Pentagon looks to vastly expand weapons for Ukraine  —  The Biden administration is poised to dramatically expand the scope of weapons it's providing Ukraine, U.S. officials said Tuesday, with the Pentagon looking to send Mi-17 helicopters that can be equipped to attack Russian vehicles, armored Humvees and a range of other arms.

Frank James, the man being sought by police, left a trail of troubling videos online.  —  The man whom the police have identified as a person of interest in the subway attack in Brooklyn appears to have posted dozens of videos on social media in recent years — lengthy rants in which he expressed …

Kathy Hochul's Challenge: Keep Brian Benjamin Resignation Fallout From Turning Radioactive  —  The lieutenant governor's resignation following campaign finance indictment leaves Hochul running on a shared ticket, with messy options for distancing herself.  —  Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin resigned Tuesday …

In Conference Call Before Riot, a Plea to ‘Descend on the Capitol’  —  Days before Jan. 6, a onetime aide to Roger J. Stone Jr. told Trump backers to make lawmakers meeting to finalize the 2020 election results feel that “people are breathing down their necks.”  — Give this article- - - Read in app

Rudy Giuliani unlocks phones for prosecutors in Ukraine-related lobbying probe  —  (CNN)Federal prosecutors may soon reach a charging decision regarding Rudy Giuliani's foreign lobbying efforts involving Ukraine, after he helped investigators unlock several electronic devices that were seized by the FBI …

Marjorie Taylor Greene Says Joining Military Is ‘Throwing Your Life Away’  —  Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has said joining the military is like “throwing your life away” due to President Joe Biden's foreign policies.  —  Speaking to former Fox News host Lou Dobbs' podcast on April 9 …

South Carolina ‘serial rapist’, 19, whose dad works for DA gets PROBATION for ‘sexually’ assaulting pastor's daughter: Second ‘rape victim’ died, with third rape charge dismissed  — Relatives of 19-year-old Bowen Turner's victims said he was merely given a slap on the wrist by Orangeburg County Judge Markley Dennis

Dems return to law-and-order politics  —  President Joe Biden is proclaiming that it's time to “fund the police” and pouring more money into law enforcement in his budget plan.  Democratic mayors in deep-blue cities are promising to hire hundreds more cops.

Top Trump White House lawyers scheduled for Jan. 6 interview  —  Two of Donald Trump's top White House lawyers are slated to speak with the Jan. 6 select committee Wednesday, according to one person with knowledge of the arrangement.  —  Pat Cipollone, Trump's White House counsel …

CNN+ struggles to lure viewers in its early days, drawing fewer than 10,000 daily users  — Fewer than 10,000 people are using CNN+ on a daily basis two weeks into its existence, sources said.  — The paltry number casts doubt on the future of the application following …

Herschel Walker Claims to Own Companies That Don't Exist  —  George Senate candidate Herschel Walker's history of exaggerating his business success is even worse than anyone thought.  —  Former NFL star Herschel Walker has made millions in business ventures since he retired in 1997 …

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes opposes Biden administration's plan to lift Title 42 rule at the border … Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes is breaking with the Biden administration on a key piece of immigration policy.  —  During an interview …

South Dakota attorney general impeached over fatal crash  —  PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota House on Tuesday impeached state Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg over a 2020 fatal crash in which he initially told authorities he thought he had struck a deer or another large animal.

Youngkin vetoes bipartisan bills while stoking political rancor  —  RICHMOND — Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) continued to stoke partisan rancor this week with a flurry of unusual vetoes and bill amendments that political opponents and analysts saw as punishing Democrats and agitating culture-war talking points.

Kemp signs bill allowing people to carry handguns without a license in Georgia into law  —  Push back against Georgia bill allowing people to carry guns without permits  —  Gov. Brian Kemp signed what conservatives call “constitutional carry” into law.  Georgians no longer need a license …

Trump Fans Found a Way to Be Even Worse at the Airport  —  A new video trend has the right paging fake passengers over airport intercoms.  —  Are you or a loved one feeling serpentine lately?  The QAnon-right thinks your COVID-19 vaccine might have been laced with snake blood to inject you with Satan's DNA.

Human rights and democracy eroding worldwide, U.S. finds  —  Respect for human rights and democratic norms eroded around the world in 2021, as repressive states increasingly detained opponents and struck out beyond their borders at those seen posing a threat, the Biden administration said on Tuesday.

McConnell: ‘Actually possible’ for GOP to screw up midterms with ‘unacceptable’ candidates  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday said the political atmosphere is good for Republicans heading into the midterms but warned that the party could bungle its chances if …

Ukraine says potent Russian hack against power grid thwarted  —  BOSTON (AP) — Russian military hackers attempted to knock out power to millions of Ukrainians last week in a long-planned attack but were foiled, Ukrainian government officials said Tuesday.  —  At one targeted high-voltage power station …

For 20 Years, This Prosecutor Had a Secret Job Working For the Judges Who'd Decide His Cases  —  Ralph Petty worked as an assistant district attorney in Midland County, Texas, for 20 years.  Like any prosecutor, he fervidly advocated for the government.  But he wasn't just any advocate, because he wasn't just a prosecutor.

Is the Central Business District Doomed?  —  A conversation with Alex Yablon … Alex P: Welcome to The AP (Alex Pareene) Newsletter.  This is our inaugural interview series, in which I am talking to other people named Alex who were quoted in a New York magazine feature about admiring Adam Tooze.

House G.O.P., Banding Together, Kills Bid to Honor Pioneering Black Judge  —  A right-wing congressman persuaded fellow Republicans to abruptly turn against a routine measure to name a federal courthouse in Florida for a Black State Supreme Court justice.  — Give this article- - - Read in app

Transgender athlete penalty bill heads to governor's desk  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee will soon decide whether to sign off on adding harsh penalties against public schools in his state that allow transgender athletes to participate in girls' sports.