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• U.S. House of Representatives は木曜日、Homeland Security 歳出法案を可決し、連邦政府の移民、国境、cybersecurity 業務の一部を停止させていた2カ月にわたる同機関の閉鎖を終結させる道を開いた。 • President Donald Trump はその直後に同法案に署名し、Department of Homeland Security への全額の予算配分を再開させ、会計年度末までの空港警備、強制送還業務、国境取り締まりへの混乱の可能性を回避した。 • 閉鎖を巡る対立は、国境取り締まりのレベルをめぐって Trump 支持派と中道派の Republicans および Democrats を対立させたが、最終案は Trump 時代の核心的な国境政策を維持しつつ、一部の強硬な支出要求を和らげる形となった。

ルラ大統領による同法案への拒否権がブラジルの上下両院によって覆されたことで、現在は最高裁判所による最終確認を待つ状態となっている。保守派が多数を占めるブラジル議会は、昨年クーデター未遂の罪で有罪判決を受けた極右のジャイール・ボルソナロ前大統領の刑期を短縮する法案を承認した。この法案は当初12月に議会で可決されたが、ルイス・イナシオ・ルラ・ダ・シルバ大統領は、ボルソナロ支持者が首都ブラジリアを襲撃してから3年となる節目の1月に、象徴的な動きとして拒否権を行使していた。続きを読む...

投票は、米最高裁が投票権法の主要な条項を縮小させたのと同じ日に行われた。 フロリダ州議会は、ドナルド・トランプが今年の中間選挙に向けて開始した全米規模の区割り改定争いの一環として、州内での共和党の優位性を最大化することを意図した新しい連邦議会区割り地図を承認した。 この採決は、ロン・デサンティス知事が自身の提案を発表してからわずか2日後、そして米最高裁が投票権法の主要な条項を縮小させたのと同じ日に行われた。この決定により、有色人種の有権者の影響力を制限するような方法で連邦議会選挙区を再画定しようとする共和党の試みに対し、民主党が異議を唱えることがより困難になる可能性がある。続きを読む...

• Virginia の有権者は、複数の GOP 現職議員を危うくする Democratic が支持する連邦下院の redistricting 案を僅差で承認しました。 • この措置は、主要な選挙区で Democratic に有利になるよう境界線を引き直すもので、2026 midterm races に向けた勢力均衡を変化させます。 • この沿岸部での redistricting を巡る争いは、公正な地図（fair maps）と党派的な優位性を巡る全米的な緊張を浮き彫りにしています。

• OxyContinの製造元であるPurdue Pharmaは、数千件の訴訟を解決するための包括的な法的和解が効力を発することに伴い、今週末までに解散し、公共の利益に焦点を当てた新会社に置き換えられる予定です。 • 火曜日、連邦裁判官は米国司法省による調査を解決するための刑事判決を同社に下しました。これは、和解への道を切り開くための最終的な必要手順となります。

One Nation outperforms the Coalition for the first time, while the rightwing populist party’s leader has a positive rating among all age groupsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA majority of surveyed Australians approve of Pauline Hanson’s leadership of One Nation, giving her a higher job approval rating than Anthony Albanese and Angus Taylor, as the Guardian Essential poll finds the rightwing populist party is outperforming the Coalition for the first time.The results come as Australians are becoming more pessimistic about the country and the economy, with the majority of respondents saying they expected things to get worse in coming months. Continue reading...

Leaders will discuss how to respond to surging energy prices amid the war in the Middle EastEurope live – latest updatesEU leaders have welcomed the end of diplomatic deadlock over a long-awaited €90bn (£78bn) loan for Ukraine, after the bloc finalised the agreement along with a 20th package of sanctions against Russia.After weeks of delay, the EU signed off on the loan on Thursday, in time for summit talks in Cyprus that are scheduled to begin in the evening and will include talks over a dinner with the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Continue reading...

The merger will still require governmental approval and could be delayed by a lawsuit seeking to block itShareholders of Warner Bros Discovery voted “overwhelmingly” to approve the company’s $110bn merger with Paramount Skydance, the parent company of CBS News, on Thursday.But shareholders voted against generous proposed compensation packages for WBD executives, including a $550m payout to the outgoing chief executive, David Zaslav. Continue reading...

• 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.

Governor called referendum after president urged GOP-led states to redraw maps to protect House majorityVoters in Virginia on Tuesday approved new congressional maps intended to boost Democrats’ chances of retaking the House of Representatives, in the latest blow to Donald Trump’s effort to use mid-decade redistricting to preserve his control of Congress.The tit-for-tat redistricting battle began last year after Trump pressed Texas’s Republican-controlled legislature to redraw that state’s congressional maps in a bid to oust as many as five Democratic House lawmakers in the November midterm elections. Continue reading...

The decision to extend a warrantless security law until 30 April came after 20 Republicans worked with House Democrats to defeat attempts to pass five-year and 18-month renewalsSign up for the Breaking News US emailHello and welcome to our live coverage of US politics.The House of Representatives voted early on Friday to briefly extend an expiring and controversial law that grants the US government sweeping powers for warrantless surveillance.Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon to be followed by a meeting between Israeli and Lebanese leaders next week.Progressive Democrat Analilia Mejia won a New Jersey special election for the US House on Thursday. Mejia, who was endorsed by Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is far more critical on Israel and was the only candidate in the Democratic primary to call Israel’s actions during the war in Gaza a genocide.Todd Lyons, the acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is stepping down after a turbulent year carrying out Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.Donald Trump nominated Erica Schwartz, former deputy surgeon general during his first administration, to lead the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).Schwartz was under immediate pressure from critics of the health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, to oppose his anti-vaccine ideology. At a heated oversight hearing, House Democrats grilled Kennedy over his vaccine rollbacks.Speaking in Las Vegas, Trump told supporters “the war in Iran is going along swimmingly, we can do whatever we want.” He did not explain why, then, the US military has been unable to stop Iran from closing the strait of Hormuz.The US Department of Justice opened an investigation into Eric Swalwell following his resignation from Congress, according to a source familiar with the matter.Police in Illinois responded Wednesday evening to the home of Pope Leo’s brother, John Prevost, after a bomb threat was made, NBC Chicago reported. Continue reading...

• Elijah Dottery, diagnosed with sickle cell anemia as a baby, became the first U-M patient to receive the newly FDA-approved stem cell therapy. • The treatment uses patient's own stem cells edited via CRISPR to produce functional hemoglobin, administered at Michigan Medicine. • This breakthrough matters for over 100,000 U.S. sickle cell patients, offering potential cure where prior therapies only managed symptoms.

Legislative change backed by libertarian president makes it easier to extract metals in frozen parts of the AndesArgentina’s congress has approved a bill promoted by the libertarian president, Javier Milei, that authorises mining in ecologically sensitive areas of glaciers and permafrost, and has outraged environmentalists.The amendment to the so-called glacier law, which was already approved by the senate in February, would make it easier to mine for metals such as copper, lithium and silver in frozen parts of the Andes mountains. Continue reading...

Marist poll shows that 48% of city residents approve of Mamdani’s performance while 55% view him favorablySign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxAs New York City’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, approaches his first 100 days in office, a new survey shows that roughly half of city residents approve of his performance so far.The poll, conducted by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion and released on Wednesday morning, found that 48% of residents say they approve of the job Mamdani, 34, is doing, while 30% disapprove and 23% remain unsure. Continue reading...

• The FDA granted approval on April 7, 2026, to Moderna's mRESVIA vaccine, an mRNA-based shot targeting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for adults aged 60 and older. • Clinical trials showed 83.7% efficacy against RSV lower respiratory tract disease in the first season, with data from over 37,000 participants across 22 countries including US sites. • This marks the second mRNA RSV vaccine approved after GSK's Arexvy, aiming to reduce 140,000-160,000 annual US hospitalizations among seniors; CDC review expected soon.

Called Foundayo, the tablet becomes the second one to receive FDA’s green light after Novo Nordisk’s WegovyThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave the green light on Wednesday to a new oral weight-loss medication developed by the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.Known as orforglipron or brand name Foundayo, the once-daily tablet becomes the second GLP-1 drug in pill form to hit the market in a short span of time, arriving after Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill received approval in December. Continue reading...

• In late March 2026, the South Carolina Senate passed heavily amended H. 3924, regulating rather than banning hemp-derived THC products like drinks and gummies. • The bill restricts sales to those 21 and older, tightening safety standards to close 2018 Farm Bill loopholes on high-potency THC. • Legislation now returns to the House for concurrence before the May 7, 2026, deadline.

• The U.S. Senate approved a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, including TSA operations, but excluding ICE and parts of Customs and Border Protection. • The measure addresses impacts from the partial government shutdown, where over 480 TSA officers quit and absences hit 40% at some airports. • President Trump announced plans to sign an executive order for immediate TSA agent payments, separate from the Senate bill.

• Senate passed a funding package by voice vote on March 27, 2026, covering most DHS operations except ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations, paving way to end partial shutdown before two-week recess. • Package includes $20 million for body cameras on immigration agents, drawing from January negotiations, while Republicans eyed reconciliation for more immigration funding. • Deal averts further disruptions amid Trump's unilateral TSA worker payments, with House potentially voting Friday; impacts $140 billion prior windfall for ICE and CBP.

