Top health officials told to prioritize COVID testing for Cuomo's relatives  —  High-level associates also benefited from program in early days of pandemic  —  ALBANY — High-level members of the state Department of Health were directed last year by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and Health Commissioner …

The mess at Medium … I.  —  Last week, a partnerships manager at Medium working with the White House found that there was a strange problem with the platform: President Joe Biden was being served porn.  —  The manager was in a video conference with a White House staffer to discuss how Biden …

Manchin calls for ‘enormous’ infrastructure package paid for with new taxes  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Joe Manchin said Wednesday that he favors a large infrastructure package that would be paid for in part by raising tax revenues — a point of contention between the two parties.

Sidney Powell's defense in defamation suit could put her in legal jeopardy  —  (CNN)Sidney Powell, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, filed an eye-popping brief this week that could potentially doom her chances of dismissing a $1.3 billion defamation suit and provide ammunition in a separate lawsuit seeking her disbarment.

A Cargo Ship Drew a Giant Dick Pic in the Ocean Then Got Stuck in the Suez Canal  —  Just before blocking one of the world's busiest waterways where 10 percent of world trade flows, the unfortunate Ever Given sailed an even more unfortunate course.  —  MC  —  The Suez Canal has been blocked …

Rachel Levine, historic transgender nominee, confirmed as assistant health secretary  —  Levine is the first openly transgender official ever confirmed by the Senate  —  The Senate on Wednesday voted 52 to 48 to confirm Rachel Levine as the nation's assistant secretary for health …

Republicans Aim to Seize More Power Over How Elections Are Run  —  G.O.P. lawmakers in at least eight states controlled by the party are trying to gain broad influence over the mechanics of voting, in an effort that could further undermine the country's democratic norms.

Trumpists Still Pushing Election Fraud Claims and Conspiracy Theories  —  Because I am a masochist, I subjected myself to a cavalcade of crazy yesterday.  I watched / listened to much of the seven hours of a nutso livestream from Regent University masquerading as an academic forum on “election integrity.”

Google offered a professor $60,000, but he turned it down.  Here's why  —  (CNN Business)When Luke Stark sought money from Google in November he had no idea he'd be turning down $60,000 from the tech giant in March.  —  Stark, an assistant professor at Western University in Ontario, Canada …

Asian Grandmother Who Smacked Her Attacker With A Board Donates Nearly $1 Million  —  Xiao Zhen Xie, the 75-year-old woman who was punched by a white man in San Francisco - and then fought back by smacking him with a board - will not keep the nearly $1 million that has been donated for her medical expenses.

BUSTED: 7 Republican lawmakers who will grill tech execs on election misinformation tweeted #StopTheSteal  —  On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that seven Republicans who sit on the House Energy and Commerce Committee — a body that will tomorrow interrogate the leaders of Facebook …

The Power of Political Disinformation in Iowa  —  Republicans demonized Democratic candidates in 2020.  It worked, and their narrative remains largely intact, posing challenges for the Biden Administration.  —  The Biden Administration is accomplishing much, and quickly …

Herd Immunity Is Near, Despite Fauci's Denial  —  His estimate that it'll take a 70% to 85% vaccination rate ignores those who have already been infected.  —  Anthony Fauci has been saying that the country needs to vaccinate 70% to 85% of the population to reach herd immunity from Covid-19.

Amid gun control debate, federal court rules states may restrict open carry of weapons  —  As the nation debates gun control following two mass shootings in Colorado and Georgia, a California-based federal appeals court decided Wednesday that states may restrict the open carrying of guns without running afoul of the 2nd Amendment.

Democrats Say Agency Run By Trump Holdover Is Delaying Stimulus Checks  —  The IRS hasn't received the payment information it requested to send checks to Social Security recipients.  —  Millions of disabled and retired Americans are still waiting for their $1,400 stimulus payments …

Videos show ally of Marjorie Taylor Greene among mob inside Capitol during January 6 riot  —  These are the key moments from the US Capitol riot  —  (CNN)Footage from the January 6 riot at the US Capitol shows a close ally of Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene inside the building.

