Biden, in State of the Union, mixes bipartisanship with defiance  —  Speech is marked by unusual back-and-forth between president and Republican lawmakers  —  By Toluse Olorunnipa and Yasmeen Abutaleb  —  President Biden, facing a vocal and divided Congress, used his second State …

House GOP's under-the-radar Hunter Biden problem: DOJ got there first  —  House Republicans are itching to investigate Hunter Biden.  But they have a problem: The feds got there first.  —  Though their probes differ in focus and scope — Republicans are looking at possible conflicts …

Notorious Russian nationalist Igor Mangushev shot dead in Ukraine  —  Notorious Russian army captain and mercenary Igor Mangushev has died in hospital, days after he was shot in the head at close range in occupied Ukraine, his friends have said.  —  Mangushev's wife Tatyana described his killing as an execution.

Pennsylvania Democrats take back state House control with three special election wins  —  Pennsylvania Democrats won a trio of state House special elections Tuesday night, handing them a clear majority.  —  The victories give Democrats the upper hand in a chamber that has seesawed …

Putin implicated by Dutch prosecutors in downing of Malaysia passenger jet  —  Dutch prosecutors said Wednesday that it was likely Russian President Vladimir Putin personally signed off on a decision to supply long-range antiaircraft missiles systems to pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine …

‘He would never do such a thing!’  Trump posts photos of Ron DeSantis as a teacher, allegedly partying with high school girls, as he ramps up attacks on Republican rival  — Trump re-posted photos of Florida Gov. DeSantis allegedly in his twenties  — ‘Whistleblower’ story claimed he was pictured with high school seniors

Romney told Santos 'You don't belong here' in tense exchange in House chamber before SOTU  —  Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah told GOP Rep. George Santos of New York: “You don't belong here,” according to a member who witnessed the tense exchange in the House of Representatives chamber Tuesday night.

What it's Like When Ron DeSantis Takes Over Your College  —  Students at Florida's tiny New College are alarmed by Gov. Ron DeSantis' hostile takeover—and worry who his next targets will be.  —  Cameron Joseph  —  WASHINGTON, US  —  PB  —  Ron DeSantis has made a tiny liberal arts college …

Doctors raise concerns over Florida possibly requiring student athletes' menstrual info  —  While a change in diet, medication, exercise and stress can all affect a girl's menstrual flow, doctors say cycle irregularities don't affect their ability to play sports and are raising privacy concerns …

Appeals court backs N.C. attorney general in battle to avoid criminal libel prosecution  —  A federal appeals court has sided with North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein in his bid to avoid prosecution under a state law criminalizing “derogatory” statements related to political candidates.

Half in U.S. Say They Are Worse Off, Highest Since 2009  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Reflecting on their personal financial situations, 35% of Americans say they are better off now than they were a year ago, while 50% are worse off.  Since Gallup first asked this question in 1976 …

Accused Libyan bombmaker in 1988 Lockerbie plane attack pleads not guilty  —  Abu Agela Mas'ud Kheir al-Marimi was extradited to U.S. on charges of making explosives used in downing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in U.S. history