Senate Takes Major Step Toward Repealing Health Care Law  —  WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans took their first major step toward repealing the Affordable Care Act on Thursday, approving a budget blueprint that would allow them to gut the health care law without the threat of a Democratic filibuster.

Intelligence Chief's Olive Branch to Trump Gets Twisted in Translation  —  James R. Clapper, the director of national intelligence, offered a public olive branch to President-elect Donald J. Trump on Wednesday night, which Mr. Trump appears to have twisted.  —  Team Trump went to war …

Mattis views on women in combat takes center stage  —  Retired Gen. James Mattis's stance on women in combat and LGBT troops will be thrust in the spotlight Thursday when he faces senators for his confirmation hearing to be the next secretary of Defense.  —  The man whom Mattis is in line to replace …

Former MI6 officer Christopher Steele, who produced Donald Trump Russian dossier, ‘terrified for his safety’ and went to ground before name released  —  A former MI6 officer who produced a dossier making lurid allegations about Donald Trump is “terrified for his safety” after he was unmasked by a US publication.

The Daily 202: Rex Tillerson's struggles show the risk of a president and secretary of state with no government experience  —  THE BIG IDEA: For the first time in American history, the nation is poised to have both a president and chief diplomat with no prior government, military or legislative experience.

President-Elect Trump Announces Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to Lend Expertise to Cyber Security Efforts  —  (New York, NY)—President-elect Trump is very pleased to announce former Mayor Rudy Giuliani will be sharing his expertise and insight as a trusted friend concerning private sector …

Graham apologizes for calling for Cruz's murder  —  (R-Texas) Thursday for joking that it was possible to get away with murdering the Texas senator if it happened in the Senate.  —  Graham's remarks represent a truce of sorts between the two senators, who repeatedly feuded during …

Why the media's Trump dossier coverage is suicidal  —  The media is sinking to Donald Trump's level.  —  Reeling from their inability to stop his election, envious of his power to make people believe his most ridiculous statements, and rinsed by a needy mood for self-soothing …

Billionaire George Soros Lost Nearly $1 Billion in Weeks After Trump Election  —  Billionaire hedge-fund manager George Soros lost nearly $1 billion as a result of the stock-market rally spurred by Donald Trump's surprise presidential election.

Trump's CNN tirade may affect Time Warner-AT&T merger  —  Is this any way to start off a relationship?  —  Nine days before CNN parent Time Warner will have to negotiate with Donald Trump's antitrust cops, the cable news network got a dressing down by the President-elect.

Trump ‘compromising’ claims: How and why did we get here?  —  Donald Trump has described as “fake news” allegations published in some media that his election team colluded with Russia - and that Russia held compromising material about his private life.  The BBC's Paul Wood saw the allegations …

Trump aide Monica Crowley plagiarized thousands of words in Ph.D. dissertation  —  By Andrew Kaczynski, Chris Massie, and Nathan McDermott, design by Tal Yellin  —  Conservative commentator Monica Crowley, who is slated to serve in a top national security communications role …

Ben Carson's prepared HUD testimony included accidental plagiarism — but he didn't use it  —  (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via Reuters)  —  Ben Carson, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development, has faced criticism from Democrats who ask whether he has the experience for the job.

FACEBOOK DEATH Girl, 12, streams her own suicide on Facebook Live for 20 minutes after being ‘sexually abused by a relative’ - and cops are powerless to take it down  —  Cops say they have asked websites to remove the video of Katelyn Nicole Davis's death but admit they are unable to do more

In Iowa, Trump Voters Are Unfazed by Controversies  —  MONTICELLO, Iowa — The Table of Knowledge was delving into President-elect Donald J. Trump's plans to upend government, and marveling at how he had forced his fellow Republicans in the House to reverse themselves on gutting the Office of Congressional Ethics.

Le Pen in New York for Unannounced Visit During French Race  —  Marine Le Pen has repeatedly backed Trump and his policies  —  Presidential candidate Le Pen is ahead in latest French poll  —  French National Front leader Marine Le Pen is in New York on an unannounced visit less than four months …