Liberation Without Victory  —  Kyiv is halfway normal now.  Burnt-out Russian tanks have been removed from the roads leading into the city, traffic lights work, the subway runs, oranges are available for purchase.  A cheerful balalaika orchestra was performing for returning refugees …

CNN Exclusive: 'We need ammo.  We need fraud examples.  We need it this weekend.' What the Meadows texts reveal about how two Trump congressional allies lobbied the White House to overturn the election.  —  The texts, which have not been previously reported, were sent by Republican Sen. Mike Lee …

Russia warns U.S. to stop arming Ukraine … Russia this week sent a formal diplomatic note to the United States warning that U.S. and NATO shipments of the “most sensitive” weapons systems to Ukraine were “adding fuel” to the conflict there and could bring “unpredictable consequences.”

Twitter Weighs Poison Pill to Prevent Musk From Increasing Stake Significantly  —  Tesla CEO's $43 billion offer contains as many questions as answers  —  Twitter is weighing a poison pill that would prevent Elon Musk from increasing his stake in the company significantly, a person familiar with the situation said.

Economic toll in Texas worsens as trucks remain stopped at Mexico border … Economic fallout worsened Thursday even as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) moved incrementally to roll back new inspection rules for commercial trucks entering from Mexico, with some companies saying they aren't able …

GOP Primary poll reveals front runners in Georgia  —  ATLANTA (CBS46) — The race for Georgia's Governorship begins with the GOP primary in just six weeks.  —  Former President Donald Trump has endorsed David Perdue, but his attempt to unseat Brian Kemp isn't showing up in the polls.

An author was set to read his unicorn book to students.  The school forbade it.  —  Jason Tharp wants to write books for weird kids — because he was one.  —  Growing up in Ohio, the 45-year-old children's author, illustrator and inspirational speaker sometimes felt invisible.

Democrats in tough races revolt over Biden administration border move … President Biden is facing a growing mutiny from Democratic candidates — including five vulnerable senators — who are questioning his administration's decision to lift a pandemic health order that has drastically …

End the travel mask mandate now  —  If you are a migrant arrested while illegally crossing the southern border, our nation's COVID emergency will be over May 23.  But if you borrowed money to pay for college, then the COVID emergency is still on at least through August and almost assuredly through Election Day.

Ohio Republicans gang up to stop Vance endorsement  —  Republican rivals to J.D. Vance have embarked on a last-ditch effort to stave off an endorsement from Donald Trump in Ohio's Senate primary, a response prompted by swirling speculation that the former president is close to backing Vance in the contentious race.

Seeking: GOP dealmakers who won't ‘burn the House down’.  Apply to: Kevin McCarthy.  —  When Rep. Fred Upton announced his retirement from Congress, colleagues in both parties lined up to lament.  The one who misses him the most, in the end, may be Kevin McCarthy.

Inside the Campaign Against “Putin's Pope”  —  Like a lot of insiders associated with Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyayev has faced calls for international ostracism in the weeks since the invasion of Ukraine.  It's no surprise why: He's used his powerful Moscow perch to endorse …

Sen. Dianne Feinstein defends her job performance, says she won't step down after colleagues raise concerns  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Dianne Feinstein defended her service representing California in the Senate in the wake of reporting by The Chronicle that colleagues of hers are concerned about her ability to continue serving.

Biden's pollster on the recipe for how to ‘not get our a—  kicked’ in the midterms  —  In the coming weeks and months, the Playbook team will be out covering the key districts and states that will decide the outcome of the midterm elections.  This week, co-author Ryan Lizza was in Las Vegas …

Ed Buck to face judgment for injecting two men with fatal doses of drugs in sexually deviant pattern  —  Ed Buck, once a fixture of West Hollywood's political scene, was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in prison for drug and sex crimes that included providing lethal doses of methamphetamine to two men.