Top Items:
Bloomberg:
Twitter on Track to Reach Deal With Musk as Soon as Monday — Twitter is in the final stretch of negotiations about a sale to Elon Musk, a person with knowledge of the matter said, Bloomberg News reports. The social media company is working to hammer out terms of a transaction and could reach …
Discussion:
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Greg Roumeliotis / Reuters:
Twitter set to accept Musk's original $43 bln offer — Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) is poised to agree a sale to Elon Musk for around $43 billion in cash, the price the chief executive of Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) has called his “best and final” offer for the social media company, people familiar with the matter said.
Discussion:
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New York Times:
Ukraine Live Updates: U.S. Says It Wants Russian Military ‘Weakened’ — Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said he wanted to make sure that Russia would not be able to “do the kinds of things that it has done” in the invasion or rebuild its capacity. It reflected an increasingly emboldened stance by the Biden administration.
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Matthew Lee / Associated Press:
In Kyiv, Blinken and Austin announce aid, diplomatic surge — NEAR THE POLISH-UKRAINIAN BORDER (AP) — The United States announced new military assistance for Ukraine and a renewed diplomatic push in the war-ravaged nation as President Joe Biden's secretary of state and Pentagon chief completed a secrecy-shrouded trip to Kyiv.
Discussion:
Insider, CNN, NBC4 Washington, The Guardian, Washington Examiner, Al Jazeera and Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Lorenzo Tondo / The Guardian:
Russia bombs five railway stations in central and western Ukraine — Casualties unknown after morning airstrikes fell within one hour of each other, say officials — Five railway stations in central and western Ukraine were hit by Russian airstrikes in the space of one hour on Monday …
Discussion:
The Hill, Associated Press, Insider and UPI
Politico:
Heavy weaponry pours into Ukraine as commanders become more desperate — Western countries are rushing heavy weaponry to Ukraine as the war enters what promises to be a deadly, and potentially protracted, new phase. — Those deliveries are coming amid increasingly desperate pleas …
Discussion:
Politico, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Associated Press, Washington Post and KyivPost
Missy Ryan / Washington Post:
U.S. to send diplomats back to Ukraine, pledges support in protracted war
U.S. to send diplomats back to Ukraine, pledges support in protracted war
Anne Applebaum / The Atlantic:
Ukraine and the Words That Lead to Mass Murder
Ukraine and the Words That Lead to Mass Murder
Discussion:
Financial Times and Associated Press
Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Withholds Sanctions on a Very Close Putin Associate: His Reputed Girlfriend
U.S. Withholds Sanctions on a Very Close Putin Associate: His Reputed Girlfriend
United States Department of State:
Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin's Travel to Ukraine
Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin's Travel to Ukraine
Discussion:
Axios, The Hill, Politico, New York Post, Washington Post, KyivPost, Bloomberg and CNSNews
Tim Miller / The Bulwark:
In San Francisco, Revenge of the Obama Democrats — A political vibe shift in the nation's bluest city. — MAYOR LONDON BREED DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE AT CITY HALL IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF., ON WEDNESDAY, FEB. 16, 2022. (BULWARK EDIT / GABRIELLE LURIE/THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE VIA GETTY IMAGES)
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Derek Thompson / The Atlantic:
Are America's Biggest Cities Shrinking or Booming?
