Horrifying footage appears to show Russian captors castrating a Ukrainian prisoner of war  —  A horrific video posted online on Thursday appears to show a Ukrainian prisoner of war being castrated by his Russian captors.  —  While Yahoo News cannot independently verify the authenticity of the video …

Jan. 6 texts missing for Trump Homeland Security's Wolf and Cuccinelli  —  DHS watchdog was alerted in February to unavailable records of top officials, but did nothing to alert or investigate  —  Text messages for former President Donald Trump's acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf …

Kyrsten Sinema Is Critical Vote on Manchin-Schumer Climate and Tax Deal  —  Arizona centrist senator has forced changes in past Democratic packages  —  Watch: Biden Explains Key Points of Inflation Reduction Act … WASHINGTON—Democrats' hopes of turning a long-sought tax and energy agreement …

Russian National Charged with Conspiring to Have U.S. Citizens Act as Illegal Agents of the Russian Government  —  An indictment was unsealed today in Tampa, Florida, charging a Russian national, working on behalf of the Russian government and in conjunction with the Russian Federal Security Service …

Pro-Trump influencer upset after documents detailing ‘substantial’ cooperation with FBI are released  —  WASHINGTON — A pro-Trump social media influencer who was convicted of disorderly and disruptive conduct on Capitol grounds for his actions on Jan. 6 is upset over the release of court filings …

Inflation Reduction Act: Preliminary Estimates of Budgetary and Macroeconomic Effects … Key Points  — PWBM estimates that the Inflation Reduction Act, as written, would reduce cumulative deficits by $248 billion over the budget window.  — The Act would very slightly increase inflation until 2024 …

Sarah Godlewski suspends U.S. Senate bid, endorses Mandela Barnes  —  Wisconsin Treasurer and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Sarah Godlewski is suspending her campaign and endorsing Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, the two campaigns confirmed Friday.  —  Godlewski's decision to drop out of the race …

Phillips: Democrats need ‘new generation’ of leadership, not Biden in 2024  —  In an interview on the Chad Hartman radio show on WCCO-AM, Phillips, who represents Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District, said he wants to see “a new generation of compelling, well-prepared, dynamic Democrats who step up.”

‘Alarm bell’: Oz's struggles have GOP pitching alternate path to Senate takeover  —  PHILADELPHIA — The GOP establishment is feeling down on Dr. Oz.  —  The Senate Republicans' campaign arm is privately sounding the alarm about physician Mehmet Oz's bid for the Senate in the critical battleground …

Improvement or Illusion?  —  Over the last couple of weeks, there's been a shift in opinion among many political professionals about Democrats' chances in the midterm campaign.  They point in particular to improvement for Democrats in the generic ballot poll question (which party …

First on CNN: Jared Kushner details West Wing ‘war’ with ‘toxic’ Steve Bannon in new book  —  (CNN)Jared Kushner details his clashes with Steve Bannon in his new book, describing a “toxic” West Wing presence who accused him of “undermining the President's agenda” and threatened to break him “in half” if Kushner turned on him.

Sen. Jim Inhofe has a strained relationship with the man favored to succeed him  —  The retiring senator says he and Markwayne Mullin ‘have problems.’  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Retiring U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe's relationship with U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin hit a low point after Mullin's unauthorized attempt to visit Afghanistan last year.

On Economics And Democracy  —  High unemployment is extremely dangerous.  —  Earlier this week, I spoke at a gathering in Washington organized by Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Adam Jentleson on what they are calling “Inclusive Populism” — an economic agenda that defends the rights of all working people, whatever they may look like.

Exxon and Chevron Report Record Profits on High Oil and Gas Prices  —  The energy industry's windfall has followed a spike in prices, resulting mostly from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and a global economy rebounding from the coronavirus pandemic.  —  Exxon Mobil and Chevron …

Pelosi to leave for Asia amid Chinese threats over Taiwan stop  —  Visit to the island still possible as U.S. military preparations get underway.  —  Speaker Nancy Pelosi is set to leave this weekend on a trip that includes Singapore, Japan and South Korea — and possibly Taiwan …

“I can't believe I even survived that job.”  —  Staffers fleeing Katie Hobbs' campaign question her ability to lead Arizona.  —  In the past five months, two-thirds of Democrat Katie Hobbs' gubernatorial campaign staff have left, and several describe the campaign as an emotionally abusive atmosphere …

Fear of Rampant Crime Is Derailing New York City's Recovery … Incidents of violent crime remain at historic lows in New York City.  But people's views on guns and crime are often more influenced by what they see and hear, rather than by hard numbers.  While homicide is the most high-profile type …

Inside one far-right sheriff's crusade to prove Trump's bogus voter-fraud claims  —  In rural Michigan, county Sheriff Dar Leaf has teamed with a Trump-camp lawyer to chase the former president's outlandish rigged-election theories.  A member of a radical group of “constitutional sheriffs,” he's now under investigation himself.

So You Want To Start a Third Party?  —  Then tell me how you are going to attract real-world Trump voters.  —  Starting a new third party is all the rage these days, especially out here in Never Trumpistan.  —  The Yang Gang is teaming up with some future former Republicans for the Forward Party.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott stayed at fundraiser for hours after Uvalde shooting, records show  —  Finance, flight-tracking documents show the governor stayed in Huntsville longer than he implied.  —  AUSTIN — After the Uvalde school shooting, Gov. Greg Abbott spent nearly three hours in Huntsville …

Democrats Beat Republicans for Control of Congress in 4 Polls in Past Week  —  Four national polls from the past week have shown Democrats favored by more voters to control Congress compared to Republicans, as many analysts and GOP leaders continue to express confidence that the liberal party …

U.S. admits 100,000 Ukrainians in 5 months, fulfilling Biden pledge  —  The U.S. received more than 100,000 Ukrainians in roughly five months following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, fulfilling President Biden's pledge of providing a temporary safe haven to those displaced as part …

Trump plasters presidential seal across golf club during Saudi-backed LIV tournament despite complaints  —  Earlier this month, watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to criminally investigate Mr Trump's Bedminster golf club over its use of the seal

Justice Department staffs up team investigating efforts to overturn Trump's loss  — A corruption prosecutor is helping with “investigatory efforts” in the sprawling January 6 inquiry.  — JP Cooney previously oversaw the prosecutions of Trump allies Steve Bannon and Roger Stone.

McCarthy says he does not recall Jan. 6 Cassidy Hutchinson call on Trump going to Capitol  —  House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that he did not remember talking to former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson on Jan. 6, 2021, about the prospect of former President Trump …

Vladimir Putin is in thrall to a distinctive brand of Russian fascism  —  That is why his country is such a threat to Ukraine, the West and his own people  —  What matters most in Moscow these days is what is missing.  Nobody speaks openly of the war in Ukraine.  The word is banned and talk is dangerous.

Passenger rail return to Vermont city took vision, decades  —  Amtrak-Expansion-Vermont  —  BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — After a nearly 70-year absence, a passenger train running from Vermont's revitalized Burlington train station to New York City headed south Friday as part of a nationwide renewal of interest in rail travel.

Colorado clerk gets primary recount after raising $250,000  —  DENVER — A prominent Colorado election conspiracy theorist, Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, will get a recount after all, state officials announced Thursday, now that she has raised $256,000 to pay for the review of her loss in the Republican primary for secretary of state.

Is Pro-Life Now Hate Speech?  —  Below is my column in The Hill on a shift in the rhetoric in the aftermath of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.  From politicians to pundits, pro-life positions are being treated as virtual hate speech.  The demonization of those with pro-life views is meant …