Exclusive: As war began, Putin rejected a Ukraine peace deal recommended by aide  —  Vladimir Putin's chief envoy on Ukraine told the Russian leader as the war began that he had struck a provisional deal with Kyiv that would satisfy Russia's demand that Ukraine stay out of NATO …

Durham Inquiry Appears to Wind Down as Grand Jury Expires  —  The special counsel appointed by the Trump administration to examine the Russia investigation seems to be wrapping up its work with no further charges in store.  —  WASHINGTON — When John H. Durham was assigned by the Justice Department …

Fear of a Black Hobbit  —  Maybe you've heard that people are mad about Black actors being cast in Lord of the Rings.  Or Game of Thrones.  Or maybe it was Star Wars.  Or perhaps Thor.  Wait, maybe it was Titans, or Superman.  The Witcher?  Or maybe you heard that people are angry …

POLITICO Playbook: Did Lindsey Graham just score an own goal on abortion?  —  With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, most Republicans stuck to a simple message: The decision merely sent the issue back to the states …

Trump Called In to a Pro-January 6 Rally at the DC Jail  —  The former President said the January 6 prisoners in the jail were “being treated very, very unfairly.”  —  Former President Trump called into a small rally held in support of January 6 prisoners at the DC Jail Tuesday.

6 takeaways from the 2022 primaries  —  The 2022 primary season is now over, with New Hampshire and Rhode Island bringing up the rear in their primaries Tuesday.  —  With the battle for the House and the Senate both very much in play over the next eight weeks — we bring you some takeaways from 30,000 feet.

Mike Lindell: Feds Seized My Cellphone at Hardee's  —  Lindell also posted a subpoena and what appears to be a search warrant.  —  MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell told The Daily Beast on Tuesday night that the FBI seized his cellphone while he was at a Hardee's restaurant.

Economy, abortion shape Pennsylvania midterm races — CBS News Battleground Tracker  —  Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman leads Mehmet Oz by five points among Pennsylvania's likely voters, in a Senate race that seems still fluid, with Republicans less enamored by the candidates they nominated …

First on CNN: Biden to nominate new ambassador to Russia  —  President Joe Biden plans to nominate Lynne Tracy, a career diplomat currently serving in Armenia, as the next US ambassador to Russia, according to three sources familiar with the matter.  Tracy, who speaks Russian and was the No. 2 diplomat …

Police: Armed man wearing clown wig said he wanted to ‘kill all Democrats’  —  DELMONT, Pa. (KDKA) - A Westmoreland County man is facing several charges after police said he wanted to “kill all Democrats.”  —  Jan Stawovy, 61, took a loaded gun into a Delmont Dairy Queen and police said the quick action of an officer saved lives.

Clear Creek County deputies shoot and kill man who asked for help after car crash … After getting stuck on a dirt road in Clear Creek County in June, Christian Glass called 911 for help.  —  Instead, the 22-year-old was killed while locked inside his own car after a long, tense …

Why aren't medical breakthroughs in obesity a bigger deal?  —  We're stuck in a dead-end debate over body positivity and dieting when real solutions to the problem exist.  —  Editor-at-Large  —  Back in the fraught winter of 2020 when covid vaccines were first authorized but not yet widely available …

Satanic panic is making a comeback, fueled by QAnon believers and GOP influencers  —  PROVO, Utah — On June 1, David Leavitt, the prosecuting attorney for Utah County, stood behind a lectern in his windowless Provo office before a gaggle of reporters.  Wearing a gray suit and an exasperated look …

Why Buttigieg is sparking 2024 chatter  —  The ordinarily polished Mayor Pete suddenly was casual.  —  “Who knows,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told Vox Media's Code Conference when asked last week about the idea of running for president again.

Trump tells authors of ‘The Divider’ book he won't pick Pence for 2024  —  Former president told Peter Baker and Susan Glasser that Pence ‘committed political suicide’ by refusing to reject Biden victory  —  Donald Trump will not pick Mike Pence as his running mate if he runs for the presidency again …

Republicans plan to grill Gen. Mark Milley if they take back the House  —  The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has been cast in books about the Trump administration as a critic of the ex-president.  He has received death threats from Trump supporters.

Texas delays publication of maternal death data until after midterms, legislative session  —  Texas health officials have missed a key window to complete the state's first major updated count of pregnancy related deaths in nearly a decade, saying the findings will now be released next summer …

Matt Yglesias and Laura McGann Launch a Podcast to Counter the Internet's ‘Bad Takes’ (EXCLUSIVE) … Matt Yglesias returns to podcasting today with “Bad Takes,” a new show that aims to challenge political pieties that take hold online.  —  Yglesias will co-host the show with his longtime editor …

In Mastriano's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, a chilling template for future races  —  As Election Day approaches, voters need to know what Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano did to overturn the 2020 election and how he plans to tilt the results in future races.Mastriano's …

1 person injured at Northeastern University after package detonated on Boston campus, officials say  —  (CNN)A Northeastern University staff member was injured Tuesday when a package he was opening detonated on the Boston campus, officials said,  —  “The staff member sustained minor injuries …

No Abortion Access for 40 Percent of Female Troops, Study Finds  —  RAND says it's “not unreasonable” that the lack of abortion access will make women more likely to leave service.  —  SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT, DEFENSE ONE  —  Because of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade …

Biden admin makes it more expensive to drill for energy.  Again  —  During yesterday's White House press briefing, Karine Jean-Pierre tried to brag about gas prices coming down no less than five times while insisting that there was “more work to be done” and Joe Biden was on top of the problem.

Vestager wins historic battle in record Google case  —  Margrethe Vestager badly needed a win to vindicate her fight against antitrust abuses in the EU — and she got one.  —  The EU General Court on Wednesday sided with the European Commission on a record-breaking fine against Google for its abuses in the mobile market.

Trafficked Teenager Who Killed One of Her Abusers Ordered to Pay Restitution  —  Pieper Lewis was 15 years old when, according to court documents, the man sheltering her forced her to have sex with other men for money.  She stabbed one abuser 30 times.  —  Pieper Lewis was a 15-year-old repeat runaway …