live Iran, U.S. make competing claims over control of Strait of Hormuz
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over t...
Germany’s conservative CDU and its Bavarian CSU sister party lead the polls ahead of the February 23 election. Their campaign manifesto focuses on tax cuts, stricter migration controls, expanded defense, and pro-business reforms.
Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavarian CSU, the top contenders in the upcoming election, have unveiled key policies aimed at boosting the economy, tightening migration rules, and expanding security measures.
The CDU pledges tax cuts, including lowering corporate tax to 25%, reducing electricity costs, and scrapping supply chain regulations. While it supports Germany’s strict debt brake, party leader Friedrich Merz has hinted at possible reforms.
The CDU aims for stricter asylum policies, faster deportations, and limiting social benefits for rejected applicants. It also seeks to curb dual citizenship and tighten naturalization rules, while streamlining visa processes for skilled workers.
The party supports increasing police powers, closing extremist mosques, and stronger actions against radical groups. It also pledges to meet NATO’s 2% defense spending target, reintroduce military service, and advocate for a European missile defense system.
The CDU opposes inner-city driving bans, aims to reverse the EU’s planned combustion engine ban, and supports tax incentives for energy-efficient homes. It plans to expand childcare, improve student financial aid, and reinstate stricter gender transition regulations.
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
One person has been killed and six others injured after an explosion at a petroleum storage facility at the Port of Rotterdam, prompting an investigation into the cause.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday for talks focused on Gaza, Palestinian statehood and regional security.
Taiwan staged military defence drills on Wednesday as China concluded joint naval exercises with Indonesia in waters east of the island.
Washington’s counter-narcotics push is expanding as Colombia’s new conservative government backs deeper security cooperation.
Meta said it had removed more than 750,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts suspected of belonging to Australians under 16, as the country’s internet regulator weighs enforcement action over its teen social media ban.
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