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Mike Johnson released the text of three spending bills: separate aid packages for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. A fourth—which would allow America to seize Russian assets, among other measures favoured by conservatives—is expected to follow. The House will probably vote on them over the weekend. Mr Johnson, the Republican House speaker, under pressure from some on his party’s right, has resisted putting Ukraine aid bills up for a vote, rejecting the package that the Senate passed in February.
Trump trial: day four
Donald Trump’s criminal trial will resume after a break on Wednesday. On his day off Mr Trump met Andrzej Duda, Poland’s right-wing populist president, at Trump Tower in New York, a sign that foreign leaders are preparing for a possible second Trump term despite the trial. The two discussed NATO spending and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. On Thursday jury selection for the trial will continue; six still need to be chosen, plus several “alternate” jurors. The judge expects opening statements on Monday.
The Senate swiftly shut down the impeachment trial against Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland-security secretary, and declared the charges against him unconstitutional. Senators voted along party lines although Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, only voted “present” for the first article, which accused Mr Mayorkas of showing a “willful and systemic refusal” to follow the law. The House controversially impeached Mr Mayorkas in February.
Republican lawmakers in Arizona blocked another effort by Democrats to repeal the near-total abortion ban that the state’s Supreme Court upheld last week. The law, which was passed in 1864 but was for decades not enforced, has attracted Republican critics including Mr Trump and Kari Lake, who is running to represent Arizona in the Senate. Ms Lake, who is in a tight race, praised the law two years ago.
House lawmakers grilled Nemat Shafik, the president of Columbia University, during an antisemitism hearing. She appeared more wary than the presidents of Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania, who were ousted shortly after testifying in December, and disclosed investigations and suspensions of several students and staff. Irene Mulvey, leader of the American Association of University Professors, commented that Ms Shafik’s public naming of professors “echoes McCarthy era cowardice.”
Iran’s attacks on Israel should make Joe Biden realise that “negotiation with the ayatollahs is a waste of time,” the Telegraph, a British newspaper, argued on April 15th. His administration still believes Mr Trump’s abandonment of the Iran nuclear deal was wrong. But wasn’t Mr Trump right to identify Iran as a “malign force” with unmovable ambitions? Now, to avoid war, “maximum” pressure is required, the paper wrote.
Brash national self-confidence has long been a defining feature of how Americans are viewed abroad. In 2006, when Gallup first started asking Americans about their trust in institutions, the country ranked at the top of the G7 league table, tied with Britain. In 2023, for the first time, America came last. We consider the consequences.
0.5, the percentage points that investors expect the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by this year, compared with 1.5 percentage points at the beginning of 2024. Read our story about the impact of stubbornly high rates.
YouGov asked Americans whether they think that convicted felons should be allowed to serve in certain positions. When it came to some roles, respondents were not so far apart, regardless of whether they intended to vote for Donald Trump or Joe Biden. But one job saw a big split.
Thursday: Which state has produced the most Nobel prize winners?
Wednesday: In 2012, there were 13 states where 30% of the adult population was classified as obese. In how many states was this true in 2022?
See how to take part in the quiz at the bottom of this page.
If you enjoyed this week’s questions, play Dateline, The Economist’s new history game.
—Senator Mike Lee, objecting to his colleagues’ decision to toss the first article of impeachment against Alejandro Mayorkas, on April 17th.
Read all of our recent coverage of the 2024 election. Confused about a term? Check out our A-Z of American politics.
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In brief
Our daily political update, featuring the stories that matter
In brief
Our daily political update, featuring the stories that matter
In brief
Our daily political update, featuring the stories that matter
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