Cell signal puts Cohen outside Prague around time of purported Russian meeting  —  A mobile phone traced to President Donald Trump's former lawyer and “fixer” Michael Cohen briefly sent signals ricocheting off cell towers in the Prague area in late summer 2016, at the height of the presidential campaign …

Congress appears to give up on ending shutdown  —  The 115th Congress essentially gave up on trying to reopen the government on Thursday, with both the Senate and House closing out the session just minutes after opening it, and leaving the political crisis for the next Congress to solve.

How Mark Burnett Resurrected Donald Trump as an Icon of American Success  —  With “The Apprentice,” the TV producer mythologized Trump—then a floundering D-lister—as the ultimate titan, paving his way to the Presidency.  —  “Expedition: Robinson,” a Swedish reality-television program …

Troops bringing Trump hats to sign may violate military rule … (CNN)President Donald Trump made his first visit to a war zone on Wednesday, receiving an enthusiastic reception from many US troops there — some of whom may have run afoul of military rules.  —  Video footage and the written report …

Furious Iraqi lawmakers demand US troop withdrawal  —  President Donald Trump's surprise trip to Iraq may have quieted criticism at home that he had yet to visit troops in a combat zone, but it has infuriated Iraqi politicians who on Thursday demanded the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

Giuliani calls for Mueller to be investigated for destruction of FBI evidence  —  Rudy Giuliani has an unmistakable New Year's message for special counsel Robert Mueller: It is time for the chief investigator in the Russia case to be investigated in 2019.  —  In wide-ranging interviews …

Michelle Obama Ends Hillary Clinton's Run as Most Admired  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the first time in 17 years, a woman other than Hillary Clinton has been named by Americans as the woman they admire most.  Former first lady Michelle Obama, who finished second to Clinton three times …

Probe of Trump's charity could crash ‘like a Mack Truck’ into his real estate empire  —  “There seems to be entanglements in terms of people and probably in terms of money,” said Mimi Rocah, a former federal prosecutor and NBC News/MSNBC legal analyst.  —  The Trump Foundation …

EXCLUSIVE: Read Desperate Emails From People Scammed by A.G. Matt Whitaker's Business Associates  —  When current acting U.S. Attorney General Matt Whitaker joined the advisory board of a Florida patent firm in 2014, he was quoted in a company press release saying he “would only align myself with a first class organization.”

One year of legal pot sales and California doesn't have the bustling industry it expected.  Here's why … When Californians voted in 2016 to allow the sale of recreational marijuana, advocates of the move envisioned thousands of pot shops and cannabis farms obtaining state licenses …

Bombshell: New Info Says Khashoggi Was A Foreign Influence Agent  —  Jamal Khashoggi's op-eds published in the very influential Washington Post certainly qualify as attempts to change U.S. policy against Saudi Arabia and in favor of the Muslim Brotherhood.  —  The Washington Post has caused itself …

What is Ginni Thomas saying now?  The evolution of an unusually outspoken Supreme Court spouse  —  What is going on with Ginni Thomas?  —  She still looks and sounds like the Washington wife of yore, with the pearl earrings, the Reagan-red cocktail attire, the sunglasses tiara'd atop her blond bob.

Mike Bloomberg prepared to spend at least $100 million on a 2020 campaign for president if he decides to run  — Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is preparing to spend over his $100 million mayoral campaign budget if he chooses to run for president in 2020.

For Bernie Sanders, Holding Onto Support May Be Hard in a 2020 Bid  —  WASHINGTON — Some of his top congressional supporters won't commit to backing him if he runs for president again — and two may join the 2020 race themselves.  A handful of former aides might work for other candidates.

A Russian bank gave Marine Le Pen's party a loan.  Then weird things began happening.  —  PARIS — When French politician Marine Le Pen needed cash for her far-right party, an obscure Russian bank agreed to help.  —  Four years later, the bank has gone bust.  The owner is facing a warrant for his arrest.

Apocalypse Not  —  As everyone knows, climate orthodoxy holds that climate change from carbon emissions is going to make extreme weather more extreme.  So I won't hold my breath waiting to hear the climatistas commenting on this story from the Bezos Bulletin Washington Post today:

Disinformation campaign targeting Roy Moore's Senate bid may have violated law, Alabama attorney general says  —  Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said Thursday that his office is exploring whether disinformation tactics deployed against Republican Roy Moore during …

2018: The Year In Ideas: A Review Of Ideas  —  From the foremost thinkers of thoughts in America.  —  Do we remember a year by the events that happened in it — the births and deaths, the battles and truces — or do we remember it by the ideas that shaped it, the revolutionary new ways of thinking that emerged in those 12 months?

How Trump's secret trip to Iraq became not-so-secret  —  (CNN)It was a crisp winter morning in Sheffield, England, when amateur photographer and plane enthusiast Alan Meloy looked out his kitchen window and noticed a large trail in the sky.  He didn't know he was about to accidentally help uncover …

New bill would allow current convicted felons to vote  —  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - In less than a month, state legislators descend upon Santa Fe to once again to try and change New Mexico law.  One of the lawmakers wants to allow felons to vote.  Right now in New Mexico …

California Republicans fear even bigger trouble ahead for their wounded party  —  House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., leaves the chamber after the Republican-led House approved funding for President Donald Trump's border wall in legislation that pushes the government closer …

$800 Million in Taxpayer Money Went to Private Prisons Where Migrants Work for Pennies  —  Detention for migrants is big business—and a Daily Beast investigation reveals new details about just how lucrative it's become.  —  For $3 a day, Yesica works the graveyard shift in the kitchens …