(Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)
MOSCOW (AP) — With tens of thousands of Russian troops positioned near Ukraine, the Kremlin has kept the U.S. and its allies guessing about its next moves in the worst security crisis to emerge between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.
Wall Street has worst week since the start of the pandemic
Investors have grown increasingly worried about rising inflation and how aggressive the Federal Reserve might be in raising interest rates to tamp it down.
www.nbcnews.com
Last straw: Fed-up Arizona Democrats censure Sen. Sinema
Leaders of the Arizona Democratic Party have voted to censure Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. She is growing increasingly isolated from some of her party’s most influential officials and donors after helping to scuttle voting rights legislation that many Democrats consider essential to preserving de
apnews.com
What the fallout from the Supreme Court's Texas abortion ruling means for the future of Roe | CNN Politics
As the Roe v. Wade ruling celebrates its 49th anniversary on Saturday, the vast majority of abortions have been outlawed for nearly five months in the second most populous state in the country.
www.cnn.com
British Conservatives set to go for top job if Johnson falls
LONDON (AP) — Revelations that Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his staff partied while Britain was in a coronavirus lockdown have provoked public outrage and led some members of his Conservative Party to consider ousting their leader.
apnews.comGiuliani Pal Fesses Up to Scheme to Seat Trump Electors
Boris Epshteyn, a strategic adviser for Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign, was pressed Friday about his role in efforts to legitimize alleged pro-Trump electors from states that Joe Biden won.“Is that something you ever worked on or would support, for example, in Michigan?” MSNBC host...
Democrats torn over pushing stolen-election narrative
Senate Democrats say they share President Biden’s concern that the results of the 2022 midterm elections may not be legitimate because of restrictive voting laws passed by GOP-controlled state legi…
thehill.com
Manchin says he's ready to talk. Can Democrats sell him on a new 'Build Back Better'?
The pivotal centrist Democrat has been elusive on President Biden's top domestic priority. He says he's willing to restart negotiations — "from scratch."
www.nbcnews.com
'No SALT no deal': Democrats vow to block Build Back Better bill without tax break
Several U.S. House members from President Joe Biden's Democratic Party are threatening to block a renewed push for his Build Back Better spending bill if it does not include the expansion of a federal deduction for taxes paid to states and local entities.
What's next for the John Does in Ghislaine Maxwell's settled lawsuit | CNN
The judge overseeing a settled lawsuit against convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell now has to decide whether the identities of those mentioned in the suit will be revealed.
www.cnn.com
Tensions are high on Ukraine's border with Russia. Here's what you need to know | CNN
Tensions between Ukraine and Russia are at their highest in years, with a Russian troop build-up near the two nations’ borders spurring fears that Moscow could launch an invasion.
www.cnn.com
Trump warns Putin through senator: No 'normal relationship' with future president if Russia invades Ukraine
Former President Donald Trump conveyed a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin through a Senate intermediary Friday against an invasion of Ukraine.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Biden goes over the top praising Kamala Harris: 'I love you'
President Biden's admiration for "partner" Vice President Kamala Harris seemed to strengthen on Friday when he claimed he could not imagine having anyone else serve by his side.
Trump stays on sidelines in Pennsylvania Senate race — for now
Worried about backing a losing candidate, Trump is apt to hold off until he has a clearer idea of who’s most likely to win, Republicans close to McCormick and Trump said.
www.nbcnews.com
U.S. House bill on China competitiveness, chip investment, coming soon - Pelosi
The U.S. House of Representatives will soon introduce a bill to increase U.S. competitiveness with China and boost federal spending on semiconductors, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Friday as the Biden administration seeks to boost domestic chip production.
Leading GOP lawmaker predicts Ukraine and Taiwan will be invaded within weeks
The top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee believes two of America's biggest adversaries will soon invade smaller neighboring territories backed by the United States.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
First US shipment of recently directed security assistance arrives in Ukraine | CNN Politics
The first shipment of recently directed security assistance to Ukraine arrived in the country Friday night, the US Embassy in Kyiv tweeted.
www.cnn.com
Biden seeks to save what he can from Build Back Better
President Biden this week offered a new path forward for his signature policy proposal based on a harsh truth: Not all of it will survive.The president’s concession that some of the social spending…
thehill.com
Airbus cancels $6bn contract with Qatar Airways after paint fight
Qatar Airways calls Airbus’s decision ‘a matter of considerable regret and frustration’ amid a legal battle over paint.
