Why Schumer thinks Dems have momentum … It's Day 9 of the government shutdown.  There's no resolution in sight to this crisis.  —  When you take stock of where things stand, it's not difficult to see why House and Senate Democrats feel good about their strategy — for now.

Greg Bovino Emerges as Trump's Man For Conjuring Up a Blue-City Insurrection  —  Elected officials, activists, and at least one former high-ranking Department of Homeland Security official have all noticed the same thing: when the Trump administration wants to turn up the heat, they send in Gregory Bovino.

Live Updates: Israel-Hamas Deal Paves Way for Gaza Cease-Fire  —  An exchange of hostages and prisoners was expected this weekend.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said he would convene his cabinet to sign off on the agreement, and President Trump said he might travel to the region.

Norway on Edge Over Trump Ahead of Nobel Peace Prize Verdict  —  Norway is bracing for the aftermath of the Nobel Peace Prize announcement on Friday as the Nordic nation has faced increasing pressure from Donald Trump and his administration to award it to the US leader.

Harvard Must Take a Stand Against Trump's Compact  —  The Trump administration's authoritarian offensive is accelerating.  —  It is now openly persecuting opponents, bullying media to silence critics, and sending masked security forces to terrorize cities, and the president recently told …

Scoop: Dominion Voting sold to company run by ex-GOP election official … - Liberty is owned by Scott Leiendecker, who in 2011 created a software program focused on enabling election workers to verify voters and check them in at polling locations.  — According to Leiendecker's LinkedIn page …

Trump's war on the left: Inside the plan to investigate liberal groups  — Powerful Trump aide Stephen Miller key part of crackdown  — ICE agents being redeployed to target activist groups  — George Soros' charitable network on White House list  — Trump using isolated ICE clashes to justify national crackdown

US anti-fascism expert blocked from flying to Spain at airport  —  Rutgers University professor who published book on antifa was informed at boarding gate that his trip was cancelled  —  A Rutgers University professor who taught a course on anti-fascism was blocked from leaving the US …

This Is Why Your Energy Bills Are Going Up  —  You do not have to care about climate change to believe that clean energy is an important and strategic resource.  Solar and wind power are now cheaper than coal in many places and sometimes cheaper than oil and gas.

Oklahoma's Republican Governor Criticizes National Guard Deployment in Chicago  —  Gov. Kevin Stitt, the current chairman of the National Governors Association, broke with Texas, saying, “Oklahomans would lose their mind” if Illinois sent troops to their red state.

Americans' Job Ratings of Six Key U.S. Agencies Worsen  —  Story Highlights  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans' ratings of six prominent federal government agencies have deteriorated markedly since last year.  The job ratings of each of these agencies — the Federal Emergency Management Agency …

Senate strikes deal to vote on defense bill, breaking impasse  —  The Senate broke a monthlong impasse on its annual defense policy bill and secured a deal that could see the legislation pass as soon as Thursday.  Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) locked in an agreement …

This 4-year-old's heart is failing.  A federal grant that might help him was canceled  —  The device is about the size of a AA battery, and it has the potential to help a baby or infant heart keep beating in the face of failure.  —  It's called the PediaFlow, an implantable artificial heart for the littlest, most vulnerable humans.

Trump Fires Black Officials From an Overwhelmingly White Administration … Robert E. Primus, the first Black board chairman of the federal regulator responsible for approving railroad mergers, at first thought there was something wrong with his work phone.  When he couldn't unlock it he switched …

Trump Court Battles Must Continue During Shutdown, Judges Rule  —  US judges have rejected the Justice Department's requests to delay more than a dozen legal challenges to President Donald Trump's policies as the government shutdown enters its second week.  —  The department has been winding …

The Boat Strikes Are Just the Beginning  —  What the U.S. government is portraying as a drug mission may be about a lot more.  —  the videos of carnage on the open seas have, by now, become almost routine: A small, fast-moving boat skips along the waves.  Seconds later, it erupts into a ball …

KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Tylenol-Autism Link and Vaccine Policies  —  Authors: Alex Montero, Grace Sparks, Mardet Mulugeta, Julian Montalvo III, Ashley Kirzinger, Lunna Lopes, and Liz Hamel  —  News Release: Poll: After President Trump's Warning …

Alex Jones asks Supreme Court to block massive defamation judgment  —  Jones says the court must act immediately to prevent his site, InfoWars, where he has spread conspiracy theories, from being handed over to the satirical news site The Onion.  —  WASHINGTON — Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones …

DOJ defends employees reposting Trump's comments about Luigi Mangione  —  Two DOJ employees reposted a video of President Donald Trump saying Mangione “shot someone in the back as clear as you're looking at me.”  —  Federal prosecutors on Wednesday challenged arguments that two Justice …

Florida man charged with intentionally setting Pacific Palisades fire in LA … Federal authorities announced Wednesday that they have arrested and charged a Florida man with maliciously starting the deadly Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive blazes in Los Angeles history.

In cell where Jeffrey Epstein died, a scene of disarray that never underwent thorough inspection, experts said  —  The federal investigation into the death of convicted sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was marred by significant lapses, experts told CBS News, including the failure by investigators …

California becomes the first state to phase ultraprocessed food out of school meals  —  The law, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Wednesday, sets a 10-year deadline for the change to take place.  —  A new law will make California the first state to phase some ultraprocessed food out of school meals.

MAGA rage over Bad Bunny at Super Bowl sparks an alternative show  —  Counterprogramming, hosted by group that Charlie Kirk founded, spotlights the growing political polarization surrounding one of the biggest events of the year.  —  Just now  —  Turning Point USA, the group founded …