Tucker Carlson's Vulgar, Offensive Messages About Colleagues Helped Seal His Fate at Fox News  —  Prime-time host called senior executive the c-word in redacted missive; network grew wary of further embarrassment from possible disclosure  —  Several weeks ago, as Fox News lawyers prepared …

The Coming Biden Blowout  —  Republicans thought about running without Trump in 2024—but lost their nerve.  They're heading for electoral disaster again.  —  The Republican plan for 2024 is already failing, and the party leadership can see it and knows it.

Exclusive: Peter Thiel, Republican megadonor, won't fund candidates in 2024 - sources  —  Tech billionaire and Republican megadonor Peter Thiel, an early backer of former President Donald Trump who later broke with him, has told associates he is not planning to donate to any political candidates in 2024 …

The Washington gambler  —  Sean McElwee, a young Democratic insider with friends in high places, bet on himself in the post-Trump era.  But that wasn't all he was betting on. … It was poker night at Sean McElwee's Logan Circle bachelor pad.  In the living room, a big‐ …

Elon's blue check disaster is getting worse  —  Celebrities are refusing to pay, and the trolls keep trolling.  —  Elon Musk's decision to strip certain users of their legacy verification check marks — one of the biggest changes he's made as the new owner and CEO of Twitter — is off to a chaotic start.

Xi Jinping holds long-awaited call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy  —  Ukrainian leader says conversation with China's president was ‘long and meaningful’  —  Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday he had held “a long and meaningful phone call with [Chinese] President Xi Jinping” …

U.S. and South Korea Agree to Cooperate on Nuclear Weapons  —  The agreement is a centerpiece of this week's state visit by President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea, who will appear with President Biden at the White House on Wednesday.  —  WASHINGTON — The United States will give South Korea …

Audio of Cruz's talk with Fox host sheds light on plan to challenge 2020 results  —  Sen. Ted Cruz advocated the creation of a congressionally appointed electoral commission ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol to make a credible assessment of unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud …

Ivanka Trump Ditches Attorneys In Fraud Suit, Splitting From Don Jr. And Eric  —  vanka Trump replaced the lawyers defending her in a fraud suit against the New York attorney general on Friday.  Her former attorneys are still representing her brothers, Don Jr. and Eric.

Pope Will Allow Women to Vote at Meeting of Bishops  —  Although it is a step forward for women, they are still barred from becoming deacons, which many advocates of female leadership in the Roman Catholic Church have pushed for.  —  The Vatican announced on Wednesday that the pope …

Mastermind of Kabul airport massacre killed by Taliban, U.S. says  —  An ISIS suicide bomber killed dozens of Afghans and 13 U.S. troops during the Biden administration's evacuation of Afghanistan in 2021  —  The suspected mastermind of a gruesome suicide bombing during the United States' pullout …

McCarthy runs into a wall of corn … - It only takes five GOP “no” votes to tank the bill.  — The group includes all four Iowa House Republicans, plus at least four more members from the corn belt, Axios has learned.  — McCarthy is meeting with this group on Tuesday evening …

A Far-Right Moms Group Is Terrorizing Schools in the Name of Protecting Kids  —  Moms for Liberty has targeted teachers, administrators, parents, and school board members, orchestrating harassment campaigns that have left people fearing for their safety—and in some cases, their lives.  —  David Gilbert

Montana House to Vote on Discipline of Transgender Lawmaker  —  Republicans have refused to let Representative Zooey Zephyr speak until she apologizes for comments made during a House debate.  Several of her supporters were arrested during a protest.  —  HELENA, Mont. — Legislators …

Proud Boys leader, awaiting Jan. 6 sedition verdict, assails Justice Department  —  In a call from his jail cell, Enrique Tarrio embraced far-right critiques of DOJ's Jan. 6 prosecutions.  —  Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio — awaiting a verdict on charges he conspired …

Thomas Helped Kill Eviction Ban Threatening Benefactor's Business  —  Harlan Crow's company said tenant protections threatened its profits.  Thomas twice voted to end them while Crow lavished him with gifts.  —  Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas voted to end federal tenant protections …

E. Jean Carroll v. Donald Trump: Trials are unpredictable, but here's the roadmap for this one  —  As a trial begins in writer E. Jean Carroll's lawsuit against former president Donald Trump, the United States contemplates the startling possibility that a federal jury may declare …

Chief Justice Roberts declines to testify before Senate panel  —  Chief Justice John Roberts has declined an invitation from Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to testify before the panel, calling such testimony by chief justices “exceedingly rare.”

W.Va. Gov. Justice expected to announce Senate bid against Manchin on Thursday  —  West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) is expected to announce his bid for Senate on Thursday, setting up the possibility of a marquee race in 2024 against Sen. Joe Manchin III (D) in a state that Republicans view as one of their best pickup opportunities.

Pro-abortion rights group Emily's List endorses Gillibrand  —  Emily's List, a key Democratic pro-abortion rights group, announced an endorsement Wednesday of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) amid speculation she could face a primary challenger.  —  “We're proud to endorse @SenGillibrand …

Ad Flap Leaves Bitter Aftertaste for Bud Light and Warning for Big Business  —  Bud Light's marketing effort with a transgender influencer has put it “in the center of the culture wars in a way that no company could possibly want to be,” one observer said.  —  When she was named Anheuser …

S.F. repeals its boycott of 30 states that passed conservative laws.  Here's why  —  San Francisco will no longer boycott 30 states that passed conservative laws after city officials determined that the restrictions were too costly and had little impact other than adding more bureaucracy.

The Wall Street Journal's Double Standards  —  The once-estimable editorial page demonstrates its own partisan blindness.  —  The Wall Street Journal's James Taranto is befuddled.  He cannot understand how people who are or once were Republican or conservative can criticize Justice Clarence Thomas.

Microsoft / Activision deal prevented to protect innovation and choice in cloud gaming  —  The CMA has prevented Microsoft's proposed purchase of Activision over concerns the deal would alter the future of the fast-growing cloud gaming market, leading to reduced innovation and less choice for UK gamers over the years to come.