Mueller preparing end game for Russia investigation  —  WASHINGTON — Special counsel Robert Mueller's prosecutors have told defense lawyers in recent weeks that they are “tying up loose ends” in their investigation, providing the clearest clues yet that the long-running probe into Russia's interference …

Republicans plan vote Tuesday on curbing powers of Gov.-elect Tony Evers, limiting early voting  —  MADISON - Wisconsin lawmakers are set to take up plans Tuesday to diminish the powers of the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general that brought opponents to the state Capitol this week …

Joe Biden believes he is the “most qualified person in the country to be president”  —  Biden: We must reset our nation's moral compass  —  (CNN)During a stop for his book tour in Missoula, Montana, Monday night, former Vice President Joe Biden discussed his 2020 prospects …

Channel 9 uncovers similarities between absentee ballots in U.S. House District 9 race  —  BLADEN COUNTY, N.C. - Channel 9 was back in Bladen County, North Carolina Monday, tracking down people involved in the controversy surrounding mail-in-absentee ballots in the U.S. House District 9 election.

Don't Spend Your Emotional Energy on Sully H.W. Bush  —  In January 2009, a pilot named Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger steered his struggling aircraft to a safe landing in the Hudson River and became a national hero.  Almost 10 years later, a dog named for the pilot has become a beloved “hero” …

Manafort Tried to Broker Deal With Ecuador to Hand Assange Over to U.S. … GLOBAL ECONOMY  —  Despite Trade Truce, Trump Chooses Hard-Liner for Talks With China … Wynn Resorts was one of the biggest beneficiaries from the trade truce between the U.S. and China.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's $21 trillion mistake  —  “$21 TRILLION of Pentagon financial transactions ‘could not be traced, documented, or explained.’ $21T in Pentagon accounting errors.  Medicare for All costs ~$32T.  That means 66% of Medicare for All could have been funded already by the Pentagon.”

Britain can legally cancel Brexit.  That's EU advice - but will parliament agree?  —  A senior adviser to the EU court of justice has said the UK can revoke article 50.  The path to remain is hard - but now clearer  —  We can cancel Brexit.  That's what the advocate general to the court …

McConnell Predicts Lawmakers Will Avoid Government Shutdown  —  Senate Republican leader sizes up Pelosi; suggests President Trump negotiate with Democrats on spending measure  —  WASHINGTON—Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell predicted lawmakers would avert a government shutdown …

Trump handles Bush's death with abnormal normality  —  A taboo-busting president who has often trashed the Bush clan observes traditional norms of etiquette after its patriarch's passing.  —  For President Donald Trump, there was once no worse insult than being “a Bushie.”

The Trump-Xi Trade Truce Stock Rally Lasted 24 Hours.  Here's Why  —  The 90-day cease-fire in the U.S.-China trade war added about $520 billion of market value back to Asia's equity markets on Monday.  Now, it looks like the party is over.  —  Here is where we are: Asian shares took a breather Tuesday …

Homeland Security chief Nielsen has saved her job — for now  —  Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who was recently on the brink of losing her job, is now expected to survive the Cabinet shake-up President Donald Trump has spent weeks teasing — and she may have the caravan to thank.

Trump Jr. Invested in a Hydroponic Lettuce Company Whose Chair Was Seeking Trump Administration Funds — “Trump, Inc.” Podcast Extra  —  Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, took a stake last year in a startup whose co-chairman is a major Trump campaign fundraiser who has sought financial support …

Lack of minority staffers threatens to hobble 2020 Democrats  —  Potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidates in the early stages of assembling campaign staffs are running into an uncomfortable truth: Among the already small pool of capable operatives, there's an even smaller pool of nonwhite campaign managers and senior advisers.

‘A kind of dark realism’: Why the climate change problem is starting to look too big to solve  —  In the daunting math of climate action, individual choices and government policies aren't adding up.  —  Solar panels are being nailed to rooftops, colossal wind turbines bestride the plains and oceans …

Russia Won't ‘Beg’ for Talks With Trump, Kremlin Aide Says  — Russia ready to meet, it's unclear when U.S. is, Ushakov says  — Planned Putin-Trump talks canceled twice in less than a month  —  Russian President Vladimir Putin still wants to have talks with U.S. counterpart Donald Trump …

Bob Brady aide Smukler found guilty on 9 of 11 counts in campaign finance case  —  A federal jury Monday found U.S. Rep. Bob Brady's top political strategist, Ken Smukler, guilty of nine of 11 counts of repeatedly flouting campaign finance laws in a case that once threatened to ensnare the congressman himself.

Trump's Aides Struggle to Detail Deal He Says He Cut With Xi  — President hails ‘extraordinary’ dinner with Chinese leader  — Kudlow says China made ‘commitments’ to ‘presumably implement’  —  President Donald Trump's advisers are scrambling to explain a trade deal he claimed …

France Suspends Fuel Tax Increase That Spurred Violent Protests  —  PARIS — In a major concession by President Emmanuel Macron, France will suspend for six months a tax increase on gasoline and diesel fuel that had been slated for January, in an attempt to quell weeks of protests and rioting by the so-called Yellow Vests movement.

CNN's Jeff Zucker dissects Trump's criticism of network with David Axelrod  —  New York (CNN Business)CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker dissected President Trump's hatred of CNN and discussed his own interest in running for office on a new episode of David Axelrod's popular podcast.