How Vladimir Putin Lost Interest in the Present  —  Mr. Zygar is a Russian journalist and the author of “All the Kremlin's Men: Inside the Court of Vladimir Putin.”  —  Thanks to Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine, Russia is now more isolated than it has ever been.

Exclusive: Facebook temporarily allows posts on Ukraine war calling for violence against invading Russians or Putin's death  —  Meta Platforms (FB.O) will allow Facebook and Instagram users in some countries to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the Ukraine invasion …

US Rep. Madison Cawthorn calls Ukrainian president a ‘thug’  —  RALEIGH, N.C. — U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina told supporters he thought Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a “thug”—a comment that runs counter to the overwhelming share of Republicans with a favorable view …

His reporting on the Kennedy assassination made him a legend.  Then a press group looked into his past. … Merriman Smith was a distinguished White House correspondent for decades, but he cemented his place in journalism history on a bright afternoon in 1963.

Census Bureau Releases Estimates of Undercount and Overcount in the 2020 Census  —  Post-Enumeration Survey and Demographic Analysis Help Evaluate 2020 Census Results  —  The U.S. Census Bureau released results today from two analyses about the quality of the 2020 Census counts.

Judge warns special counsel over provocative court filing  —  A federal judge delivered a warning to special counsel John Durham on Thursday after recent court filings became fodder for pro-Trump media and prompted incendiary allegations from the former president himself.

The real reason the feds haven't indicted Trump  —  Above all others, there is one question that Democrats cannot stop asking: “Why hasn't Attorney General Merrick Garland indicted former president Donald Trump?”  —  Garland's remarks today, on the one-year anniversary of his appointment …

McConnell book: Tight-lipped senator opens archive to AP reporter  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), one of America's most inscrutable power players, has made the surprising decision to open his archive to a journalist, and sit for long interviews.

How Goldman Sachs profits from war in Ukraine, loophole in sanctions  —  Goldman Sachs, the giant New York investment bank, is cashing in on the war in Ukraine by selling Russian debt to U.S. hedge funds — and using a legal loophole in the Biden administration's sanctions to do it.

How the Supreme Court's gerrymandering ruling vindicated the wisdom of John Roberts  —  Where does Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. go to get his apology?  His 2019 opinion that federal courts should stay out of partisan state gerrymandering battles was denounced at the time as an “abdication” …

Whistleblower alleges bullying, ethical lapses at White House science office … The former director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy violated ethics rules, created a toxic workplace and retaliated against staff who raised concerns about his behavior …

Biden warns Democrats it will be a ‘sad two years’ if Republicans take control of Congress  —  President Biden issued a warning to his party about the possibility of Republicans taking control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections during remarks to Democratic National Committee members on Thursday evening.

Iran nuclear talks close to collapse over Russian demands  —  With its economy teetering, Russia wants sanctions protections written into the deal.  Negotiations will likely now pause amid the impasse.  —  VIENNA — The Iran nuclear talks are on the precipice of collapse over last-minute Russian demands …

Republican AG Told ‘at Least the Guy Was a Democrat’ After He Killed a Man With His Car  —  The family of a man run over and killed by South Dakota's Republican attorney general have expressed outrage at a vile text message sent after his death.  —  Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg ran down and killed a pedestrian on Sept. 12, 2020.

Accused Russian Agent Gave to One Politician: Tulsi Gabbard  —  Russian-American national Elena Branson was indicted this week for lobbying for pro-Kremlin policies while not registered as a foreign agent.  She gave to one U.S. politician. … Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman …

Covid response may have to be scaled back amid congressional inaction, White House says … The United States is poised to run out of tests, treatments and vaccines to fight the coronavirus after a $15.6 billion funding plan collapsed in Congress on Wednesday, alarming health-care advocates …

Facing a tough election, House Democrats are conflicted about the way to win  —  PHILADELPHIA — House Democrats gathered here to take stock of their achievements and chart a path to hold their tenuous majority.  But just as they hoped to unify and take on Republicans, their differences were on stark display.

