Senate passes defense bill that defies Trump and forces sharing of boat strike videos


© Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP



© Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
Ohio gubernatorial hopeful and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy urged conservatives to reject "Groyper transgressions," becoming the latest Republican to weigh in on the ongoing debate in the party over antisemitism.
“If, like Mr. Fuentes, you believe that Hitler was “really f-ing cool,” or if you publicly call Usha Vance a “jeet,” then you have no place in the conservative movement, period,” Ramaswamy wrote in a New York Times op-ed published Wednesday, referring to a derogatory ethnic slur against South Asians.
In the quote, Ramaswamy was referencing Nick Fuentes and Vice President JD Vance’s wife Usha Vance, the daughter of Indian immigrant parents.
Ramaswamy shared that he has been the target of racial slurs and attacks on social media, despite “older Republicans” doubting the rising prevalence white supremacy in right-leaning online circles.
As the number of “Groypers,” or followers and fans of Fuentes, appears to grow, Ramaswmy said, there is a “real reluctance” from his fellow Republicans to condemn the “new identity politics on the right.”
“It should be acceptable on the right to criticize U.S. aid to Israel or immigrant visas, but it is downright unacceptable to spew poison toward Jews, Indians or any other ethnic group,” said Ramaswamy, the son of Indian immigrants.
The Republican Party has been embroiled in an intra-party struggle over whether the party should welcome groups associated with Fuentes, a debate that burst into the open after Tucker Carlson interviewed Fuentes on his podcast. Carlson, during his friendly October interview with Fuentes, said GOP backers of Israel have been “seized by this brain virus.” Fuentes said that “organized Jewry” is a major barrier to unifying America.
While President Donald Trump defended Carlson’s decision to interview Fuentes, House Speaker Mike Johnson called it a “big mistake.” The president of the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, Kevin Roberts, also initially defended Carlson’s interview, arguing the real enemy was “the vile ideas of the left.” But after immense backlash — including from Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and multiple employees quitting — Roberts walked back his comments and condemned Fuentes’ rhetoric.
In his op-ed, Ramaswamy said that condemning the antisemitism brewing within a faction of the GOP does not need to equate to censorship but “moral clarity instead of indulgence.”
“The point isn’t to clutch pearls, but to prevent the gradual legitimization of this un-American animus,” he said. “This online edgelording reminds me of toddlers testing their parents’ limits: The job of a real Republican leader is to set firm boundaries for young followers, as a good father does for a transgressive son.”


© Francis Chung/POLITICO

© Getty Images

Dave Sandford / Discover ChurchillResearchers tracking wild polar bears in northern Canada witnessed something exceedingly rare this fall: a mother bear adopting a cub that was not biologically her own.
The five-year-old mother bear and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs were observed and captured on camera during the annual polar bear migration along the Western Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba, a town known for its polar bear population.
"It's unusual," Alyssa McCall, a scientist at Polar Bears International, said in a video. "We don't really know why it happens...but we know it doesn't happen often at all."
It's only the 13th known case of adoption out of the 4,600 bears studied for nearly five decades in the area.

Dave Sandford / Discover ChurchillThe mother bear was first captured as she emerged from her maternity den this spring. At the time, she had one cub, which scientists tagged for study.
In the fall, she was seen again, but this time with two cubs - the original cub that had been tagged and another without a tag. Researchers aren't sure what happened to the new cub's biological mother, but they are trying to identify her with genetic samples.
"The bears need all the help they can get these days with climate change," Evan Richardson, a polar bear scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said in a video statement. "If females have the opportunity to pick up another cub and care for it and successfully wean it, it's a good thing for bears in Churchill."
Polar bears in the wild only have a 50% chance of surviving into adulthood, but having a mother caring for them improves their odds.
The cubs appear to be healthy, researchers said, and they will likely stay with their mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.
Next, the family is expected to head out to sea ice, where the cubs will learn from their mother how to hunt seals and survive on their own.
"It's just nice to know that the bears are looking out for each other," Richardson said.

