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” …

As Russia's Military Stumbles, Its Adversaries Take Note  —  President Vladimir Putin could still reduce cities in Ukraine to rubble, officials say.  But European countries that once feared Russia say they are not so scared anymore.  —  CONSTANTA, Romania — When it comes to war, generals say that “mass matters.”

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

America's four-party system  —  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 the long-standing catchall labels “Democrat” and “Republican” …

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.

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.

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 …

POLITICO Playbook: EXCLUSIVE: ‘Limited’ no-fly zone gains steam among foreign policy elite  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  This morning we have a pair of significant Ukraine-related exclusives.  — The first is a letter signed by more than two dozen of the nation's top foreign policy minds calling for a partial no-fly zone over Ukraine.

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.

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 …

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 …