Blinken Cancels China Trip After Spy Balloon Detected Over U.S.  —  The Pentagon called the object, which has flown from Montana to Kansas, an “intelligence-gathering” balloon.  Beijing said it was used mainly for weather research and had strayed off course.

Trump Likened to Mob Boss John Gotti in Ex-Prosecutor's New Book  —  Mark F. Pomerantz, who resigned from the Manhattan district attorney's office last year, wrote that he had pursued a racketeering case against the former president.  —  Donald J. Trump grew his business, fortune and fame …

George Santos Produced Broadway's Ill-Fated Spider-Man Musical.  At Least, He Claims He Did  —  Add Broadway producer to the long list of George Santos's fabrications.  —  While running for Congress in 2021, Santos told some potential donors he was a producer on the musical Spider-Man …

Judge demands answers after Jan. 6 defendant recants guilt  —  A Jan. 6 defendant's boast in an interview this week that he had no regrets about his role in the Capitol riot — just days after he acknowledged his guilt in a federal courtroom — may upend the man's efforts to resolve the criminal case against him.

Pence calls for Social Security reform, private savings accounts  —  48th Vice President of the United States  —  WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Mike Pence, a possible contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, said Thursday that he wants to “reform” …

George Santos may owe thousands for traffic violations in two states  —  Add traffic and parking tickets to the growing list of legal and political woes facing embattled Rep. George Santos, a Republican from New York, who may owe more than $3,400 in unpaid citations, according to records from New York City and Florida.

American killed in Ukraine was working as humanitarian medic  —  Pete Reed, 33, served as a Marine Corps infantryman in Afghanistan, and then went to work saving lives in Iraq and Ukraine  —  Pete Reed, a humanitarian, paramedic and U.S. Marine Corps veteran who had gone to work …

‘At any age’: Donald Trump pushes the GOP towards targeting transgender adults  —  You'd be forgiven if you missed Donald Trump's new plan to stop “left-wing gender insanity.”  Other Republicans had talked like this for years, and far more media attention went to, say, Ron Desantis getting …

Democrats, Seeing a Weaker Trump, Are Falling in Line Behind Biden  —  Concerns about the president's age are being overcome by enthusiasm about his record so far, optimism about the G.O.P. field — and the absence of better options.  —  PHILADELPHIA — Nine months ago …

Jordan subpoenas Garland, Wray over school board memo  —  The House Judiciary Committee fired off its first subpoenas under the leadership of Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), targeting a trio of Biden administration officials including Attorney General Merrick Garland over a short-lived memo dealing with threats against school board members.

The Meaning of African American Studies  —  The discipline emerged from Black struggle.  Now the College Board wants it to be taught with barely any mention of Black Lives Matter.  —  On Wednesday, February 1st, the first day of Black History Month, the College Board released …

Republican Lawmakers Overheard Calling Omar Decision the ‘Stupidest Vote in the World’  —  OOPS!  —  Not all House Republican were comfortable with the party's decision on Thursday to kick Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) off the Foreign Affairs Committee.  Congressional news outlet Roll Call overhead Rep. Ken Buck …

fake tags are a real problem  —  As a bicyclist I am always ready to believe the worst about drivers.  Drivers are why I'm woken up by gunning engines in the middle of the night.  Drivers are why I have titanium screwed into my collarbone.  Drivers!  That I bring my children to school …

Jamie Raskin on why Trump charges are ‘almost inevitable’  —  The Deadline: Legal Blog caught up with Rep. Jamie Raskin to discuss Jan. 6, Trump's impact on the GOP, the Supreme Court and more.  —  Hello, Deadline: Legal Blog readers!  —  I'm excited to report that I had the chance to interview Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., on Friday.

Employers added 517,000 jobs in January, astonishing labor market growth  —  January marked the 25th straight month of solid job growth, and the unemployment rate edged down to a new low of 3.4 percent.  —  The labor market shattered expectations in January, as the economy added 517,000 jobs …