Colin Powell, military leader and first Black US secretary of state, dies  —  (CNN)Colin Powell, the first Black US secretary of state whose leadership in several Republican administrations helped shape American foreign policy in the last years of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st …

Scoop: Manchin's red lines  —  Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has told the White House the child tax credit must include a firm work requirement and family income cap in the $60,000 range, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.  —  Why it matters: While Manchin's demands would dramatically weaken …

GOP senator smacks Trump  —  Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) told “Axios on HBO” he's not sure former President Donald Trump would win the Republican nomination if he ran in 2024 — a rare voice of criticism from within the party.  — When I raised the conventional wisdom that Trump would be expected …

WATCH: Christopher Steele Breaks Silence in ABC Interview, Says the Trump Pee Tape ‘Probably’ Exists  —  Former British spy Christopher Steele defended the contents of his Donald Trump dossier in his first major TV interview since his bombshell allegations came to light years ago.

As Japan's yakuza mob weakens, former gangsters struggle to find a role outside crime  —  KITAKYUSHU, Japan — Noodle chef Takashi Nakamoto moves so deftly as he boils, strains and arranges his signature plates of udon that it's easy to overlook the brutal reminder of his former life: his missing left pinkie.

Trump faces a pile of civil lawsuits as depositions begin  —  Former President Donald Trump has been ordered to answer questions under oath in a lawsuit Monday, and his attorneys could set a date for a deposition in another case, as well.  —  The lawsuits, involving allegations …

As a Woman Was Raped, Train Riders Failed to Intervene, Police Say  —  The SEPTA train car near Philadelphia had several passengers aboard but none called 911 while the woman was sexually assaulted, the authorities said.  —  As a woman was being raped while on a train near Philadelphia on Wednesday night …

GOP senator calls for senility test for aging leaders  —  Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician, told me during an “Axios on HBO” interview that he favors cognition tests for aging leaders of all three branches of government.  —  Why it matters: Wisdom comes with age.  But science also shows that we lose something.

IATSE Deal Could Be Rejected by Members: ‘Our Leadership Let Us Down’ … Many members of IATSE say they will vote against ratifying a new contract with the major studios because it does not do enough to address working conditions on set.  —  The deal, announced Saturday afternoon …

At Axel Springer, Politico's New Owner, Allegations of Sex, Lies and a Secret Payment  —  A high-flying German media giant is ahead on digital media but seems stuck in the past when it comes to the workplace and deal-making.  —  A high-level editor at the powerful German tabloid Bild …

Why no outrage for new Kentucky election laws?  They're no better than Texas or Georgia  —  A Democratic governor signed an election integrity bill into law — with Republican support.  —  In the hyperbolic, hyper-partisan political landscape we're facing, this type of situation would be normally unthinkable.

Major League Baseball to require teams to provide housing for minor league players starting in 2022, sources say  —  Amid mounting pressure from players and advocacy groups, Major League Baseball will require teams to provide housing for minor league players starting in 2022, sources told ESPN.

Eric Adams Once Led Sexist Smear Campaign Against a Whistleblower Cop  —  In 1991, Adams portrayed Officer Lizette Lebron as the “scorned lover” of another cop and displayed a picture of her in a bathing suit after she exposed a cheating scandal.  The mayoral frontrunner now expresses …

Russia shuts mission to NATO in row over spying  —  Russia said on Monday it would halt the activities of its diplomatic mission to NATO after the Western military alliance expelled eight Russians in a row over spying.  —  Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that in return …

Inside the N.Y.C. Neighborhood With the Fastest Growing Asian Population  —  In a corner of Queens, a fivefold increase in Asian residents since 2010 is transforming the area's restaurants, housing and politics.  —  Yumpling, a Taiwanese eatery, opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in August 2020 …

‘His Street Cred Went Up’: The Unintended Consequences of Outing the GOP Lawmakers at Jan. 6  —  It didn't occur to them, not at first, that in the human mass pushing past police barricades around the Capitol, they might see the bald head of a Pennsylvania state senator gliding through the crowd …

Virginia GOP candidate Glenn Youngkin forced to boot white nationalist supporter from campaign event  —  As Youngkin takes fire for welcoming extremists, a white nationalist supporter causes a scene for the GOP hopeful  —  MANASSAS, Virginia — A routine campaign stop for Virginia gubernatorial …

As Manchin Blocks Climate Plan, His State Can't Hold Back Floods  —  As the senator thwarts Democrats' major push to reduce warming, new data shows West Virginia is more exposed to worsening floods than anywhere else in the country.  —  FARMINGTON, W.Va. — In Senator Joe Manchin's hometown …

Washington Hears Echoes of the '50s and Worries: Is This a Cold War With China?  —  Incursions into Taiwan's air zone, a space launch and what looked like a prisoner swap raise a question that is about more than just semantics.  It could signal a dangerous new mind-set.

Dave Chappelle's Special Cost More Than ‘Squid Game’  —  While reporting on the growing unrest at Netflix over Dave Chappelle's new special “The Closer,” we obtained internal Netflix data that offered the clearest picture yet of how the service measures the success of its projects.

Metro suspends more than half of its rail cars after investigation uncovers safety problems  —  An NTSB investigation revealed that multiple 7000-series train car axles are out of compliance with manufacturer specifications  —  Metro on Sunday night pulled more than half of its rail cars …