Biden Will Endorse Changing Senate Rules to Pass Voting Rights Legislation  —  In Georgia, the president will express support for altering rules around the Senate filibuster, setting up a confrontation with Republicans.  —  WASHINGTON — President Biden will endorse changing Senate rules …

U.S. poised to break record 142,000 covid-19 hospitalizations … The United States is poised to surpass its record for covid-19 hospitalizations as soon as Tuesday, with no end in sight to skyrocketing case loads, falling staff levels and the struggles of a medical system trying to provide care amid …

FACT CHECK: CDC Director Did NOT Claim 75% of All Covid Deaths Involved Four or More Serious Comorbidities  —  Fox News and many conservatives have falsely claimed that CDC Chief Dr. Rochelle Walensky has “admitted” that 75 percent of all Covid deaths occurred in people with at least 4 grave comorbidities.

GOP steps up bid to convince Hogan to run for Senate in Md.  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other top Republicans are stepping up a personal campaign to persuade Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to run for the Senate and help the party's chances of regaining control of the chamber.

Chicago Teachers Union clears way for in-person classes to resume Wednesday in Chicago Public Schools after four days of cancellations over COVID-19 clashes  —  A proposal for Chicago Public Schools to resume in-person classes Wednesday has been approved by the Chicago Teachers Union's House …

Mike Pence Seen as Key Witness in Jan. 6 Investigation  —  Getting the former vice president to answer questions under oath could be crucial as the House panel focuses on Donald Trump's responsibility for the Capitol riot.  —  As the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 assault …

Mocking anti-vaxxers' deaths is ghoulish, yes — but necessary  —  Among all the ways that COVID-19 affects our lives, the pandemic confronts us with a profound moral dilemma:  —  How should we react to the deaths of the unvaccinated?  —  On the one hand, a hallmark of civilized thought is the sense that every life is precious.

Tennessee Republicans plan to split Nashville congressional seat  —  Tennessee Republicans will present plans to split booming Nashville and Davidson County into multiple congressional districts, paving the way for the party to dilute its existing Democratic voter base and gain an additional congressional seat.

Military Documents About Gain of Function Contradict Fauci Testimony Under Oath  — Military documents state that EcoHealth Alliance approached DARPA in March 2018 seeking funding to conduct gain of function research of bat borne coronaviruses.  The proposal, named Project Defuse …

Intel CEO Doubles Down on Xinjiang Apology: ‘No Reason to Call Out One Region in Particular’  —  Pat Gelsinger made the comments after his company backtracked a statement calling out forced labor in Xinjiang.  —  ntel CEO Pat Gelsinger on Monday defended his company's decision to backtrack …

Russia Positioning Helicopters, in Possible Sign of Ukraine Plans  —  The step, which could be an indication that planning for an attack continues, comes as the number of Russian troops at the border has remained steady in recent weeks, despite U.S. expectations of a surge.

Axios-Ipsos poll: America retrenches on COVID  —  Social distancing and self-quarantining have spiked in recent weeks as Omicron puts the nation in a crouch like last spring before vaccines became widely available, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index.

North Korea fires second suspected missile in six days  —  North Korea has fired a suspected ballistic missile, less than a week after it launched what it claimed was a hypersonic missile.  —  South Korea said it detected the launch at 07:27 local time on Tuesday (22:27 GMT on Monday).

CDC weighs recommending better masks against omicron variant  —  Agency is likely to say that people who can consistently wear N95 or KN95 masks, rather than cloth masks, should do so … The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering updating its mask guidance to recommend …

A Growing Gap  —  We look at Omicron's toll in New York and Seattle, two cities with timely data.  —  Some of the timeliest data on Covid-19 outcomes by vaccination status comes from New York City and the Seattle area, and the two are telling a consistent story.

One Big Thing Dem Candidates Are Avoiding: Biden's Agenda  —  Democrats could be running on President Joe Biden's Build Back Better plan.  Instead, with the legislation languishing in the Senate, candidates are ignoring it.  —  The 2022 midterm elections already promises to be a tough one for Democrats …

North Carolina voters dispute Cawthorn candidacy over Jan. 6  —  RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A group of North Carolina voters urged state officials Monday to disqualify U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn as a congressional candidate, citing his participation in a rally last January in Washington that questioned …

US announces $308 million in aid for Afghans as crisis grows  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House has announced $308 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan, offering new aid to the country as it edges toward a humanitarian crisis since the Taliban takeover nearly five months ago.

Hillary Hints at 2024 Run  —  Never counted out, because never held accountable.  —  “Hillary Clinton's all-encompassing ambition will ensure that she can never be completely counted out for a presidential run as long as she is still drawing breath,” noted Robert Spencer recently.

The Data Are Pointing to One Major Driver of America's Murder Spike  —  After murders in the United States soared to more than 21,000 in 2020, researchers began searching for a definitive explanation why.  Many factors may have contributed, such as a pandemic-driven loss of social programs …