A few days ago, I was talking on the phone with the mayor of a medium-sized “red state” city about how his town was weathering the public-health and financial crises of this era. I told him I was mainly curious about his observations, rather than looking at the moment for on-the-record quotes.

Mount Etna has erupted four times in the past six days, sending lava down its slopes and showering nearby villages with ash. Etna, on the Italian island of Sicily, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. No significant damage or injuries have been reported during this recent outburst, and officials have said they do not think there is immediate danger of escalation, but the views have been spectacular.

This time around, Judge Merrick Garland is getting his hearing.Not only is President Joe Biden’s nominee for attorney general receiving a Senate audience, but his confirmation seems very likely, a second difference from his 2016 nomination to the Supreme Court, which was stymied by then–Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.But there’s still an important question at stake in Garland’s nomination, and if confirmed, in his work as attorney general.

Editor’s Note: The Atlantic is making vital coverage of the coronavirus available to all readers. Find the collection here. The end of the coronavirus pandemic is on the horizon at last, but the timeline for actually getting there feels like it shifts daily, with updates about viral variants, vaccine logistics, and other important variables seeming to push back the finish line or scoot it forward.

Protesters in Yangon have in recent days gathered near the imposing red doors of the Chinese embassy in the city, denouncing China for what they say is its support of this month’s military coup in Myanmar. Conspiracy theories have swirled about the arrival of Chinese technicians to help Myanmar’s new junta build its own “firewall” to control the internet.