“I Have Power”: Is Steve Bannon Running for President?  —  On a whirlwind tour around the globe, Trump's former aide and alter ego reveals what really went down in the White House, his unfettered thoughts on Javanka, his complicated relationship with his erstwhile boss—and his own political ambitions.

Defying Trump, U.N. General Assembly Condemns U.S. Decree on Jerusalem  —  UNITED NATIONS — A lopsided majority of United Nations members rebuked the United States on Thursday, denouncing its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and ignoring President Trump's threats to retaliate …

Five Women Are Accusing A Top Left-Leaning Media Executive Of Sexually Harassing Them  —  Don Hazen, the executive editor of AlterNet, was placed on “indefinite leave” after BuzzFeed News asked his oversight board about accusations that he inappropriately touched employees, sent lewd emails, and showed them explicit photographs.

Congress races to fund the government and avert a shutdown  — Congress races to pass a short-term spending bill aimed at averting a partial government shutdown at midnight Friday.  — The measure also contains a provision that would allow President Trump to sign the GOP tax bill immediately …

McConnell Wants Bipartisanship In 2018 On Entitlements, Immigration And More  —  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants 2018 to be a year of bipartisanship, even if that means moving on from GOP dreams of cutting welfare and fully rolling back the Affordable Care Act.

Trump praises ‘Fox & Friends’ for being named ‘most influential’ because he watches it  —  on Thursday praised “Fox & Friends” after a media website named it the “most influential” because he watches it.  —  “Was @foxandfriends just named the most influential show in news?”  Trump tweeted.

Judge Dismisses Suit Against Trump Over Business Dealings  —  WASHINGTON — In a legal victory for the Trump administration, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit on Thursday that accused President Trump of violating the Constitution by continuing to own and profit from his business empire.

All 6 Defendants Not Guilty In Key Felony Trial Of Trump Inauguration Protesters  —  The case could determine the fate of many of the nearly 200 people arrested during the inauguration.  —  All six defendants in a crucial trial involving demonstrators arrested during President Donald Trump's inauguration …

Most Americans doubt Trump on Russia probe, while Mueller approval tilts positive  —  Berman: Trump wrong to claim collusion ‘disproven’  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  — 56% of Americans think Trump's public statements on the Russia probe have been mostly or completely false

Prosecutors ask FBI agents for info on Uranium One deal  —  On the orders of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Justice Department prosecutors have begun asking FBI agents to explain the evidence they found in a now dormant criminal investigation into a controversial uranium deal that critics …

Vice President Mike Pence makes surprise trip to troops in Afghanistan in first trip to a war zone  —  Vice President Mike Pence has landed in Afghanistan in a surprise trip to the troops before the holidays and his first visit since taking office to American troops serving in a war zone.

Mueller Is Looking Into a U.S. Foundation Backed by Russian Money  —  Foundation got $500,000 in undisclosed Russian donations  —  Representatives attended meeting with Trump campaign officials  —  Sara Peterson flew to Moscow in 2012 to take home two Russian orphans just as the Kremlin …

President Trump commutes sentence of Sholom Rubashkin, ex-Iowa slaughterhouse executive  —  President Donald Trump on Wednesday commuted the prison sentence of former Iowa slaughterhouse executive Sholom Rubashkin, who was sentenced to 27 years for bank fraud and money laundering, the White House said.

EXCLUSIVE: Trump's Mar-a-Lago tax deal veiled from IRS review  —  PALM BEACH POST INVESTIGATION … Donald Trump stands in the living room at Mar-a-Lago, 1992.  Photo by Katie Deits / Zuma Press  —  PALM BEACH — Donald Trump's deal with the town of Palm Beach to turn Mar-a-Lago …

The Politics of the Republican Tax Bill: A Dissenting View  —  I am not a fan of the new tax bill that the Republican Congress passed.  It will widen the gap between the wealthy and everyone else and increase the likelihood over a decade or so of another crash.

Virginia officials will randomly pick winner of tied House of Delegates race on Dec. 27  —  Politicos, mark your calendars for Wednesday Dec. 27.  —  That's the day the Virginia Board of Elections will randomly pick the winner of the high stakes and tied 94th House District race.  —  The impact?

Sore loser Roy Moore lashes out at Doug Jones' gay son  —  He's blaming everyone but himself.  —  Republican Roy Moore has still not conceded his loss in the Alabama Senate race, and in recent days, has seemed to pin the blame at minority groups he is known for despising.

You Cannot Be Too Cynical About the Republican Tax Bill  —  The rush to enact the tax bill was designed to mask — as a break for the middle class — what is in fact a $1.4 trillion package of benefits for key donors and lobbyists, the richest members of Congress, President Trump, his family and other families like his.

Review: In ‘The Post,’ Democracy Survives the Darkness  —  THE POST - NYT Critic's Pick - Directed by Steven Spielberg - Biography, Drama, History, Thriller - PG-13 - 1h 55m  —  Steven Spielberg's exhilarating drama “The Post” is about a subject that's dear to the heart of journalists: themselves!

Deducting a CEO's Jet, But Not a Cop's Uniform  —  What the Republicans' Tax Bill Really Means for People Like Us  —  Donald Trump often declares his support, even love, for police, firefighters and other first responders.  That isn't stopping him, however, from nicking their wallets …

Cochran's future in the Senate in doubt  —  Sen. Thad Cochran, chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, hasn't presided over a hearing since early September.  The Mississippi Republican has not given a speech on the Senate floor all year, and he's introduced only two bills during that time, both of them minor.

Exclusive: US making plans for ‘bloody nose’ military attack on North Korea  —  America is drawing up plans for a “bloody nose” military attack on North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons programme, The Telegraph understands.  —  The White House has “dramatically” stepped up preparation …

Baseball's Rainmaker Forced Out After Alleged Misconduct  —  Major League Baseball forced out the architect of its multibillion-dollar digital-media business last month, after years of troubling workplace behavior that former baseball executives were said to be made aware of at least a decade ago.

Fueled by drug crisis, U.S. life expectancy declines for a second straight year … American life expectancy at birth declined for the second consecutive year in 2016, fueled by a staggering 21 percent rise in the death rate from drug overdoses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday.