The pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin is rising.
The latest: A member of Putin’s inner circle recently confronted him over the mismanagement of the war in Ukraine, the clearest sign yet of leadership turmoil.
What else to know: President Biden warned yesterday that the risk of nuclear “Armageddon” is the highest since the Cuban missile crisis.
2
Biden took big steps yesterday toward decriminalizing marijuana.
The details: The president pardoned anyone convicted under federal law for simply having the drug and will review whether the U.S. should still treat it similarly to heroin and ecstasy.
What this does: About 6,500 people will have their records cleared, and the review could lead to marijuana being decriminalized at the federal level.
One problem: Most marijuana convictions are under state law, so Biden’s pardons won’t cover them.
3
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded this morning.
4
Social Security is still struggling to provide basic customer service.
What to know: There are months-long waits and delays, and the agency is helping millions fewer people than it did before the coronavirus pandemic.
Why this matters: Social Security is a last lifeline for some Americans, and many of the people who need help are poor, elderly or disabled — the country’s most at-risk citizens.
5
Most Americans haven’t gotten the new coronavirus booster.
The numbers: Only 4% of those eligible (those 12 and up who’ve had their initial shots) have received the updated vaccines, which were reformulated to target omicron variants, early data shows.
That’s a problem: A fall and winter wave is expected, and experts say these boosters are the best way to top up your protection.
6
Time is running out to register to vote in the midterm elections.
The last possible day to sign up in Alaska and Rhode Island is Sunday, with 14 other states’ deadlines coming next week. Check your state here.
How it works: Each state has different rules. About 20 let voters both register and vote on Election Day (Nov. 8), and some have different deadlines depending on how you register (online, by mail or in person).
Not sure how to register? Check vote.org.
7
People have a lot of feelings about the new Mario movie trailer.
Wait, what Mario movie? It’s set to be released next year, with Chris Pratt as the world’s most famous video game character and Jack Black as his nemesis Bowser.
Why people are talking about it: The trailer, released yesterday, revealed Pratt’s Mario voice for the first time — and he sounds exactly like himself, rather than the character’s chirpy voice from the games.
And now … what to watch this weekend: The MLB playoff season starts today, and there are games all weekend. What to read: A book by this year’s winner of the Nobel Prize in literature.
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