Time is of the essence in Georgia's 2020 election interference case against former President Trump, which is potentially the most damaging against him, as the 2024 election creeps nearer.
The big picture: The GOP presidential frontrunner has employed a delay tactic in all four criminal cases against him — using the charges to cast himself as victim and appeal to voters. At the moment, the weakest and potentially least impactful case is moving the fastest.
New York Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Friday that former President Trump, his companies and fellow defendants must pay nearly $364 million total in the civil fraud trial over his business practices.
Why it matters: The ruling deals a massive financial blow to the GOP presidential frontrunner after he was recently ordered to pay $83.3 millionin a separate trial.
The death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Friday has added fuel to an already blazing fight in Congress over aid to Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia.
Why it matters: Military aid to Ukraine and other U.S. allies is stalled in the House due to persistent opposition from Republican hardliners.
As the end of tax season draws closer, the top House GOP tax writer is making rounds on the Senate side to build the case for a bipartisan tax cuts bill.
Why it matters: This is an early salvo in the "Super Bowl of tax" that's expected to come in 2025 when the Trump-era tax cuts expire.
President Biden on Friday blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Why it matters: Biden has said Russia would face "devastating" consequences if Navalny died in prison. On Friday, he said his administration was "looking at options" after being asked about additional sanctions against Moscow over Navalny's death.
Young women who increasingly identify as liberal are driving a stark political gender gap with their male counterparts.
Why it matters: Men affected by many of the same societal forces — early exposure to smartphones and social media and a toxic political culture — aren't budging.
Independent or third-party bids areplaying an outsized role in the 2024 presidential race, which is beset by two historically unpopular front-runners.
Why it matters: Depending on the candidate and any traction they gain, these so-called spoilers could tip the election in favor of either President Biden or former President Trump.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will not return to the witness stand Friday as she faces possible disqualification from Georgia's 2020 election interference case against former President Trump.
Why it matters: In explosive testimony on Thursday, Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade pushed back on allegations of an improper, romantic relationship. Judge Scott McAfee will determine whether to dismiss the prosecutors, and possibly the charges against Trump and his co-defendants, after hearing from remaining witnesses on Friday.
Vice President Kamala Harris appeared Friday to reference former President Trump's recent anti-NATO comments, warning that "history offers a clue" as to what happens when an aggressor goes unchecked.
Why it matters: Harris used her speech to the annual Munich Security Conference to contrast President Biden's foreign policy and that of his likely 2024 opponent.
President Biden is privately defiant that he made the right calls on Afghanistan in 2021 despite the U.S. military's chaotic exit, according to an upcoming book obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: Biden believes history will look kindly on his decision to end the two-decade war — America's longest — even though it came at an enormous political cost to Biden, whose polling numbers have never recovered from the fallout.
U.S. Border Patrol acting Deputy Chief Joel Martinez was suspended after he was accused of misconduct, the Washington Post first reported on Thursday.
The big picture: Agency officials cited privacy laws in declining to comment on the details of the misconduct allegations leveled against Martinez, a 31-year agency veteran and native of San Benito, Texas, who previously served as chief of the Laredo Sector, on the Rio Grande, according to his biography.
Jorge Munoz, a Finish Line reader, says he brought his Walt Disney coworkers to laughter and tears with our suggestion of spicing up small talk with zestier topics.
Why it matters: Jorge asked his colleagues the question Mike Allen and I used over the holidays: What's the most meaningful thing you learned in '23?
Why it matters: These interviews with swing voters who supported former President Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020 were conducted shortly after a special counsel report said Biden had "significant limitations" on his memory.
President Biden's lawyers urged Attorney General Merrick Garland in last-minute appeals to note their concerns about special counsel Robert Hur's report on the president.
Why it matters: The newly released letters show how worried Biden's team was about Hur's depiction of the 81-year-old president as a man with a "poor memory."
Local restrictions are changing the way teachers instruct students about political and social issues, particularly on race and gender, a national Rand Corp. report published Thursday found.
Same-sex couples in Greece can now marry and adopt children after Greek lawmakers on Thursday passed landmark legislation 176 votes to 76, despite opposition from the country's powerful Orthodox Church.
The big picture: Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a statement hailed Greece becoming the first Christian Orthodox-majority country to legalize same-sex marriage and the 16th EU member to do so as "a milestone for human rights, reflecting today's Greece — a progressive, and democratic country, passionately committed to European values."
