Inside the White House preparations for a Russian invasion  —  A “Tiger Team” of administration officials has spent the past several months preparing a clear series of responses, gaming out scenarios from cyberattacks and limited intervention to an invasion of Ukraine.

Accounting Firm Cuts Ties With Trump and Retracts Financial Statements  —  The firm, Mazars USA, said in a letter that it could no longer stand behind the annual statements, which are central to an investigation by the New York attorney general.  —  Donald J. Trump's longtime accounting firm cut ties …

Court Filing Started a Furor in Right-Wing Outlets, but Their Narrative Is Off Track  —  The latest alarmist claims about spying on Trump appeared to be flawed, but the explanation is byzantine — underlining the challenge for journalists in deciding what merits coverage.

Sarah Palin judge will dismiss her libel case, finding no malice by New York Times  —  The rare and closely watched case has raised concerns that historic protections for journalists may be at risk.  —  NEW YORK — A judge on Monday said he will dismiss Sarah Palin's libel case against the New York Times …

COVID frustrations get San Francisco test: The Note  —  Whether or not school board members are replaced, the sentiments are powerful.  —  It's a story about COVID anger — light on MAGA gear and Fauci-hating slogans — that looks nothing like anti-vax rallies or masses of Canadian truckers.

Activist Quintez Brown named in attempted shooting of Louisville mayor candidate Greenberg  —  A Louisville activist has been identified as a suspect in Monday's attempted shooting of mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg.  —  Quintez Brown, 21, was charged with attempted murder and four counts …

Killing of Christina Yuna Lee Heightens Safety Fears in Chinatown  —  Ms. Lee, who was described as “irreplaceable,” was stabbed to death in her apartment after a man followed her into her building.  —  A 25-year-old man was arrested on murder and burglary charges on Monday …

People Are Going Out Again, but Not to the Office  —  Only a third of U.S. employees have returned to the office, as workers prefer remote and companies fear ordering them back  —  Americans are dining again in restaurants, attending sporting events, and flying throughout the country.

Top EU diplomat: Nord Stream 2 will not become operational if Russia attacks Ukraine  —  EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned Tuesday that the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline will not become operational if Russia attacks Ukraine.  —  Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today program …

2020 Election Denier Will Run for Top Elections Position in Colorado  —  Tina Peters, the Mesa County clerk, has been stripped of her county election oversight but is seeking to oversee her state's elections as secretary of state.  —  A Republican county clerk in Colorado who was stripped …

How the CDC Abandoned Science  —  Mass youth hospitalizations, COVID-induced diabetes, and other myths from the brave new world of science as political propaganda  —  The main federal agency guiding America's pandemic policy is the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which sets widely adopted policies …

How Josh Mandel, Son of Suburban Ohio, Became a Right-Wing Warrior  —  The Senate candidate was a rising Republican when he abandoned his moderate roots.  Now, those who have watched his transformation wonder if his rhetoric reflects who he really is.  —  BEACHWOOD, Ohio — In the fall of 2016 …

Pastor Resigns After Incorrectly Performing Thousands of Baptisms  —  The pastor of a Catholic church in Phoenix changed one word in administering the sacrament, rendering baptisms performed there invalid, the church said.  —  The Rev. Andres Arango was leading a baptism at St. Gregory Catholic Church …

Federal government invokes Emergencies Act for first time ever in response to protests  —  Act grants cabinet ability to take ‘special temporary measures that may not be appropriate in normal times’  —  CBC News Special: PM Invokes Emergencies Act  —  Join CBC News live for special coverage starting …

Maryland Nuclear Engineer Pleads Guilty to Espionage-Related Offense  —  A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to communicate restricted data related to the design of nuclear-powered warships to a person he believed was a representative of a foreign nation.

Republicans Discover the Horror of Gerrymandering  —  The wails of protest began almost immediately after the lopsided votes concluded in the New York legislature earlier this month.  Lawmakers in Albany had redrawn the state's congressional map to create what instantly became perhaps the nation's most brutal gerrymander.

Did This GOP Senate Candidate Misuse a Charity for a Political Hit Job?  —  End Citizens United is filing a complaint that Senate hopeful Adam Laxalt's nonprofit group violated the law by engaging in a political attack campaign. … When Republican Senate hopeful Adam Laxalt was Nevada's attorney general …

He shot a man over tossed popcorn, prosecutors say.  His defense: Stand-your-ground.  —  Lawyers on both sides of Curtis Reeves's murder trial agree: It all began with a man who left his phone on in the movie theater.  —  Reeves was so irked by the white light emanating from Chad Oulson's device …