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The action is likely the last House vote on issue ahead of the midterm electionsSign up for the US Breaking News emailOn Capitol Hill today, Dr Nicole Saphier, Donald Trump’s third pick to be the US surgeon general will face lawmakers on the Senate health, education, labor and pensions committee for a confirmation hearing at 10am ET.A reminder that the president withdrew his last two nominations for the top doctor position – Casey Means and Dr Janette Nesheiwat. While Means’ nomination fell apart after she was grilled by senators in February, Trump withdrew his support for Nesheiwat after questions circled around her academic credentials. Continue reading...

PM responds to criticism from former Bank of England chief economistWes Streeting, the defence secretary, has posted this on social media ahead of Andy Burnham’s meeting with the Nato secretary general Mark Rutte later.Today I am reminded of the words of my Labour predecessor Denis Healey:“Once we cut defence expenditure to the extent where our security is imperilled, we have no houses, we have no hospitals, we have no schools. We have a heap of cinders.”[Britain] is leading, along with Nato allies, the push back against Russia’s dangerous and reckless campaign against us.Collectively we will continue to strengthen our ability to deter and defend all allies, against any threat. Nato will not be intimidated by Russia’s campaign of hostile actions. Russia wants to stop us helping Ukraine – but their actions will only lead us to do more for Ukraine. Russia’s actions are a sign of weakness, and a symptom of Putin’s failure in Ukraine.To stay transatlantic, Nato is becoming more European. A Nato with Europe, and Canada, spending more, producing more, and doing more for their security. This is the idea of Nato 3.0.Building for the future. A stronger Europe, in a stronger Nato. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Plastic surfaces form hotspots with an increase of antibiotic-resistant genes, study findsMicroplastics act like a “Trojan horse” delivering pollutants, pesticides and bacteria through the soil, a five-year multinational research project has found.The EU-funded project, which has so far resulted in 22 peer-reviewed studies, found microplastics in the soil of all 227 agricultural fields it tested across 11 European countries. The researchers said this poses a global threat, with healthy soils essential for life on Earth. Continue reading...

Thaçi held criminally responsible for war crimes during the violent break from Serbia in the 1990s Von der Leyen says “kickstarting Europe’s economy is our number one priority,” as Europe needs to tap into its huge market, world class industries and services.She says its single market remains too fragmented and needs to reform further, with the aim of completing it by the end of next year.“Do we want to rally around our European idea that together we can decide our own destiny? Or do we let our democracies be undermined by the proxies and puppets of authoritarians?Whether it is the ultra nationalist or the anti-European, whether it’s Russian interference or disinformation, the names may be different, but their goal is the same. Continue reading...

Powerful bombs prompted such concern about mass deaths in Gaza that Biden officials paused delivery two years agoThe Trump administration is planning to deliver powerful 2,000lb bombs to Israel as part of an upcoming arms deal, weapons that prompted such concerns about the possibility of mass casualties in Gaza that the Biden administration paused their delivery two years ago.The $2.8bn package includes 40,000 bombs, made up of 20,000 MK-84s and 20,000 BLU-117s, according to two US officials and a person familiar with the plan who spoke on Tuesday on condition of anonymity to discuss the package, which is not yet final. Continue reading...

• A radiology student at Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU) took his own life following a dispute with a female friend. • The student's father reported that the female friend called him to make insulting and derogatory remarks about his son. • This incident highlights the severe mental health risks and emotional distress facing university students during personal conflicts.

• The Shiromani Akali Dal is preparing to contest the upcoming Punjab elections independently across all 117 seats. • The party has sent three major signals to the BJP while simultaneously organizing its own campaign infrastructure. • This strategic shift indicates a breakdown in cooperation between the two parties, potentially splitting the vote for non-Congress candidates in the state.