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 …

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.

Saudi Arabia demotes foreign minister in wake of Khashoggi case  —  Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has been demoted in a government reshuffle by the country's leader, King Salman.  —  Mr Jubeir will become minister of state for foreign affairs, with Ibrahim al-Assaf taking over as foreign minister.

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 …

The Inevitability of Impeachment  —  Even Republicans may be deciding that the president has become too great a burden to their party or too great a danger to the country.  —  Ms. Drew is a journalist based in Washington who covered Watergate.  —  An impeachment process against President Trump now seems inescapable.

Inside Facebook's Secret Rulebook for Global Political Speech  —  Under fire for stirring up distrust and violence, the social network has vowed to police its users.  But leaked documents raise serious questions about its approach.  —  MENLO PARK, Calif. — In a glass conference room …

Fox News Hits Trump for Turning Troop Visit Into ‘Campaign Rally’  —  ‘Military men and women, I believe, deserve way more respect than that,’ Fox News' Julie Banderas said Thursday.  —  Matt Wilstein  —  The hits keep coming from Fox News to President Trump.

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.”

If You Only Get Your News From CNN, You Have No Idea This Story Happened  —  A left-wing billionaire gave $100,000 towards an online misinformation campaign that mimicked Russian interference operations — but if you only get your news from CNN, then you have no idea that happened.

Trump bragged to service members in Iraq about a 10 percent raise they haven't been given  —  Speaking to members of the military during his surprise trip overseas this week, President Trump spoke about the raises they received.  —  “You haven't gotten one in more than 10 years — more than 10 years,” he said Wednesday.

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.

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 …

Trump DOJ Lawyers Won't Work Amid Shutdown.  Judges Say They Must  — U.S. argues its lawyers barred from working without pay  — Some judges pushing back and ordering government to proceed  —  Some U.S. judges are pushing back against Justice Department efforts to halt lawsuits involving …

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.

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.

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 …

The impact homelessness and the opioid crisis are having on San Francisco streets  —  See the opioid crisis plaguing San Francisco  —  San Francisco (CNN)Outside the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in downtown San Francisco, a woman urinates on the sidewalk and smokes a crack pipe.

More Americans blame Trump for government shutdown: Reuters/Ipsos poll  —  NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More Americans blame President Donald Trump than congressional Democrats for the partial U.S. government shutdown, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday found, as lawmakers returned …

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 …

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:

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.

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 …

Trump administration to release hundreds of immigrant families from detention  —  But with border nonprofits already stretched to capacity, many families will probably end up dropped off en masse at bus stations.  —  Hundreds, or even thousands, of migrant families are set to be released …

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 …

Robert Mercer Cuts Political Spending After Unwelcome Turn in Spotlight  — Donations fell by more than two-thirds since last midterms  — Hedge fund manager became target for liberal activists  —  Robert Mercer, the publicity-shy hedge fund tycoon whose backing of Donald Trump earned …