The deal would mean TSA staff, who screen airport passengers, baggage and cargo, would start being paid for the first time since mid-FebruarySign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.The Senate has ended a budget standoff that has forced thousands of airport security staff to work without pay and caused long delays at airports.Democrats held firm in our opposition that Donald Trump’s rogue and deadly militia should not get more funding without serious reforms.US markets saw their biggest slump since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran on Thursday as Donald Trump said the conflict’s impact on oil prices had not been as bad as he expected. The Dow closed 450 points down, while the S&P 500 dipped 1.7%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 2.3%, plunging into correction territory, which happens when an index falls at least 10% below its most recent peak. More here.The department of treasury announced that US paper currency will soon feature President Donald Trump’s signature to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary. The move marks the first time a sitting US president’s signature will appear on legal tender. To accommodate this change, the treasurer’s signature will be removed for the first time since 1861. More here.The Senate failed to achieve 60 votes needed to pass an amendment to the Save America act that would require voters to present photo ID to cast a ballot. The chamber voted 52-47, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed for it to pass. No Democrats voted for it. Earlier today, Trump urged Republicans to terminate the Senate filibuster.During a cabinet meeting today, Donald Trump said that Iran was letting 10 oil tankers through the strait of Hormuz as an apparent goodwill gesture in the supposed negotiations. He also repeated his earlier remarks that Iran is “begging to make a deal”.Donald Trump wants to renovate the White House’s treaty room, traditionally a meeting space for diplomats and statesman, into a guest bedroom with an en suite bathroom, according to the New York Times. Continue reading...

• The House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved five bipartisan bills on March 25, 2026, providing tax relief to natural disaster victims, sexual assault survivors, and pre-school teachers while enhancing IRS customer service and whistleblower protections. • Key measures include the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act (H.R. 5366, passed 41-0) and the Supporting Early-childhood Educators’ Deductions Act (SEED Act, H.R. 5334, passed 43-0), allowing up to $350 annual deductions for classroom expenses for standard deduction filers. • The IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959) strengthens protections for tax fraud informants; all bills received strong bipartisan support amid ongoing tax proposal discussions.

Higher blend has been prohibited in warm weather because of concerns it could worsen smogThe US Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday that it would temporarily allow widespread sales of a higher ethanol gas blend in a move that they hope will tamp down consumer prices that have soared since the Iran war began.The higher blend has been prohibited in warm weather because of concerns it could worsen smog. Continue reading...

Poll also finds Australians keener for government to forge closer ties with ‘middle powers’ such as Canada and JapanGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOnly one in four Australians approve of the US-Israel war on Iran, and just a third have backed the federal government’s actions in sending a military plane and troops to the region, according to a new poll.The latest Guardian Essential poll found Australians are keener for the government to forge closer ties with so-called “middle powers” such as Canada and Japan, with about a third wanting to distance from the US. Continue reading...

• The FDA granted accelerated approval to a novel immunotherapy combination for metastatic pancreatic cancer on March 21, 2026, based on Phase 2 trial data showing a 35% response rate. • The drug combination demonstrated a median overall survival of 14.2 months compared to 11.8 months with standard chemotherapy in the clinical trial of 280 patients. • Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers with a five-year survival rate below 12%, making this approval potentially significant for the estimated 64,000 Americans diagnosed annually.

• The FDA approved the first RSV vaccine for infants via maternal immunization on March 18, 2026, allowing pregnant women to receive vaccination in the third trimester to confer passive immunity to newborns. • The approval is based on a Phase 3 trial showing 82% efficacy in preventing severe RSV disease in infants under six months, with passive immunity lasting approximately three months post-birth. • RSV causes approximately 100,000 hospitalizations and 300-400 deaths annually among US infants, making this vaccine potentially transformative for preventing severe respiratory illness in the most vulnerable population.

• UK Cabinet ministers confirmed agreement allowing US use of British bases for defensive operations to degrade Iranian missile sites attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. • The decision supports collective self-defense amid ongoing US-Israeli strikes against Iranian threats to regional shipping lanes critical for global oil supply. • This bolsters US efforts in the fourth-week war, where Trump claims near-victory but deploys more forces, impacting oil prices and international alliances.

• The Federal Communications Commission approved Nexstar's $6.2 billion deal to acquire rival broadcaster Tegna, creating the largest operator of local television stations in the United States. • FCC Chairman Brendan Carr waived a rule limiting single-company ownership of TV stations reaching more than 39% of U.S. households; the combined entity will cover at least 60%. • The mega-merger represents a significant consolidation in the broadcast media industry and demonstrates regulatory willingness to approve ownership concentration in the communications sector.

Federal law says living presidents can’t appear on currency, but commission approves design for US’s 250th birthdayA federal arts commission on Thursday approved the final design for a 24-karat gold commemorative coin bearing Donald Trump’s image to help celebrate the US’s 250th birthday on 4 July.The vote by the US Commission of Fine Arts, whose members are supporters of the Republican president and were appointed by him earlier this year, was without objection. It clears the way for the US Mint to begin production on the coin, whose size and denomination are still under discussion. Continue reading...