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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Russians keep pressure on Mariupol; massive convoy breaks up  —  MARIUPOL, Ukraine (AP) — Civilians trapped inside Mariupol desperately scrounged for food and fuel as Russian forces kept up their bombardment of the port city Thursday, while satellite photos showed that a massive Kremlin convoy …

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.

Jussie Smollett Sentenced for Hate Crime Hoax  —  Subway sandwich enthusiast and former ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett was sentenced by Chicago Judge James Linn on Thursday evening after a jury found him guilty in December on five of the six counts he faced for the hate crime hoax that became …

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 …

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 …

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 …

North Korea testing new ICBMs, US says, warns more coming  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says two North Korean missile launches in recent weeks were test firings of a powerful new long-range ICBM and warned Thursday that a full-range test could soon follow.

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

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.

A Waiter.  A Cab Driver.  An Engineer: The U.S. Fighters Bound for Ukraine  —  Ukrainians across the U.S., many of whom have never fired a weapon, have put their lives on hold to defend their homeland.  —  Last week, Yuriy Blazhkevych, a taxi driver who lives in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn …

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

Russians swarm to Victoria's Secret as stores close amid Putin's war on Ukraine  —  Victoria's Secret is that she's a lover, not a fighter.  —  Russians are flocking to Victoria's Secret stores before the lingerie company shuts down multiple locations across the country in protest of Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

“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.