
(AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A missile hit a train station in eastern Ukraine where thousands had gathered Friday, killing at least 52 and wounding dozens more in an attack on a crowd of mostly women and children trying to flee a new, looming Russian offensive, Ukrainian authorities said.

North Carolina Senate race tests Trump's endorsement power
When Ted Budd won a surprise endorsement from former President Donald Trump last year, he was a little-known congressman running for a Senate seat in North Carolina against some of the state’s most recognizable Republicans, including a former governor.


CNN: Trump Jr. text shows ideas to overturn 2020 election
Donald Trump Jr. texted White House chief of staff Mark Meadows two days after the 2020 presidential election with strategies for overturning the result if Trump’s father lost.


Wisconsin governor vetoes Republican election bills
The Republican legislature does not have the votes to override his vetoes. The bills are part of a nationwide GOP effort to reshape the elections.


Texas begins dispatching buses to the border to transport illegal immigrants to DC
The state of Texas has dispatched buses to the southern border after Gov. Greg Abbott said this week that he planned to send illegal immigrants released in his state to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Live Updates | Zelenskyy: Train station strike was war crime
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the missile strike on an eastern train station is another Russian war crime.


Russia-Ukraine updates: 2 US veterans who joined Ukrainian forces missing
Updates on the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Maryland's GOP Governor Larry Hogan vetoes bill to expand abortion access
Democrats in the General Assembly passed the bill with enough votes to override


Russian missile that struck rail station had ‘for the children’ written on it
A Russian missile that struck a train station in Kramatorsk, Ukraine — killing at least 50 — had a Russian phrase scribbled on its side that translated to “for the children,” pushing Russian propag…


Judge appears likely to allow January 6-related candidacy challenge against Marjorie Taylor Greene | CNN Politics
A federal judge signaled Friday that she’ll likely allow a group of Georgia voters to move forward with their constitutional challenge against GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, which claims she can’t run for reelection because she aided the January 6 insurrectionists.

Campaign finance watchdog issues massive fine for foreign national’s Trump super PAC donation
The FEC fined Canadian billionaire Barry Zekelman's companies $975,000.


US to send Patriot system to Slovakia to offset S-300 transfer to Ukraine
President Biden confirmed Friday that Slovakia transferred a Soviet-era S-300 air defense system to Ukraine and said that the U.S. would reposition an American Patriot missile system to Slovakia in…


Defense & National Security: Russia steps up attacks on Ukraine’s civilians
UPI photo Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of carrying out a strike on a train station in eastern Ukraine, an attack that killed dozens of civilians and sparked widespread internation…


Is Trump's hold on the GOP waning? We’re about to find out.
Next month, former President Donald Trump will see his influence tested in a series of high-stakes GOP primaries.

Jackson's speech highlights US race struggles, progress
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's speech at the White House went to the heart of both the triumphs and struggles of Black Americans in her lifetime.


Whitmer kidnap plot: 2 men acquitted, hung jury for 2 more
Jurors have acquitted two defendants of all charges in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer but couldn't agree on a verdict for two others.


US sends Patriot battery to Slovakia so Ukraine can get its S-300 anti-aircraft system: Pentagon update Day 44
Russia has lost as much as 20% of its combat power in Ukraine, an official said.

Clarence Thomas publicly spotted for first time since being hospitalized
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was spotted in public Friday for the first time since being hospitalized in March.

Kimmel mocks Greene after she reported him to Capitol Police: ‘Officer I’d like to report a joke’
Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel fired back at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Thursday after she said she had reported him to the Capitol Police, citing a “threat of …


'Stop the Steal' leader cooperating with DOJ's investigation of Capitol riot | CNN Politics
Ali Alexander, a key figure in the “Stop the Steal” movement following the 2020 presidential election, says he has received a grand jury subpoena and has agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation of the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.


