"(CNN)Here's an apparently unpopular opinion: Joe Biden is not failing or flailing. His presidency is not in peril. It's hard to see this through the blizzard of over-the-top headlines such as, "Biden Can Still Rescue His Presidency," "How the Biden Administration Lost Its Way" and "Biden's Epic Failures.Everyone needs to take a breath: It's been one year. These headlines could just as easily read, "Joe Biden Fails to Fix Every Problem in the World in 365 days...Ultimately, we need to remember that Biden entered the White House during one of the most difficult periods this country has ever faced. "The worst pandemic in 100 years. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression," he said during his campaign. "The most compelling call for racial justice since the 60's. And the undeniable realities and accelerating threats of climate change." We can now add to that list an attack on democracy by one of the two major political parties" "... "

MOSCOW, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Russia said on Thursday it was clear the United States was not willing to address its main security concerns in their standoff over Ukraine, but kept the door open for further dialogue. The United States and NATO submitted a written response on Wednesday to demands Russia has made for a redrawing of post-Cold War security arrangements in Europe since it massed troops near Ukraine, provoking Western fears of an invasion. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow needed time to review the response and would not rush to conclusions, but that U.S. and NATO statements describing Russia's main demands as unacceptable did not leave much room for optimism... "

(CNN)Former President Donald Trump has been relentless in his attacks against Senate Minority Mitch McConnell, making Republicans uneasy as they battle for the majority in the November midterms. But McConnell doesn't see his clash with the former President emerging as much of an issue -- at least not yet. In an interview with CNN, the GOP leader noted that he and Trump are on the same page in backing the same candidate in two of the hottest Senate races -- Nevada and Georgia. He has stayed neutral in Alabama where Trump endorsed a primary contender. And the Kentucky Republican believes that no matter which GOP candidate emerges from intraparty battles in Pennsylvania, North Carolina or Ohio, his party will be well-positioned to hold the GOP seats there..."

"(CNN)NATO members Romania and Bulgaria slammed Russia's demand to remove alliance troops from both countries as "unacceptable," with each arguing that the Kremlin has no right to interfere in the foreign policy decisions of other sovereign states. The comments from both countries came just hours after Russia's Foreign Ministry confirmed that its demand for NATO to pull back troops from parts of eastern Europe included Bulgaria and Romania. The two countries are located on the Black Sea, which analysts believe Moscow sees as an important geostrategic buffer zone between itself and Europe. Romania's Ministry of Foreign affairs said in a statement Saturday "such a demand is unacceptable and cannot be negotiated." Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Moscow to "to show respect to the foreign policy choice consciously made by Bulgaria." Bulgaria's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Marin Raykov, told the BBC that the Kremlin's demand is "an expression of contempt for the sovereign rights of Bulgaria to choose the sources of guarantees for national security.".."

"Jan 18 (Reuters) - Texas election officials have rejected hundreds of mail-in ballot applications, abiding by a new Republican-backed law just weeks before a March 1 primary kicks off this year's U.S. election cycle. "My friends, this is what voter suppression looks like," Democrat Dana DeBeauvoir, the Travis County clerk, told reporters on Tuesday. The county, home to the state capital Austin, invalidated approximately 300 applications because people failed to meet the law's stricter identification requirements, said DeBeauvoir, who retires at month's end..."

"Hong Kong (CNN)Five of the world's largest nuclear powers pledged on Monday to work together toward "a world without nuclear weapons" in a rare statement of unity amid rising East-West tensions. "A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought," said the joint statement, which was issued simultaneously by the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France. "As nuclear use would have far-reaching consequences, we also affirm that nuclear weapons -- for as long as they continue to exist -- should serve defensive purposes, deter aggression, and prevent war." The statement also stressed the importance of preventing conflict between nuclear-weapon states from escalating, describing it as a "foremost responsibility.""

