Neo-Nazi leader and girlfriend accused of targeting Md. power stations  —  A neo-Nazi leader recently released from prison has been arrested again and accused of plotting an attack on the Maryland power grid with a woman he met while incarcerated.  —  Brandon Russell, 27, and Sarah Clendaniel …

DeSantis Allies Are Launching a '24 Super PAC  —  It's the clearest sign yet that DeSantis is embarking on a national campaign.  And given the consultants involved, it's all but certain to have his approval.  —  There are a handful of unofficial, and unsanctioned, “Draft DeSantis” …

Chinese Balloons Were Spotted Near US Bases During Trump's Era  —  Alleged Chinese spy balloons were spotted on several occasions during President Donald Trump's administration, including three instances where they traveled near sensitive US military facilities and training areas, according to people familiar with the matter.

Biden 2024?  Most Democrats say no thank you: AP-NORC poll  —  A majority of Democrats now think one term is plenty for President Joe Biden, despite his insistence that he plans to seek reelection in 2024.  That's according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research …

Federal judge says constitutional right to abortion may still exist, despite Dobbs  —  A federal judge in Washington, D.C., suggested Monday that there may be a constitutional right to abortion baked into the 13th Amendment — an area she said went unexplored by the Supreme Court …

Yes, DEI Can Erode Academic Freedom.  Let's Not Pretend Otherwise. … By Amna Khalid and Jeffrey Aaron Snyder  —  “We affirm both academic freedom and our responsibility to foster an inclusive learning community.  Importantly, these values neither contradict nor supersede each other.”

The Worst Judge in America Could Outlaw the Abortion Pill Nationwide.  It Gets Worse.  —  A single judge could outlaw the abortion pill nationwide.  And that's not even the worst of it.  —  When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, it promised to “return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives.”

Musk's Twitter Has Just 180,000 U.S. Subscribers, Two Months After Launch  —  Around 180,000 people in the U.S. were paying for subscriptions to Twitter, including Twitter Blue, as of mid-January, or less than 0.2% of monthly active users, according to a document viewed by The Information.

Kamala Harris Is Trying to Define Her Vice Presidency.  Even Her Allies Are Tired of Waiting.  —  Ms. Harris is struggling to carve out a lane for herself in what may be one of the most consequential periods in the vice presidency.  —  WASHINGTON — Kamala Harris was frustrated.

Ticket to ride: NYC mayor gives free bus tickets to Canada for asylum-seekers  —  The hustle and bustle of New York City are just too much for some illegal aliens, so they are taking advantage of free tickets to Canada.  Free to them, of course, but no one is saying exactly where the money is coming from for the tickets.

Marines Charged in Capitol Riot Got Highly Sensitive Spy Jobs After Jan. 6 … A Marine charged with taking part in the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was transferred into a highly sensitive intelligence assignment at the headquarters of the National Security Agency after the violent attempt …

McCarthy, Scalise go to war with U.S. Chamber after group backed some Democrats in 2020 and 2022 elections  — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise refuse to meet with the Chamber of Commerce after it previously endorsed Democrats running for office.

Convicted Jan. 6 Capitol rioter caught secretly filming woman undressing at tanning salon owned by his father: Police  —  An Iowa father who recently pleaded guilty to interfering with police during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has found himself once again embroiled in scandal …

The Defiance of Salman Rushdie  —  After a near-fatal stabbing—and decades of threats—the novelist speaks about writing as a death-defying act.  —  When Salman Rushdie turned seventy-five, last summer, he had every reason to believe that he had outlasted the threat of assassination.

Russia's budget deficit soars as energy revenues slump by almost half  —  Fall in oil and gas sales coupled with sharp rise in defence spending highlight economic damage of Ukraine conflict  —  Russia's budget deficit reached Rbs1.76tn ($25bn) in January as the Kremlin boosted defence spending …

AI-Generated ‘Seinfeld’ Show Banned on Twitch After Transphobic Standup Bit  —  “Nothing, Forever,” has been banned for at least 14 days.  —  Jason Koebler  —  “Nothing, Forever,” the infinitely-generating AI version of Seinfeld that tens of thousands of people were watching has been banned …

Unfortunately, the Biggest Election Case of the Supreme Court Term Could Be Moot  —  Will a power grab by the new Republican majority on North Carolina's Supreme Court—ostensibly to reverse a power grab by the earlier Democratic majority on North Carolina's Supreme Court …

Gen. Glen VanHerck, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Holds an Off-Camera, On-The-Record Briefing on the High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon Recovery Efforts  —  Gen. Glen VanHerck, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command

U-2 Spy Planes Snooped On Chinese Surveillance Balloon  —  The U.S. Air Force's U-2S Dragon Lady spy planes were among the assets tapped to monitor and collect intelligence on a Chinese government surveillance balloon during its recent trip across parts of the continental United States and Canada.

Ranks of Republicans Refusing a ‘Clean’ Debt Ceiling Hike Grows … Republican pragmatists in the House of Representatives have a message for President Joe Biden: We don't support a clean debt ceiling increase, either.  —  Rep. Dusty Johnson says that the group of pragmatic conservatives …

This Judge's Ruling Could Be Very Bad for Alex Murdaugh  —  Jurors will get to hear about the South Carolina lawyer's alleged scheme to cover up millions in debt just before the murders of his wife and son.  —  South Carolina jurors will be allowed to hear about Alex Murdaugh's alleged financial crimes …

Governor Abbott Announces Statewide Plan Banning Use Of TikTok  —  Governor Greg Abbott today announced a statewide model security plan for Texas state agencies to address vulnerabilities presented by the use of TikTok and other software on personal and state-issued devices.

Dark Brandon Takes His Shot  —  Plus: Lordy, those Wisconsin tapes.  —  Are you not entertained?  —  “The whole response to the balloon thing,” complains Damon Linker, “vividly illustrates how degraded American public life has become.  Politicians spouting BS to gain likes and applause online …

Melania Trump watched 2019 ISIS raid from Situation Room, suggested ‘hero dog’ story in media  —  Melania Trump in October 2019 sat in and watched the U.S. raid that led to the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a compound in Syria, according to a new memoir set for release this week.

Economy Remains the Public's Top Policy Priority; COVID-19 Concerns Decline Again  —  Increased focus on deficit reduction; Republicans far more likely than Democrats to view it as a top priority  —  Increased focus on deficit reduction; Republicans far more likely than Democrats to view it as a top priority

One smart way to win over working-class voters and help the economy  —  Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has held his job for less than a month, so it's probably too early for him to think about running for president.  But it's not too soon for other governors considering a White House run …