosions including at the country’s main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, while Israel declared a state of emergency in anticipation of retaliatory missile and drone strikes.
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards corps said its top commander, Hossein Salami, was killed and state media reported the unit’s headquarters in Tehran had been hit. Several children had been killed in a strike on a residential area in the capital, it said.
“We are at a decisive moment in Israel’s history,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a recorded video message.
“Moments ago Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival. This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement that Israel had “unleashed its wicked and bloody” hand in a crime against Iran and that it would receive “a bitter fate for itself”.
An Israeli military official said Israel was striking “dozens” of nuclear and military targets including the facility at Natanz in central Iran. The official said Iran had enough material to make 15 nuclear bombs within days.
The United States said it had no part in the operation, which raises the risk of a fresh escalation in tensions in the Middle East, a major oil producing region.
Alongside extensive air strikes, Israel’s Mossad spy agency led a series of covert sabotage operations inside Iran, Axios reported, citing a senior Israeli official. These operations were aimed at damaging Iran’s strategic missile sites and its air defence capabilities.
Iranian state media reported that at least two nuclear scientists, Fereydoun Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were killed in Israeli strikes in Tehran.
Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was closed until further notice, and Israel’s air defence units stood at high alert for possible retaliatory strikes from Iran.
“Following the pre-emptive strike by the State of Israel against Iran, a missile and UAV (drone) attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate time frame,” Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said tens of thousands of soldiers had been called up and “prepared across all borders”.
“We are amidst a historic campaign unlike any other. This is a critical operation to prevent an existential threat, by an enemy who is intent on destroying us,” he said.
Israeli Minister Gideon Saar was holding “marathon of calls” with counterparts around the world regarding Israel’s attack on Iran, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
U.S. “NOT INVOLVED”
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and that the United States was hoping to get back to the negotiating table, in an interview with Fox News after the start of the Israeli air strikes on Iran.
“We will see,” Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin quoted Trump as saying in a post on X.
Trump would convene a meeting of the National Security Council on Friday morning, the White House said. He had said on Thursday an Israeli strike on Iran “could very well happen” but reiterated his hopes for a peaceful resolution.
The U.S. military is planning for the full range of contingencies in the Middle East, including the possibility that it might have to help evacuate American civilians, a U.S. official told Reuters.
Iran’s armed forces spokesperson said Israel and its chief ally the United States would pay a “heavy price” for the attack, accusing Washington of providing support for the operation.
While the U.S. tried to distance itself from Israel’s military operation, an Israeli official told public broadcaster Kan that Israel had coordinated with Washington on Iran.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was not involved in the strikes and Tel Aviv had acted unilaterally for self-defence.
“We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said in a statement.
“Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel,” he added.
The State Department issued an advisory saying that all U.S. government employees in Israel and their family members should “shelter in place until further notice”.
The attacks triggered sharp falls in stock prices in Asian trade on Friday, led by a selloff in U.S. futures, while oil prices jumped as investors scurried to safe havens such as gold and the Swiss franc.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned any military escalation in the Middle East, said deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq.
“The Secretary-General asks both sides to show maximum restraint, avoiding at all costs a descent into deeper conflict, a situation that the region can hardly afford,” Haq said.
NUCLEAR TALKS
U.S. and Iranian officials were scheduled to hold a sixth round of talks on Tehran’s escalating uranium enrichment programme in Oman on Sunday, according to officials from both countries and their Omani mediators.
A U.S. official said those talks were still scheduled to proceed despite the Israeli attack.
The Israeli military said on Friday that it was forced to act based on new intelligence information showing that Iran was “approaching the point of no return” in the development of a nuclear weapon.
“In recent months, this program has accelerated significantly, bringing the regime significantly closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon,” it said in a statement, without disclosing the purported evidence.
A source familiar with U.S. intelligence reports said there had been no recent change in the U.S. intelligence assessment that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon and that Khamenei had not authorised the restarting of the nuclear weapons programme that was shuttered in 2003.
Good Morning. It is a pleasure to be in Jakarta again today. Indonesia is an absolute priority for the New Zealand government, which is why we have now visited here four times since re-taking office as New Zealand Foreign Minister in late 2023. Indonesia is one of New Zealand’s oldest friends in Southeast Asia and our relationship is warm, deep, and broad-based. There is much that we admire about your country. We are ambitious for us to do much more together. Thank you to Minister Sugiono and his officials for hosting us today. We are always honoured by the extremely warm welcome here in Jakarta, and were proud to be here for President Prabowo’s inauguration last year. New Zealand is a partner to Indonesia for the long-term and we have strong ambitions to strengthen our relationship as we head towards 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2028. We are pleased, Minister Sugiono, that during this visit we have been able to make tangible, concrete progress on issues of importance to our peoples. On the economic front, we welcome the conclusion of a Cooperation Arrangement on Halal Products. This will facilitate the convenience, security and safety of halal food traded between our countries. New Zealand leads the world in agriculture and dairy productivity, and our high quality, safe and halal food products are a key export to Indonesia. We were pleased to discuss how New Zealand dairy exports can support President Prabowo’s flagship healthy nutrition programme – and to reiterate New Zealand’s commitment to working closely with Indonesia on agricultural cooperation, as Indonesia’s own dairy sector grows. On education, our governments are signing today an amended Cooperation Arrangement to enhance student and research exchange between New Zealand and Indonesia. New Zealand is also delighted to announce today a significant increase – from 45 to 70 – in the annual number of scholarships offered to Indonesians to do tertiary study in New Zealand. We look forward to welcoming an even greater number of Indonesian students to New Zealand to experience our world class education system and learn more about our respective cultures and countries. On energy, we are proud of our long-standing partnership in Indonesia’s renewable energy sector. Over the next 5 years, New Zealand will invest a further $15 million to support the development of renewable energy in Indonesia. We were pleased to reaffirm with Minister Sugiono our goal to increase two-way trade to NZ$6 billion by 2029 – noting that two-way trade with Indonesia increased by more than 43% in the past 5 years. Our trade is mutually beneficial. To achieve our ambitious trade target, we need to keep working together to unlock new trade opportunities. Indonesia is also a key partner for New Zealand in navigating increasing geostrategic complexities in the region. We discussed our collaboration on defence and regional security issues, including tackling transnational organised crime, the flow of drugs, and human trafficking. New Zealand also announced a new contribution to the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation, which reflects New Zealand’s long-standing partnership with this world class facility. We are also pleased to announce the visit by HMNZS Te Kaha this month to Jakarta. New Zealand will also participate in Exercise Super Garuda Shield, a major United States-Indonesia exercise aimed at reinforcing security ties across the Indo-Pacific. So, this has been a very productive visit. New Zealand and Indonesia are making concrete progress together, in a wide range of areas. This is befitting the high ambition that our two countries have for the relationship. Minister Sugiono, your hospitality has been a reflection of the warmth and respect that underpin our bilateral relationship. We eagerly await the opportunity to host you in New Zealand at your earliest convenience. Thank you very much.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Keg Royalties Income Fund (the “Fund”) (TSX: KEG.UN) today announced that its June 2025 distribution of $0.0946 per unit has been declared and is payable to unitholders of record as at June 21, 2025. The June 2025 distribution will be paid on June 30, 2025.
