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+1 source·20 August 2026 · 21:17 UTC

Moderna and Merck report positive phase 3 results for personalized mRNA cancer vaccine that cut melanoma recurrence; Moderna stock retreats after record surge as investors take profits

The trial, known as INTerpath-001, evaluated 1,137 patients with high-risk melanoma, and the combination significantly improved recurrence-free survival. Bank of America's Alec Stranahan quadrupled his price target to $170, calling the results a 'watershed moment' for Moderna, though he noted more testing is needed.

+1 source·20 August 2026 · 21:17 UTC

US national debt tops $40 trillion as interest costs exceed $1 trillion annually; Treasury's Bessent signals buybacks could exceed $4 billion

The debt has doubled since 2017, and interest payments now rank as the government's second-biggest expense behind Social Security. Bond yields rebounded Thursday, with the 30-year yield ending at 5.237%, as Bessent's intervention proved short-lived.

+2 sources·20 August 2026 · 21:17 UTC

Bessent's bond-market moves haven't worked so far; yields stay high as he signals bigger buybacks and deficit plan

The 10-year Treasury yield rose back to 4.69% Thursday, near its level before the buyback announcement, while the 30-year yield hit 5.23%. Analysts like Evercore's Krishna Guha call the plan a 'weak form of Operation Twist' that may have little lasting impact.

+2 sources·20 August 2026 · 17:14 UTC

Meta faces $1.4 trillion threat as ex-exec testifies Zuckerberg prioritized growth over child safety; trial could reshape Facebook and Instagram

The trial, which began Tuesday in Oakland, is expected to last six weeks, with jurors issuing an advisory verdict and Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers deciding liability and penalties. A former engineering director, Arturo Béjar, testified that Meta's 'take a break' tool was 'designed to fail' because it isn't the default setting.

·20 August 2026 · 17:14 UTC

US Treasury yield surge drives global borrowing costs to multi-decade highs as 30-year bond tops 5% for first time since 2007

The US national debt has hit £29.3tn, doubling over the past decade, fueling fears that Trump's tax and spending plans are unsustainable. Meanwhile, the AI boom is adding to bond supply as Silicon Valley companies borrow heavily for datacentres, and G7 nations face sharp yield increases.

·20 August 2026 · 06:00 UTC

Mattel announces 3,509-piece, 1:1-scale original Xbox building set featuring interactive elements from classic games.

The $330 set includes a buildable Duke controller and interactive dioramas referencing *Halo: Combat Evolved*, *The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind*, and *Psychonauts*. As builders press the controller's buttons, scenes from the games illuminate with corresponding soundtracks, and a secret button combo triggers an exclusive lighting sequence.

+2 sources·20 August 2026 · 00:31 UTC

California becomes first US state to set efficiency rules for replacement tires; new regulations aim to save drivers nearly $1 billion annually

The California Energy Commission estimates that the new tire standards will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2 million metric tons per year, equivalent to removing about 400,000 gasoline cars from the roads. The regulations will phase in starting in 2029, with stricter requirements taking effect in 2033.

Yesterday

+2 sources·19 August 2026 · 20:48 UTC

Board approves $19.9 billion plan to overhaul Washington Dulles airport; construction includes $3.75 billion for new tunnels and automated transit system

The overhaul plan will also see the $6.2 billion reconstruction of the main terminal begin in late 2027, with completion expected by 2034. Additionally, the cost for airlines to board passengers is projected to rise to between $60 and $65 by 2038 to help cover the new infrastructure costs.

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