(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House committee investigating the Capitol insurrection issued subpoenas Tuesday to Rudy Giuliani and other members of Donald Trump’s post-election legal team who filed multiple lawsuits claiming election fraud that were roundly rejected by the courts but gave rise to the lie that Trump did not really lose the 2020 presidential contest.
Russia-Ukraine crisis: Why Brussels fears Europe is 'closest to war' in decades
Fears are rising over Russia's plans to shake up the region, writes BBC Europe editor Katya Adler.
www.bbc.com
Big voting bill faces defeat as 2 Dems won't stop filibuster
Voting legislation that is a cornerstone of the Democratic agenda and a top priority for civil rights leaders is on track for defeat.
apnews.com
Russia moves more troops westward amid Ukraine tensions
Russian officials say Moscow is sending an unspecified number of troops from the country’s far east to Belarus for major joint military drills.
apnews.com
White House warns Russian invasion of Ukraine may be imminent
Press secretary Jen Psaki warned that an “extremely dangerous situation” is building along the Ukrainian border where Russia is amassing troops.
www.nbcnews.com
Senate begins debate on voting rights ahead of filibuster showdown
For the first time this Congress, the Senate is expected to debate voting rights legislation on Tuesday ahead of a showdown on the filibuster rule this week.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Ukraine as potential Russian invasion looms
The Kremlin has previously denied that it was preparing for an invasion of Ukraine.
NTSB chief to fed agency: Stop using misleading statistics
With traffic fatalities spiking, the nation’s top safety investigator says a widely cited government statistic that 94% of serious crashes are solely due to driver error is misleading and the Transportation Department should stop using it.
apnews.com
He dedicated years of his life to QAnon. One day made him question it all.
Unlike so many fellow conspiracy theorists, Justin would ultimately crawl out of the dark place his own mind had taken him. His first steps began at the U.S. Capitol.
www.nbcnews.com
Manchin: Primary me if you want, I won't go 'nuclear'
Democrats are likely to try to revive the "talking filibuster" in a doomed bid to pass election reform. Their two centrists still aren't on board.
www.politico.com
Biden 'stands by everything he said' in fiery Georgia speech that compared opponents to segregationists
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden "stands by everything he said" last week comparing opponents of the Democrats' election overhaul bill to segregationist Gov. George Wallace.
Trump lawyers to Supreme Court: Jan. 6 committee ‘will not be harmed by delay’
Former President Trump’s lawyers told the Supreme Court that the House committee probing the Jan. 6 attack would suffer no harm if the justices delayed the transfer of Trump administration records …
thehill.comIn unusual move, Gov. DeSantis submits redistricting map
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has submitted a proposal to reshape the state's congressional map and carve up districts held by Black Democrats, as the Republican takes the unusual step of inserting himself into the redistricting process. The proposed congressional map, submitted Sunday on the eve...
Jan. 6 committee subpoenas Giuliani, 3 other Trump allies, accuses them of pushing election lies
The committee said Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell and Boris Epshteyn "publicly promoted unsupported claims about the 2020 election and participated in attempts to disrupt or delay the certification of election results."
www.nbcnews.com
Senate begins showdown over voting rights as Democrats brace for failure
Republicans are determined to filibuster the bill, and Democrats lack the 50 votes needed to create an exception to the filibuster.
www.nbcnews.comHow $1,000 a Month in Guaranteed Income Is Helping NY Mothers
NEW YORK — The flyers that appeared at bus stops and nail salons and health clinics in upper Manhattan last June sounded too good to be true. “New mothers can receive $500 or $1,000 a month, with no strings attached!” they read. “I thought it was a scam,” said Angelina Matos, who had just given...
Figure at center of pro-Trump Jan. 6 theories to speak with select committee Friday
Ray Epps met informally with the panel in November and told them he had no relationship with the FBI.
www.politico.com
Sanders open to supporting primary challengers against Manchin and Sinema
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) thinks there’s a “good chance” Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) will face challenges in future Democratic primaries and says he would be open to …
thehill.com
AT&T, Verizon pause some new 5G after airlines raise alarm
AT&T and Verizon say they will delay some new 5G wireless service after the airline industry raised alarms about potential interference with important systems on planes.
apnews.com
Arctic blast expected to bring subzero temperatures to Midwest
Some parts North Dakota could feel like minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
thehill.com
Ray Epps to sit for transcribed interview with Jan. 6 committee - Washington Examiner
Ray Epps, the Arizona man at the center of claims that FBI informants provoked the Capitol riot, is scheduled to sit down for a transcribed interview with the Jan. 6 House select committee Friday. The select committee disclosed last Tuesday that Epps told them during an interview in November...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Senator Elizabeth Warren "open" to breaking up Build Back Better bill to get it "across the finish line"
When asked whether Sinema and Manchin should be primaried in 2024, Warren said: "We'll address that when we get past this week."
www.cbsnews.com
Democrats ponder Plan B strategy to circumvent voting rights filibuster
Senate Democrats are scrambling for a Plan B to pass voting rights legislation after Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced last week that they would not vote to change …
thehill.com
Supreme Court's Gorsuch refused to wear mask despite request over Sotomayor's Covid concerns, report says
Gorsuch's refusal to wear a mask has led Sotomayor, who has diabetes and is at a higher risk from Covid, to attend proceedings remotely, the report said.
