Gloomy landscape for Democrats for midterms as Biden's approval drops to 38%: USA TODAY/Suffolk poll  —  A year before the 2022 midterm elections, Republicans hold a clear early lead on the congressional ballot as President Joe Biden's approval rating sinks to a new low of 38%.

Russiagate has no rock bottom  —  The indictment of the Steele dossier's key source newly humiliates the Clinton campaign, FBI, and US media.  —  It did not seem possible for the Steele dossier - the collection of Trump-Russia conspiracy theories funded by the Clinton campaign …

Report from Las Vegas: Some Jewish Republicans have Trump fatigue, but they just can't quit him  —  LAS VEGAS (JTA) — The Republican Jewish Coalition conference was about 2022, and also 2024.  It was about how a near Republican sweep in state and local races last week revealed a way back to GOP control of the federal government.

Big Bird's vaccination announcement sparks backlash from conservatives, GOP  —  Big Bird's seemingly innocuous — and obviously fictional — announcement Saturday that he has been vaccinated against Covid-19 caused a stir online, as Republicans like Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas accused …

Eric Adams says he wants to end NYC's school mask mandate, calls himself ‘conservative’ on crime  —  Mayor-elect Eric Adams took to the airwaves Sunday and declared he wants to nix mask mandates in the classroom and called himself “conservative” on public safety.

Sen. Josh Hawley defends speech on porn and video games  —  Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told “Axios on HBO” he'll make masculinity a signature political issue, because he claims “the left” is telling men: “You're part of the problem. ...  Your masculinity is inherently problematic.”

Countries' climate pledges built on flawed data, Post investigation finds  —  Malaysia's latest catalogue of its greenhouse gas emissions to the United Nations reads like a report from a parallel universe.  The 285-page document suggests that Malaysia's trees are absorbing carbon four times faster …

Republican wave builds to take back the House  —  Republicans could hardly be better poised to recapture the House majority.  —  Increasingly aggressive redistricting, a diverse slate of candidates raking in record-breaking amounts of cash and a political atmosphere that just keeps getting …

A love letter to Kabul  —  This summer's Taliban takeover was a seismic moment for Kabul.  Those who call this city their own wonder if life has changed forever.  Much of what made Kabul special is now a cultural battlefield - evocative street murals have been painted over with Islamic verses …

After FBI spying, Muslim Americans ask Supreme Court to OK religious bias suit  —  Government state secrets privilege is at issue in the religious freedom case.  —  Three Muslim Americans subjected to FBI surveillance inside their places of worship will ask the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday …

Trump bashes Senate Republicans, McConnell over infrastructure bill  —  Former President Trump on Sunday doubled down on his criticism of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other Senate Republicans who voted in favor of passing a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Hackers have breached organizations in defense and other sensitive sectors, security firm says  —  (CNN)Suspected foreign hackers have breached nine organizations in the defense, energy, health care, technology and education sectors — and at least one of those organizations is in the US …

For Whom Do the Covid “Fact Checkers” Really Work?  —  I recently came across two tweets that caught my eye.  —  Here is the first one from the CDC director: … And here is the second one, from a couple months back: … Together they got me thinking.  What do they have in common?

Ted Cruz Talks About Joe Rogan Being ‘President’ Of Texas If State Secedes From U.S.  —  “If there comes a point where it's hopeless, then I think we take NASA, we take the military, we take the oil,” Cruz told an audience at Texas A&M University.  —  Video

CORRECTED: Guardian op-ed says Trump is likely 'Biden's best hope for re-election'  —  CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misidentified the author of the Guardian op-ed. The author is Michael Cohen, the author of “Clear and Present Safety: The World Has Never Been Better and Why That Matters.”

Covid-19 Vaccines and Myocarditis Link Probed by Researchers  —  Several theories are under investigation seeking to explain heart-inflammation conditions among small numbers of vaccinated  —  As U.S. health authorities expand use of the leading Covid-19 vaccines, researchers investigating …

Columbia Campus Cleared After Bomb Threats At Ivy Schools  —  Columbia University said its buildings have been cleared for re-entry after bomb threats on Sunday were deemed “not credible” by the New York City Police Department.  —  Two other Ivy League universities — Cornell University …