Health secretary’s ‘power grab’ to override Nice comes amid growing concern move may be illegal and benefit big pharmaDozens of MPs are opposing Wes Streeting’s decision to award himself power to dictate what the NHS pays for drugs amid growing concern the move may be illegal.Thirty-one MPs have signed a House of Commons motion voicing their disapproval of the health secretary being handed the power to override the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (Nice) judgment on how much the NHS should spend on individual medicines. Continue reading...
Foreign minister reiterates condemnation of Iran over the strait of Hormuz, and says Australia does not want to see occupation of southern Lebanon by IsraelPenny Wong has told her Israeli counterpart that Australia supports Lebanon’s sovereignty and does not want to see the southern part of the country occupied by Israel, after the Netanyahu government revealed plans to pursue a “defensive buffer” against Iran-backed armed group, Hezbollah.It comes as Israel vowed to continue striking Iran, dimming hopes of de-escalation even as US president Donald Trump talked up the prospects of a deal to end the conflict. Continue reading...
• The California Medical Association strongly opposes a proposed statewide ballot initiative that would strip billions of dollars from vital community health centers.
• The measure threatens funding for essential services provided by health clinics serving underserved populations across California.
• CMA urges physicians and stakeholders to mobilize against the 'dangerous' proposal to protect community health infrastructure.
Reform, Tory and some media rhetoric runs contrary to poll showing far more voters for net zero than against itPolitical elites are out of step with the public appetite for net zero, according to analysis that identifies rightwing media narratives as fuelling a false backlash against climate action.Media coverage of net zero is more than twice as likely to be negative than public attitudes and is driving a false perception that net zero policies are unpopular with voters, the analysis found. Continue reading...
Donald Trump has vowed not to sign any other legislation until the passage of Save America act, which would create more barriers for votingSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxDonald Trump has vowed that he will not sign any other legislation until Republicans’ massive voting bill, the Save America act, is passed. The bill would upend voting for all Americans in the middle of a federal midterm election year and create costly, chaotic changes for elections workers.The Senate is set to consider the legislation next week, though Senate leaders say they don’t have the votes to get over the filibuster hurdle, essentially dooming the bill for failure.Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, denied that he is in talks with Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s real-estate pal turned chief diplomat, and accused the US of leaking false claims that the two are in direct contact to calm panicked markets.After Trump claimed that he had spoken to a former US president who told him that he approved of his attack on Iran, all four living former presidents denied having spoken with Trump about Iran.Trump publicly revealed details about a Republican congressman’s “terminal” diagnosis that could have left him “dead by June”, prompting Mike Johnson, speaker of the House, to say: “That wasn’t public.”The appointment of a controversial slate of vaccine advisers by Robert F Kennedy Jr likely violated federal law, a federal judge ruled, and all votes taken by the committee over the past year have been stayed.Gregory Bovino, the US border patrol chief and frequent Fox News guest who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until the killing of two protesters in Minneapolis by federal agents, said he will retire within weeks.Trump, who once mocked the gestures of a New York Times reporter with a congenital condition that limits his ability to move his joints, claimed that the governor of California’s dyslexia means that he is “dumb”. Continue reading...
Pat McFadden unveils £1bn youth employment scheme and appeals for support from backbench MPs who rebelled over welfare last year Labour MPs have no reason to oppose a fresh government attempt to overhaul the welfare system, the work and pensions secretary has said as he unveiled a £1bn youth employment scheme.The announcement by Pat McFadden – who said the public wanted the system to promote work and “value for money” – is seen as a prelude to a renewed bid to reform the welfare system after plans by his predecessor, Liz Kendall, were blocked by a Labour backbench rebellion last year. Continue reading...
• US mayors are pushing back against the rapid boom in data centers driven by surging AI demands, citing concerns over energy consumption and local impacts.
• The backlash highlights tensions in communities facing infrastructure strain from AI infrastructure growth, as reported by Agence France-Presse on March 15, 2026.
• This resistance underscores broader debates on balancing technological advancement with environmental and economic sustainability in the US.
