Pence and White House officials meet with congressional aides in effort to end shutdown  —  Top White House officials and senior congressional aides were meeting Saturday to try to negotiate a breakthrough to end the partial government shutdown that has now persisted for two weeks with no end in sight.

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,” …

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 …

Ocasio-Cortez wants higher taxes on very rich Americans.  Here's how much money that could raise.  —  With the help of tax experts, we produced some back-of-the-envelope estimates.  —  Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) floated a 60 to 70 percent tax rate on the richest Americans …

‘The new straw poll’: 2020 candidates race to build small-donor armies  —  Democratic presidential contenders are already locked in an important battle to showcase their viability, racing to build digital armies to power their campaigns.  —  Online support is set to play a pivotal role …

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” …

President Trump, senior White House staff head to weekend retreat at Camp David  —  President Donald Trump and his senior staff are headed on a group vacation — all at the direction of new acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney.  —  White House senior staffers will spend the weekend at Camp David in Hauvers …

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.

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 …

The Character That Matters  —  A few days ago, American Greatness published some thoughts of mine about Jonah Goldberg's contention that “President Trump is not a man of good character” and that, consequently, his administration “will end poorly.”  —  “Character,” Jonah says, “is destiny.”

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 …

Rashida Tlaib's Expletive-Laden Cry to Impeach Trump Upends Democrats' Talking Points  —  WASHINGTON — Impeachment was always going to hang heavily over a divided Washington.  But it took little more than 24 hours this week for a freshman House Democrat's exuberant, expletive-laden impeachment promise …

Millions face delayed tax refunds, cuts to food stamps as White House scrambles to deal with shutdown's consequences  —  Food stamps for 38 million low-income Americans face severe reductions and more than $140 billion in tax refunds are at risk of being frozen or delayed if the government shutdown stretches …

Record Numbers of Americans Want to Leave the U.S.  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — While Donald Trump has spent much of his presidency focused on the number of people who want to get into the U.S., since he took office, record numbers of Americans have wanted to get out.

New Governor Janet Mills Makes Fighting Opioid Deaths A Priority In Maine — Finally  —  In her first days in office, the state's first female governor expanded Medicaid and announced plans for an opioid czar.  —  On her first full day in office, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) …

Can you admire an anti-Semite and advance the cause of women?  Maybe so.  Life is full of contradictions  —  It's been a long two years since millions converged on Washington, D.C., for the Women's March, an idea that grew out of a suggestion Teresa Shook, a Hawaii lawyer and educator, spontaneously made to some friends.

Three dead in national parks as shutdown wears on  —  Trump administration officials decided to leave the scenic parks open even as the Interior Department has halted most of its operations — a departure from previous extended shutdowns  —  Three days after most of the federal workforce …