The Senate, in a bipartisan super-majority, overwhelmingly voted to advance the measure, which Joe Biden is expected to sign

The US Senate voted resoundingly on Tuesday to approve $95bn in aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as a bipartisan super-majority united to send the long-stalled package to Joe Bidenas desk for signature. The final vote was 79 to 18.

The bill easily cleared a key procedural hurdle earlier in the day. The Senate overwhelmingly voted to advance the measure in a step hailed by the majority leader as aone of the greatest achievements the Senate has faced in yearsa.

Member of parliament for Birkenhead between 1979 and 2019 has died after a period of illness, his family has announced

The former Labour minister and crossbench peer Frank Field has died aged 81, his family has announced.

A statement from Lord Fieldas family, issued by his parliamentary office, said: aFrank Field (Rt Hon Lord Field of Birkenhead, CH) has died at the age of 81 following a period of illness.

Fears Israel is influencing location of dock away from the north, where famine threat is most severe

A giant floating dock is nearing completion in the eastern Mediterranean from where it will be pushed towards the Gaza shore, but there is growing uncertainty over how useful the US project will be in containing a famine.

There are concerns in the humanitarian community that Israel has co-opted the pier plan, which Joe Biden touted as a way to bring about a amassivea increase in aid to Gaza, with one aid official saying the project was in danger of becoming a asmokescreena for the planned invasion of Rafah.

GCSE results in key subjects to steadily worsen until 2030, predicts research that blames failure to tackle impact of schools lockdown

Children in England could face the worst exam results in decades and a lifetime of lower earnings, according to research that blames failures to tackle the academic and social legacies of school closures during Covid.

The study funded by the Nuffield Foundation predicts that national GCSE results in key subjects will steadily worsen until 2030, when it expects fewer than 40% of pupils to get good grades in maths and English.

Former DUP leader will be seen for first time since his arrest when he attends court in Newry on Wednesday

Jeffrey Donaldson is due to make his first court appearance in Northern Ireland on sexual offence charges amid a heavy security presence.

The former Democratic Unionist party (DUP) leader is scheduled to appear at Newry magistrates court in County Down on Wednesday morning to face allegations of sexual abuse against two people.

David Pecker testifies about meeting with Trump and Michael Cohen in 2015 to discuss how he could help presidential campaign

• Skeptical judge and National Enquirer deal: key takeaways
• Judge reprimands Trump lawyer but delays gag order ruling

A former tabloid publisher testified on Tuesday in Donald Trumpas hush-money trial that he promised to be the aeyes and earsa of the 2016 presidential campaign, helped to suppress harmful stories and even arranged to purchase the silence of a doorman.

David Pecker, the ex-presidentas longtime ally and ex-publisher of the National Enquirer a who prosecutors contend was integral in illicit, so-called catch-and-kill efforts to prevent negative stories about Trump from going public a was on the stand again as a prosecution witness after a brief appearance on Monday following opening statements.

A guide to Trumpas hush-money trial a so far

The key arguments prosecutors will use against Trump

How will Trumpas trial work?

From Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels: The key players

Authorities in Greece warn the dust concentrations can reduce sunlight and visibility, while increasing levels of fine pollution particles pose health risks

Clouds of dust blown in from the Sahara covered Athens and other Greek cities on Tuesday, one of the worst such episodes to hit the country since 2018, officials said.

A yellow-orange haze smothered several regions after days of strong winds from the south, limiting visibility and prompting warnings from the authorities of breathing risks.

Three-decade campaign by the Gweagal community of La Perouse sees repatriation of four spears to Kamay

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Four spears stolen from Kamay, now known as Botany Bay in Sydney, by Captain James Cook and his crew have been returned to their traditional owners after more than 250 years.

Forty Kamay spears were recorded as being taken by the British in 1770, at the time of first contact between the local Gweagal people and the crew of the Endeavour. The four spears returned on Tuesday are the only ones of the original 40 that remain.

