Your Wednesday Briefing

Kamala Harris, Russian vaccine, Thai students: Here’s what you need to know.


‘A Smoking Gun’: Infectious Coronavirus Retrieved From Hospital Air

Airborne virus plays a significant role in community transmission, many experts believe. A new study fills in the missing piece: Floating virus can infect cells.


‘I Made a Very Difficult Decision,’ Belarus Challenger Says

In a video, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya — the main opponent of Aleksandr Lukashenko, the embattled president of Belarus — explains why she left the country early Tuesday amid antigovernment protests.


Finding the Soul of Sonora in Carne Asada

A carne asada goes far beyond grilled meat: In the Mexican state of Sonora, it’s a weekly ritual, a tight-knit gathering of friends and family.


New Zealand Announces New Coronavirus Cases

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday confirmed four new cases of the coronavirus in New Zealand. The announcement came shortly after the country’s 100-day milestone without any new infections.


Children Are Not Immune

And what else you need to know today.


In Thailand, Students Take on the Military (and ‘Death Eaters’)

Thousands of young people, borrowing from Harry Potter and other pop culture touchstones, are calling on the army and its allies to get out of politics.


Your Tuesday Briefing

Lebanon resignations, Belarus protests, Champions League: Here’s what you need to know.


U.S. Contractor Knew of Explosive Material in Beirut Since at Least 2016

An American contractor spotted and reported the potential danger at least four years ago, but U.S. officials denied they were aware of the findings until last week, after the blast.


State Dept. Says Report Defends Pompeo on Arms Sales. But It Finds Fault Over Mass Deaths.

The agency gave its interpretation of an inspector general’s report on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushing arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E., but declined to release the findings.