Jan. 6 investigators target Trump's court efforts to overturn election
The committee issued subpoenas to Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell and Boris Epshteyn on Tuesday.
www.politico.com
Schumer tells Democrats reluctant to nuke filibuster: 'We are all going to go on the record'
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Tuesday turned up the heat on Democrats reluctant to nuke the chamber's 60-vote filibuster.
Poland raises cybersecurity terror threat level following attack in Ukraine
Poland on Tuesday raised its nationwide cybersecurity threat level in response to the cyberattack on the Ukrainian government last week.Poland’s Ministry of Digital Affairs said this ale…
thehill.com
Schumer to propose ‘talking filibuster’ rules change on voting rights amid stalemate | CNN Politics
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters Tuesday that he plans to put forward a proposal to change Senate rules to allow for a “talking filibuster” once Republicans block the voting legislation that Democrats are trying to pass.
www.cnn.com
NATO chief invites Russia to new talks as Ukraine tensions mount
Moscow says it must have answers from the West over its security demands before more discussions can take place.
‘It’s a tough time’: why is Biden one of the most unpopular US presidents?
Puzzle of Biden’s unpopularity has some pieces within his control and some not, experts say, as Covid casts a shadow over his first year in office Joe Biden addresses a joint session of Congress on 28 April 2021. Photograph: Getty Images Joe Biden ends his first year in office at a particularly...
Majority of US states pursue nuclear power for emission cuts
Many states in the U.S. are coming to the conclusion that solar, wind and other renewable power sources might not be enough to keep the lights on as they seek to dramatically cut their use of fossil fuels.
apnews.com
Exclusive: Eric Trump and Kimberly Guilfoyle’s phone records subpoenaed by January 6 committee | CNN Politics
The House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol has subpoenaed and obtained records of phone numbers associated with one of former President Donald Trump’s children, Eric Trump, as well as Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is engaged to Donald Trump Jr., sources tell CNN.
www.cnn.com
Obamacare enrollment hits record high after Biden makes post-Trump tweaks to health insurance program
Experts noted that while former President Donald Trump tried to gut Obamacare, President Joe Biden has been a cheerleader for the health insurance law.
Top Pennsylvania senator seeks impeachment of Philadelphia DA over violent crime spike - Washington Examiner
A top Republican Pennsylvania lawmaker is seeking to impeach the district attorney of Philadelphia over rising crime levels. Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman wrote a letter Tuesday to Republican leaders of the state House of Representatives requesting they begin impeachment proceedings...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Schumer proposing talking filibuster amid voting rights standoff
Senate Democrats will force a vote this week to try to change the rules and enact a talking filibuster to pass voting rights legislation, getting rid of the 60-vote hurdle.Senate Majority Leader Ch…
thehill.com
Biden avoids wading into the congressional stock trading debate
As support grows for a ban on stock trades by members, the White House says Biden's position is that the question should be left to Congress to decide.
Senate Democrats eye talking filibuster
Senate Democrats are eyeing trying to change the Senate’s rules to shift to a talking filibuster, which would get rid of the 60-vote hurdle currently required to advance most legislation.Sen.…
thehill.comDemocrats line up to challenge Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson
Republican Sen. Ron Johnson’s decision to run for reelection has affirmed his position as a top target for Democrats in a race expected to be among the most hotly contested of the 2022 midterms.
Don’t be fooled. The voting bill is doomed.
www.politico.comUK MPs criticize 'distracted' Biden for reluctance to support Ukraine ahead of potential invasion by Russia
Joe Biden has left the West "rudderless" as Vladimir Putin becomes increasingly aggressive, British politicians told Insider.
Jay-Z's Team Roc puts pressure on DOJ to investigate Kansas City, Kansas, police
"The DOJ's continued inaction tells targeted minority communities ... that their lives do not matter," says the letter, in conjunction with the Midwest Innocence Project.
www.nbcnews.com
2 more House Democrats say they will not seek reelection
Two more House Democrats have announced they won't be seeking reelection in November. The announcements by Reps.
apnews.com
1,500 synagogue leaders meet with feds to discuss security in wake of Texas standoff
Attorney General Merrick Garland tried to reassure worried Jewish leaders just three days after a rabbi and three other peope were held hostage for 11 hours.
www.nbcnews.comDemocrats put renewed focus on voting rights: What happened in 2021, and where do proposals stand now?
President Joe Biden and Democrats have turned their attention to voting rights as other parts of their agenda have stalled and ahead of the midterms.
White House defends withholding of Delaware visitor records, where Biden logged 1 in 4 days - Washington Examiner
The White House defended its decision to withhold visitor log records for President Joe Biden’s Delaware residences as tallies show the president logging a quarter of his first year in office in his home state.“The president goes to Delaware because it’s his home,” press secretary Jen Psaki said...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Education Department completes distribution of $122 billion in school Covid-19 relief funding to states | CNN Politics
The US Department of Education has distributed all $122 billion in school Covid-19 relief funding from the American Rescue Plan to states, the Biden administration announced Tuesday – a major milestone as school districts nationwide continue to grapple with Omicron’s surge.
www.cnn.comFormer New York Post digital editor sues Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
Michelle Gotthelf's lawsuit contains allegations that Murdoch's longtime lieutenant, Col Allan, allegedly propositioned her for sex and instructed her to 'get rid of' a story about a rape allegation against former President Trump.
Trump-DeSantis tensions ratchet up
The long-simmering tensions between former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) are reaching a boiling point ahead of a potential 2024 primary clash.Trump has griped behind the scenes …
thehill.com
Senate Republicans probe Education Department, DOJ over NSBA letter
Senate Judiciary Commitee ranking member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, led ten of his fellow Republican senators in a pair of letters to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Attorney General Merrick Garland regarding the widely criticized NSBA correspondence.
POLITICO Playbook PM: Schumer sets up voting rights endgame
And a land war in Europe looms ever larger.
www.politico.com
EMILY’s List says it won’t endorse Sinema unless she relents on filibuster
EMILY’s List announced on Tuesday that it will not endorse Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) unless she relents on her opposition to weakening the legislative filibuster for voting rights legislation.T…
thehill.com
A running list of who the January 6 committee has subpoenaed or requested to appear
The committee investigating the deadly Capitol Hill riot on January 6, 2021, has issued scores of subpoenas to individuals and organizations as part of its probe into circumstances and coordination leading up to the storming of the US Capitol.
www.cnn.comTexas rejects hundreds of mail ballot applications under new voting limits
Texas election officials have rejected hundreds of mail-in ballot applications, abiding by a new Republican-backed law just weeks before a March 1 primary kicks off this year's U.S. election cycle. "My friends, this is what voter suppression looks like," Democrat Dana DeBeauvoir, the Travis...
Colorado legislator pushes tax breaks to combat ‘porch piracy’
A Colorado state legislator tired of losing packages to so-called porch pirates has proposed a measure that would give residents a tax break if they install anti-theft devices at their homes.The bi…
thehill.com
Supreme Court justice blasts Virginia city over refusing tax exemption for church
Neil Gorsuch said the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia, wrongly probed into the church's internal affairs, seeking to verify its religious rules.
www.nbcnews.com
Harris still struggling to define herself one year in VP job
Vice President Kamala Harris is capping off a controversial first year in office, creating history as the first woman and first Black and Indian American person in her position while fending off criticism and complaints over her focus and agenda.
apnews.com
Why There’s a Civil War in Idaho — Inside the GOP
Idaho is the ‘reddest of red states.’ So why are Republicans fighting so much?
www.politico.com
Do Minnesota cases show it's getting easier to convict cops?
Data show it's rare for police officers to be convicted of on-duty killings. But three recent convictions of police officers in Minnesota have some people wondering whether that's changing.
apnews.com
Record number of guns found at TSA checkpoints last year, 86% of them loaded, agency says
The number of guns intercepted at U.S. airports last year represents a 35% increase from 2019 — and 86% of those firearms were loaded, the TSA said.
www.cbsnews.com
GOP takes a potent but risky new path: Hitting Biden on Covid
Republicans are betting — despite Donald Trump's past pandemic stumbles — that spiking cases and public exhaustion can help their case against the president.
www.politico.com
White House says Russia could launch attack in Ukraine ‘at any point’
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Tuesday that the U.S. believes that Russia could carry out an attack on Ukraine “at any point,” underscoring the immediacy of the threat shou…
thehill.com
Backlash as US billionaire dismisses Uyghur abuse
Chamath Palihapitiya says he and most Americans "don't care" about alleged human rights abuse of the Uyghur minority.
www.bbc.com
Liberal Biden antitrust officials team up to toughen stance on mergers - Washington Examiner
The Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department announced Tuesday that they will work together to update the government's merger guidelines, signaling a crackdown on large deals between companies.The new push will likely result in greater government scrutiny of merger deals between...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Rep. Dan Crenshaw shuts down questioning from young woman during a Tea Party event
GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas told a young woman at an event not to question his faith after she asked about something he previously said.
www.usatoday.com
Texas synagogue hostage taker Malik Faisal Akram's past raises questions about how he was allowed into US
Reports about the radical and criminal history of the British citizen who was shot dead in the Texas synagogue siege after taking Jewish worshippers hostage are raising questions on both sides of the Atlantic about how he got past both countries' intelligence services and gained entry into the...