Rachel Cohrs / STAT:
White House's Jen Psaki offered a binder full of Covid spending details. Taking a peek was a process — WASHINGTON — It was a striking visual for the television cameras. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki took to the lectern, waving a thick, 385-page binder as evidence that contrary …
Amanda Carpenter / The Bulwark:
Trump Gets His Fix in Michigan — Election deniers win GOP endorsement for attorney general and secretary of state. — If this is the last time you ever hear the names Matt DePerno and Kristina Karamo, you'll be lucky. They are the conspiracy-driven Trump-picked candidates …
Discussion:
Detroit News, Michigan Democratic Party, Raw Story and The Gateway Pundit
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Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Political Correctness Is Losing — It's been seven or eight years since a wave of illiberal norms around the discussion of race and gender began to hit an expanding array of progressive institutions. The name for this phenomenon kept changing, from political correctness to call-out culture …
John Leicester / Associated Press:
Loss is victory for far-right in France's election — One of the headlines from the presidential election in France is that the far-right has come out of the cold and gone mainstream — PARIS — The far-right has gone mainstream in France. — That's the headline from the landmark showing …
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, The Forward and Financial Times
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Washington Post:
France's Macron wins presidency, holding off Le Pen's far-right threat to upend Europe and relations with Russia
France's Macron wins presidency, holding off Le Pen's far-right threat to upend Europe and relations with Russia
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Guardian, France 24, New York Times, Breitbart, CBS News, The Guardian, New York Post, The Plug, Washington Examiner, Reuters, The New Arab, Planet Days, Politico, Al Jazeera, The Atlantic, Breitbart, Fox News, Florida Politics, Politico, KyivPost, Euractiv, The Local, The New Arab, Al Jazeera, New Republic, The Moderate Voice, Cyprus Mail, Raw Story, Outside the Beltway, Voice of America, Atlantic Council, Politico, Associated Press, The Bulwark, The US Sun, I Might Be Wrong, The Times of Israel, RedState, The Daily Caller, Politico, Atlantic Council, Denver Post, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Reuters UK, France 24, France 24, TalkLeft, Axios, NBC News, NBC Boston, Washington Post, Reuters, France 24, China-Russia Report, Reuters, 6abc, The Gateway Pundit, The New Arab, Metro.co.uk, The Daily Beast, New York Post, Washington Examiner, UPI, The Guardian, The Local, Associated Press, Insider, globalnews.ca, Outside the Beltway, The Economist, CBS San Francisco, Fox News, Wall Street Journal, BBC, Le Monde.fr and New York Times
Washington Post:
Democrats' last, best chance to legislate before the midterms starts now — Good morning, Early Birds. Happy Monday. Tips: earlytips@washpost.com. Thanks for waking up with us. — In today's edition ... The United States will resume diplomatic operations in Ukraine this week …
Discussion:
Vox, Punchbowl News, NBC News and Politico
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Sam Brodey / The Daily Beast:
Trump's Georgia GOP Revenge Plot Is Backfiring
Trump's Georgia GOP Revenge Plot Is Backfiring
Discussion:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Peach State Politics …, Raw Story, New York Times, CNN, Politico and WTOP News
Eli Yokley / Morning Consult:
Joe Manchin's Approach to Biden's Presidency Is Paying Off in West Virginia — Over the past year, Manchin has seen the largest job approval rating improvement of any senator — 57% of West Virginia voters approve of Manchin's job performance, up from 40% during the first quarter of 2021.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal and Decision Desk HQ
Karol Markowicz / New York Post:
Biden's decline is obvious to everyone but the press — Something is wrong with President Joe Biden, and everyone knows it. — Last week, Biden was asked if his administration will consider delaying the end of Title 42, a pandemic immigration restriction that allows for fast deportation …
Discussion:
Power Line and The Daily Wire
Mark Penn / New York Times:
American Voters Haven't Been Afraid Like This in a Long Time — He is chairman of the Harris Poll and C.E.O. of Stagwell Inc. — In a rare convergence, America's voters are not merely unhappy with their political leadership, but awash in fears about economic security, border security …
Katie Dowd / SFGATE:
Inept 'People's Convoy' chased out of Bay Area by egg-throwing kids — The dreams of the “People's Convoy” quickly died in the Bay Area after a critical tactical error: turning onto a street with a Safeway and a group of bored kids. — The trucker convoy, which aimed to emulate …
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, HuffPost, Occupy Democrats, Rolling Stone, Raw Story and Mercury News
BuzzFeed News:
Private Equity Giant KKR Bought Up Hundreds Of Group Homes. Some People In Its Care Paid A Steep Price. — BrightSpring Health Services, which KKR bought in 2019, says it helps thousands of people with disabilities “live their best lives.” But a BuzzFeed News investigation found conditions …
Discussion:
GitHub
Lynn Sweet / Chicago Sun-Times:
Sen. Duckworth's pushback after Biden rejected her for VP covered in new book — WASHINGTON — A new book, making headlines for catching House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in a lie, also details Sen. Tammy Duckworth's strong pushback to the Biden team rejecting her for vice president …
Mary Papenfuss / HuffPost:
Kellyanne Conway Knew Of ‘Sexual Allegations’ Against Nebraska Candidate Months Ago — The former White House adviser and Donald Trump are working for Charles Herbster's election as governor despite allegations he groped eight women. — Former Trump administration White House adviser Kellyanne Conway …
Washington Examiner:
Let the mask mandate die — At first, a Florida federal judge's decision last Monday to overturn the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's mask mandate was received with delight and relief. Videos of passengers cheering and flight attendants weeping for joy spread far and wide on social media.
Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
Hawley endorses Thiel-backed Arizona Senate candidate — Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley is endorsing Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters, flexing his muscle in a high-profile Republican primary and cementing a new ideological alliance shaping the midterm election.