The Fund is a limited purpose, open-ended trust established under the laws of the Province of Ontario that, through The Keg Rights Limited Partnership, a subsidiary of the Fund, owns certain trademarks and other related intellectual property used by Keg Restaurants Ltd. (“KRL”). In exchange for use of those trademarks, KRL pays the Fund a royalty of 4% of gross sales of Keg restaurants included in the royalty pool.
With approximately 10,000 employees, over 100 restaurants and annual system sales exceeding $700 million, Vancouver-based KRL is the leading operator and franchisor of steakhouse restaurants in Canada and has a substantial presence in select regional markets in the United States. KRL continues to operate The Keg restaurant system and expand that system through the addition of both corporate and franchised Keg steakhouses. KRL has been named the number one restaurant company to work for in Canada in the latest edition of Forbes “Canada’s Best Employers 2025” survey.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TEHRAN/JERUSALEM, June 13 (Xinhua) — Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that Israel launched a “preemptive strike” on Iran and declared a state of emergency throughout the country.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that some Iranian military and nuclear facilities were hit.
As reported by the Iranian state television channel IRIB, powerful explosions were heard in the capital Tehran on Friday morning. Their source has not yet been established.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says US not involved in Israeli attack. –0–
Israel said it targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders on Friday at the start of what it warned would be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon.
Iranian media and witnesses reported explosions including at the country’s main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, while Israel declared a state of emergency in anticipation of retaliatory missile and drone strikes.
Iranian state television reported that Hossein Salami, the chief of the elite Revolutionary Guards corps, had been killed and the unit’s headquarters in Tehran had been hit. Several children had been killed in a strike on a residential area in the capital, it said.
“We are at a decisive moment in Israel’s history,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a recorded video message.
“Moments ago Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival. This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement that Israel had “unleashed its wicked and bloody” hand in a crime against Iran and that it would receive “a bitter fate for itself”.
An Israeli military official said Israel was striking “dozens” of nuclear and military targets including the facility at Natanz in central Iran. The official said Iran had enough material to make 15 nuclear bombs within days.
The United States said it had no part in the operation, which raises the risk of a fresh escalation in tensions in the Middle East, a major oil producing region.
Alongside extensive air strikes, Israel’s Mossad spy agency led a series of covert sabotage operations inside Iran, Axios reported, citing a senior Israeli official. These operations were aimed at damaging Iran’s strategic missile sites and its air defence capabilities.
Iranian state media reported that at least two nuclear scientists, Fereydoun Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were killed in Israeli strikes in Tehran.
Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was closed until further notice, and Israel’s air defence units stood at high alert for possible retaliatory strikes from Iran.
“Following the pre-emptive strike by the State of Israel against Iran, a missile and UAV (drone) attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate time frame,” Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said tens of thousands of soldiers had been called up and “prepared across all borders”.
“We are amidst a historic campaign unlike any other. This is a critical operation to prevent an existential threat, by an enemy who is intent on destroying us,” he said.
Israeli Minister Gideon Saar was holding “marathon of calls” with counterparts around the world regarding Israel’s attack on Iran, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
U.S. “NOT INVOLVED”
U.S. President Donald Trump would convene a meeting of the National Security Council on Friday morning, the White House said.
Iran’s armed forces spokesperson said Israel and its chief ally the United States would pay a “heavy price” for the attack, accusing Washington of providing support for the operation.
An Israeli official told Israel public broadcaster Kan that Israel had coordinated with Washington on the strikes.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio however said the United States was not involved and Tel Aviv had acted unilaterally for self-defence.
“We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said in a statement.
“Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel,” he added.
The State Department issued an advisory saying that all U.S. government employees in Israel and their family members should “shelter in place until further notice”.
The attacks triggered sharp falls in stock prices in early Asian trade on Friday, led by a selloff in U.S. futures, while oil prices jumped as investors scurried to safe havens such as gold and the Swiss franc.
NUCLEAR TALKS DEADLOCKED
U.S. and Iranian officials were scheduled to hold a sixth round of talks on Tehran’s escalating uranium enrichment program in Oman on Sunday, according to officials from both countries and their Omani mediators. But the talks have appeared to be deadlocked.
Trump said on Thursday an Israeli strike on Iran “could very well happen” but reiterated his hopes for a peaceful resolution.
A source familiar with U.S. intelligence reports said there has been no recent change in the U.S. intelligence assessment that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and that Khamenei has not authorised the restarting of the nuclear weapons program that was shuttered in 2003.
Even so, U.S. intelligence had indicated that Israel was preparing a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The U.S. military was planning for the full range of contingencies in the Middle East, including the possibility that it might have to help evacuate American civilians, a U.S. official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL
House Republicans voted down Rep. Kelly’s Motion to Recommit to protect PEPFAR from recissions package
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) condemned the Trump administration’s recissions package that requests Congress to cancel $9.4 billion already appropriated by Congress.
