State Dept broad reorganization plan submitted to Congress
WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the State Department submitted a notification to Congress on a broad reorganization plan to create a "more agile Department, better equipped to promote America's interests and keep Americans safe across the world."
"Since my first day as Secretary, I have said that this Department must move at the speed of relevancy and, in April announced a broad reorganization of the Department to better achieve that goal," Rubio said in a statement.
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Daily Record
28 minutes ago
- Daily Record
UK to build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines in major defence shake-up
The UK will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and invest £15 billion in its warhead programme. The UK is poised to construct up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and will pour £15 billion into its warhead programme, with the Prime Minister set to disclose these plans on Monday during the Government's strategic defence review. Major investments are queued for the UK's nuclear warhead programme this parliamentary session, along with commitments to maintain the current arsenal, as supported by 62 recommendations the Government aims to fully implement. However, there's been a debate over defence spending promises, after the Defence Secretary was unable to verify if the Treasury had secured budgeting to increase it to 3% of GDP by 2034. Part of the Aukus deal with the US and Australia, the creation of these submarines is projected to sustain 30,000 highly skilled jobs into the 2030s, along with generating 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate positions over the forthcoming decade, according to the Ministry of Defence. Defence Secretary John Healey remarked: "Our outstanding submariners patrol 24/7 to keep us and our allies safe, but we know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression. "With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering on our Plan for Change with 30,000 highly skilled jobs across the country." The £15 billion investment into the warhead programme will bolster the Government's pledges to sustain the continuous-at-sea nuclear deterrent, construct a new line of Dreadnought submarines, and facilitate all forthcoming enhancements. From the late 2030s, the array of up to 12 SSN-Aukus class attack submarines – conventionally armed yet nuclear-powered – are set to succeed the seven astute class submarines that the UK anticipates commissioning. The Government, in echoing the findings of the strategic defence review, has pledged to:. - Prepare the armed forces for readiness to engage in conflict should the need arise. - Enhance armament reserves and maintain scalability in production capacities to respond promptly in times of crisis or warfare. - Procure up to 7,000 domestically produced long-range missiles, a decision projected to preserve 800 jobs within the defence sector. - Establish a pioneering cyber command while committing £1 billion towards digital advancements. - Allocate an excess of £1.5 billion for refurbishing and updating service personnel accommodation. Sir Keir Starmer is expected to declare: "From the supply lines to the front lines, this Government is foursquare behind the men and women upholding our nation's freedom and security. "National security is the foundation of my Plan for Change, and this plan will ensure Britain is secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering a defence dividend of well-paid jobs up and down the country." The Shadow Defence Secretary, James Cartlidge, expressed scepticism regarding Labour's Strategic Defence Review promises, stating that they would be viewed with caution unless Labour could demonstrate that sufficient funding would be allocated. Labour's Shadow Defence Secretary, John Healey, had previously mentioned in an interview with The Times that there was "no doubt" the UK would achieve its goal of 3% defence spending. However, when questioned on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, he sidestepped queries about whether the Treasury had provided any guarantees for the necessary funding. Healey also acknowledged that he did not anticipate an increase in the number of armed forces personnel until the next Parliament, citing ongoing recruitment and retention challenges. When asked about the Army's target of 73,000 personnel, he replied, "We've narrowed the gap, but we've still got more people leaving than joining. "The first job is to reverse that trend and then I want to see in the next parliament our ability to start to increase the number." In response, James Cartlidge argued, "All of Labour's Strategic Defence Review promises will be taken with a pinch of salt unless they can show there will actually be enough money to pay for them. "Whereas, far from guaranteeing the funding, John Healey has been hung out to dry by Rachel Reeves. "As recently as Thursday, Healey promised that defence spending would definitely hit 3%, but today he's completely backtracked. "These submarines are not due to enter service till the late 2030s, so how can we have any confidence Labour will actually deliver them when they can't even sustain a policy on defence spending for more than 48 hours?" Lib Dem defence spokesperson Helen Maguire commented: "This signals absolutely the right intent about the need to bolster the UK's defences in the face of Putin's imperialism and Trump's unreliability. "But this must come with a concrete commitment and detail on full funding. "Labour's mere 'ambition' rather than commitment to reach 3% of GDP on defence leaves serious questions about whether the money for these projects will actually be forthcoming. "The 2034 timeline suggests a worrying lack of urgency from the Government. "Unless Labour commits to holding cross-party talks on how to reach 3% much more rapidly than the mid-2030s, this announcement risks becoming a damp squib."
