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 …

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 …

Former Twitter Executives to Face GOP Scrutiny on Hunter Biden Laptop Decisions  —  House Oversight panel hearing kicks off broader inquiry into social-media content moderation  —  WASHINGTON—House Republicans are set Wednesday to launch hearings into what they describe …

Estimate of misspent Covid unemployment payments leaps to $191B  —  The Labor Department's internal watchdog identified nearly $30 billion more in pandemic unemployment benefits that were wrongfully sent out than previously estimated, according to testimony submitted Wednesday to the House Ways and Means Committee.

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 …

How America Took Out The Nord Stream Pipeline  —  The New York Times called it a “mystery,” but the United States executed a covert sea operation that was kept secret—until now  —  The U.S. Navy's Diving and Salvage Center can be found in a location as obscure as its name …

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 …

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 …

Gov. Greg Abbott tells state agencies to stop considering diversity in hiring  —  In a memo written Monday and obtained by The Texas Tribune, Abbott's chief of staff Gardner Pate told agency leaders that using diversity, equity and inclusion policies in hiring violates federal and state employment laws …