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The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” — the centerpiece of his domestic agenda — would add a giant $2.4 trillion to the US deficit by 2034.

The White House on Wednesday blasted a prediction that Donald Trump’s policy mega-bill could send the deficit soaring, as Elon Musk doubled down on his criticism of the US president’s plans.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” — the centerpiece of his domestic agenda — would add a giant $2.4 trillion to the US deficit by 2034.

Trump’s combative Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller slammed the independent watchdog on social media as “lefty” — echoing the administration’s frequent line of attack against its opponents.

“We are in a very good place with the bill,” said Russ Vought, head of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, which did the sums for Trump’s bill.

He told reporters on a call that the congressional office’s prediction “does not reflect reality.”

But the package, which could define Trump’s second term and make or break Republican prospects in the 2026 midterms, is getting a rough ride in the US Congress.

The plan would fund an extension of Trump’s 2017 tax relief from his first term in the White House by piling on debt and cutting social welfare for the poorest Americans.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who departed as head of Trump’s cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency last week amid growing tensions, issued fresh criticism on Wednesday.

“KILL the BILL,” the South African-born tycoon posted on his X social network, following it up with a meme showing the blood-soaked Quentin Tarantino movie “Kill Bill” and its star Uma Thurman.

Musk had called the bill a “disgusting abomination” on Tuesday.

The bill passed the House of Representatives last week but now faces a difficult path through the US Senate.

A group of US senators visited the White House on Wednesday as the negotiations entered a crucial stage, with Trump urging the Senate to vote on it by July 4.

“Failure is not an option,” Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters outside the West Wing.

Asked about Musk’s claims that it would balloon the deficit, he replied: “We believe the opposite.”

The other 14 countries on the council voted in favor of the draft as a humanitarian crisis grips the enclave of more than 2 million people, where famine looms and aid has only trickled in since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade last month.

The United States on Wednesday vetoed a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that demanded an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza and unhindered aid access across the war-torn enclave.

The other 14 countries on the council voted in favor of the draft as a humanitarian crisis grips the enclave of more than 2 million people, where famine looms and aid has only trickled in since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade last month.

“The United States has been clear: We would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza,” Acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea told the council before the vote, arguing that it would also undermine U.S.-led efforts to broker a ceasefire.

Washington is Israel’s biggest ally and arms supplier.

The Security Council vote came as Israel pushes ahead with an offensive in Gaza after ending a two-month truce in March. Gaza health authorities said Israeli strikes killed 45 people on Wednesday, while Israel said a soldier died in fighting.

Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward criticized the Israeli government’s decisions to expand its military operations in Gaza and severely restrict humanitarian aid as “unjustifiable, disproportionate and counterproductive.”

Israel has rejected calls for an unconditional or permanent ceasefire, saying Hamas cannot stay in Gaza. Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told the council members who voted in favor of the draft: “You chose appeasement and submission. You chose a road that does not lead to peace. Only to more terror.”

Hamas condemned the U.S. veto, describing it as showing “the U.S. administration’s blind bias” towards Israel. The draft Security Council resolution had also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and others.

RIVAL AID OPERATIONS

The war in Gaza has raged since 2023 after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel in an October 7 attack and took some 250 hostages back to the enclave, according to Israeli tallies. Many of those killed or captured were civilians.

Israel responded with a military campaign that has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. They say civilians have borne the brunt of the attacks and that thousands more bodies have been lost under rubble.

Under global pressure, Israel allowed limited U.N.-led deliveries to resume on May 19. A week later a controversial new aid distribution system was launched by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by the U.S. and Israel.

Israel has long accused Hamas of stealing aid, which the group denies. Israel and the U.S. are urging the U.N. to work through the GHF, which is using private U.S. security and logistics companies to transport aid into Gaza for distribution at so-called secure distribution sites.

“No one wants to see Palestinian civilians in Gaza go hungry or thirsty,” Shea told the Security Council, adding that the draft resolution did not “acknowledge the disastrous shortcomings of the prior method of aid delivery.”