Frenemies? Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis eye each other warily before 2024 presidential race
Donald Trump and allies are taking shots at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom many view as a potentially formidable GOP presidential candidate in 2024.
www.usatoday.com
Big Weed is on the brink of scoring big political wins. So where are they?
Competing agendas have stifled the effectiveness of the burgeoning industry on Capitol Hill.
www.politico.com
Lawmakers cancel Republican club memberships over vaccine mandate enforcement
Several Republican lawmakers are canceling their memberships to the Capitol Hill Club in protest of the premier Republican establishment enforcing the District of Columbia’s mandate that business patrons show proof of COVID-19 vaccination before entry.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
More officers were charged in fatal police shootings in 2021. Not everyone sees progress.
A record 21 police officers in the U.S. were charged last year with either murder or manslaughter resulting from an on-duty shooting, according to a database.
www.nbcnews.comRepublican resistance to Trump rings hollow as ‘moderates’ say no on voting rights
Romney, Cheney and others were hailed as the conscience of the party but their deeds in the Senate have provoked accusations of hypocrisy Senator Mitt Romney during a vote at Congress on 20 January. Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters They have been hailed as the conscience of the Republican...
How Putin's obsession with NATO has led to the brink of war in Ukraine
The expansion of NATO membership to countries that were once part of the Soviet-era bloc is at the heart of the standoff in Ukraine. In talks with the West last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted that Ukraine be barred from entry into NATO, a demand that President Biden flatly rejected.
House committee in Florida passes ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill
“This will kill kids,” Chasten Buttigieg wrote Thursday on Twitter.
thehill.com
Twitter freezes hundreds of accounts backing Philippines’ Marcos
Twitter says it used both human review and technology in deciding to suspend more than 300 accounts and hashtags.
Videos show 'Stop the Steal' rally organizer saying he would work with extremist groups | CNN Politics
An organizer of the “Stop the Steal” rallies that preceded the attack on the US Capitol a year ago said he would work with two extremist groups, who later had members charged in the attack, about providing security and housing for the January 6, 2021, rally in Washington.
www.cnn.com
Families are in distress after the first month without the expanded child tax credit
January is the first month since July 2021 that more than 36 million families in the U.S. did not receive money from the expanded child tax credit program. For some, the consequences are already dire.
www.npr.org
The Electoral Count Act and the next steps on voting rights
A bipartisan group of senators is now working on narrower election reforms after the Senate failed to pass major voting rights legislation this week.
www.cbsnews.com
Australia delivers water, telecommunications aid to Tonga
Three flights from Australia carrying food, water, medical supplies and telecommunications equipment have landed in Tonga, as the Pacific nation continues to grapple with the aftermath of an underwater volcanic eruption
A 'brutal crosscurrent': Why Biden's immigration policies are making everyone mad
Immigration advocates' frustrations with President Joe Biden have ballooned as he continues Title 42 and "Remain in Mexico" policies along the border.
Alzheimer's patient groups protest U.S. Medicare coverage proposal limiting use of new drugs
Alzheimer's patient groups, disappointed by Medicare's plan to sharply limit coverage of new drugs for the brain-wasting disease, are planning publicity and lobbying campaigns to protest a proposal they say could delay their use for 10 years.
www.reuters.com
Read the never-issued Trump order that would have seized voting machines
The Jan. 6 select panel has obtained the draft order and a document titled "Remarks on National Healing." Both are reported here in detail for the first time.
www.politico.com
US Embassy in Kyiv asks State Dept. to authorize departure of nonessential personnel | CNN Politics
The US Embassy in Kyiv has requested that the State Department authorize the departure of all nonessential staff and their families, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
www.cnn.com
Convicted murderer takes top school score, wins scholarship
Syed Naeem Shah is one of 1,200 inmates studying in Central Prison Karachi.
www.nbcnews.com
These Senate seats are up for election in 2022
A number of senators are up for reelection this November in what is expected to be a competitive slate of races across the country. All eyes will be on the Senate as both parties look to …
thehill.com
Gavin Newsom less warm toward Trump on wildfire aid during VP Harris visit
California Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared to change his tone regarding support from the Trump administration on wildfires Friday while welcoming Vice President Kamala Harris for talks about one of the state's most vexing – and costly – problems.
