Ryanair flight carrying wanted Belarus journalist forced to land in Minsk  —  MOSCOW — Belarusian authorities ordered a Ryanair flight that took off in Athens to land in their capital of Minsk over a bomb threat, which the opposition is calling just a pretext to arrest an activist on board.

Infrastructure negotiations should continue but ‘fundamental difference’ remains: GOP Sen. Susan Collins  —  Sen. Susan Collins appeared on ABC's “This Week” for an exclusive interview.  —  1-on-1 with GOP Sen. Susan Collins  —  George Stephanopoulos interviews Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on “This Week.”

Rand Paul: 'I'm not getting vaccinated'  —  Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Sunday that he will not be getting vaccinated against COVID-19.  —  During an interview with John Catsimatidis on his radio show on WABC 770 AM, Paul, an ophthalmologist, said he he's making the personal decision because he's already had COVID-19.

Influential GOP pollster Frank Luntz's research is a ‘total schtick and scam’ that relies on manipulated focus groups, former employees say  — Luntz is an influential pollster who helps shape Republican talking points  — Former Luntz employee Chris Ingram criticized his old boss in an interview

Trump's GOP is a Party of Snowflakes and Beta Males  —  MAKE AMERICA SOFT AGAIN … The party's patient careerists believe that swallowing their pride and sublimating their anger, opinions and even familial loyalties is the way to win the long game.  It's pathetic.

Columbia Prep students and parents reel after class on ‘porn literacy’  —  Parents at the posh Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School are outraged they were never told of a fourth “R” being added to the curriculum: raunch.  —  In addition to the usual reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic …

Long Slide Looms for World Population, With Sweeping Ramifications  —  Fewer babies' cries.  More abandoned homes.  Toward the middle of this century, as deaths start to exceed births, changes will come that are hard to fathom.  —  All over the world, countries are confronting population stagnation …

‘I Said Nothing Wrong’: Marjorie Taylor Greene Doubles Down on Comparing Pelosi to Nazis, Says ‘Rational’ Jewish People Should Also Oppose ‘Overbearing Mask Mandates’  —  Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) doubled down on her controversial comments comparing Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) …

Republicans struggle to define a new governing coalition as Trump closes grip on party  —  WATERFORD, Mich. — The Republican Party's metamorphosis starkly showed this week in the faceoff between a parade float championing Donald Trump and “Mr. Perks,” an 18-foot pink pig on wheels emblazoned with the words “End Washington Waste.”

Trump Flack Jason Miller Ordered To Pay $42,000 in Legal Fees For Failed Suit  —  BITTER PILL  —  A U.S. District Court judge in Florida has ordered Jason Miller, a spokesperson for former President Trump, to pay G/O Media 42,000 in legal expenses.  This comes after a federal appeals court rejected …

Dick Van Dyke says Biden got down on one knee for Oval Office visit: ‘Now I expect that from everyone!’  —  Dick Van Dyke says he received a welcome fit for a comedy king during his visit with President Biden in the Oval Office, with the commander in chief getting down on one knee to show his gratitude to the actor.

The mob made me do it: Rioters claim Jan. 6 crowd at fault  —  Christopher Grider said he came to Washington on Jan. 6 with no intention of rioting.  But he got caught up in the mob of angry supporters of then-President Donald Trump as they surged into the U.S. Capitol, breaking through police barriers and smashing through doors.

George Will: “I'd Like To See January 6 Burned Into The American Mind As Firmly As 9/11”  —  George Will said on ABC's “This Week” roundtable that the Capitol riot on January 6 deserves to be “burned into the American mind as firmly as 9/11, because it was that scale of a shock to the system.”

Biden's COVID aid: Is it ‘preference’ or ‘prejudice’?  —  President Biden has spoken out often, eloquently and passionately against the “ugly poison” of discrimination and racism in our government.  So a ruling by a federal district court in Texas this week was particularly jarring …

Arizona Democrats pass resolution urging Sinema, Kelly to junk filibuster  —  Arizona Democrats called on Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly to help eliminate a controversial procedural hurdle that allows Senate Republicans to block key legislation.  —  At its state convention on Saturday …

Ron DeSantis vows action on critical race theory that teaches children to ‘hate their country’  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will lead an effort to bar schools in his state from teaching critical race theory.  —  “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig,” the Republican …

Polling places for urban voters of color would be cut under Texas Senate's version of voting bill being negotiated with House  —  Voters in some urban, Democratic areas of Harris and Tarrant counties would see a drastic drop in polling places under the Senate version of Senate Bill 7, a Texas Tribune analysis shows.

When Congress wastes money, let red states use it to pay down the national debt  —  Democrats, when they control Congress, like to lay a peculiar spending trap.  —  First, they propose unnecessary federal spending — some pipe-dream boondoggle or something redundant with existing federal, state, or private-sector spending.

Biden protects thousands of Haitians from deportation with new TPS measure  —  The Biden administration is granting a new 18-month designation of Temporary Protected Status to Haiti, a significant move that alleviates the threat of deportation for thousands of Haitians and recognizes …

CNN Drops Rick Santorum After Racist Comments About Native Americans  —  The former GOP senator lost his contract with the network after claiming there was “nothing” in America before white colonizers arrived.  —  CNN has terminated its contract with senior political commentator Rick Santorum after racist …