Russia sends troops to Belarus for war games
Russian officials on Tuesday said Moscow is sending troops to Belarus for joint military drills, a move that will place more Kremlin troops and equipment near Ukraine as Western nations fear an inv…
thehill.comTrump plans 2,300 new homes at struggling Doral resort
Donald Trump plans to build 2,300 luxury homes at his Doral golf resort in the Miami area, part of a flurry of recent moves to revive a family business suffering from the one-two punch of a divisive presidency and coronavirus shutdowns. In a news release Monday, the 45th president called the...
Boston appears headed for Supreme Court loss over refusal to fly a Christian flag
Conservative justices said the city was wrong to conclude that allowing the flag would be an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion.
www.nbcnews.com
Microsoft buys game maker Activision Blizzard for about $70B
Microsoft is paying the enormous sum of nearly $70 billion for Activision Blizzard, the maker of Candy Crush and Call of Duty, a deal that would immediately make it a larger video-game company than Nintendo while raising questions about the deal’s possible anti-competitive effects.
apnews.com
DHS, FBI warn faith-based communities they 'will likely continue to be targets of violence'
The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are warning faith-based communities they "have and will likely continue to be targets of violence."
NBA Social Justice Coalition vows to fight for voting rights
The coalition was formed in 2020 after the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake.
Before pullout, U.S. government watchdog warned of Afghan air force collapse
The report, submitted last January but declassified Tuesday, underscores that U.S. authorities had been alerted Afghanistan’s air force did not have the capabilities to survive on its own.
www.nbcnews.com
New York’s governor becomes a ‘juggernaut’ in Cuomo’s wake
Hochul's rise in New York, a hotbed of progressivism, offers a new test of the idea that moderates are the future of the Democratic Party — not the left.
www.politico.com
Democratic lawmaker refuses to meet with new Harris aide about immigration comments
Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., a lawmaker with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHS), is refusing to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris' new communications director this week following resurfaced tweets from 2010 about illegal immigration.
Turkey and Serbia agree to broker Bosnia crisis talks
Turkey’s President Erdogan pledges support for Bosnia’s territorial integrity amid fears about Bosnian Serb secession.
Los Angeles mayor nominates city’s first female fire chief
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) has nominated a woman to become the city’s first female chief of the fire department. Garcetti nominated Chief Deputy and Fire Marhshall Kristin Crowley to …
thehill.com
US weighs more military support for Ukraine to resist Russia if it invades | CNN Politics
The Biden administration is weighing new options, including providing more arms to Ukraine to resist a Russian occupation, to try to raise the costs for Russian President Vladimir Putin should he decide to invade the country.
www.cnn.com
‘Citizens are not protected’: What does 2022 hold for Haiti?
The situation in Haiti has reached a crisis point amid stalled elections, rising poverty and the growing power of gangs.
OnPolitics: Sen. Ted Cruz brings campaign finance challenge to SCOTUS
The Texas Republican is asking the court to strike down a law that dictates what happens when candidates loan money to their own campaigns.
www.usatoday.com
Nick Saban, others urge Manchin to protect voting rights
University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban and other sports figures with ties to West Virginia are urging Sen. Joe Manchin to support sweeping legislation to protect the right to vote
Jan. 6 panel subpoenas Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell
The House Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol subpoenaed former President Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Tuesday along with three other campaign attorneys linke…
thehill.com
Climate change makes the future of Nordic skiing uncertain
WINTHROP, Wash. (AP) — For the first time in 32 years, organizers of the Rendezvous Cross Country Ski Festival in West Yellowstone, Montana, had to cancel November’s traditional start-of-the-ski-season event due to a lack of snow.
apnews.com
Sen. Tim Scott memoir 'America' coming out in August
Sen. Tim Scott has a memoir out this summer that he says will explain the two words that have shaped his life: hope and redemption.
apnews.com
5G phones: How serious is the threat to US flights?
