Biden signs executive order overturning Trump ban on transgender US troops

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.

The two leaders talked via videolink amid a tense standoff over Ukraine. US officials said Russia would face severe sanctions if troops crossed the border into Ukranian territory.

US President Joe Biden is hosting a two-day summit on democracy, attended virtually by delegates the world over. Conspicuous by their absence from the guest list are Russia and China. The former accuses Biden of a "Cold War mentality", while the latter dismisses the event as a "joke" reflecting nothing more than sinister imperialism. But what stands to be achieved by such an event? Mark Owen's panel discusses the merits of the Summit for Democracy.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said about 50 had died in his state alone, bringing the suspected death toll across ravaged states to 64. So far, 60 workers presumed dead at a candle factory were located.

The vote was 222 to 208 in favor of holding Donald Trump's fourth and final chief of staff in contempt after a refusal to cooperate with the January 6 insurrection investigation.

Many doctored images and videos of Jill Biden are being shared by pro-Trump or "Let's go Brandon" accounts on social media, trying to spread fake news. In this edition of Truth or Fake, we tell you more on how to identify this type of misleading content online.

Last weekend, the US was hit by a cluster of perhaps the most devastating tornadoes in its history. In Kentucky alone, more than 70 people are known to have been killed by the severe weather system, and deaths were also reported in Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee. US President Joe Biden, who has signed a disaster declaration for Kentucky, paid a visit to the region and called the situation there "an unimaginable tragedy". We take a closer look at the scale of the damage.

US President Joe Biden has unveiled a new plan to tackle his country's COVID-19 emergency. Announcing the measures on his first full day in power, he said drastic action is needed.

2021 began with the promise of vaccines to the rescue. But as one variant begets another, rich nations talk of boosters and jabs for kids while much of the developing world still waits for first doses.

The court has agreed to hear arguments about the Biden administration's vaccine or testing requirement for large employers, and a separate vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.

2021 began with the promise of vaccines to the rescue. But as one variant begets another, rich nations talk of boosters and jabs for kids while much of the developing world still waits for first doses.

US President Joe Biden is expected to offer Russian leader Vladimir Putin a "diplomatic path" to defusing tensions over Ukraine. The West is alarmed at a buildup of Russian troops near Ukraine.