The Perfect Weapon: How Russian Cyberpower Invaded the U.S.  —  WASHINGTON — When Special Agent Adrian Hawkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation called the Democratic National Committee in September 2015 to pass along some troubling news about its computer network, he was transferred, naturally, to the help desk.

The Humbling Of Mitt Romney, By Donald J. Trump  —  “Mitt Romney is somebody I had respect for,” Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid says.  “I have none anymore.”  —  Washington bureau chief for The Huffington Post  —  When Barack Obama first decided that Hillary Clinton would make an able secretary …

Alan Thicke — Dead at 69  —  EXCLUSIVE  —  TV icon Alan Thicke has died ... TMZ has learned.  —  We're told Alan had a heart attack while he was playing hockey with his 19-year-old son, Carter.  He was transported to Providence St. Joseph's Medical Center around noon today, and pronounced dead there.

Records: Too many votes in 37% of Detroit's precincts  —  Voting machines in more than one-third of all Detroit precincts registered more votes than they should have during last month's presidential election, according to Wayne County records prepared at the request of The Detroit News.

Scientists are frantically copying U.S. climate data, fearing it might vanish under Trump  —  Alarmed that decades of crucial climate measurements could vanish under a hostile Trump administration, scientists have begun a feverish attempt to copy reams of government data onto independent servers …

Trump selects Zinke as interior secretary  —  President-elect Donald Trump has offered the interior secretary position to Montana's freshman Rep. Ryan Zinke, an ex-Navy Seal commander, according to two transition officials and someone familiar with the offer.

Why Kanye West and President-Elect Donald Trump Met  —  Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump met at Trump Tower Tuesday morning to discuss a potential role for the rapper, E! News has learned exclusively.  —  The “Jesus Walks” rapper met with Trump to discuss becoming an …

Is Sessions, Trump's Attorney General Pick, Trying to Paper Over His Record?  —  His Republican colleagues on Capitol Hill are hoping to advance Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions' nomination to serve as U.S. Attorney General at warp speed.  Leaders at the Senate Judiciary Committee …

Alex Jones Scrubs Pizzagate Content; Complaint Reveals New Tie Connecting Shooter To Jones  —  Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is scrubbing online content pushing the false and dangerous conspiracy theory that Hillary Clinton's campaign trafficked children through a D.C. pizzeria.

Why do California's whites vote so differently than whites elsewhere?  —  My tribe, Caucasoid Californicus, is dwindling.  Over the last quarter century, California's non-Latino white population has plunged by 2 million as Latinos and Asians burgeoned.  In 1990, nearly six in 10 Californians were white …

Russian envoy: Evacuation deal reached for last rebel zones in Syria's ravaged Aleppo  —  BEIRUT — A tentative deal to evacuate the last rebel-held zones in the embattled Syrian city of Aleppo was reached Tuesday after reports of widespread civilian deaths spurred diplomatic efforts, a Russian envoy and rebel commander said.

Trump victory rally is a warning for Ryan  —  Donald Trump warned Paul Ryan on Tuesday night that if the speaker “ever goes against me,” the president-elect will stop defending him — although he seemed to use a lighthearted tone when he said it.  —  During a “thank you” rally in West Allis …

Gates, Rice, Baker pushed Tillerson nomination despite ties to ExxonMobil  —  Washington (CNN)Condoleezza Rice, James Baker and Robert Gates all played a crucial role in convincing President-elect Donald Trump to pick ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his nominee for secretary of state …

The Latest: Judge Says Colorado Electors Can't Switch Votes  —  The Latest on Colorado electors trying to stop a Trump presidency (all times local):  —  A Colorado judge is ordering the state's nine electors to vote for Hillary Clinton.  —  Two electors had sued in hopes of being freed …

Labor Secretary Tom Perez will join race to run DNC  —  Labor Secretary Tom Perez will launch a campaign to be Democratic National Committee chairman this week, becoming the first serious challenger to Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) for a lead role in rebuilding a shellshocked party.

Gov. John Kasich vetoes Heartbeat Bill, signs 20-week abortion ban  —  Ohio Gov. John Kasich today vetoed the Heartbeat Bill forbidding abortions when a fetal heartbeat can be detected while signing into law a second bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Al Franken Faces Donald Trump and the Next Four Years  —  The two-term Democratic senator, who once made a living satirizing politicians, envisions an unfunny future.  —  'D  —  onald Trump never laughs," Al Franken said.  —  This was the senator's first observation to me on a recent afternoon.

Pelosi doubts GOP can pull off ObamaCare repeal  —  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday expressed strong doubts that Donald Trump  —  and the Republicans can pull off ObamaCare repeal.  —  The president-elect and GOP leaders have vowed to prioritize repeal in the first 100 days of Trump's administration.

Military plane circles low over Manhattan, prompts brief widespread confusion  —  A military plane that flew over Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon briefly caused widespread confusion as New Yorkers wondered why the aircraft was circling so low over the city.  —  A spokesman for the FAA told …

Trump team working to remove top NATO official  —  The incoming Trump administration is looking to get rid of the No. 2 official at NATO, an American nominated by President Obama whom most Republicans don't trust.  But NATO's Brussels leadership may not play along, setting up an early confrontation with President Trump.