Morning Must Reads: August 28

Tug of War

President Barack Obama and lawmakers in Congress are mulling whether he needs formal authorization to expand the fight against the militant group ISIS, a politically perilous question for both sides as the midterm elections loom

Uncle Sam Wants a Gram

Calling all pot farmers: the federal government is looking to buy, soliciting proposals to “harvest, process, analyze, store and distribute” cannabis

Israel and Gaza Count War’s Cost

Israeli and Palestinian leaders set out Wednesday to explain to constituents what was achieved during the latest fighting between the two sides

Russia Blasted for Escalating Ukraine War

Ukrainian and U.S. officials accused Moscow of sending heavily armed columns across the border into southeastern Ukraine on Wednesday — a move seen as part of a “Russian-directed counteroffensive” against Ukrainian forces in the five-month-old conflict

Apple Loses Bid to Ban Sales of Samsung Phones

A U.S. judge rejected Apple’s bid to permanently ban sales of some Samsung phones that were found to infringe Apple patents. Apple and Samsung agreed earlier this month to drop patent disputes against each other outside the U.S.

CDC Director: Ebola Is ‘Worse Than I’d Feared’

On Wednesday, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tom Frieden, said the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is a “much bigger problem than anyone anticipated.” Over 1,400 people have died in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone

Howard Dean’s Group Endorses Mary Burke in Wisconsin

Democracy for America, the 50-state group pulled together by former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, endorsed Mary Burke’s campaign against Republican Governor Scott Walker. Burke is a millionaire former executive at Trek Bicycles

USC Suspends Football Player for Fake Drowning Story

University of Southern California’s cornerback Josh Shaw said on Wednesday he lied when he told his coaches he sprained his ankles while attempting to save his drowning nephew. In response, the USC Trojans suspended Shaw indefinitely from the athletic program

What it Really Takes for Schools to Go Digital

President Obama hailed Mooresville, N.C., as a model for the future of public education. But the neighboring Iredell-Statesville Schools District offers a more accurate picture of the challenges most schools face in bridging the technological divide

Sopranos Creator Calls Tony Soprano Comment ‘Inaccurate’

“The final scene of The Sopranos raises a spiritual question that has no right or wrong answer,” David Chase said in a statement released by his publicist, responding to an interview published by Vox. “Whether Tony Soprano is alive or dead is not the point”

Erasing Bad Memories May Soon Be Possible

Using state-of-the-art laser and gas techniques, researchers working with mice have made stunning breakthroughs in stripping the painful and negative feelings associated with a traumatic memory to neutralize its effects on a subject

Chuck Berry Honored at Polar Music Prize Ceremony

Rock legend Chuck Berry, who was awarded the Polar Music Prize in May, has been honored at a ceremony in Stockholm. The Polar Music Prize is the so-called “Nobel of the music world,” given annually to one recipient each from the fields of modern and classical music

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There will be no #AskTIME subscriber Q&A this Friday, August 29—we’re taking a break this Labor Day. We will be back next week, Friday, Sept. 5. Enjoy your weekend, morning must-readers!