Public Health & Vaccines (Uruguay): Uruguay launched a national meningococcal vaccination push, with mass centers in Montevideo (LATU and Sodre) offering 10,000 appointment slots, plus 11 sites in Canelones for 5,000 people; appointments are required in those departments, while the rest of the country uses extended-hours centers and clinics without appointments. Health Policy (Region): PAHO reports Chile joined RedFESP, a network focused on strengthening Essential Public Health Functions, with Uruguay among participating countries discussing how to institutionalize stewardship and governance. Assisted Dying (France): France’s president signed and published a law creating a right to assisted dying for eligible adults with serious, incurable terminal or advanced illness, with safeguards and a requirement for implementing decrees before clinicians can apply it. Blood Safety (Argentina/Uruguay): A CDC-linked study found Western equine encephalitis virus in one asymptomatic blood donor during an outbreak, underscoring the value of donor screening as a sentinel system. Digital Health (Uruguay): Uruguay’s parliament is reviewing a bill to restrict social media access for minors under 15, aiming to protect physical and mental health, privacy, and security. Climate & Food Security (Global): UN warns a potentially very strong 2026-27 El Niño could push tens of millions more into acute food insecurity, with past El Niño disasters showing major public health fallout.