‘Groomer’ debate inflames GOP fight over Florida law
“Groomer” is the new favorite term being used by far-right commentators and activists to describe opponents of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, sparking outrage among LBGTQ advocates who…


Bitcoin's agenda: 'regime' change


Democratic lawyer Sussmann fights Durham's use of FBI expert testimony on Alfa Bank data accuracy
The Democratic cybersecurity lawyer charged with lying to the FBI about who he was working for when he shared internet data that suggested a now-debunked Trump-Russia link doesn’t want special counsel John Durham’s expert FBI witness to testify about the information's accuracy.


Race for Devin Nunes' old House seat will move to June 7 runoff | CNN Politics
Six candidates were vying to replace former Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, who resigned to work for former President Donald Trump’s new media and technology group. But county officials were still tallying the ballots from the district that covers portions of Fresno and Tulare counties.


Gretchen Whitmer: Michigan governor kidnap plot case collapses
Jurors acquit two of the defendants and fail to reach a verdict on two others.
www.bbc.com

Strike kills 50 at Ukraine rail station crowded with people; 67 bodies found in mass grave: Live updates
Thousands of Ukrainians were at a train station in Kramatorsk when the strike occurred. A mass grave was found in Bucha with about 67 bodies inside. Live updates.
www.usatoday.com

Judge tells Jan. 6 defendant his disbarred lawyer has to leave case
Judge Amit Mehta plans to put five Oath Keepers on trial for seditious conspiracy in Washington in July.


Biden signs sanctions bills targeting Russian oil and trade with Russia and Belarus | CNN Politics
President Joe Biden on Friday signed two bills levying further sanctions on Russia and Belarus, the White House announced.

Legal Effort Expands to Disqualify Republicans as 'Insurrectionists'
A legal effort to disqualify from reelection lawmakers who participated in events surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol expanded Thursday, when a cluster of voters and a progressive group filed suit against three elected officials in Arizona to bar them under the 14th Amendment...

Ex-GOP Senate staffer sentenced to more than 12 years in child porn case
A former GOP Senate staffer has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison after pleading guilty in a case involving child pornography. A federal judge sentenced Ruben Verastigui, 29, of Washin…


Déjà vu: French election rematch between Macron and Le Pen set for Sunday
Stakes are high in France as an election rematch between incumbent Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marie Le Pen will take place this Sunday.

Former attorney general expects no Durham charges against Obama
Don't expect former President Barack Obama to be charged in special counsel John Durham's criminal inquiry into the conduct of the Russia investigation that has its origins stretching back to 2016.


Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells 60 Minutes what he saw in Bucha: "Death. Just death."
Scott Pelley interviewed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv for a two-part report that airs Sunday on 60 Minutes.


AP PHOTOS on Day 44: Train station attack, mass graves
A body lay covered at a train station in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, on Friday after a missile hit. On the platform was a bloodied stuffed horse, left behind after an attack that killed at least 50 people and wounded dozens more.


Trans kids fear Alabama laws targeting medicine, bathrooms
Transgender kids and their parents say they feel attacked by a wave of Republican-sponsored legislation and policies aimed at trans youth.


Zelenskiy braces for 'hard battle,' Boris Johnson visits with aid
Ukraine is ready for a tough battle with Russian forces amassing in the east of the country, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson offered fresh financial and military support during a surprise visit.


Energy & Environment — Rich counties behind most ecological damage
iStock A new study is pinning nearly three-quarters of the blame for ecological damage on the world’s wealthiest countries, and the White House is saying a gasoline tax suspension is “on the table.…


Idaho Supreme Court blocks new abortion restriction law from going into effect
The Idaho Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a new law in the state that would prohibit abortions after six weeks of pregnancy from going into effect later this month.

Alabama governor signs sweeping law banning medication for transgender youth
Under the new law, doctors face criminal penalties for providing puberty blockers or hormones for those under 19.


CNN Exclusive: 'We control them all': Donald Trump Jr. texted Meadows ideas for overturning 2020 election before it was called | CNN Politics
Two days after the 2020 presidential election, as votes were still being tallied, Donald Trump’s eldest son texted then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows that “we have operational control” to ensure his father would get a second term, with Republican majorities in the US Senate and swing...


Whitmer kidnapping trial collapses: Two not guilty, two walk free after mistrial
A jury acquitted two defendants in the Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping trial on Friday but was unable to come to a verdict on the alleged ringleaders of the plot.


