Pennsylvania Special Election Results: 18th Congressional District  —  CandidatePartyVotesPct.  —  Dem.  —  Rick Saccone  —  Rep.  —  Lib.  —  First results expected around 8:20 p.m. Eastern time.  —  The Pennsylvania special election on Tuesday, in a Republican-leaning House district …

First on CNN: Emails show Ben, Candy Carson selected $31,000 dining set  —  Washington (CNN)Newly released emails cast doubt on claims by Secretary Ben Carson and his spokesman that he had little or no involvement in the purchase of a $31,000 furniture set for his Department of Housing and Urban Development dining room.

Stephen Hawking, modern cosmology's brightest star, dies aged 76  —  The physicist and author of A Brief History of Time has died, a family member has said … Stephen Hawking, the brightest star in the firmament of science, whose insights shaped modern cosmology and inspired global audiences in the millions, has died aged 76.

‘Rex, Eat the Salad:’ Inside the Awkward Relationship Between Rex Tillerson and Donald Trump  —  Cabinet post was a sharp change for a former Exxon Mobil CEO who was used to calling the shots  —  WASHINGTON—In a private room in China's Great Hall of the People in November …

Gowdy breaks from GOP committee, says Russia worked to undermine Clinton  —  A top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee distanced himself Tuesday from one of the panel's most explosive findings in its Russia investigation — that the FBI, CIA and NSA overplayed their hand …

Family of slain DNC staffer sues Fox News over retracted story  —  The family of Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich, who was killed in 2016, has filed a lawsuit against Fox News, an investigative reporter and one of the network's contributors over a story about Rich and allegations …

Stormy Daniels discussed alleged affair with Trump on 2007 radio show, host says  —  Radio Host: Stormy Daniels discussed alleged Trump affair on 2007 radio show  —  (CNN)Stephanie Clifford, the porn star known as Stormy Daniels, discussed her alleged affair with Donald Trump during …

TWP chief Matthew Heimbach arrested for battery after affair with top spokesman's wife  —  Below is an update to an earlier story posted about Matthew Heimbach's arrest.  —  Matthew Heimbach, the leader of the Traditionalist Worker Party, is free on bond after being charged with battery …

Claire Foy Was Paid Less Than Matt Smith on ‘The Crown’  —  JERUSALEM — With two critically acclaimed seasons of “The Crown” behind them, the drama's producers acknowledged that they face some hurdles for the third season.  —  “It's called libel,” quipped Andy Harries, CEO of Left Bank …

Feds: Ex-aide to U.S. Rep. Bob Brady targeted in murder-for-hire plot  —  A former political strategist for U.S. Rep. Bob Brady was targeted in a murder-for-hire plot to stop him from cooperating with an ongoing corruption probe in Arkansas and Missouri, federal authorities said.

National student walkout: Thousands across the U.S. will walk out of class today to protest gun violence  —  Students across the country are planning mass walkouts Wednesday to mark one month since the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla., and to demand an end to gun violence.

Trump Eyes Replacing His Veterans Affairs Secretary With His Energy Chief  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump, fresh off replacing his secretary of state and C.I.A. director, is considering firing his secretary of veterans affairs and installing Energy Secretary Rick Perry in the post, according to two people close to the White House.

Heidi Heitkamp Takes On Elizabeth Warren Over the Senate Banking Bill  —  Don't expect Heidi Heitkamp and Elizabeth Warren to be campaigning together anytime soon.  —  For the past week, Warren has been telling anyone who will listen that one-third of her fellow Democrats in the Senate …

The Promise of Pompeo  —  President Trump's decision to promote Mike Pompeo to secretary of state is a huge step in the right direction.  It means that, if Mr. Pompeo is confirmed, the administration will have in the top foreign policy job an officer who was first in his class at West Point …

A Princeton sociologist spent 8 years asking rural Americans why they're so pissed off  —  Hint: it's not about the economy.  —  Robert Wuthnow, a sociologist at Princeton University, spent eight years interviewing Americans in small towns across the country.