Ten leading US airlines are warning that the expansion of 5G services could be disastrous.
www.bbc.com
Israeli police under fire for alleged use of Pegasus spyware
Israeli lawmaker says she will question the police about their reported use of the NSO Group hacking tool on Israelis.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw shuts down questioning from young woman during a Tea Party event
GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas told a young woman at an event not to question his faith after she asked about something he previously said.
How Pennsylvania’s midterm race could decide which party controls the Senate
The high-stakes midterm race in the battleground state of Pennsylvania could decide which party controls the Senate after President Biden narrowly won the state in the 2020 election. NBC News’ Dasha Burns explains why the stakes are so high for the state’s open Senate seat and how redistricting...
www.nbcnews.com
Media protest restrictions on ex-officers trial in Floyd killing
News outlets, media groups say not enough people will be able to see the civil rights trial that starts on Thursday.
Alleged hostage-taker at Texas synagogue was known to British authorities, sources say
The man who allegedly held people hostage at a Texas synagogue on Saturday was known to British authorities, law enforcement sources told ABC News on Tuesday.
1 dead, 5 police officers among the injured in suspected gas explosion in Bronx
Two women remain hospitalized in serious condition.
www.cbsnews.com
Former MSNBC anchor says he wanted to leave ‘hyper-partisan’ political news
A former weekend anchor on MSNBC knocked what he saw as the “hyper-partisan” business of cable news on his way out the door.Kendis Gibson, who hosted a weekend news show on th…
thehill.com
After a high-profile rape conviction was thrown out, Minnesotans acted and changed the law
A Minnesota sexual assault law that did not protect some intoxicated victims is not unique, and now, activists and lawmakers have overhauled the code.
www.usatoday.com
Fauci disclosures will trickle out over more than a year, watchdog says
Government watchdog group demanding key data on Fauci's financial and professional history
3 Pennsylvania officers charged in shooting death of 8-year-old girl at high school football game
Criminal charges have been filed against three Pennsylvania police officers in connection with the shooting death of an 8-year-old girl at a high school football game.
European EV sales outpace diesel for first time
Europeans bought more electric cars than diesels in December, marking the first time sales of battery-powered vehicles surpassed those with diesel combustion engines. Data from Matth…
thehill.com
Rep. Gallagher to push sanctions on Olympic committee over alleged complicity in CCP Peng Shuai disappearance
EXCLUSIVE: Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher will introduce legislation Tuesday to sanction the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over its alleged complicity in the disappearance of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Former Trump officials plotting effort to blunt his impact on elections: report
Around three dozen former Trump administration officials, including chief of staff John Kelly, recently held a conference call to discuss how to oppose the former president’s next potential r…
thehill.com
Nick Saban and Jerry West sign letter asking Joe Manchin to support voting rights legislation
The letter was also signed by other sports icons.
www.cbsnews.com
Tonga tsunami: Race for vital supplies to reach volcano-hit islands
Teams work desperately to clear ash from runways so planes can deliver food and drinking water.
www.bbc.com
Houthi drone attacks expose UAE vulnerabilities, say analysts
Houthi attack jeopardises the UAE’s reputation as a haven for tourism and trade and pushes it towards caution with Iran.
Biden should fire chief of staff Klain 'immediately,' Sen. Sasse says
Sen. Ben Sasse on Tuesday called on President Biden to fire his chief of staff, Ron Klain, for pushing a "guaranteed-to-fail vote" on nuking the filibuster, which he argued is a political ploy just to "throw some chum" at the Democratic Party's progressive wing.
US plans $50B wildfire fight where forests meet civilization
The Biden administration says it will significantly expand efforts to stave off catastrophic wildfires that have been torching areas of the U.S.
apnews.com
Biden year one takeaways: Grand ambitions, humbling defeats
Joe Biden’s long arc in public life has always had one final ambition: to sit behind the Resolute Desk of the Oval Office.
apnews.com
Biden administration unveils plan to combat worsening US wildfires
The Biden administration on Tuesday unveiled a 10-year plan to treat and maintain millions of additional acres of forests in the western United States to reduce the severity of seasonal wildfires.
Former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio reveals he won't be running for NY governor
Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that, despite prior hints, he will not be running to be New York's next governor.
Former AG William Barr's memoir to be published March 8
Former Attorney General William P. Barr has a memoir coming out in March. It's titled “One Damn Thing After Another” and is billed by his publisher as a vivid and forthright account of his time serving two very different presidents Donald Trump and George H.W.
apnews.com
FBI, US agencies look beyond indictments in cybercrime fight
The FBI and other federal government agencies are increasingly looking to counter cyber threats through tools other than criminal indictments.
apnews.com
Oil prices hit seven-year high after attack
An attack on fuel trucks in the Middle East and hopes for a global economic recovery have driven up prices.
www.bbc.com
Muslim girls wearing hijab barred from classes at Indian college
A group of Muslim students at a government college in Karnataka has been forced to sit outside the classroom for weeks.
Images and patchy communications reveal devastation in Tonga after tsunami unleashed by massive volcano eruption
2 people have been confirmed dead in the Pacific island nation so far, but communications are still patchy, and the scale of the damage is just starting to become clear.
www.cbsnews.com
Senior Biden official likely violated federal ethics law, watchdogs charge - Washington Examiner
A top Interior Department lawyer likely violated a federal ethics law by taking part in matters involving her former employer and clients, two watchdog groups charge in a fresh complaint filed with the department's inspector general. The complaint filed Tuesday alleges that Interior Department...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
UN: Afghan quake death toll reaches 26, including children
The United Nations has raised the death toll from twin earthquakes in western Afghanistan the day before to 26
HUNGER STRIKE DAY 5: As pain sets in, strikers feel 'disheartened' but 'resolved'; three drop out
Hunger strikers for voting rights legislation describe feeling fatigued and in pain five days in.
Immigration court backlog nearly equals size of Philadelphia’s population, study finds | CNN Politics
The US immigration court backlog reached nearly 1.6 million cases last year, with cases climbing more rapidly between October and December, according to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, which tracks immigration court data.
www.cnn.com
Grammy Awards pushed to April due to coronavirus
Music awards ceremony is rescheduled to April 3 in Las Vegas amid rising COVID-19 infections linked to Omicron variant.
Huge asteroid safely passes close to Earth
A one-kilometer-sized asteroid passed near Earth Tuesday.
After opposition to her MLK Day speech, Nikole Hannah-Jones swapped her words for his
“Oh, the uncomfortable silence as I read Dr. King’s words at a commemoration of Dr. King’s life when people had no idea that these were his words,” she tweeted.
www.nbcnews.com
Drugmaker Endo signs $65 mln opioid settlement with Florida
Drugmaker Endo International plc said on Tuesday it had agreed to pay up to $65 million to resolve claims by the state of Florida and local governments that the drugmaker helped fuel the U.S. opioid epidemic.
Tonga government releases 1st statement since volcanic blast, described huge mushroom plume
For the first time since a massive undersea volcano erupted and caused widespread damage, the government of Tonga released its first statement on Tuesday morning.
70-year-old nurse who 'went above and beyond' killed in random assault at bus stop
A 70-year-old nurse who dedicated her career to caring for others was killed in a random assault at a Los Angeles bus stop.
Cleveland Browns' Malik McDowell arrested on charge of public exposure in Florida
McDowell is also being held on charges of resisting arrest and aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, according to inmate records.
www.nbcnews.com
House Democrat exit list grows to 28 as Rhode Island's Langevin, California's McNerney, announce retirements
Two more House Democrats – Reps. Jim Langevin of Rhode Island and Jerry McNerney of California – announced on Tuesday that they won't seek reelection in this year's midterm elections.
Felony charges are 1st in a fatal crash involving Autopilot
California prosecutors have filed two counts of vehicular manslaughter against the driver of a Tesla on Autopilot who ran a red light, slammed into another car and killed two people in 2019.
apnews.com
How Nigeria succeeded in clipping Twitter's wings
Some fear that Twitter agreeing to new rules in Nigeria may encourage others to restrict social media.
www.bbc.com
How the Yemen conflict flare-up affects its humanitarian crisis
Al Jazeera takes a quick look at the effect seven years of war has had on the Arab world’s poorest country.
Harris will travel to Honduras for president's inauguration
Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Honduras next week to attend the inauguration of President-elect Xiomara Castro.
apnews.com
U.S. Senate candidate Gary Chambers smokes marijuana in new campaign ad
The Democrat said in the ad that he wants to "destigmatize the use of marijuana," a pathway to legalization and "forgive those arrested due to outdated ideology."
www.cbsnews.com
Lithium under a California lake could help U.S. gain energy autonomy
The ingredient crucial to electric car batteries is found in the brine of an aquifer under the Salton Sea, a once-busy recreation spot that fell into decay because of toxic runoff.
www.nbcnews.com
The AP Interview: Exiled artist Ai Weiwei on Beijing Games
The Chinese artist Ai Weiwei says the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing will allow China to show the world “a fake smile,” just as it did for the 2008 Summer Games.
apnews.com
Nobody warned me drinks event was against rules - Boris Johnson
Dominic Cummings - who claims PM lied about lockdown parties - is set to speak to Sue Gray's inquiry.
www.bbc.com
US warns Belarus: War against Ukraine could end Lukashenko regime - Washington Examiner
Belarusian involvement in an expanded Russian war against Ukraine would risk bringing the end of dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s regime, U.S. officials warned the strongman in response to the deployment of Russian forces in Belarus.“I believe Belarus’s complicity in such an attack would be...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Louisiana Senate candidate smokes marijuana in campaign ad
Gary Chambers is running for a seat in the US Senate representing Louisiana, and posted a video to Youtube on Tuesday announcing his campaign. In the video, Chambers is shown smoking marijuana in an outdoor leather armchair.
