Former Chinese leader Hu Jintao unexpectedly led out of room as Party Congress comes to a close  —  Video: ‘High drama’ as Xi's predecessor led out of the meeting Jake Tapper on the lessons from UK's recent political turmoil What Ukrainians learn from downed drones used by Russia A humpback whale got entangled in fishing gear.

Sacheen Littlefeather was a Native American icon.  Her sisters say she was an ethnic fraud  —  The “Apache” actress and activist wasn't Native American, say her sisters.  And that wasn't the only thing she lied about.  —  You might not know her name, but you've probably seen the video that made her famous.

GOP voters told to hold onto mail ballots until Election Day  —  Republican activists who believe the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump have crafted a plan that, in their telling, will thwart cheating in this year's midterm elections.

The Times Endorses Kathy Hochul for Governor of New York  —  The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values.  It is separate from the newsroom.  —  The race for the governor of New York is unusually close this fall.

Using Adoptions, Russia Turns Ukrainian Children Into Spoils of War  —  Thousands of Ukrainian children have been transferred to Russia.  “I didn't want to go,” one girl told The New York Times from a foster home near Moscow.  —  As Russian forces laid siege to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol this spring …

‘Ultra-MAGA’ Gets an Upgrade  —  Pity the populists who are still wallowing in the world of ordinary MAGA.  —  “Ultra-MAGA” was the real counterculture, the scourge President Biden warned about for the better part of this midterm season.  But that wasn't deviant enough to get out the vote, if this week's polls are reliable.

Virginia directs 60,000 voters to wrong polling place for midterms  —  RICHMOND — State elections officials directed more than 30,000 Northern Virginia voters to the wrong polling place in mailers sent ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections, an error they acknowledged Friday and blamed …

In bloody battle for Bakhmut, Russian mercenaries eye a symbolic prize  —  BAKHMUT, Ukraine — The crash and roar of artillery rarely stops in this east Ukrainian city.  In the cold and broken houses, residents huddle by candlelight and pray that they have safety in numbers.

Trump Firm's Tax Fraud Trial Promises Ex-CFO as Star Witness  —  One of Donald Trump's most loyal deputies is expected to testify against the Trump Organization, in a trial that threatens to reveal the inner workings of the real estate empire that set the former president on his path to the White House.

Trump Could Harness Unresolved Legal Issues to Resist Jan. 6 Panel's Subpoena  —  If the ex-president turns down the drama of testifying, his legal team could mount several constitutional and procedural arguments in court.  —  WASHINGTON — If former President Donald J. Trump decides to fight …

U.S. appeals court temporarily blocks Biden's student loan forgiveness plan  —  A U.S. appeals court on Friday temporarily blocked President Joe Biden's plan to cancel billions of dollars in college student debt, one day after a judge dismissed a Republican-led lawsuit by six states challenging the loan-forgiveness program.

Transgender Volleyball Player Severely Injures Female High Schooler With Spike to the Face  —  For any serious person, it's been abundantly clear that allowing transgender athletes (biological males) to compete against biological females can cause safety issues in girls' sports.

The Words About Ukraine That Americans Need to Hear  —  “Deeds, not words,” is the motto of the 22nd Infantry Regiment, a credo that befits a fighting unit that has seen service from the Civil War to Iraq.  But wars are won by words as well as deeds, which is one of the reasons …

Kinzinger campaigns for McMullin in Utah: 'I'm surrounded by cowards' in Congress  —  Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) campaigned for Utah independent Senate candidate Evan McMullin Thursday, slamming GOP lawmakers for their actions following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

As ballot drop box stakeouts continue, new voter intimidation complaints flow in  —  Days after Maricopa County officials warned people to stop taking photos of voters and election staffers at ballot drop boxes, the Arizona Secretary of State's Office continues to refer complaints to the Department of Justice.