Jerry Falwell Jr. can't imagine Trump 'doing anything that's not good for the country'  —  He lives with his wife, Becki, in Bedford County, Va.  —  You said recently that conservatives and Christians should stop electing nice guys.  Aren't Christians supposed to be nice guys?  —  Of course, of course.

Netflix pulls episode of comedy show in Saudi Arabia  —  Netflix has removed an episode of a comedy show critical of Saudi Arabia after the internet streaming service received a complaint from the kingdom, renewing concerns about government control over freedom of expression on online platforms.

American Accused of Spying in Russia Is a Marine Veteran, Family Says  —  LONDON — The American man who was arrested last week in Russia on a spying charge is a Marine Corps veteran who was in Moscow to attend a wedding, his family said on Tuesday.  —  Russia's Federal Security Service …

Beyond ‘no comment’: The White House has no response — at all — to many media questions  —  The New York Times published a powerful story last week about President Trump's growing isolation in the White House, with colorful details such as Trump's tendency to interrupt advisers during meetings to call them …

These 16 Polls Show How American Thinking Has (And Hasn't) Changed In 80 Years  —  Generations past and present weigh in on everything from hitchhikers to financial windfalls to the honesty of Congress.  —  For more than 80 years, pollsters have been asking Americans from all walks of life …

Elizabeth Warren, who just announced plans to explore presidential bid, will visit Iowa  —  Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will make her first trip to Iowa as a potential 2020 presidential candidate just days after formally launching a committee to explore a White House bid.

How Trump Got Bad at Twitter  —  The late-December tweet from @RealDonaldTrump was brief and absurd: “Farm Bill signing in 15 minutes!  #Emmys #TBT.”  It was accompanied by a clip from the 2005 Emmy awards in which the future leader of the free world, wearing a straw hat and overalls …

MSNBC is surging  —  MSNBC host Rachel Maddow can speak at length on many topics.  The whims and demographics of her cable-news audience, however, are not among them.  “I think I may just be lucky that we're at a time in the news cycle where there is an appetite for that kind of explanatory work …

How the shutdown is reaching a breaking point  —  Many of the departments and agencies hit by the partial shutdown are running out of carryover cash and time to prep checks for the midmonth pay period.  —  Nine federal departments haven't received a cent in federal funding in more than a week.

Trump's 2019 message: ‘Calm down and enjoy the ride’  —  President Donald Trump rung in the new year Tuesday morning with a word of advice for Americans: “Just calm down and enjoy the ride.”  —  In his second post to Twitter of 2019, Trump wished everyone — “including the haters and the fake news media” — a caps-lock happy new year.

To understand culture in 2018, you must understand Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson  —  You can't truly describe the year 2018 without talking about Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson.  —  Like so many inexplicable pop-culture sensations, Grande and Davidson's relationship — engaged after three weeks …

2019: The Year of the Wolves  —  Can the Constitution withstand the partisans?  —  In Willa Cather's novel “My Antonia,” there are two kind Russian farmers named Peter and Pavel who have settled on the Nebraska prairie.  On his death bed, Pavel tells the story of how they came to emigrate there.

Trump: No Money for Wall, No Signature on Bill to Fund Government  —  President Donald Trump on Monday evening signaled he would not sign an omnibus spending package House Democrats plan to bring to the floor later this week because it omits dollars for his proposed southern border barrier.

Manchester Victoria stabbing: Eyewitness claims attacker shouted ‘Allah’  —  Sam Clack, a BBC producer, was on a platform at Manchester Victoria railway station waiting for a tram when he witnessed the attack  —  A knifeman shouted ‘Allah’ after stabbing innocent commuters at Victoria Station, an eye-witness has claimed.

POLITICO Playbook: Welcome to 2019.  ‘JUST CALM DOWN AND ENJOY THE RIDE.’  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  Good Tuesday morning and Happy New Year!  It's 2019, and it's Day 11 of the partial government shutdown.  Members of Congress are starting to filter back into town.