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 …

Garland says the Jan. 6 investigation won't end until everyone is held to account  —  On his first anniversary as attorney general, Merrick Garland said he's committed to unraveling the conspiracy behind the storming of the U.S. Capitol, in what he calls “the most urgent investigation in the history of the Justice Department.”

2020 Census Undercounted U.S. Population by Nearly 19 Million  —  The Census Bureau said it had undercounted Black, Latino and Indigenous people and overcounted white and Asian Americans.  —  The 2020 census undercounted the country's population by 18.8 million people, the Census Bureau said on Thursday …

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.

WATCH: All the Times Joe Biden Blamed Someone Else for Rising Gas Prices  —  Democrats urge Americans to stop complaining, buy a Tesla like AOC  —  Gas prices have nearly doubled since President Joe Biden took office.  The national average price per gallon has surged from $2.39 in January 2021 …

Someone needs to explain why there are dangerous biological weapons in Ukraine  —  The Pentagon is lying about this - why?  —  Tucker: The Pentagon is lying about bio labs in Ukraine  —  If you had told us just four days ago that the Biden administration was funding secret bio labs …

‘No off-ramps’: U.S. and European officials don't see a clear endgame in Ukraine … When Russia first invaded Ukraine just over two weeks ago, the near-unanimous global assumption was that it would score a quick and easy military victory over its neighbor to the west.

U.S. inflation soared 7.9 percent in past year, a fresh 40-year high  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Propelled by surging costs for gas, food and housing, consumer inflation jumped 7.9 percent over the past year, the sharpest spike since 1982 and likely only a harbinger of even higher prices to come.

Biden administration to extend federal mask mandate  —  The federal mask mandate will be extended for another 30 days, to April 18, representing the fourth extension of the mandate for public transit, airplanes, and airports that was first introduced in February 2021.

A Potential Rarity in American Politics: A Fair Congressional Map  —  This year's congressional map, despite continued gerrymandering, is poised to have a nearly equal number of districts that lean Democratic and Republican.  —  For years, America's congressional map favored Republicans over Democrats.

Even Russian State TV Is Pleading With Putin to Stop the War  —  State propagandists called for Putin to end the “special military operation” before “frightening” sanctions destabilize his regime and risk civil war in Russia.  —  There is a notable mood shift in Russia …

Outside the West, Putin is less isolated than you might think  —  You're reading an excerpt from the Today's WorldView newsletter.  Sign up to get the rest, including news from around the globe, interesting ideas, and opinions to know sent to your inbox every weekday.

Oregon Republican chair resigns, citing ‘greater evil than the Democrats’  —  1,506  —  Dallas Heard, chair of the Oregon Republican Party, has resigned, citing “evil” inside the party he leads.  Heard, who is also a state senator from Myrtle Creek, wrote a blistering letter to inform the party of his decision.

“Infamy Is Kind Of Fun”: Grimes on Music, Mars, and Her Secret New Baby With Elon Musk  —  So I show up at Grimes's house on a Tuesday afternoon.  Grimes's real name is Claire Boucher, and she answers to Grimes or Claire, or even better, c, as in the speed of light.

Trump lawyer knew plan to delay Biden certification was unlawful, emails show  —  John Eastman conceded that scheme represented violation of Electoral Count Act but urged Mike Pence to go ahead anyway  —  Interrupting the certification of Joe Biden's election win on 6 January last year …

Echoes From Odessa, the Onetime Jewish Metropolis Now Menaced by Putin  —  This is a subscriber edition of Deep Shtetl, a newsletter about the unexplored intersections of politics, culture, and religion.  Sign up for the newsletter here, and subscribe to The Atlantic for access to exclusives like this.

Russia says China refuses to supply aircraft parts after sanctions  —  China has refused to supply Russian airlines with aircraft parts, an official at Russia's aviation authority was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying on Thursday, after Boeing (BA.N) and Airbus (AIR.PA) halted supply of components.

The Trans Movement Is Failing Where the Gay-Rights Movement Succeeded  —  By abandoning the libertarian ‘live and let live’ approach, transgender activists are alienating Americans.  —  he transgender and gay-rights movements are often lumped together — including in the very acronym LGBT …

‘No light.  No nothing.’ Inside Louisiana's harshest juvenile lockup  —  This article was published in partnership with ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power, and The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system.

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.

NYT Reporter: CIA/NSA Sources Involved With Trump “Pee Tape” & “Leftist sh*t” At The Times  —  New York Times Reporter Discusses CIA / NSA Sources; 'Ridiculous Pee Tape Didn't Exist' ... ‘Crazier Leftist Sh*t’ Influences Reporting  • Rosenberg on infamous ...

Tennessee Republicans revolt against Trump's outsider pick for House seat  —  When Morgan Ortagus announced her bid for a House seat in Tennessee last month, she did so with former President Donald Trump's “complete and total endorsement” — a surefire way for a GOP candidate to quickly become competitive in a crowded field.

Gerhard Schröder in Moscow to meet Putin in Ukraine peace bid  —  Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday as part of a mediation effort to end the war in Ukraine, people familiar with the matter told POLITICO.

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