Deputy defence minister Timur Ivanov, who has been sanctioned by US and EU, faces up to 15 years in jail

A Russian deputy defence minister has been detained on suspicion of bribe-taking, the countryas top law enforcement agency has said, a rare move amid the offensive in Ukraine.

The investigative committee reported Timur Ivanovas detention on Tuesday without offering any details of the accusations against him, saying only that he is suspected of taking an especially large bribe a a criminal offence punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Full and part skeletons found in Mexico reveal body shape and anatomy of Ptychodus as well as its likely diet

Fossil experts say they have gained unprecedented insights into a type of enormous prehistoric shark, after finding complete skeletons of the creatures.

The specimens, discovered in small quarries in north-eastern Mexico within the last decade, belong to Ptychodus a a creature that roamed the seas from around 105m to 75m years ago.

Footwear from the regimeas concentration camps ended up at the Polish base, and campaigners want them to be salvaged

At the foot of a pine tree, Grzegorz Kwiatkowski bent to touch the black, moist shapes nestling amid the fungi and leaf mulch. aIave been monitoring this area now since 2015, and always hope I wonat stumble upon anything any more and that one day the entire area will have been cleared,a he said. This, however, was not that day.

The 39-year-old poet, scholar and rock musician was walking in the forest just metres from the perimeter fence of what was once the Stutthof Nazi concentration camp in the German-annexed territory of Poland, and is now a memorial site in Sztutowo, a village 24 miles (38km) east of GdaAsk on the Baltic coast.

Manufacturers call for geographic food name protection in face of threat from cheap Chinese imports

Blackpool rock, a British seaside institution as traditional as donkey rides on the beach, amusement arcades and fair to middling weather, is facing an existential threat from cheap and inferior Chinese imports, manufacturers have said.

Ten rock makers have come together to sign a letter warning of a agrave and immediate challenge to our industry, jeopardising the lives of our employees and the sustainability of our businessa.

Attempt to cross via overcrowded dinghy from Wimereux aborted after engine stalls and five people drown

They could have been on a school trip. Fifty teenagers from Vietnam, dressed for the biting cold in puffer jackets, smart trainers and woolly beanies, sat on the pavement by the bus shelter outside Gare Calais listening to music and watching videos on their smartphones.

They were waiting for the 423 bus to take them back to a forest outside Dunkirk, where they have been staying at night with about a thousand others. It had been a disappointing morning for the group.

His sister says the only person he ever presented a serious threat to was himself, yet he was given an indeterminate sentence for stealing a car. The psychological torture was impossible to endure

When Tommy Nicol told his sister Donna Mooney about his prison sentence, she didnat believe him. It was May 2009 and he had stolen yet another car. Nicol was a petty criminal, always nicking motors, and was rarely out of jail. aHe said: aTheyave given me a 99-year sentence.a I said: aThatas ridiculous.a I thought he was confused.a Over the next few years, Nicol occasionally mentioned the sentence in letters to Mooney and asked her to look into it. She admits she didnat give it much thought at the time.

In 2015, Nicol killed himself in prison. He was 37. It was only then that Mooney discovered he had been right all along. Nicol had a four-year tariff (the minimum amount of time he could serve in jail) and an indeterminate sentence, known as imprisonment for public protection. IPP is also called a 99-year sentence because people serving one can, technically, be jailed for 99 years. When they are released, it is on a 99-year licence, which means they can be recalled to prison at any time in their life for even minor breaches, such as being late for a probation appointment (although the Parole Board will consider whether to terminate the licence 10 years after first release).

Without the van, my husband and I had no urgent reason to live in Wellington. The short European adventure we had planned soon became much more

One evening in 2008, a group of joyriders stole our van, named The Colombian, from a street outside Wellington, New Zealand. My sister-in-law was the first to notice and she alerted her husband, Ant, who immediately drove off in search of it. When he spotted the van parked on the beach, he called the police, who then gave chase as it drove off. After running a few red lights, the joyriders lost control and smashed into a building. The front of the van was crushed in on both sides and the driveras door was ripped clean off.