BBC News
42 minutes ago
- BBC News
Kerr gains revenge at latest Grand Slam Track meet
Great Britain's Josh Kerr avenged his Olympic 1500m defeat by Cole Hocker in a thrilling battle in Sunday's Grand Slam Track surged past Kerr, 27, to claim a shock victory and Olympic gold in Paris last it was Kerr's turn to produce a decisive finish in Philadelphia, storming past the American in the final few metres to win by seven-hundredths of a claimed victory in a season's best time of three minutes 34.44 a fifth-placed finish in the 800m on Saturday, Kerr missed out on the top prize of $100,000 (£74,000) for the short distance group by just one point to Canada's Marco Arop, who won the the women's 100m, US sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden clocked a world-leading time as she stormed to an emphatic Olympic bronze medallist, 24, claimed victory in a personal best 10.73secs, making her the 10th fastest woman to run the distance, tied with France's Christine Arron."It means everything, I've been working so hard for this," said Jefferson-Wooden, who also won the 200m on Saturday. "It's just all coming together."Compatriot Tamari Davis placed second in 11.03secs, with Great Britain's Dina Asher-Smith fifth in 11.16secs. GB's Matthew Hudson-Smith clinched the top prize for the men's long sprints group for the second time in three winning the 400m in 44.51 on Saturday, the 30-year-old's fifth-place finish in the 200m was enough to claim another Grand Slam title, having secured the first in Kingston, Slam Track is a new competition created by Michael Johnson which aims to bring the world's fastest athletes together to compete for lucrative events were scheduled for the opening series and the final meet will be in Los Angeles from 27-29 June.
Daily Mail
43 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Robert Irwin reveals what he REALLY thinks of Prince William after working together
Robert Irwin has revealed what Prince William is really like after the pair teamed up for a major environmental initiative last year. The 21-year-old conservationist was named a Global Ambassador for the Prince of Wales' prestigious Earthshot Prize, which is awarded annually to five people in recognition of their services to environmentalism. In an interview with Us Weekl y, the reality TV star said he was thrilled at the chance to work alongside royalty to promote the planet. 'I think Prince William has been such an amazing person to work with. There is such an incredible synergy between what he does, who he is and who we are,' he said. 'It's all about conservation. It's wonderful that someone is so influential - that has such a fantastic platform - is using that to really better our environment. He is a true environmental hero, working with him has been a great privilege.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! co-host praised the royal's down-to-earth personality and said the pair have been sharing ideas and insights on how to protect nature on a global scale. 'We've definitely compared a lot of notes in the conservation space,' Robert said. 'It doesn't matter where you're from - whether internationally, in Australia, here in America, wherever you are - we need to prioritise taking care of our natural world. And he's really at the forefront of that. 'Plus, he's just a great guy. When you have a conversation with him, he's the most lovely, intelligent person to talk to and is just so easy-going, so much fun. I love working with him. A really good guy.' The wildlife advocate took part in The Earthshot Prize ceremony in South Africa last year and spoke passionately at the time about the initiative's power to inspire global action. 'The Earthshot Prize is a beacon of hope for all of us who care about the environment and about our ability to ensure a liveable future for ourselves and future generations,' he said. 'Healthy oceans, ecosystems, and species equal a healthy planet, and The Earthshot Prize recognises the importance of investing in and helping grow solutions that protect these critical resources.' Launched by Prince William in 2020, The Earthshot Prize aims to spotlight and support innovative solutions tackling the world's most pressing environmental challenges. The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! co-host praised the royal's down-to-earth personality and said the pair have been sharing ideas and insights on how to protect nature on a global scale In November, Prince William went on a walk with Robert on the second day of his visit to South Africa for the initiative. William traversed a rocky climb as he walked up Signal Hill and quipped as he spied the waiting media: 'I'll try not to wipe myself out in front of everybody.' Robert later tweeted a video of him with William, in which he asked the prince what his 'favourite African animal' was. William replied: 'It's a tough question. I think I'm going to have to say the cheetah. Fantastic animal,' and Robert replied his favourite was the chameleon. The prince also spoke with park rangers, firefighters, mountain rescue volunteers, biodiversity experts and youth volunteers in front of the scenic backdrop. They told him about the diversity of fauna and flora and the work they do to protect the environment while ensuring residents and tourists are able to enjoy the area.
