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.

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

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.

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.

Washington Post columnist regurgitates nonsense about crime and “Democrat-run cities”  —  Marc Thiessen spins facile Fox News talking points into an opinion column  —  Last week, torture apologist and Iraq war defender Marc Thiessen had a particularly Thiessen-esque column in the Washington Post …

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 …

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 …

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.

Cori Bush's debut book sells just 729 copies in first week  —  A new book by lefty Democratic Rep. Cori Bush (D-Missouri) debuted with a face-plant this month, selling just 729 copies in its first week, according to industry tracker NPD BookScan.  —  “The Forerunner: A Story of Pain …

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.

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.

Biden's ‘worst performing message’  —  Welcome to POLITICO's West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration.  With help from Allie Bice.  —  It's an article of faith among Democrats that their party is deeply hampered by its inability or unwillingness to tout its own accomplishments.