The U.N. and international aid groups have refused to work with the GHF because they say it is not neutral, militarizes aid and forces the displacement of Palestinians.

No aid was distributed by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation on Wednesday as it pressed the Israeli military to boost civilian safety beyond the perimeter of its so-called secure distribution sites after a deadly incident on Tuesday.

The GHF said it has asked the Israeli military to “guide foot traffic in a way that minimizes confusion or escalation risks” near military positions, provide clearer civilian guidance and enhance training of soldiers on civilian safety.

‘DELAYS AND DENIALS’

The GHF posted on Facebook that “ongoing maintenance work” would delay the opening of its distribution sites on Thursday. It said on Tuesday that it has so far distributed more than seven million meals since it started operations.

Despite U.S. and Israeli criticism of the U.N.-led Gaza aid operation, a U.S. ceasefire plan proposes the delivery of aid by the United Nations, the Red Crescent and other agreed channels. Israel has agreed to the ceasefire plan but Hamas is seeking changes that the U.S. has rejected as “totally unacceptable.”

Ahead of the U.N. Security Council vote, U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher again appealed for the U.N. and aid groups to be allowed to assist people in Gaza, stressing that they have a plan, supplies and experience.

“Open the crossings – all of them. Let in lifesaving aid at scale, from all directions. Lift the restrictions on what and how much aid we can bring in. Ensure our convoys aren’t held up by delays and denials,” Fletcher said in a statement.

The U.N. has long-blamed Israel and lawlessness in the enclave for hindering the delivery of aid into Gaza and its distribution throughout the war zone.

“Enough of suffering of civilians. Enough of food being used as a weapon. Enough is enough is enough,” Slovenia’s U.N. Ambassador Samuel Zbogar told the Security Council.

A similar humanitarian-focused draft resolution is now expected to be put to a vote in the 193-member U.N. General Assembly, where no countries have a veto power and it would likely pass, diplomats said.

Danon warned: “Don’t waste more of your time, because no resolution, no vote, no moral failure, will stand in our way.”

Delhi minister Ravinder Indraj Singh said he recently conducted surprise inspections at several district offices and interacted with beneficiaries, during which multiple complaints were received.

 Delhi minister Ravinder Indraj Singh on Wednesday directed district social welfare officials to clear all pending cases under the Old Age Pension scheme within 15 days, an official statement said.

Chairing a meeting with officials of his department, the Social Welfare minister instructed them to ensure strict adherence to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure timely delivery of benefits under various welfare schemes, the statement said.

Mr Singh said he recently conducted surprise inspections at several district offices and interacted with beneficiaries, during which multiple complaints were received.

“Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has clearly instructed that every citizen and beneficiary visiting district offices must be given full support. Applications should be processed within the set timeline and pension payments must be made on time,” he said.

Mr Singh also asked officials to expedite decisions on applications under the Family Assistance Scheme and other similar programmes, adding that most beneficiaries under pension and social welfare schemes come from economically weaker and marginalised communities.

“They should not be forced to visit offices repeatedly. District offices represent the government and people’s experiences at these centres must be positive and respectful,” he said.

The minister further said he will continue to conduct unannounced inspections at both district offices and the department’s headquarters.

Mr Singh asked senior officers to take strict action against any official found responsible for delays or negligence based on complaints. 

Trump said the measure was spurred by a makeshift flamethrower attack on a Jewish protest in Colorado that US authorities blamed on a man they said was in the country illegally.

US President Donald Trump signed a new travel ban Wednesday targeting 12 countries including Afghanistan, Iran and Yemen, reviving one of the most controversial measures from his first term.

Trump said the measure was spurred by a makeshift flamethrower attack on a Jewish protest in Colorado that US authorities blamed on a man they said was in the country illegally.

The ban targets nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

Trump also imposed a partial ban on travelers from seven countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

Both go into effect on Monday, the White House said.

“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted,” Trump said in a video message from the Oval Office posted on X.

“We don’t want them.”

Trump compared the new measures to the “powerful” ban he imposed on a number of mainly Muslim countries in his first term, which caused huge travel disruption across the world.

