Morning Must Reads: August 7

Not Russian to Leave

Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden received permission to stay in Russia for an additional three years, his lawyer told local media Thursday, amid the worst U.S.-Russian relations since the Cold War

Israel Wasn’t Ready

The high death toll for Israeli troops during the conflict with Hamas in Gaza is prompting sharp questions about Israel’s military preparedness

Hawaii Braces for Twin Hurricanes

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed an emergency proclamation Wednesday as hurricanes Iselle and Julio approached—a meteorological “one-two punch”

Meet the Bots That Knew Ebola Was Coming

A computer program run by epidemiologists in Boston had already alerted key agencies of the U.S. government about West Africa’s Ebola outbreak four days before the World Health Organization first announced it, one of the doctors told TIME

Miami Fan Takes Billboard-Sized Jab at LeBron

A Miami-based radio host is stepping up his ad campaign to tweak basketball star LeBron James for leaving the city, this time taking out a billboard-sized ad in Akron, Ohio, with a picture of two Miami Heat championship rings, and the words “You’re welcome, LeBron”

The Republican Party Loves Uber

The Republican National Committee is prowling for emails by shilling for car-hailing service Uber. “Our cities also deserve innovative, efficient and safe transportation choices without excessive and intrusive bureaucratic red tape,” the RNC wrote about the car service

MH17 Recovery Team Stops Work in Ukraine’s Killing Fields

Investigators attempted to do the difficult work of bringing bodies home, as the civil war nearby crept closer to the crash site. The area remains in the hands of the same pro-Russian separatist militias who are widely suspected of shooting down the plane

Two More LEGO Sequels Are Reportedly In The Works

Warner Brothers has announced two more films in the franchise—slated for 2018 and 2019—in addition to the impending 2017 sequel, after the explosive success of The LEGO Movie, which made $468 million at the box office this year and earned critical acclaim

Boko Haram Kills ‘Dozens’ in Nigeria

Residents from the northeastern Nigerian town of Gwoza say Boko Haram militants killed dozens of locals on Wednesday and now control the town. The militant Islamist group is blamed for the deaths of more than 10,000 people since it started its uprising in 2009

Thieves Steal $50,000 Worth of Pot Through Hole in Wall

Seattle police are investigating the theft of $50,000 worth of marijuana from a dispensary, which they say the culprits took through a hole in the wall. Cops found “a large hole cut into the side of the business and found marijuana strewn about”

Putin’s Popularity Soars to 87% in the Face of Adversity

President Vladimir Putin has enmeshed his nation in civil war in Ukraine, faces international condemnation for allegedly contributing to the downing of MH17 last month, and has been targeted by a new round of financial sanctions from the West. But Russia still loves him

Final Arguments Begin in Oscar Pistorius Trial

The chief prosecutor in Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial said Thursday that the double-amputee athlete’s lawyers have floated more than one theory in a dishonest attempt to defend against a murder charge for his killing of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

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We will hold an #AskTIME subscriber Q&A this Friday, August 8, at 1 p.m., with TIME national correspondent Michael Grunwald, who has been covering the green economy, the financial reform and all manner of other outrages and innovations around the country. You can read his recent stories here. He also wrote a recent history of the 2009 Stimulus bill, The New New Deal: The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era.

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