Why theres a suicide crisis at this Alaskan Army base
Suicide in the military is on the rise, climbing from 20.3 per 100,000 troops in 2015 to 28.7 per 100,000 in 2020. The problem is most acute in the Army. Within the Army, nowhere is the crisis more evident than Alaska.


The Afghan women who laid it all on the line for the U.S.


NATO eyes in the sky, keeping Europe out of Russia's war
As Russia prepared to invade Ukraine, NATO planners went into overdrive. Their aim was to put more surveillance aircraft and fighter jets into alliance skies near Ukraine and Russia.


War in Ukraine: 'I saw a Russian soldier shoot my father dead in Bucha'
Teenager's account adds to growing evidence of atrocities allegedly committed by Russian soldiers in Bucha.
www.bbc.com

Cheers for Jackson, who declares, 'We've made it, all of us'
Tearfully embracing a history-making moment, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson said Friday her confirmation as the first Black woman to the Supreme Court shows the progress of America.


DeSantis tops $100 million for Florida reelection race -- and sends signal to 2024 Republican field | CNN Politics
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has raised more than $100 million for his reelection effort, the first gubernatorial candidate in the Sunshine State – and perhaps the entire country – to reach the nine-figure milestone solely through donations.


GOP ‘no’ votes on Russia measures prompt pro-Putin accusations
A handful of House Republicans have been voting against bills aimed at holding Russia accountable for its invasion of Ukraine, giving Democrats an avenue to accuse the GOP of harboring a …


Finland in fast lane to join NATO as war in Ukraine rages
RZESZOW, Poland — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempt to overthrow the Ukrainian government has spurred Finland into the fast lane to join NATO in defiance of Russian threats and Kremlin pressure to force a practical contraction of the trans-Atlantic alliance.


Pennsylvania Republicans seek to levy illegal immigrants' remittances to fund property tax relief
A group of Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers put forward a bill that would place a levy on international remittances made by illegal immigrants and divert the revenue to the commonwealth's property tax and rent relief fund.

Biden secures his first Supreme Court justice. Will it be his last?
Republican leaders are refusing to commit to allowing a vote on Biden's pick for a potential vacancy if they win control of the Senate this fall.


‘Don’t need to be absolutists’: Black Dem caucus searches for practical wins
After facing setbacks on voting rights and police reform, senior Black Democrats are looking for scaled-back wins, such as fixing sentencing disparities.


Amir Locke's death prompts ban on no-knock warrants
Amir Locke was fatally shot and killed by Minneapolis police officers executing a no-knock search warrant in February. Now, such warrants are banned in the city.

Ukraine war pushes Germany to strengthen its bunker infrastructure
Germany has started working on strengthening its basement shelters as well as building up crisis stocks in case of war, the Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported on Saturday, citing the country's interior minister.

Tucker Suggests Dads Should ‘Thrash’ Kids’ Teachers
via FoxTucker Carlson on Friday suggested that fathers of students should inflict violence upon teachers whom he claims are “pushing sex values” on them.The Fox News host spoke with Ohio GOP Senate candidate JD Vance about how, as he put it, President Joe Biden “wants to determine what your kids...

Read the letter Vice President Kamala Harris wrote to her goddaughter about Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation
"I told her that I felt such a deep sense of pride and joy and about what this moment means for our nation and for her future," Harris said.

Marjorie Taylor Greene seeks to quash effort to block her from running for reelection
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., in a hearing in federal court on Friday, sought to quash a legal challenge that would bar her from running for another term in Congress.

Justice Clarence Thomas meets with Georgia GOP Senate hopeful Herschel Walker
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas met with Senate candidate Herschel Walker in his first quasi-public appearance since he was discharged from the hospital last month.


Kentucky governor vetoes ban on most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy | CNN Politics
Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed a sweeping abortion bill Friday that would have banned most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, restricted access to medication abortion and made it more difficult for a minor to obtain an abortion in the state.


The White House is freaked out that Putin's next big win could be in Paris
If Russia apologist Marine LePen wins the French elections, Washington fears she could unravel the Western NATO alliance.


Georgia coroner discovers bodies of his parents and son at scene of apparent robbery, officials say | CNN
A county coroner in Georgia discovered the bodies of his parents and his son, who were killed Friday in an apparent robbery at the Lock Stock & Barrel Shooting Range in Grantville, police say.


California race for House seat vacated by Trump ally heads to June runoff
Democrat Lourin Hubbard will face Republican Connie Conway on June 7 to fill the seat previously held by Devin Nunes.


France's Macron makes last-minute appeal to voters as Le Pen reaches all-time high in poll
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday appealed to younger, progressive-leaning voters in his last scheduled interview before Sunday's first-round presidential vote while his forecast lead over far-right candidate Marine Le Pen further evaporated.


DeSantis says ‘Cold War’ coming between Florida, Georgia, if Stacey Abrams is elected governor
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Friday warned of a coming “Cold War” between Florida and Georgia if Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams wins the gubernatorial election in the latter sta…

Biden says investment bankers 'could all retire and nothing much would change,' but if truckers quit 'everything comes to a halt'
President Joe Biden highlighted the essential work of truck drivers while promoting his Trucking Action Plan this week.

Trump Jr. shared ideas to overturn 2020 election in text to Mark Meadows
Donald Trump Jr. shared ideas about overturning the 2020 election results with a top member of his father's administration, according to a newly revealed text message.


Psaki won't agree to giving Americans free smartphones even as they are handed to illegal immigrants
The White House is defending the Biden administration's ongoing efforts of “tracking” illegal immigrants through cell phones that are given to them ahead of court proceedings.

2 men acquitted in plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; jury deadlocks on 2 others
Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta were charged with conspiracy, and three faced weapons charges.


Many questions remain in impersonation plot that duped federal agents, prosecutors say | CNN Politics
Prosecutors told a judge Friday that they still don’t know a motive for two men charged with impersonating federal agents, whether they are connected to any foreign government or whether they received anything from the federal agents they allegedly duped.


Biden marks historic confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court
The Senate confirmed Jackson on Thursday to be the first Black woman to serve on the high court, with three GOP senators joining all 50 Democratic caucus members.


Biting 'unruly passengers' hit with largest-ever US fines
Two women are facing steep fines for allegedly biting crew members and passengers on domestic flights.
www.bbc.com
'We've made it. All of us': Ketanji Brown Jackson, Biden celebrate historic Supreme Court confirmation
Ketanji Brown Jackson, Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are each set to deliver remarks Friday from the South Lawn of the White House.

'Maximum pressure' activist cooperating with federal Capitol riot investigation
An organizer of "Stop the Steal" events after the 2020 election is cooperating with the Justice Department's investigation of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.


Trump Jr. texted Meadows after 2020 election to press Trump second term -CNN
Donald Trump Jr. texted then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows two days after the 2020 presidential election to outline ways to keep his father in office, CNN reported, citing a review of the message turned over to congressional investigators.


Will Smith gets 10-year Oscars ban over Chris Rock slap
The motion picture academy has banned Will Smith from attending the Oscars or any other academy event for 10 years following his slap of Chris Rock at the Academy Awards.


FAA seeks biggest fines yet against 2 unruly passengers
The price is going up for disrupting airline flights

Lara Logan says she was ‘pushed out’ at Fox News
Former CBS journalist Lara Logan claims she was “pushed out” at Fox News following controversial comments she made late last year comparing Anthony Fauci to infamous Nazi doctor Josef M…


Judge sentences Alaska man to nearly 3 years in prison for threatening to kill senators
Jay Allen Johnson had pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening to kill Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska.


Kentucky mother refuses to leave Ukraine without adopted child she’s waiting to bring home
American woman navigates war zone to bring home daughter.

Tishman Speyer, landlord of men accused of impersonating DHS agents won $222K judgment for unpaid rent
A Secret Service agent who had guarded first lady Jill Biden is a witness in the criminal case against two men charged with posing as DHS agents.
Biden assists in sending Ukraine an advanced air defense system, fulfilling one of Zelenskyy's biggest wishes
"Now is no time for complacency," Biden said in announcing the news. He also accused the Russian military of committing "horrific acts of brutality."

Finland and Sweden could soon join NATO, prompted by Russian war in Ukraine | CNN Politics
Finland and Sweden could soon join NATO, moves that would likely infuriate Moscow and that officials say would further underscore Russia’s strategic error in invading Ukraine.


South Carolina to carry out first execution in over a decade
After a roughly decadelong hiatus and a new capacity to execute via firing squad, South Carolina is set to resume death penalty executions.

Exclusive: Rep. Pramila Jayapal issues midterm endorsements in effort to boost progressives
Progressives in Congress saw key priorities like voting rights and police reform stall. Rep. Pramila Jayapal is trying to gain ground in the midterms.

UK’s Johnson meets Zelenskyy in Kyiv ‘in show of solidarity’
Ukrainian and British leaders discuss a new package of financial and military aid, the UK government says.

How the latest student loan pause could help borrowers — even without forgiveness
Story at a glance In his fourth extension of the student loan moratorium, President Biden also pledged to give borrowers in default a “fresh start.” Borrowers who fell behind on their loan payments…


Mayorkas touts pay bump, new hiring to besieged Border Patrol agents as new migrant surge looms
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is touting a pay rise and additional hirings in a memo to Border Patrol agents.

Power restored to over 1.3 million customers in Puerto Rico amid massive outage
A fire at a major power plant on Puerto Rico left 1.5 million without electricity.

New York AG asks judge to force Cushman & Wakefield to comply with subpoenas in Trump civil case
Letitia James says the Trump Organization inflated the value of real estate.

Amazon calls for election re-run after workers voted for first U.S. union
Amazon.com Inc on Friday called for an election re-run after workers at a New York City warehouse voted to create the company's first U.S. union, saying that the U.S. labor board and worker-organizers suppressed turnout.


Video appears to show killing of captive Russian soldier
A video has emerged which purports to show Ukrainian forces shooting a captive Russian soldier.
www.bbc.com
Louisiana pastor, 'Survivor' contestant allegedly taped students' mouths shut for talking too much
The Rev. John Raymond is headmaster of Lakeside Christian School in Slidell, Louisiana, and a member of the state's Republican governing board.

Louisiana State Police senior officer on leave over phone data in Ronald Greene's death | CNN
The second in command in the Louisiana State Police (LSP), who was accused of erasing data from his work cellphone after the death of Ronald Greene, has been placed on administrative leave nearly three years after the Black motorist’s death.


Biden, South Africa's Ramaphosa discuss impact of Ukraine crisis on food security
U.S. President Joe Biden and South African President Ramaphosa in a phone call on Friday discussed the impact of the Ukraine crisis on commodity prices, supply chains and food security in Africa, the White House said in a statement.


Discovery takes control of HBO, CNN, and Warner Bros., creating new media giant | CNN Business
Discovery's merger with WarnerMedia took effect on Friday afternoon, creating a streaming media giant led by CEO David Zaslav.

Biden thanked the 3 Republicans who voted to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court: 'I hope I don't get them in trouble'
"They deserve enormous credit for setting aside partisanship and making a carefully considered judgement," Biden said.

Alabama joins Florida in prohibiting certain school teachers from discussing gender, sexual matters
Alabama’s Republican governor has signed legislation prohibiting certain elementary school teachers from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation matters in school.

Men who posed as federal agents are national security risk: Federal prosecutors
Men who posed as federal agents posed national security risk: US

Ukraine war: Chernobyl workers' 12-day ordeal under Russian guard
The nuclear power plant was seized on day one of Russia's invasion, and workers have not left since.
www.bbc.com

Brazil sets ‘worrying’ new Amazon deforestation record
Brazilian Amazon sees 64 percent jump in deforestation in first three months of 2022 compared with a year earlier.

Slovakia provides defense system to Ukraine, is compensated by US
The Slovak government provided the Ukrainian military with an S-300 air defense system, and the United States is working to fill the void Slovakia now has as a result of its transfer.


