Exclusive: Billionaires back new media firm to combat disinformation  —  A new public benefit corporation backed by billionaires Reid Hoffman, George Soros, and others is launching Tuesday to fund new media companies and efforts that tackle disinformation.  —  Why it matters …

McAuliffe and Youngkin are in a dead heat with one week to Virginia governor election, poll shows  —  Phillip M. Bailey David JacksonUSA TODAY  —  Virginia's bellwether race for governor remains close in the final stretch of a campaign that is testing President Joe Biden's sagging approval numbers going into the 2022 midterms.

Five points for anger, one for a ‘like’: How Facebook's formula fostered rage and misinformation … Five years ago, Facebook gave its users five new ways to react to a post in their news feed beyond the iconic “like” thumbs-up: “love,” “haha,” “wow,” “sad” and “angry.”

Democrats quietly scramble to include immigration provision in social spending bill  —  Democrats are scrambling intensely behind-the-scenes to address immigration in the framework they are crafting to expand the nation's social safety net, according to people with knowledge of the situation …

Republican Leaders Could Still Stop Trump.  They Just Don't Want To.  Trump wants to take over.  Republicans just want party unity.  —  If Terry McAuliffe holds on to defeat Glenn Youngkin in the Virginia governor's race, a large number of Republicans will blame Donald Trump.

Covid Cases Keep Falling  —  Covid cases have been falling in every region of the U.S., offering hope.  —  It is time for one of The Morning's occasional updates on the state of the pandemic.  Today's is focused on the U.S. and organized around three main points.  —  1. Covid's retreat continues

In case at center of political firestorm, judge finds teen committed sexual assault in Virginia school bathroom  —  In a case that has generated a political firestorm, a Virginia juvenile court judge found sufficient evidence during a trial Monday to sustain charges that a teen sexually assaulted …

Texas governor signs bill banning transgender girls from female sports in schools  —  Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Monday signed into law a bill banning transgender girls from participating in female sports at public schools, joining a wave of similar measures emerging from Republican-controlled statehouses across the country.

Bainum unveils plans for new ‘Baltimore Banner’ news site — and hires Kimi Yoshino, a top L.A. Times editor, to run it  —  The Maryland hotel magnate tried but failed to buy the Baltimore Sun.  Now he's trying to demonstrate a new business model for local news.

Faster Buses on 5th Avenue?  Not if Business Leaders Get Their Way.  —  A busway in the heart of Manhattan is now uncertain after a major real estate developer expressed opposition to the plans to Mayor Bill de Blasio.  —  On the second Friday in October, Mayor Bill de Blasio met at City Hall …

Why ‘Evangelical’ Is Becoming Another Word for ‘Republican’  —  Mr. Burge, an assistant professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University and a Baptist pastor, has written extensively about the interaction of religion and politics.  —  The conventional wisdom about religion …

Arlington County Board candidate who said she was 52 is actually 72, records show  —  Arlington County Board candidate Audrey Clement, who previously told news outlets that she is in her early 50s, appears to be two decades older, according to government records.

‘Woke Racism’—A Review  —  A review of Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America by John McWhorter.  Portfolio, 224 pages.  (October, 2021)  —  If you had told someone a decade ago—after the election of the first black president, and in anticipation …

Men accused of plotting ‘race war’ may be sentenced as domestic terrorists, judge rules  —  A federal judge decided Monday that he will consider adding a “terrorism enhancement” to the prison terms of two white supremacists who prosecutors said plotted to carry out deadly violence …

Rep. Espaillat Campaign Paid Thousands to Online Influencers Who Delivered Flattering Posts  —  The bloggers' videos and articles do not disclose their financial ties to the Bronx and Manhattan congressman — exploiting a legal gray area as paid social media influencers play a growing role in campaigns nationally.

At least five former Trump White House staffers are talking to the House January 6 committee  —  Pelosi: Those who defy Jan 6 subpoenas should go to jail  —  (CNN)At least five former Trump administration staffers have voluntarily spoken with the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, CNN has learned.

45% of Americans Don't Believe Humans Cause Climate Change, VICE News/Guardian Poll Shows  —  VICE News partnered with the Guardian and pollster YouGov to find out how people living in the US think and feel about climate change.  —  Natasha Grzincic  —  TORONTO, CA TORONTO, CA

A Scottish Judge Could Expose Donald Trump's Shady Golf Finances  —  Donald Trump has long seemed to offer conflicting financial pictures to the U.S. and U.K. when it comes to his Scottish golf courses.  A judge might be able to offer new insight.  —  A judge in Scotland will hold …

Sanders draws red lines on Medicare expansion, drug pricing plan in spending bill  —  Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said on Tuesday that a deal on President Biden's spending bill must expand Medicare and include a plan to lower the cost of prescription drugs.

Ohio Supreme Court case interviews detail how negotiations on Statehouse maps fell apart  —  Jessie Balmert Titus Wu Laura A. BischoffThe Columbus Dispatch  —  Members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission often worked at cross-purposes, leading to four-year Statehouse maps that maintained …

Hate is on the rise: Antisemitism surges on America's far left and far right.  —  In May, as Hamas rockets exploded in Israeli cities and Israeli aircraft targeted terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, thousands of miles away, American Jews were under attack.  —  A young man wearing a kippah …

Sinema confronted in airport for second time this month, 'Don't touch me'  —  Biden has no votes to spare in order to pass his top domestic priorities  —  Larry Kudlow: Give credit to Manchin, Sinema for not wanting to spend and tax  —  A new video emerged Monday that showed Sen. Kyrsten Sinema …

Immigration arrests fell to lowest level in more than a decade during fiscal 2021, ICE data shows  —  Immigration arrests in the interior of the United States fell in fiscal 2021 to the lowest level in more than a decade — roughly half the annual totals recorded during the Trump administration …

Days away from its deadline, Tyson Foods reaches a 96 percent vaccination rate.  —  Nearly three months after Tyson Foods mandated coronavirus vaccines for all its 120,000 U.S. workers, more than 96 percent of them are vaccinated, the company's chief executive, Donnie King, said in an employee memo on Tuesday.