National

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she'll endorse Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) in California's U.S. Senate race if Sen. Dianne Feinstein decides not to run for re-election in 2024.

Why it matters: Feinstein, 89, has not yet announced her retirement, but a field of candidates has already begun to form.

Schiff, who announced his campaign for Senate last month, is the second House Democrat to launch a bid for Feinstein's seat after Rep. Katie Porter.

Rep. Barbara Lee, former chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, also plans to jump in the race.

The big picture: Pelosi praised Feinstein's "remarkable legislative record" over her years in the Senate and said that if Feinstein decides to run again, "she has my whole-hearted support."

"If she decides not to run, I will be supporting House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff, who knows well the nexus between a strong Democracy and a strong economy," Pelosi added.

If Schiff succeeds Feinstein in the Senate, Pelosi said he would be "effective from the start in putting People Over Politics."

Pelosi endorses Schiff in California Senate race if Feinstein retires

But if Sen. Feinstein decides to run for reelection, Pelosi said she would have her "whole-hearted support."

Nancy Pelosi speaks and Rep. Adam Schiff listens during a weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol in 2021. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Senate

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she&#x27;ll endorse Rep. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Adam Schiff" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/12/18/adam-schiff-jan-6-panel-trump-criminal-referrals" data-vars-content-id="0d2f13fa-f81b-4334-9b9e-2dc47f6f7720" data-vars-headline="Pelosi endorses Schiff in California Senate race if Feinstein retires" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/12/18/adam-schiff-jan-6-panel-trump-criminal-referrals" target="_self">Adam Schiff</a> (D-Calif.) in California&#x27;s U.S. Senate race if Sen. Dianne Feinstein decides not to run for re-election in 2024.Why it matters: Feinstein, 89, has not yet announced her retirement, but a field of candidates has already begun to form.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

The College Board on Wednesday released curriculum for its new Advanced Placement African American Studies course, excluding some of the content that infuriated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

Why it matters: The outrage over the curriculum underscores the ongoing battles against critical race theory — a topic that is often conflated with teachings on systemic racism.

Driving the news: The curriculum does not require teaching on topics including Black Lives Matter or the case for reparations, two topics that were opposed by DeSantis. 

The "reparations debates in the U.S./the Americas" is listed is a sample project topic on the curriculum, but is not a required lesson plan, nor is it part of the final exam. 

The curriculum on slavery, reconstruction and the civil rights movement remains relatively unchanged in the curriculum. 

The big picture: The Florida State Board of Education and DeSantis earlier this month tried to block the new AP course, telling the College Board that it is "contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value." 

DeSantis said the course violates a Florida law that bans instruction that defines people as oppressed or privileged based on their race. 

DeSantis' administration drew strong backlash from Black leaders, Florida lawmakers and governors in other states. 

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump accused the state of violating the federal and state constitutions and threatened to sue if it did not reach an agreement with the College Board to reinstate the course. 

On Tuesday, DeSantis unveiled a proposal to revamp the state's higher education system intended to elevate "intellectual freedom" and push back against "indoctrination."

The proposed reforms would prohibit critical race theory and diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and ensure that "Florida’s public universities and colleges are grounded in the history and philosophy of Western Civilization."

Zoom out: As of this month, 1,530 school districts in 49 states saw school board candidates take a stance on race in education or critical race theory, per Ballotpedia, Axios' Russell Contreras reports. 

Plus, at least 14 states enacted legislation to limit the teaching of "divisive concepts" or CRT in 2021 and 2022, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

What to watch: The AP course is currently being piloted in 60 high schools across the country with plans to expand it to hundreds more schools in the fall, the Washington Post reported.

The course will formally be launched nationwide in 2024, with the first AP exams taking place in 2025.

“This course is an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture,” David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, said in a statement Wednesday.

Go deeper... The next critical race theory fights

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AP African American studies class changed after DeSantis criticism

The updated curriculum excludes some of the content that infuriated the Florida governor.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference to announce the award of $100 million for beach recovery following Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in Daytona Beach Shores in Florida.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference on Jan. 18 in Daytona Beach Shores in Florida. Photo: Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Ron DeSantis

Number of traced "ghost guns" doubled between 2020 and 2021, new report says

The increase reflects, at least in part, an uptick in the criminal use of ghost guns.

Police tape is seen near the scene of a deadly shooting 

Police tape is seen near the scene of a deadly shooting on January 22 in Monterey Park, California. Photo: Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images

Guns

The number of so-called suspected &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ghost guns" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/04/18/ghost-guns-biden-rule" data-vars-content-id="6505eaf6-bc8e-449c-aa59-da12e9cfd0c4" data-vars-headline="Number of traced &quot;ghost guns&quot; doubled between 2020 and 2021, new report says" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/04/18/ghost-guns-biden-rule" target="_self">ghost guns</a>&quot; traced and recovered by the federal government more than doubled in 2021 from the year before, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/nfcta-volume-ii-part-iii-crime-guns-recovered-and-traced-us/download" data-vars-content-id="6505eaf6-bc8e-449c-aa59-da12e9cfd0c4" data-vars-headline="Number of traced &quot;ghost guns&quot; doubled between 2020 and 2021, new report says" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/nfcta-volume-ii-part-iii-crime-guns-recovered-and-traced-us/download" target="_blank">report</a> published Wednesday by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).Why it matters: The increased tracing of ghost guns — also known as privately made firearms — reflects an increased awareness of ATF&#x27;s tracing efforts as well as an uptick in the criminal use of ghost guns, per the report.

Tom Brady, 45, announced in a social media post on Wednesday that he would be retiring from the NFL "for good."

Why it matters The seven-time Super Bowl champion and three-time NFL MVP is widely considered to be the greatest quarterback of all time.

He's the NFL's all-time leader in passing touchdowns (649), yards (89,214) and completions (7,753).

His 35 postseason wins are by far the most by any player. In fact, he's won more playoff games than all but five teams.

Catch up quick: Brady announced his retirement from the NFL last year, too — only to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 23rd NFL season.

But unlike last year, when he was coming off another excellent season when he finished second for the MVP, this season was more of a slog.

His Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the playoffs with an 8-9 record, getting blown out in the first round by the Cowboys to finish a season where he looked, more often than not, like the 45-year-old that he is.

The big picture: Brady was drafted out of Michigan by the New England Patriots in the 6th round — 199th overall — of the 2000 NFL Draft.

He became the starter in 2001 and, alongside head coach Bill Belichick, turned the Patriots into arguably the greatest dynasty in NFL history, winning six Super Bowls in less than two decades.

In 2020, he signed with the Buccaneers and immediately led them to their second Super Bowl in franchise history.

What's next: Brady has already signed a 10-year, $375 million deal to join Fox Sports as an NFL analyst whenever his playing career ends. Looks like it's finally happened.

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Tom Brady announces he's retiring "for good"

Brady announced his retirement last year — only to come back for a 23rd season in the NFL.

Tom Brady runs on the field on Jan. 16. Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

National Football League (NFL)

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Tom Brady" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2022/10/14/tom-brady-pickleball-team" data-vars-content-id="8c510c3b-5ea5-408d-bb39-1e1466fc4ce5" data-vars-headline="Tom Brady announces he&#x27;s retiring &quot;for good&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2022/10/14/tom-brady-pickleball-team" target="_self">Tom Brady</a>, 45, announced in a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="social media post" data-vars-click-url="https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1620772095889403905" data-vars-content-id="8c510c3b-5ea5-408d-bb39-1e1466fc4ce5" data-vars-headline="Tom Brady announces he&#x27;s retiring &quot;for good&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1620772095889403905" target="_blank">social media post</a> on Wednesday that he would be retiring from the NFL &quot;for good.&quot;Why it matters The seven-time Super Bowl champion and three-time NFL MVP is widely considered to be the greatest quarterback of all time.

Shifts in technology and media are changing the way we play, watch and understand sports. Business models are adapting and social change is forcing those in charge of teams and leagues to reconsider decades-old practices.

Sports

Russia is violating the terms of the New START nuclear arms control treaty by refusing to allow on-site inspections, the State Department said Tuesday. 

