In Shinzo's shadow, Japan fears ‘if Trump’  —  Moshi Tora.  That's the compact phrase now spreading like wildfire in Japan.  It means “If Trump,” and is often said with a sense of foreboding.  —  This haiku-like, four-syllable phrase is short for the longer sentence: “What if Trump wins the presidency again?”

Sweden officially joins NATO, ending decades of post-World War II neutrality  —  Sweden on Thursday formally joined NATO as the 32nd member of the transatlantic military alliance, ending decades of post-World War II neutrality and centuries of broader non-alignment with major powers …

Exclusive: Biden plans feisty economic reset … - Biden needs a cure for what some advisers call “Trump amnesia” — the notion that the chaos and unpopularity of Trump's presidency has receded from some voters' memories nearly four years on. … - Voters largely understand the contrasts between Trump …

Navy demoted Ronny Jackson after probe into White House behavior  —  Ronny Jackson, the former White House physician turned GOP congressman, regularly touts his military bona fides.  —  “As a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral with nearly three decades of military service I understand the commitment …

Biden to announce ‘emergency’ US military mission to build port on Gaza coast to deliver aid  —  It will receive “large ships carrying food, water, medicine,” an official said.  —  A military aircraft drops packages towards Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas …

Spate of Mock News Sites With Russian Ties Pop Up in U.S.  —  The fake news organizations, experts say, represent a technological leap in the Kremlin's efforts to spread false and misleading narratives.  —  Into the depleted field of journalism in America, a handful of websites have appeared …

How millions in corporate cash could help a radical conspiracy theorist become governor  —  Judd Legum, Tesnim Zekeria, and Rebecca Crosby  —  On Tuesday, Mark Robinson (R) won the Republican nomination for Governor of North Carolina.  Robinson, currently North Carolina's lieutenant governor …

Steve Bannon's Refusal to Pay His Bills Is Costing Him Big  —  Bannon has refused to pay his legal bills for two years.  Now he and his current lawyer are facing fines over Bannon's refusal to make good on his debts. … For two years, Steve Bannon has refused to pay the half-million dollars he owes his former lawyer.

House panel passes measure blocking Biden administration from finalizing nursing home staffing rule  —  The GOP-controlled House Ways & Means Committee on Wednesday passed a bill that would block the Biden administration from implementing rules requiring minimum staffing levels for nursing homes.

Charted: Trump world allies sentenced to prison … - He is expected to be sentenced to five months in prison in April. … - Former Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell — one of Trump's co-defendants in the sprawling Georgia election subversion case — took a plea deal to testify against co-defendants that helped her avoid prison.

Ex-Congressional Candidate Endorsed by Trump Wanted for Murder  —  A former Nevada Republican congressional candidate who was endorsed by President Donald Trump is wanted by police in relation to the murder of a man in a Las Vegas hotel.  —  An arrest warrant was issued for 45-year-old politician …

Missouri's total war on Planned Parenthood  —  Republicans aren't stopping at abortion bans.  —  ∙ Paid  —  Given the sinkhole of conspiracies that is Elon Musk's X, it shouldn't be surprising that Andrew Bailey, Missouri's hard-right attorney general, used the platform to announce …

Biden to propose new $5,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers  —  The president will also add to earlier pushes to tame rent costs and boost U.S. housing supply  —  President Biden will propose a set of new housing initiatives in Thursday's State of the Union address …

Byron Donalds wouldn't commit to certifying election results if he was VP … - Donalds also did not clarify if he would have certified the 2020 election results, during an interview with Axios' Sophia Cai.  — Trump, the GOP presidential frontrunner, has continued to push the false theory …

The White House Announces Guest List for the First Lady's Box for the 2024 State of the Union Address  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. - First Lady Jill Biden will welcome guests to join her in the viewing box for President Biden's State of the Union Address on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

Profound Damage Found in Maine Gunman's Brain, Possibly From Blasts  —  A laboratory found a pattern of cell damage that has been seen in veterans exposed to weapons blasts, and said it probably played a role in symptoms the gunman displayed before the shooting.

FDA says to throw away these 6 cinnamon products because they contain high levels of lead  —  Consumers should not purchase half a dozen ground cinnamon products sold by retailers including Family Dollar and Dollar Tree because they contain elevated levels of lead, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration …

Public Calls for Menendez Resignation  —  Bipartisan opinion much more negative than earlier corruption case  —  West Long Branch, NJ - Public opinion of Sen. Bob Menendez has plummeted since he was charged in a second corruption case in less than ten years.

The Much Vaunted Guardrails Are Failing  —  Unless America's leading institutions start acting accordingly, how can we expect enough people to believe the danger to democracy and fundamental rights is really all that severe?  —  Most of you who are reading this probably remember where you were on January 6 …