U.S. Sewer Data Warns of a New Bump in Covid Cases After Lull  —  A wastewater network that monitors for Covid-19 trends is warning that cases are once again rising in many parts of the U.S., according to an analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data by Bloomberg.

EXCLUSIVE: Ginni Thomas Wants To Set the Record Straight on January 6  —  Virginia “Ginni” Thomas wants to clear up a few things about January 6.  —  She did not help organize the White House rally that preceded the riot at the Capitol.  She did attend the rally, but got cold and left early.

‘Gutted’: What happened when a Georgia elections office was targeted for takeover by those who claim the 2020 election was a fraud  —  ROME, Ga. — The interim election supervisor took a seat all the way to one side of the meeting room, her back against the wood-paneled wall …

US tells allies China signalled openness to providing Russia with military support  —  Moscow requested equipment including surface-to-air missiles, according to diplomatic cables  —  The US has told allies that China signalled its willingness to provide military assistance …

DOJ: Film crew was present at Jan. 5 meeting between leaders of Proud Boys, Oath Keepers  —  Prosecutors say a “documentary film crew” was present when Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes met for 30 minutes in an underground parking garage on Jan. 5, 2021.

Russian oligarch charged in 2018 campaign finance scheme  —  A Russian oligarch has been charged with making illegal political donations in a scheme involving two associates of Rudy Giuliani.  —  Andrey Muraviev is accused of conspiring with Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman to secure retail marijuana licenses …

Roman Abramovich: New evidence highlights corrupt deals  —  A BBC investigation has uncovered new evidence about the corrupt deals that made Roman Abramovich's fortune.  —  The Chelsea owner made billions after buying an oil company from the Russian government in a rigged auction in 1995.

Idaho Is First State to Pass Abortion Ban Based on Texas' Law  —  The bill prohibits abortions after about six weeks, and allows family members of a “preborn child” to sue abortion providers.  —  Idaho on Monday became the first state to adopt a copycat of an unusual new Texas law that relies …

‘Throwing kerosene on every fire’: DeSantis targets Black-held congressional seats.  And his own party.  —  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Abortion and immigration restrictions.  A new election fraud police force.  Limits on classroom discussion and instruction about sexuality, gender and race.

'We're living a nightmare': life in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine  —  Officials in Berdyansk and Melitopol were removed and local radio reports on ‘liberation from Nazis’  —  Shaun Walker and Isobel Koshiw in Kyiv  —  Russian soldiers patrol the streets of Berdyansk in cars …

POLITICO Playbook: Something unusual is happening between Biden and Congress  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  HEARTBREAKING NEWS OVERNIGHT — AP: “A pregnant woman and her baby have died after Russia bombed the maternity hospital where she was meant to give birth, The Associated Press has learned.

Manchin comes out against Biden Fed nominee Raskin, throwing her confirmation into doubt  — Sen. Joe Manchin, the most conservative Democrat in the Senate, said Monday that he opposes Sarah Bloom Raskin's nomination to the Federal Reserve.  — “Her previous public statements have failed …

The Revolution Inside the ADL … When Whoopi Goldberg said that the Holocaust was “not about race” but rather “two white groups of people” fighting, the actress and chat-show maven was shocked by criticism she received.  Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League …

How an Academic Grudge Turned Into a #MeToo Panic  —  During normal years, Meliora Weekend at the University of Rochester (U.R.) is one of the biggest events of the fall.  A four-day combination of Homecoming and Family Weekend, parents visit, alumni return to campus, and there's good old-fashioned student debauchery.

Russia could default on its debt within days  —  London (CNN Business)Russia has sent the clearest signal yet that it will soon default — the first time it will have failed to meet its foreign debt obligations since the Bolshevik revolution more than a century ago.

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan can't get U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson on the phone and accuses the Oshkosh Republican of being homophobic  —  Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan is sticking up for his brother and taking on U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, accusing the Oshkosh Republican of being homophobic.

Democrats to report $14 million fundraising haul in February  —  The Democratic National Committee hauled in more than $14.4 million in February — the most in any February in DNC history — as Democratic donors are waking to the possibility of their party taking a beating in the midterms …

San Francisco's Detracking Experiment  —  San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) adopted a detracking initiative in 2014-2015 school year, eliminating accelerated middle and high school math classes, including the option for advanced students to take Algebra I in eighth grade.

Amnesty USA Director Paul O'Brien's remarks to the Woman's National Democratic Club  —  In response to claims from O'Brien regarding Jewish Insider's reporting, JI is publishing the audio of his remarks and excerpted transcripts  —  On Friday, Jewish Insider published a story …

Iranian missile attack in Erbil struck Israeli training facility, US official tells NYT … CURRENT TOP STORIES  —  Israeli official says Russian leader complained to PM about ‘barbaric’ Ukrainian acts in separatist-held region  —  LIVE  —  US, Chinese officials have 'substantial discussion …

Two Refugees, Both on Poland's Border.  But Worlds Apart.  —  A young man fleeing war in Sudan and a young woman evacuating Ukraine crossed into Poland at the same time.  They had very different experiences.  —  KUZNICA, Poland — On the day war broke out in Ukraine, Albagir …

These schools did less to contain covid.  Their students did better.  —  MONUMENT, Colo. — As school systems around the country were battening down for their first remote start-of-school in the fall of 2020, the Lewis-Palmer district here was embarking on another kind of experiment …

MSNBC Almost Brought Back Olbermann to Replace Maddow  —  In this week's Source Material we reveal how MSNBC almost filled Maddow's soon-to-be vacant time slot with her own former mentor—until Rachel killed the deal. … To fill its upcoming Rachel Maddow void, MSNBC almost took a time machine back to the good old days of 2011.

QAnon, Ukraine and ‘biolabs’: Russian propaganda efforts boosted by U.S. far right  —  Russia's early struggles to push disinformation and propaganda about Ukraine have picked up momentum in recent days, thanks to a variety of debunked conspiracy theories about biological research labs in Ukraine.

Anti-Trump Republicans lining up for 2024 shadow primary  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is planning trips to Iowa and New Hampshire.  Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., is considering a rough timeline for a potential presidential announcement.  And allies of Rep. Liz Cheney …

America's Hesitation Is Heartbreaking  —  “When you're at war, you're at war,” the saying goes, and if so, you have to accept the implications.  So too in the present circumstance.  The United States and its NATO allies are engaged in a proxy war with Russia.

Progressive groups target Schumer in climate spending push  —  Progressives are hoping to turn the heat up on Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) in an effort to push climate action across the congressional finish line.  —  Negotiations on the Biden administration's climate …

Biden signs 2022 appropriations bill, including millions of dollars for north country  —  WASHINGTON — A massive bill to fund the federal government has passed through Congress, and it included a number of investments for the north country.  —  The Senate on Thursday night passed …