The US leader said that 2017 ban had stopped the United States suffering terror attacks that happened in Europe. 

“We will not let what happened in Europe happen in America,” Trump said.

“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen. That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others.”

“Being in the United States is a great risk for anyone, not just for Venezuelans,” Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said after the announcement, warning citizens against travel there. 

Trump’s new travel ban could however face legal challenges, as have many of the drastic measures he has taken in his whirlwind return to office.

‘Dangerous foreign actors’

The White House unveiled the new ban with virtually no warning, minutes after Trump had addressed some 3,000 political appointees from his balcony at a celebratory “summer soiree.” 

Trump also unusually made the announcement with no reporters present. He has unveiled many of his most headline-grabbing policy announcements at signing ceremonies in front of journalists in the Oval Office. 

Rumors of a new Trump travel ban had circulated following the attack in Colorado, with his administration vowing to pursue “terrorists” living in the US on visas.

Suspect Mohammed Sabry Soliman is alleged to have thrown fire bombs and sprayed burning gasoline at a group of people who had gathered on Sunday in support of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

US Homeland Security officials said Soliman was in the country illegally, having overstayed a tourist visa, but that he had applied for asylum in September 2022.

“President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said on X.

“These commonsense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information.” 

Trump’s proclamation gave specific reasons for each country in his proclamation, which says it is aimed at protecting the United States from “foreign terrorists and other national security” threats.

For Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and war-torn Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen, it said they lacked “competent” central authorities for processing passports and vetting.

Yemen, where American forces have struck Iranian-backed Huthi rebels, was also the “site of active US military operations,” it said.

Iran, with which the United States is in negotiations on a possible nuclear deal, was included as it is a “state sponsor of terrorism,” the order said.

For most of the other countries, Trump’s order cited an above average likelihood that people would overstay their visas.

Trump separately on Wednesday announced a ban on visas for foreign students who are set to begin attending Harvard University, ramping up his crackdown on what he regards as a bastion of liberalism.

The missing officer, Lieutenant Colonel Pradeep Kumar Nigam, is a resident of Gwalior and currently posted at Mahar Regiment Centre (MRC) in Sagar, he said.

An Army officer posted in Sagar town of Madhya Pradesh went missing after leaving his residence for a morning walk two days ago, a police officer said Wednesday.

The missing officer, Lieutenant Colonel Pradeep Kumar Nigam, is a resident of Gwalior and currently posted at Mahar Regiment Centre (MRC) in Sagar, he said.

He went out for his regular walk at around 6.30 am on Monday, but did not return home, police said.

Additional Superintendent of Police Lokesh Sinha told PTI that Army personnel first searched for Lieutenant Colonel Nigam and when they did not find him, lodged a missing person’s complaint at the Cantonment police station.

An FIR has been registered and further investigation was on, he said.

“Police and Army teams are searching for him. CCTV footage is being scanned to get clues,” Mr Sinha informed.

The Army officer’s family members are being questioned as part of the investigation, he added.He went out for his regular walk at around 6.30 am on Monday, but did not return home, police said.

Additional Superintendent of Police Lokesh Sinha told PTI that Army personnel first searched for Lieutenant Colonel Nigam and when they did not find him, lodged a missing person’s complaint at the Cantonment police station.

An FIR has been registered and further investigation was on, he said.

“Police and Army teams are searching for him. CCTV footage is being scanned to get clues,” Mr Sinha informed.

The Army officer’s family members are being questioned as part of the investigation, he added.He went out for his regular walk at around 6.30 am on Monday, but did not return home, police said.

Additional Superintendent of Police Lokesh Sinha told PTI that Army personnel first searched for Lieutenant Colonel Nigam and when they did not find him, lodged a missing person’s complaint at the Cantonment police station.

An FIR has been registered and further investigation was on, he said.

“Police and Army teams are searching for him. CCTV footage is being scanned to get clues,” Mr Sinha informed.

The Army officer’s family members are being questioned as part of the investigation, he added.

World Environment Day 2025 urges global action against air, plastic, and river pollution with powerful messages promoting a greener, cleaner future.

