Mitt Romney's op-ed crystallizes all the reasons the old GOP establishment has been pushed aside  —  Henry Olsen is a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and author of “The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue-Collar Conservatism.”

China Lands Spacecraft on Far Side of Moon  —  BEIJING — China reached a milestone in space exploration on Thursday, landing a vehicle on the far side of the moon for the first time in history, state media announced.  —  The landing of the probe, called Chang'e-4 after the moon goddess …

Source: Trump tells Schumer he can't accept Dems' offer because he'd ‘look foolish’  —  Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump told a group of lawmakers he can't accept Democrats' offer to re-open the government as the two sides negotiate border wall funding because he “would look foolish if I did that …

Trump Defends Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan for Some Reason  —  In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded neighboring Afghanistan.  The American interpretation of this invasion, shared by both parties, is that the Soviets were propping up a faltering communist client state, following the …

Old Post Office Tower on Trump property to reopen during shutdown with federal funding  —  The Old Post Office Tower, which shares facilities with the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., will reopen by the end of the week after being closed due to the partial government shutdown.

Trump reclaims spotlight with long, rambling Cabinet meeting  —  Home alone no more, President Donald Trump had a lot to share when he convened a rambling Cabinet meeting on Day 12 of the government shutdown.  —  The president, eager for company after a lonely stretch in a near-empty White House …

For Bernie Sanders, Claims of Sexism in 2016 Campaign Hang Over 2020 Bid  —  In February 2016, Giulianna Di Lauro, a Latino outreach strategist for Senator Bernie Sanders's presidential operation, complained to her supervisor that she had been harassed by a campaign surrogate whom she drove …

Mark Harris says he'll go to court as officials delay hearing on election fraud  —  Republican Mark Harris said Wednesday he'll ask a Wake County Superior Court judge to certify his election in the 9th Congressional District immediately, even as a probe into alleged election fraud continues.

Letter from Tim Cook to Apple Investors  —  CUPERTINO, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Apple® today issued the following public letter to investors:  —  To Apple investors:  —  Today we are revising our guidance for Apple's fiscal 2019 first quarter, which ended on December 29.  We now expect the following:

I Don't Hate Women Candidates — I Just Hated Hillary and Coincidentally I'm Starting to Hate Elizabeth Warren  —  “How does Warren avoid a Clinton redux — written off as too unlikable before her campaign gets off the ground?”  — Politico, 12/31/18  —  I have no problem with women.

Justice Department won't take Arpaio fight to SCOTUS  —  The Justice Department has decided not to ask the Supreme Court to block the appointment of a special prosecutor to fight former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio's effort to erase the guilty verdict a judge returned against him on contempt of court charges last year.

Senate Judiciary Committee sets confirmation hearing for Trump attorney general pick William Barr  —  The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold hearings later this month on the confirmation of President Trump's attorney general nominee, William P. Barr, the panel's incoming and outgoing chairmen announced Wednesday.

North Korea's Envoy to Italy Disappears, Raising Suspicions of a Defection  —  TOKYO — North Korea's acting ambassador to Italy disappeared from the embassy in Rome in November, apparently in a defection attempt, according to a South Korean lawmaker briefed by intelligence officials.

GOP congressman will support Democratic rules, says he may face ‘consequences’ for it  —  A Republican lawmaker said Wednesday he will vote for a set of House rule changes drafted by the incoming Democratic leadership — a rare move for what is typically a strict party-line vote and one …

Brazil's Bolsonaro targets LGBT people, Indigenous groups on 1st day in office  —  SAO PAULO — Newly installed President Jair Bolsonaro targeted Brazil's indigenous groups, descendants of slaves and the LGBT community with executive orders in the first hours of his administration …

He lures alleged child predators and shames them on Facebook.  Now one of his targets is dead.  —  Shane Erdmann started the online vigilante operation POPSquad, one of many similar groups tapping into a hunger for vengeance.  —  On a cool evening in October, Alain Malcolm, 20 …

‘Not too good’: Trump rips Mattis's performance as the Pentagon seeks stability  —  President Trump criticized former defense secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday, as acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan stepped into his new job and the military tried to make sense of the president's plans for the wars in Syria and Afghanistan.

Trump and Democrats Dig In After Talks to Reopen Government Go Nowhere  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump and Democratic congressional leaders dug in Wednesday for a lengthy partial shutdown in a newly divided government after a White House meeting — the first in 22 days …

Ex-Bush and Whitman adviser: Trump won't be impeached, but he will leave the presidency in 2019  —  The major issue for political pundits regarding 2019 is whether Donald Trump's presidency will survive the year leading into the 2020 elections.  Their focus is on the likelihood as to whether Trump …