Scoop: Sanders' Sinema spat  —  Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) withheld support for a joint statement condemning last weekend's protests against Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) because it also wouldn't include a rebuke of her political views, Axios has learned.  —  Why it matters …

Report Cites New Details of Trump Pressure on Justice Dept. Over Election  —  A Senate panel fleshed out how Donald Trump pursued his plan to install a loyalist as acting attorney general to pursue unfounded reports of fraud.  —  WASHINGTON — Even by the standards of President Donald J. Trump …

Federal Judge Pauses Strict Texas Law Banning Most Abortions  —  A sharply worded ruling sided with the Justice Department, which sued to block the measure last month after the Supreme Court declined to intervene.  —  WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Wednesday granted the Justice Department's request …

Dems take GOP's short-term debt fix offer, kicking deadline to December  —  Democrats are planning to accept an offer from Mitch McConnell to let them raise the debt ceiling into December without a GOP filibuster, multiple senators said after a closed-door caucus meeting on Wednesday.

Hospital system says it will deny transplants to the unvaccinated in ‘almost all situations’  —  A Colorado-based health system says it is denying organ transplants to patients not vaccinated against the coronavirus in “almost all situations,” citing studies that show these patients are much more likely to die if they get covid-19.

Pfizer Asks F.D.A. to Authorize Its Covid-19 Vaccine for Children 5 to 11  —  The agency has promised to move quickly on the request and has tentatively scheduled a meeting at the end of the month to consider it.  —  WASHINGTON — Pfizer and BioNTech said on Thursday morning …

Pelosi's office denies claims on Trump meeting from Grisham's book  —  Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office is denying a claim by a former President Trump aide that the California Democrat once accused the White House of bugging her phone following a tense meeting with the then-commander in chief.

Joy Hofmeister to flip parties, challenge Kevin Stitt for governor in 2022 … State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister is running for governor — as a Democrat.  —  The 57-year-old lifelong Republican told the Tulsa World in an exclusive interview that she is changing her party registration …

In U.S., Trust in Politicians, Voters Continues to Ebb  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans' lack of confidence in government may be related, in part, to a waning trust in the elected decision-makers who are ultimately responsible for how government functions, along with the voters who put them in office.

Saudi Arabian takeover of Newcastle nears completion - sources  —  A Saudi Arabia-led takeover of Newcastle United is expected to be completed within the next 48 hours, sources have told ESPN.  —  The Premier League are expected to announce Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) …

Supreme Court Justices Make a Surprising Proposal in Torture Case  —  Twenty years after the Sept. 11 attacks, three justices said it was time to hear from the first detainee subjected to brutal interrogation by the C.I.A.  —  WASHINGTON — Twenty years after the Sept. 11 attacks …

The foul-mouthed farmer sticking his neck out for Democrats' agenda  —  When Jon Tester returned from a White House meeting last month, Amy Klobuchar congratulated him for his “nice quote” about the debt ceiling.  —  As Klobuchar read back Tester's expletive-infused words, he recalled protesting: “'Come on.

Lewandowski Demanded Cash After MAGA-Land Kicked Him to the Curb  —  “It doesn't matter if he'd asked for five dollars, it wasn't going to happen,” one individual familiar with the situation said.  —  Last week, Donald Trump announced the exile of his confidant and former top campaign aide Corey Lewandowski …

Americans Give President Biden Lowest Marks Across The Board, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Majority Say The Biden Administration Is Not Competent  — mail_outline  —  President Joe Biden receives a negative 38 - 53 percent job approval rating, the lowest score he's received …

Trump allies did little to investigate election fraud claims, court documents show  —  Fact-checking the Trump legal team's claims  —  (CNN)Allies of former President Donald Trump testified under oath that they did little to check out some of the uncorroborated claims they made about 2020 election fraud …

‘The intelligence was there’: Law enforcement warnings abounded in the runup to Jan. 6  —  On Dec. 24, a private intelligence company that works with law enforcement issued a grave warning: Users of a pro-Trump internet forum were talking about turning violent on Jan. 6.

Critical race theory was the hot topic on Fox News this summer.  Not so much anymore.  —  Concern about the intellectual framework triggered clashes at local school board meetings.  But it seems to be dropping off the public radar now.  —  Do you remember what the hottest topic on Fox News was this summer?

Brazil police find 3 mln euro Nazi haul at home of suspected pedophile  —  Police in Rio de Janeiro said on Wednesday they had found a haul of Nazi memorabilia and weapons worth an estimated 3 million euros at the home of a Brazilian man suspected of raping a minor.

Why I Left National Review  —  Victor Davis Hanson discusses his decision to leave National Review with Tucker Carlson, and his ideas about a conservatism that respects and seeks to preserve America's middle class.  —  The following is a transcript of Victor Davis Hanson, author of The Dying Citizen …

Biden, a convert to mandates, making economic case for shots  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is wielding his weapon of last resort in the nation's fight against COVID-19, as he champions vaccination requirements across the country in an effort to force the roughly 67 million …

Florida GOP demand puts DeSantis in awkward spot: Audit Trump's 2020 win  —  TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis and top Republicans in the Florida Legislature are under mounting pressure from their own party to audit the 2020 election even though former President Donald Trump easily won the state.

Ruben Gallego is left's favorite to take on Sinema  —  Rep. Ruben Gallego (D) has emerged as an early favorite to primary Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D) in Arizona as fury on the left grows over her opposition to the party's sweeping reconciliation package.  —  As Democrats' patience with Sinema runs …