Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has unveiled a special defense budget of $40 billion USD (about NT$1.25 trillion) spread over eight years, one of the island’s most ambitious efforts yet to strengthen deterrence against China. The plan, covering 2026 to 2033, will fund major arms purchases, largely from the United States, and bankroll a new multilayered air-defense network known as the “Taiwan Dome”. The system is intended to provide high-end detection and interception against missiles, drones, and aircraft that could be used in a Chinese attack. The special package comes on top of Taiwan’s regular defense allocation. For 2026, the government…
Author: Emily Harper
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Campbell Soup Company has placed one of its senior technology executives, Martin Bally, on leave while it investigates a lawsuit alleging that he mocked the company’s products and customers and made racist remarks during a recorded conversation with a subordinate. The company said the alleged comments, if confirmed, are “unacceptable” and inconsistent with its corporate values and culture. According to court filings, the lawsuit was brought by Robert Garza, a former cybersecurity employee who worked under Bally, the company’s vice president of information technology and chief information security figure. The complaint was filed in Michigan, where both men live, even…
Fresh Radar Observations Renew Debate Over a Subsurface Discovery NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has delivered new data that questions one of the most exciting planetary science interpretations of recent years. The feature once believed to be a buried lake beneath thick ice at the Martian south pole appears more likely to be a layer of rock or dust. This conclusion stems from an advanced radar technique that allowed scientists to probe deeper beneath the surface than ever before. Although the findings weaken the original lake hypothesis, they also open new opportunities to search for resources below the surface that could…
Britain’s finance minister Rachel Reeves has moved to scale back a generous pensions tax break used mainly by higher earners, in a measure the government’s fiscal watchdog expects will generate billions in extra revenue. The change, unveiled alongside the 2025 budget on 26 November 2025, targets so-called salary sacrifice arrangements, under which workers agree to give up part of their pay in exchange for higher pension contributions from their employer. Under the new rules, the amount of salary that can be diverted into a pension before National Insurance contributions (NICs) are charged will be capped at £2,000 a year from…
Rising Costs for Foreign Visitors The Interior Department announced a significant overhaul of national park fees that will take effect in the coming year. The focus of the program is a sharp increase in fees for international visitors while keeping existing pricing for U.S. residents. Foreign visitors will be required to purchase a 250 dollar annual pass or pay 100 dollars per person to enter some of the most popular destinations in the National Park System, and these entrance fees apply in addition to existing park charges. The department said this change is designed to ensure that overseas tourists contribute…
China Launches Shenzhou 22 to Secure Astronaut Return China has launched the Shenzhou 22 spacecraft to guarantee a safe return path for three astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station after a previous vehicle was deemed unsuitable for flight. The new craft docked successfully and will serve as the replacement return capsule for the crew currently living and working in orbit. The move reflects China’s determination to maintain uninterrupted operations on its fast-growing space outpost despite an unexpected technical failure. The issue began when a spacecraft used by the Shenzhou 20 mission suffered window damage, delaying its crew’s return to Earth.…
Sales at U.S. retailers and restaurants in September increased by a modest 0.2% from August, according to the Commerce Department’s delayed monthly report, released after the federal government shutdown temporarily halted the publication of economic data. The rise marked a clear downshift from the stronger gains of 0.6% recorded in both July and August, and the 1% jump in June, when consumers had stepped up spending after a robust summer of travel and shopping. Because the figures are not adjusted for inflation, the report suggests that Americans are still spending, but at a more cautious pace as higher prices absorb…
Millions of Americans are setting out for Thanksgiving 2025 just as a sprawling storm system gathers strength across the country, raising the risk of major delays on roads and in the air. Federal officials say this week is on track to be the busiest Thanksgiving travel period in at least 15 years, with more than 360,000 flights scheduled nationwide and a peak of over 52,000 flights expected on Tuesday, November 25 alone. Nearly 82 million people are forecast to travel 50 miles or more from home by car, plane, train or bus. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said it…
Everton Midfielder Issues Public Apology Idrissa Gana Gueye has apologized after being sent off for striking teammate Michael Keane during Everton’s win over Manchester United. The midfielder received an immediate red card when he slapped Keane in the face early in the match at Old Trafford. Despite being reduced to ten players for more than seventy minutes, Everton held on for a narrow victory.Gueye first apologized privately in the dressing room, then shared a public statement acknowledging fault. He expressed regret toward Keane, the club and supporters, describing the moment as an emotional lapse that does not reflect his character.…
A Major Star Enters a Reinvented Horror Universe Scarlett Johansson is set to join the next chapter of the Exorcist franchise, a project led by writer and director Mike Flanagan. The film represents a fresh direction for the long running horror universe, with Flanagan developing an original story rather than continuing the previous installments. The project is backed by Red Room Pictures, Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Morgan Creek Entertainment for Universal Pictures, bringing together some of the most influential forces in modern genre filmmaking.Johansson’s role remains undisclosed, but her involvement adds significant weight to a production aiming to restore the…
