U.S. and U.K. Poised for Ban on Imports of Russian Oil Today  —  The U.S. and the U.K. will impose a ban on imports of Russian energy on Tuesday without the participation of European allies, according to people familiar with the matter.  —  The U.S. ban will include Russian oil …

Longtime Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio charged with conspiracy in Jan. 6 attack on Capitol  —  Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, a leader of the extremist group the Proud Boys, has been indicted on a conspiracy charge in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.

McDonald's to temporarily close 850 stores in Russia  —  DETROIT (AP) — McDonald's said Tuesday it is temporarily closing all of its 850 restaurants in Russia in response to the country's invasion of Ukraine.  —  The burger giant said it will continue paying its 62,000 employees in Russia …

Arizona lawmaker speaks to white nationalists, calls for violence — and sets fundraising records … Midway through a white nationalist's conference in Orlando last month, one speaker drew applause calling for gruesome violence against “traitors” after excoriating critics of the “honorable” …

Socialists' Response to War in Ukraine Has Put Some Democrats on Edge  —  The Democratic Socialists of America's view that U.S. “imperialist expansionism” through NATO fueled Russia's invasion has created challenges for politicians aligned with the group.  —  Not long after Russia invaded Ukraine …

How Did This Many Deaths Become Normal?  —  The United States reported more deaths from COVID-19 last Friday than deaths from Hurricane Katrina, more on any two recent weekdays than deaths during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, more last month than deaths from flu in a bad season …

The New York Times Pulls Its News Staff From Russia  —  Other news organizations, like the BBC and Bloomberg, have suspended their operations in Russia in response to a new law that effectively criminalizes independent reporting.  —  The New York Times said on Tuesday that it was temporarily removing …

Actually, Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill is common sense  —  Should public schools teach kindergartners that there are infinite genders, that people can pick their genders, and that people have different sexual orientations?  —  If you said “no,” then congratulations.

Shell announces intent to withdraw from Russian oil and gas  —  Shell plc (Shell) today announced its intent to withdraw from its involvement in all Russian hydrocarbons, including crude oil, petroleum products, gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) in a phased manner, aligned with new government guidance.

The U.S. has four political parties stuffed into a two-party system.  That's a big problem.  —  The United States right now has four political parties stuffed into a two-party system — and that's increasingly a big problem for the country.  —  This reality becomes clear if you set aside …

Liz Cheney nails the truth about ‘the Putin wing of the GOP’  —  Is there a “Putin wing of the GOP”?  —  Rep. Liz Cheney says so.  The Wyoming Republican made the charge this weekend, in reference to a former Trump administration official who openly sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Deal with Manchin would reshape Dems' fight to keep majority  —  Democrats' most at-risk senators want to transform the artist formerly known as “Build Back Better” into an inflation-buster, just in time for the midterms.  —  It's a gambit that could jump-start President Joe Biden's stalled domestic agenda …

Yo Yo Ma was just playing his Cello in front of the Russian embassy  —  Thanks to Ryan for sending around 4pm: “Yo Yo Ma at Russian embassy.  He said- “We all have to do something.

Florida and Texas Are Right to Fight Back in the Transgender Debate  —  In recent years, LGBT lobbyists and activists have outlawed safe and effective talk-therapies (so-called “conversion therapies") for children with gender dysphoria and championed harmful gender-transition experiments in their place.

Two Days of Russian News Coverage: An Alternate Reality of War  —  To watch news broadcasts of the fighting in Ukraine on the main state channels in Russia is to witness the extent of the Kremlin's efforts to sanitize its war.  —  At a televised gathering with female pilots and crew members from Aeroflot …

How Trump and Putin Have Been Allies Against Ukraine … On February 25, the day after Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, Lee Smith published an essay in Tablet arguing that Ukraine had brought on its problems.  Smith, a house stenographer for Representative Devin Nunes and the author of two pro-Trump books …

United Nations bans staff from using ‘war’ or ‘invasion’ regarding Ukraine  —  Email on communications policy reminds staff of their responsibility to ‘be impartial’  —  The United Nations has banned its staff from referring to the situation in Ukraine as a “war” or “invasion” …

Republican leaders face threat of revived Freedom Caucus in GOP-led House  —  Republicans have a Marjorie Taylor Greene problem  —  (CNN)Former President Donald Trump's most loyal allies in Congress have been relegated to the political wilderness for the past few years.  Now they're plotting their comeback.

U.S. intel agencies: Russia does not want to engage directly with U.S. military  —  U.S. intelligence agencies assessed that Russia does not want to engage directly with the U.S. military in a worldwide threats analysis finalized before the Russian invasion of Ukraine but made public Tuesday …

Clarence Thomas' Strange Pick to Promote His Book Says It All  —  Right-wing judicial activist Leonard Leo has been exerting influence over the Supreme Court for three decades.  So why is Clarence Thomas hiring Leo's firm to do public relations?  —  When Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas …

Beijing is re-writing the Ukraine narrative  —  The Chinese government is scrubbing the country's internet of sympathetic or accurate coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and systematically amplifying pro-Putin talking points. … - Online comments expressing sympathy for Ukraine have been deleted …

Yale professor lists companies not boycotting Russia: McDonald's, Starbucks and Coca-Cola  —  Among executives, board members, analysts and others in the business world in recent days, a “who's who” list has been floating around, showing which companies have pulled out of Russia amid its attack on Ukraine …

The Postal Service Reform Act Is a Bad Deal  —  The Senate is gearing up for a final vote on the Postal Service Reform Act, which has already passed the House and already cleared the filibuster hurdle.  The big-picture problem is that the business model of the U.S. Postal Service is outdated …