Scoop: Trump considering Mark Meadows for chief of staff  —  Over the past 24 hours, President Trump has been privately asking many people who they think should be his new chief of staff, according to three sources with direct knowledge.  —  What's happening: Trump has asked confidants …

Done With Michael Cohen, Federal Prosecutors Shift Focus to Trump Family Business  —  When federal prosecutors recommended a substantial prison term for President Trump's former lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, they linked Mr. Trump to the crimes Mr. Cohen had committed in connection with the 2016 presidential campaign.

'I can't breathe.' Jamal Khashoggi's last words disclosed in transcript, source says  —  Khashoggi messages reveal sharp criticism of MBS  —  (CNN)"I can't breathe."  These were the final words uttered by Jamal Khashoggi after he was set upon by a Saudi hit squad at the country's consulate in Istanbul …

Russians interacted with at least 14 Trump associates during the campaign and transition  —  The Russian ambassador.  A deputy prime minister.  A pop star, a weightlifter, a lawyer, a Soviet army veteran with alleged intelligence ties.  —  Again and again and again, over the course …

Comey calls on Americans to ‘use every breath we have’ to oust Trump in 2020  —  New York (CNN)Former FBI Director James Comey asked American voters Sunday night to end Donald Trump's presidency with a “landslide” victory for his opponent in 2020.  —  “All of us should use every breath …

Mike Pompeo swaggers his way to failure  —  Mike Pompeo was supposed to rescue the State Department from its disastrous start in the Trump presidency.  When he first turned up at Foggy Bottom on May 1, he promised to staff up a badly depleted bureaucracy, listen to its views and reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy after a year of dysfunction.

Why has Mueller ignored Obama administration crimes?  —  The matter of Gen. Michael Flynn began with criminal conduct.  But it was not committed by Flynn.  The crimes were leaking the contents of classified telephone conversations between Flynn and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and revealing …

Homophobic Queens straphanger sucker-punches woman, breaks her spine: cops  —  A homophobic straphanger sucker-punched a woman on a train, sending her to the hospital with a broken spine - all because he thought she was a lesbian, cops said Saturday.  —  The man became incensed …

Satellite imagery shows hundreds of Russian tanks near the border with Ukraine  —  Satellite imagery from Google Earth taken on November shows hundreds of Russian main battle tanks at a new military base on the outskirts of the Kamensk-Shakhtinsky.  —  The large-scale military base …

CDC issues warning: Say no to raw cookie dough  —  CNN  —  This holiday season, you might find yourself whipping up a batch of delicious cookies in the kitchen, but you may want to think twice before reaching for a taste of that raw dough.  —  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …

Conspiracy theorist sues Mueller alleging illegal leaks and surveillance  —  An author and conspiracy theorist who says he's being threatened with indictment by special counsel Robert Mueller's team in the Trump-Russia probe filed a federal lawsuit Sunday night accusing Mueller …

Dog that survived historic California wildfire guarded home for weeks  —  SAN FRANCISCO — A dog that survived the catastrophic “Camp Fire” in Northern California apparently protected the ruins of his home for almost a month until his owner returned.  Madison was there waiting when Andrea Gaylord …

Trump reverses course, tells Pentagon to boost budget request to $750 billion  —  President Donald Trump has told Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to submit a $750 billion budget proposal for fiscal 2020, in a reversal from his pledge to trim defense spending, two people familiar with the budget negotiations have told POLITICO.

At NPR, an army of temps faces a workplace of anxiety and insecurity  —  Julia Botero was happy to catch on, and determined to stay on, at NPR.  After completing an internship at the public broadcasting organization in Washington in 2013, she began a year-long stint as a temporary employee …