Inside Ted Cruz's last-ditch battle to keep Trump in power … Sen. Ted Cruz was dining near the Capitol on the evening of Dec. 8, 2020, when he received an urgent call from President Donald Trump.  A lawsuit had just been filed at the Supreme Court designed to overturn the election Trump had lost …

Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian Peace Negotiators Suffer Symptoms of Suspected Poisoning  —  The Russian oligarch and others developed symptoms they blamed on hard-liners in Moscow who they say want to sabotage talks to end the war  —  Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian peace …

'Don't Say Gay' bill signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis  —  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Monday that forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, a policy that has drawn intense national scrutiny …

Chris Wallace's stark admission about Tucker Carlson shames Fox News  —  When Chris Wallace resigned from Fox News last December, media observers correctly diagnosed the move's real meaning: This stripped away one of the last fig leaves disguising Fox's increasing role as a propaganda operation on Donald Trump's behalf.

First look: Biden to ask Congress to fund the police  —  President Biden will propose more than $32 billion in new spending to fight crime, two White House officials familiar with his 2023 budget plans tells Axios, putting a price tag on his State of the Union call to fund — not defund — the police.

For red and blue America, a glaring divide in COVID-19 death rates persists 2 years later  —  Post-vaccine, death rates in red states were 38% higher than in blue states.  —  Political polarization in the U.S. was evident and intensifying long before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, two years ago.

Novaya Gazeta, the hard-hitting Russian newspaper, suspends publication.  —  President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted that he would not cede sovereignty to Russia, as the two sides prepared to meet in person for the first time in weeks.  Large explosions were reported near Kyiv early Monday.

The Revenge of the Normal Republicans  —  HELOTES, Texas—Last spring, having just retired from Congress, Will Hurd was feeling adrift.  He had agreed to write a book, telling his remarkable life story and diagnosing a malfunctioning political system, all while teasing out a run for the presidency in 2024 …

The Friend of Our Enemy Is Not a ‘Traitor’  —  It's an old story: In times of war, antiwar voices are labeled disloyal.  —  Earlier this month, former Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard appeared on Tucker Carlson's show on Fox News, where they both alleged that the United States …

Applebee's Tone-Deaf Franchise Executive Giddily Says He Can Pay Lower Wages Because Of Inflation And Higher Gas Prices  —  The working and middle classes are having a hard time.  Runaway inflation, hitting record highs, serves as a vicious cruel tax.  Everything from food to gas prices has surged.

Hochul Has Commanding Lead Over Williams & Suozzi with Dems; With Cuomo in Race, Hochul Leads 38-30%, Other Two Way Behind  — 56% of Voters Say Bail Reform Law Has Been Bad for NY; 64% Say it Has Resulted in Crime Increase; 82% Say Give Judges More Discretion; 56% Concerned Discretion Will Result in Poor Being Unjustly Incarcerated

Shifting Support for Some, But Not All, Covid Mandates  —  West Long Branch, NJ - Support for Covid-19 face-mask and social distancing guidelines has dropped from half of the public to just a third in the past two months as a large majority of Americans endorse the C.D.C. relaxing its recommendations.

5-year and 30-year Treasury yields invert for the first time since 2006, fueling recession fears  —  U.S. 5-year and 30-year Treasury yields on Monday briefly inverted for the first time since 2006, raising fears of a possible recession.  —  Earlier on Monday, the yield on the 5-year Treasury note rose …

Poll: Americans want tougher sanctions on Russia over Ukraine invasion  —  A majority of Americans believe President Biden has not been “tough enough” on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine but are concerned about the U.S. being drawn into an all-out war with Russia, according to a poll published …

Donald Trump just can't stop praising Vladimir Putin  —  When someone tells you who they are, believe them the first time.  Or in the case of Donald Trump, the 10th time.  —  At a campaign rally in Georgia over the weekend, the former President, again, praised Russian President Vladimir Putin.