David Letterman thanks hospital for the way it treated him
If David Letterman put together a Top Ten list of hospitals, Rhode Island Hospital would probably be No. 1
200 Anti-LGBTQ Bills And Counting: GOP's War On Trans Kids Continues
The bills are part of a broader GOP effort to inflame culture wars that score political points at the expense of queer kids.

Trump Org. can keep Bronx golf course license after NYC tried to cancel it post-January 6, judge rules | CNN Politics
A New York judge said Friday the Trump Organization can continue to operate a golf course in the Bronx, rejecting the city’s effort to revoke the license to operate the public course following last year’s attack on the US Capitol.


FDA investigating as hundreds post online reporting stomach illness after eating Lucky Charms
On a consumer safety website, more than 1,000 people have reported stomach symptoms that they say appeared after eating the cereal.


No bail for suspect in rural Nevada kidnapping, killing
A judge in rural Nevada decided that a 41-year-old man accused of kidnapping and killing an 18-year-old woman last month will remain in jail without bail ahead of another court date on murder and other charges

Wife of UK finance minister agrees to stop avoiding UK tax
Akshata Murthy, the wife of British finance minister Rishi Sunak, said on Friday that she would stop avoiding British tax on her foreign income -- bowing to pressure which her husband had earlier dismissed as a political smear.


California food waste law proves heavy lift in small towns as fuel costs spike
A California law requiring grocery stores and restaurants to donate leftover food has been hard for local food banks and small towns to implement due to climbing fuel costs and uncertainty over who pays for food recovery.


Idaho Supreme Court temporarily blocks state's new 6-week abortion ban | CNN Politics
The Idaho Supreme Court on Friday temporarily blocked the state’s new six-week abortion ban, which mimics a controversial Texas law.


Pakistan PM Khan removed after vote of no-confidence succeeds
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has been removed from office after no-confidence motion against him succeeds.
Romney, a Former Opponent of Jackson, Is One of Her Few Republican Backers
WASHINGTON — With his vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, has proved to be that rarest of commodities in today’s Congress: a persuadable senator. Three Republicans voted to confirm Jackson: Romney, and Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and...

AOC claims GOP trying to 'police who is a woman' as Dems avoid defining what a woman is
Ocasio-Cortez made the claim in a Friday tweet in which she also accused the GOP of being the party that “believes corporations are people.”

Food prices soar to record levels on Ukraine war disruptions
The United Nations says prices for world food commodities like grains and vegetable oils have reached their highest levels ever because of Russia's war in Ukraine.


Opinion | Michigan's female governor has a chilling message for America
By eroding trust in law enforcement, the far right can continue to claim the Jan. 6 insurrection was nothing more than an exercise in free speech.


Kevin Spacey asks judge to axe Anthony Rapp's sex abuse suit
Actor Kevin Spacey is asking a judge to throw out a sex abuse lawsuit that his lawyers say was unjustly brought by an actor who alleges he was abused by Spacey in the 1980s

Ohio GOP Senate hopeful: Middle class doesn't pay fair share
Mike Gibbons, a leading Republican Senate candidate from Ohio, said at a media event last fall that middle-class Americans don’t pay “any kind of a fair share” of income taxes

Ukrainians shocked by 'crazy' scene at Chernobyl after Russian pullout reveals radioactive contamination | CNN
The sudden ear-piercing beep of a radiation meter fills the room as a Ukrainian soldier walks in. This is where Russian soldiers were living at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and radiation levels are now higher than normal.


Ukraine: Six weeks of devastation and defiance as world grapples with the crisis
The BBC's Jeremy Bowen takes stock of the war and its significance for the world.
www.bbc.com

Cuban migrants outpace Central Americans arriving at U.S. border
The seven-day average for Cuban migrants crossing the border as of late March was up 460 percent over the last year.


READ: Ketanji Brown Jackson's remarks at the White House after her Supreme Court confirmation | CNN Politics
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson delivered remarks at the White House on Friday at an event celebrating her historic confirmation to the Supreme Court.


