‘Empire’ Star Jussie Smollett Beaten by MAGA Backers, Cast Gets Armed Guards  —  12:43 PM PT — Sources connected to production tell us Jussie and the rest of the main “Empire” cast members will have armed security going forward while they continue shooting in Chicago.

Some Dems float idea of primary challenge for Ocasio-Cortez  —  Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has infuriated colleagues by aligning with a progressive outside group that's threatening to primary entrenched Democrats.  Now some of those lawmakers are turning the tables …

Elizabeth Warren Mocks ‘Billionaire’ Howard Schultz  —  Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) took a shot Tuesday at former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's chances of mounting a serious presidential campaign, the latest salvo in a budding feud between the progressive senator and her potential 2020 rival.

U.S. Intelligence Chiefs Contradict Trump on North Korea and Iran  —  WASHINGTON — A new American intelligence assessment of global threats has concluded that North Korea is “unlikely to give up” all of its nuclear stockpiles, and that Iran is not “currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons …

Trump sat down with Putin at G20 without US note-taker  —  Donald Trump sat down with Vladimir Putin for several minutes of conversation at the end of an evening event at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires in November, with no translator or note-taker from the US side to record the dialogue between the leaders …

Senate panel postpones attorney general nominee William P. Barr's confirmation vote amid Democrats' concerns  —  President Trump's nominee for attorney general is expected to clear the Senate Judiciary Committee and be confirmed by the full Senate, but Democrats are worried …

Democrats tap Georgia's Stacey Abrams to deliver the response to Trump's State of the Union address  —  Democrats have tapped Georgia's Stacey Abrams to deliver the response to President Trump's State of the Union address, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Tuesday.

APNewsBreak: Infamy, zeal for carnage inspired Vegas shooter  —  LAS VEGAS (AP) — A high-stakes gambler who rained down a hail of gunfire, killing 58 people from his high-rise casino suite in Las Vegas wanted infamy and mass destruction, the FBI told the Associated Press Tuesday …

Mother Carrying Baby in Stroller Dies After Falling Down Subway Stairs  —  [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]  —  A young mother died on Monday night when she fell down a flight of subway stairs in Midtown Manhattan while carrying her baby daughter in a stroller, the police said.

Baltimore will stop prosecuting marijuana possession, Mosby announces  —  Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced Tuesday her office would cease prosecuting people for possessing marijuana regardless of quantity or criminal history.  —  Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced Tuesday …

Graham urges Trump to tie debt limit to border security funding  —  Manchin: Stop Washington's paychecks, stop shutdowns 01:16  —  Washington (CNN) — An influential Republican senator is urging President Donald Trump to up the ante in talks over his border wall: To push for an increase …

Trump: ‘The Greatest Salesman’ Who Can't Sell Anything  —  She and the base took Trump's word for it on the wall.  They never considered that the guy who conned others might be conning them, too.  —  Matt Lewis  —  Donald Trump had 35 days to convince America to support his border wall during the government shutdown.

Texas quietly informs counties that some of the 95,000 voters flagged for citizenship review don't belong on the list  —  County officials said the number mistakenly flagged is “significant.” … After flagging tens of thousands of registered voters for citizenship reviews …

The lowest-paid shutdown workers aren't getting back pay  —  Janitors, security guards and cooks aren't guaranteed compensation after losing wages  —  Her debt was mounting: $156 for the gas bill, $300 for electricity, $2,000 for the mortgage.  She could no longer afford her blood pressure pills.

Harley-Davidson Profit Is Wiped Out by President Trump's Tariffs  — Earnings per share miss estimates by widest margin since 2009  — Retail deliveries in home market dropped 10% in fourth quarter  —  Harley-Davidson Inc. broke even in the last quarter of a year …

Gone in a Generation  —  Across America, climate change is already disrupting lives  —  The continental United States is 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it was a century ago.  Seas at the coasts are nine inches higher.  The damage is mounting from these fundamental changes, and Americans are living it.

Rap star Cardi B is headed to Des Moines this spring  —  Who's ready for some Cardi B, okurrr?!  —  The chart-topping “I Like It” and “Money” rap star plans to make her Des Moines debut May 3 at Wells Fargo Arena, a Friday night.  Tickets to see the New York native go on sale Friday at 10 …

Trump's Twitter insult about ‘Team of Vipers’ might be helping Cliff Sims sell books  —  New York (CNN)We've read this story before: A book comes out that contains unflattering chapters about President Trump.  Strategists say he should ignore it.  But he finds it irresistible.

GOP Congressman Unveils Bill To Prevent More Blake Farentholds  —  The BLAKE Act would ban ex-members from lobbying Congress until they repay taxpayer money spent on sex harassment settlements.  —  WASHINGTON Remember Blake Farenthold?  He's the former Texas congressman who spent $84,000 …

What Kamala Harris Doesn't Understand About Gun Owners  —  When I read progressive arguments for gun control, I'm struck by how often I'll see a truly strange line of thought.  “If only,” they argue, “you really knew what guns do, then you'd favor greater limits on gun rights.”

Chris Christie: There Is No One With More Influence Over Trump Than Jared Kushner  —  Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie made headlines in early 2016 when he dropped out of the presidential race and subsequently became the first major Republican to endorse Donald Trump.

Dems to strike ‘so help me God’ from oath taken in front of key House committee, draft shows  —  Did the president cave to Nancy Pelosi?  Trump signs bill to reopen the government with no wall funding  —  A key committee in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is moving to eliminate the words …

Democrats' 2020 presidential contest is wide open as danger mounts for Trump, new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows  —  Amid new signs of danger for President Trump's reelection hopes, the opposition race to replace him is wide open, with most Democratic voters not able to name their favorite candidate …

Roger Stone's Indictment Says Mueller Ain't Done Yet  —  Matthew Whitaker says the investigation is ‘close to being completed.’ If true, why did the Special Counsel say so much about the Trump campaign and execute search warrants?  —  Roger Stone, President Trump's former campaign adviser …

Republicans may block Trump from another shutdown  —  Senate Republicans can't stomach another shutdown.  —  After weathering 35 days of a partial government closure, the Senate GOP is dreading the possibility another one will hit in less than three weeks — a sentiment …