New U.S. Sanctions on Russia Hits Top Officials, Defense and Tech Sectors … Despite international condemnation, Putin signs decrees declaring four regions of Ukraine part of Russia.  —  President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia signed decrees on Friday to declare four Ukrainian regions part …

Gerrymandering Isn't Giving Republicans the Advantage You Might Expect  —  Yes, the G.O.P. has a structural edge in the House, but it isn't anything near insurmountable for Democrats.  —  There is no shortage of reasons Republicans are expected to retake the House this year …

You thought the Supreme Court's last term was bad?  Brace yourself.  —  The cataclysmic Supreme Court term that included the unprecedented leak of a draft opinion and the end of constitutional protection for abortion would, in the normal ebb and flow, be followed by a period of quiet …

Georgia and Nevada on their minds: Senate watchers sweat two swing states  —  The Democratic and Republican campaign chiefs agree on one thing about the battle for the Senate majority: Nevada and Georgia are at the center.  —  “If you look at the polls, Nevada and Georgia are the two logical ones” …

'It's My Curse and My Salvation': Trump's Most Famous Chronicler Opens Up  —  NEW YORK — Late one recent afternoon, Maggie Haberman pulled into a parking spot in the lot at Gargiulo's, the old-time Italian restaurant in Coney Island where Donald Trump's father used to eat lunch.

Dysfunction in Texas AG's office as Paxton seeks third term  —  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's staff this month quietly dropped a series of human trafficking and child sexual assault cases after losing track of one of the victims, a stumble in open court emblematic of broader dysfunction inside …

Gavin Newsom's trolling deftly unmasks Ron DeSantis's cruelty  —  It's hard to deny that Gov. Gavin Newsom harbors garish and even cringeworthy presidential ambitions.  The California Democrat regularly trolls Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a top 2024 GOP contender, and Newsom surely knows playing foil …

Trump's legal team divided over how to handle Mar-a-Lago case  —  New lawyer's advice to seek an ‘off-ramp’ with Justice Department is not being heeded, people familiar with discussions say  —  After attorney Christopher Kise accepted $3 million to represent Donald Trump in the FBI's investigation …

Supreme Court holds investiture ceremony for Ketanji Brown Jackson  —  Investiture ceremony held for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson  —  The Supreme Court on Friday hosted a formal investiture ceremony for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the court …

NYC human rights officials are ‘closely monitoring’ allegations against the owner of a gay bar  —  NBC News previously reported that Michael J. Cohen was accused of unwanted sexual conduct and discrimination.  Cohen's attorney said he is not under investigation.

It Isn't Journalism's Job To Hand-Hold People To The Correct Moral Conclusions  —  Stop hating your readers  —  One of the silliest ideas to infect mainstream journalism in recent years is the notion that when journalists produce work about a bad person, they must signpost that work …

Trevor Noah to Exit ‘Daily Show’ After Seven Years  —  Trevor Noah is nearing his last laugh on “The Daily Show.”  —  The comedian, who came out of near anonymity to take over the program from Jon Stewart in 2015, plans to exit the flagship Comedy Central series after a seven-year tenure …

Trump allies have interviewed nearly 200 election officials to probe for weaknesses  —  Volunteers for “Operation Eagles Wings” are using surveys in eight states to seek support for conspiracy theories.  —  Two of Donald Trump's most prominent allies in his fight to overturn the 2020 election …

The Pandemic's Legacy Is Already Clear  —  Recently, after a week in which 2,789 Americans died of COVID-19, President Joe Biden proclaimed that “the pandemic is over.”  Anthony Fauci described the controversy around the proclamation as a matter of “semantics,” but the facts we are living with can speak for themselves.

It's “Oppo Dump” O'Clock: OH-09 Moves from Toss Up to Lean Democrat  —  With less than six weeks to go, it's “oppo dump” o'clock — the time when both parties start unleashing their most damning opposition research about the other side's candidates on the airwaves or leaking it to friendly (or curious) media outlets.

NYC Proposal Offers Cash for Spotting Parking Violations in Bike Lanes  —  It's a familiar experience for pedestrians and bicyclists — a car or truck parked in a bike lane or on the sidewalk forces a detour into the street — and into traffic.  When vehicles block these travel paths, it's not just an annoyance and safety hazard.