Axios

President Biden is "fit for duty," White House physician Kevin O'Connor wrote Thursday in a medical memo released hours after the president underwent his annual physical examination.

The big picture: Ahead of the 2024 election, much has been debated about the president's age. If elected, Biden would be in his mid-80s when he leaves the Oval Office.

An Atlanta judge released part of a grand jury report Thursday saying jurors believe one or more witnesses committed perjury during their probe into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Why it matters: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' investigation remains a key venue in which former President Trump and his allies might face criminal charges for alleged election interference and other crimes.

As part of the Biden administration’s effort to overcome inequality, federal agencies will now be required to designate leaders to implement equity mandates and release yearly action plans to the public.

Why it matters: With a divided Congress unlikely to pass major reform bills, President Biden, through executive orders, is advancing efforts at tackling racial equity, from housing discrimination to private prisons.

President Biden said Thursday that a series of unidentified objects the U.S. shot down this month do not appear to be related to the Chinese government's spy balloon program.

Driving the news: The flying objects "were most likely balloons tied to private companies, recreation, or research institutions," Biden said, citing the U.S. intelligence community's current assessment.

The Biden administration said Thursday that it will hold rail operator Norfolk Southern accountable for the derailment of a 150-car freight train in East Palestine, Ohio — a day after the town's mayor said he heard from the White House for the first time this week.

Driving the news: The comments — made by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at a briefing on Thursday — come almost two weeks after the Norfolk Southern train, which was pulling at least five tanker cars containing a hazardous gas, crashed and forced the company to vent and burn carcinogenic chemicals from train cars.

The Kentucky Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a request from abortion providers to block the state's trigger law and six-week ban.

Why it matters: The decision comes months after voters rejected a ballot measure that was considered a major win for abortion rights in the red state.

The gunman who shot and killed three students at Michigan State University and left five others hospitalized earlier this week carried two legally purchased, but unregistered handguns during the shooting, police said Thursday.

Driving the news: MSU Deputy Police Chief Chris Rozman said the 43-year-old suspect, who later died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds, had more magazines and ammunition on him when he was found, as well as a note.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday blasted the briefings he's received on the shot-down balloon from China, telling Fox News he'd "never been in briefings where I learned so little."

Why it matters: President Biden is expected to give a speech as soon as Thursday on the balloon and other aerial objects that have been shot down by the U.S. military, multiple media outlets reported.

Jonathan Mitchell, the Austin attorney widely credited with devising the legal strategy for a Texas law that bans abortion after six weeks and also empowers private citizens to bring lawsuits against those who violate it, is now applying the same novel legal mechanisms to book bans.

Why it matters: Draft city ordinances allegedly written by Mitchell could lead to Texans suing librarians and others for their decisions about which books to put on shelves — or for expressing LGBTQ+ support.

President Trump's handling of COVID ultimately cost him dearly. But Semafor's Liz Hoffman writes in a book coming March 7 — "Crash Landing: The Inside Story of How the World's Biggest Companies Survived an Economy on the Brink" — that he initially responded to the calamity by puffing himself up.

• On March 4, 2020, during a Roosevelt Room meeting with airline CEOs, Trump — calling them "the biggest and the best" — started out in rare muted form, turning the meeting over to Vice President Mike Pence, "but his restraint in front of a bank of pool cameras only lasted so long. He soon interjected."

President Biden plans to move quickly to replace David Malpass as president of the World Bank Group, seizing on his departure to transform the bank into an institution dedicated to fighting climate change, White House advisers say.

Why it matters: Malpass’ surprise decision to leave his term early gives the Biden's administration something it wanted even before the president was inaugurated: A chance for Biden to pick a new World Bank leader.

Two Shelby County Sheriff's deputies have been suspended for five days without pay for their involvement in the death of Tyre Nichols, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) said Wednesday.

Driving the news: Patrol deputies Jeremy Watkins and Johntavious Bowers were suspended after an internal investigation found they violated several regulations, including radio communication procedures and mobile video recording system procedures, among others, the SCSO said in a statement.

Hundreds gathered for a rally outside of Florida's state Capitol Wednesday to protest against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' (R) rejection of a new Advanced Placement African American studies course.

The big picture: Led by prominent civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, demonstrators rejected a number of the governor's plans, including his ongoing feud over the AP curriculum, his slashing of college diversity programs, his migrant relocation plan, and other policies they deemed harmful to the LGBTQ community.

U.S. officials privately expect Secretary of State Antony Blinken to use a potential meeting with China's top diplomat this week to de-escalate tensions over the downing of a Chinese government spy balloon this month.

Driving the news: The State Department on Wednesday formally announced Blinken's plan to attend the Munich Security Conference, giving him an opportunity to re-establish high-level communications by sitting down face-to-face with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

House Republicans are planning a series of attention-grabbing hearings outside of Washington, guided by a 15-page, private playbook obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: With little chance of getting bills signed by President Biden, Republicans are sending subpoenas, planning trips to the southwest border and encouraging committees to find fresh, TV-friendly settings for hearings that target administration policies.

The father of the Highland Park, Illinois, shooting suspect accused of killing seven people at a Fourth of July parade, on Wednesday was indicted by an Illinois grand jury, AP reports.

Driving the news: The indictment charges 58-year-old Robert Crimo Jr. with seven counts of reckless conduct.

As emergency crews continue to clean up the site where a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, several lawmakers are pushing for answers about government oversight of the freight train system.

Why it matters: The derailment and subsequent fire forced hundreds to evacuate and caused alarm about toxic fumes and water contamination from spilled materials.