Obama Warned Trump Against Hiring Mike Flynn, Say Officials  —  Former President Obama warned President Donald Trump against hiring Mike Flynn as his national security adviser, three former Obama administration officials tell NBC News.  —  The warning, which has not been previously reported …

E.P.A. Dismisses Members of Major Scientific Review Board  —  WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency has dismissed at least five members of a major scientific review board, the latest signal of what critics call a campaign by the Trump administration to shrink the agency's regulatory reach …

Why We Must Support Human Rights  —  Washington, D.C. — SOME years ago, I heard Natan Sharansky, the human rights icon, recount how he and his fellow refuseniks in the Soviet Union took renewed courage from statements made on their behalf by President Ronald Reagan.

Donald Trump and Marine Le Pen are fake populists: Sen. Sherrod Brown  —  True populism unites.  A true populist tells people the truth.  Our president divides with falsehoods.  —  CONNECT  —  Donald Trump is a populist.  So are Marine Le Pen and Steven Bannon.  —  Really?

Trump to Announce Slate of Conservative Federal Court Nominees  —  WASHINGTON — Having filled a Supreme Court vacancy, President Trump is turning his attention to the more than 120 openings on the lower federal courts.  On Monday, he will announce a slate of 10 nominees to those courts …

Coming soon: The fiscal cliff to end all fiscal cliffs  —  If President Donald Trump and the Republican Congress think they've been under pressure to produce lately, just wait a few months.  —  Over the next several months, Republicans will have to figure out how to cut deals with Democrats …

A Hidden Hand in the Trump-Russia Drama Owns a Ramen Shop.  No, Seriously. … One of the better-connected, more knowledgeable people on the ties between the Kremlin and Trump Tower—other than the investigators currently working full-time on the topic—is a ramen shop owner named Jeff Jetton.

George Will joins MSNBC  —  Washington Post columnist George Will has joined MSNBC and NBC News as a contributor.  —  Will, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, was most recently a contributor at Fox News, though he became a free agent in January when Fox declined to renew his contract.

We Could Have Been Canada  —  Was the American Revolution such a good idea?  —  And what if it was a mistake from the start?  The Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution, the creation of the United States of America—what if all this was a terrible idea, and what if the injustices …

The Billionaire and the Flood: How a Tragedy Transformed the Greenbrier Resort and the Blue-Collar Town that Depended on It  —  One year ago this June, a historic flood lashed West Virginia, killing 23 people and crumpling homes.  It also exposed the complicated relationship between a resort …

A Republican Principle Is Shed in the Fight on Health Care  —  WASHINGTON — As they take their victory lap for passing a bill that would repeal and replace much of the Affordable Care Act, President Trump and congressional Republicans have been largely silent about one of the most remarkable aspects …

Republicans Party Like It's 1984  —  There have been many bad laws in U.S. history.  Some bills were poorly conceived; some were cruel and unjust; some were sold on false pretenses.  Some were all of the above.  —  But has there ever been anything like Trumpcare, the health legislation Republicans rammed through the House last week?

Port Authority says nearby construction caused Oculus leak  —  Workers cleaning up after a water leak at the Oculus.  —  William Farrington  —  Port Authority officials and developers are trying to slip ‘n’ slide away from blame for water leaks inside Ground Zero's $4 billion transit hub …

Mississippi's richest county uses police checkpoints to enforce segregation, lawsuit claims  —  The rights abridgments of Madison County.  —  Madison County, Mississippi, is among the most segregated places in America.  Past court decisions have made note of its “racial isolation” and “confluence of...geography and demography.”

Gov. Greg Abbott signs ‘sanctuary cities’ ban into law on Facebook Live  —  This is a developing story.  Check back in for updates.  —  AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott has signed the state's sanctuary city ban into law, achieving one of his major goals for the legislative session and enacting …

Trump Backer Mercer Sued By Employee Who Was Fired After Speaking Out  —  David Magerman says co-CEO went on racist rant in January call  —  Daughter called research scientist ‘pond scum’ at poker event  —  Robert Mercer, the Co-Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance Technologies LLC …

Netanyahu attacks US media as ‘fake news’  —  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu borrowed a line from President Trump on Sunday, referring to CNN, The New York Times and other outlets as “fake news.”  —  Netanyahu was upset with reporting by the two news groups about a new political document from the Palestinian group Hamas.