Biden mulling re-designating Houthis as ‘terrorist’ group
Biden is considering placing the Houthis back on the US list of foreign ‘terrorist’ groups subject to sanctions.
Black lawmakers walk out as Mississippi Senate passes legislation described as a critical race theory bill | CNN Politics
Black members of Mississippi’s Senate walked out of the chamber in protest Friday before a vote on a bill described as a prohibition on critical race theory on the state legislative calendar.
www.cnn.com
Denver school teaches kindergarteners to support BLM and disrupt nuclear family
A Denver-area elementary school is teaching children in kindergarten and first grade to disrupt the nuclear family and support Black Lives Matter.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
'Our city against the killers,' New York mayor says after policeman killed
One New York City police officer was killed and another was fighting for his life after the pair were shot Friday while responding to a domestic violence call, authorities said.
www.reuters.comNew Jersey leads the nation in online sports betting. Here comes New York. - POLITICO
Two weeks ago, New York became the largest state to allow for sports betting, ramping up the competition as more states fight for their share of the industry.
www.politico.com
Noncitizens lead recall of 'woke' San Francisco school board members
Five years after San Francisco allowed noncitizens to vote for school boards, some are helping lead a recall campaign against members who pushed radical agendas.
www.washingtonexaminer.comCalifornia Politics: The $4-billion bullet train impasse
Perhaps the most interesting part of the current high-speed rail battle in Sacramento is that it's being waged by Democrats who say they support the historic project's goals.
www.latimes.com
GOP map likely to hinder lone Democrat clears Kansas Senate
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republicans used their supermajority Friday to win Kansas Senate approval for a redistricting plan that likely would make it harder for the state's only Democrat in
Florida man pleads guilty to threatening to kill, behead Pelosi, Ocasio-Cortez
In some of the calls, the 60-year-old warned of “all-out war” and a “civilian army,” according to a plea agreement.
www.nbcnews.com
Do Ukrainians and Russians believe a full-scale war is possible?
Amid growing fears of a Russian invasion, BBC correspondents gauge the public mood in Kyiv and Moscow.
www.bbc.com
Gavin Newsom clarifies calling train thieves ‘gangs’: 'Forgive me ... They're organized groups'
California Gov. Gavin Newsom clarified this week that when he called criminals accused of stealing packages from cargo trains in the state "gangs of people" he wasn’t implying the thefts were gang-related.
Abandoned migrant women left homeless amid Lebanon’s crisis
Embassy ‘sit-ins’ by migrant workers have become increasingly frequent during Lebanon’s devastating economic crisis.
How Americans think Joe Biden has done on their most important priorities after one year | CNN Politics
President Joe Biden entered office promising to end the Covid-19 pandemic, boost a lagging economy, get Americans back to work, restore US credibility abroad and heal a divided nation.
www.cnn.com
Denver public school teaching kindergartners BLM 'guiding principles' including 'disruption of nuclear family'
A public elementary school in the Denver, Colorado area is planning to subject kindergartners and first graders to gender and race sensitivity teaching as part of a push to teach the “guiding principles” of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Afghan women taken from their homes after speaking out
The BBC searches for an Afghan woman removed from her home after protesting against Taliban rule.
www.bbc.com
Here are the 5 states where the "Great Resignation" is at a peak
Workers are quitting at the highest rates in states where unemployment is low and employers are desperate to hire.
www.cbsnews.com
Adams calls on feds to crackdown on guns after NYPD officer killed
The incident is an early inflection point for the new mayor who campaigned on reducing gun violence.
