Biden and Zelensky Present a United Front Against Russia  —  President Volodymyr Zelensky described military assistance for Ukraine as an investment in global security and democracy in the face of Russian aggression.  —  WASHINGTON — President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine delivered …

The Incredible 37-Page Guide for Staffing Sen. Kyrsten Sinema  —  Aides to the Arizona senator were expected to get her groceries, fix her internet, and learn her very specific preferences for airline seats, according to an internal memo. … Always have a “room temperature” bottle of water on hand for her at all times.

‘Openly Gay’ Rep.-Elect George Santos Didn't Disclose Divorce With Woman  —  Santos ran his campaign as an openly gay Republican.  Since he was elected, a number of key biographical details have started to crumble.  Here's the latest one. … Republican congressman-elect George Santos …

‘Major Trustee, Please Prioritize’: How NYU's E.R. Favors the Rich  —  Dozens of doctors said the nonprofit hospital pressured them to give preferential treatment to donors, trustees and their families.  —  In New York University's busy Manhattan emergency department, Room 20 is special.

The impenetrable armor of Elise Stefanik  —  Her climb through the ranks of GOP leadership in the House and embrace of Donald Trump has come at a personal cost.  —  There was a time, not long ago, when Elise Stefanik was eager to be understood, sharing parts of herself with the world, as any 30-something might, on Instagram.

I.R.S. Routinely Audited Obama and Biden, Raising Questions Over Delays for Trump  —  The revelation that the agency had not audited Donald J. Trump during his first two years in office despite a mandatory presidential audit program raised concerns about potential politicization.

POLITICO Playbook: Inside the scramble to trace SBF's dirty money  —  With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  BREAKING, 4:05 A.M. — Virginia state Sen. JENNIFER McCLELLAN handily won the Democratic nomination to succeed the late Rep. DONALD McEACHIN in the Richmond-based 4th Congressional District.

Caught on Camera, Traced by Phone: The Russian Military Unit That Killed Dozens in Bucha … When videos and photos emerged in April showing bodies of dozens of civilians strewn along a street in Bucha, Ukrainians and the rest of the world voiced horror and outrage.

Cassidy Hutchinson told the January 6 committee she felt pressure from Trump allies not to talk and instead risk ‘contempt’  —  The final straw for former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson with her first attorney, paid through allies of former President Donald Trump …

Trump-era pardon recipients are increasingly back in legal jeopardy  —  Some experts connect the phenomenon to Trump's unorthodox approach to clemency.  —  In February, former newspaper executive Kenneth Kurson pleaded guilty to cyberstalking his ex-wife.  Months later, rapper Kodak Black …

Porn, Piracy, Fraud: What Lurks Inside Google's Black Box Ad Empire  —  In late 2021, the right-wing site Conservative Beaver published a story falsely claiming the FBI had arrested Pfizer's CEO for fraud.  —  It wasn't Conservative Beaver's first brush with fabricated news.

Publix heiress was willing to spend $3 million on Jan. 6 rally, documents show  —  Groups controlled by Charlie Kirk received $1.25 million for buses bringing people to Washington and rally promotion  —  Groups under the direction of pro-Trump activist Charlie Kirk received $1.25 million.

Afghanistan: Taliban arrest women protesting against university ban  —  The Taliban have arrested five women taking part in a protest in the Afghan capital, Kabul, against the ban on women attending universities.  —  Three journalists were also arrested.  Protests are also understood to have taken place in the Takhar province.

ByteDance Inquiry Finds Employees Obtained User Data of 2 Journalists  —  The company's internal investigation showed that workers also obtained data on a small number of other U.S. users.  —  ByteDance, the China-based parent company of TikTok, said on Thursday that an internal investigation found …

Shadow Diplomats have posed a threat for decades.  Governments looked the other way.  —  The U.S. State Department trusts foreign governments to nominate reputable honorary consuls, despite global accounts of wrongdoing.  —  The deal to pay off the treasurer of Detroit was forged in a booth at a strip club named Bouzouki.

Senate kicks government funding drama closer to shutdown deadline  —  Senators left the Capitol on Wednesday night without a critical deal allowing for votes on a $1.7 trillion government funding package, kicking the bill into Thursday and closer to a shutdown deadline.

Why detransitioners are crucial to the science of gender care  —  UNDONE: Max Lazzara lived as a transgender man for eight years before detransitioning in 2020.  She says she now realizes that gender-affirming medical treatment was not appropriate for her and that it took a toll on her physical and mental health.

White House: Russia's Wagner received arms from North Korea  —  The White House said Thursday that the Wagner Group, a private Russian military company, has taken delivery of an arms shipment from North Korea to help bolster its forces as it fights side-by-side with Russian troops in Ukraine.

Fentanyl Crisis Fed by Flow of Chinese Chemicals to Mexican Cartels  —  Strains in U.S.-China relations have ended Beijing's cooperation in restricting chemicals that are key ingredients for making the deadly drug  —  Chinese chemical companies are playing a major role in the U.S. fentanyl crisis …

In rural Georgia, an unlikely rebel against Trumpism  —  Why didn't the Republican red wave materialize in the midterms?  The life of Cody Johnson offers one answer.  —  BEULAH, Ga. — As he pulled into the parking lot of Beulahland Baptist Church on Election Day last month …

Journey's Neal Schon Files Cease-and-Desist Against Bandmate Jonathan Cain for Playing Group's Music at Trump Rallies (EXCLUSIVE) … The members of long-running rock band Journey have long had fractious relations, but an inter-band cease-and-desist order is a new peak: Keyboardist Jonathan Cain …