Biden crafts new spending package aimed at attracting all Democrats  —  The White House on Thursday unveiled a new $1.75 trillion package to overhaul the country's health-care, education, climate and tax laws, muscling through a slew of policy disagreements and internecine political feuds …

President Trump Responds on Pennsylvania's 2020 Election  —  Donald Trump writes a letter to the editor.  —  In your editorial “The Election for Pennsylvania's High Court” (Oct. 25), you state the fact that a court wrongly said mail-in ballots could be counted after Election Day.

Who is killing the billionaires' tax?  —  Well, that was fast.  Less than 24 hours after Democrats introduced a new proposal for a billionaires' tax, Democratic leaders have pronounced it on life support, after Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) expressed grave doubts about the proposal.

Trump suggests he might drop a bomb on the Va. gov race.  Then leaves.  —  Donald Trump's proclamation that he'd “soon” visit Virginia as the state's gubernatorial race comes to a close was so unexpected that few outside his inner orbit knew it was coming and the Republican candidate's own campaign was left searching for details.

An army of poll watchers — many driven by GOP's ‘election integrity’ push — turns out across Virginia  —  Loudoun County General Registrar Judy Brown doesn't recall seeing many poll watchers during early voting last year — they usually turn up only on Election Day, primarily during presidential elections.

Four U.S. Intelligence Agencies Produced Extensive Reports on Afghanistan, but All Failed to Predict Kabul's Rapid Collapse  —  Summaries of intelligence reports show how agencies diverged over the strength of the Afghan government and military  —  WASHINGTON—Leading U.S. intelligence agencies failed …

President Biden Announces the Build Back Better Framework  —  Joe Biden believes that there's no greater economic engine in the world than the hard work and ingenuity of the American people.  But for too long, the economy has worked great for those at the top, while working families continually get squeezed.

Texas lawmaker says 850 books ranging from race to sexuality could cause ‘discomfort’  —  Teachers union fires back: “What will Rep. Krause propose next?  Burning books he and a handful of parents find objectionable?”  —  A Texas Republican lawmaker has drawn up a list of 850 books …

Taiwan's President says the threat from China is increasing ‘every day’ and confirms presence of US military trainers on the island  —  Taipei, Taiwan (CNN)The leader of Taiwan, the island thrust into the center of rising tensions between the United States and China, said the threat from Beijing is growing …

U.S. Economy Slowed in Third Quarter on Delta Surge, Supply Crunch  —  Factors that fueled spending faded, including an infusion of government stimulus, business reopenings and rising vaccination rates  —  The U.S. economy grew by 2.0% in the third quarter, with the Delta variant of Covid-19 and supply issues dampening gains.

Economic growth slowed dramatically to 2% annual rate in third quarter  —  Gross domestic product grew at a 2% annual rate in the third quarter of 2021, the Bureau of Economic Analysis announced on Thursday morning.  —  The growth was slower than what forecasters expected and was well below …

The GOP Is the Theranos Party  —  “To try to do something which is inherently impossible is always a corrupting enterprise.”  —  If you listen to Elizabeth Holmes's attorney, the only thing the Theranos founder is guilty of, is being a dreamer.  —  “The villain the government just presented …

How a Trump official got ‘canceled’ for backing the president's election conspiracy theories  — Jeffrey Clark faces inquiries into his work helping Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.  — When the House subpoenaed him, Clark disappeared from the website of a conservative legal group.

Merck will allow drugmakers in other countries to make its COVID-19 pill  —  U.S.-based pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. said it will license drugmakers worldwide to produce its potentially lifesaving antiviral pill for treatment of COVID-19 in adults.  —  The drug, known as molnupiravir …

Slow Boat from China  —  What happens when the weakest link in the chain is you?  —  To some in the Biden Administration, the supply chain crisis can be dismissed as a loss of East Asian-made consumer trinkets that, as Vox tells us, we could all be better off without—or as White House …

'Let's Go Brandon' rapper Bryson Gray boots Adele out of No. 1 spot with banned anti-Biden song  —  Cover your ears, President Biden!  —  A controversial new rap song mocking the leader of the free world has rocketed to the top of the iTunes charts, booting Adele from the No. 1 spot …

As Kellogg strike stretches past 3 weeks, workers say they've noted lack of GOP lawmaker support  —  On a chilly October afternoon in Battle Creek, also known as the “cereal capital of the world,” a large crowd of union workers and supporters gathered Wednesday across from the Kellogg headquarters …

Baltimore Judge Katie O'Malley retiring from bench, said to be looking at run for Maryland attorney general  —  Former first lady Catherine “Katie” Curran O'Malley said Wednesday that she is retiring as a judge of the Baltimore District Court, and a source close to her said she is seriously considering running …

Murphy Maintains Lead  —  Slight narrowing in governor race, but little change overall  —  West Long Branch, NJ - Phil Murphy maintains a sizable lead over Jack Ciattarelli, although the margin has narrowed over the past two months, according to the final Monmouth ("Mon-muth") University Poll of the New Jersey governor's race.

Lawyer Who Won $9.5 Billion Settlement Against Chevron Reports to Prison  —  Steven Donziger, an environmental activist who won what is considered the largest ever lawsuit against an oil company, was found guilty of contempt of court in July.  —  Steven Donziger, the environmental …

Antisemitism on the left is subtler than on the right.  But it's getting worse.  —  The Sunrise Movement's statement last week showed its slow, steady rise among progressives.  —  The Sunrise Movement knows a lot about climate change.  As the self-described “youth movement to stop climate change …

Indigenous or pretender?  —  Carrie Bourassa, one of the country's most-esteemed Indigenous health experts, claims to be Métis, Anishinaabe and Tlinglit.  Some of her colleagues say there's no evidence of that.  —  With a feather in her hand and a bright blue shawl and Métis sash draped …