Trump's communications with foreign leader are part of whistleblower complaint that spurred standoff between spy chief and Congress, former officials say  —  The whistleblower complaint that has triggered a tense showdown between the U.S. intelligence community and Congress involves President …

Justin Trudeau Wore Brownface at 2001 ‘Arabian Nights’ Party While He Taught at a Private School  —  Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, wore brownface makeup to a party at the private school where he was teaching in the spring of 2001.  TIME has obtained a photograph of the incident.

Bolton unloads on Trump's foreign policy behind closed doors  —  John Bolton, President Donald Trump's fired national security adviser, harshly criticized Trump's foreign policy on Wednesday at a private lunch, saying that inviting the Taliban to Camp David sent a “terrible signal” and that it was …

Exclusive: Zarif threatens ‘all-out war’ in case of military strike on Iran  —  Tehran, Iran (CNN)Iran's foreign minister has raised the specter of “all-out war” in the event of US or Saudi military strikes and that Saudi Arabia would have to fight “to the last American soldier.”

This Picture Tells You Everything You Need to Know About Impeachment  —  A Renaissance-style tableau for a divided Washington.  —  WASHINGTON — The photograph has all the trappings of a Renaissance painting — crowded with characters, action and emotion — only this one is set …

Kamala Harris bets it all on Iowa to break freefall  —  Kamala Harris is putting her stumbling campaign on the line with a new Iowa-or-bust strategy: She's shifting away from the closed-door fundraisers that dominated her summer calendar to focus on retail politicking in the crucial kickoff state.

Election setback has Netanyahu now seeking to share power in a unity government  —  JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seeing his chances of outright victory slipping as the final votes from this week's election were counted, called Thursday for a power-sharing agreement …

Pete Buttigieg's plan for Medicare-for-all-who-want-it, explained  —  South Bend, Indiana, mayor and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has a “Medicare for all who want it” plan.  David J. Phillip/AP  —  Pete Buttigieg has released his first detailed health care plan on Thursday …

McSally's GOP Senate Challenger Wants to...Annex Mexico  —  Donald Trump wants to build the wall.  A wannabe-Donald Trump in Arizona wants to annex Mexico.  —  Ahead of a general election where the Grand Canyon State could be a bit of a problem for the president, the wealthy owner of a cosmetics company …

Joe Kennedy to formally announce he'll run for Senate  —  Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III, the last member of the Democratic dynasty serving in Washington, plans to formally announce Saturday that he is launching a primary challenge to Senator Edward J. Markey, an audacious political move …

Pence taps former DHS press aide as new press secretary  —  WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence has hired Katie Waldman to be his new press secretary, NBC News has learned.  —  Waldman, who is currently communications director for Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., previously served …

The Ridiculous Campaign Against Vaping  —  Never before has a boon to public health been met with such hysteria and ingratitude.  —  Vaping is almost all upside in comparison with traditional smoking, a wanton destroyer of health and lives, and yet the nation is in the grips of a panic about e-cigarettes.

American Airlines Mechanic Accused of Plane Sabotage May Have Ties to Terrorists, U.S. Says  —  A judge denied bail to the employee, who the authorities said told federal agents he had tampered with the plane because he was upset about an impasse over a union contract.

Stop Gaslighting The Left About Evangelicals.  They Believe Awful Things About Jews  —  I have a pastor uncle who brought a shofar back from an “end times” trip to Israel.  It's a type of religious tourism popular among America's white evangelicals.  Guided tours include not just …

Manchin: 'Beto O'Rourke's Not Taking My Guns Away From Me'  —  Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) on Wednesday said presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke “is not taking my guns away from me.”  —  O'Rourke, a former congressman from El Paso, Texas, has made gun confiscation part of his presidential platform …

Donald Trump Jr Calls Out Instagram for Search Engine ‘Error’  —  The President's son, Donald Trump Jr., has called out Instagram for allegedly removing him and President Trump from search suggestions.  —  In a message on his Instagram account, Don Jr. called out the platform for failing …

The Final Lesson Donald Trump Never Learned from Roy Cohn  —  One of Donald Trump's most important mentors, one of the most reviled men in American political history, is about to have another moment.  —  Roy Cohn, who has been described by people who knew him as “a snake,” “a scoundrel” …

Election authorities aren't in a position to stop Yang's free money giveaway even if it is illegal  —  Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang's “freedom dividend” free money raffle has raised questions of legality, but the watchdog tasked with overseeing campaign finance issues, the Federal Election Commission, is hamstrung.

Beto O'Rourke calls for federal legalization of marijuana, government stipends for ex-offenders  —  Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke unveiled his plan Thursday for federal legalization of marijuana, which includes a tax on the industry to fund a monthly stipend to repay people …

Why is New York's most famous library getting into bed with the Saudi crown prince?  —  Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is going to be sponsoring an event at the iconic New York Public Library.  This reputation-laundering shouldn't be allowed to happen  — Update: on Wednesday at 16:31 …