New: Trump officials demand Mueller return thousands of emails  —  Officials of President Trump's transition team plan to ask Special Counsel Robert Mueller to return “many tens of thousands” of transition emails they contend were unlawfully provided to him.

Putin phoned Trump to thank him for CIA intel that foiled a planned terrorist attack in Russia, the Kremlin says  —  Russian President Vladimir Putin phoned President Trump to thank him for information from the CIA that foiled a terrorist attack being planned in St. Petersburg.

Democrats hold biggest lead in congressional preference since 2008  —  WASHINGTON — Fresh off their victory in Alabama's special Senate election, Democrats now enjoy their largest advantage in congressional preference in nine years, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll …

Jones promises he will consider voting Republican in the Senate  —  Sen.-elect Doug Jones (D-Ala.) on Sunday said he will “of course” consider voting with Republicans on certain issues once he is sworn into the upper chamber.  —  He also pledged to look for areas where he can work across the aisle.

APNewsBreak: US soldier ambushed in Niger wasn't captured  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — An American soldier killed in an ambush in Niger with three comrades but recovered days later wasn't captured alive by the enemy or executed at close range, The Associated Press has learned, based on the conclusion of a military investigation.

NBC Made Payment To Staffer After Sexual Harassment Claim Against Chris Matthews  —  An NBC spokesman confirmed Saturday the company made a separation-related payment to one of Chris Matthews employees after the woman complained about sexual harassment.  —  Two sources familiar …

CNN's Stelter Goes Off on ‘Friends of Trump’ at Fox News: ‘Talking Like Propagandists’  —  CNN's Brian Stelter opened this morning talking about Fox News' coverage of the Robert Mueller probe in the last week and how the anti-FBI rhetoric has been seriously ratcheted up.

A Democratic winner in Virginia says it's time for bipartisanship  —  Gov.-elect Ralph Northam said he wants to lead Virginia in a civil, bipartisan manner.  He said voters are “looking for a moral compass right now.”  (Salwan Georges/The Washington Post)  —  RICHMOND — Virginia …

A War Trump Won  —  There is nothing more characteristic of the Trump era, with its fire hose of misinformation, scandal and hyperbole, than that America and its allies recently managed to win a war that just two years ago consumed headlines and dominated political debate and helped Donald Trump himself …

As Venezuela Collapses, Children Are Dying of Hunger  —  For five months, The New York Times tracked 21 public hospitals in Venezuela.  Doctors are seeing record numbers of children with severe malnutrition.  Hundreds have died.  —  Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world.

This Evangelical Leader Denounced Trump.  Then the Death Threats Started.  —  Last fall, Jen Hatmaker, a popular evangelical author and speaker, started getting death threats.  Readers mailed back her books to her home address, but not before some burned the pages or tore them into shreds.