Why it matters: It's the first time the U.S. has accused Russia of breaching the terms of the agreement, which seeks to limit the long-range nuclear weapons programs of the U.S. and Russia, per the Wall Street Journal. 

"If New START is terminated or allowed to expire, the nuclear arsenals of the world’s two largest nuclear powers would have no treaty-based limitation for the first time since the 1970s," Bloomberg noted. 

Catch up quick: The New START treaty (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), which entered into force in 2011 and has been extended through Feb. 2026, allows for up to 18 on-site inspections per year, according to the State Department. 

It also established the Bilateral Consultative Commission, a compliance and implementation body that meets at least twice annually and provides a forum for either party to raise questions about compliance or implementation.

The treaty's verification provisions give the U.S. a "vital window into Russian intercontinental-range nuclear forces and operations," per the State Department.

Per the treaty, Russia and the U.S. are both allowed up to 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles and 1,550 nuclear warheads on those missiles. The countries are also allowed "800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, [submarine-launched ballistic missiles] launchers, and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments," per the State Department. 

The big picture: The U.S. and Russia mutually agreed in March 2020 to suspend inspections due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Journal reported.

However, when the U.S. sought to resume the inspections last August, Russia rebuffed the efforts, at least in part due to tensions surrounding the war in Ukraine.

A meeting of the Bilateral Consultative Commission was slated to take place last November, but Russia abruptly called it off and has not agreed to a new date.

What they're saying: Russia's refusal to allow for inspections "prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control," a State Department spokesperson said.

Russia has also refused to agree to a meeting of the Bilateral Consultative Commission, the spokesperson said, noting that Russia has a "clear path" towards compliance, by resuming inspections and agreeing to a meeting of the commission.

"There is nothing preventing Russian inspectors from traveling to the United States and conducting inspections," the spokesperson added. "The United States continues to view nuclear arms control as an indispensable means of strengthening U.S., ally, and global security."

Anatoly Antonov, Russia's ambassador to the U.S., in a statement late Tuesday called the U.S. accusations "sensational" and said "Russia remains committed to the goals of the New START Treaty and continues to regard it as a useful instrument for maintaining strategic stability and ensuring predictability in relations between the major nuclear powers."

Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told RIA state news agency on Monday that it is "quite possible" the treaty would not exist after 2026, per Reuters.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with Anatoly Antonov's statement. 

U.S. accuses Russia of violating terms of nuclear arms control treaty

Russia's noncompliance "threatens the viability of U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control," the State Department said.

The Russian flag flies at the Russian embassy's compound in Washington, D.C. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Russia

Russia is violating the terms of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="New START nuclear arms control treaty" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2020/04/30/new-start-treaty-nuclear-weapons-deadline-russia" data-vars-content-id="c8c0f245-d048-4292-899e-584d73d4de18" data-vars-headline="U.S. accuses Russia of violating terms of nuclear arms control treaty" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2020/04/30/new-start-treaty-nuclear-weapons-deadline-russia" target="_self">New START nuclear arms control treaty</a> by refusing to allow on-site inspections, the State Department said Tuesday. Why it matters: It&#x27;s the first time the U.S. has accused <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Russia" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/world/russia" data-vars-content-id="c8c0f245-d048-4292-899e-584d73d4de18" data-vars-headline="U.S. accuses Russia of violating terms of nuclear arms control treaty" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/world/russia" target="_self">Russia</a> of breaching the terms of the agreement, which seeks to limit the long-range nuclear weapons programs of the U.S. and Russia, per the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Wall Street Journal" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-says-russia-has-violated-nuclear-arms-treaty-by-blocking-inspections-11675183584" data-vars-content-id="c8c0f245-d048-4292-899e-584d73d4de18" data-vars-headline="U.S. accuses Russia of violating terms of nuclear arms control treaty" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-says-russia-has-violated-nuclear-arms-treaty-by-blocking-inspections-11675183584" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a>.

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

Ivana Saric

Stories

Number of traced "ghost guns" doubled between 2020 and 2021, new report says

Pelosi endorses Schiff in California Senate race if Feinstein retires

AP African American studies class changed after DeSantis criticism

Tom Brady announces he's retiring "for good"

U.S. accuses Russia of violating terms of nuclear arms control treaty