Good morning. It's Saturday, March 29, and in this weekend edition, we're covering a deadly earthquake in Southeast Asia, the first US state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.
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At least 694 people are dead and over 1,600 injured after a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar (also known as Burma) Friday. The quake hit the country’s second-most populous city, Mandalay, and was felt more than 600 miles away in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, where at least 10 people were killed, 26 injured, and nearly 50 missing. The United States Geological Survey estimates deaths could surpass 10,000. See maps of the impact here.
The earthquake caused widespread destruction, including collapsed bridges, downed power lines, damage to historic structures such as the former Royal Palace in Mandalay, and the collapse of a high-rise tower under construction in Bangkok. The disaster comes as Myanmar, among Southeast Asia's poorest nations, has been ravaged by an ongoing civil war since a 2021 coup, with the ruling junta severely limiting international aid access in areas under its control. See photos here.
The quake, roughly six miles deep, occurred due to the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates—large slabs of rock that make up the Earth’s crust—rubbing sideways against each other (a "strike-slip") along the Sagaing fault line. See the USGS explainer here.
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Utah becomes first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water.
Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed legislation Thursday preventing people or government entities from adding fluoride to water systems in the state, effective May 7. Fluoride is a mineral that helps inhibit or reverse cavities and tooth decay and can be naturally found in water, soil, and rocks (see overview). As of 2022, roughly 44% of Utah's population received fluoridated water, according to the CDC (see stats)—among the lowest in the US.
State Department formally notifies Congress it is dissolving USAID.
The State Department officially informed Congress of its plan to shutter the US Agency for International Development and transfer some of its functions to the department by July 1. The move, expected to face legal challenges, comes after the Trump administration laid off thousands of USAID employees and revoked funding for over 80% of the agency's programs. The administration has argued USAID mismanaged taxpayer funds and supported programs not aligned with US interests. See our previous write-up here.
Nearly 500 cases of measles reported across 20 states, per CDC.
As of Friday, the measles outbreak in Texas had infected 400 people, while four other states are also experiencing outbreaks. The outbreaks—defined as three or more cases—include New Mexico, Kansas, Ohio, and Oklahoma. In total, the US has 483 confirmed measles cases, with 157 cases in children under the age of 5 and 204 in those between the ages of 5 and 19. See data from the CDC here.
CoreWeave begins trading on Nasdaq after raising $1.5B in IPO.
The Nvidia-backed cloud computing firm provides graphics processing unit infrastructure to artificial intelligence developers. Its initial public offering is the largest tech IPO since 2021 after selling 37.5 million shares priced at $40 each. CoreWeave initially planned to sell 49 million shares for between $47 and $55 each. Its shares began trading at $39 each Friday and closed at $40. Learn more about IPOs on our 1440 Topics page.
Trump pardons Nikola founder Trevor Milton in securities fraud case.
Milton was convicted in October 2022 on securities and wire fraud charges for falsely claiming to investors about the success of Nikola's electric and hydrogen-powered trucks. He was sentenced to four years in prison (but had been free on a $100M bail while appealing the case). President Donald Trump's pardon exempts Milton from serving prison time and paying restitution to Nikola shareholders, though he may still face civil lawsuits.
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Dear Readers—We've officially launched our series of 1440 Topics newsletters, taking deep dives into hot topics in each area. You can sign up for each individually, and they're all 100% free. Currently you can check out:
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Stay tuned for more—we'll be launching in Science & Technology, Health & Medicine, World History, and more in the coming months!
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A group of 88 kindergarteners creates heartfelt centerpieces defining what love is for their teacher's wedding. (More)
Georgia teen accepted into 58 colleges and receives $1M in scholarships. (More)
Baltimore doctor, known for treating patients for free, receives support from those patients when he's unable to afford treatment for his cancer diagnosis. (More)
Texas meteorologist proposes to girlfriend on air in front of green-screen candlelight. (More, w/video)
... and a pilot proposes midair to his girlfriend, who inspired his flying journey. (More)
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In partnership with Med-X
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Today, we're sharing a story from reader Richard P. in Kansas City, Missouri.
"As a teenager in the 1970s, I struggled with substance abuse. A bad LSD experience put me in the hospital with broken bones and a shattered spirit. My father never gave up on me. 'You could use some success,' he said to me one day. 'How about we rebuild the engine in your car?'"
"It was a 1973 Chevy Vega GT that burned a quart of oil with every tank of gas. Dad had been a Navy airplane mechanic during the Korean War, and spent his career as a mechanical engineer for John Deere. After my bones had healed, we took the Vega apart in Dad's garage, then put the pieces back together again. I drove the car to college a few weeks later, and thanks to the lessons learned, I was able to keep it running all the way through graduation."
"Twenty-plus years later, I was gainfully employed, married, with two children. Mom and Dad often came to visit. One morning, as I was leaving for work, Dad said to me, 'You're doing good, Richard. Keep doing what you're doing.' His affirmation nearly surpassed the gift of kindness he'd made decades earlier. Actions may speak louder than words, but the power of words should not be underestimated. Here's a photo of Dad and me in 1978, shortly after the Vega was reassembled."
What act(s) of kindness did you experience this week? Tell us here.
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