Sudanese barricade streets as strike over protest deaths begins
Anti-coup resistance committees and political parties call for two days of civil disobedience in Sudan.
Taiwan pays $900,000 for ally Guatemala to lobby Washington
Guatemala has hired for $900,000 a major supporter of former President Donald Trump to seek influence with U.S. officials in an unusual lobbying contract paid for by its ally Taiwan.
apnews.com
AT&T, Verizon pause 5G rollout near U.S airports to avoid flight disruptions
AT&T and Verizon Communications on Tuesday agreed to temporarily defer turning on some wireless towers near key airports to avert a significant disruption to U.S. flights as they roll out 5G service that will bring faster wireless service to tens of millions of people.
Low-income schools facing string of challenges after natural disasters: Report
As climate change increases natural disaster severity, low-income schools face greater obstacles when attempting to recover from them, a GAO report shows.
Justices suggest Boston should have flown 'Christian flag'
Supreme Court justices seem to have little doubt that Boston was wrong to refuse to fly a banner described as a Christian flag outside City Hall.
apnews.com
Hong Kong to kill 2,000 animals after hamsters get COVID-19
Hong Kong authorities say they will kill about 2,000 small animals, including hamsters, after several tested positive for the coronavirus at a pet store where an employee was also infected.
apnews.com
New baguette price sparks ire of some in France
New baguette price sparks ire of some in France.
Republicans demand Fauci apologize for calling senator 'moron'
GOP Doctors Caucus vice chair Greg Murphy of North Carolina led the Tuesday letter with several of his Doctors Caucus colleagues to Fauci, blasting President Biden’s top medical aide for his unprofessionalism towards the Kansas senator.
Man charged with selling technology to Iranian government - Washington Examiner
A man with dual U.S. and Iranian citizenship was arrested in Chicago on Friday on charges of selling technology to the Iranian government. Kambiz Attar Kashani, 44, is accused of selling software and electronic equipment to the Central Bank of Iran through front businesses in the United Arab...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Olympic athletes urged by activists not to criticize China
Athletes at the Beijing Olympics have been urged by human rights activists to avoid criticizing China because they could be prosecuted
Millions of dollars pour early into Texas governor's race
Money is pouring fast into the Texas governor’s race headlined by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Democrat Beto O’Rourke.
apnews.comWhy the economy can survive higher rates
Waiting too long to tackle inflation could force the Fed to raise rates faster, triggering a recession, Powell said, “and that would be bad for workers.”
www.politico.com
Conservative group backs Mary Miller over Rodney Davis in battle of Illinois GOP incumbents - Washington Examiner
The Club for Growth is endorsing Rep. Mary Miller over Rep. Rodney Davis after redistricting forced the two incumbent Republicans into the same central Illinois congressional district.The leading conservative advocacy group opted to back Miller over Davis in the state's newly configured 15th...
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Colombia’s Ingrid Betancourt announces presidential bid
Betancourt was kidnapped by FARC rebels in 2002 while campaigning for president, and held captive for six years.
Rep. Emilia Sykes joins competitive US House race in Ohio
Ex-Ohio House Democratic Leader Emilia Sykes says she’s running for Congress. The 35-year-old Akron Democrat’s announcement Tuesday sets up a likely faceoff in Ohio’s potentially newly competitive 13th Congressional District against former President Donald Trump-backed Republican Max Miller.
apnews.com
Texas governor race: Abbott, O'Rourke haul in big bucks
Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke brought in $7.2 million in the first six weeks of his gubernatorial campaign in Texas, while GOP Gov. Greg Abbott now has over $65 million in his coffers.
Jim Obergefell, face of gay marriage, to run for Ohio House
Gay rights advocate Jim Obergefell who was the lead plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, says he’s running for a seat in the Ohio legislature.
apnews.com
Actor-comedian Louie Anderson undergoing cancer treatment
A spokesman for Louie Anderson says the actor and comedian is being treated for cancer in a Las Vegas hospital
Report: Chinese Olympic app has serious security flaws
A new report shows that an app that's expected to be widely used by athletes and others attending next month’s Winter Games in Beijing has glaring security problems that could expose sensitive data to interception
Illinois man dies after jumping into frozen pond to save his granddaughter
When Ma’Lyiah White fell through the ice, Carlos Serafin didn't think twice about risking his own life, loved ones said. Ma’Lyiah, 10, remains in critical condition in a hospital.
