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Thailand’s parliament will vote Friday to elect a new prime minister after the ruling Pheu Thai Party’s request to dissolve the legislature was rejected. Caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said the Privy Council deemed the request “inappropriate,” citing legal uncertainties over a caretaker premier’s authority, Al Jazeera reported.

The vote comes after former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was dismissed by the Constitutional Court over an ethics violation. The opposition is expected to back Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul, 58, who previously served as deputy prime minister and health minister and is known for legalizing cannabis in 2022. Pheu Thai has nominated former Attorney General Chaikasem Nitisiri and may call a snap election if he wins.

According to Al Jazeera, the parliamentary vote is scheduled for 10 am local time (03:00 GMT).

A powerful earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has killed more than 2,200 people and injured thousands, leaving remote villages in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces devastated. Entire communities were flattened, with nearly two-thirds of residents in some areas killed or hurt and almost every home destroyed, Reuters reported.

Rescue teams are still pulling bodies from rubble, while survivors say they have been left with “nothing but the clothes on our backs.” Thousands of families are now displaced, many sleeping in the open without food, water, or shelter.

Humanitarian groups warn that relief supplies are running short. The Red Cross estimates over 84,000 people are affected, the World Health Organization faces a $3m funding gap for medical aid, and the UN food agency says its stocks may run out within weeks.

Aid workers are urging urgent and sustained international support, stressing that Afghanistan cannot withstand another crisis without long-term recovery help, according to Reuters.

Western leaders met in Paris with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to advance security guarantees for Ukraine, but the effort still hinges on US backing, Reuters reported.

France’s Emmanuel Macron said technical plans are ready, stressing Europe’s determination to support Kyiv and hoping Washington will sign on. Donald Trump has yet to commit, though his envoy Steve Witkoff discussed the proposals with officials in Paris.

Russian President Vladimir Putin repeated calls for talks but warned Moscow remains ready to use force if necessary.

Thousands of students protested outside Jakarta’s parliament, demanding accountability for police violence and a government dialogue. The demonstrations were sparked by the death of a motorbike taxi driver hit by police, fueling wider anger over corruption and lawmakers’ lavish benefits, Reuters reported.

Despite prior meetings with parliament members, students say their calls for reform and an independent investigation remain unaddressed. At least ten people have died and over 1,000 injured since unrest began, drawing criticism of heavy-handed security measures.

Students vow to continue protests until their demands for justice and transparency are met.

Health insurance premiums under employer plans are expected to rise 6 to 7 percent in 2026, a Mercer survey shows. Even with benefit redesigns, employer costs are projected to grow 6.5 percent, and nearly 9 percent without changes, Reuters reported.

The surge is driven mainly by expensive specialty drugs, higher demand for medical and mental health care, and inflation in healthcare wages. To manage the burden, many employers are revising coverage, increasing cost-sharing, and expanding access to virtual and behavioral health services.

Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to quickly review a ruling that struck down his use of emergency powers to impose sweeping tariffs. A federal appeals court said Trump overstepped by relying on the 1977 emergency law, stressing that only Congress can levy tariffs on such a scale, Reuters reported.

The administration argues the measures are vital for economic security and wants the Court to act before September 10, with hearings in November. The tariffs remain in place while the case continues.

The challenge was brought by small businesses and a dozen Democratic-led states, who warned that Trump’s move violated the Constitution. If the Supreme Court sides with them, it could curb Trump’s wider economic agenda.

Revenge will be at the forefront of Jessica Pegula's mind when she takes on Aryna Sabalenka in the U.S. Open semi-finals on Thursday in a rematch of last year's final, while Naomi Osaka faces Amanda Anisimova for a place in the title decider, Reuters reported.

World number one Sabalenka advanced via walkover after Marketa Vondrousova withdrew injured and is aiming to reach her sixth consecutive hardcourt Grand Slam final.

The Belarusian has made the semis at all four majors this season but has yet to win a title, losing in the Melbourne Park and French Open finals, and to Anisimova in the last four at Wimbledon.

Pegula arrives in peak form. Her 6–3 6–3 win over Barbora Krejcikova made her the first American woman since Serena Williams (2011–14) to reach back-to-back U.S. Open semi-finals without dropping a set, according to Reuters.

Eastern Afghanistan has been devastated by a series of earthquakes that killed at least 1,457 people and injured thousands. Entire villages in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces have been flattened, leaving families digging graves by hand and clinging to what little they have left.

Roads blocked by landslides and aftershocks have slowed rescue efforts, while aid groups warn of a looming crisis. The Red Crescent estimates more than 84,000 people are affected, but food and medical supplies are running dangerously low, Reuters reported.

With international funding limited and the country’s isolation under Taliban rule, survivors face hunger, disease, and worsening hardship unless urgent help arrives.