You know we all marvel that like, dolphins can sleep with half their brain at a time, and wow that's so weird. But we rely fully on being STRAIGHT UP COMPLETELY UNCONSCIOUS FOR A THIRD OF OUR LIVES (if we are lucky enough to get that sleep). Defenseless! WHICH of us is the weirdo!?

NEW: The CSIS Global Development Department examines the dramatic changes in priorities, policies, and organizational structures to the development landscape since the second Trump administration took office. 🧵Learn more: features.csis.org/new-developm...

This is a really fascinating looks at what bitcoin can do to counter financial repression in service of human rights defenders and others fighting for a better world.

"The recent USAID closure and drawback of ODA have injected new urgency into a conversation around the inefficiencies of the previous model from both Western & Global South countries," @csishumanrights.bsky.social experts write. What's the future of U.S. foreign aid? www.csis.org/analysis/shi...

Important piece going beyond the speeches on how the U.S. is pulling back its support for the U.N.

Best week of the year. I’m rolling with 602. He does a happy dance.

Now this is a story, all about how…my favorite poll in a long, long time.

This is important, both in its framework and its reminder that these deals create an opportunity, but they're far from an end. A lot of work is necessary to take advantage of those opportunities.

With the Trump Administration's focus on commercial diplomacy and centering assistance locally, I wrote with Amb Derek Mitchel suggesting a new tool to complement traditional foreign assistance in improving investment conditions, an Ambassadors Fund for Good Governance. www.csis.org/analysis/loc...

This is incredible. Art is often all that can demonstrate the absurdity of authoritarianism and mass surveillance. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/02/b...

Great report by my colleague @lauratmurphy.bsky.social on the importance of what UFLPA has done, what can reasonably be asked of it, and how it might be repeated elsewhere.

The single most important thing to understand about digital futurism is this: When the digital future that Sam Altman ( or Elon, or Andreessen, etc) predicts fails to materialize, he doesn’t have to give the money back.

Word is it’s #internationaldogday, so here’s Amber in various states of dufus. If you’re like me, you need random dog pics all the time these days.

I'm late on this, but a fantastic rundown of what corruption means to ordinary people by my former colleague @abigailbellows.bsky.social. It's easy to think of these issues as abstract and removed, but they're not. A dollar stolen is a dollar not at a hospital. www.justsecurity.org/118796/human...

On this date in 1919, Cleveland Indians pitcher Ray Caldwell was struck by lightning in the 9th inning vs the Philadelphia Athletics. He was knocked unconscious for a few minutes but continued pitching, winning the game 2-1. He threw a no-hitter a few weeks later.

Bama’s description here of the human rights reports as a reflection of who we want to be and the world we want to live in is spot on. bamaathreya.medium.com/the-closing-...

WUSA-TV - DC restaurants saw a more than 25% drop in diners in the days following President Trump’s takeover of the city’s police department. www.wusa9.com/article/news...

🧵 Originally began in part to inform U.S. security assistance, the delayed latest Country Reports on Human Rights Practices is now available, with expectation that much is no longer included. As reactions come in, we'll add to this thread. www.state.gov/reports/2024...

As Trump and Putin prepare to meet for Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations, Americans think Ukraine and the EU should also have a seat at the table. A March 2025 Council-Ipsos survey finds only 3 percent believe just the US and Russia should decide the terms for peace. brnw.ch/21wUPCc

Wow this piece by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. #Belarus www.foreignaffairs.com/belarus/how-...

Corruption, labor rights violations, and general poor governance impede business operations. Who will help improve governance in countries where U.S. companies make deals? Read the analysis from the CSIS Human Rights Initiative: #[cs.is/4frzhrj

With @timmiller.bsky.social - on Sudan, America and Polish wildflowers www.thebulwark.com/p/anne-apple...

We at @csishumanrights.bsky.social had a great pair of roundtables on commercial diplomacy. One of the main conclusions is just how much good governance is needed for it to work well. The private sector can step up its support, but it can only do so much. My take. www.csis.org/analysis/com...

Both the age breakdowns and the historical trend (85% approve at the time, 35% now) of Americans’ view on the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are fascinating. www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

Stand by this: www.politico.com/newsletters/...

This is a great rundown of what happened and where we are, but grand pronouncements don’t always age well (“the end of history”) and as long as people still want democracy (they do) there’s a chance donors, including governments, will help those fighting for it.

Really interesting @justsecurity.org piece about the complex web of foreign and state-level anti-bribery law that makes the DOJ's step back from FCPA enforcement far less impactful than meets the eye. Long and short? The law exists in a whole lot of places. www.justsecurity.org/117726/trans...

Great piece by @kahixo.bsky.social and @katogun.bsky.social on the importance of enaling environment for critical minerals mining. The US has gotten rid of the tools to improve this environment so they'll need to come from somewhere. internationalpolicy.org/publications...

Oh good. Spy cockroaches. www.reuters.com/business/aer...

Sitting at a hotel pool when I was a kid, my brothers dangling their feet in the water. A man asked them if they could swim (which they obviously couldn’t). Then asked my mother, and gave them swimming lessons. Steve McQueen It was Steve McQueen.

I had the distinct honor of speaking to Director Gnon-Konde last week and his perspective is invaluable. Listen to this often ignored or glossed over on-the-ground view of what’s happening.

Ok, some fun Friday reporting, even if the title is ridiculous. (Kickball is a thing! It's not just baseball with no hands) #Liberia. apnews.com/article/libe...

What a shame. These statements are often anodyne and lame, but when done right can go a long way to showing the people in authoritarian countries that the U.S. stands with them over dictators and tyrants. apnews.com/article/fore...

Welp

Join us Tuesday!

"Dogs on flags" is a Friday morning Bluesky rabbit-hole we all deserve.

speaking of flags the flag of the municipality of vilobí del penedès has a dog with a loaf of bread in its mouth i am serious

New blog: There is a bipartisan consensus to preserve lifesaving US foreign assistance. I list twelve large, lifesaving USAID awards that have been cancelled. If we want to avoid a mounting death toll, these awards need to be reinstated.

Well, Musk has certainly and convincingly made the case that AI responses can be politically biased. That's useful to keep in mind as people start to become dependent and susceptible of accepting AI-generated answers as objectively true.

Welp. www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/07/08/r...

'Vacations.' The word is 'vacations.'

Going on now. Important examination of the state of law and human rights in China.

My daughter, aged about 7, was once asked if she was Jewish or Christian. She responded “I’m Lila.”

STAGGERING: This new study of 133 countries is the first to estimate the impact of all USAID’s work. In 2 decades, it has saved *92M* lives. Current cuts, if not reversed, are forecast to cost up to *14M* lives thru 2030. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

It’s time to see what all the fuzz is about. Meet Erie, Pennsylvania’s new Minor League Baseball Team: The Moon Mammoths! Catch Fuzz E. Mammoth’s first landing on Erie’s baseball diamond Saturday, July 19th! More info at MoonMammoths.com.

Zohran Mamdani’s win has inspired over 3400 young people to raise their hands to run for office just since Tuesday. It’s now @runforsomething.net’s biggest candidate recruitment moment since the election. A new generation of leaders is here.

Kind of obsessed with the idea that you can steal the bill itself.

Excellent analysis by my colleague Ryan Berg. The lack of Moscow or Beijing response to Israel/Iran may signal there is greater space between dictatorial regimes than previously thought.

These recommendations meet the moment and see opportunity in the current environment. Bravo.

If AI can eventually let me speak to whales, I will become its biggest supporter. emergencemagazine.org/conversation...