In the news

Malala Yousafzai, the 15-year-old Pakistani girl shot in the head by the Taliban, has been released from a British hospital after undergoing skull reconstruction and receiving a cochlear implant to restore her hearing.

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., defended his actions that possibly benefited a top campaign contributor, saying that “no one has bought me” and that a donation doesn’t disqualify a donor from getting his help.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., will deliver the Tea Party response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday, after the official GOP response by Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.

Penelope Soto, 18, who flipped off a Miami circuit judge earlier this week, said she was under the influence of Xanax and alcohol when she made the obscene gesture and apologized to the judge, who dropped contempt charges and vacated her 30-day jail term.

Sharon Johnson, principal of a Cincinnati high school, said officials have canceled the prom to punish students for a water balloon fight that involved 150 to 175 students and occurred at lunch.

Connie Mariano, the former White House physician who said on CNN earlier this week that she is concerned about the effect Gov. Chris Christie’s weight could have on his health, said the New Jersey Republican followed up his comments at a news conference that she was a “hack” and should “shut up” with an angry telephone call.

Nicholas Tyler Poncho, 21 , of Elton, La., has been sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon for hitting his father with a wine bottle.

Megan Phelps-Roper, 27, and a younger sister, Grace Phelps-Roper, have left the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., that their grandfather Fred Phelps founded and said in a statement posted on social media: “We know that we’ve done and said things that hurt people. Inflicting pain on others wasn’t the goal, but it was one of the outcomes. We wish it weren’t so and regret that hurt.”

Robin Hendrickson of Reno, Nev., said her cat, Stewie, certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s longest domestic cat at more than 4 feet from nose to tail, has died after a year-long battle with cancer.

Front Section, Pages 1 on 02/09/2013

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