Getty ImagesWarner Bros Discovery will urge its shareholders to reject Paramount Skydance's $108.4bn (£80.75bn) takeover bid as soon as Wednesday, according to reports.
Paramount has said its offer is "superior" to a $72bn deal that Warner Bros struck with Netflix for its film and streaming businesses.
At the same time, a key backer of Paramount's attempt to buy Warner Bros, Affinity Partners, has reportedly pulled out of the bid, citing the involvement of "two strong competitors". Affinity was founded by US businessman and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Warner Bros declined to comment when contacted by the BBC. Paramount and Affinity have also been asked for a response to the reports.
Warner Bros will advise its shareholders to reject Paramount's offer for a number of reasons including concerns over how the deal would be financed, according to the Financial Times.
The media giant put itself up for sale in October after receiving "multiple" expressions of interest from potential buyers, including approaches from Paramount Skydance.
On 5 December, Warner Bros Discovery said it had agreed to sell its film and streaming businesses to Netflix.
The following week, Paramount Skydance launched a new offer for the whole company, including its television networks.
Paramount is backed by the billionaire Ellison family, which has close ties to the president.
A takeover of Warner Bros is expected to face scrutiny from competition regulators in the US and Europe.
A new owner of Warner Bros would gain a significant edge in the highly competitive streaming market. It would get a huge library of films and TV shows, including Harry Potter, Friends and the HBO Max streaming service.
Some in the film industry have criticised the deal. The Writers Guild of America's East and West branches called for the merger to be blocked, arguing that it would result in lower wages and job cuts.
The volume of content for viewers would also be reduced, it said.
This video can not be played
Archer strikes to take three Australian wickets on day one
In some ways we have been here before.
The common view was England had to win in Perth.
Having failed to do so, they had to win in Brisbane, given they have never won an Ashes series from 2-0 down.
Defeat at the Gabba left only the keenest optimists holding on to the faintest hope. Most of that is only for the series to remain alive for another week.
But this, a Thursday in Adelaide, really is it.
Play well - and by well we mean take the final two Australian wickets quickly before batting all day - and Ben Stokes' side have the chance to control the rest of this match.
You can forget about your cricketing Christmas if England are not still batting when the UK wakes up for breakfast on Thursday but that's not the only failing they must correct to prevent 18 December 2025 being the day Bazball finally died...
England's first task on day two is to quickly end the Australian innings - a task rarely their specialty.
In the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle, England's bowlers were the sixth-worst team at removing the tail and that trend continued in the second Test in Brisbane where Mitchell Starc's 77 helped Australia extend their innings from 383-7 to 511 all out.
From there, defeat was inevitable.
Starc remains again in Adelaide, unbeaten on 33, and Thursday's forecast - which predicts Adelaide to be hotter than Western Sahara - only reinforces the importance in a swift England exit from the field.
Every minute saved will be respite for England's bowlers, inflicting Australia to the worst of the searing South Australian heat.
There is no better time for Josh Tongue, recalled for his first match of the series, to remind just why he gained the nickname The Mop.
They will also be helped by a ball still just three overs old. Time, too, for Jofra Archer to take the two wickets needed to claim his first five-wicket haul in Tests for six years.
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'Terrific' Carey makes first Test century against England
England have pointed to the 2023 Ashes series, where they fell 2-0 down before fighting back to draw 2-2, as evidence for why fans should still have faith.
In the third Test of that contest, at Headingley, England conceded a first-innings deficit but roared back to win in a run chase.
Attempting a repeat in Adelaide, where there has been one successful chase over 200 in 43 years, would surely have a different outcome.
With the pitch set to take spin later but good for now, first-innings runs are critical. Australia were generous in gifting some of their dismissals on day one and England cannot fail to take advantage.
"I firmly believe on that pitch, which is a very good batting pitch, 450-500 is going to win you the Test match," said former England spinner Graeme Swann on TNT Sports.
"England have bowled themselves into a position where they will bat on days two and three, which are the best batting days on this pitch."
Speaking on BBC Test Match Special, former England captain Michael Vaughan added: "Bat the whole day tomorrow. Roast Australia in the heat of the Adelaide Oval.
"They are going to need a first-innings lead. Batting last on that wicket is not going to be easy."
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Archer dismisses Labuschagne and Green in first over after lunch interval
However, batting long was England's biggest problem in the first two Tests of this series.
They managed only 67.3 overs across both innings of the first Test combined and did not survive long enough for Australia to require a second new ball in either innings of the second.
Harry Brook has admitted playing "shocking" shots. Now is the chance to show he really has learned.
Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope are on their last drink in last chance saloon.
England must first repeat what they achieved for the first time this series in the second innings in Brisbane, surviving the opening over from left-armer Starc, before an entirely different prospect follows.
Having been a second-string in the first two Tests, Australia's bowling attack is back to near full strength with captain Pat Cummins fit again and spinner Nathan Lyon recalled.
No bowler has taken more than Lyon's 63 wickets at the Adelaide Oval - a ground he knows from his 15 Tests but also his time working on the groundstaff.
Lyon's old boss is still the curator in Adelaide. Even more reason to score your runs before the ball turns big.
"England are going to have to go big because the main difference is Nathan Lyon," said former Australia opener Justin Langer on TNT Sports.
"Even [England spinner] Will Jacks got a few to spin but it's going to be 40 degrees tomorrow and will start spinning so England have to capitalise on this very flat wicket.
"England have to be thinking they'll only bat once, it's that flat a wicket. I didn't see a ball swing or seam all day. This is a batting paradise."
Is that hope? Ask again on Thursday morning...


