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• The FDA granted accelerated approval to a CRISPR-based gene therapy for severe sickle cell disease on April 20, marking the first approved genetic treatment editing patient blood cells to produce functional hemoglobin. • Clinical trials demonstrated 95% of treated patients experienced elimination or near-elimination of vaso-occlusive crises within 12 months, with durable responses observed for over two years post-treatment. • The therapy addresses a disease affecting approximately 100,000 Americans, primarily of African descent, offering potential cure for patients previously reliant on pain management and blood transfusions.

• Satark AI, an India-based cybersecurity startup, raised pre-seed funding at a $4 million valuation to develop an AI-driven decision layer for reducing security alert noise. • The startup focuses on a critical enterprise security challenge: alert fatigue from excessive false positives that can slow incident response and waste analyst resources. • Satark AI's funding demonstrates investor confidence in AI-powered solutions targeting operational efficiency within security operations centers across global enterprises.

• NTT Research unveiled SaltGrain, a new data security suite designed to break the traditional all-or-nothing file-access model and enhance privacy protection. • The platform addresses existing cybersecurity gaps by enabling granular access control through advanced attribute-based encryption technology. • SaltGrain represents a significant advancement in data protection capabilities, offering enterprises more sophisticated control over sensitive information access and sharing.

Howard-era former minister Amanda Vanstone criticises parts of hardline policy but backs English language requirementGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFormer Howard government minister Amanda Vanstone has warned Angus Taylor against turning immigration into heavy-handed law enforcement, saying most migrants from countries run by dictators and extremists move here to escape authoritarianism.Releasing the first elements of a new hardline immigration policy on Tuesday, the opposition leader sparked criticism from refugee advocates, Pauline Hanson and even one sitting Liberal MP, who all likened the plans to policies from US president Donald Trump. Continue reading...

New York-based Gao Zhen was detained in 2024 during a family visit to China and then tried for ‘defaming national heroes’ The Chinese dissident artist Gao Zhen, known for making satirical sculptures of China’s former leader Mao Zedong, has been tried over accusations of “defaming national heroes and martyrs”, his wife and a rights group have said.Gao, 69, who was detained in 2024 during a visit to China from the US, faces a maximum three-year prison sentence, his wife, Zhao Yaliang, and Shane Yi, a researcher at the Chinese human rights defenders group, said. Continue reading...

• Advocate Health will launch the country's largest hospital-based drone delivery network, beginning in Charlotte, NC, using Zipline drones to deliver prescriptions, lab specimens, and medical supplies across three of its markets. • The system is projected to conduct approximately 100,000 deliveries per year, significantly expanding healthcare logistics and supply chain capabilities within hospital systems. • This initiative represents a major technological advancement in hospital operations and marks a shift toward automated delivery infrastructure in American healthcare systems.

Nerdeen Kiswani, founder of Within Our Lifetime group, says FBI told her plot against her life was ‘about to’ take placeSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxFederal US law enforcement has foiled a plot to assassinate New York-based Palestinian American activist Nerdeen Kiswani.Kiswani wrote in post on X that late on Thursday, the FBI joint terrorism task force informed her that a plot against her life was “about to” take place, and that agents had conducted an operation in Hoboken, New Jersey in connection to the plot. Continue reading...

Group, which also owns Dove and Hellmann’s, will focus more on personal care products if deal agreedUnilever, the owner of Marmite, Dove and Hellmann’s mayonnaise, is in talks to combine its food business with the US-based spice and seasoning maker McCormick.The Anglo-Dutch food company – which last year spun off its ice-cream division, the home to Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum and Wall’s – has entered discussions over the future of the “highly attractive” business. Continue reading...

• The American Fintech Council submitted a comment letter to Connecticut's Department of Banking on March 16, 2026, urging a risk-based AI governance framework for financial institutions using AI in credit underwriting, fraud detection, and customer service. • The framework emphasizes oversight tailored to AI use cases, prioritizing data privacy, transparency, and human oversight to support innovation while protecting consumers. • AFC CEO Phil Goldfeder stated, 'Regulatory guidance should recognize that these technologies often enhance existing processes rather than replace them.'

‘I did it for the people’ says Farbod Mehr, of song drawing lyrics from the work of revolutionary 20th century poet Aref QazviniA stirring song – sung, apparently, by a young woman, with lyrics expressing the hope that sacrifice will lead to a better future – has become a soundtrack for Iranians in the first part of 2026, as the country experienced the brutal crackdown on anti-regime protests and then the US-Israeli air assault, now in its third week.However, the singer, called Nava, is a product of artificial intelligence, created by a London-based artist of Iranian origin, Farbod Mehr. Continue reading...

ABC News interviewed Variety's chief awards editor Clayton Davis, who analyzed recent awards to forecast 2026 Oscar outcomes, including Best Actress, Best Picture, and whether 'Sinners' will set records. Davis highlighted frontrunners emerging from guilds and other ceremonies as reliable indicators for Sunday's Academy Awards. The discussion underscores 'Sinners' potential historic run from Warner Bros amid industry turmoil. Predictions come days before the March 15 ceremony in Los Angeles.