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.

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” …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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.

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 …

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.

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.

Biden Answered the 3 a.m. Call  —  It's hard to imagine that any of his rivals from the last election could have matched the president's performance in this crisis.  —  About the author: Franklin Foer is a staff writer at The Atlantic.  He is the author of World Without Mind and How Soccer Explains …

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

Herschel Walker won't commit to GOP debates, while Kemp ups pressure on Perdue  —  Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker indicated he won't debate his GOP rivals.  Gov. Brian Kemp chastised David Perdue, his main primary challenger, for not yet committing to a series of showdowns ahead of their May 24 matchup.