EPANato countries' pledge to spend 5% of their economic output on defence is Donald Trump's "biggest foreign policy success," the alliance's chief has said.
In an interview with the BBC, Mark Rutte said it was thanks to Donald Trump that Nato was "stronger than it ever was", adding that Trump "is good news for collective defence, for Nato and for Ukraine".
The US leader has harshly criticised European allies for spending very little on defence - even threatening to withdraw US protection if they fail to do so.
The Nato chief has warned that Russia could attack allies within the next five years. Russia's President Vladimir Putin dismissed such talk as "hysteria" on Wednesday.
"I've said it repeatedly - it's a lie, nonsense, pure nonsense, about some imaginary Russian threat to European countries," Putin told defence officials in Moscow.
After Putin launched Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he announced the annexation of four Ukrainian regions - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Russia had already annexed Crimea in 2014.
It now occupies most of Luhansk, and is understood to demand Ukraine's withdrawal from all of Donetsk, too, even though Ukraine still controls up to 23% of the eastern region.
Putin said the goals of what he calls "the special military operation" would be achieved.
He said he preferred to do it through diplomacy, before warning that, "if the opposing side and their foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive discussions, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means".
In his interview with the BBC Radio 4's PM programme, the Nato secretary general said it was "insane" that Putin's pursuit of his "historical idea that you want to regain access to Ukraine" - or over the entire territory that used to constitute the former Soviet Union - had caused the death or serious injury to 1.1m of his people.
Mark Rutte praised Trump's efforts to find an end to the war.
US envoys have been conducting intense negotiations with Ukrainian officials over a Trump-proposed peace plan whose initial draft was seen as favouring Russia.
It envisages ceding control of territory in the east of the country to Russia, as well as security guarantees for Kyiv to forestall future Russian aggression.
US officials say Washington is ready to offer Ukraine guarantees modelled on Nato's Article 5 clause of mutual protection.
European allies who met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday in the German capital, Berlin, said a European-led "multinational force Ukraine" was also envisaged to "assist in the regeneration of Ukraine's forces, in securing Ukraine's skies, and in supporting safer seas, including through operating inside Ukraine".
The Nato chief told the BBC that "Russia will see that, with the security guarantees in place, he should never ever try again to attack Ukraine because our reaction will be devastating and that's exactly what we are now discussing".
Putin has opposed any such ideas.
He has also warned that Russia does not seek conflict with Europe, but is ready "right now" if Europe wants to - or starts a war.
Similar reassurances were given by Moscow in 2022, just before 200,000 Russian troops crossed the border and invaded Ukraine.
Russia's economy has been on a war footing for more than three years now - its factories churn out ever more supplies of drones, missiles and artillery shells.
According to a recent report by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Russia has been producing each month around 150 tanks, 550 infantry fighting vehicles, 120 Lancet drones and more than 50 artillery pieces.
The UK, and most of its Western allies, are not anywhere near this point.
Analysts say it would take years for Western Europe's factories to come close to matching Russia's mass-production of weapons.
France and Germany have both recently moved to revive a system of voluntary military service for 18-year-olds.
Nato includes 30 European countries - as well as Canada and the US, the alliance's most powerful military member.
Under pressure from Trump, its members pledged during their summit in The Hague in June to increase military spending to 5% of their gross domestic product by 2035 - because of "long-term threat posed by Russia" and terrorism, among others.
"Now we are stronger, but if we do not implement the Hague decisions, we would be weaker than the Russians in a couple of years and that is extremely dangerous," Mark Rutte said in his BBC interview.



