Sen. Al Franken will resign, Democratic official says  —  A Democratic official who has spoken to Al Franken and key aides says Franken will resign his Minnesota Senate seat on Thursday, the official tells MPR News.  —  The official spoke to Franken and separately to Franken's staff.

Trump Jr. cites attorney-client privilege in not answering panel's questions about discussions with his father  —  Donald Trump Jr. on Wednesday cited attorney-client privilege to avoid telling lawmakers about a conversation he had with his father, President Donald Trump …

Flynn Said Russian Sanctions Would be ‘Ripped Up,’ Whistle-Blower Says  —  WASHINGTON — Michael T. Flynn, President Trump's former national security adviser, told a former business associate that economic sanctions against Russia would be “ripped up” as one of the Trump administration's first acts …

Trump Recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's Capital and Orders U.S. Embassy to Move  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump on Wednesday formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing nearly seven decades of American foreign policy and setting in motion a plan to move the United States Embassy …

Republicans hammer Mueller, FBI as Russia investigation intensifies  —  Republican activists and lawmakers are engaged in a multi-front attack on special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's probe of possible connections between associates of President Trump and Russian agents …

The Mysterious Buyer of the $450 Million Leonardo da Vinci?  A Saudi Prince  —  LONDON — He is a little-known Saudi prince from a remote branch of the royal family, with no history as a major art collector, and no publicly known source of great wealth.  But the prince, Bader bin Abdullah …

John Conyers III arrested but not prosecuted in domestic abuse case  —  LOS ANGELES — John Conyers III, a Detroit hedge fund manager named as a possible successor to his scandal-rocked father, Rep. John Conyers, was arrested in Los Angeles this year on suspicion of domestic violence …

Paris Review Editor Resigns Amid Inquiry Into His Conduct with Women  —  Lorin Stein, the editor of The Paris Review, the prestigious magazine that for more than 60 years has acted as an international literary tastemaker, resigned on Wednesday, amid an internal investigation into his behavior toward female employees and writers.

Watch GOP lawmaker go into gay panic because a Democrat touched his arm  —  Apparently, when Republican elected officials aren't practicing or enabling sexual predation, they're busy projecting it onto others.  At least, that's what appears to have happened this week when state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe …

VA cuts program for homeless vets after touting Trump's commitment  —  Two days after Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin held a big Washington event to tout the Trump administration's promise to house all homeless vets, the agency did an about-face, telling advocates it was pulling resources from a major housing program.

Millions Are Hounded for Debt They Don't Owe.  One Victim Fought Back, With a Vengeance  —  Andrew Therrien wanted payback.  He got it—and uncovered a conspiracy.  —  On the morning a debt collector threatened to rape his wife, Andrew Therrien was working from home …

The three ultra-rich families battling for control of the Republican party  —  This week, the House and Senate will work to reconcile their different versions of the tax bill into something that president Donald Trump can sign into law.  As they do, dozens of protests and rallies against the bill …

Fire closes I-405, rages near Bel Air, Getty museum in Los Angeles  —  Los Angeles (CNN)A new wildfire closed Interstate 405 early Wednesday near Los Angeles' posh Bel Air area and prompted evacuations — one in a series of blazes that have scorched more than 83,000 acres …

Bredesen running for Senate  —  Former governor jumps in the Democratic primary  —  Former Gov. Phil Bredesen is entering the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.  —  According to multiple sources, Bredesen began calling major donors this afternoon to confirm that he is in the race.

I Made My Shed the Top Rated Restaurant On TripAdvisor  —  Once upon a time, long before I began selling my face by the acre for features on VICE dot com, I worked other jobs.  There was one in particular that really had an impact on me: writing fake reviews on TripAdvisor.

CEO says late changes to Senate tax-cut bill ‘wipes out’ what Trump has done for coal  —  The CEO of one of the nation's largest coal companies ripped the Senate tax-reform bill, saying late changes to the bill would “wipe out” coal mining jobs.  —  Robert Murray, founder and CEO of Murray Energy …

ABC reprimands producer for giving data to Trump campaign  —  Chris Vlasto gave Trump adviser David Bossie proprietory exit polling on Election Night.  —  ABC News said it has reprimanded its top producer for investigative reporting for giving Donald Trump's presidential campaign proprietary exit polling data on election night 2016.

Trump wants LePage to challenge King in Maine Senate race  —  President Donald Trump is pushing Maine Gov. Paul LePage to run for the U.S. Senate, according to White House advisers.  —  Trump has told advisers he plans to call Mr. LePage, the bombastic governor who endorsed him in February 2016 …

Attorney General Brad Schimel wants sanctions and contempt proceedings over Gov. Scott Walker John Doe leak  —  MADISON - State Attorney General Brad Schimel has recommended contempt proceedings for a prosecutor and eight other officials over their handling of material from a secret probe of Gov. Scott Walker's campaign.

We're Going to Need More Gabrielle Union  —  “I think the floodgates have opened for white women,” the actress and rape survivor said of the #MeToo movement, which coincided with her new memoir.  —  In a penthouse suite at the Gramercy Park Hotel on a cloudy fall day not long ago …

For ‘Transparent,’ Accusations Against Jeffrey Tambor Burst an Idealistic Bubble  —  For the acclaimed Amazon series “Transparent,” things were supposed to be different.  —  A pop-culture phenomenon that debuted in 2014, the show has collected Emmy Awards, Golden Globes and critical praise …

Kim Davis denied him a marriage license.  Now he wants to take her job.  —  MOREHEAD  —  David Ermold, one of the men denied a same-sex marriage license by Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis in 2015, hopes to challenge her for the clerk's seat next year, he announced Wednesday.

Haley: ‘Open question’ if US athletes can attend Olympics in South Korea  —  Haley on Jerusalem: This is about courage  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  Washington (CNN)Whether US athletes will be able to attend the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea remains an “open question,” …