Homeland Security watchdog halted plan to recover Secret Service texts, records show  —  The Department of Homeland Security's chief watchdog scrapped its investigative team's effort to collect agency phones to try to recover deleted Secret Service texts this year, according to four people …

Hot mic captured Gaetz assuring Stone of pardon, discussing Mueller redactions  —  Congressman told longtime Trump adviser on eve of 2019 trial that he would not ‘do a day’ in prison  —  As Roger Stone prepared to stand trial in 2019, complaining he was under pressure from federal prosecutors …

Conspiracy website InfoWars parent files for bankruptcy  —  The parent of far-right conspiracy website InfoWars filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection on Friday as the company and its founder Alex Jones face up to $150 million in damages in a trial over longstanding falsehoods he perpetuated …

Russian National Charged With Spreading Propaganda Through U.S. Groups  —  Federal authorities say the man recruited several American political groups and used them to sow discord and interfere with elections.  —  MIAMI — The Russian man with a trim beard and patterned T-shirt appeared …

Sinema indicates she may want to change Schumer-Manchin deal  —  Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) had a message for her Democratic colleagues before she flew home to Arizona for the weekend: She's preserving her options. … Any potential modification to the Democrat's climate and deficit reduction package …

Biden Savors Much-Needed Victories.  But Will the Highs Overshadow the Lows?  —  With the midterm elections around the corner, the challenge for President Biden is to make sure his latest successes resonate with Americans who remain deeply skeptical about the future.

America First is laying plans to perpetuate Trumpism beyond Trump  —  The rightwing group is planning a future more authoritarian, more extreme and more ruthless - with or without the former president  —  He spoke in lurid detail of cities overrun by violent crime.  He railed against the media, deep state and liberal elites.

Trump endorses Tudor Dixon in Michigan governor's race  —  SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Tudor Dixon, a conservative media personality who is leading the polls in Michigan's Republican race for governor, secured former President Donald Trump's endorsement on Friday.  —  “When I met Tudor Dixon …

House overcomes internal rancor to pass assault weapons ban  —  House Democrats passed an assault weapons ban for the first time in roughly 30 years Friday, a legislative feat on a politically fraught issue that tested the unity of the caucus.  —  The historic legislation passed along party lines …

As Starbucks exits, Union Station struggles with safety, empty stores  —  The closure of a Starbucks because of ‘challenging incidents’ is adding fuel to concerns about the conditions of Washington's busiest transit hub  —  Starbucks is departing Union Station on Sunday while citing safety concerns at the iconic transit hub.

Fox News, Once Home to Trump, Now Often Ignores Him  —  The former president hasn't been interviewed on the Rupert Murdoch-owned cable network in more than 100 days, and other Republicans often get the attention he once did.  —  It's been more than 100 days since Donald J. Trump was interviewed on Fox News.

When Can Dying Patients Get a Lifesaving Abortion?  These Hospital Panels Will Now Decide.  —  When Elizabeth Weller's water broke during the 18th week of her pregnancy, the prognosis was bleak: With almost no amniotic fluid left, the fetus could not survive.

Why an unnamed ‘White House employee’ could be a pivotal Jan. 6 witness  —  Two anonymous White House staffers are at the center of important episodes in the Jan. 6 probe.  Are they the same person — and also the person Trump tried to call?  —  With the revelation that several senior Trump …

Blinken Resists Push to Label Russia a Terrorist State  —  The Biden administration is wary of making the designation despite strong calls from Congress and pleas from Ukraine.  —  WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate supports it unanimously.  So does House Speaker Nancy Pelosi …

Twitter Censors All Content From The Epoch Times  —  The social media company ‘must explain itself for this outrageous act of censorship,’ Senator Marco Rubio says  —  Twitter on July 28 imposed a blockade on all content from The Epoch Times without explanation, raising further concerns …

Russia is plundering gold in Sudan to boost Putin's war effort in Ukraine  —  CNN Exclusive by Nima Elbagir, Barbara Arvanitidis, Tamara Qiblawi, Gianluca Mezzofiore, Mohammed Abo Al Gheit, Darya Tarasova Video by Alex Platt, Mark Baron Graphics by Sarah-Grace Mankarious, Marco Chacón, Natalie Croker and Henrik Pettersson

‘Breaking Bad’ statues shine light on actors, Albuquerque  —  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Bronze statues of mythical methamphetamine cookers Walter White and Jesse Pinkman were installed at a convention center in Albuquerque on Friday to celebrate the “Breaking Bad” TV series and its entertainment legacy …

Jon Stewart Fires Back at Ted Cruz's ‘Bullshit’ Excuses  —  The comedian and activist went off on Cruz, calling his reason for opposing a bill that would provide healthcare to veterans “inaccurate, not true, bullshit.”  —  After days of lobbying Republican senators from Capitol Hill …

Life sentence for Canadian man who joined ISIS, narrated propaganda videos  —  Mohammed Khalifa, 39, admitted to executing two Syrian soldiers on videos.  —  A Canadian man who was radicalized online, uprooted his life and joined the Islamic State in Syria, rising to a top position …

The Descent of Men  —  The ‘new manliness’ makes vices into virtues and cruelty into courage.  —  Dear Reader (including some of my snowflakier colleagues who are triggered by self-indulgent wordplay),  —  I'm having a minor crisis.  I have an indefensible fondness for double entendre …

Formula crisis WORSENS as parents slam Biden for forgetting about them  —  The US reported a 70% out-of-stock rate for formula nationwide, based on data from the week ended July 24.  Rhode Island and Vermont reported the highest out-of-stock rates in the country, at 79% and 78% respectively.

An Alleged Affair to Remember  —  A close reading of the media melee over what did and didn't happen between Sergey Brin, Elon Musk, and Nicole Shanahan reveals the second order consequences, near and far term. … It also set off a series of cascading questions about the article of journalism, itself: What counts as an affair?

The Fed Needs Fiscal Help  —  This is the original version, before WSJ edits.  They made it shorter, but I think this version is better.  —  The Fed cannot cure this inflation alone.  Relying on it to do so will only lead to cycles of stagflation.  —  Our inflation stems from fiscal policy.