CBSNEWS:" ...I am a conservative Republican. I believe strongly in the policies of low taxes and limited government and a strong national defense. I think the country needs a strong Republican Party going forward, but our party has to choose. We can either be loyal to Donald Trump or we can be loyal to the Constitution, but we cannot be both. And right now, there are far too many Republicans who are trying to enable the former president, embrace the former president. Look the other way and hope that the former president goes away, trying to obstruct the activities of this committee. But we won't be deterred. At the end of the day, the facts matter, and the truth matters...as a nation, we've got to be founded on the rule of law. We've got to be founded on fidelity to the Constitution. And when you look at what former President Trump continues to do to this day in terms of trying to undermine our belief in our democratic process, in terms of trying to undermine the rule of law, in terms of trying to find local officials who will help him do that. .."

" (CNN)The Justice Department filed a lawsuit Monday challenging legislative maps adopted by Texas Republicans in recent weeks that it says fail to recognize growth in the Latino population and discriminate against Black voters. The lawsuit alleges that the redistricting plan drawn by Texas lawmakers violates the Voting Rights Act. "The complaint we filed today alleges that Texas has violated Section Two by creating redistricting plans that deny or bridge the rights of Latino and Black voters to vote on account of their race, color or membership in a language-minority group," Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a news conference. The lawsuit targets both the US congressional map drawn for the next decade of elections and the plan for the state House. "The Legislature refused to recognize the State's growing minority electorate," the lawsuit states. "Although the Texas Congressional delegation expanded from 36 to 38 seats, Texas designed the two new seats to have Anglo voting majorities." .."

"Washington (CNN)The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday released a sweeping report about how former President Donald Trump and a top lawyer in the Justice Department attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Trump directly asked the Justice Department nine times to undermine the election result, and his chief of staff Mark Meadows broke administration policy by pressuring a Justice Department lawyer to investigate claims of election fraud, according to the report, which is based on witness interviews of top former Justice Department officials."... "

NYTIMES:"...It was not a very inspiring speech, but it got at a fact about the war in Donbas that is often overlooked. It has split the country, yes, but it has also brought many Ukrainians together as never before. It has created a nation, you might say, or the beginnings of one, where before there was only an uncertain former Soviet republic. Ukrainians of patriotic mind get indignant when the war in Donbas is called a “civil war,” and in one sense, probably most senses, they’re right. It was started by and is perpetuated by Russia. But in at least one sense, they’re wrong: This is a civil war in that it’s taking place within the Ukrainian identity. The war has forced Ukrainians to decide who they are, or at least who they are not: namely, Russians. Ultimately, that may represent Putin’s real miscalculation. .."

CNN "Avlon: 2020 voter fraud claims are an insult to our democracy New Day CNN's John Avlon gives a guide to the voter fraud claims in the 2020 election and how easily they were debunked. Source: CNN""... We have been living through the most sustained attack on election results since the civil war. Democracy itself is under assault..."

"(CNN)If there was any consistent thread throughout the presidency of Donald Trump, it was his unswerving belief that widespread election fraud was happening and needed to be wiped out. .. The problem for Trump -- then and now: There is simply no evidence of any widespread election fraud in American elections. ..The scarier thing for me is not that Trump will continue to push his election conspiracies, but rather that a majority of Republicans appear willing to go along with this farce despite all available evidence pointing to the fact that the 2020 election was both free and fair. That sort of willful ignorance is hugely damaging to our democracy and makes me worry about where we are headed in 2024." Trump and his allies have used, and continue to use, a law of propaganda attributed to the Nazi Joseph Goebbels: “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth” BBC How liars create the 'illusion of truth'

CNN:"A burst of new disclosures exposing the extraordinary efforts by ex-President Donald Trump to steal power after his election defeat constitute a grave warning about the future and his potential bid to recapture the White House. The audacity of the former President's attempts to subvert the law by weaponizing the Justice Department not only underscores how close the United States came to a full blown constitutional crisis this year. It also emphasizes that any attempt by Trump to use a war chest already worth $100 million to try to recapture the White House in 2024 would represent a mortal threat to democracy and the rule of law from a leader who was undeterred even by his own first impeachment....."