Chevron, union negotiators to meet over California oil refinery strike
Negotiators from Chevron Corp and the United Steelworkers union (USW) are scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss a possible end to a strike at the company’s oil refinery in Richmond, California, spokespeople for both sides said.


Pakistan: Hafiz Saeed gets 31 years in jail for terror financing
Founder of LeT, the group blamed by US and India for 2008 Mumbai attacks, sentenced in two cases of terror financing.

Liberal, conservative face off in California US House fight
The contest to replace former Republican Rep. Devin Nunes in California will present voters with a sharply defined choice: the candidates are a progressive Democrat who supports universal health care and a former Trump administration appointee

Ukraine and allies blame Russia for strike on station that killed over 50
Ukraine and its allies blamed Russia for a missile attack that killed at least 52 people at a train station packed with women, children and the elderly fleeing the threat of a Russian offensive in the east.


Ex-Goldman Sachs banker convicted in plot to loot 1MDB fund
A former Goldman Sachs banker has been convicted of bribery and other corruption charges accusing him of participating in a $4.5 billion scheme to loot the Malaysian state investment fund, 1MDB

Mayorkas says White supremacists pose 'most prominent threat' to US homeland
White supremacists pose the biggest terror threat to the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Friday amid a surge of illegal border crossings.

11 injured when vehicle hits Austin food truck
Two of the injured were said to be trauma patients.


Two GOP senators chose to disrespect Ketanji Brown Jackson. And it's a bad look | CNN Politics
History was made on Thursday in the United States Senate.


Live Updates | Scheffler fires 67, leads Masters by 5
Scottie Scheffler left a birdie putt short on the final hole Friday but still shot a 5-under 67 to take a five-shot lead heading into the weekend at the Masters.



COVID wave hits Dems just as they’re scaling back health protocols
A growing list of high-profile Democrats are coming down with COVID-19 just as President Biden and party leaders are set to roll back public health precautions designed to combat the highly contagi…


EXPLAINER: BA.2 variant takes over. What's known about it?
In the latest battle of the coronavirus mutants, an extra-contagious version of omicron has taken over the world. The coronavirus version known as BA.2 is now dominant in at least 68 countries, including the United States.


Fauci: US ‘likely’ to see fall COVID-19 surge
President Biden’s chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci predicted Wednesday that there will likely be a rise in COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks as well as a potential surge in the fall. R…


COVID vaccine program prevented millions of US deaths, study finds
Without the vaccines, the omicron wave could have been substantially larger, the organization wrote.

COVID-19 cases rise in Los Angeles County due to BA.2 variant
COVID-19 cases are rising in Los Angeles County as the BA.2 variant continues to spread throughout the United States.
As Covid spreads through D.C., it's business as usual at the White House
The White House is making no changes to its Covid protocols, despite a string of breakthrough infections among President Joe Biden’s inner circle.

Omicron spawns U.S. search for better kids' masks, new standard
The fast-spreading Omicron variant stoked U.S. interest in better masks for children to ward off COVID-19, and that is adding fuel to an effort that could set the stage for domestic oversight of their quality.


COVID cases tick up in Philadelphia as officials recommend masks indoors
Officials in Philadelphia are recommending residents start wearing masks indoors again due to a spike of COVID-19 cases.

China Covid pandemic: Xi hails response as Shanghai hits record
The Chinese leader's comments come as infections rise and residents complain of food shortages.
www.bbc.com

Gridiron president says 53 people contracted COVID-19 after dinner
Gridiron President Tom DeFrank said on Friday that 53 individuals who attended the annual Gridiron Club dinner last Saturday had told the organization they tested positive for COVID-19. The announc…


Shanghai hospital pays the price for China's COVID response
A series of deaths at a hospital for elderly patients in Shanghai is underscoring the dangerous consequences of China’s stubborn pursuit of a zero-COVID approach amid an escalating outbreak in the city of 26 million people

White House acknowledges Biden could get COVID, stresses he’s vaccinated
The White House on Friday acknowledged President Biden could get COVID-19 amid an uptick in positive cases surrounding the president but stressed he has taken steps to protect himself. “We take eve…