Dave Sandford / Discover ChurchillResearchers tracking wild polar bears in northern Canada witnessed something exceedingly rare this fall: a mother bear adopting a cub that was not biologically her own.
The five-year-old mother bear and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs were observed and captured on camera during the annual polar bear migration along the Western Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba, a town known for its polar bear population.
"It's unusual," Alyssa McCall, a scientist at Polar Bears International, said in a video. "We don't really know why it happens...but we know it doesn't happen often at all."
It's only the 13th known case of adoption out of the 4,600 bears studied for nearly five decades in the area.

Dave Sandford / Discover ChurchillThe mother bear was first captured as she emerged from her maternity den this spring. At the time, she had one cub, which scientists tagged for study.
In the fall, she was seen again, but this time with two cubs - the original cub that had been tagged and another without a tag. Researchers aren't sure what happened to the new cub's biological mother, but they are trying to identify her with genetic samples.
"The bears need all the help they can get these days with climate change," Evan Richardson, a polar bear scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said in a video statement. "If females have the opportunity to pick up another cub and care for it and successfully wean it, it's a good thing for bears in Churchill."
Polar bears in the wild only have a 50% chance of surviving into adulthood, but having a mother caring for them improves their odds.
The cubs appear to be healthy, researchers said, and they will likely stay with their mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.
Next, the family is expected to head out to sea ice, where the cubs will learn from their mother how to hunt seals and survive on their own.
"It's just nice to know that the bears are looking out for each other," Richardson said.

Getty ImagesFormer Special Counsel Jack Smith appeared on Capitol Hill on Wednesday for a high-stakes, closed door hearing about his two defunct criminal investigations into President Donald Trump.
In his opening statement, he told Congress his team "developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that Trump "engaged in a criminal scheme" to overturn the 2020 election results. Smith also charged Trump for allegedly mishandling classified documents.
Trump pleaded not guilty in both cases, and the prosecutions ended after his re-election.
Since returning to office, Trump has demanded investigations of officials who criminally charged him.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, a staunch Trump ally, called Smith's investigations "partisan and politically motivated".
In an October letter to Smith, Jordan accused the career prosecutor of using "disturbing tactics".
Republicans also expressed alarm at the decision to subpoena the phone records of several Republican lawmakers as part of his election investigation.
Smith is testifying in a closed setting on Wednesday, meaning that the public will not be able to hear from him in real time.
According to sections of his opening statement obtained by the BBC's US partner CBS News, Smith told lawmakers that in both of his investigations, the "basis for those charges rests entirely with President Trump and his actions".
Smith also said the investigators found "powerful evidence" that Trump had retained classified documents and obstructed efforts to return them to the government.
He will likely face tough questions from the Republican-controlled committee, currently chaired by Jordan, a long-time Trump ally who was a staunch defender of the president during both of his impeachment inquiries.
Democrats on the panel said they wanted to learn more about the results of Smith's inquiries.
"We want to hear exactly what he found, and what he did," Congressman Jamie Raskin the top House Judiciary Democrat, told Politico.
According to Smith's attorney Peter Koski, the special counsel had volunteered to testify in an open hearing.
Smith, was "disappointed that offer was rejected, and that the American people will be denied the opportunity to hear directly from Jack on these topics," Koski told Politico earlier this month.
The stakes are high for Smith, who Trump has deemed a "criminal" and suggested should be "investigated and put in prison" along with other Department of Justice officials involved in the 2020 election inquiry.
In September, the Department of Justice indicted former FBI Director James Comey based on testimony he gave to Congress in 2019. In November, a federal judge tossed out the case after finding the prosecutor who brought it was improperly appointed.