Rep. Kelly offered a Motion to Recommit, which would have allowed her amendment to protect the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) from the $400 million cuts in the recissions package. PEPFAR is the most successful global health program to combat HIV and AIDS and has saved 26 million lives since 2003 when President George W. Bush signed it into law.
WATCH REP. KELLY’S FLOOR REMARKS HERE
“President Trump wants to claw back $9.4 billion dollars that were already appropriated by Congress. For years, my Republican colleagues have claimed Congress’s constitutional power of the purse – but after one call from the President, they bend the knee and forked over $9.4 billion that belonged to the American people,” said Rep. Kelly. “President Trump continues his attack against PEPFAR, a program cornerstone to global health and US diplomacy. By refusing to fund PEPFAR, President Trump and his House Republicans have handed a death sentence to people around the world facing HIV and AIDS. He also weakens America’s global standing, abandons our moral responsibility, and opens an opportunity for China to take advantage. Rescinding these funds won’t solve our country’s deficit problem but rather destroy lives in the US and abroad.”
The recissions package also cuts $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, including NPR and PBS programming like Sesame Street.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32), a Senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee for 29 years, released the following statement on Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear capabilities:
“Under the circumstances, what Israel has done is understandable and justified.
Earlier today, for the first time in 20 years, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board declared that Iran was in breach of its non-proliferation obligations under the Safeguards Agreement that Iran itself signed. Iran was extremely close to several nuclear bomb. Israel could not wait while Iran pretended to negotiate in good faith while racing towards a bomb.
The second wave has already begun and we expect many days and perhaps weeks of additional action. Substantial damage has been done to Iran’s nuclear program. However, the status of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile is yet to be known.
It’s regrettable that Iran’s decades of violation of the non proliferation treaty which it signed has led us to a point where this is necessary. While the U.S. pulled out of the 2014 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement, Iran has been bound by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Safeguards Agreement it signed decades ago and which the IAEA determined it violated.
Israel did not take this step lightly. There will be retaliation from Iran, and likely also from the Houthis and Hezbollah. Many Israeli civilians will be killed. Israel took this action because it believed it had no other choice.
Israel could not wait until Iran had a stockpile of nuclear weapons ready to be launched.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast issued the following statement after Israel launched preemptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear program.
“A year ago, Iran sent three Americans home under flag-draped caskets who were killed at Tower 22. Within the last three months, Iran attacked Navy warships. What Israel’s preemptive strike ensured tonight is that Iran’s next attack will not be with a nuclear weapon.”
The Secretary-General condemns any military escalation in the Middle East.
He is particularly concerned by Israeli attacks on nuclear installations in Iran while talks between Iran and the United States on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme are underway.
The Secretary-General recalls the obligation of UN Member States to act in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.
The Secretary-General asks both sides to show maximum restraint, avoiding at all costs a descent into deeper conflict, a situation that the region can hardly afford.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California
Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025. Passage of this bill codifies President Trump’s rescissions package, cutting $9.4 billion in wasteful federal spending.
“This is exactly the kind of action voters sent us here to take. We’re cutting nearly $10 billion in junk spending, foreign aid giveaways, woke public broadcasting, and other bloated programs that do nothing for the average American,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “The federal government has a spending problem, and this bill is a strong step toward restoring fiscal sanity, holding agencies accountable, and stopping the inflationary madness that’s been driving prices through the roof.”
Background:
The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 was enacted after President Nixon refused to spend congressionally approved funds. The law allows a president to propose rescinding funds already appropriated by Congress. Once submitted, the funds can be withheld for up to 45 legislative days. If Congress passes a rescissions bill, the funds are permanently canceled; if not, the money must be spent. The law also sets expedited procedures for Senate consideration, including a simple majority vote threshold and limited debate—meaning rescissions bills cannot be filibustered.
President Trump submitted a $9.4 billion rescissions package targeting programs deemed wasteful, politically biased, or unnecessary to taxpayers. The proposal includes cuts to foreign aid, global health spending, and public broadcasting. H.R. 4 will now make its way to the Senate for consideration.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – About one in five American workers, or 30 million people, are constrained by a non-compete clause, which blocks individuals from working for a competing employer or starting a competing business. Research indicates workers trapped by non-competes have lower wages, and their restricted mobility makes it more difficult for businesses to recruit talent. In states where non-competes are enforced, young firms are more likely to fail in their first three years compared to states where they are not enforced.
U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Todd Young (R-IN), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced the Workforce Mobility Act to limit the use of non-compete agreements. This legislation bans most of these agreements except when dissolving a partnership or selling a business or ownership interest.
Specifically, the Workforce Mobility Act requires employers to make employees aware of the limitations on non-competes. It also protects the ability of employers to require non-disclosure agreements for trade secrets. Enforcement jurisdiction for this legislation falls under the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Labor, while also allowing state attorneys general to bring actions and authorizing employees to sue for damages and legal fees, and making pre-dispute arbitration agreements and joint-action waivers unenforceable.
“Non-compete agreements stifle innovation and job mobility,”said Cramer.“I am glad North Dakota is a national leader in blocking these inhibitive practices. Our bipartisan bill makes non-competes virtually illegal and puts more power back into the hands of the American worker.”
CAMP CASEY, South Korea — U.S. Army bases in the Korean Theater of Operations hosted their annual Korean Augmentation To the U.S. Army (KATUSA) Friendship Week celebration, June 9-12. KATUSA Friendship Week recognizes and honors the enduring bonds of friendship and camaraderie U.S. and South Korean Soldiers have shared through their joint military service since 1950.
OKINAWA, Japan — U.S. Space Force Maj. Ben Pearce and Capt. Hannah Garcia-Park, both with Mission Delta-11 (Space Ranges, Aggressors, Tactics and Exercises), conducted tactical level space operations for the first time in history June 9, 2025, at III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), Okinawa, Japan.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
June 12, 2025
[embedded content]
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday took to the Senate floor to strongly condemn the violent removal by federal officers of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) as he tried to ask questions and exercise Congressional oversight at a public press conference with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Murphy stressed that this incident is a direct threat to the ability of democratically elected lawmakers to represent their constituents: “This feels like a defining moment for the country, but also for this body…This is not simply an assault on Senator Padilla. This is not an assault on Democratic senators. This is an assault on the rule of law. This is an assault on our democracy. And ultimately, we are robbing the ability of every single senator to do our job if we are now going to be threatened with violence when we simply try to stand up for our constituents.”
Murphy slammed DHS’s blatant lies about why they violently removed a U.S. Senator: “We already have a statement from the Department of Homeland Security that has accused Senator Padilla of being ‘disrespectful,’ as if that is a rationalization for violence.Watch the video. Even if you believe that he was disrespectful, and given the times that is certainly in the eye of the beholder, that never justifies what we saw on that video, throwing anyone, never mind an elected representative of the people, to the ground to be handcuffed. They say that he didn’t identify who he was, and yet watch the video. He clearly states ‘I am Senator Alex Padilla.”
Murphy pleaded with his Republican colleagues to stand up for democratic values and put country over party: “They’re going to spin this, but I’m begging my Republican colleagues, don’t let them do it. Protect our ability as servants of the people. Speak up for the people that we represent. Make sure that we do not normalize this kind of violence. Simply because the White House doesn’t agree with people who dissent.”
Murphy concluded: “If this is how a United States senator can be treated, then none of us ultimately are immune. If this is how a United States senator can be treated, none of our constituents are safe. This is a test for the country, but this is a test for the United States Senate as well.”
A full transcript of Murphy’s comments is available below.
MURPHY: “Mr. President, this feels like a defining moment for the country, but also for this body. I understand that it may take a few moments for our Republican colleagues to watch the full video, to gather some additional facts, to come to a conclusion, but we need our Republican colleagues to be on the floor right now with us.
“Because this is not simply an assault on Senator Padilla. This is not an assault on Democratic senators. This is an assault on the rule of law. This is an assault on our democracy. And ultimately, we are robbing the ability of every single senator to do our job if we are now going to be threatened with violence when we simply try to stand up for our constituents.
“Now, we all have town halls, and we are all often met with constituents who oppose us, sometimes very vocally, but speaking for myself, I don’t ask law enforcement to throw my constituents to the ground and violently handcuff them because they have a different opinion from me. You know why I don’t do that? Because we don’t do that in a democracy. We don’t do that against ordinary citizens, and we certainly don’t allow the administration and the law enforcement that works for the administration to do that to a United States senator.
“We will enter a banana republic if we don’t find a way, Republicans and Democrats, to come together around this essential question of protecting our ability, our right as senators, to speak up for our constituents. Now, I understand that my Republican colleagues are going to need some time to gather the facts, but we already have a statement from the Department of Homeland Security that has accused Senator Padilla of being ‘disrespectful,’ as if that is a rationalization for violence.
“Watch the video. Even if you believe that he was disrespectful, and given the times that is certainly in the eye of the beholder, that never justifies what we saw on that video, throwing anyone, never mind an elected representative of the people, to the ground to be handcuffed. They say that he didn’t identify who he was, and yet watch the video. He clearly states, ‘I am Senator Alex Padilla.’
“They’re going to spin this, but I’m begging my Republican colleagues, don’t let them do it. Protect our ability as servants of the people. Speak up for the people that we represent. Make sure that we do not normalize this kind of violence. Simply because the White House doesn’t agree with people who dissent. If this is how a United States senator can be treated, then none of us ultimately are immune. If this is how a United States senator can be treated, none of our constituents are safe. This is a test for the country, but this is a test for the United States Senate as well.
Ahead of a prospective meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump at the G7 Summit Canada, two key developments have bumped defence issues to the top of the alliance agenda.
First, in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles late last month, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth urged Australia to boost defence spending to 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP).
This elicited a stern response from Albanese that “Australia should decide what we spend on Australia’s defence.”
Then, this week, news emerged the Pentagon is conducting a review of the AUKUS deal to ensure it aligns with Trump’s “America First” agenda.
Speculation is rife as to the reasons for the review. Some contend it’s a classic Trump “shakedown” to force Australia to pay more for its submarines, while others say it’s a normal move for any new US administration.
The reality is somewhere in between. Trump may well see an opportunity to “own” the AUKUS deal negotiated by his predecessor, Joe Biden, by seeking to extract a “better deal” from Australia.
But while support for AUKUS across the US system is strong, the review also reflects long-standing and bipartisan concerns in the US over the deal. These include, among other things, Australia’s functional and fiscal capacity to take charge of its own nuclear-powered submarines once they are built.
So, why have these issues come up now, just before Albanese’s first face-to-face meeting with Trump?
To understand this, it’s important to place both issues in a wider context. We need to consider the Trump administration’s overall approach to alliances, as well as whether Australia’s defence budget matches our strategy.
Trump, alliances and burden-sharing
Senior Pentagon figures noted months ago that defence spending was their “main concern” with Australia in an otherwise “excellent” relationship.
But such concerns are not exclusive to Australia. Rather, they speak to Trump’s broader approach to alliances worldwide – he wants US allies in Europe and Asia to share more of the burden, as well.
Trump’s team sees defence spending (calculated as a percentage of GDP) as a basic indicator of an ally’s seriousness about both their own national defence and collective security with Washington.
As Hegseth noted in testimony before Congress this week, “we can’t want [our allies’] security more than they do.”
Initially, the Trump administration’s burden-sharing grievances with NATO received the most attention. The government demanded European allies boost spending to 5% of GDP in the interests of what prominent MAGA figures have called “burden-owning”.
Several analysts interpreted these demands as indicative of what will be asked of Asian partners, including Australia.
In reality, what Washington wants from European and Indo-Pacific allies differs in small but important ways.
In Europe, the Trump administration wants allies to assume near-total responsibility for their own defence to enable the US to focus on bigger strategic priorities. These include border security at home and, importantly, Chinese military power in the Indo-Pacific.
By contrast, Trump’s early moves on defence policy in Asia have emphasised a degree of cooperation and mutual benefit.
The administration has explicitly linked its burden-sharing demands with a willingness to work with its allies – Japan, South Korea, Australia and others – in pursuit of a strategy of collective defence to deter Chinese aggression.
This reflects a long-standing recognition in Washington that America needs its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific perhaps more than anywhere else in the world. The reason: to support US forces across the vast Pacific and Indian oceans and to counter China’s growing ability to disrupt US military operations across the region.
In other words, the US must balance its demands of Indo-Pacific allies with the knowledge that it also needs their help to succeed in Asia.
This means the Albanese government can and should engage the Trump administration with confidence on defence matters – including AUKUS.
It has a lot to offer America, not just a lot to lose.
Australian defence spending
But a discussion over Australia’s defence spending is not simply a matter of alliance management. It also speaks to the genuine challenges Australia faces in matching its strategy with its resources.
Albanese is right to say Australia will set its own defence policy based on its needs rather than an arbitrary percentage of GDP determined by Washington.
But it’s also true Australia’s defence budget must match the aspirations and requirements set out in its 2024 National Defence Strategy. This is necessary for our defence posture to be credible.
This document paints a sobering picture of the increasingly fraught strategic environment Australia finds itself in. And it outlines an ambitious capability development agenda to allow Australia to do its part to maintain the balance of power in the region, alongside the United States and other partners.
But there is growing concern in the Australian policy community that our defence budget is insufficient to meet these goals.
For instance, one of the lead authors of Australia’s 2023 Defence Strategic Review, Sir Angus Houston, mused last year that in order for AUKUS submarines to be a “net addition” to the nation’s military capability, Australia would need to increase its defence spending to more than 3% of GDP through the 2030s.
Otherwise, he warned, AUKUS would “cannibalise” investments in Australia’s surface fleet, long-range strike capabilities, air and missile defence, and other capabilities.
There’s evidence the Australian government understands this, too. Marles and the minister for defence industry, Pat Conroy, have both said the government is willing to “have a conversation” about increasing spending, if required to meet Australia’s strategic needs.
This is all to say that an additional push from Trump on defence spending and burden-sharing – however unpleasantly delivered – would not be out of the ordinary. And it may, in fact, be beneficial for Australia’s own deliberations on its defence spending needs.
Thomas Corben receives funding from the Australian Department of Defence.
Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, today released the legislative text for the Homeland Security portion of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees’ title of the reconciliation bill. This text meets the border security funding request from President Trump and his administration.
“Senate Republicans had a terrific briefing today from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller in support of President Trump’s border security request.
“As Budget Chairman, I will do my best to ensure that the President’s border security plan is fully funded because I believe it has been fully justified. I respectfully disagree with Chairman Paul’s proposal to cut the Trump plan by more than 50 percent.
“The President promised to secure our border. His plan fulfills that promise. The Senate must do our part.”
View the full text HERE.
View the one-pager HERE.
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) are introducing new legislation in a continuation of their efforts to hold El Salvador accountable for its human rights abuses and its collusion with the Trump Administration to imprison people from the United States without due process. The senators’ legislation would apply sanctions on Salvadoran officials and others who have engaged in international human rights violations or worked to deprive individuals residing in the United States of their rights under the U.S. Constitution. The legislation would additionally explicitly sanction President Bukele and Vice President Ulloa, as well as El Salvador’s Ministers of Foreign Relations, Defense, and Justice and Public Security, among others. In addition to its actions alongside the Trump Administration to imprison people from the United States, Bukele and his government have continued to jail and persecute innocent Salvadoran citizens, including journalists and human rights advocates such as Ruth López.
The text of the legislation is available here.
“Under President Bukele, tens of thousands of Salvadorans and even U.S. residents remain jammed in megaprisons without due process. President Bukele may think he has a friend in President Trump, but he should know that Americans will not tolerate his efforts to undermine the rule of law and democratic institutions—whether in El Salvador or here in the United States,” said Kaine. “That’s why I’m introducing this legislation with my colleagues to sanction foreign nationals complicit in Bukele’s behavior and the Trump Administration’s illegal actions to deny due process to people living in the United States.”
“President Bukele and the Government of El Salvador are colluding with the Trump Administration, taking American taxpayer dollars to imprison people as part of a scheme to violate their constitutional rights. We must hold Bukele and his cronies accountable for these wrongful actions as well as for the gross violations of human rights they are committing in El Salvador. This legislation would do just that by placing sanctions on Bukele and those in his government who are responsible for these abuses. We must send a clear signal that these injustices are unacceptable and must end,” said Van Hollen.
“President Bukele and his regime are continuing to commit abhorrent human rights atrocities and eradicate due process,” said Padilla. “We must hold Bukele and all responsible parties accountable for the suspension of constitutional rights and continued collusion with the Trump Administration to imprison people from the United States without due process. Imposing economic sanctions and visa restrictions on Bukele and his corrupt government is a necessary step to push El Salvador to finally uphold international human rights law and respect fundamental civil liberties.”
The senators’ legislation is supported by the Latin America Working Group, the Washington Office on Latin America, Human Rights Watch, and Immigration Hub.
“Senators Van Hollen, Kaine, and Padilla’s bill to impose sanctions on the regime of President Nayib Bukele is timely and importantly puts a spotlight on the gross violation of human rights that have occurred under President Bukele’s state of exception. Since March 2022, 85,000 people have been detained, constitutional guarantees have been suspended, and over 350 people have died while under state custody. Systemic torture and persecution are state policies. Significantly, the bill also addresses the pervasive corruption that has occurred since President Bukele took office and prevents the IMF and other international financial institutions not to lend support. Not one penny of our tax dollars should support this regime until there is an end to the human rights violations, and the rule of law, judicial independence, and government transparency are restored. All Members of Congress should get behind this bill,” said Vicki Gass, Executive Director, Latin America Working Group.
“Targeted individual sanctions for gross human rights violations are a critical diplomatic tool the U.S. can use to push for change and hold authoritarian actors accountable; as El Salvador’s political and human rights crisis deepens, strong international action like this becomes essential,” said Ana María Méndez-Dardón, Director for Central America at the Washington Office on Latin America.
“We are heartened to see Senators confronting the human rights abuses of government officials in El Salvador. This bill an important reminder that uncritical US government support to President Bukele will not last forever and a recognition that nobody should be deported to Salvadoran prisons,” saidJuan Pappier, Deputy Director of the Americas division, Human Rights Watch.
Additional Background:
Sanctions: Imposes property-blocking and visa sanctions on President Bukele, key members of his cabinet, and other foreign persons working on behalf of the Salvadoran government that have:
engaged in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, including in connection with the ongoing “state of exception” in El Salvador;
engaged in the scheme, including by accepting U.S. taxpayer dollars, to deprive individuals residing in the United States of their Constitutional rights; or
provided material support to any person that has engaged in the above activities.
Termination/Snapback of Sanctions: Sanctions cannot be terminated until at least four years after the bill is enacted and unless the President certifies to Congress that the Government of El Salvador is no longer engaged in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights and no longer engaged in the scheme, including by accepting U.S. taxpayer dollars, to deprive individuals residing in the United States of their Constitutional rights. If the President determines that either of those conditions resume, then sanctions shall be reimposed.
Reporting Requirements: Requires reports to Congress that provide transparency on Salvadoran officials subject to a variety of sanctions authorities, U.S. government assistance to El Salvador, bilateral written agreements between the United States and El Salvador, and compliance with U.S. laws including the Leahy Laws and the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Also requires a report on the actions of Salvadoran officials, including President Bukele, to use cryptocurrency as a mechanism for gross corruption, graft, and sanctions evasion.
Blocking International Financial Assistance: Instructs the United States to use its voice and vote in international financial institutions to oppose financial assistance to the Government of El Salvador until the appropriate Presidential certification is transmitted to Congress.
Prohibiting U.S. Funds for El Salvador: Prohibits any U.S. funding for the Government of El Salvador until the appropriate Presidential certification is transmitted to Congress.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla Joins Lawmakers, DACA Recipients, Advocates to Call for Permanent Protections Ahead of DACA’s 13th Anniversary Amid Growing Hostility Against Immigrant Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and mass deportation assaults intensify in Los Angeles and across the country, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, marked the upcoming 13th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy by urging Congress to take immediate action to deliver permanent protections for millions of families, parents, and individuals who are increasingly at risk amid President Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Padilla joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Representatives Sylvia R. Garcia (D-Texas-29) and Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.-03), along with DACA recipients, Dreamers, advocates, and dozens of immigrant youth and leaders from the Home is Here campaign, to call attention to the blaring threats to the future of DACA and push for the passage of the Dream Act.
From abductions without warrants, deportations without due process, and the end to other temporary programs, the 13th anniversary of DACA is an important reminder that any effort to limit or end DACA will have painful, far-reaching consequences for the national economy and communities in every corner of the United States. California has over 160,000 DACA recipients who have been contributing to the country for years, and if the policy ended, it could cost the nation nearly $650 billion while potentially cutting over 400,000 workers.
“Time and time again, we’ve seen the same playbook from Donald Trump. When things go wrong, he scapegoats immigrants. To distract the country from his failed agenda, Trump’s rolling out illegal deportations, ignoring due process, and launching ICE raids in my hometown of Los Angeles,” said Senator Padilla. “This week, as we should be celebrating the 13th Anniversary of DACA, I understand the fear of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers because they feel even more at risk. In addition to being our neighbors and loved ones, Dreamers are our teachers and caregivers, nurses and doctors, small business owners and construction workers paying taxes just like the rest of us. We must pass the Dream Act to provide permanent protections for Dreamers who contribute so much to our country and economy, finally giving them the peace of mind they deserve.”
“In 2010, I sent a letter, joined by the late Senator Richard Lugar, a Republican from Indiana, asking then-President Obama to stop the deportation of Dreamers. And thirteen years ago this week, President Obama responded—he announced the DACA program. More than 835,000 Dreamers have since come forward and received DACA, which has allowed them to contribute more fully to their country as teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, and small business owners. Now in their 13th year of waiting, we, the lawmakers, must honor Dreamers’ patience, act on our promises, and finally provide them a pathway to citizenship. I will continue to fight for them—and I urge my Republican colleagues to join me,” said Senator Durbin.
“I am someone who takes immense pride in being raised in the United States and have always felt American in every way but on paper. And while I have every reason to feel filled with hate after being discriminated against because of my identity, or seeing the ways hard working people like my parents have had to work twice as hard than the average person just to make ends meet, I still love this country deeply. As we approach the 13th anniversary of DACA, this moment is a reminder that immigrants are integral to this country. This is our home, and we urge Congress to do what we know is possible and popular among the vast majority of Americans: deliver a pathway to citizenship now,” said Adrien, a DACA recipient and College student studying computer engineering.
“For 13 years, I’ve held up my end of the bargain – to work, go to school, pay my taxes, and stay out of trouble. But for those same 13 years, politicians have dangled my future for political points, all while failing to pass a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers like me. Because of this inaction, we’ve been attacked by the President, the courts, elected officials, and states like Texas, who are trying to take away our work permits, in-state tuition, and more. At this very moment, we’re waiting for a judge to modify his decision that would affect thousands of Dreamers like me. And that isn’t just a moral failure – it’s an economic disaster waiting to happen. The courts can’t decide our future forever. Congress must finally deliver what they’ve promised for years – a pathway to citizenship, stability, and dignity,” said Mariana, a DACA recipient.
“For 13 years, DACA has been an extraordinary success for the entire country, clearly demonstrating why the process for undocumented immigrants to obtain legal status must remain our long-term, central goal. Nearly 1 million people can live, work, and contribute openly to the only country they’ve ever called home because of DACA. It’s well past time for Congress to pass a permanent legislative solution that provides certainty to DACA recipients, Dreamers, their families, and the country that relies on them,” said Todd Schulte, President of FWD.us.
“On DACA’s 13th anniversary, it is important to celebrate the wonderful things that DACA has done for our communities across the country and throughout the years. But, we always knew that it was not enough. We need Congress to pass a pathway to citizenship for all DACA recipients, immigrant youth, and our entire communities. With our communities under attack in unprecedented ways, we are beyond the point of urgency. We need words to become action,” said Diana Pliego, Senior Campaigns Strategist at NILC.
“As we mark the 13th anniversary of DACA, Make the Road Nevada stands with thousands of DACA recipients—and with the undocumented youth still left out—who call this country home. DACA has proven the power and promise of offering protections to immigrant communities. But it’s not enough. Year after year, we’ve seen how vulnerable the program remains, and why we need permanent protections now more than ever. Congress must act to finally deliver stability and security to our neighbors, coworkers, friends, and loved ones—because no one’s future should depend on a temporary policy,” said Leo Murrieta, Executive Director with Make the Road Nevada.
“As someone who was a DACA recipient, I know firsthand how critical this program has been in opening paths to economic mobility not just for recipients but also for our families and local communities. With DACA, recipients have been able to advance their careers as teachers, lawyers, nurses, mental health practitioners, business owners, and other valued employees. As we reflect on the thirteenth anniversary of DACA, while witnessing the militarized chaos sown in Los Angeles, we are also present to the fact that we need a more permanent solution and a pathway to citizenship for the many who call this country home and contribute to its spirit, economy, and culture. Our community has waited far too long for a working immigration system that keeps families together and treats every person regardless of their status with dignity and respect. Congress must act diligently and swiftly to work toward a solution like the Dream and Promise Act that protects the state and the people they represent,” said Iliana Perez, Executive Director of Immigrants Rising.
“DACA was never meant to be the finish line—it was a promise, a lifeline, and a call to action. As families across the country live in renewed fear of enforcement raids, we recommit to the fight for permanent protections. Dreamers are not only essential to our communities—they represent the very best of America’s promise. It’s time for Congress to meet this moment with courage and pass lasting solutions that honor their contributions and humanity,” said María Teresa Kumar, President and Co-Founder of Voto Latino.
Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress for immigration reform. He delivered remarks on the Senate floor earlier this week ahead of DACA’s 13th anniversary, pushing for permanent protections for Dreamers rather than the indiscriminate ICE raids stoking fear in Los Angeles communities. To commemorate the 12th anniversary of DACA, Padilla joined immigration advocates, DACA recipients, and other lawmakers to urge Congress to pass a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and call on former President Biden to protect Dreamers and long-term undocumented communities through executive action. He previously joined his Senate colleagues and directly impacted immigrant youth leaders for a press conference calling on Republicans in Congress to work with Democrats to pass permanent protections for DACA recipients after the 5th Circuit’s 2022 ruling left these recipients in limbo.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Statement on Sen. Padilla’s Forcible Removal from DHS Press Conference in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, the Office of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, released the following statement after Padilla was forcibly removed from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s press conference while performing Congressional oversight in Los Angeles:
“Senator Padilla is currently in Los Angeles exercising his duty to perform Congressional oversight of the federal government’s operations in Los Angeles and across California. He was in the federal building to receive a briefing with General Guillot and was listening to Secretary Noem’s press conference. He tried to ask the Secretary a question, and was forcibly removed by federal agents, forced to the ground and handcuffed. He is not currently detained, and we are working to get additional information.”
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) questions U.S. Forest Chief Tom Schultz at an Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on June 11, 2025.
WASHINGTON — At an Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget request, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) pressed U.S. Forest Chief Tom Schultz on visiting the Pecos Watershed in Northern New Mexico, DOGE procedures causing trash to pile up on public lands, and Trump’s budget eliminating funding for the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute at New Mexico Highlands University.
Heinrich’s questioning follows a letter he sent yesterday, in his capacity as the Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins on the harmful impacts of the “Department of Government Efficiency’s” (DOGE) actions on the United States Forest Service (USFS). Heinrich’s letter stressed that operational failures that are now occurring at the USFS, such as accumulating garbage at recreational sites and a lack of firefighting equipment ahead of fire season, are due to new layers of red tape required by DOGE.
On Forest Chief Schultz visiting the Pecos Watershed in Northern New Mexico:
Heinrich began, “The Santa Fe National Forest manages the vast majority of the headwaters of the Pecos watershed, which is one of the most important watersheds in the state of New Mexico. And for decades, this is a community that has really worked very hard with very few resources to try to recover from historic pollution and protect that resource from future pollution. This is a river that supports traditional farming, recreation, fishing, fisheries and many other uses that are economically critical to that that community. But we still have legacy pollution from a pretty disastrous mines spill some 30 years ago.”
Heinrich continued, asking, “I know I communicated with you recently, I sent you a letter, inviting you to visit this community and meet with my constituents. Is that something that you can commit to doing?”
Schultz responded, “Senator, thank you for the question. So, my staff is looking at that request, and we’re trying to figure out if we can make that work. So that’s something we’re actively working on right now.”
Heinrich underscored the importance of visiting the Pecos Watershed, “I hope you can make that a priority. I think it’s really helpful to get that community perspective. . . And so, I would very much welcome you to join us in New Mexico for that and I will make any logistics that you need help with a priority.”
On the DOGE contract approvals process causing trash to pile up on public lands:
Heinrich stated, “I’m all for making government more efficient, but one of the things I’m concerned about is that there are some things that DOGE seems to be making less efficient. And one of those has been contract approvals and that seems to be having real consequences in the [Forest] Service: trash piling up at recreation sites, bathroom challenges, equipment not getting replaced in a timely way.”
Heinrich highlighted his efforts to keep our public lands safe and accessible, asking, “I sent you and Secretary Rollins a letter on this yesterday. But can you give me a sense, why is it taking so long to get simple things like a contract extension for custodial services authorized?”
