“Axios on HBO” exclusive: Christie taunts Trump for losing  —  Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, lacing up for a possible presidential run in 2024, told “Axios on HBO” he won't back down from a fight with former President Donald Trump, taunting his longtime friend for losing the last election.

Texas schools can again set their own face mask rules after federal judge overrules Gov. Greg Abbott's ban  —  The judge said the governor's order impedes children with disabilities from the benefits of public schools' programs, services and activities, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Black Lives Matter activists threaten ‘riots’ if Mayor-elect Eric Adams reinstates controversial NYPD anti-crime units  —  Leaders of the city's Black Lives Matter movement on Wednesday threatened “riots” and “bloodshed” in the streets if Mayor-elect Eric Adams reverses the abolition of the NYPD's controversial anti-crime units.

Kyle Rittenhouse shooting a clear case of self-defense  —  It was hard to watch Kyle Rittenhouse break down during almost five hours in the witness box Wednesday.  —  Over and over, he was forced to relive the traumatic evening of August 25, 2020, when he was chased by a murderous antifa mob …

Have Democrats reached the limits of White appeasement politics?  —  There is a flip side to the White grievance of the right — and it's one of the most important but under-discussed aspects of American politics.  —  In the decades since the passage of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts in the 1960s …

Speier and Congressional Colleagues to Introduce Resolution Calling for Censure of Rep Gosar  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-14), co-chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC), and Representatives Jim Cooper (TN-5); Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), co-chair of the DWC …

China's Communist Party Paves the Way for Xi to Extend His Rule  —  Here's what you need to know:  —  Eyeing his future, Xi Jinping rewrites the past.  —  阅读.体中 文.  • 閱讀.體中 文.  —  China's Communist Party delivered Xi Jinping …

London's River Thames, now home to sharks, seals and seahorses, is no longer ‘biologically dead’  —  Some 60 years ago, parts of the River Thames were declared biologically dead.  But the famous waterway that cuts through London has been revived and it is now home to hundreds of wildlife species, such as seahorses and sharks.

Trump allies are pushing for ‘stay away’ strategy in some 2022 races  —  (CNN)Donald Trump is expected to maintain a prolific schedule of campaign rallies to boost Republicans in next year's midterms.  But on the heels of Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin's victory in Virginia …

Manchin may delay Biden social spending plan over inflation  —  Red-hot inflation data validates the instinct of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to punt President Biden's Build Back Better agenda until next year — potentially killing a quick deal on the $1.75 trillion package, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.

House Republicans Who Backed Infrastructure Bill Face Vicious Backlash  —  The 13 Republican lawmakers who broke with their party to support a $1 trillion bipartisan public works bill have drawn anger and threats from their colleagues and constituents.  —  WASHINGTON — One caller instructed …

Democrats' lofty tax agenda imperiled by resistance from within  —  The White House and its allies wanted to rewrite the tax code, raising rates on businesses and the wealthy.  But key Democrats balked, and they scaled everything back.  —  Democrats swept into power earlier this year promising …

Good riddance to Brian Williams  —  After 28 long years, disgraced former NBC News anchor Brian Williams is leaving the Peacock network.  —  Thus falls another overpaid anchor of little talent in an industry replete with overpaid anchors of little talent.  —  Williams, who was demoted …

Embattled GOP Senator Says a Staffer Messed Up His Campaign Reports and Vanished.  We Found Him in Minutes.  —  Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) is accused of a number of major campaign-finance violations.  The campaign blames it on one particular staffer who it says “vanished.”  Not quite.

Biden's ‘I feel your pain’ conundrum  —  President Joe Biden is trying to convey that the economy is doing great, though its greatness still isn't all that good; that his massive infrastructure bill is historic, but far more spending is needed and soon; and that even though America has bounced …

‘I think we should throw those books in a fire’: Movement builds on right to target books  —  Perhaps the most infamous quote of the 2021 Virginia governor's race — and indeed of any 2021 race — belongs to Democrat Terry McAuliffe: “I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.”

Domestic extremists pushing violence against Congress, school and health officials, DHS bulletin says  —  WASHINGTON — Domestic extremists continue to exploit false narratives to promote violence online, calling for attacks on members of Congress, public health and school officials …

After weeks of declines, U.S. Covid cases have stalled at a high level: ‘The ERs are packed’  — New infections have dropped to an average of more than 74,000 per day over the past week, a 57% fall from the delta wave's peak level of 172,500 new cases per day on Sept. 13.

F.W. de Klerk, Last President of Apartheid South Africa, Dies at 85  —  A prominent Afrikaner, he vehemently defended the separation of the races but later stunned his deeply divided nation, and the wider world, by reconsidering the country's racist ways.  —  F.W. de Klerk, who as president …

Customs and Border Protection May Lose Thousands of Agents Due To Vaccine Mandate  —  As illegal immigration surges, the Biden administration threatens to toss unvaccinated law enforcement officials  —  Nearly one in five staff members at Customs and Border Protection have not received a COVID-19 vaccine …

Hunter Biden makes flashy NYC art scene debut at gallery show for his pricey paintings  —  First son Hunter Biden acted like a full-fledged member of the New York art scene Wednesday evening, making a flashy appearance at the gallery where his unexpectedly pricey paintings are being displayed.

Xi is expected to invite Biden to the Beijing Winter Olympics, sources say  — As the United States and China continue discussions on a virtual summit to be held between the countries' two leaders next week, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics loom large.  — President Xi Jinping is likely …

POLITICO Playbook: The other big intra-Democratic fight  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  NUMBER OF DAYS UNTIL GOVERNMENT FUNDING EXPIRES: 22  —  DEBT LIMIT X DATE: between mid-December and mid-February (that's the latest estimate from the Bipartisan Policy Center on when Treasury will hit the debt ceiling).

Hollywood Studio Projects Get Stricter About COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates  —  As the federal government pushes employers to act, producers are increasingly enforcing the requirements: “Nobody wants an Aaron Rodgers situation.”  —  As studios debate how to handle COVID-19 vaccine resistance …

D.C. enters agreement with Marshals Service to address ‘systemic failures’ in city's jail  —  The deal is the latest step toward tackling deficiencies at the jail after a surprise inspection prompted marshals to transfer inmates because of poor conditions  —  The D.C. Department of Corrections …

Two teens were charged with murder in the shooting that led to an 8-year-old girl's death at a high school football game  —  Two teenagers who prosecutors say started a gunfight outside a Sharon Hill high school football game that led to the fatal police shooting of 8-year-old Fanta Bility …