Ex-FBI informant charged with lying about Bidens had Russian intelligence contacts, prosecutors say  —  A former FBI informant charged with making up a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden, his son Hunter and a Ukrainian energy company had contacts …

Trump confirms names on VP shortlist: 'They're all good, they're all solid'  —  Former President Trump confirmed a list of names floated to be on his vice presidential shortlist Tuesday, during a town hall event in Greenville, S.C.  —  Trump joined Fox News Channel's Laura Ingraham to discuss …

Biden cancels student debt for 150K borrowers  —  The Biden administration announced Wednesday it is forgiving a total of $1.2 billion in student debt for roughly 153,000 borrowers.  —  The relief comes through the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan, which made changes …

Shock, anger, confusion grip Alabama after court ruling on embryos  —  Alabama doctors are puzzled over whether they will have to make changes to in vitro fertilization procedures.  Couples have crammed into online support groups wondering if they should transfer frozen embryos out of state.

Former CNN anchor John Avlon announces bid for Congress  —  Former CNN anchor John Avlon announced a bid Wednesday for New York's first congressional district, claiming “democracy is in danger.”  —  In a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Avlon said he was running to help preserve democracy …

The Antisemitic Cartoon  —  Dear Members of the Harvard Community,  —  A few groups purporting to speak on behalf of Harvard affiliates recently circulated a flagrantly antisemitic cartoon in a post on social media channels.  The cartoon, included in a longer post, depicted what appeared …

Nex Benedict matters  —  Judd Legum, Tesnim Zekeria, and Rebecca Crosby  —  Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old Oklahoma sophomore, died on February 8.  Nex, who was non-binary, was attacked in an Owasso High School bathroom the previous day, sustaining serious head injuries.

Biden issues new mandates to protect ports from hackers … - A cyberattack on the maritime sector — including cargo ships and ports — could prompt major disruptions in the global supply chain. … - Port and ship operators will soon be required to report cyber incidents to the Coast Guard under the executive order.

Scoop: GOP privately expects government shutdown … - “People are predicting a shutdown even if it's just for a few days,” a GOP lawmaker recently told Axios.  — They're either “close to reaching a deal or it's about to blow up,” one subcommittee chair recently told a fellow House Republican.

Donald Trump may not believe in God, but he still plans to turn America into a Christian theocracy  —  Like any cult leader, Trump's goal is to get power — and the religious right is ready to take advantage  —  If there were only some way to prove it, I would happily bet everything I own that Donald Trump does not believe in God.

Tax records reveal the lucrative world of covid misinformation  —  Four major nonprofits that rose to prominence during the coronavirus pandemic by capitalizing on the spread of medical misinformation collectively gained more than $118 million between 2020 and 2022, enabling the organizations …

Ron DeSantis ally Chris Rufo has close ties with ‘dissident right’ magazine  —  Relationship with IM-1776 that praises dictators, racist ideologues and attacks liberal democracy is collaborative and supportive  —  Chris Rufo, a rightwing culture-war celebrity and close Ron DeSantis ally …

The Fani Willis mess, explained  —  It ultimately serves as a reminder that the courts can't save us. … While Trump continues to face 91 criminal charges and considerable financial liabilities from his losses in civil cases, a significant sideshow has developed in Georgia.

Letitia James says she's prepared to seize Trump's buildings if he can't pay his $354M civil fraud fine  —  The New York attorney general made the remarks in an interview with ABC News.  —  Attorney General Letitia James arrives for a press conference following a verdict …

Trump and allies plotting militarized mass deportations, detention camps  —  As president, Trump sought to use military planes and bases for deportation.  Now, he and his allies are talking about a new effort that current and former officials warn could be impractical and dangerous.

Biden's betrayal at the forefront as he demands ceasefire in Gaza to stoke his re-election campaign  —  Just days ago, I wrote that Joe Biden was “inching toward a full betrayal of Israel.”  —  Forget the inching.  —  He's now sprinting toward the final act.

Alito renews criticism of Supreme Court's same-sex marriage ruling in rejecting Missouri jury case  —  Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito renewed his criticism Tuesday of the high court's landmark same-sex marriage ruling, addressing it in a five-page statement as part of an order explaining …

Trump's G.O.P. Is a Confederacy of Fakers  —  I've got a suggestion for the next Trump-G.O.P. fund-raising scheme.  You know how sports memorabilia stores sometimes sell basketballs autographed by an entire N.B.A. team?  Well, I was imagining that Donald Trump could sell white flags at $1,000 …

GOP chances of winning the Senate on the rise  —  Senate Republicans have seen their chances of taking the Senate majority steadily rise this year as they have expanded the battlefield, limited internal fights and recruited a set of strong candidates.  —  It's a remarkable shift from two years ago …