Trump's advisers point the finger at McConnell as reports of DeSantis feud swirl  —  MIAMI — When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis went on a top political podcast last week, he panned the Covid lockdowns encouraged by former President Donald Trump early in the pandemic.

Harris: “Not going to absolve” Manchin, Sinema on voting rights  —  Vice President Harris said Monday that she is “not going to absolve” any member of the Senate who will not take action to pass voting rights legislation when she was asked specifically about Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).

The Hostages Escaped.  But Synagogues Ask, How Can They Be More Secure?  —  The hostages whispered instructions and edged closer to the door — part of invaluable training that anxious congregations are using.  —  DALLAS — For 11 hours, the hostages talked to the ranting gunman, hoping that he would see them as human.

U.S. Political Party Preferences Shifted Greatly During 2021  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — On average, Americans' political party preferences in 2021 looked similar to prior years, with slightly more U.S. adults identifying as Democrats or leaning Democratic (46%) than identified as Republicans or leaned Republican (43%).

Trump superfans dream of a run again, and of JFK Jr. on the ticket  —  The former president did his first rally of 2022 and left no doubt about the base he wants to build  —  FLORENCE, Ariz. — Ray Kallatsa is a die-hard Trumper who “definitely” wants to see former President Donald Trump run for office again in 2024.

Representative Matt Gaetz's ex-girlfriend granted immunity in sex trafficking probe  —  Prosecutors granted immunity to an ex-girlfriend of Representative Matt Gaetz before she testified last week in front of a federal grand jury hearing evidence in the investigation of the congressman, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Russia Thins Out Its Embassy in Ukraine, a Possible Clue to Putin's Next Move  —  The slow evacuation may be part propaganda, part preparation for a conflict or part feint, Ukrainian and U.S. officials say.  It could be all three.  —  KYIV, Ukraine — The week before intensive diplomatic meetings began …

The Undoing of Joss Whedon … In the fall of 2002, 160 scholars convened at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England.  They were an eclectic group — theologians, philosophers, linguists, film professors — and they had descended on the medieval city for a conference dedicated …

The GOP Had Better Wake Up … If you're a Republican in Washington and you want to be liked, get a dog.  Because kowtowing to the Democrats' narrative that the 2020 presidential election was free, fair, and utterly uncontroversial isn't going to earn you any lasting friendships.

No vaccine, no French Open for Djokovic as rules tighten  —  Novak Djokovic risks being frozen out of tennis as he chases a record 21st Grand Slam title, with rules on travellers who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 tightening in the third year of the pandemic and some tournaments reconsidering exemptions.

Ghislaine Maxwell ends fight to keep eight ‘John Does’ secret, court to decide whether names should be unsealed  —  (CNN)Ghislaine Maxwell will no longer fight to keep the names of eight ‘John Does’ secret and will leave it to the court to decide whether the names should be unsealed …

Billionaire investor Chamath Palihapitiya says ‘nobody cares’ about Uyghur genocide in China  — Billionaire investor Chamath Palihapitiya said during a recent podcast episode that “nobody cares” about the ongoing human rights abuses against the Uyghurs in China.

The C.D.C.'s New Challenge?  Grappling With Imperfect Science  —  The Omicron coronavirus variant is moving much faster than researchers can, worsening a longstanding problem: The agency must make tough decisions with scant data.  —  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …

Michigan Democratic Party deletes post questioning parents' role in schools  —  The Michigan Democratic Party has deleted a weekend Facebook post that questioned the role parents have in deciding what is taught in public schools and drew criticism from conservative and school choice groups.

Trump backers sought ways into Michigan Capitol for electors meeting  —  Lansing — Supporters of former President Donald Trump privately discussed ways they could gain access to the Michigan Capitol on Dec. 14, 2020, when the battleground state's presidential electors met, according to four sources with knowledge of the planning.

Op-Ed: King was a critical race theorist before there was a name for it  —  For the first time, we're observing the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday under new laws in multiple states that ban the instruction of “divisive” interpretations of our racial past.

Communist-style art posters mocking Biden and Fauci's COVID mandates appear in DC  —  Four Communist-style posters featuring images of Biden and Fauci with mocking messages of COVID-19 mandate compliance appeared across Washington, D.C., over the weekend.  —  Photos and videos …

The Silent, Vaccinated, Impatient Majority  —  As patience with the pandemic wanes, leaders in widely vaccinated democracies are deploying a new political strategy.  —  Politicians rarely set out to piss off their constituents, much less admit to doing so.

Texas's six-week abortion ban remains in effect after federal appeals court ruling  —  The nation's most restrictive abortion law remains in effect in Texas after a federal appeals court on Monday rejected a request from abortion providers to immediately return their legal challenge …

Scoop: Lara Logan Dropped By UTA Over Fauci Nazi Doctor Comments  —  Lara Logan, the former 60 Minutes correspondent who as of late has earned a reputation for pushing conspiracy theories at Fox News, has been dropped by talent agency UTA over controversial comments she made about Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Treasurer Moore Announces Board of Treasury Investments Ends Use of BlackRock Investment Fund  —  CHARLESTON, W.Va. - State Treasurer Riley Moore today announced the Board of Treasury Investments, which manages the state's roughly $8 billion operating funds, will no longer use …

Mike Lindell Hires Axed Newsmax Host Who Claimed COVID Vax Has Satanic Trackers  —  ‘A GREAT HOST’  —  MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has hired former Newsmax White House correspondent Emerald Robinson, who was sidelined by the ultra-conservative cable network after pushing bonkers COVID-19 conspiracy theories.

A year into his presidency, Biden has kept some of Trump's worst immigration policies in place.  Why?  —  Heading into the November midterms, Republicans plan to use President Biden's immigration record against him.  So declared former Trump administration official and infamous xenophobe Stephen Miller in a recent CNN interview.

More enslaved Africans came to the Americas through this port than anywhere else.  Why have so few heard of it?  —  RIO DE JANEIRO — When tour guide Pedro Andres arrived at the site historians call the most important physical evidence of the arrival of enslaved Africans to the Americas, the scene he found was familiar.

Union Pacific Weighs Avoiding Los Angeles as Cargo Theft Rises  —  Union Pacific is considering changes to rail operations including avoiding Los Angeles County as a rise of cargo theft in the area hurts business.  —  It's not exactly clear how the Omaha, Nebraska-based company would carry …