Graham criticizes McConnell over debt ceiling, says GOP leaders must work with Trump  —  Sen. Lindsey O. Graham on Sunday continued his criticisms of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for adopting a bipartisan deal that allowed Democrats to raise the debt ceiling.

Meadows Jan. 5 email indicated Guard on standby to ‘protect pro Trump people,’ investigators say  —  Mark Meadows indicated in a Jan. 5 email that the National Guard was on standby to “protect pro Trump people,” according to documents obtained by the House committee investigating the Capitol riot …

The curious case of a map and a disappearing Taiwan minister at U.S. democracy summit  —  A video feed of a Taiwanese minister was cut during U.S. President Joe Biden's Summit for Democracy last week after a map in her slide presentation showed Taiwan in a different color to China, which claims the island as its own.

Pelosi will stay around to lead House Democrats through the next election — and perhaps beyond  —  (CNN)Speaker Nancy Pelosi will stay until at least after the midterm elections, extending her nearly 20-year run as the House's top Democrat after she turns 82 and, perhaps, beyond.

Some Hospitals Drop Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates to Ease Labor Shortages  —  After a judge halted a Biden administration mandate for healthcare workers to get vaccinated, employers including HCA and Tenet have removed the requirement  —  Some of the largest U.S. hospital systems …

Another grim Covid-19 milestone: At least 800,000 Americans have died  —  The United States passed another grim Covid-19 milestone Monday, as more than 800,000 Americans have now died from the virus that's plagued the country for nearly two years.  —  There have been at least 800,156 confirmed …

To defend democracy, Biden must identify its foes  —  Ironically, President Biden saved his most pointed and specific remarks to date about the Republican threat to democracy during a “Tonight Show” appearance on Friday night.  Telling host Jimmy Fallon he “prays” for passage of voting rights protections …

A Comedy Nails the Media Apocalypse  —  With “Don't Look Up,” Adam McKay makes a star-studded allegorical satire that shows the news media whistling past the climate-change graveyard.  —  After the president, a former nude model, tries to cover up a major discovery, two astronomers leak …

'The president doesn't like you guys now': The inside story of Trump's rage against Netanyahu  —  A new Hebrew book published on Sunday by Israeli journalist Barak Ravid gives a behind-the-scenes look at what is now being revealed as a rocky U.S.-Israel relationship during the Trump administration …

Sunday political shows ignore Jussie Smollett verdict  —  Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but it appears nearly all of the political talking shows on Sunday ignored the results of one of the biggest trials of the year — Jussie Smollett's guilty verdict.  One would think that this would be a popular topic to discuss.

Elon Musk  —  SEE FULL LIST  —  The richest man in the world does not own a house and has recently been selling off his fortune.  He tosses satellites into orbit and harnesses the sun; he drives a car he created that uses no gas and barely needs a driver.  With a flick of his finger, the stock market soars or swoons.

Dems hustle for year-end deal as child tax credit cliff looms  —  Democrats are hoping a year-end cliff with 35 million families on the line can finally shake a deal loose on President Joe Biden's marquee bill.  —  Preserving the party's expanded child tax credit, which delivers monthly checks …

Vaccine holdouts in U.S. military approach 40,000 even as omicron variant fuels call for boosters  —  The number of active-duty U.S. military personnel declining to be vaccinated against the coronavirus by their prescribed deadlines is as high as 40,000, with new Army data showing that …

EXCLUSIVE: New NHJournal Poll Finds Biden, BBB Underwater With Granite State Voters  —  When Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg lands in Manchester to pitch President Joe Biden's massive spending initiatives, he's going to find neither the president nor his plan are popular with Granite State voters.

At least 15 lawmakers who shape US defense policy have investments in military contractors  — They're investing their money in defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Boeing.  — Potentially profiting off oversight duties is indefensible, ethics watchdogs say.

South Korea applies to join CPTPP in wake of China's bid  —  Seoul's fears of angering biggest trading partner eased as Beijing seeks membership in regional pact  —  South Korea will begin the application process to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership …

‘Absurdity’ of police logging rapists as women  —  Police have been criticised for saying they will record rapes by offenders with male genitalia as being committed by a woman if the attacker “identifies as a female”.  —  Police Scotland said that they would log rapes as being carried …

The AP Interview: Taliban seek ties with US, other ex-foes  —  KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers are committed in principle to education and jobs for girls and women, a marked departure from their previous time in power, and seek the world's “mercy and compassion” …

Marshall: ‘I still remain concerned’ Biden didn't win 2020 election fair and square  —  Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) responds to Bob Dole's final interview about President Trump and says that while he “absolutely” believes he won his own 2020 election fair and square, he “remains concerned” that President Biden did not.

Student-loan forgiveness would mean everything to Latinx students stuck in a debt cycle  —  The amount of student loan debt in the United States is $1.8 trillion dollars — and counting.  The price to get an education has never been more expensive.  —  The student loan crisis has affected …

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Makes Sad, Laughable Attempt to Stop Omicron via Mask Mandate  —  As Omicron has now been sequenced in HALF of U.S. states, it's time to acknowledge past response policies have been full of fail.  — Telegram  — Gab  — MeWe  — Buffer  — Pocket

Satellite Images Show Russian Military Forces Keep Massing Near Ukraine's Border  —  KYIV — Tanks and other menacing self-propelled artillery.  A Russian Buk surface-to-air missile system like the one that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014.  Thousands more troops.

Florida Democrats aim to rebound as GOP voting numbers grow  —  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — In Florida, for the first time in modern history, registered Republican voters outnumber Democrats.  Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is heading into a reelection campaign buoyed by a national profile …