‘I like Hitler,’ Kanye West says, denies Holocaust in Alex Jones interview  —  The rapper also asserted that Hitler, who West said had redeeming qualities, “didn't kill 6 million Jews.”  —  American rapper Kanye West praised Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and denied the Holocaust in a disturbing …

Trump Embraces Extremism as He Seeks to Reclaim Office  —  As he gets his presidential campaign underway, Donald J. Trump has aligned himself with forces that used to be outside the mainstream of American politics.  —  WASHINGTON — The conviction of the leader of the far-right Oath Keepers militia …

CNN Poll: Warnock holds a narrow edge over Walker in final undecided Senate contest  —  In the final undecided Senate contest of 2022, Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia holds a narrow lead over Republican challenger Herschel Walker among those likely to vote in a runoff election Tuesday …

Hate Speech's Rise on Twitter Is Unprecedented, Researchers Find  —  Problematic content and formerly barred accounts have increased sharply in the short time since Elon Musk took over, researchers said.  —  Sheera Frenkel writes about misinformation and social media platforms.

Appeals Court Scraps Special Master Review in Trump Documents Case  —  The panel's decision removed a major obstacle that for more than two months had hindered the Justice Department's investigation into Mr. Trump's handling of sensitive government documents.

Ukraine war: Zelensky aide reveals up to 13,000 war dead  —  Up to 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the start of Russia's invasion, a senior official has said.  —  Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said between 10,000 and 13,000 troops had died.

Florida prepares U-turn on Disney's 'Don't Say Gay' punishment  —  Lawmakers seek compromise preserving theme park operator's right to run private government  —  Florida lawmakers are working on plans to reverse a move that would strip Disney of its right to operate a private government around …

Payrolls and wages blow past expectations, flying in the face of Fed rate hikes  — Nonfarm payrolls increased 263,000 for the month while the unemployment rate was 3.7%, the Labor Department reported Friday.  — The payrolls number was well above the 200,000 estimate, while the unemployment rate was in line.

Alex Jones files for bankruptcy following $1 bln Sandy Hook verdict  —  Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones filed for bankruptcy on Friday, less than two months after a jury ordered him and the parent company of his Infowars website to pay nearly $1 billion for spreading lies about the 2012 Sandy Hook mass shooting.

Russia-Ukraine War  —  E.U. Agrees to a Price Cap for Sale of Russian Oil … E.U. agrees on Russian oil price cap of $60 per barrel after fraught talks.  —  Diplomats from the European Union agreed on Friday to set a top price of $60 per barrel for Russian oil cargoes, according to Andrzej Sados …

Edward Snowden swears allegiance to Russia and receives passport, lawyer says  —  Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor who leaked information about U.S. surveillance programs, swore an oath of allegiance to Russia and has collected his Russian passport, his lawyer told state media on Friday.

Smoke and mirrors: Inside the murky $200M effort to kickstart NY's marijuana industry … New York's equity-focused rollout of its legal marijuana market relies heavily on a $200 million fund to support the state's first retailers.  —  Yet the team picked to raise and manage that money …

Pennsylvania Republicans reconsider their war on mail voting  —  PHILADELPHIA — For the past two years, Republican officials in the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania have blasted mail voting, firing off lawsuits and bills aimed at crippling the balloting method that has become increasingly popular post-pandemic.

DeSantis 2024 prospects prompt Fla. lawmakers to review law  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may need some help from the state Legislature if he proceeds with a highly anticipated bid for the Republican presidential nomination.  A “resign to run” law requires state officeholders to commit …

GOP tension builds over House speaker race as McCarthy and critics prep for floor fight  —  House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy and his critics are gearing up for a potential floor fight over the speakership in January, raising the possibility of a messy intraparty showdown that could bring uncertainty …

The New York Times Newsroom Gets Ready to Walk Out  —  This morning at 8 a.m., New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger and CEO Meredith Kopit Levien received a letter from Bill Baker, unit chair of the Times guild, that was signed by more than 1,000 employees.  Subject line: “Enough.

Taliban blocks two U.S.-funded radio stations in Afghanistan  —  KABUL — Afghanistan's Taliban rulers on Thursday blocked transmissions by two news radio stations funded by the U.S. government, saying they had repeatedly “failed to adhere” to government press laws, “violated journalistic principles” and aired “one-sided broadcasts.”

Biden pushes South Carolina as first primary state, elevates Georgia and Michigan  —  The tectonic decision to radically remake his party's presidential nominating calendar for 2024 came as a shock to party officials and state leaders who had been lobbying hard to gain a place in the early calendar