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is engaged in a nationwide effort to build public awareness of hate crimes and encourage reporting to law enforcement. Hate crimes are the highest priority of the FBI’s civil rights program because of the devastating impact they have on families and communities. Hate crimes are not only an attack on the victim—they are meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community. “Hate crimes are the top priority within the FBI’s Civil Rights Program, due to the devastating impact these types of crimes have on communities. One act can terrorize entire communities and groups of people,” said FBI Associate Deputy Director Jeffrey Sallet... “There’s simply no place in this country for hate and intolerance. We in the FBI stand ready to use all the tools at our disposal to reduce the threat of hate crimes and fulfill our missionto protect every American.” The FBI is the lead investigative agency for criminal violations of federal civil rights statutes. The Bureau works closely with its local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners ... even when federal charges are not pursued.The FBI also works to detect and prevent incidents through law enforcement training , public outreach, and partnerships with community groups. The FBI defines a hate crime as a “criminal offense against a person or property... motivated in whole or in part... by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.” The FBI works to protect all victims of crimes regardless of their country of national origin... "

NYTIMES:"Live Updates: Pentagon Warns of Continued Russian Buildup; Ukraine Cautions U.S. Against War Talk “I think it has to be quiet military preparation and quiet diplomacy,” said President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. President Emmanuel Macron of France spoke with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to try to ease tensions. RIGHT NOWUkraine’s president says talk of war is dangerous, as U.S. repeats warnings to Russia.Here’s what you need to know: After a Putin-Macron phone call, Paris touts dialogue but Moscow says its concerns weren’t addressed. U.S. says $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline will not move forward if Russia invades Ukraine. In pictures: Soldiers prepare for war. Civilians keep calm. A Ukrainian official says the U.S. and its allies should send weapons, not incite panic. Russia might be able to negotiate with the U.S. on some issues, foreign minister says. Video dispatch: A strategic port city in eastern Ukraine prepares for war. .."

"(CNN)Recently, ex-President Donald Trump proudly declared, "What's happening with Russia and Ukraine would never have happened under the Trump administration. Not even a possibility!" That may actually be true. After all, just a couple of years ago, Trump was impeached for trying to use Ukraine to dig up dirt on his potential presidential rival Joe Biden. He tried to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "do us a favor" and investigate Biden and his son, Hunter -- all while holding up almost $400 million in crucial military aid. Remember that "perfect" phone call? So, yeah, given Trump's predilection to hug Russia and blackmail Ukraine -- a fledgling democracy -- it's probably a good bet that Russian President Vladimir Putin wouldn't be pulling these particular tricks right now. I mean, Trump was his guy. When Bill O'Reilly pointed out to Trump that Putin was a killer, he demurred. "There are a lot of killers," Trump said. " ... You think our country's so innocent?" All of which brings us to the current state of affairs, and a puzzling conundrum for Trumpist Republicans. After four years of silently watching -- or supporting -- Trump complimenting the Russian President (tweeting, "I always knew he was very smart!"), and dissing US intelligence agencies on issues like Russian election interference ("President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be."), what are they to do now that Russia has 100,000 troops at the Ukrainian border? Fearless leader Trump has predictably done little more than blast Biden's so-called "weakness" (still an all-time favorite word). But what about suggesting an actual way to deal with Putin's aggression? Nada.".." "

ABCNEWS:"Even as the omicron COVID-19 variant continues to sweep the globe, scientists are now monitoring a new mutation of omicron, dubbed BA.2. The World Health Organization maintains that BA.2 is not a "variant of concern," meaning there is no current evidence to suggest this new subvariant will worsen COVID-19 transmission, illness severity, or efficacy of vaccines and public health efforts like masking and social distancing. .."CNN:"The Omicron variant may be showing the first hopeful signs of passing its peak. But the angry politics of Covid-19 are only getting more intense, and given their future electoral implications, look certain to outlast the pandemic itself. After two years of venomous partisan feuds over the crisis, new battles are springing up all over the country." "

