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Ticker

Security

Europe

Ukraine busts Hungarian spies

Ukraine’s SBU security agency says it has uncovered a spy network being run by the Hungarian state to obtain intelligence about Ukraine’s defences. The SBU said it had detained two suspected agents who, it said, were being run by Hungarian military intelligence. It said it was the first time in the history of Ukraine that a Hungarian spy network had been found to be working against Kyiv’s interests.

Reuters

Energy

UK

Crown OKs offshore wind boost

King Charles III’s Crown Estate, which owns Britain’s seabed, has given the go-ahead to expand high-density wind farms on current seabed leases, seeking a rapid and space-efficient way to raise capacity and support the country’s energy transition. Seven projects, including RWE’s Rampion 2, and SSE and Equinor’s Dogger Bank D, are set to increase capacity by 4.7 gigawatts under this Capacity Increase Program. Britain plans to largely decarbonise its electricity sector by 2030 and wants to increase renewable power, particularly offshore wind, to insulate it against fossil fuel price shocks.

Reuters

Politics

Australia

The teal deal: Rise of independents isn’t over yet

Australians are rejecting the old two-party political system and independents will continue to flourish, the millionaire activist backing teal candidates says. Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes a Court said some candidates it backed missed their expectations at the federal election, but Labor and the coalition should remain nervous. The political funding group supported 35 “community candidates” at the May 3 election, according to its website, including high-profile teal MPs Zoe Daniel, Monique Ryan, Sophie Scamps and Allegra Spender.

AAP Newswire

Government

Australia

Labor ushers in new MPs

Anthony Albanese has warned Labor MPs not to let the government’s dominant election victory go to their heads as fresh faces joined the party room. The prime minister called for unity and discipline, and for his members not to focus inwards in a speech twice interrupted by a ringing phone. It follows a brutal move by internal powerbrokers to dump two cabinet ministers.

AAP Newswire

Odd Spot

New Zealand

Rare snail filmed laying an egg from its neck

The strange reproductive habits of a large, carnivorous New Zealand snail were once shrouded in mystery. Now footage of the snail laying an egg from its neck has been captured for the first time, the country’s conservation agency says. What looks like a tiny hen’s egg is seen emerging from an opening below the head of the Powelliphanta augusta snail, a threatened species endemic to New Zealand. The video was taken at a facility on the South Island’s West Coast, where conservation rangers attempting to save the species from extinction have cared for a population of the snails in chilled containers for nearly two decades.

AP

Politics

New Zealand

Government orders review of Waitangi Tribunal

The government says it will launch a review into the Waitangi Tribunal to refocus the “scope, purpose and nature” of the Tribunal’s inquiries back to its “original intent”. The review is part of the coalition agreement between New Zealand First and National and will be lead by an Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG), supported by Te Puni Kōkiri. The Waitangi Tribunal was established in 1975 to investigate breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. Originally it could only hear claims about current government actions but in 1985 Parliament allowed the Tribunal to investigate events dating back to 1840.

RNZ

Transport

Australia

‘Botched’ Bass Strait ferries suffer new cost blowout

People will be able to sail Bass Strait on a new ferry from the end of 2026, according to a state government which has revealed a further cost blowout to the already-delayed ships. Delivery of the two new larger Spirit of Tasmania vessels has been dubbed one of the greatest infrastructure stuff-ups in Australia’s history. One of the two ships has been languishing in Scotland since December because an upgraded port at Devonport in Tasmania hasn’t been built.

AAP Newswire

Search

New Zealand

Light spotted in search for missing British tramper

A search for a missing tramper in Milford Sound will resume today after poor search conditions improved. British man Eli Sweeting failed to return from a day trip to climb Mitre Peak on the weekend. The search was called off due to bad weather, but...

RNZ

Politics

Australia

Ley, Taylor vie to lead Liberals

The Liberals face a factional tussle over party leadership after their thumping federal election defeat. Deputy leader Sussan Ley confirmed her candidacy this morning, and was soon followed by shadow treasurer Angus Taylor. “Many Australians, including women and younger Australians, feel neglected by the Liberal Party,“ Ley said.

AAP Newswire

Middle East

USA

Trump meets with diplomat ahead of Mideast tour

President Donald Trump has met with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to discuss nuclear talks with Iran and Israel’s war in Gaza, Axios has reported, citing two sources briefed on the meeting. The meeting was held at the White House and was not made public by the US or Israel, according to Axios.

Reuters

Tribute

USA

Melania Trump unveils stamp honouring Barbara Bush

In the White House’s East Room on a rainy Thursday, first lady Melania Trump and members of the Bush family gathered to unveil a US postage stamp bearing the portrait of former first lady Barbara Bush. Amid the anticipation of the unveiling, Trump, Bush’s daughter Dorothy “Doro” Bush Koch and Judy de Torok, a vice president at US Postal Service, took turns sharing stories chronicling the former first lady’s life and achievements.

AP

Pakistan

USA

Vance: India, Pakistan tension ‘none of our business’

US Vice President JD Vance says that India and Pakistan should de-escalate tensions, but he added that the US cannot control the nuclear-armed Asian neighbours and a war between them would be “none of our business”. “We want this thing to de-escalate as quickly as possible. We can’t control these countries, though,“ Vance said in an interview on Fox News.

Reuters