www.politico.com
Coons opposes sending US troops to Ukraine: ‘We would simply be sacrificing them’
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said in an interview that he did not support deploying U.S. troops into Ukraine in the event that Russia invades the former Soviet nation, saying “we would simply be sacri…
thehill.com
Arnold Schwarzenegger involved in Los Angeles car crash
The actor-politician was unhurt in the collision, as photos show a large SUV on top of other cars.
www.bbc.com
‘A war crime against humanity’: Yemen rebels denounce attack
State news agency says facility was not on OCHA ‘no-target list’ as calls grow for a de-escalation of violence.
Donald Trump and Sean Hannity just had the most amazing exchange | CNN Politics
On Thursday night, former President Donald Trump appeared on Sean Hannity’s Fox show. And the two men had the following exchange:
www.cnn.com
How are COVID-related expenses impacting your household budget?
PPE and COVID-19 tests are increasingly becoming necessities for U.S. households. But the costs add up — both in time and money. Tell us how the need for these items is affecting you.
www.npr.orgU.S. adds new fields of study to STEM student visa program
The Biden administration is widening the scope on STEM student visas.Why it matters: Higher education enrollment has continued to decline in the U.S. as the country looks to stay competitive in science and technology on the global stage. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets...
Suspect in custody after student found seriously injured in Maryland high school bathroom
A suspect has been arrested after a high school in Rockville, Maryland, was locked down when a student was found seriously wounded in a bathroom Friday afternoon.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Where Ukraine's sunflowers once sprouted, fears now grow
WASHINGTON (AP) — On a warm spring day in Ukraine 26 years ago, three men smiled for cameras as they planted symbolic sunflower seedlings in freshly tilled earth where Soviet nuclear missiles had once stood ready.
apnews.com
AG said to have agreed deal for Netanyahu to quit politics for just 2 years, reneged
Reports say Mandelblit backed away from offer amid scathing criticism from state prosecution colleagues, is now demanding 'moral turpitude' clause which spells 7-year ban for ex-PM
www.timesofisrael.com
Yemen rebel attack on UAE throws challenge to the region
A fatal drone and missile strike raises questions about the war and security across the Middle East.
www.bbc.com
French politicians worry about surge in pre-election violence
French ruling party lawmaker Pascal Bois was at home asleep a few days after Christmas when firefighters banged on his front door to tell him his garage was in flames.
www.france24.com
Biden's international approval hangs in balance 1 year into office, experts warn 'adversaries' watching
President Biden entered the White House one year ago with the promise of shoring up geopolitical relations and reaffirming U.S. commitments as a world leader.
Snow storm in the Southeast, NFL playoffs: 5 thing you need to know this weekend
Parts of the Southeast brace for a miserable mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain, plus more news to start your weekend.
www.usatoday.com
Wisconsin judge refuses to stay drop box restrictions ruling
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin judge refused Friday to stay a ruling restricting the use of absentee ballot drop boxes, rejecting arguments that the decision will confuse voters heading
Wicker: Biden comments on Ukraine caused ‘distress’ for both parties
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said that “there was distress among Democrats and Republicans” after President Biden suggested during a lengthy press conference this week that Russia would face smaller…
thehill.comEnvoy: US will sanction those who undermine peace in Bosnia
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — The United States remains committed to Bosnia and will continue to impose sanctions on individuals who engage in corruption and “sow divisions” in the Balkan nation,
Jewish leaders, backers defiant a week after hostage siege
Rabbis, public officials and others made statements of defiance against antisemitism at Sabbath services a week after last weekend's hostage siege at a Texas synagogue.
apnews.com
Democracy a victim of partisan politics
Last week, some of America observed the heroism of one Martin Luther King who was murdered because he thought that “We, the people” should include more than white European immigrants. While some celebrated, others did not, doing their best to see that black lives did not matter. In 2021, 19...
UN condemns deadly air strike on Yemen prison
A Saudi-led coalition denies it struck a detention centre on Friday, killing more than 70 people.
www.bbc.com
Trial begins over challenges to Alaska redistricting plan
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Trial began Friday in a consolidated case that challenges Alaska's newly redrawn political boundaries.