www.nbcnews.com
Indonesia names new capital, approving shift from Jakarta | CNN
Indonesia has named its new capital Nusantara, as lawmakers approve the shift from Jakarta to Kalimantan – a jungle-covered area on the east of Borneo island.
www.cnn.com
'Worst house on best block' of San Francisco sells for $2M
A decaying, 122-year-old property marketed as “the worst house on the best block” of San Francisco has sold for nearly $2 million
Omicron could be restaurant killer without more relief
"Whether we reopen is completely contingent on whether we receive RRF funding," said one restaurant owner.
www.cbsnews.com
US faces wave of omicron deaths in coming weeks, models say
The fast-moving omicron variant may cause less severe disease on average, yet COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are climbing.
apnews.com
How to order free at-home Covid tests: White House website goes live
The highly transmissible omicron variant has made at-home Covid tests hard to find.
www.nbcnews.com
Gorsuch writes scathing dissent in church tax case, saying religious beliefs not subject to 'verification'
Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch penned a blistering dissent in a case revolving around church taxation, warning against allowing government officials the ability to define religious beliefs.
White House soft-launches COVID-19 test request website
The Biden administration has quietly launched its website for Americans to request free at-home COVID-19 tests, a day before the site was scheduled to officially launch.
apnews.com
U.S. CDC warns against travel to 22 destinations over COVID-19
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday advised against travel to 22 nations and territories because of a rising number of COVID-19 cases, including for Israel, Australia, Egypt, Albania, Argentina and Uruguay.
Australia reaches record COVID-19 deaths - Washington Examiner
Australia reported a record number of COVID-19-related deaths on Tuesday as the country battles the omicron variant. The country reported 78 deaths, up from its high of 57 deaths on Jan. 13, according to Australia's COVID-19 data. This comes as the nation's daily COVID-19 case report, 72,860 on...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
GOP Reps. Greene, Clyde accrue nearly $150K in combined mask fines
Two Georgia Republicans — Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Andrew Clyde — have been fined a combined nearly $150,000 for defying the requirement that everyone wear a mask in the House chamber …
thehill.comOmicron closures surge GOP school choice push
Nearly 52 percent of parents considered or are considering new schools for their children, according to a National School Choice Week survey conducted this month.
www.politico.com
WHO official says world has ‘chance to end’ worst of COVID-19 this year
If medicine and vaccine inequities are quickly dealt with, the world has a “chance to end” the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic this year, a top World Health Organization (WHO) official said on …
thehill.comConfusion, lawsuit follow Virginia governor's order on masks
Virginia's new Republican governor was facing pushback from Democratic lawmakers, school districts and a group of parents who sued him Tuesday over an executive order that aims to create an opt-out for classroom mask mandates. The order issued Saturday and set to take effect Monday was among...
Thomas Massie resurrects Eleanor Holmes Norton parking video in escalating social media feud - Washington Examiner
Rep. Thomas Massie posted a 2015 video of Washington, D.C., Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton parking poorly near the Capitol in an escalating Twitter feud between the two lawmakers. The Kentucky Republican recently wrote on Twitter that his office “will not comply” with Washington, D.C.’s vaccine...
www.washingtonexaminer.comFinally some good Covid signs
www.politico.com
Nearly 1 million pediatric Covid cases reported last week
While "eye-popping," the spike in pediatric cases is a reflection of the widespread transmission of Covid-19's omicron variant.
www.nbcnews.com
Gorsuch declines to wear mask, as bench-mate Sotomayor works from her office | CNN Politics
Mask battle hits the Supreme Court as justices continue their dramatic year
www.cnn.com
COVID-19 has derailed progress on malaria — here’s what we need to do to get back on track
COVID-19, our newest pandemic, has derailed progress in the fight against our oldest pandemic, malaria.
thehill.com
GOP lawmakers ask FDA for answers in Pfizer COVID-19 booster approval process for children: 'Quite troubling'
FIRST ON FOX: GOP lawmakers on Tuesday asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for answers as to why the top agency did not rely on its typical committee approval process before authorizing a third Pfizer COVID shot for children ages 12-15.
You can now order your government-supplied free at-home COVID tests
The Biden administration launched its website for free at-home COVID tests on Tuesday, a day earlier than planned.
Russia shortens COVID-19 isolation to 7 days as cases surge
Russia is shortening the required isolation period for people infected with COVID-19 from 14 to seven days
Whitmer's top doctor downplays COVID nursing home deaths: 'Tough decisions have to be made'
Michigan’s chief medical executive Natasha Bagdasarian, who joined the Whitmer administration after the scandal broke, said the two-year pandemic has illustrated that “tough choices have to be made.”
