Asked about suspected "Havana Syndrome" attacks, a State Dept spokesman said, "We don't discuss embassy operations..." How's that? washingtonpost.com/national-secur…

Stepping down after 16 years in office with 80% approval ratings. Who compares as best 21st century global leader? We will miss Angela Merkel.

Covid infections have fallen 25% in two weeks, a sign the worst of Delta may be over, but the NYT's big headline is the approach of the 700,000 death milestone. What am I missing?

Also within this story on the state of pitching, this eye-popping stat: The Nationals bullpen was charged with 42 losses this season, most in MLB history. masnsports.com/nationals-past…

Many sites bear the name 'Mark Ridley-Thomas.' What happens now that he faces charges? latimes.com/california/sto…

President Biden is giving democratic fundraiser George Tsunis another chance to become an ambassador, tapping him for Greece. Tsunis famously botched his hearing to be Amb to Norway in the Obama admin: npr.org/transcripts/27…

A little early, but I may tweet this several times over the next days, as I do every year. Because, it can't be shared enough. @WHCOS

The Biden administration, facing a crisis with Russia over Ukraine, still hasn't nominated an ambassador to Kiev. mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=…

Cost estimate for a portion of Washington's Purple Line project jumps 10 fold. bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/…

Serbia, a country of low vaccination rates and celebrated vax skeptics, has the third highest rate of excess covid deaths in the world. economist.com/graphic-detail…

A year in, the Biden administration has yet to pick nominees for 35 top foreign policy posts, says U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. Forty nominees are awaiting Senate confirmation. usglc.org/senior-leaders…

A tale of a hard-working ambassador left unprotected by her State Department superiors. washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/0…

Reading, writing and kevlar: The new superintendent of the Montgomery County, MD, schools has a contract specifying she's entitled to bodyguards if she faces a credible security threat. bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/…

Luria: The Secret Service is getting lawyered up.

Washington spin: Gen. Leslie Grove, head of the Manhattan Project, told the Senate radiation sickness is a "very pleasant way to die": mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbo…

Explains everything: "Ninety percent of politics takes place in the low- to middle information space," said former Florida Rep. David Jolly on WAMU radio last week.

Extraordinary: SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday that now was not a time for war, directly assailing the Kremlin chief in public over the nearly seven-month-long conflict in Ukraine.

The Athletic picks the Nationals as the worst team in the MLB, and not narrowly. "Franchise meltdown...deep putrefaction." The Lerner-Rizzo-Martinez leadership doesn't believe in doing anything halfway. theathletic.com/4017703/2022/1…

Like it or not? The New York Times has an op-ed today chiding Americans for lapping up the Harry and Meghan melodrama, and a front-page story saying Americans are fed up with the ex-royals' self promotion. nytimes.com/2023/01/09/boo…

Great podcast from CFR about how July 4 happened and almost didn't happen. cfr.org/podcasts/fourt…