Team Trump Gleeful That Shutdown Will Hijack Pelosi's Big Moment  —  The president's aides see a debate being waged on his issues, not hers, and they couldn't be happier.  —  Days into a partial government shutdown that has left tens of thousands of federal workers furloughed …

Bre's Story  —  Around 8:30 this morning, December 27th, Bre's friend went into her room and found her unresponsive and barely breathing.  She immediately called 911 and Bre was taken to the hospital where she was admitted to the ICU, sedated & intubated, and doctors began working up a diagnosis.

“Trump Got Lucky”: Why G.O.P. Insiders Fear Beto and Biden Over Warren and Sanders  —  Republicans are happy to run against any progressive who tries to compete with Trump at the game he perfected.  But they desperately fear another Barack Obama.  —  Don't kid yourself: President Donald Trump could absolutely win re-election.

As 2018 draws to a close, I'm continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists.  It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books, movies, and music that I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved.

Trump threatens to close ‘Southern Border entirely’ if Dems don't fund wall  —  President Trump on Friday threatened to “close the Southern Border entirely” if Democrats do not agree to provide money to “finish” building a wall on the Mexican border.  —  Trump made the threat …

Agency: Government workers could do painting or carpentry work to help pay rent during shutdown  —  The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has offered federal workers affected by the partial government shutdown a guide for negotiating with creditors, landlords and mortgage companies while their income is cut off.

Trump used her slain daughter to rail against illegal immigration.  She chose a different path.  —  BROOKLYN, Iowa — The letters began immediately.  Dozens at first, then hundreds, each day bringing more: from a Texas man telling her this was why we needed to build the wall.

Nation's oldest living veteran Richard Overton dies in Austin at age 112  —  AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - The nation's oldest living veteran, Richard Overton, has died in a rehab facility in Austin, Texas.  —  He was 112 years old.  —  Family says Overton was admitted to the hospital last week with pneumonia.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller Seized Russian Trolls' ‘Nude Selfies’  —  The special counsel turned over reams of material from the email and social media accounts of accused Russian trolls.  —  Special Counsel Robert Mueller has collected at least three million pages of material from the email …

Welcome to the world of President Rand Paul  —  President's Trump's foreign policy follows no firm ideology but is often a combination of his long-held personal views and the influence of whoever currently has his ear.  These days, Trump is listening more than ever to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) …

Former McKinsey Executive Imprisoned by Saudis  —  Saudi citizen arrested in last year's sweep has been beaten, people familiar with the matter say  —  Saudi Arabian officials arrested a partner at consulting giant McKinsey & Co. in the fall of 2017 and have been holding him in detention since then …

House Democrats scooping up staff, lawyers to power Trump investigations  —  Trump Organization braces for investigations  —  (CNN)The House Judiciary Committee is looking for a few good lawyers.  —  A recent committee job posting reviewed by CNN asked for legislative counsels with a variety of expertise …

Blue Light Floods NYC Sky as Transformer Explodes in Queens  —  A transformer explosion in Queens sent an eerie blue light flooding into the nighttime sky over New York City Thursday night, startling residents.  —  Con Edison says a couple of transformers tripped offline at the substation …

Living paycheck to paycheck is disturbingly common: “I see no way out.”  —  The struggle is everywhere.  —  “Inescapable.”  —  “It's a constant stressor.”  —  “I see no way out.”  —  What do professors, real estate agents, farmers, business executives, computer programmers and store clerks have in common?

How Russia's military intelligence agency became the covert muscle in Putin's duels with the West  —  MOSCOW — Nina Loguntsova arrives at school early to stand at soldier-style attention, and she leaves late after extra classes that have included cryptography.  Three different military uniforms hang in her closet.

White Referee Fired After Forcing Black Wrestler to Cut Dreadlocks  —  Alan Maloney, the White referee who made a Black high school wrestler cut his dreadlocks to compete, has been let go by the school district.  —  Alan Maloney, the White referee who forced, Andrew Johnson …

Angelina Jolie hints at move into politics  —  Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie has hinted that she is considering a move into politics in the future.  —  In an interview on the BBC's Today programme, she said she would have dismissed this 20 years ago but would now go where she was needed.

Hidden crisis: D.C. area students owe nearly half a million in K-12 school lunch debt  —  As students in the Washington area went home for winter break, a substantial number were in debt — to the school cafeteria.  —  Students in the Washington area owe nearly half a million dollars so far …

Mizzou Official Claims Tall Men Asking Out Short Women Could Constitute Sexual Misconduct  —  Getting up the courage to ask someone out on a date can already be nerve-racking, but now that college campuses have completely gone off the deep end, that fear will be intensified.