International
EU assessing Moderna’s Omicron jab

AFP
The EU’s medicines watchdog said Tuesday it was assessing Moderna’s Covid-19 booster jab for new strains of the Omicron variant as fears grow of a winter wave of infections.
If approved, the adapted Spikevax shot will become the second in the 27-nation bloc’s toolbox to fight the highly infectious BA.4 and BA.5 types of the variant.
The European Medicines Agency said it had “started evaluating an application for the authorisation of an adapted version of Spikevax”, targeting both the original Covid-19 strain and the BA.4 and 5 types.
It did not say when approval of the booster might happen.
Two weeks ago, the Amsterdam-based watchdog approved Pfizer/BioNTech’s bivalent vaccine for the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 strains.
It backed Pfizer and Moderna jabs that target the BA.1 type at the start of September.
The Britain, Canada and the United States have also approved anti-Omicron jabs.
While the original Covid vaccines that emerged nearly two years ago provide some protection against newer variants, the race has been on to produce jabs that specifically target the milder but more infectious Omicron strains.
Previous “variants of concern” like Alpha and Delta eventually petered out but Omicron and its sub-lineages have dominated throughout 2022.
The BA.4 and BA.5 types have in particular helped to drive new cases of the disease in Europe and the United States in recent months.
The EMA warned last week that while death rates were down the pandemic is “still ongoing” and urged countries to roll out booster programmes before winter, when cases are expected to rise.
International
Trump Authorizes Military to Take Control of Federal Land Along U.S.-Mexico Border

In a presidential memorandum issued Friday afternoon, Trump directed the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, Interior, and Agriculture to facilitate the transfer of designated public lands to allow for “military activities” under the jurisdiction of the Pentagon.
According to the document, the land transfer must begin within the next 45 days. The only area specifically named in the order is the so-called “Roosevelt Reservation”, a narrow strip of federally owned land—approximately 20 meters wide—that runs parallel to the U.S.-Mexico border for about 1,000 kilometers, stretching from New Mexico to California.
The memo does not clarify what specific military operations will take place on these lands or what their exact purpose will be.
International
Two fans killed in gate collapse outside Chile’s Estadio Monumental

Two people lost their lives near the Estadio Monumental in Santiago, Chile, following a chaotic incident that occurred before the Copa Libertadores match between Colo Colo and Brazil’s Fortaleza on April 10. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the victims were crushed after a fence on the stadium perimeter collapsed, though authorities are investigating whether a police armored vehicle may have played a role.
It was a black Thursday at Chile’s Estadio Monumental. Two local fans died outside the stadium after a yet-unclarified incident caused a metal gate to fall on them, leading to fatal asphyxiation.
Local media reports indicate that a group of fans attempted to force their way into the stadium before kickoff. In response, local police allegedly deployed armored vehicles to block the breach.
Preliminary reports cited by local newspapers and news agencies like EFE identify the victims as two young individuals—one 18 years old and the other just 13.
International
Dominican Republic mourns over 200 dead in Jet Set nightclub collapse

On Thursday, April 10, 2025, the Dominican Republic began mourning the more than 200 victims of the collapse of Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, although many families are still desperately waiting for the remains of their loved ones.
The roof of the Jet Set club collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday, April 8, during a live performance by iconic merengue singer Rubby Pérez.
Rescue workers were completing the recovery of human remains from beneath the rubble of corrugated metal and steel beams, as search efforts ended with no further hope of finding survivors.
Around the morgue, the atmosphere was one of grief, anguish, and despair. A list of the deceased was posted on a canvas covering a nearby tent, where crowds gathered in distress. Health Minister Víctor Atallah stated that forensic teams are working at full capacity and urged patience. “No one will go unidentified, and no one will be left without answers,” he promised. “We will turn over every last stone if we have to.”
The tragic collapse also claimed the lives of several foreigners, including a significant number of Venezuelan nationals who were present at the club, according to local newspaper Listín Diario. The outlet reported the official death toll at 221, which included one Haitian, two French nationals, one Italian, and one Kenyan.
Meanwhile, relatives, friends, and fans of Rubby Pérez released white balloons outside the National Theater shortly before the hearse departed with the remains of the beloved singer, known for hits like “Enamorado de ella” and “Buscando tus besos.” Draped over his coffin were both the Dominican and Venezuelan flags, the latter symbolizing the country where his fame took off.
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