Pence and White House officials leave meeting with congressional aides with no end to shutdown  —  Top White House officials and senior congressional aides left a three-hour meeting Saturday with no apparent breakthrough for ending the partial government shutdown, which has now entered its third week with no end in sight.

The Economics of Soaking the Rich  —  What does Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez know about tax policy?  A lot.  —  I have no idea how well Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will perform as a member of Congress.  But her election is already serving a valuable purpose.  You see, the mere thought of having a young …

The Border Wall: How a Potent Symbol Is Now Boxing Trump In  —  WASHINGTON — Before it became the chief sticking point in a government shutdown drama that threatens to consume his presidency at a critical moment, President Trump's promise to build a wall on the southwestern border was a memory trick for an undisciplined candidate.

How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation  —  I couldn't figure out why small, straightforward tasks on my to-do list felt so impossible.  The answer is both more complex and far simpler than I expected.  —  “I tried to register for the 2016 election, but it was beyond the deadline …

The People vs. Donald J. Trump  —  He is demonstrably unfit for office.  What are we waiting for?  —  The presidential oath of office contains 35 words and one core promise: to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”  Since virtually the moment Donald J. Trump took …

All three CIA directorates will now be headed by women  —  CIA Director Gina Haspel has named Cynthia “Didi” Rapp deputy director for analysis, making her the agency's top analyst.  —  CIA Director Gina Haspel has appointed another woman to the top level of the agency, naming Cynthia “Didi” …

'There's a Real Tension.' Democrats Puzzle Over Whether a Woman Will Beat Trump  —  Joyce Cusack would love to see a woman as president in her lifetime.  But she is not sure it should happen in 2020.  —  “Are we ready in 2020?  I really don't think we are,” said Ms. Cusack, 75 …

3 shot dead, 4 injured at Torrance bowling alley  —  Three men were fatally shot and four were injured late Friday at a Torrance bowling alley, police said, and relatives and friends wept and shouted outside as they awaited word on the victims.  —  The shooting, which was apparently preceded by a fight …

The force that could end the shutdown  —  Asked during a Rose Garden news conference yesterday about a safety net for furloughed federal workers, President Trump replied: … Why it matters: A strong border doesn't pay the rent.  Republican sources tell me that although they don't see an imminent solution …

Trump administration did not understand chaos they would create before president shut it down: report  —  The Trump administration did not anticipate a lengthy shutdown of the federal government, nor did it grasp what the federal government actually does before President Donald Trump shut it down December 22.

Two British soldiers injured in Islamic State attack in Syria  —  Two British special forces soldiers have been seriously injured in an Islamic State attack in Syria, the BBC understands.  —  British special forces are believed to be operating in Syria but the Ministry of Defence would not confirm this.

Shutdown spares federal park rangers at site in Trump hotel  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Smithsonian museums are closed.  There are no federal staffers to answer tourists' questions at the Lincoln Memorial.  And across the United States, national parks are cluttered with trash.

If Trump thinks migrants in the U.S. illegally are dangerous, why has he hired so many of them?  —  By now much of the nation recognizes President Trump as the embodiment of hypocrisy, but still, sometimes his blatant duplicity needs to be pointed out.  —  For instance, Trump railed …

Sen. David Perdue: Mitt Romney makes the same mistake that cost him the White House  —  David Perdue, a Republican, is a U.S. senator from Georgia.  —  In a recent op-ed for The Post, “The president shapes the public character of the nation.  Trump's character falls short,” …

Where Are Kevin Hart's Past Apologies?  An Investigation  —  This week, Ellen DeGeneres released clips of her new interview with Kevin Hart, coming nearly a month after the comedian stepped down from hosting the Oscars after dozens of his old homophobic tweets resurfaced.

Disturbing Video of Drake Fondling and Kissing 17-Year-Old Girl Surfaces  —  The singer is seen doing the act onstage at a show years ago, and the video has sparked heavy backlash.  —  Marlow Stern  —  On Thursday night, millions tuned in to watch Surviving R. Kelly …

Bartholomew Signs ‘Tomos’ Granting Independence To New Orthodox Church In Ukraine  —  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople has signed a decree granting autocephaly, or independence, to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, ending more than 330 years of Russian religious control in Ukraine.

Moscow accuses Washington of detaining Russian citizen after arresting ex-U.S. Marine  —  MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday the United States had detained a Russian citizen, days after Moscow arrested the former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan on suspicion of spying.

I'll Say It: Elizabeth Warren Isn't Likeable  —  AOC, Krysten Sinema, even Nancy Pelosi—as a conservative, I find them all likeable to some degree.  Warren, not so much.  It's not about all women.  It's just about her.  —  Matt Lewis  —  When Elizabeth Warren announced her presidential campaign …