Trump warns of ‘potential death & destruction’ if he is charged in hush-money case  —  Former president Donald Trump warned early Friday of “potential death & destruction” if he is charged in Manhattan in a criminal case related to alleged hush-money payments to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels to conceal an affair.

American Contractor Killed in Drone Attack on Base in Syria  —  Five service members and another U.S. contractor were wounded.  The Pentagon said the drone was of “Iranian origin” and ordered airstrikes on facilities in Syria used by Iran-linked groups.  —  WASHINGTON — A U.S. contractor …

Trump Investigations Test Justice Dept. and Divided Nation  —  Attorney General Merrick Garland and other prosecutors have sought to demonstrate that politics should not infect the justice system.  Those efforts face a steep challenge as the Trump investigations move ahead.

An Interview With the School Board Chair Who Forced Out a Principal After Michelangelo's David Was Shown in Class  —  On Thursday, the Tallahassee Democrat reported that the principal of a local charter school, the Tallahassee Classical School, was forced to resign after three parents complained …

Tethered together, Biden and Harris move toward 2024 re-election run  —  U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris may not have won over America in her first two years in office, but she is staying put at President Joe Biden's side.  —  The first woman vice president is gearing …

Rahul Gandhi disqualified as MP after conviction in defamation case  —  India's parliament has disqualified senior opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, a day after he was sentenced to two years in prison in a defamation case.  —  A parliament notice said that Mr Gandhi “stands disqualified …

TikTok Paid for Influencers to Attend the Pro-TikTok Rally in DC  —  The embattled social media company brought out the checkbook to ensure at least 30 of its biggest assets—creators—were in DC to help fend off critics.  —  Ahead of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew's much-anticipated testimony …

Attempts to Ban Books Doubled in 2022  —  A new report from the American Library Association showed a spike in censorship efforts, with 1,269 attempts.  —  Efforts to ban books nearly doubled in 2022 over the previous year, according to a report published Thursday by the American Library Association.

Utah Gov. signs laws requiring parental consent for minors to use social media  —  Utah's regulations come amid ongoing debates about the impact of social media on young people's mental health.  Four other states are onsidering similar measures.  —  Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed two pieces …

Ron DeSantis has one very big problem: Donald Trump  —  “You're not going to win in an insult slugfest with Donald Trump.  That's his strength.”  —  He hasn't declared his candidacy yet — but some Republicans fear that their non-Trump savior is showing signs of faltering.

NPR cancels 4 podcasts amid major layoffs  —  NPR moved this week to cut 10 percent of its staff and stop production of a trio of acclaimed seasonal podcasts — Invisibilia, Louder Than a Riot and Rough Translation — as it seeks to close a yawning budget gap that stands in excess of $30 million.

Biden moves to undo Trump's political play on the Space Command  —  The aftershocks from Donald Trump's presidency reach even to outer space, but the Biden administration is quietly moving to repair one piece of the damage that could affect national security.

Paul Rusesabagina of Hotel Rwanda fame to be freed from prison  —  Imprisoned political activist Paul Rusesabagina, whose story inspired the Oscar-nominated film Hotel Rwanda, will be released from his incarceration as early as Saturday morning, senior Rwandan and Qatari officials have told Semafor.

Republicans Have Revived a Scary 1980s Tactic for Breaking Democracy  —  On Tuesday, it was reported by NBC News that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell continues to recover at a rehabilitation center after his fall at a restaurant in Washington, D.C. earlier this month.

Top Trump attorney appeared before grand jury last December in classified docs probe: Sources  —  Timothy Parlatore testified about documents found at Mar-a-Lago sources said.  —  A top attorney for former President Donald Trump gave previously undisclosed testimony before a grand jury late …

The Death of Peter Thiel's “Kept” Romantic Partner Is Being Investigated as a Suicide  —  Jeff Thomas, a model and social media influencer who was recently in a long-term relationship with billionaire Peter Thiel, said he spent much of his time with the tech mogul working to persuade him away …

Dominion's Weak Case Against Fox  —  Victory for the plaintiff would severely weaken the First Amendment protection all news media enjoy.  —  WSJ Opinion: William Barr: ‘One Standard of Justice’  —  The mainstream press has reacted predictably in recent weeks after Fox News's internal communications …

How Working-Class White Voters Became the GOP's Foundation  —  The escalating confrontation between the parties over the federal budget rests on a fundamental paradox: The Republican majority in the House of Representatives is now more likely than Democrats to represent districts filled …

Justice for Manchin: Senate Republicans closing in on 2024 recruit  —  If the popular governor jumps in, Republicans would break their losing streak in recruiting popular governors and reshape next year's battleground map in one fell swoop.  —  Elated Senate Republicans believe they are on the cusp …

DeSantis' State Guard vision: planes, boats, police powers  —  DeSantis has requested nearly $100 million for the new State Guard force.  —  TALLAHASSEE — When Gov. Ron DeSantis first proposed reviving the long-dormant Florida State Guard, he wanted 200 volunteers and a modest $5 million budget.

House fails to override Biden's first veto  —  A new administration rule for retirement plans will be implemented as planned after the House failed to override President Joe Biden's first veto on Thursday.  —  In a 219-200 vote, the House fell short of the two-thirds majority needed in each chamber to undo a presidential veto.

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate OK with Jan. 6 participant  —  The Republican-backed candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court said Thursday that he had no problem with someone who was on the U.S. Capitol grounds during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection campaigning for him across the state …

In Held v. Montana, Young People Sue Montana Over Use of Fossil Fuels  —  Sixteen young Montanans have sued their state, arguing that its support of fossil fuels violates the state Constitution.  —  KALISPELL, Mont. — Badge and Lander Busse tromped into the forest behind their house …

Former rebel leader is named Congo's new Defense Minister  —  Congo's former rebel leader jailed by the International Criminal Court, Jean-Pierre Bemba, has been appointed Congo's Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle.  Bemba's appointment to the key positions …

‘Woke’ DOD official Kelisa Wing reassigned after GOP highlights anti-white tweets  —  WASHINGTON - Self-described “woke” Defense Department schools official Kelisa Wing, whose anti-white social media comments garnered national attention last fall, has been reassigned to an unrelated role, The Post has learned.