Democrats question Rep. Kevin McCarthy's claim that terrorists are crossing the border: ‘He is either wrong or lying’  —  Speaking outside El Paso on Monday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said border agents he had met earlier that day issued dire warnings that suspected terrorists …

Capitol Police officer suspended after antisemitic document found at checkpoint  —  U.S. Capitol Police suspended an officer Monday after a copy of an infamous antisemitic tract was found near a Capitol Hill security post Sunday, alarming a congressional aide who viewed the document in plain sight at the checkpoint.

Marjorie Taylor Greene tours Orthodox spots in Brooklyn  —  Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was stripped of her House committee assignments last month for antisemitic and other incendiary comments, toured Orthodox areas of Brooklyn and Long Island on Monday, according to a community leader who hosted her.

Judge: Arizona GOP must pay $18K in groundless election suit  —  PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Republican Party and its lawyers must pay $18,000 in attorneys' fees that taxpayers were forced to pick up late last year to defend government officials against one of the party's failed lawsuits …

I Won't Be Silenced by the Left  —  They twisted what I said about Jan. 6 because they want Americans to forget last summer's violence and destruction.  —  I'm amazed but not surprised.  Those who seek political advantage by dividing the nation hurl the worst possible accusations …

Associated Press goes to bat for Andrew Cuomo with one of the dumbest defenses yet  —  We have a top contender already for the stupidest sentence committed to writing this year by a member of the press.  —  It's only March.  —  The Associated Press published a report this weekend explaining …

Army initially pushed to deny District's request for National Guard before Jan. 6  —  The Army initially pushed to reject the D.C. government's request for a modest National Guard presence ahead of the Jan. 6 rally that led to the Capitol riot, underscoring the deep reluctance of some higher-ups …

Coca-Cola, Home Depot come out in opposition to Georgia voting restrictions  —  Civil liberties groups are ratcheting up pressure on major corporations based in Georgia — including Coca-Cola, Aflac, Delta Air Lines, Home Depot and UPS — to oppose a Republican-led effort to make it harder to vote in the Peach State.

Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas Regarding the Situation at the Southwest Border  —  There is understandably a great deal of attention currently focused on the southwest border.  I want to share the facts, the work that we in the Department of Homeland Security …

Trump's CFO's ex-daughter-in-law is cooperating with prosecutors and ‘refuses to be silenced,’ her lawyer says  — Jennifer Weisselberg is cooperating with an investigation into Trump's finances, her lawyer says.  — She's the ex-daughter-in-law of Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Org CFO the DA wants to “flip.”

Rage against the ‘gaffe machine’  —  Presented by the Bipartisan Policy Center & U.S. Chamber of Commerce  —  Welcome to POLITICO's 2021 Transition Playbook, your guide to the first 100 days of the Biden administration  —  JOE BIDEN, disciplined messenger?  —  Two and a half months in, that's undoubtedly the case.

Manchin signals he'll support Gupta as No. 3 at DOJ, bolstering her chance at confirmation  —  (CNN)Sen. Joe Manchin, the key Democratic swing vote, said Monday that he will likely support Vanita Gupta as the No. 3 at the Justice Department, taking a stance that is expected to pave …

Vindman twin set for promotion after bad evaluations from Trump appointees  —  Army Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman is set to be promoted to full colonel, despite attempts by loyalists to former President Donald Trump to derail his career following his bit role in the president's first impeachment …

Just Reopen the Schools Now  —  It is entirely possible that when we look back at the coronavirus pandemic decades from now, we may see the gravest catastrophe as a generation of schoolchildren whose formative years were irrevocably stunted.  Even if the year and counting of public-school rollback …

High-schooler and her mother hacked school records to steal homecoming queen election, police say  —  In a sparkling silver dress, the homecoming queen at J.M. Tate High School in Cantonment, Fla., stood on the football field on a brisk evening in late October to accept her crown.

The curious case of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine  —  AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine is facing a crisis of confidence, with one European country after another, as if seized by a fit of panic, temporarily suspending its use over concerns about reports of blood clots in people who received it.

