Trump-Xi Beijing Summit to Focus on Trade, Taiwan, and Boeing Deal 
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Ceasefire Violations Amid Drone and Artillery Attacks 
Keir Starmer Faces Leadership Pressure as Labour Turns Toward Europe 
Trump Rejects Iran Proposal as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
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Iran Military Readiness Intensifies After Meeting With Mojtaba Khamenei 
Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records 
Trump Announces Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire for May 9-11 Amid Ongoing Peace Talks 
Trump Credits Belarus Prisoner Release in U.S.-Backed Swap 
Trump Reportedly Approves Plan to Remove FDA Commissioner Marty Makary Amid Growing Controversies 
US Auto Industry Urges Trump to Block Chinese EV Market Access 
Germany Rejects Putin’s Proposal for Schroeder to Mediate Ukraine Peace Talks 
Israeli Strikes in Gaza Kill Three as Ceasefire Tensions Continue 
U.S., South Korea Launch Shipbuilding Partnership Initiative 
US President Joe Biden has yet to fill out several positions within his administration but has already released slates of nominations. Biden’s latest nominations include a former health official of West Virginia to become the country’s “Drug Czar.”
Biden this week nominated Dr. Rahul Gupta, a former health commissioner of West Virginia, to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy also known as “Drug Czar.” Should he be confirmed by the Senate, Dr. Gupta would be the first physician to lead the department. Known for his work in the opioid crisis, Dr. Gupta recently served as the chief medical and health officer of the March of Dimes.
Dr. Gupta’s nomination drew bipartisan praise from West Virginian politicians. West Virginia’s GOP Governor Jim Justice said Dr. Gupta’s nomination is “great news” and congratulated the former health commissioner. Democratic Senator Joe Manchin also praised Dr. Gupta’s nomination in a statement that was released shortly after the announcement.
“Dr. Gupta will bring over a decade of extensive experience combatting the drug epidemic to ONDCP -- the office charged with addressing the drug epidemic that has killed over 90,000 Americans just last year,” said Manchin in his statement.
Biden has also released more nominations to US ambassador posts. Also this week, Biden nominated former Arizona GOP Senator Jeff Flake to become the US Ambassador to Turkey. This has also been confirmed by a Biden administration official to NBC.
Flake is the second Republican that Biden has nominated to serve in a diplomatic post under his administration. Prior to Flake, Biden nominated Cindy McCain, the widow of the late Arizona GOP Senator John McCain, as the US Representative to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Both Mrs. McCain and Flake endorsed Biden for president during the 2020 elections and both have been especially critical of Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump.
“Given the strategic importance of the United States’ relationship with our longtime NATO ally, the Republic of Turkey, I am honored and humbled by the trust President Biden has placed in me with this ambassadorial nomination. This is a pivotal post at an important time for both of our countries,” Flake said in a statement.
