Judge says Texas abortion law's enforcement mechanism unconstitutional  —  The enforcement mechanism for Texas's abortion ban, which is the most restrictive in the nation and effectively outlaws the procedure, violates the Texas constitution, a state judge ruled Thursday.

Trump blasts Netanyahu for disloyalty: “F**k him”  —  Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu were the closest of political allies during the four years they overlapped in office, at least in public.  Not anymore.  “I haven't spoken to him since,” Trump said of the former Israeli prime minister.

Kanye West publicist pressed Georgia election worker to confess to bogus fraud charges  —  Weeks after the 2020 election, a Chicago publicist for hip-hop artist Kanye West traveled to the suburban home of Ruby Freeman, a frightened Georgia election worker who was facing death threats …

Inflation surged 6.8% in November, even more than expected, to fastest rate since 1982  — Inflation rose 6.8% from a year ago in November, slightly higher than estimates according to the consumer price index released Friday.  — Excluding food and energy, the CPI increased 4.9%, in line with expectations.

Covid Malaise  —  Why do Americans say the economy is in rough shape?  Because it is.  —  Offices remain eerily empty.  Airlines have canceled thousands of flights.  Subways and buses are running less often.  Schools sometimes call off entire days of class.  Consumers waste time waiting in store lines.

Jussie Smollett being found guilty of hoax will hurt LGBTQ folks reporting hate crimes  —  The Jussie Smollett saga may now be technically over after a Chicago jury found the actor guilty Thursday of five of the six counts he faced, but its impact will be — and has already been — felt for years to come.

Trump's White House Passed Around a PowerPoint on How to End American Democracy  —  The House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the Capitol on Thursday released slides from a PowerPoint calling for former President Trump to declare a national security emergency in order …

William Hartmann, 63, Michigan Official Who Disputed Election, Dies  —  He refused to certify Joseph Biden's victory over Donald Trump in Detroit but later relented.  A foe of Covid vaccines, he was hospitalized with the virus.  —  William Hartmann, one of two Republican election officials …

British High Court rules in favor of U.S. extradition of Julian Assange  —  LONDON — A British High Court ruled Friday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can be extradited to the United States to face charges of violating the Espionage Act.  —  The 50-year-old Australian will remain …

Public view on Biden's handling of Covid and the economy takes another hit, CNBC survey shows  — President Joe Biden's overall approval rating stabilized at a low level of 41%, according to the CNBC All-America Survey.  — Biden's approval rating on handling the economy and dealing with the coronavirus both declined.

‘We will not be defeated’: 36 hours of Fox News covering its own Christmas tree fire  —  A man was arrested for allegedly setting fire to the giant tree in Manhattan.  It became a major story.  —  For more than 36 hours after a 50-foot-tall Christmas tree outside Fox News's Manhattan headquarters …

Putin barrels toward invading Ukraine, encouraged by Trump  —  Russian President Vladimir Putin's path toward threatening an invasion of Ukraine is marked by reckless actions.  In this move toward defiance of international norms, Putin has been subtly encouraged by former president Donald Trump, a fellow traveler in recklessness.

Enlarging the House Won't Fix U.S. Politics  —  Congress is already far too centralized.  It's hard to believe more rank-and-file members would help.  —  Should the House of Representatives be larger?  A new paper by Lee Drutman, Jonathan D. Cohen, Yuval Levin and Norman J. Ornstein makes …

Voters who think Trump won are the most enthusiastic to vote in 2022  —  (CNN)The Democrats only have a US Senate majority because they were able to win two Senate runoffs in Georgia in January.  Those Democratic wins were made possible by lower turnout among Republican-leaning voters …

Public Life Can't Survive Without a Center  —  The loudest, most prominent voices in public life are not always the most influential.  Some of the people who leave the most profound impact—the ones who actually shape the thinking of a generation—do so quietly.  Fred Hiatt, who died earlier this week, was one of those people.

AOC's latest rant about law enforcement actually makes a good point  —  Far-left Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is right about something.  Yes, you read that correctly.  —  During a Wednesday House hearing, the New York congresswoman gave impassioned remarks railing against “civil asset forfeiture.”

Kamala Harris Needs to Get Serious  —  Her shaky standing is a danger to the country given the position she could be called on to fill.  —  President Biden's poll numbers are bad and Vice President Kamala Harris's are worse.  A survey this week from conservative-leaning Rasmussen had her at 39% favorable …

11 Million New Oysters in New York Harbor (but None for You to Eat)  —  The oysters, which act as nonstop water filters, were added to the Hudson River as part of an ongoing project to rehabilitate the polluted waterways around the city.  —  The restoration of New York Harbor has reached …

Reality TV's Josh Duggar convicted of child porn possession  —  FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Former reality TV star Josh Duggar was immediately taken into custody Thursday after a federal jury convicted him of downloading and possessing child pornography.  —  The jury in Fayetteville …

Economist group touts Build Back Better as inflation offset  —  With inflation numbers expected to come out hot this morning, a group of 56 economists says President Biden's Build Back Better Act would counteract the impact of rising prices on Americans' wallets.

GOP senators and Manchin in talks to work around Cruz's ambassador blockade  —  (CNN)A growing number of Senate Republicans are expressing deep concerns about the impact that Sen. Ted Cruz's blockade on President Joe Biden's ambassador nominees is having around the world …

Trump-Backed Mo Brooks Shakes Up His Struggling Alabama Senate Campaign  —  Alabama Rep. Brooks fired his consultants a few weeks ago and is replacing them with a new team—including one who's been very critical of Trump.  —  Trump-endorsed Republican Rep. Mo Brooks is shaking …