Getty ImagesWarner Bros Discovery will urge its shareholders to reject Paramount Skydance's $108.4bn (£80.75bn) takeover bid as soon as Wednesday, according to reports.
Paramount has said its offer is "superior" to a $72bn deal that Warner Bros struck with Netflix for its film and streaming businesses.
At the same time, a key backer of Paramount's attempt to buy Warner Bros, Affinity Partners, has reportedly pulled out of the bid, citing the involvement of "two strong competitors". Affinity was founded by US businessman and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Warner Bros declined to comment when contacted by the BBC. Paramount and Affinity have also been asked for a response to the reports.
Warner Bros will advise its shareholders to reject Paramount's offer for a number of reasons including concerns over how the deal would be financed, according to the Financial Times.
The media giant put itself up for sale in October after receiving "multiple" expressions of interest from potential buyers, including approaches from Paramount Skydance.
On 5 December, Warner Bros Discovery said it had agreed to sell its film and streaming businesses to Netflix.
The following week, Paramount Skydance launched a new offer for the whole company, including its television networks.
Paramount is backed by the billionaire Ellison family, which has close ties to the president.
A takeover of Warner Bros is expected to face scrutiny from competition regulators in the US and Europe.
A new owner of Warner Bros would gain a significant edge in the highly competitive streaming market. It would get a huge library of films and TV shows, including Harry Potter, Friends and the HBO Max streaming service.
Some in the film industry have criticised the deal. The Writers Guild of America's East and West branches called for the merger to be blocked, arguing that it would result in lower wages and job cuts.
The volume of content for viewers would also be reduced, it said.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times


© Caine Delacy for The New York Times

© Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives, via Getty Images

© Win McNamee/Getty Images

中国和俄罗斯基于对等原则,先后于9月和12月试行彼此公民免签入境,直至明年9月。俄罗斯向中国游客免签之际,正值中日关系陷入僵局,被视为“日本平替”的俄罗斯,成为中国网民热议的旅游目的地。
然而,第一批免签前往俄罗斯的中国游客,对当地的旅游体验却是负评满满。
一篇题为《第一批免签去俄罗斯的中产,傻眼了》的网络文章,本周冲上微博热搜,并获得不少主流媒体转载。
中日关系因日本首相高市早苗涉台言论趋紧,美国驻中国大使馆人员前往清华大学台湾研究院交流台海形势。
清华大学台湾研究院星期二(12月16日)在微信公众号发文称,研究院院长巫永平教授,助理教授吴维旭、张遂新12月9日接待美国驻华大使馆政治处一等秘书黄东伟,双方就中央对台政策、近期台海形势和各自关心的问题交流了看法。
根据新闻稿,清华大学台湾研究院和美国驻华使馆政治处围绕台湾问题形成了良好的交流关系。
此外,澳大利亚驻华大使馆临时代办费致远(James Fisher)、二等秘书顾思灵(Elise Gruttner)也在11月27日赴清华大学台湾研究院开展交流。
新闻稿指出,双方就台湾问题、中澳关系以及当前国际形势进行了广泛深入的交流,并表达了未来进一步加强交流对话的意愿。
赴北京述职的香港特首李家超与在当地学习或工作的香港青年共进早餐时说,香港在创科领域与中国大陆城市的合作潜力很大,并鼓励他们多到大陆与香港学习先进技术,共同推动两地创科发展。
李家超星期三(12月17日)在脸书发文称,他当天早上与四名在北京学习或工作的香港青年共进早餐,这些青年均具创新科技领域背景。
李家超说,中国国家主席习近平在上周举行的中共中央经济工作会议上提出建设粤港澳大湾区国际科技创新中心等八项明年经济重点任务,有国家政策指引和支持,加上香港近年全力建设国际创科中心及北部都会区的河套园区等创科用地,香港在创科领域与大湾区大陆城市协作必定大有可为。
他鼓励青年在大陆和香港多学习先进技术、吸收经验、勇于实践,共同推动两地创科发展,并与他们就创新科技、科普教育、社交媒体应用及青年动员等领域深入交流,希望他们继续发光发热,为香港及国家多作贡献。
此外,李家超还与北京大学党委书记何光彩会面,介绍他在《施政报告》中提出的北部都会区发展规划及大学城建设计划。何光彩对规划表示认同,并称北大未来有意在大学城设立研究院,李家超对此感到鼓舞。

