Politics today spans remembrance, electioneering and the hard edges of power. In France, Bernadette Chirac’s death at 93 has prompted tributes to a first lady who was far more than a presidential spouse, building her own political identity and charitable legacy during Jacques Chirac’s years at the Élysée. In California, former U.S. health secretary Xavier Becerra has secured a place in the November governor’s race, though the second slot remains unsettled in a still-fluid contest to succeed Gavin Newsom. In Washington, Donald Trump has granted an unconditional pardon to former Indiana congressman Stephen Buyer, wiping away the legal consequences of his insider-trading conviction and reigniting questions about clemency and accountability. Elsewhere, politics is colliding with economics and public health: New Zealand is openly criticizing Australia’s tax changes, while Uganda’s tightened Congo border over Ebola fears is exacting a steep price on regional trade.