May 27 to 31

Biden honors fallen soldiers during Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington

National Cemetery

U.S. President Joe Biden honored fallen soldiers during the 156th observance of Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery outside the nation's capital on Monday.

Biden placed a wreath of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in a solemn ceremony, where he was accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

"We gather at this sacred place, at this solemn moment, to remember, to honor the sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands of women and men who have given their lives for this nation," Biden said afterward at the cemetery's amphitheater.

Earlier in the day, Biden hosted a White House breakfast in honor of Memorial Day that included administration officials, military leadership, veterans andso-calledGoldStarfamilymembers,referringto those who have lost an immediate relative in military action.

US unveils policy to boost carbon offset market integrity

The U.S. government unveiled rules to govern the use of voluntary carbon credits on Tuesday, seeking to boost confidence in a nascent market after some high-profile offset projects failed to deliver the promised emissions reductions.

The heads of the Treasury, Energy and Agriculture Departments as well as President Joe Biden's top climate and economic advisers announced a joint statement of policy and principles to guide participation in voluntary carbon markets as part of its broader efforts to encourage their development.

"Voluntary carbon markets can help unlock the power of private markets to reduce emissions, but that can only happen if we address significant existing challenges," said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

"The principles released today are an important step toward building high-integrity voluntary carbon markets."

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-honors-fallen-soldiers-during-memorialday-ceremony-arlington-national-2024-05-27/

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Exclusive: Nicotine-like chemicals in U.S. vapes may be more potent than nicotine, FDA says

Nicotine alternatives used in vapes being launched in the U.S. and abroad, such as 6-methyl nicotine, may be more potent and addictive than nicotine itself, though the scientific data remains incomplete, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and independent researchers.

The synthetic substances - which have a chemical structure similar to that of nicotine - are not subject to U.S. tobacco and vaping regulations that are designed to control traditional nicotine, a highly addictive drug.

That means manufacturers can sell vapes containing synthetic nicotine analogues such as 6methyl nicotine in the United States without seeking authorisation from the FDA - a process that can be costly, time-consuming and is often unsuccessful.

US nears deal to fund Moderna's bird flu vaccine trial, FT reports

The U.S. government is nearing an agreement to fund a late-stage trial of Moderna's (MRNA.O), opens new tab mRNA bird flu vaccine, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, as the outbreak spreads in dairy cows.

Moderna told Reuters it was in discussions with the government on advancing its vaccine candidate, but did not confirm thefunding, saying it has nothing further to add.

Federal funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) could come as soon as next month and would include a promise to procure doses if late-stage trials are successful, the FT report said, citing people close to the discussions.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/nicotine-likechemicals-us-vapes-may-be-more-potent-than-nicotine-fda-says-2024-05-29/

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U.S. FDA set to reorganize its food division starting October

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) said on Thursday it plans to restructure its food division starting in October helping it to oversee human food supply chains and agricultural products more efficiently.

The regulatory body had come under fire over its slow response to the infant formula shortage in 2022.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The FDA said the reorganization will enable it to be more efficient and agile while regulating the industry. ThereorganizationwillleadtothecreationofaunifiedHumanFoodsProgram (HFP),theadoptionofa new model for the FDA's field operations among other changes.

The HFP will take over the roles of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and the Office of Food Policy and Response, along with key functions from the Office of Regulatory Affairs, which will be renamed to the Office of Inspections and Investigations.

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https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-fda-set-reorganize-its-food-division-startingoctober-2024-05-30/

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