Playbook: Inside Biden's high-road SOTU  —  With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  DeSANTIS DOWNLOAD — Two new stories offer further evidence that Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS is moving deliberately toward a run for the Republican presidential nomination.

Jim Jordan is about to lead Republicans into a dangerous trap  —  House Republicans are planning a long-running extravaganza of hearings designed to dramatize the notion that the “deep state” is persecuting conservatives.  In one sense, this will find a receptive audience …

Memphis Officer Texted Photo of Tyre Nichols After Beating  —  The revelation came in Memphis police documents related to the firing of five officers who have been charged with murder in Mr. Nichols's death.  —  MEMPHIS — As Tyre Nichols sat propped against a police car, bloodied …

New images of the Chinese balloon recovery show the closest glimpse yet  —  U.S. service members have recovered substantial remnants of the Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down over the Atlantic on Saturday, according to newly released photos that provided the closest glimpse yet of the craft.

Santos' unusual $199.99 campaign expenses are putting scrutiny on his longtime treasurer  —  In the fall of 2020, then-New York Rep. Lee Zeldin's campaign submitted a report to federal regulators with a series of unusual expenses: 21 payments on a single day of exactly $199.99 each.

The Fair Tax is haunting the 2024 GOP field  —  President Biden and Democratic allies have relentlessly attacked Republicans in recent weeks for cracking the door open to a Fair Tax, a plan to scrap the American tax code and replace it with a jumbo-sized sales tax.  —  They might get many more opportunities to bring it up.

China Has More ICBM Launchers Than U.S., American Military Reports  —  While the U.S. leads in intercontinental missiles and warheads, China's gains are fueling debate in Congress  —  The U.S. military has notified Congress that China now has more land-based intercontinental-range missile launchers …

Education Issues Vault to Top of the G.O.P.'s Presidential Race  —  Donald Trump and possible rivals, like Gov. Ron DeSantis, are making appeals to conservative voters on race and gender issues, but such messages had a mixed record in November's midterm elections.

Why the Stormy Daniels Charges Might Actually Reach Trump This Time  —  A criminal investigation of former President Donald Trump that is now being restarted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and also discussed in a new book by one of his former prosecutors, Mark Pomerantz …

Air Force leader's spouse shot at intruder in base breach  —  The intruder who breached Joint Base Andrews, the home of Air Force One, reached the residence of one of the Air Force's top leaders before her spouse opened fire, the air base said Tuesday.  Chief Master Sergeant …

Oklahoma gender activists fight for the right to mutilate children  —  On Monday, more than 100 gender activists stormed the Oklahoma Capitol building in protest of legislation that would prohibit healthcare centers from administering chemical treatment or performing surgical sex-change procedures on gender-confused minors.

Marty Walsh to depart from Biden Cabinet for job atop hockey players' union  —  Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is set to leave the Biden administration to run the NHL Players Association, two people familiar with the matter confirmed.  —  A separate person privy to the talks said that the two sides are currently in contract negotiations.

Trump Charges in Georgia Over 2020 Could Lead to Bigger Fed Case  —  The first major criminal charges that Donald Trump could face for interfering in the 2020 election might come from Atlanta — and what happens in Georgia isn't expected to stay in Georgia.  —  Fulton County District Attorney …

As Russia Amasses Troops in East, Questions Remain About Its Ability to Sustain an Offensive … Moscow's forces are advancing only a few hundred meters a week, U.K. intelligence says.  —  KYIV, Ukraine — As Russia makes slow, bloody gains in a renewed push to capture more of eastern Ukraine …

The High School ‘Asshole’ Who Became a Blackface-Wearing Neo-Nazi Homeschool Dad  —  “The Lawrences knew everyone, and everyone knew them,” one town resident said about the couple that started the neo-Nazi homeschool network in Ohio.  —  David Gilbert  —  When Logan Lawrence was unmasked …

Cringey 23-Year-Old Mayor Quotes Steve Jobs to Defend His Trumpian Coup  —  Residents unleashed their fury on baby-faced Goddard Mayor Hunter Larkin at a council meeting on Monday night.  —  A 23-year-old Kansas mayor who re-installed himself back into office last month in what some horrified observers …

Disney still going all in on woke  —  Disney has been making some noise publicly about exiting the culture wars, but their writers and producers aren't so keen on that idea, apparently.  —  The clip below is from one of their cartoons, the “Proud Family,” which first appeared earlier …

Conservatives want to control what kids learn, but it may backfire  —  Conservatives want to make students patriotic.  Instead, they exacerbate historical illiteracy.  —  Adam Laats is professor of education at Binghamton University (SUNY) and author of “Fundamentalist U.” and “The Other School Reformers.”

Florida School District Bans Entire Court of Thorn and Roses Series in New Book Ban  —  A Florida school district that covers 48 schools serving over 50,000 students on Tuesday released a fresh list of books to be banned from all school and classroom libraries.

Rep. Boebert suggests God used her to stand up to McCarthy  —  Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) suggested that God used her to stand up to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), whom she indirectly referred to as one of her “demons,” while speaking at a women's conference at a Dallas church over the weekend.

Rancher, 73, is charged with murder on his Arizona land after shooting dead Mexican, 48, who had history of illegal crossings into US and multiple deportations: Judge refuses to reduce $1M bail despite plea his wife is alone  — George Alan Kelly, 73, was arrested for fatally shooting Gabriel Cuen-Butimea …

How Deepfake Videos Are Used to Spread Disinformation  —  In one video, a news anchor with perfectly combed dark hair and a stubbly beard outlined what he saw as the United States' shameful lack of action against gun violence.  —  In another video, a female news anchor heralded China's role …

DeSantis continues broadsides against the media ahead of likely 2024 run  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is signaling plans to ramp up his attack on the news industry ahead of his likely 2024 run for president.  —  DeSantis on Tuesday held a roundtable discussion with media libel law experts …

Associate Of Sanctioned Oligarch Indicted For Sanctions Evasion And Money Laundering  —  Fugitive Vladimir Voronchenko Aided In Concealing Luxury Real Estate Owned By Viktor Vekselberg  —  Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Andrew C. Adams …

Ex-politician may represent himself in reporter murder case  —  A former Las Vegas-area elected official accused of killing a veteran investigative journalist wants to represent himself at trial, according to his attorney and court records.  A judge set a Feb. 28 hearing Monday on a request by Damian Sheets …