PA MediaPatients are being told to expect disruption as doctors start their five-day strike in England, with NHS bosses saying they are struggling to keep as many services going as they have done in recent walkouts.
NHS England said with a wave of flu placing pressure on hospitals, non-urgent services would be affected by the strike which begins at 07:00 Wednesday.
This is the 14th walkout by resident doctors, the new name for junior doctors, in the long-running pay dispute.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the strike had been timed to inflict most damage on the NHS and put patients at risk, but the British Medical Association said it would work with NHS bosses to ensure patient safety.
The strike is being held after the two sides held last-minute talks on Tuesday afternoon.
The talks were described as "constructive" by the government, but not enough progress had been made to call off the strike.
Resident doctors represent nearly half of the doctors working in the NHS. They will walk out of both emergency and non-urgent care with senior doctors drafted in to provide cover.
In the two most recent strikes – in July and November – NHS England said it was able to keep the majority of non-urgent operations and treatments, such as hip and knee replacements, going.
But NHS England said it expected more disruption this time. Concern has also been expressed that hospitals may struggle to discharge patients in time for Christmas as the doctors who are working concentrate on providing strike cover.
Medical director Prof Meghana Pandit said: "These strikes come at an immensely challenging time for the NHS, with record numbers of patients in hospital with flu for this time of year.
"Staff will come together as they always do, going above and beyond to provide safe care for patients and limit disruption.
"But sadly more patients are likely to feel the impact of this round of strikes than in the previous two – and staff who are covering will not get the Christmas break they deserve with their families."
Streeting added: "We have been working right up to today to try and avert these strike actions.
"Everyone knows the period leading up to Christmas and into the New Year are always the busiest for the NHS. With super flu, this year is harder.
"And that double whammy of flu plus strikes means that there is an additional burden now on other NHS staff."
NHS England said GP practices will continue to be open and urgent and emergency care services will be available for those who need them.
But even then there is likely to be some disruption. Cheltenham General Hospital's emergency department is closing for emergencies during the strike - it will remain open for minor injuries - with patients advised to use nearby Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
NHS England said the public should use 111 online as the first port of call for urgent, but not life-threatening issues during the strike.
Patients who need emergency medical care should continue to use 999 or come forward to A&E as normal, it added.
The strike is going ahead despite a new offer from the government being made last week, which included increasing the number of speciality training posts and covering out-of-pocket expenses like exam fees.
The speciality training jobs, which resident doctors start in year three of their training after completing medical school, have become highly competitive.
This year 30,000 applicants went for 10,000 jobs – although some of the applicants were doctors from abroad.
Dr Tom Twentyman is one of those who lost out after trying to secure an emergency medicine post. He says finding a job is an "absolute nightmare".
Since then he has been struggling to find work, juggling a handful of locum shifts each month at the same time as applying for more than 40 short-term contracts at hospitals across the country – one of which he now secured.
But this will not count towards his training, so he will now look to reapply next year.
"Some of the job adverts were coming down within two hours of going up after they received 650 applications, which is clearly an enormous number to shortlist," he says.


On Monday the BMA announced its members had voted to continue with the strike – effectively rejecting the offer in the process – after the union agreed to hold an online poll of members.
BMA resident doctor leader Dr Jack Fletcher described it as a "resounding response" and said the government needed to go further on jobs as well as pay.
Streeting has maintained he will not discuss pay as doctors have received pay rises totalling nearly 30% over the past three years.
The BMA argues that, despite the pay rises, resident doctors' pay is still a fifth lower than it was in 2008, once inflation is taken into account.
Dr Fletcher added: "It is well past the time for ministers to come up with a genuinely long-term plan.
"If they can simply provide a clear route to responsibly raise pay over a number of years and enough genuinely new jobs instead of recycled ones, then there need not be any more strikes for the remainder of this government."
But the BMA said it was committed to ensuring patient safety.
"We will be in close contact with NHS England throughout the strikes to address safety concerns if they arise," the union added.


Getty ImagesThe Prime Minister has said Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich must "pay up now" to victims of the war in Ukraine or face court action.
Mr Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea Football Club, pledged in 2022 that money from the sale of the club would go to benefit victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The money has been frozen in a British bank account since the sale after he was sanctioned following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking in the Commons, Sir Keir Starmer said the UK had issued a licence "to transfer £2.5bn from the sale of Chelsea Football Club that's been frozen since 2022."
Sir Keir said: "My message of Abramovich is clear: the clock is ticking.
"Honour the commitment that you made and pay up now, and if you don't we're prepared to go to court and ensure that every penny reaches those whose lives have been torn apart by Putin's illegal war."
The Treasury said that under the terms of the licence, the money must go to "humanitarian causes" in Ukraine and cannot benefit Mr Abramovich or any other sanctioned individual.

