Diplomats Sound the Alarm as They Are Pushed Out in Droves  —  WASHINGTON — Of all the State Department employees who might have been vulnerable in the staff reductions that Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson has initiated as he reshapes the department, the one person who seemed least likely …

The CFPB now has two acting directors.  And nobody knows which one should lead the federal agency  —  President Trump and the outgoing head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau both named acting directors to head the watchdog agency on Friday, throwing its leadership into disarray.

While eyes are on Russia, Sessions dramatically reshapes the Justice Department  —  For more than five hours, Attorney General Jeff Sessions sat in a hearing room on Capitol Hill this month, fending off inquiries on Washington's two favorite topics: President Trump and Russia.

Want to Know Why Roy Moore Might Win?  Blame the Media.  —  In the wake of the Roy Moore fiasco, a number of “hot takes” have made their rounds in the media.  How obviously hypocritical it is, for example, for evangelical leaders to stand behind a man crediblay accused of sexually assaulting a minor.

Youth pastor arrested for allegedly murdering family on Thanksgiving … CHESTER, Va. - Police have arrested a youth pastor for allegedly murdering his family at a home in Chester on Thanksgiving night.  —  Officers discovered two women and a man shot to death at a home on Dogwood Ridge Court …

Turkey's Torrid Love Affair With Michael Flynn  —  A failed coup and a national obsession with an elderly cleric embroiled Trump's formed national security adviser in scandal.  —  ISTANBUL—Were Michael Flynn a Turkish citizen, it's very likely he would be sitting in prison right now, awaiting trial for terror crimes.

A flat-Earther's plan to launch himself in a homemade rocket just hit a speed bump  —  A California man who planned to launch himself 1,800 feet high Saturday in a homemade scrap-metal rocket — in an effort to prove that Earth is flat — said he is postponing the experiment …

How a powerful senator schooled Betsy DeVos  —  Several months ago, Sen. Lamar Alexander phoned Education Secretary Betsy DeVos with a message: Back off.  —  Alexander, the Republican chairman of the Senate HELP Committee, was furious that a top DeVos aide was circumventing a new law aimed …

Trump visits his West Palm Beach golf club  —  President Trump traveled to his West Palm Beach, Florida golf club Saturday, marking the fourth consecutive day he's visited one of his golf properties.  —  Trump departed his Mar-a-Lago resort at 7:45 a.m. Saturday and arrived …

'Doug Jones's problem': African American voters not energized by Alabama's Senate race  —  Doug Jones makes a campaign stop in Troy, Ala., on Nov. 17.  The Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate believes he can win if he pieces together an unusually delicate coalition.  (Aly Grice/Troy Messenger/AP)

Judge rules Seattle's tax on the wealthy is illegal; city vows to appeal  —  Seattle's controversial tax on the wealthy failed its first legal test this week after a judge ruled the new ordinance violates state law - but the city isn't backing down and vows to appeal, setting the stage for a Washington State Supreme Court showdown.

Navy identifies Sailors lost in C-2A crash  —  PHILIPPINE SEA - After notifying their families that extensive search and rescue efforts had ended, the Navy identified Lt. Steven Combs, Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) Airman Matthew Chialastri and Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice …

Time says Trump is ‘incorrect’ after president says he rejected Person of the Year overture  —  President Donald Trump tweeted on Friday that Time called to tell him that he was “probably” going to be named the magazine's person of the year, but that he turned the offer down, an account Time later disputed.

Republicans flee from McConnell in 2018 primaries  —  Nobody wants to be on Team McConnell.  —  Heading into the 2018 elections, only one Republican Senate candidate nationwide has pledged unequivocally to back Mitch McConnell as majority leader.  Most Republicans facing competitive primaries …