BLOOMBERG:"Stocks climbed at the end of a week marked by wild market gyrations as strong earnings from Apple Inc. lured dip buyers, overshadowing fears that the Federal Reserve will have to act aggressively to thwart the fastest inflation since the 1980s. After struggling to find direction for a few hours on Friday, the S&P 500 pushed higher and headed toward its biggest advance this year. The technology-heavy Nasdaq 100 -- which is still on pace for its worst month since the 2008 financial crisis -- outperformed. Apple soared on results that sailed past Wall Street estimates, marking a victory against a supply-chain crunch fueled by the pandemic and chip shortages. “Given recent volatility, there is a hope corporate earnings can stabilize markets,” said Lindsey Bell, chief markets and money strategist at Ally. “Investors hope that market fundamentals, like earnings results, can shift the focus away from fears of central bank policy changes and inflation. It might take a lot of good news to change the tone on Wall Street, though.”.. "

"(CNN)Federal prosecutors are reviewing fake Electoral College certifications that declared former President Donald Trump the winner of states that he lost, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told CNN on Tuesday. "We've received those referrals. Our prosecutors are looking at those and I can't say anything more on ongoing investigations," Monaco said in an exclusive interview.The fake certificates falsely declaring Trump's victory were sent to the National Archives by Trump's allies in mid-December 2020. .." "

In DONALD J. TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES v. BENNIE G. THOMPSON, No. 21A272.ON APPLICATION FOR STAY OF MANDATE AND INJUNCTION PENDING REVIEW [January 19, 2022] The application for stay of mandate and injunction pending review presented to THE CHIEF JUSTICE and by him referred to the Court is denied. The questions whether and in what circumstances a former President may obtain a court order preventing disclosure of privileged records from his tenure in office, in the face of a determination by the incumbent President to waive the privilege, are unprecedented and raise serious and substantial concerns. The Court of Appeals, however, had no occasion to decide these questions because it analyzed and rejected President Trump’s privilege claims “under any of the tests [he] advocated,” Trump v. Thompson, 20 F. 4th 10, 33 (CADC 2021), without regard to his status as a former President, id., at 40–46..."

"(CNN)Ohio's state supreme court ruled Friday that the state's newly-drawn congressional map, which was passed by the GOP-controlled legislature, violates the state constitution because it "unduly favors the Republican Party and disfavors the Democratic Party." The court's Republican chief justice joined the three Democratic justices in the majority opinion, while the court's three other justices dissented. ... "When the dealer stacks the deck in advance, the house usually wins," Justice Michael Donnelly wrote for the majority. "That perhaps explains how a party that generally musters no more than 55 percent of the statewide popular vote is positioned to reliably win anywhere from 75 percent to 80 percent of the seats in the Ohio congressional delegation. By any rational measure, that skewed result just does not add up." The court also found that the map "unduly splits" three counties -- Hamilton, Cuyahoga, and Summit Counties -- in a way that is prohibited under the state constitution..."

CNN:"...During a court hearing Monday, Judge Amit Mehta pointed out repeatedly that Trump on January 6 asked the crowd to march to the Capitol, but that he didn't speak up for two hours asking people to stop the violence."The words are hard to walk back," Mehta said. "You have an almost two-hour window where the President does not say, 'Stop, get out of the Capitol. This is not what I wanted you to do.'" "What do I do about the fact the President didn't denounce the conduct immediately ... and sent a tweet that arguably exacerbated things?" the judge asked. "Isn't that, from a plausibility standpoint, that the President plausibly agreed with the conduct of the people inside the Capitol that day?"...Mehta's line of questioning is a foreboding sign for Trump, at least as people seek damages through civil litigation following the insurrection. .."