An NYPD officer was killed and another seriously injured in a shooting while responding to a domestic incident | CNN
One New York police officer is dead and another is in critical condition after a suspect in a domestic disturbance opened fire Friday evening inside a Harlem apartment, authorities said.
www.cnn.com
Despite key win, Venezuela's opposition split over strategy
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Iglenda Monzón lost her restaurant to Venezuela’s protracted economic crisis. Her daughters then emigrated to Colombia to find work and left behind two children. She and the boys sometimes go hungry and often do not have running water, electricity or gas.
apnews.com
UN probing alleged killings by CAR forces, Russia mercenaries
UN official says the body is investigating the incident involving CAR troops and ‘other security personnel’.
Dutch PM Rutte Says There’s ‘Political Space’ to Arm Ukraine
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte raised the option of providing Ukraine with defensive weapons and said any European Union sanctions in response to a Russian invasion would be severe.
www.bloomberg.com
Appeals court rejects Arizona Senate's privilege argument
PHOENIX (AP) — A state appeals court says legislative privilege does not broadly protect the Arizona Senate from having to release hundreds of public records related to the review of
NCAA's new trans athlete guidelines sow confusion amid Lia Thomas debate
The policy change follows weeks of criticism of the University of Pennsylvania swimmer, but one expert said it likely won’t affect her ability to compete.
www.nbcnews.com
How will President Joe Biden's approval rating affect the political races in Georgia?
WJCL 22 sat down with Georgia Southern Political Science Professor, Dr. Kimberly Martin, to get her thoughts on why Biden's approval rating is so low and how it could affect the political races in Georgia this year.
www.wjcl.com
Biden finds himself stuck between independents and his base
First Read is your briefing from "Meet the Press" and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.
www.nbcnews.com
‘A Met police officer secretly filmed me naked’
Det Insp Neil Corbel hid cameras in tissue boxes, phone chargers and glasses to film his victims.
www.bbc.com
Political experience divides GOP gov. hopefuls
Minnesota hasn’t elected a governor without prior elective experience since 1966. But some Republicans seeking their party’s nomination say a fresh start is needed as rivals say know-how is a must.
www.mprnews.org
Rare blast of snow, ice takes aim at Southeast US coast
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Freezing rain, sleet and snow blew into coastal areas stretching from South Carolina to Virginia on Friday in a winter storm that forecasters say could snarl a region that's unaccustomed to winter precipitation.
apnews.com
Rio de Janeiro delays Carnival parades as omicron spikes in Brazil
Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes announced weeks ago that the raucous street parties, which draw hundreds of thousands of revelers, wouldn't proceed in the manner they did before the pandemic.
www.npr.org
Why one famed investor is fretting about "superbubbles"
Jeremy Grantham is famous for spotting stock market crashes before they occur. The next one will be a doozy, he predicts.
www.cbsnews.com
Non-alcoholic beers are finally good (and they're not just for Dry January)
Craft beer's emphasis on strong flavors has reinvented non-alcoholic beer, bringing better choices than ever to people who want new options.
www.npr.org
Chile president-elect Boric unveils women-majority cabinet
Fourteen of Chile’s 24 new cabinet ministers are women, while several are former student protest leaders.
Video FAA investigating if YouTuber crashed plane for likes
The FAA and NTSB are looking into whether pilot and YouTube personality Trevor Jacob intentionally caused a plane to crash while flying over the Los Padres National Forest in California for a video.
‘Immediate action’ needed on security in Haiti: Canada’s Trudeau
Canada hosts a virtual meeting on Haiti amid the country’s political, economic and humanitarian crises.
Plane slides off runway at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, no injuries reported
The flight operated by Endeavor Air from Washington, D.C., rolled off the runway while taxiing, officials said.
www.nbcnews.com
All loose monkeys accounted for following Pennsylvania highway crash
The vehicle carrying an estimated 100 monkeys was involved in a crash and three monkeys escaped, officials said.
www.nbcnews.com
Brother of Lori Vallow Daybell speaks out on their relationship, sister's murder charges
Adam Cox has a hard time coming to grips with what has happened to his family.
