Post-earthquake ceasefires in Myanmar offer rare opportunity for disaster diplomacy

The Trump administration, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine contracts worth nearly $500 million, including projects aimed at developing vaccines for H5N1. This move has drawn criticism from experts who warn it undermines public health preparedness, as mRNA technology is vital for rapid vaccine development against emerging viruses, despite Kennedy's claims of associated risks. Want More Context? 🔎

Byron Black, 69, was executed via lethal injection in Tennessee, during which he expressed excruciating pain despite declining to make a final statement. His attorney had sought to remove his implanted heart device prior to execution due to concerns it could cause additional suffering, but the request was denied; Black was pronounced dead after about 10 minutes. Want More Context? 🔎

Eighty years ago, a B-29 bomber dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, marking the start of the atomic age, influenced by the 1940 Frisch-Peierls Memorandum, which detailed a compact bomb using uranium fission. This document, pivotal to the Manhattan Project, foreshadowed the destructive power of nuclear weapons, leading to a global arms race and the modern arsenal capable of immense devastation. Want More Context? 🔎

U.S. President Donald Trump will host Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders for peace talks at the White House on Friday, potentially announcing a framework for a peace agreement. The two nations have been in conflict since the late 1980s over Nagorno-Karabakh, with recent tensions escalating after Azerbaijan retook control of the region in 2023, leading to a mass exodus of ethnic Armenians. Want More Context? 🔎

Gov. Greg Abbott filed an emergency petition with the Texas Supreme Court to remove state Rep. Gene Wu from office after Wu and other Democrats left Texas to deny Republicans the quorum needed for redistricting efforts. Abbott's lawsuit claims Wu's absence violates the state Constitution, while Wu argues his actions are a fulfillment of his duty to oppose what he calls a racist gerrymandered map. Want More Context? 🔎

Three alleged human smugglers were arrested alongside 44 foreign nationals attempting to illegally cross into Canada from the U.S. during the August long weekend; the group was detained near Stanstead, Quebec. The asylum seekers, including a child and a pregnant woman, were assessed for eligibility to claim asylum, with many transferred to a CBSA processing facility amid a significant increase in border crossings. Want More Context? 🔎