Deutsche Bank defends decision not to exit Russia: It's not ‘practical’ right now  — Deutsche Bank's CFO said Thursday it is not “practical” to close its Russia business, despite similar moves by major corporations seeking to distance themselves from the pariah state.

North Korean missile launches were a ‘serious escalation,’ official says … North Korea has tested components of a new intercontinental ballistic missile system, the Biden administration said Thursday, in what one senior official described as a “serious escalation” of North Korea's long-range missile program.

These Two Lawyers Breathed Life Into Trump's Big Lie, but Did They Even Believe It?  —  Ty Cobb, a former Trump White House attorney, said it was “very unfortunate” that Trump's advisers “fed him nonsense about the election results” because it likely led to Jan. 6.

Michael Flynn testifies in closed-door meeting with Jan. 6 committee  —  WASHINGTON — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol interviewed Michael Flynn on Thursday, after subpoenaing him to testify about an Oval Office meeting at which, the panel said …

Israel's Knesset passes law barring Palestinian spouses  —  Israel's parliament on Thursday passed a law denying naturalization to Palestinians from the occupied West Bank or Gaza married to Israeli citizens, forcing thousands of Palestinian families to either emigrate or live apart.

A Fox News reporter's schooling of Sean Hannity veers into dark territory  —  A virulent claim is circulating in right-wing media and among some Republicans: The United States might be working on biolabs in Ukraine.  This assertion, which echoes Russian propaganda and implies that the United States …

EXCLUSIVE: AOC-backed candidate facing run-off with Texas congressman Henry Cuellar had steamy fling with her high school teacher 23 years her senior, texts reveal, as his ex claims politician broke up her marriage  — Jessica Cisneros, 28, had a long-term affair with her former high school teacher John Balli, 51

Election 2024: Will Mitt Romney run for president again?  —  With Democrats on the ropes and Republicans divided, Mitt Romney should consider running for president  —  The year 2022 is shaping up to be a good year for the electoral prospects of the loyal opposition.

Jussie Smollett sentenced to 150 days in jail, ordered to pay back Chicago $120K  —  CHICAGO — Former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in the Cook County Jail Thursday, three months after he was found guilty of lying about a racist, homophobic hate crime attack in Streeterville in early 2019.

Arizona's Sinema says Biden administration not taking steps to stem flow of migrants  —  PHOENIX — Democratic U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona criticized the Biden administration following a roundtable on the southern border Wednesday, saying nothing has been done to stem the flow of migrants.

Grassley privately investigating Garcetti, wants nomination held  —  A top Senate Republican is seeking to delay Eric Garcetti's nomination to serve as President Joe Biden's ambassador to India, pending an investigation into whether the mayor of Los Angeles lied when he told a congressional panel …

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, union chief Tony Clark hail new CBA as lockout ends  —  Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association reached a new collective bargaining agreement Thursday afternoon, finally halting a 99-day owner-imposed lockout fraught with rampant tension and colored by heightened mistrust.

MedStar doctor hit by his own car and killed after a thief jumped in and sped off … Rakesh Patel pulled his gray Mercedes to a curb near Florida Avenue and U Street in Northwest Washington on Tuesday night, got out and walked over to his waiting girlfriend.  —  He had a package for her, and he set it on the sidewalk.

Vaccines and Omicron mean Covid now less deadly than flu in England  —  Recent rise in hospital admissions shows decision to end restrictions still carries risks  —  A combination of high levels of immunity and the reduced severity of the Omicron variant has rendered Covid-19 less lethal …

Local Election Officials Survey (March 2022) … Nearly one in three local election officials know at least one election worker who has left the job, partly due to safety concerns, increased threats, or intimidation.

Schadenfreude at sea: The Internet is watching with glee as Russian oligarchs' yachts are seized … There's just something satisfying about watching online as a billionaire's luxury yacht moves around the globe — and then gets snagged by law enforcement as part of sanctions designed to crack down on Russia.

Elephants in the room  —  COEUR d'ALENE — The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee has reportedly planned and recruited volunteers to infiltrate the Kootenai Democrats, install an “antisemitic troll” as party chair and funnel money donated to Democrats to local Republicans instead.