World Environment Day 2025 is being observed today, June 5, across more than 150 countries, reinforcing global commitment to environmental protection. Spearheaded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since 1973, this annual event has evolved into the world’s largest platform for environmental awareness and action.

The day serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need to address pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, plastic pollution, air quality deterioration, and biodiversity loss. Through campaigns, community clean-ups, educational workshops, and policy dialogues, governments, schools, offices, and local organisations are coming together to inspire and engage people in sustainable practices.

This year, World Environment Day supports UNEP’s campaign to #BeatPlasticPollution, focusing on real solutions to one of the planet’s most fixable problems. The campaign urges everyone to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink how we use plastic in daily life.

Plastic pollution worsens the triple threat facing our planet: climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Each year, 11 million tonnes of plastic waste contaminate water ecosystems, while microplastics from sewage and landfills accumulate in soil, harming the environment. The annual cost of plastic pollution is estimated to be $300-600 billion. 

Here are 20 Inspiring Messages for World Environment Day 2025 to Motivate You to Go Green:

1-10: Focused on Pollution and Urgent Action

1. “Clean air is everyone’s right. Let’s fight for it.”

2. “Say no to plastic, yes to the planet.”

3. “Every river is a lifeline. Keep it clean.”

4. “The Earth won’t wait. Act now.”

5. “Don’t let pollution become our legacy.”

6. “Protect the air, water, and land – our survival depends on it.”

7. “Green today, alive tomorrow.”

8. “Nature heals when we stop hurting it.”

9. “The solution to pollution starts with you.”

10. “Change begins with awareness. Spread the message.”

11-20: Focused on Restoration and Sustainability

11. “Act today for a greener tomorrow.”

12. “Restore our Earth, secure our future.”

13. “Say no to plastic, yes to the planet.”

14. “Breathe clean, live green.”

15. “Protect rivers, protect life.”

16. “The Earth is speaking-are we listening?”

17. “Pollution ends where awareness begins.”

18. “Green actions speak louder than words.”

19. “Nature doesn’t need us-we need nature.”

20. “Be the change our planet needs.”

These messages aim to inspire awareness and encourage real action toward environmental protection and sustainable living. 

Republicans have long claimed that Biden was suffering from intellectual decline.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered an investigation into what Republicans claim was a “conspiracy” to cover up Joe Biden’s declining cognitive health during his time in the White House.

The move is the latest in a long-running campaign by Trump to discredit his predecessor, which has been joined by Republican Party politicians and their cheerleaders in the conservative media.

But it also comes as a growing chorus of Democrats begin to acknowledge the former president appeared to have been slipping in recent years.

Those concerns were thrown into stark relief by a disastrous debate performance against Trump during last year’s presidential campaign, in which the then-81-year-old stumbled over his words and repeatedly lost his train of thought.

the use of an autopen to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline,” a presidential memorandum issued Wednesday reads.

“This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history.

“The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden’s signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts.” 

Republicans have long claimed that Biden was suffering from intellectual decline even as the White House pressed ahead with major legislation and presidential decrees.

They cite his infrequent public appearances, as well as his apparent unwillingness to sit for interviews as evidence of what they say was a man incapable of doing the demanding job of Commander-in-Chief of the United States.

They insist that those around him covered up his physical and cognitive decline, taking decisions on his behalf and using a device that could reproduce his signature to allow them to continue to run the country in his name.

“The Counsel to the President, in consultation with the Attorney General and the head of any other relevant executive department or agency… shall investigate… whether certain individuals conspired to deceive the public about Biden’s mental state and unconstitutionally exercise the authorities and responsibilities of the President,” the document says.

The probe will also look at “the circumstances surrounding Biden’s supposed execution of numerous executive actions during his final years in office (including) the policy documents for which the autopen was used (and) who directed that the President’s signature be affixed.”  

Biden’s calamitous debate performance ultimately sank his bid for reelection, with key Democratic Party figures soon calling for him to drop out of the race.

But it was only several weeks later, after unsuccessful attempts to quieten his critics, that he withdrew, anointing his vice-president Kamala Harris, who eventually lost to Trump.

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