McConnell Faces Pressure From Republicans to Stop Avoiding Shutdown Fight  —  WASHINGTON — For weeks, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, has remained conspicuously on the sidelines, insisting that it was up to President Trump and Democrats to negotiate an end to the partial shutdown of the federal government.

U.S. economy added 312,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate was 3.9%, marking a strong finish to 2018  —  The future is more uncertain. … The December numbers follow a year of steady growth across industries — particularly manufacturing, which had its biggest boost in about a decade.

Ex-US marine accused of spying in Russia is British citizen  —  Paul Whelan revealed to be dual national after being arrested in Moscow for ‘act of espionage’  —  The former US marine who is being held in Moscow on charges of spying is a British citizen, it has emerged.

Trump's Cracked Afghan History  —  His falsehoods about allies and the Soviets reach a new low.  —  By The Editorial Board  —  President Trump's remarks on Afghanistan at his Cabinet meeting Wednesday were a notable event.  They will be criticized heavily, and deservedly so.

That Viral Video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Dancing Is a Meta-Meme  —  THURSDAY MARKED ONE of the most important days in congressional history for diversity.  A record 102 women took office, 35 whom were newly-elected.  They include Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, the first Muslim women …

Hours after making history, Rep. Rashida Tlaib profanely promises to impeach Trump  —  Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) made history Thursday afternoon for being the first Palestinian American woman sworn into Congress.  —  Hours later, she made headlines for simply swearing at a Washington, D.C. bar.

Senators warm to immigration deal as shutdown solution  —  Lawmakers are opening the door to reviving deeply polarizing immigration negotiations as they search for a way out of the partial government shutdown, which hit the two-week mark on Friday.  —  An agreement to overhaul …

Run or retire?  Pat Roberts will announce his decision on 2020 Senate race Friday  —  Sen. Pat Roberts will announce Friday whether he plans to end his political career or kick off another campaign as he approaches his fourth decade in Congress.  —  Roberts, R-Kansas, will announce …

White House Mulls Jim Webb, Ex-Democratic Senator, as Next Defense Secretary  —  WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is considering Jim Webb, a former Democratic senator and Reagan-era secretary of the Navy, to be the next defense secretary, according to three officials …

Iran ‘can do what they want’ in Syria: Trump's comments defy the position of his top aides  —  In his first Cabinet meeting of the year, President Trump stuck a dagger in a major initiative advanced by his foreign policy team: Iran's leaders, the president said, “can do what they want” in Syria.

Is This the End of the Age of Apple?  —  We need the next wave of innovation, and we need it now.  —  Ms. Swisher covers technology and is a contributing opinion writer.  —  If anything, MedMen, on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, Calif., looks just like an Apple Store.

Donald Trump Was Never Vetted  —  “When a man becomes president,” said Rudy Giuliani not long ago, “he shouldn't be subject to a review of his entire life.”  Putting aside for the moment whether such a review should or should not take place, Giuliani has correctly identified what is happening.

New Democratic kingmaker: Ratings surge positions Maddow to boost favorite candidates  —  Iowa is fine, and New Hampshire certainly has its charms.  —  But one of the most important contests of the 2020 Democratic nominating process kicked off Wednesday night not at a county fair or diner …

Why Trump's Generals Have Abandoned Ship  —  After a couple of tumultuous years, President Donald Trump seems to have reached the conclusion that he has had quite enough of generals.  Now, as a retired admiral, I have certainly been annoyed over the years by a number of generals.

Feds charge powerful Ald.  Edward Burke with attempted extortion  —  Ald.  Edward Burke has been charged with attempted extortion after the FBI raided his City Hall and Southwest Side ward offices.  —  Longtime Ald.  Edward Burke, one of Chicago's most powerful figures and a vestige …

Trump Just Killed His Own Defense Strategy  —  The commander in chief just tore up 17 years of counterterrorism plans and offered his strange mix of talking points and lies.  —  “Sand and death.”  That's what Syria is to President Donald Trump, who has vowed to withdraw U.S. troops and support …

Bernie Sanders' fans can't be allowed to poison another Democratic primary with personal attacks  —  Bashing Beto O'Rourke (and every other Democrat) doesn't help liberals' cause in 2020.  It only helps Trump.  —  I'm hardly the only political observer who blames Hillary Clinton's general election defeat …

How the Border Patrol union became Trump's closest shutdown allies  —  Union officials: it's okay if our agents don't get paid on time, as long as we get the wall.  —  President Donald Trump's hastily called “press conference” on Thursday afternoon — in which neither he nor press secretary …

NC man accused of murder-for-hire plot tied to a Russian indicted for election tampering  —  A wealthy man in Raleigh accused of money laundering and plotting a murder-for-hire has ties to a Russian oligarch who has been indicted on charges of interfering with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, according to Russian news sources.

More First-Time Home Buyers Are Turning to the Bank of Mom and Dad  —  Among borrowers using FHA loans, which come with low down payments, more than 26% tap relatives for financial help.  That's up from 22% in 2011.  —  Rising home prices are sending first-time home buyers to their parents for help with mortgage down payments.