U.S. judge blocks new applicants to program that protects undocumented ‘dreamers’ who arrived as children  —  A federal judge in Texas has largely halted an Obama administration initiative that grants work permits and reprieves from deportation to undocumented immigrants brought to the United States …

‘Just a Friend’ Rapper Biz Markie Dead at 57  —  EXCLUSIVE  —  REMEMBERING BIZ MARKIE  —  Rapper Biz Markie — most famous for his iconic hit “Just a Friend” — has died after a series of complications from diabetes that he's been fighting for more than a year ... TMZ has confirmed.

Convincing the Skeptics  —  Vaccine resisters can't be persuaded if they feel disrespected.  —  here's no doubt that vaccination rates have hit a wall of skepticism: 48.5 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, and 56.1 percent have had at least one dose of the vaccine.

Senior Biden officials finding that Covid lab leak theory as credible as natural origins explanation  —  Inside the fight to uncover Covid-19's origins  —  Washington (CNN)Senior Biden administration officials overseeing an intelligence review into the origins of the coronavirus now believe …

AP: Few Arizona voter fraud cases undercut Trump's claims  —  PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona county election officials have identified fewer than 200 cases of potential voter fraud out of more than 3 million ballots cast in last year's presidential election, undercutting former President Donald Trump's claims …

Psaki excoriates criticism of Biden administration work on vaccine misinformation  —  The White House press secretary ripped Fox News' Peter Doocy for saying the federal government was ‘spying’ on social media users  —  White House press secretary Jen Psaki forcefully defended …

Vienna Is the New Havana Syndrome Hotspot  —  Roughly two dozen possible new cases have been reported by U.S. spies and diplomats in the Austrian capital, more than in any other city except Havana itself.  —  Since Joe Biden took office, about two dozen U.S. intelligence officers, diplomats …

Delta Is Driving a Wedge Through Missouri  —  The summer wasn't meant to be like this.  By April, Greene County, in southwestern Missouri, seemed to be past the worst of the pandemic.  Intensive-care units that once overflowed had emptied.  Vaccinations were rising.

Commerce Unit Went ‘Rogue,’ Senate Report Says, Targeting Chinese Americans  —  An obscure federal office operated for more than a decade as an “unaccountable police force” inside the Commerce Department, using extreme and unauthorized tactics.  —  WASHINGTON — Officials …

Sen. Joe Manchin, key Democratic holdout on federal voting protections, coming to Texas for fundraiser hosted by several GOP donors  —  The fundraiser comes just a day after Manchin met with Texas House Democrats on Capitol Hill who are desperate for his support of the congressional efforts …

Officials advise wearing masks in Vegas as COVID cases rise  —  LAS VEGAS (AP) — Masks are back in Las Vegas, after regional health officials on Friday cited a rising number of coronavirus cases and advised everyone — vaccinated or not — to wear facial coverings in crowds and indoor places.

To Trump's hard-core supporters, his rallies weren't politics.  They were life.  —  What 2020 looked like from the front row on the campaign trail  —  Donald Trump soaked in the adoration as he commanded a rally stage inside a massive central Florida arena.  I stewed in my seat and stopped taking notes.

A midterm report on the 2022 midterms  —  FOLLOWING THE MONEY — There are 480 days to go before the 2022 elections.  With control of Congress on the line, House and Senate candidates are already raising staggering sums of money.  Nightly reached out to House campaign reporter Ally Mutnick …

Monkeypox infection confirmed in North Texas  —  DALLAS, Texas (KWTX) - Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) on Friday reported the first case of monkeypox in a resident of Dallas County, a case believed to be the first monkeypox virus infection in a Texas resident.

‘A propaganda tool’ for Trump: A second federal judge castigates attorneys who filed a lawsuit challenging the 2020 results  —  Just before Christmas, two Colorado lawyers filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of 160 million American voters, alleging a vast conspiracy to steal the 2020 presidential election …

Judge won't let contractor see Capitol Riot grand jury evidence  —  A federal judge has thrown a monkey wrench into the prosecution of more than 500 Capitol riot defendants by denying the Justice Department's request to share grand jury materials with a contractor hired to organize …

Republican governor says anti-vaccine rhetoric is ‘killing people’ and denounces ‘propaganda’  —  The Republican governor of Utah on Thursday decried “propaganda” spread against coronavirus vaccines, warning that those discouraging immunization are “killing people.”

Reuters journalist killed covering clash between Afghan forces, Taliban  —  Reuters journalist Danish Siddiqui was killed on Friday while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters near a border crossing with Pakistan, an Afghan commander said.

Two Fla. police officers charged in new Proud Boys indictment in Capitol riot  —  A father and son, who are current and former Florida police officers, and a North Carolina man have been charged with joining alleged Proud Boys members in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, according …

Kevin McCarthy's odd Trump-worship on Fox News hints at GOP midterm strategy  —  So are Republicans really going to shape their 2022 strategy around the orthodoxy that the Donald Trump presidency was glorious and infallible in just about every conceivable way?

N.J. woman must remove anti-Biden F-bomb signs or face $250-a-day fines, judge rules  —  Editor's note: This story contains a photo that features profanity.  —  A municipal judge on Thursday ruled that a Roselle Park homeowner's owner's anti- President Biden flags including the F-bomb …

The Capitol Cover Up  —  Release the tapes.  Release the name of Ashli Babbitt's shooter.  And release Joe Biden's political prisoners.  —  Judge G. Michael Harvey sounded floored.  —  During a detention hearing this week for Robert Morss, arrested last month for his involvement in the Capitol protest …

How Biden avoided the F bombs  —  Welcome to POLITICO's West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration.  With help from Allie Bice.  —  This coming week, Senate Democrats will force an end of sorts to bipartisan negotiations around …

Trump says Milley should be court-martialed ‘if he said what was reported’  —  Former President Trump said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley should be court-martialed if it's true that, as reported, Milley thought Trump would orchestrate a coup.

Police officers treat Black and white men differently.  You can hear it in their tone of voice  —  Scientists who analyzed the body camera footage from more than 100 police officers have found a subtle but clear pattern: During traffic stops, officers spoke to Black men in a less respectful …

Company That Aims to Solve the ‘Crisis of Toxicity Online’ Makes Money From the Daily Caller and Ben Shapiro  —  Covid conspiracists, climate change deniers, and Ben Shapiro are just a few of the figures you'll find using OpenWeb's tech.  —  Alerts  —  Like just about every other corner of the web …

Judge Orders Lin Wood to Explain Why He Shouldn't Be Disciplined for Posting Video of His Sanctions Hearing Online  —  Attorney Lin Wood, a stalwart supporter of former president Donald Trump leading up to and after the 2020 election, was ordered Thursday evening to explain to a federal judge …