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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

TSA to extend mask mandate for planes, public transportation until April 18  —  WASHINGTON — The Transportation Security Administration is extending the mask mandate on public transportation until April 18, according to a White House official and a TSA official.

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 …

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.

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

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.

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.

Ready to Die?  Why Most People Flunk the Zelenskyy Test.  —  In his bid for international support for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has found a good line, and he knows it.  —  “This might be the last time you see me alive,” he told European leaders in a conference call, shortly after his country was invaded.

“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.

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.

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.

Sources: MLB, union reach tentative agreement on new CBA, salvage 162-game season  —  Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association reached a tentative agreement on a new collective-bargaining agreement Thursday, ending the league's 99-day lockout of the players and salvaging a 162-game season …

‘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.

Nikki Haley's Hypocrisy and Faux Outrage Over Ukraine  —  The wannabe GOP presidential candidate's foolish, self-serving, and pernicious remarks about Putin's invasion.  —  Nikki Haley smells an opportunity.  Donald Trump's U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is getting ready to run …

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 …

AP calls for release of Ethiopian journalist in detention  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Amir Aman Kiyaro, a freelance journalist accredited to The Associated Press, marked 100 days in detention without charge in Ethiopia this week, prompting the news organization and press freedom advocates to reiterate their calls to free him immediately.

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.

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 …

Shot down: How Biden scuttled the deal to get MiGs to Ukraine  —  A three-way fighter-jet deal to bolster Ukraine's defenses against Russia is dead — just five days after the White House first revealed an openness to making it work.  —  With Kyiv begging U.S. officials for more military support …

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 ...

Manchin Pushes Defense Production Act for Natural Gas Pipeline  —  Senate Energy Chairman Joe Manchin called on the Biden administration to use the Defense Production Act if necessary to rush completion of a stalled pipeline through his state to help Europe replace Russian natural gas supplies.