Kremlin Blessed Russia's NRA Operation, U.S. Intel Report Says  —  When Maria Butina and Alexander Torshin's brought NRA bigwigs to Moscow, it wasn't a rogue mission.  It was okayed from the very top, according to a report reviewed by The Beast.  —  Betsy Woodruff

Scoop: Trump dressed down Mulvaney in front of congressional leaders  —  President Trump chastised his new chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, over his handling of shutdown talks, creating an awkward scene in front of congressional leaders of both parties, according to two sources who were present.

‘They screwed this whole thing up’: Inside the attempt to derail Trump's erratic Syria withdrawal  —  President Trump dispatched national security adviser John Bolton on a cleanup mission a week ago, with a three-day itinerary in Israel that was intended to reassure a close ally …

Tulsi Gabbard once touted working for anti-gay group that backed conversion therapy  —  (CNN)Rep. Tulsi Gabbard in the early 2000s touted working for her father's anti-gay organization, which mobilized to pass a measure against same-sex marriage in Hawaii and promoted controversial conversion therapy.

Hedge-Fund-Backed Media Group Prepares Bid for Gannett  —  Digital First Media has taken 7.5% stake in USA Today publisher, seeks other bids  —  A hedge-fund-backed media group known for buying up struggling local papers and cutting costs is planning to make an offer for USA Today publisher …

Analysis: Stagecraft won't win shutdown battle for Trump  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Military salutes.  Heaps of contraband.  Oval Office optics.  —  President Donald Trump, who has long put a premium on stagecraft, is discovering he cannot resolve the partial government shutdown simply by putting on a show.

Judge blocks Trump birth control coverage rules in 13 states  —  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A U.S. judge in California on Sunday blocked Trump administration rules, which would allow more employers to opt out of providing women with no-cost birth control, from taking effect in 13 states and Washington, D.C.

Anthony Scaramucci among 12 new Celebrity Big Brother houseguests  —  Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci will be among 12 new contestants competing on season 2 of Big Brother: Celebrity Edition when the reality show hosted by Julie Chen Moonves premieres Monday, Jan. 21 on CBS.

Revelations about Manafort's 2016 interactions with Russian associate show special counsel's intense focus on Russia contacts  —  New revelations about Paul Manafort's interactions with a Russian associate while he was leading President Trump's campaign provide a window into how extensively …

“There isn't a clear path to an exit”: Officials see Washington stuck in shutdown mode  —  I've spent the weekend calling Trump administration and congressional sources to get a read on what's going to happen with the government shutdown.  Nobody could confidently describe the exit ramp, and it seems there's no immediate end in sight.

Canada air traffic controllers buy pizza for US colleagues  —  MONTREAL (AP) — Canadian air traffic controllers have bought hundreds of pizzas for their American counterparts over the past few days in what has become an industry-wide show of support during the U.S. government's partial shutdown.

Landlord rents $1,500 studio to two cats, hits ‘peak Silicon Valley’  —  San Jose studio even has an Apple TV  —  SAN JOSE — Looking to make some extra cash, David Callisch found the perfect tenants for the $1,500-a-month studio apartment behind his Willow Glen home — a pair of cats.

Ocasio-Cortez Pushes Democrats to the Left, Whether They Like It or Not  —  WASHINGTON — Not so long ago, left-wing activists were dismissed as fringe or even kooky when they pressed for proposals to tax the super rich at 70 percent, to produce all of America's power through renewable resources …

CNN Poll: Trump bears most blame for shutdown  —  WASHINGTON (CNN)Amid the longest government shutdown in US history, a majority say Donald Trump bears more responsibility for it than the Democrats in Congress, and the President's disapproval rating has climbed five points since last month, according to a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS.