No Escape for Roger Stone: Mueller's Case Is a Slam Dunk and He's Too Slimy to Get Flipped  —  Prosecutor who helped convict Dick Cheney aide Scooter Libby for lying and obstruction says the case against Trump's old pal is virtually perfect.  —  The long-anticipated indictment …

Jared Kushner, a Confident Negotiator, Finds Immigration Deal to Be Elusive  —  WASHINGTON — Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, was confident in his ability as a good-faith negotiator who could find a compromise to end the government shutdown.  —  His pitch to Democratic lawmakers was simple …

Trump claimed women were gagged with tape.  Then Border Patrol tried to find some evidence.  —  An internal email, sent 2 weeks after Trump started making the claim, asked agents for “any information” about what Trump was describing.  —  It's become a staple of President Donald Trump's riffs …

Americans fault Trump for chaotic government shutdown, as more believe US is ‘on the wrong track’: NBC-WSJ poll  — An NBC-Wall Street Journal poll showed that by 63 percent to 28 percent , a margin greater than two to one, Americans believe the country is “off on the wrong track” rather than “headed in the right direction.”

Donald Trump's demand for a border wall shut down the government.  At the same time, his company was firing undocumented workers.  —  OSSINING, N.Y — They had spent years on the staff of Donald Trump's golf club, winning employee-of-the-month awards and receiving glowing letters of recommendation.

The State of the Union is a tasteless, classless spectacle.  It must go.  —  Mitch Daniels, a Post contributing columnist, is president of Purdue University and a former governor of Indiana.  —  One needn't be a hidebound traditionalist to appreciate the value of our national civic ceremonies …

20 Dead as Bombs Target Sunday Mass in Philippine Cathedral  —  Jolo, Philippines (AP) — Two bombs minutes apart tore through a Roman Catholic cathedral on a southern Philippine island where Muslim militants are active, killing at least 20 people and wounding 81 others during a Sunday Mass, officials said.

Andrew Gillum's Florida Ethics Troubles Just Got Worse  —  After Andrew Gillum narrowly lost his gubernatorial bid in November, the Florida Democrat still seemed destined for big things.  His stunning primary victory proved him to be an effective, charismatic campaigner with a penchant for bold progressive policies.

A Bruised Trump Faces Uncertain 2020 Prospects.  His Team Fears a Primary Fight.  —  President Trump's defeat in his border-wall standoff with Congress has clouded his already perilous path to a second term in 2020, undercutting Mr. Trump's cherished image as a forceful leader and deft negotiator …

Democrats Are Newly Emboldened on Gun Control  —  In July 2001, at a meeting in Indianapolis, national Democratic chairman Terry McAuliffe told party brethren that gun control was an issue they were wise to avoid.  Nobody in the ballroom challenged him.  The consensus at the time was that Democrats …

Search on for Louisiana man suspected in 5 deaths  —  NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Authorities in Louisiana said they are searching for an “armed and dangerous” 21-year-old accused of killing his parents and three others in two separate but related shootings Saturday.

Conservative Kelli Ward to lead Arizona Republican Party after upset  —  Kelli Ward, the bomb-throwing conservative former state senator and loyalist to President Donald Trump, upended the race to lead the Arizona Republican Party by beating the establishment favorite and incumbent GOP chairman, Jonathan Lines.

U.S. and Taliban Edge Toward Deal to End America's Longest War  —  KABUL, Afghanistan — The United States and the Taliban are closing in on a deal to end America's longest war after six days of some of the most serious Afghan peace negotiations to date wrapped up on Saturday.