Australia is boosting its defence budget and rethinking its defence plans as strategic competition between the US and China heats up in the Indo-Pacific region.

The government announced plans to invest A$50 billion (US$32 billion) in defence over ten years. Defence spending is set to reach 2.4% of GDP by 2033-34. Defense spending is projected to grow from A$55 billion in 2024-25 to A$100 billion in 2033-34.

Source: WSJ

White House studying cost of Greenland takeover, long in Trump’s sights

The White House is preparing an estimate of what it would cost the federal government to control Greenland as a territory, according to three people with knowledge of the matter.

Officials have recently calculated the financial implications of Greenland becoming a U.S. territory, including the cost of government services for its 58,000 residents.

Two sources say that White House budget office staff have sought to understand the cost of maintaining Greenland. They are also trying to estimate revenue from Greenland's natural resources.

One option is to offer Greenland a better deal than Denmark, which currently subsidises services on the island to the tune of about $600 million per year.

"This is a lot more than that," said one official familiar with the plans, who like others spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss plans that are still in the works. "The point is, 'We'll pay you more than Denmark.'"

Source: WP

The US State Department has approved a potential sale of 20 F-16 jets to the Philippines, with an estimated price tag of $5.58 billion.

U.S. call for Europeans to spend 5% of GDP on militaries prompts talk of including more fields linked to modern warfare

At a meeting of NATO’s governing council last Wednesday, the U.S. prodded other members to agree to 5% of GDP as their new goal, according to people briefed on the conversation. Diplomats say there is already a consensus building among allies to move toward a 3.5% spending target.

Separately, European allies are also discussing broadening what should count under NATO’s definition of military spending, which could come on top of the 3.5%.

Source: WSJ

NEW: China's embassy in Australia rejected reports linking the transit of a Chinese research vessel south of Australia with the country's upcoming federal elections, saying the vessel's passage had "nothing to do with China-Australia relations".

What happened?

The Tan Suo Yi Hao, a high-tech Chinese research vessel, recently passed off the Victorian coastline after completing a joint survey with New Zealand.

Australia's opposition leader said he believed the ship was gathering intelligence and mapping the route of Australia's submarine cables.

Joel Rayburn, who will serve as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs at the US State Department:

• We reject foreign intervention in Syria
• The US has its priorities and it is the Syrian people who will judge the new government
• All sanctions were imposed on the previous regime and need to be reviewed and are being reviewed
• We have seen that the new government is a government of technocrats

Source: Syria TV

Congo and M23 rebels plan to hold first direct talks on April 9

The Congo government and M23 rebels aim to hold direct talks on April 9, sources from both camps said.

The meeting in Doha would be the two sides' first direct negotiations since M23 fighters captured eastern Congo's two largest cities.

One Congolese official said that talks were scheduled for April 9 "unless the other side misbehaves".

A source inside M23 confirmed the date and said it would present Kinshasa with its demands. Both sides have agreed not to publicly discuss the substance of the talks, the sources said.

Source: Reuters

Europe will respond to Trump's tariffs proportionately and will not escalate tensions, says French industry minister.

"Europe has always been on the side of negotiation and calm, because trade wars, as you know, only produce losers," Ferracci told RMC radio.

Source: Reuters

Liberal Judge Wins Wisconsin Supreme Court in Blow to Trump, Musk

Liberal judge Susan Crawford has won a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, defeating conservative Brad Schimel in the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history — over $100 million was spent.

Her victory maintains a 4–3 liberal majority on the court, which is expected to shape future rulings on abortion, redistricting, and labor rights.

The race drew national attention — and money — with billionaires Elon Musk and George Soros backing opposing sides.

Crawford:

I never could have imagined that I’d be taking on the richest man in the world for justice in Wisconsin, and we won!

U.S. Senator Cory Booker has set a new record for the longest Senate speech, speaking for over 24 hours to condemn Donald Trump.

He broke the 1957 record held by Senator Strom Thurmond, who spoke against the Civil Rights Act.

The U.S. is threatening sanctions against the UN Human Rights Council over its plans to investigate Israel.

Senators Brian Mast and Jim Risch warned UN officials that council members could face the same sanctions imposed on the ICC, following a recent report accusing Israel of abuses against Palestinians.

Ukrainian mock-up of the M901 launcher unit of American MIM-104 Patriot air defense system, equipped with a canister for PAC-2 missiles, being towed by a KrAZ-260V tractor truck.

American Russell Bentley, aka the “Donbass Cowboy,” was a Texan who joined pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

Though he only fought for six months, he spent the next decade in Donetsk as a pro-Russian propagandist and war correspondent, even gaining Russian citizenship in 2021.

In April 2024, Bentley was abducted, tortured, and killed by Russian soldiers who allegedly mistook him for a spy.

U.S. Pushes Back on EU’s ‘Buy European’ Defense Plan

The U.S. has formally objected to the EU’s new defense initiative, ReArm Europe, which proposes €150 billion in loans for joint European defense projects.

Washington is concerned the plan sidelines U.S. defense firms, potentially harming transatlantic ties.

“They are upset about ReArm and that the U.S. is excluded,” said a senior European official.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned EU leaders on March 25 that:
“Any exclusion of U.S. companies from European tenders would be seen negatively by Washington.”

A State Department spokesperson echoed the concern:
“Trump welcomes stronger European defense—but not at the cost of new barriers against U.S. companies.”

“Transatlantic defense industrial cooperation makes the Alliance stronger,” the official added.

Source: Reuters