Federal judge blocks new Trump travel ban  —  (CNN)A federal judge in Hawaii has blocked President Donald Trump's new travel ban on Wednesday afternoon, hours before the ban was set to go into effect.  —  This ruling means that travelers from six Muslim-majority countries and refugees will be able to travel to the US.

Ryan: Health care plan must change to pass the House  —  House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Wednesday that his health care proposal must change to pass the House, marking a significant retreat from his earlier position that the carefully crafted legislation would fail if altered.

McCain: Rand Paul ‘Is Now Working for Vladimir Putin’  —  Sen. John McCain on Wednesday directly accused fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul of working for Russian President Vladimir Putin.  While speaking from the Senate floor in support of a bill advancing Montenegro's bid to join NATO …

Fox News Poll: Trump approval slips, even as more feel economy improving  —  Voters think President Trump is ahead of most previous presidents on fulfilling campaign promises, and the most voters in more than a decade see an improving economy.  Yet that isn't enough to put the president's job rating …

Members of Congress demand cooperation from administration on Trump-Russia probe  —  Tensions between congressional Republicans and the Trump administration are rising over Russia, as lawmakers probing alleged ties between the president's team and the Kremlin accused officials of trying to block their efforts.

Rachel Maddow Turned a Scoop on Donald Trump's Taxes Into a Cynical, Self-Defeating Spectacle  —  At 7:36 pm Tuesday night, Rachel Maddow tweeted “BREAKING: We've got Trump tax returns.  Tonight, 9pm ET.  MSNBC.  (Seriously),” sending the internet into a frenzy of theorizing.

Dutch Liberals Beat Wilders's Party in Blow to Populist Wave  —  Euro climbs to highest in more than a month on result  —  Freedom Party, Christian Democrats, D66 tied for second place  —  Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Liberals easily beat off an election challenge by the anti-Islam Freedom Party …

An elaborate hoax based on forged documents escalates the phenomenon of “fake news” and reveals an audience on the left that seems willing to believe virtually any claim that could damage Trump.  —  In the third week of  —  January, an Israeli named Yoni Ariel flew from Tel Aviv …

Donald Trump Budget Slashes Funds for E.P.A. and State Department  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump's budget blueprint for the coming fiscal year would slash the Environmental Protection Agency by 31 percent and cut State Department spending by a similar amount in a brash upending …

‘People are scared’: Paranoia seizes Trump's White House  —  A culture of paranoia is consuming the Trump administration, with staffers increasingly preoccupied with perceived enemies — inside their own government.  —  In interviews, nearly a dozen White House aides and federal agency staffers described …

Wherever Trump goes, his gang of aides stays close by  —  When President Donald Trump boarded Air Force One on Wednesday morning to travel to Michigan and Tennessee, he didn't wing it alone: his entire senior West Wing staff traveled with him.  —  Accompanying the president out of town …

Man beaten to pulp after offering to pay for attackers' meal  —  A good Samaritan who offered to lend two men short on cash a couple bucks to cover their meal at a Brooklyn eatery ended up beaten and robbed for trying to help, cops say.  —  The victim was savagely beaten by four men inside …

Sportsmanship & Citizenship: President Obama's 2017 NCAA Basketball Championship Brackets  —  We heard from many of you that your experiences playing sports have helped you develop confidence, an appreciation for hard work, and a positive outlook despite the ups and downs of life.

U.S. military likely to send as many as 1,000 more ground troops into Syria ahead of Raqqa offensive, officials say  —  The U.S. military has drawn up early plans that would deploy up to 1,000 more troops into northern Syria in the coming weeks, expanding the American presence in the country ahead …

Soon It Will Be Even Easier to Shoot Someone to Death in Florida and Claim Self-Defense  —  Florida lawmakers are on the cusp of expanding the state's controversial Stand Your Ground gun law in a radical new way.  Stand Your Ground allows people to use deadly force rather than retreat …

Justice Department charges Russian spies and criminal hackers in Yahoo intrusion  —  The Justice Department announced Wednesday the indictments of two Russian spies and two criminal hackers in connection with the heist of 500 million Yahoo user accounts in 2014, marking the first U.S. criminal …

Tillerson May Face Deposition About ‘Wayne Tracker’ Alias Emails  —  Exxon says it's complied with N.Y. AG's document requests  —  Schneiderman probes oil company disclosure on climate change  —  New York will seek to question top Exxon Mobil Corp. executives under oath as part of a probe …