Conservative Revolt Endangers Deal to Avoid a Shutdown  —  WASHINGTON — A deal to avert a Christmastime government shutdown teetered on Thursday amid growing anger from President Trump and a conservative revolt in the House that could block a bill to keep funds flowing past midnight Friday.

Ethics officials said Whitaker should recuse from the Mueller probe, but his advisers told him not to, officials say  —  A senior Justice Department ethics official concluded acting attorney general Matthew G. Whitaker should recuse from overseeing special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's probe …

Vladimir Putin Welcomes U.S. Withdrawal From Syria  —  MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Thursday welcomed President Trump's announcement of a withdrawal of American troops from Syria, calling it “the right decision.”  —  Mr. Trump said on Wednesday that he was ordering …

Russian Agents Sought Secret US Treasury Records On Clinton Backers During 2016 Campaign  —  US Treasury Department officials used a Gmail back channel with the Russian government as the Kremlin sought sensitive financial information on its enemies in America and across the globe, according to documents reviewed by BuzzFeed News.

Planned Parenthood Is Accused of Mistreating Pregnant Employees  —  Employers that champion women face accusations of discriminating against their pregnant workers, showing how widespread the problem is in American workplaces.  —  As a medical assistant at Planned Parenthood …

Trump Administration Is Considering Substantial Afghan Troop Drawdown  —  The administration is considering a substantial reduction of troops in Afghanistan and could begin a drawdown in several weeks, officials said.

Democrats to Start Presidential Primary Debates in June 2019  —  (AP) — Democrats will hold at least a dozen presidential primary debates starting in June 2019 and running through April 2020, with party Chairman Tom Perez promising rules that will give everyone in a potentially large field a fair shot at voters' attention.

‘Oh, no’: The day Trump learned to tweet  —  The content of the tweet @RealDonaldTrump posted on the night of Feb. 5, 2013, was bland: a simple thank you to the actress Sherri Shepherd for flattering comments she'd made about Trump on television.  —  But its implications were historic.

The Itsy-Bitsy, Teenie-Weenie, Very Litigious Bikini  —  On a sunny summer day in Montauk, Ipek Irgit was in the familiar situation of not knowing what she was doing with her life.  It was 2012, and she was 34 years old.  Earlier in the year, after having her heart broken …

Former Ga. candidate for governor indicted  —  State Sen. Michael Williams, who waged an unsuccessful and at times incendiary campaign for governor this year, was indicted this week in Hall County, apparently stemming from allegedly false report he made saying computer servers were stolen from his campaign office.

How bad does the ‘Illinois Exodus’ have to get?  —  The estimated net reduction in Illinois' population this year is 45,116 residents.  Every other state in the Midwest is growing.  (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)  —  Editorials reflect the opinion of the Editorial Board …

Democrats want to use obscure law to grab Donald Trump's tax returns  —  A 1924 law says the Treasury secretary “shall furnish” tax returns of any person for private review by the chairs of the House and Senate tax committees.  —  WASHINGTON — Soon after the Democrats take control of the House next year …

Tucker Carlson's show has been hit by an advertiser boycott, and it's having an effect  —  Cuomo, Lemon slam Fox News' hateful speech  —  New York (CNN Business)The advertiser boycott spearheaded by liberal organizations of Fox News host Tucker Carlson is starting to have a visible effect.

Jerry Falwell: I Lent $1.8 Million To A Venture Involving A Pool Attendant  —  The prominent evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr. has for the first time acknowledged putting up $1.8 million for a business venture managed by a young pool attendant whom he and his wife befriended during a stay at a luxury hotel in 2012.

Bigoted pictures and letters circulate in Strath Haven HS and community  —  A Delaware County high school is in turmoil over a racist letter left on several doorsteps last weekend targeting nonwhite residents of Swarthmore and a seemingly related photo of two kids in Ku Klux Klan-style hoods …

Justice Department Investigating Migrant Shelter Provider  —  The Justice Department is investigating possible misuse of federal money by Southwest Key Programs, the nation's largest operator of shelters for migrant children, according to two people familiar with the matter.

House appears to send Roger Stone testimony to Mueller  —  The House Intelligence Committee voted unanimously on Thursday to transmit what appeared to be testimony from Roger Stone, a longtime Donald Trump adviser, to special counsel Robert Mueller.  —  The move has generated speculation …