ABCNEWS:" As the U.S. continues to warn that the threat of a Russian attack on Ukraine remains "imminent," there is one dissenting voice that has grown stronger -- Ukraine's. From President Volodymyr Zelenskyy down, the Ukrainian government has tried to urge calm, with senior officials making clear in recent days they don't see the risks now as any more heightened than over the last eight years of Russian-stoked conflict in eastern Ukraine. .. "

"WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Russia's military buildup near Ukraine has expanded to include supplies of blood along with other medical materials that would allow it to treat casualties, in yet another key indicator of Moscow's military readiness, three U.S. officials tell Reuters. Current and former U.S. officials say concrete indicators -- like blood supplies -- are critical in determining whether Moscow would be prepared to carry out an invasion, if Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to do so. .."

"TAIPEI, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Taiwan on Sunday reported the largest incursion since October by China's air force in its air defence zone, with the island's defence ministry saying Taiwanese fighters scrambled to warn away 39 aircraft in the latest uptick in tensions. Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for more than a year of repeated missions by China's air force near the democratically governed island, often in the southwestern part of its air defence identification zone, or ADIZ, close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands. .. "

" SEOUL, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Nuclear-armed North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday, drawing condemnation from the United States for what would be the sixth round of missile tests this month. The series of tests is among the most missiles ever launched by North Korea in a month, analysts said, as it begins 2022 with a dizzying display of new and operational weapons. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had detected the launch of what it presumed were two ballistic missiles at about 8 a.m. (2300 GMT) from near Hamhung, on the east coast of North Korea. .. "

"Hong Kong (CNN)One of the most powerful weapons in the US Navy's arsenal made a rare port call in Guam over the weekend, sending a message to allies and foes amid increasing tensions in the Indo-Pacific, analysts said. The USS Nevada, an Ohio-class nuclear-powered submarine carrying 20 Trident ballistic missiles and dozens of nuclear warheads, pulled into the Navy base in the US Pacific Island territory on Saturday. .. "

"Washington (CNN)The Biden administration is receiving regular intelligence reports indicating Russian efforts to interfere in US elections are evolving and ongoing, current and former officials say, and in fact, never stopped, despite President Joe Biden's warnings to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the summer and a new round of sanctions imposed in the spring. Biden made deliberate mention of Russia's operations two weeks ago when he revealed in public remarks to the intelligence community that that he had received fresh intelligence about "what Russia's doing already about the 2022 election and misinformation" in his daily intelligence briefing that day. "It's a pure violation of our sovereignty," Biden said at the time. One of the people familiar with the matter confirmed that there have been recent intelligence reports about what the Russians are up to, particularly their efforts to sow disinformation on social media and weaponize US media outlets for propaganda purposes.There are some indications that Moscow is now attempting to capitalize on the debate raging inside the US over vaccines and masking, other sources told CNN... "There's definitely a spike in activity around elections — they do take an interest in down-ballot races — but the activity is sustained," said Emily Harding,... "It never really stopped, and we should not be linking our attention or efforts to the election cycle, because they're not."... "

CBSNEWS:"Washington — Congressman Bennie Thompson, chairman of the House select committee investigating the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, revealed Sunday that former Attorney General William Barr has spoken with investigators. "We've had conversations with the former attorney general already. We have talked to Department of Defense individuals," Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, said in an interview with "Face the Nation" when asked if the committee intended to speak with Barr about a draft executive order reportedly given to former President Donald Trump that would have directed the Defense Department to seize voting machines after he lost the 2020 election..."We are concerned that our military was part of this big lie on promoting that the election was false. So, if you are using the military to potentially seize voting machines, even though it's a discussion, the public needs to know. .."

NASA.GOV:" Today, at 2 p.m. EST, Webb fired its onboard thrusters for nearly five minutes (297 seconds) to complete the final postlaunch course correction to Webb’s trajectory. This mid-course correction burn inserted Webb toward its final orbit around the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point, or L2, nearly 1 million miles away from the Earth. The final mid-course burn added only about 3.6 miles per hour (1.6 meters per second) – a mere walking pace – to Webb’s speed, which was all that was needed to send it to its preferred “halo” orbit around the L2 point. “Webb, welcome home!” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Congratulations to the team for all of their hard work ensuring Webb’s safe arrival at L2 today. We’re one step closer to uncovering the mysteries of the universe. And I can’t wait to see Webb’s first new views of the universe this summer!”.."

" (CNN)French astronaut Thomas Pesquet spent six months aboard the International Space Station last year, and his view of the Earth was as alarming as it was breathtaking. Long periods with his feet off solid ground gave him a unique and privileged perspective on our planet. His Instagram account is bursting with beautiful images of "the blue ball we call home." But the beauty is tainted. Pesquet says that even from space the effects of climate change are visible. He says that since his previous visit to space, in 2016, the consequences of human activity have become even more apparent, with glaciers visibly retreating, and a rise in extreme weather events..."

CBSNEWS: " Growing up, Zak Khogyani always loved airplanes. He said grandfather, who learned to fly in 1924, was one of the first pilots in Afghanistan and influenced his fascination with flight. Khogyani loved building model airplanes and watching them from afar. "Whenever we flew, my parents would say I would vanish mid flight. I'd be going and checking out the galley, the lavatories, talking to the flight attendants," he told CBS News. Sometimes, he'd even end up in the cockpit, hanging out with the pilots for as long as they'd let him. But before he reached his goal of becoming a pilot, Khogyani and his family had to flee Afghanistan. His father was a politician, and a target of the Soviets during their invasion of the country in the 1970s..."

"(CNN)The Justice Department on Thursday announced the first sedition charges related to the January 6 insurrection, a watershed moment in the year-long investigation. The case resolves around the Oath Keepers, a far-right extremist group, and its leader Stewart Rhodes. Many of the defendants were already facing charges for storming the US Capitol building and deny wrongdoing. But the new indictment raises the stakes significantly and made public new details about their alleged plans for violence. Here are the key takeaways:.."

NBCNEWS:"A Georgia prosecutor on Thursday requested a special grand jury to aid her investigation into possible 2020 election interference by former President Donald Trump and others. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis sent a letter, obtained by NBC News, to Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Christopher Brasher asking for a special grand jury to investigate any "coordinated attempts to unlawfully alter the outcome of the 2020 elections in this state." .."

CNN:"Tapper: Trump tried to kill democracy once. He'll do it again State of the Union CNN's Jake Tapper reacts to the latest evidence uncovered by the House committee investigating January 6 showing how allies of former President Donald Trump explored ways to steal the 2020 election..." Trump's allies continue to push lies and have succeeded in convincing a majority of Republicans that the election was stolen.(“Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”, is a law of propaganda often attributed to the Nazi Joseph Goebbels."BBC) Trump's allies across the nation seek to infiltrate government agencies. Make no mistake, the folks in this movement do not believe in free and fair elections, they do not believe in your vote counting unless you vote for them. Their platform is disenfranchisement and derangement it is undemocratic and un-American and they are doing it right in front of all of us right out in the open. Trump did try and kill democracy once, and he will clearly try and do it again, but this time, with a little help from his friends, he just might pull it off...

"Washington (CNN)Trump campaign officials, led by Rudy Giuliani, oversaw efforts in December 2020 to put forward illegitimate electors from seven states that Trump lost, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the scheme. The sources said members of former President Donald Trump's campaign team were far more involved than previously known in the plan, a core tenet of the broader plot to overturn President Joe Biden's victory when Congress counted the electoral votes on January 6. Giuliani and his allies coordinated the nuts-and-bolts of the process on a state-by-state level, the sources told CNN. One source said there were multiple planning calls between Trump campaign officials and GOP state operatives..."

MSNBC:"Former Trump campaign strategic adviser Boris Epshteyn joins MSNBC’s Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber to discuss the failed MAGA plot to overturn the presidential election, the House Select Committee’s probe into the insurrection, and the Trump campaign’s fake electors plot. When Melber pressed Epshteyn over reports regarding the fraudulent electors plot, Epshteyn admitted the Trump campaign's basic plan but insisted those involved were "alternate electors.".."

CNN:"CNN analyst: Pompeo remarks are 'a green light to Putin' Newsroom CNN Global Analyst Kimberly Dozier joins Newsroom to discuss recent comments made by Mike Pompeo, the former Secretary of State under Trump, on Fox about Russian leader Vladimir Putin...

" (CNN)...the Washington Post cataloged the falsehoods told by former President Donald Trump: "By the end of his term, Trump had accumulated 30,573 untruths during his presidency — averaging about 21 erroneous claims a day." (New York City's former deputy mayor, Alair Townsend, once said, after tangling with Trump, "I wouldn't believe Donald Trump if his tongue were notarized.")..."

CNN:"Anderson asks George Will if is he worried about democracy: Hear his reply" . Contrary to the myth of today, Americans are quite ready to confront their mistakes. On balance our progress is stunning. The discord today is unsightly,awful, and often childish, but we've seen worse. Mr. Will states that he doesn't think democracy is in danger of death but it is in danger of being attenuated or weakened. Above all else democracy depends on a culture of persuasion and conversation.

CNN:"'Terrifying lies': See ex-Trump aide's warning about his rally Reliable Sources Alyssa Farah, a former aide to President Trump, says that news organizations should continue to cover former President Trump's election lies because of the danger he poses to the country..."

"The National Security Agency, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) assess that People’s Republic of China state-sponsored malicious cyber activity is a major threat to U.S. and Allied cyberspace assets. Chinese statesponsored cyber actors aggressively target U.S. and allied political, economic, military, educational, and critical infrastructure (CI) personnel and organizations to steal sensitive data, critical and emerging key technologies, intellectual property, and personally identifiable information (PII). Some target sectors include managed service providers, semiconductor companies, the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), universities, and medical institutions. These cyber operations support China’s long-term economic and military development objectives. .. "

WSJ:"Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping oversaw an ambitious joint military exercise in China this summer, which along with reported collaborations in aviation, undersea and hypersonic-weapons technology point to a solidifying defense alignment, according to military analysts. U.S. officials and military specialists say it is difficult to pin down the level of collaboration between two nations that tightly control information, and whose actions are increasingly opaque to outsiders. But Western officials and defense experts are growing more convinced of the closer relationship based on recent economic alliances, military exercises and joint defense development, as well as the few public statements from government leaders. While U.S. officials have long been skeptical of a unified threat from the two countries, some are now changing their tune. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence reported that Beijing and Moscow are now more aligned than at any point in the past 60 years..."

CISA:"... This joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA)—authored by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and National Security Agency (NSA)—is part of our continuing cybersecurity mission to warn organizations of cyber threats and help the cybersecurity community reduce the risk presented by these threats. This CSA provides an overview of Russian state-sponsored cyber operations; commonly observed tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs); detection actions; incident response guidance; and mitigations. This overview is intended to help the cybersecurity community reduce the risk presented by these threats. CISA, the FBI, and NSA encourage the cybersecurity community—especially critical infrastructure network defenders—to adopt a heightened state of awarenessand to conduct proactive threat hunting, as outlined in the Detection section. Additionally, CISA, the FBI, and NSA strongly urge network defenders to implement the recommendations listed below and detailed in the Mitigations section. These mitigations will help organizations improve their functional resilience by reducing the risk of compromise or severe business degradation. Be prepared. Confirm reporting processes and minimize personnel gaps in IT/OT security coverage.Create, maintain, and exercise a cyber incident response plan , resilience plan, and continuity of operations plan so that critical functions and operations can be kept running if technology systems are disrupted or need to be taken offline. Enhance your organization’s cyber posture. Follow best practices for identity and access management..."