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 …

The Constant Spin Zone  —  How one publication reported Trump's trip to see troops in Iraq.  —  By The Editorial Board  —  President Trump and his wife Melania made a surprise visit to American soldiers in Iraq on Wednesday, and you would think that would be a straightforward event to write up.

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 …

Trump claims without evidence that ‘most of the people not getting paid’ in partial government shutdown are Democrats  —  President Trump on Thursday claimed that “most of the people not getting paid” in the partial government shutdown are Democrats, days after he contended that many federal workers support …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

The Compromising Background of Jamal Khashoggi's Work  —  Making the click-through worthwhile: how customs and border-patrol agents can make the argument for a security fence, three easily overlooked comments from President Trump's visit in Iraq, and some surprising revelations about Jamal Khashoggi …

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 …

MSNBC Beats Fox News in Weekly Cable News Ratings for First Time Since 2000  —  MSNBC ended the week of Dec. 21st with the #1 cable news ratings on television, beating Fox News for the first time in 17 years.  For the Monday through Friday leading up to the Christmas holiday …

Elon Musk looks to dismiss ‘pedo guy’ lawsuit, saying comments weren't serious and are protected by 1st Amendment  —  Billionaire Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk is looking to dismiss a lawsuit from the British diver he called a “pedo” on Twitter in July during the rescue of 12 Thai soccer boys …

How a Crackdown on MS-13 Caught Up Innocent High School Students  —  The Trump administration went after gang members — and instead destroyed the American dreams of immigrant teenagers around the country.  —  When Alex walked into school on June 14, 2017, it felt as if summer had already started.

$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 …

‘What the Hell Is This?’  Officer in Viral Subway Video Didn't Know He Had Gone Viral  —  [What you need to know to start your day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]  —  On late Sunday night a scuffle broke out between a New York police officer and five homeless men at a subway station in Manhattan.

Trump's presidency has changed Washington, defied convention  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Mr. Trump went to Washington.  And he changed it.  —  In his first two years in office, President Donald Trump has rewritten the rules of the presidency and the norms of the nation's capital …

Exclusive: White House mulls new year executive order to bar Huawei, ZTE purchases  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump is considering an executive order in the new year to declare a national emergency that would bar U.S. companies from using telecommunications equipment …