42 Million Want to Migrate to U.S.  —  Here are questions every leader should be able to answer regardless of their politics: How many more people are coming to the southern border?  And what is the plan?  —  There are 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.  Roughly 450 million adults live in the region.

Politico quoted Stephen Miller on immigration issues without noting his white nationalist background  —  Playbook offered a case study in access journalism  —  Politico's morning Playbook on Wednesday discussed “a tale of two immigration messages,” contrasting the Biden and Trump administrations' media accessibility at the border.

Officer Brian Sicknick Died After the Capitol Riot.  New Videos Show How He Was Attacked. … New videos obtained by The New York Times show publicly for the first time how the U.S. Capitol Police officer who died after facing off with rioters on Jan. 6 was attacked with chemical spray.

On the Ground … Senator Cotton's Stand  —  The Arkansas lawmaker is introducing a bill to protect the military from critical race theory indoctrination.  —  The Social Order  —  Politics and law  —  Tomorrow, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton will introduce legislation …

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles for First Time in Nearly a Year  —  Pyongyang, angry at Biden administration, launched missiles toward sea between Korean peninsula and Japan, Tokyo says  —  North Korea launched two ballistic missiles off its east coast on Thursday …

Terror in a Boulder supermarket: How the King Soopers shooting unfolded … BOULDER, Colo. — Dean Schiller was nearby shopping when he heard the shots.  So Schiller, who regularly live-streams crime scenes on YouTube, hustled over to the entrance of the King Soopers supermarket.

Part 1: THE FACTORY  —  Hundreds of workers at a Tampa lead smelter have been exposed to dangerous levels of the neurotoxin.  The consequences have been profound.  —  Plumes of dust, laced with lead, blow across the factory like a sandstorm.  The poison hangs so thick in the air …

Biden is using FDR as his role model.  He's made the no-drama Obama era look wild.  —  Biden's low-key presidency shifts into higher gear with his first news conference.  If he's lucky, it will be dull despite the many crises he's facing.  —  Presidents get to decorate the Oval Office any way they want, and it's usually telling.

Scoop: Trump in talks with upstart apps about new social network  —  Donald Trump has been in talks with no-name app vendors as he contemplates partnering with an existing platform to create his own social media network, according to sources familiar with the private discussions.

Men Looking for Work Drive Migrant Surge at the U.S. Border  —  Most of those apprehended are men in search of jobs, with the pandemic easing in the U.S. and fewer opportunities at home  —  The surge in illegal immigration across the southern U.S. border is shaping up to be the biggest in 20 years.

Multiple Destroyers Were Swarmed By Mysterious ‘Drones’ Off California Over Numerous Nights  —  In July of 2019, a truly bizarre series of events unfolded around California's Channel Islands.  Over a number of days, groups of unidentified aircraft, which the U.S. Navy simply refers to as ‘drones’ or 'UAVs …

Trump let OANN in the White House.  Now it's Biden's problem.  —  Welcome to POLITICO's 2021 Transition Playbook, your guide to the first 100 days of the Biden administration.  —  DONALD TRUMP is longer in the White House, but his favorite cable news network, One America News Network …

The GOP's Long-Game Plan to Thwart Biden's Agenda Is Already in Action  —  Last week, Ohio's Attorney General filed a lawsuit against the Treasury Department challenging the landmark recovery legislation just passed by Congress, the American Rescue Plan (ARP).

Hugh in a Contentious Interview with Former Missouri Governor and Senatorial Candidate Eric Greitens  —  The audio:  —  03-24hhs-greitens  —  The transcript:  —  HH: I'm joined by Eric Greitens, who announced yesterday he's going to run for the United States Senate seat being vacated …

Victor Rivera Arrested on Bribery Charges  —  Prosecutors accused Victor Rivera of enriching himself through kickbacks as he led one of the largest homeless shelter operations in New York City.  —  The former head of one of the largest homeless shelter networks in New York was arrested Wednesday …