Omicron has changed the shape of the pandemic. Will it end it for good? | CNN
The world feared the worst when a worrying new coronavirus variant emerged in late November and ripped through South Africa at a pace not seen before in the pandemic.
www.cnn.com
U.S. studies highlight the need for COVID boosters to fight Omicron
Three U.S. studies show that a third dose of an mRNA vaccine is key to fighting the Omicron coronavirus variant, providing 90% protection against hospitalization due to COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday.
www.reuters.com
New Orleans parents prepare, brace for school vaccine mandate for kids as young as 5
“As a parent, I want her safe. I want her classmates safe. But I’m also terrified," one father said.
www.nbcnews.com
Law enforcement and businesses prepare for vaccine mandate protest in nation's capital | CNN Politics
Law enforcement officials and businesses in the nation’s capital are preparing for an influx of anti-vaccine mandate activists and are also concerned that potentially large-scale demonstrations could attract extremist groups to the region this weekend.
www.cnn.com
Coronavirus FAQ: What's the risk of catching omicron outdoors?
Previous versions of the coronavirus didn't transmit as easily outdoors thanks to airflow that dispersed viral particles. But what about the highly transmissible omicron variant?
www.npr.org
Scammers are selling bogus home COVID-19 tests. Here's how to avoid fakes.
The FDA says criminals are posing as real sellers of home virus tests. Here's how to avoid getting ripped off.
www.cbsnews.com
How Virginia schools used COVID mask mandates to 'thumb their noses' at new Gov. Youngkin
Julie Gunlock, director of the Independent Women's Network, sits down with Ben Domenech for “The Ben Domenech Podcast” to discuss liberal politics in Virginia's school leadership and reaction to new Gov. Glenn Youngkin's executive order on COVID mask mandates.
A nurse frustrated by staffing shortages and career obstacles leaves hospital job to drive 18-wheeler | CNN
After years of caring for surgery patients at a Canadian hospital, a veteran nurse has left the profession to start a new, high-demand career as a long-haul truck driver.
www.cnn.com
Austrian Parliament votes to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for most adults
The mandate is the strictest of its kind so far in the European Union.
www.cbsnews.com
Pfizer, Moderna boosters up to 90% effective against Omicron: CDC
Three US studies offer more evidence that third dose of COVID vaccine is highly effective against Omicron.
US starts shipping free COVID tests amid Omicron -White House
The U.S. Postal Service has begun shipping free at-home rapid COVID-19 tests after millions of orders were placed through a new federal website launched this week, the White House said on Friday as the rise in Omicron-related cases shifted nationwide.
www.reuters.com
First flights leave Chinese city Xi'an as travel curbs ease
BEIJING (AP) — The first commercial airline flights in one month took off Saturday from Xi’an in western China as the government eased travel curbs imposed after a coronavirus outbreak ahead of next month’s Winter Olympics in Beijing.
apnews.com
After the Omicron wave, here's what experts say could come next in 2022 | CNN
Picture a not-too-distant future when you can book that summer trip to Italy or you don’t have to remember to take off your mask for graduation photos. After the past 25 months, forgetting the pandemic for even a little while may sound like a fantasy – after all, the coronavirus has gotten our...
www.cnn.com
China mandates 3-day Olympic torch relay amid virus concerns
China is limiting the torch relay for the Winter Olympics to only three days amid coronavirus worries
'Wuhan, I Am Here': Film follows volunteers in sealed city
BEIJING (AP) — The homeless, the sick, the elderly: For people who fell through the cracks of the official system, the then-unprecedented decision to isolate the central Chinese city of Wuhan and its 13 million people was a matter of life or death.
apnews.com
Citi asks vaccinated staff in New York to report to office from Feb. 7
Citigroup said on Friday it has asked vaccinated staff in the New York Tri-State area to prepare for a return to office from Feb. 7, according to a person familiar with the matter.
www.reuters.com