Schultz responded, “So what I will tell you is initially, when we first started looking at some of the existing contracts that we had for prior obligations, there was a process we had to get in place — and I think we’ve worked through all of the existing obligations. There should not be anything that’s hung up there. When it comes to new obligations, we, as the Forest Service, instituted our own policies and procedures in addition to review from the Department and from the Efficiency folks. So, we have put a process in place to make sure that it’s thorough and responsive when it comes to certain things like toilets and cleaning up toilets, which has been a huge issue that I’ve weighed in on in numerous cases.”
“We have figured out that process and some of that is on the Forest Service, for the process that we put in place it is going to slow somethings down, but it’s something that we have addressed. And there should not be toilets that are not being cleaned at this point in time. So, if you’re hearing about that, please let me know, because we’ve really jumped on this issue,” Schultz continued.
Schultz then turned to contracting in general, stating, “I think there is a review in place for contracts, grants, and agreements. It’s not just contracts; it’s all three of those. And that’s something we are looking at, how we make that process more efficient, but there is a very thorough review. You’re absolutely right, and is it different than it has been historically? Yes, it is, because there’s more attention to detail in those contracts, but we’re looking to make that process more effective and more timely than it has been over the last month. But it is something that — we have a new process we just instituted about a month ago, and we’re working on making that better.”
Heinrich responded, “I understand the need for analysis and review. I just want to make sure that we’re not, you know, adding layers of bureaucracy in the name of efficiency.”
On Trump’s FY26 budget eliminating funding for the Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes (SWERI) and the Forest Service decreasing FY25 funding, which includes the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute at New Mexico Highlands University:
Heinrich highlighted that, “The Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes — in New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona — these are institutes that offer unique opportunities for dedicated research in forest science and watershed health. They represent the future of science for our forest management. Yet, this plan cuts the institutes’ budget by more than 50% and that’s just not a number that they could swallow in a single year.”
“Why did you decide to reduce the funding for the institutes this year, and what is your plan for them in FY26?” Heinrich asked.
Schultz responded, “Okay, so I think first of all, the FY25 budget is what your question is. I think on the first one, so we did cut $3 million in FY25. So, for this budget, they currently have $23 million on hand in prior appropriation dollars. So, that was part of the consideration. So, we’re trying to align the FY25 budget as we move toward the FY26 president’s budget. So, we’re moving in that direction. So, the ‘why’ is: We’re trying to align this year’s FY25 budget with where we’re going in FY26. In FY26, it does not include resources to provide funding for SWERI. So, there are resources this year, they are reduced, but next year — in the FY26 budget — there are none. That’s correct. And that’s tied to R&D’s overall look. And the reason that R&D is treated differently in the FY26 budget: There’s going to be a greater reliance on the states and the universities. So, a lot of the land grant universities — and I’m a — was a member of the advisory board.”
Heinrich asked, “That institute is at Highlands University?”
Schultz responded, “Yes, sir, I understand. Yes, sir. My point is, though, that the funding in the future is going to have to come more from those universities themselves and other grant opportunities. The Forest Service is going to be shifting its funding away from R&D in general in the budget.”
Heinrich pressed Schultz on the Forest Service eliminating funding for the Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes by emphasizing, “I think that’s a mistake. And I think these institutes have really provided the Forest Service an enormous amount of science at a time when management has needed to change because conditions have been changing. And so, I hope that as we approach the appropriations process that we consider this President’s budget as it should be considered: Advisory.”
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.–At a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) emphasized that allowing the 2017 Trump tax cuts to expire would result in widespread job losses, reduced capital investment and a more-than $4 trillion tax hike on American families and businesses. Secretary Bessent warned the consequences would be “cataclysmic for the economy if this is not extended and working Americans would bear the brunt.”
Secretary Bessent also explained that making the tax cuts permanent will spur increased business investment, job growth and wage increases. He and Chairman Crapo also discussed the bill’s impact on the economy, predicting that, in conjunction with the Trump economic agenda, the legislation will propel economic growth.
Click here to watch Senator Crapo’s opening statement and here or above to watch Crapo question Bessent.
On the impact of allowing the Trump tax cuts to expire:
Crapo:Nobody can deny that our top focus is to extend the TCJA. Could you tell us for just a minute what would happen if Congress does not extend the 2017 tax code?
Bessent:Senator, I believe it would be what is known in economics as a “sudden stop.” It would be cataclysmic for the economy if this is not extended, and, as always, working Americans would bear the brunt. There would be job losses, economic losses in markets, a substantial increase in our budget deficit due to a decrease in tax revenues. It is unthinkable what would happen.
On the importance of pro-growth tax reform:
Crapo:Can you talk about the importance of the pro-growth tax provisions, the economic impact and some of the existing and new provisions will have on workers?
Bessent:Making [TCJA] permanent will be an economic impetus to the U.S. economy as households and businesses have greater certainty. I’ve met with numerous business leaders, and while they are confident that the bill will pass, without 100 percent surety, they are holding back on their capital expenditure plans. . . . In terms of households, TCJA led to strong non-inflationary growth, as opposed to what we saw during the Biden years of substantial inflation. The President’s proposals will benefit working Americans and the bottom 50 percent of wage earners. So it is a unique combination that it will provide substantial business stimulus and it will provide substantial relief to the affordability crisis that has been generated over the past four years.
Rebutting criticism that the “One Big Beautiful Bill” is a tax cut for billionaires:
Crapo:Critics have called this bill a tax cut for billionaires, even when the data show that middle income families benefited the most from the Trump tax cuts and have the most to lose if they expire. Can you tell us what the benefits of this legislation are for working families who are still recovering from the cost of record inflation under the previous Administration?
Bessent:They will see substantial increases in their household income and, more importantly, they will see real wage growth as they did under TCJA, pre-COVID—when hourly workers did better than supervisory workers. The bottom 50 percent of working Americans had household net worth increases that were substantially in excess of the top 10 percent and 1 percent household increases.