内容摘要：When Edna Nicole Luckett sings the Blues on the stage at Red's, her voice, deep and soulful, echoes against the walls. The juke joint in Clarksdale, Mississippi is one of the last of its kind in the region, a landmark for a bygone era of American music.

When Edna Nicole Luckett sings the Blues on the stage at Red's, her voice, deep and soulful, echoes against the walls. The juke joint in Clarksdale, Mississippi is one of the last of its kind in the region, a landmark for a bygone era of American music.

He said projects under the pact were "on track" and he was "very optimistic" about the progress, including more visits of American submarines to Australia and rotations through a Perth-based navy base.In a separate interview with the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner, the Philippines defence minister Teodoro said China has been "absolutely irresponsible and reckless in appropriating most, if not all, of the South China Sea and the world cannot tolerate this."

The two countries have repeatedly clashed over competing claims in the South China Sea, and the Philippines has complained of aggressive and violent tactics by the Chinese coast guard.He echoed the call for a preservation of the international order, saying that "the takeaway of a lot of defence ministers is that Europe and the US must continue to lead" on this."That was the call of the Philippines. That is the call of Lithuania, Latvia, the smaller countries who have a way of life that values freedom and dignity of the human being."

"And with a way of life that we don't want the deep state looking over our shoulders or being scared of what we say," he said, referring to China.On Saturday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had

and accused Beijing of becoming a "hegemonic power" in the region.

China has vigorously attacked Hegseth in two separate statements, with the latest posted on its Foreign Ministry website early on Sunday.and get BBC News in your inbox.

Tough choices are "unavoidable" as the government finalises spending plans for areas ranging from the NHS and defence, to schools and the criminal justice system, a think tank has warned.The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the level of spending on health would dictate whether cuts were made to "unprotected" areas – those outside the NHS, defence and schools.

While funding increased sharply in 2024 for transport, net zero, hospitals, schools and prisons, it would no longer increase year on year, given the government's commitments, the IFS said.The government said the Spending Review on 11 June would "scrutinise every single pound the government spends".