Visits

The king faces possibly his most important ever speech and a thin-skinned president, in the shadow of the Sussexes and the Epstein scandal. What could go wrong?On his high-stakes four-day state visit to the US, King Charles will have to walk a diplomatic tightrope as the guest of an erratic Donald Trump against the backdrop of Iran and security concerns after Saturday night’s shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner.Many challenges lie ahead as he takes up his UK government-decreed task to “reaffirm and renew” bilateral ties amid a worsening “special relationship” on the 250th anniversary of American independence. Continue reading...

The prime minister has weathered the crises – for now – and there is a growing recognition that Australia is too vulnerable to world eventsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese’s fuel diplomacy tour of Asia has already started paying dividends, but the real test could still be to come.After last week’s rush to Singapore and pulling forward a planned visit, the prime minister dashed back to Australia from Malaysia on Thursday, to survey the damage at one of the nation’s only remaining fuel refineries. The hastily arranged trips, were to show a leader on the job; to demonstrate Albanese’s attention to the fuel crisis. Continue reading...

• CDC data indicates 71 per 100,000 emergency room visits for tick bites in the most recent week, highest in Northeast followed by Midwest, Southeast, West, and South Central. • Rising tick activity signals increased Lyme disease and other vector-borne risks as warmer weather extends season. • Public health experts warn of prevention needs amid Northeast ER surge.

• Gallup survey of over 5,500 U.S. adults from Oct-Dec 2025 finds 25% use AI for health info, with 59% researching before doctor visits. • About 14 million adults skipped provider visits in past 30 days after AI advice, though only 4% strongly trust its accuracy. • Low trust levels (33% trust, 34% distrust) raise concerns on AI's role in U.S. healthcare decisions amid access barriers.

Pontiff makes first papal visit to country as he starts 11-day tour that will also include stops in Cameroon and AngolaPope Leo XIV arrived in Algeria on Monday for the first papal visit to the country, calling for peace on the opening stop of a tour of Africa that signals the continent’s growing importance to the Catholic church.The 11-day trip, which will include stops in Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, is the longest by Pope Leo since being elected to the papacy in May last year. Continue reading...

US vice-president rails against ‘bureaucrats in Brussels’ interfering in Sunday’s vote as he arrives in BudapestJD Vance has railed against the EU, accusing it of blatantly interfering in Hungary’s upcoming elections, even as the US vice-president said he had travelled to Budapest to “help” Viktor Orbán win Sunday’s vote.Speaking to reporters shortly after landing in Budapest on Tuesday, Vance’s tone was combative as he alleged that the EU was responsible for “one of the worst examples of foreign election interference” he had ever seen. Continue reading...

CDC interim analysis from September 2025 to February 2026 shows this season's flu vaccine effectiveness at 22-34% against outpatient visits for adults and 30-41% for those 65+, with hospitalization protection at 30-31%, due to H3N2 strain mismatch. The season saw 27 million illnesses, 350,000 hospitalizations, and 22,000 deaths, lower than last year's peaks but with 101 child deaths, 85% unvaccinated. Despite flaws, experts like Dr. William Schaffner stress shots prevent severe outcomes, with adult rates at 46.5%. Vaccination campaigns will target improved strains for next season.

CDC studies from September 2025 to February 2026 estimate flu vaccine effectiveness (VE) at 22-34% against influenza A/B outpatient visits for adults and 30-41% for those 65+, with 30-31% against hospitalizations. Patrick Maloney, PhD, from CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, led the analysis. Low VE underscores need for improved formulations amid slumping protection. Findings inform next season's vaccine development.