Russia Makes Gains in South as Humanitarian Crisis Grows  —  Russian forces make gains in southern Ukraine as a humanitarian crisis grows.  —  A day after gaining control of their first major Ukrainian city, Russian forces on Thursday laid siege to urban areas across the country …

U.S. Readies New Sanctions on Russian Oligarchs and Families  —  President Joe Biden is poised to impose sanctions on a number of Russian oligarchs and their families on Thursday, as the U.S. and its allies seek to exert further pressure on the wealthy businessmen around President Vladimir Putin in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Jan. 6 committee alleges Trump, allies engaged in potential ‘criminal conspiracy’ by trying to block Congress from certifying election  —  Lawyers for the House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol said in a court filing Wednesday that former president Donald Trump …

Absolute Power  —  Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, is 36 years old and has led his country for almost five years.  His father, the 86-year-old King Salman, has rarely been seen in public since 2019, and even MBS—as he is universally known—has faced the world only a few times since the pandemic began.

Darkest days of Ukraine invasion lie ahead, U.S. and European officials say  —  Russian troops claim to have captured first Ukrainian city of Kherson  —  WASHINGTON — Despite Russia facing a tougher resistance than expected and logistical setbacks during the first week of its military offensive in Ukraine …

‘I have the job I want’: Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey will not run for the U.S. Senate in 2022  —  Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey will not run for the U.S. Senate this year, he told donors in a letter obtained by The Arizona Republic, finally putting to rest whether he held aspirations for elected office this cycle.

Russian Oligarch Igor Sechin's Yacht Seized by French Authorities, Who Say It Was Preparing to Depart  —  French authorities said they seized a yacht belonging to a company majority owned by Igor Sechin, the chief executive of Russian oil producer Rosneft.  Mr. Sechin was among a group …

International Cat Federation bans Russian cats from competitions  —  The International Cat Federation says it has banned Russian cats from its international competitions in the latest rebuke to Russia since it invaded Ukraine last week.  —  The federation, which considers itself …

POLITICO Playbook: How gas prices could crush Biden and the Democrats  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  POLICY PALOOZA DU JOUR: RUSSIAN OIL — President JOE BIDEN's conservative critics — from Fox News to Capitol Hill Republicans — have slammed the administration for exempting Russian oil from the raft …

How Volodymyr Zelensky Defended Ukraine and United the World  —  The President wanted to get to the trenches.  He'd already walked for half an hour in his helmet through the mud, surrounded by generals and guards, and he insisted they continue.  On the far side of some sagging power lines …

Ron DeSantis suggests France would ‘fold’ if it was invaded by Russia  —  The 2024 presidential nominee contender also angrily chastised students on stage with him for wearing masks as ‘Covid theatre’  —  Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida and a serious contender for the Republican presidential nomination …

Biden Administration Threatens Texas Over Trans Kids: ‘HHS Will Take Immediate Action If Needed’  —  President Joe Biden's administration warned Wednesday that it will take “immediate action if needed” to protect children involved in transgender surgery procedures.

The gory online campaign Ukraine hopes will sow anti-Putin dissent probably violates the Geneva Conventions … A besieged Ukraine has adopted a gruesome tactic in hopes of stoking anti-government rage inside Russia: posting photos and videos of captured and killed Russian soldiers on the Web for anyone to see.

Bitcoin Goes to War  —  Last month, a non-fungible token, or NFT, collector who goes by the pseudonymous Twitter handle @punk6529 posted a 56-part Twitter thread that ripped through the crypto world with viral intensity.  Writing in response to the Canadian government's decision …

Meeting Urgent Needs … Over the last few months, the Administration has been working closely with Congress to produce a comprehensive funding bill that will keep the government open and ensure Federal agencies have the resources necessary to advance critical national priorities …

Perfidy in Vienna?  —  If this is correct, there are just four days left to save America and the world  —  The air is currently loud with the sound of people prognosticating that the shattering events in Ukraine have shocked the west out of its previous torpor and forced it to realise …

NATO Countries Pour Weapons Into Ukraine, Risking Conflict With Russia  —  Brussels is proud to be providing military aid, but Moscow may see it as a dangerous intervention and could move to disrupt the flow of arms through Poland.  —  BRUSSELS — The Dutch are sending rocket launchers for air defense.

What I Found When I Looked for the Helpers  —  Pandemic coverage has continually described America's rancor and division, political ineptitude and buck passing, fury at leaders and fellow citizens for restricting too much or not enough, for insisting on masks or refusing to wear them.