Getty ImagesOn the face of it, there is relatively little festive cheer for your finances in the latest inflation figures.
Prices have risen by 3.2% compared with a year ago. If you filled your virtual shopping bag with goods and services at a cost of £100 a year ago, the same selection will now cost £103.20.
The rate of rising prices is well above the Bank of England's target of 2%, and some items are still rocketing up in price. Chocolate, arguably central to the family diet at Christmas, is 17% more expensive than a year ago.
But, crucially, there are now clear signs that prices are going up at a slower rate. That bodes well for next year, and more immediately for the cost of borrowing.
And, with essentials driving the slowdown, the latest data will be welcomed by those who feel particularly stretched by the cost of living.
The rate of inflation, which charts the rising cost of living, has overcome its recent mini-peak, according to analysts.
The mountainous height of inflation was in October 2022 when the rate hit 11.1%. The rate then fell, but there was an uptick in the late summer of 2025, reaching 3.8%.


And it was the price of food - an essential for consumers - driving November's drop in inflation.
Food and non-alcoholic drinks rose by 4.2% in the year to November, compared to 4.9% in October. Alcohol and tobacco were up 4% compared to 5.9% in October.
Moving in the opposite direction to chocolate, and beef and veal (which rose by nearly 28% in a year), were olive oil (down 16%) as well as drops in price for flours, pasta and sugar.
Importantly, food is essential spending. When the price rises slow, this is much better news for those on lower incomes who see a bigger proportion of their income spent on things that it is impossible to do without.
Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown, said this was also helpign the overall inflation rate drop faster than expected: "It has been following the path the Bank of England had forecast - peaking in September and gradually moving south."
The reasons for slowing price riese are often specific to individual items.
For example, the drop in the price of olive oil is primarily the result of a recovery in harvests after some particularly bad years of heatwaves and drought in Greece and Turkey.
Clothing and footwear prices fell by 0.6% in the year to November compared to a rise of 0.3% in October.
This has been linked to shops bringing forward Black Friday discounts due to weak sales as shoppers struggle with the cost of living pressures.


Consumers, too, have changed their habits owing to the financial climate of recent years.
Lucy Fairs, who helps run a cake-sharing social club, called Band of Bakers in Camberwell, London, said that, over the last five years, they had started using what they already had in their cupboards, rather than buying extra special ingredients.


"When I chose a recipe for today, I thought of the theme - but, more so, I thought of what I already had in my pantry," said club member Costa Christou.
The rising cost of goods and services has an impact on the money you save or earn. Inflation erodes the spending power of money you've got saved and - unless you get a pay rise - of your salary.
Analysts say the latest inflation data strengthens the likelihood of a cut in interest rates by the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee on Thursday.
That should make it cheaper for consumers to borrow money, but bring lower returns for savers.
"Lower inflation is good news for household budgets, but it is a different story for savers," said Sally Conway, savings commentator at Shawbrook Bank.
"Some savings will inevitably take a hit over Christmas. The key is what happens next. Once the dust settles, it's worth checking whether remaining cash is working hard enough."
Policymakers are trying to encourage more people to invest their money in stocks and shares - which they say is likely to bring higher returns over time than cash savings.
It is why the Financial Conduct Authority has given the go-ahead for targeted support - a scheme that, for the first time, allows banks and financial firms to give suggestions about where to invest your money.
Additional reporting by Josh McMinn

BBCThe Metropolitan and Greater Manchester police forces have said they will arrest people holding placards and chanting the phrase 'globalise the intifada' - an Arabic word for uprising.
In a statement following Sunday's mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, they said: "Violent acts have taken place, the context has changed - words have meaning and consequence. We will act decisively and make arrests".
The two forces also referenced the Manchester synagogue attack in October.
The UK's chief rabbi told the BBC this week that chants of 'globalise the intifada' had helped lead to the two attacks.
The police forces said: "We know communities are concerned about placards and chants such as 'globalise the intifada' and those using it at future protests or in a targeted way should expect" the two forces "to take action".
"Frontline officers will be briefed on this enhanced approach. We will also use powers under the Public Order Act, including conditions around London synagogues during services," the statement said.
Visible patrols and protective security measures around synagogues, schools, and community venues have been stepped up in London and Greater Manchester.
Fifteen people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Sunday's Bondi attack, which targeted Australia's Jewish community at an event celebrating the first night of Hanukkah.
Two people died in the knife attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on 2 October.
The term intifada came into popular use during the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1987.
It was a largely unarmed and popular uprising that continued until the early 1990s. The intifada also saw the development of groups outside the control of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) – notably Hamas.
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