Biden under pressure to tap fewer political ambassadors than Trump, Obama  —  Donald Trump named more of his political allies to serve as ambassadors than any president in modern history.  Now the pressure is on Joe Biden to reverse that trend — and set a new standard.

FBI facing allegation that its 2018 background check of Brett Kavanaugh was ‘fake’  —  A Democratic senator has asked attorney general Merrick Garland to facilitate ‘proper oversight’ into concerns on the investigation  —  The FBI is facing new scrutiny for its 2018 background check of Brett Kavanaugh …

N Korea warns US not to ‘cause a stink’ before Seoul meeting  —  SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — In North Korea's first comments directed at the Biden administration, Kim Jong Un's powerful sister on Tuesday warned the United States to “refrain from causing a stink” if it wants to “sleep in peace” for the next four years.

China's Useful Elitists: Westerners Exploited for Beijing's Domestic Image  —  That was then: Edgar Snow, above right, with Liu Shaoqi and Mao Zedong in 1960.  China has its Western apologists today too.  —  Early in February, the BBC broadcast interviews with several Uighur women …

Jared Kushner Says Farewell to U.S. Taxpayers With $24,000 Hotel Tab  —  THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES  —  About four weeks before Donald Trump vacated the White House to make way for President Joe Biden, presidential adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner jetted off on his last official trip to Israel …

The U.S.-Russia collaboration in space is fraying  —  Russia, the U.S.' long-standing partner in space, is turning to China for its lunar ambitions.  —  Why it matters: The U.S. and Russia have been uneasy partners in orbit for decades, but as the two grow farther apart in space …

Congressman Urges Safety Probe of Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge  —  Thruway Authority says a bolts issue at the Tappan Zee successor was resolved years ago  —  A Democratic member of Congress has joined calls for a federal probe into safety concerns regarding construction of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in New York.

Gavin Newsom commits to nominating an African American woman to Senate if Dianne Feinstein retires  —  Asked if he would consider nominating an African American woman to restore the seat left by Vice President Kamala Harris in the Senate if Dianne Feinstein were to retire, Governor Gavin Newsom said …

President Joe Biden makes dent in partisan divide with COVID-19 response, Iowa Poll finds  —  The majority of Iowans hold favorable feelings toward President Joe Biden a month and a half into his term, despite the state voting to re-elect former President Donald Trump by a margin of 8 percentage points four months ago.

How Amazon Crushes Unions  —  In a secret settlement in Virginia, Amazon swore off threatening and intimidating workers.  As the company confronts increased labor unrest, its tactics are under scrutiny.  —  RICHMOND, Va. — Five years ago, Amazon was compelled to post a “notice to employees” …

New poll shows Cuban-American voters align with GOP  —  TALLAHASSEE — A new poll of Cuban-American voters in Florida shows that an overwhelming majority is solidly opposed to the Biden administration reengaging with the island dictatorship — and their brief drift toward Democrats has been totally reversed.

Steve Bannon loses bid to start right-wing political academy in Italy  —  ROME (Reuters) - Steve Bannon, the former adviser to ex-U.S. President Donald Trump, has lost a legal battle to set up a right-wing Catholic political academy in an abbey in Italy.  —  The Council of State on Monday ruled …

Did the Trump White House Create a Batshit Report on Dominion Voting?  —  WHODUNIT  —  Team Trump was once happy to tout a dodgy dossier on Dominion.  But getting to the bottom of its authorship has Trump legal team vets pointing fingers now that lawsuits are flying.

Catholic Order Pledges $100 Million to Atone for Slave Labor and Sales  —  The move by Jesuit priests is the largest such effort by the Roman Catholic Church and comes amid growing calls for reparations across the United States.  —  [To read more stories on race from The New York Times, sign up here for our Race/Related newsletter.]

US allies diverge on Uyghur genocide as Blinken prepares for China meeting  —  Several close U.S. allies are split over China's repression of Uyghur Muslims as President Biden reviews his predecessor's last-minute determination to call their treatment “genocide.”