• A Câmara dos Representantes dos EUA aprovou um projeto de lei de dotações para o Departamento de Segurança Interna na quinta-feira, abrindo caminho para encerrar uma paralisação de dois meses da agência que havia interrompido partes das operações federais de imigração, fronteira e cibersegurança.
• O presidente Donald Trump assinou a medida pouco depois, restaurando o financiamento total para o Departamento de Segurança Interna e evitando possíveis interrupções na segurança dos aeroportos, nas operações de deportação e na fiscalização de fronteiras até o fim do ano fiscal.
• O conflito da paralisação colocou aliados de Trump contra republicanos centristas e democratas em relação aos níveis de fiscalização de fronteiras, mas o projeto final preservou iniciativas fundamentais da era Trump na fronteira, ao mesmo tempo em que suavizou algumas exigências de gastos de linha dura.
O veto do presidente Lula ao projeto de lei foi derrubado pelo congresso e senado do Brasil, o que significa que agora aguarda confirmação pela suprema corte. O congresso do Brasil, em grande parte conservador, aprovou um projeto de lei que reduz a pena de prisão do ex-presidente de extrema-direita Jair Bolsonaro, que foi condenado no ano passado por tentativa de golpe. O projeto de lei tinha sido aprovado inicialmente pelo congresso em dezembro, mas o presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva o vetou em janeiro em um movimento simbólico marcando os três anos desde que apoiadores de Bolsonaro saquearam a capital, Brasília. Continue lendo...
A votação ocorre no mesmo dia em que a Suprema Corte dos EUA revoga uma disposição fundamental da Voting Rights Act. O legislativo da Flórida aprovou um novo mapa congressional destinado a maximizar a vantagem dos republicanos no estado como parte da batalha nacional de redistritamento que Donald Trump lançou antes das eleições de meio de mandato deste ano. A votação ocorreu apenas dois dias depois que o governador, Ron DeSantis, revelou sua proposta e no mesmo dia em que a Suprema Corte dos EUA revogou uma disposição fundamental da Voting Rights Act. A decisão pode dificultar para os democratas contestarem os esforços republicanos de redesenhar distritos congressionais de formas que limitam a influência de eleitores de cor. Continue lendo...
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 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.
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...
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...
• 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...