Please note: We'll be off for Labor Day, and back in your inbox on Tuesday—see you then! Hundreds of California officials have been convicted of corruption in the past decade—analysts say a political supermajority and little oversight have encouraged wrongdoing. / The New York Times [+] Embroiled in
Why is the Horn of Africa on the cusp of war? Because Ethiopia wants to be a coastal nation. / The New York Times [+] Africa will finally get mpox vaccines amid a lot of criticism over delays caused by the World Health Organization's red tape. / The Guardian Thanks to
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he's ready to present a "plan of victory" to end the war with Russia. / Semafor More than 1.2 million oral polio vaccines have arrived in Gaza. How they'll be distributed without a ceasefire, or "polio pause,"
This year is tracking to be the most deadly for police shootings in a decade. The previous record was set last year. / The Economist "The moment of glamour seemed worth it." Kurt Andersen says RFK Jr. was his cocaine dealer at Harvard. / The Atlantic [+] Unrelated: Who is Kick
"The outcome of the race might hinge on whether they can keep the former president on script." Six factors that will define the final stretch of the election. / Wake Up to Politics See also: Here are the individuals and organizations that have pumped the most money into the
Seasoned Democrats warn party delegates not to think “everyone is as energetic as you are." / Politico A veteran from Capitol Hill says if you want to take politics seriously, don't send money to candidates. / Matt's Five Points Lessons gleaned from interviews with so-called low
A mutated form of mpox has been circulating for months in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country still doesn't have a single vaccine. / Bloomberg [+] Former national security adviser HR McMaster says Vladimir Putin deliberately exploited Donald Trump's "ego and insecurities." / The Guardian Related:
President Biden approved a secret strategy in March to prepare the United States for possible coordinated nuclear confrontations with China, Russia and North Korea. / The New York Times [+] Condoleezza Rice: US-China relations badly need new procedures and lines of communication to prevent an accidental catastrophe. / Foreign Affairs Political influence
China and the United States are making progress, albeit limited, in cutting reliance on coal. / Semafor At this point of the year, global wildfire burn is about the highest it's been since 2012. / Sustainability by numbers See also: A fashion designer's rain-harvesting hats, and a
Even as the GOP publicly lambastes Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, some Republican mayors in Ohio say it's making local energy projects possible. / Semafor A researcher at a US agency developing moonshot health therapies suggests replacing brain tissue as a way to treat stroke victims—and eventually
