POLITICO Playbook: Shutdown standoff continues  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ... DAY 5.  WE ANTICIPATE that talks to end the government shutdown will pick up a smidge.  The White House may chat with the congressional leadership and some offers may be swapped beginning today.

Did a Queens Podiatrist Help Donald Trump Avoid Vietnam?  —  In the fall of 1968, Donald J. Trump received a timely diagnosis of bone spurs in his heels that led to his medical exemption from the military during Vietnam.  —  For 50 years, the details of how the exemption came about …

CBP orders medical checks after second child's death  —  HOUSTON (AP) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection ordered medical checks on every child in its custody Tuesday after an 8-year-old boy from Guatemala died, marking the second death of an immigrant child in the agency's care this month.

Black Voters, a Force in Democratic Politics, Are Ready to Make Themselves Heard  —  BALTIMORE — The first “Amen!” rang out after a couple of minutes, as Senator Elizabeth Warren, speaking to an almost all-black audience at Morgan State University's winter commencement, described how America has …

I thought fraud in reporting was done for.  I was wrong.  —  Nearly 30 years ago, the Cold War's end opened Germany's border to the formerly Soviet-dominated east.  Asylum seekers from poor and war-torn nations poured across it.  A violent backlash from ultra-right-wing Germans ensued.

Trump becomes first president since 2002 not to visit troops at Christmastime  —  Though he called military personnel on Tuesday, Trump did not visit a hospital or a military base.  —  On Christmas Day, President Donald Trump took part in a long-running practice of presidents …

Queen's speech in front of lavish gold piano blasted for being ‘out of touch’  —  Queen Elizabeth referred to Brexit in her Christmas day message as she sat beside a golden piano  —  The Queen's Christmas Day speech has been slammed on social media for being “out of touch” and disrespectful to families “struggling to make ends meet”.

Mattis works from Pentagon on Christmas, tells troops: ‘You hold the line’  —  Defense Secretary James Mattis wished U.S. troops a merry Christmas and worked Christmas Day after President Trump pushed the secretary out two months earlier than he planned to resign.

Russia Considers Constitution Changes as Putin Faces Term Limits  — Speaker of parliament suggests discussing amendments  — Analysts see Kremlin effort to allow Putin to extend rule  —  The speaker of Russia's parliament raised the possibility of changing the constitution …

Selling Real Estate in Russia?  Are You Crazy?  —  MOSCOW — Elena Y. Kotova's one-room apartment on the outskirts of Moscow had started to feel cramped.  Her son was almost 4 years old.  She and her husband had solid jobs, she as an economist and he as a manager of a construction company.