We woke to an email from Ant titled aRIP The Colombiana, detailing the ordeal head been through the night before while my husband, Dave, and I slept peacefully in our flat in BogotA!, Colombia. The police caught the six joyriders a three girls in the front and three boys rattling around in the back. aNo criminals were hurt in the making of this dramaa were, thankfully, the last words of the email.

Study reveals repurposing of ecologically vital land for homes or agriculture is happening particularly rapidly in Asia

Estuaries a the place where a river meets the ocean a are often called the anurseries of the seaa. They are home to many of the fish we eat and support vast numbers of birds, while the surrounding salt marsh helps to stabilise shorelines and absorb floods.

However, a new study shows that nearly half of the worldas estuaries have been altered by humans, and 20% of this estuary loss has occurred in the past 35 years.

A sexually candid, seriously intentioned drama about a young Kurdish woman who feels she has to surgically arestorea her virginity before her wedding

There is a heartfelt and courageous performance from 28-year-old Syrian-born, German-based actor Bayan Layla in this drama about sex, patriarchy and second-generation immigrant identity. It is a drama which hits the buttons squarely and efficiently, but might perhaps have played better as a three-part TV drama.

Layla plays Elaha, a young woman of Kurdish family background in a German town (director Milena Aboyan is herself German-based and Armenian-Kurdish). She has finished high school and is now attending classes on how to apply for jobs, picking up skills she uses mainly to help her dad find employment. There seems to be no discussion about university, despite her obvious intelligence. Her mum works hard minding Elahaas younger sister and disabled kid brother, and Elaha has part-time work at a dry-cleaners; she is saving for her wedding to a local guy from a prosperous family.

The coming-of-age ceremonies of different Jewish traditions are explored in an insightful new BBC documentary. Plus: salvage diving in the bitter seas of Nova Scotia. Hereas what to watch this evening

Our slow travel expert takes the train through the RhA'neas wine country, hoping for grand cru views and a glass of Condrieu

Trains and wine make natural partners, be it a glass of crisp white over a leisurely lunch in a restaurant car while cruising through the Alps or a rail itinerary that meanders through a region noted for its fine wines. Many of Europeas most prized wine regions lend themselves naturally to exploration by rail.

Take the train from SAPSo Bento station in Porto to Pocinho, for example, for fine views of the estates that have underpinned the port trade. Other classic European wine regions where trains weave through vineyards include Tokay in Hungary, Germanyas Moselle valley, the Ebro valley in Spain (for fine Rioja) and Switzerlandas Lavaux region where one grand cru white, made from Chasselas grapes, even plays up the rail connection: the Massy familyas classy DA(c)zaley is called Chemin de Fer.

Michael Tomlinsonas efforts to defend Rwanda bill show how well suited he is to be part of the new moronocracy

When Jeffrey Bernard was too pissed, hospitalised or generally unfit to file his weekly column, the Spectator used to publish the note aJeffrey Bernard is Unwella in its place. It worked a treat. Everyone knew precisely where things stood.

Perhaps now is the time for the Tory party to do something similar. It couldnat be any worse than repeatedly sending out underprepared ministers to do interviews in which they crash and burn. Far better to let the public think the government is half-witted, rather than to have it proved.

Rescued from Cashas low ebb in the early 1990s, this fun, lightweight song is a long way from the moody recordings with Rick Rubin he soon turned towards

In the great American saga of Johnny Cash, the early 90s are held to be among his lowest ebbs: the lull that made the triumphant final act of his career a the American Recordings series with Rick Rubin, critical acclaim, Grammy awards, platinum sales and all a seem all the more startling. Head been dropped by Columbia Records after 28 years and a brief and turbulent period with Mercury had yielded mixed artistic dividends and indifferent sales. One of country musicas Mount Rushmore figures was reduced to recording Christmas songs for a now defunct budget label called Laserlight Digital.

You might consider it an era in Cashas artistic life best forgotten, but posthumous retrospection has a way of recalibrating history: just as David Bowieas 1990s output has been significantly upgraded since his death, so a collection of Johnny Cash songwriting demos that no label wanted in 1993 emerges 31 years later, heralded as a major new release.

After years of failed gimmicks and polarisation under the Tories, Britain is ready for a more grown-up approach

aLook, if people donat like the mug, they donat have to get the mug,a Ed Miliband said, exasperated. We were on a train to Manchester for a televised leadersa debate, a month before polling day in 2015. The mug in question bore the slogan acontrols on immigrationa. It was one of a set of five, each branded with a campaign pledge. aOther mugs are available,a the then Labour leader reminded me.

But the border control one had provoked paroxysms of indignation from the left and sneering disbelief from the right. Milibandas frustration was palpable. His advisers spelled out the logic: the slogan was uncontroversial; the alternative to controlling immigration was not controlling immigration, and no one ever won an election promising that. On paper, it was a rational campaign priority.

Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist

Iam one of the 2.5 million users of Slovene a and English and German speakers would do well to be curious about us

A couple of years ago, I received an invitation from a German cultural institution to present my debut short story collection, which was translated into German that year. The terms and conditions were generous: we pay you (a lot, as far as I was concerned), we host you for as long as you wish (I decided on three nights), we will arrange a host who loves your book a and if you need anything else, do tell us!

There was one diplomatically laid out request, however. The producers wanted me to speak German at the event. They heard me speak it fluently in a video interview and figured I could easily do it again. As a rookie, and the greenest author to have ever walked the Earth, I swallowed my anxiety and agreed to it. I kindly asked them to send me the hostas questions in advance, so I could prepare for this premiere of mine. I didnat mention that Iad never spoken German in front of a live audience, nor that I intended to translate my answers from Slovene to German and learn them by heart. I had done that for the video interview as well. I wasnat only industrious, you see, I also had an excellent memory.

Ana Schnabl is a Slovenian novelist, editor and critic

Indexas rise has been driven by the dollaras strength against the pound a and that effect can reverse

• Whatas behind the FTSE 100 record high?
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Every dog will have its day and here comes the FTSE 100 index, not so much soaring as limping to a record high of 8,076. If that sounds too grumpy, consider that the previous record, 8,047, was set in February last year. In the 14 months it has taken the UKas premier index to regain its old record level, the S&P 500 index in the US has marched upwards by 22% a and done so in a straight line, more or less, until a slip in the past fortnight.

Also note that the Footsieas latest push above 8,000 carries a heavy flavour of currency effects at work. The US dollar has been strengthening against most major currencies, including sterling, as markets look at the persistence of inflation in the US and judge that the Federal Reserve may not cut interest rates this year (and could even raise them).

A scheme to allow British under-30s to live and work in the EU has been flatly rejected. Why punish them for older votersa mistakes?

Only those born before 1998 could vote on Brexit, so there is no conceivable way of knowing which way todayas 18- to 30-year-olds would have felt about it. Oh, except there is: 70% of 18- to 24-year-olds think leaving the EU was a bad idea. Of the 25- to 49-year-olds, 66% also think we were wrong to leave. If you can bear to drag your mind back to the immediate aftermath of Brexit, youall recall that words like aoverwhelminga and avasta were completely debased by their use in conjunction with majorities that were actually wafer-thin. So letas just say most young people are remainers.

For a long time, politics has dealt with the young remainer as it does with the rest of us; ignore us for long enough, and weall go away. If the Brexit argument had had any foundation a if it had brought trading or other benefits, if it had caused only negligible difficulties and those of the teething variety a then that would probably have worked. Most referendum outcomes get more popular over time.

Zoe Williams is a Guardian columnist

Education is all about provocation. Without being provoked even young minds can remain stuck in old tracks

The most important thing I teach my students is to seek out people who disagree with them.

Thatas because the essence of learning is testing oneas ideas, assumptions and values. And what better place to test ideas, assumptions and values than at a university?

Did rats chew the wiring on it like they did my ute?

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