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.

Trump's approval rating drops to Charlottesville levels during shutdown  —  Trump's fight for the border wall is tanking his approval rating.  —  President Donald Trump is getting blamed for the government shutdown, a new poll shows.  —  The president's popularity has dropped below 40 percent amid …

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

$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 …

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.

Homeland Security Chief Faults Parents, ‘Open Border’ Supporters In Migrant Kids' Deaths  —  Kirstjen Nielsen ordered an overhaul of medical screening procedures at the Mexican border after Felipe Gómez Alonzo, 8, died on Christmas Eve.  —  Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen …