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Analysis

Thursday

What You Need To Know About The Latest Big News In The Mueller Russia Investigation

Michael Cohen walks out of federal court Thursday in New York, after pleading guilty to lying to Congress about work he did on an aborted project to build a Trump Tower in Russia. Julie Jacobson/AP hide caption

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Julie Jacobson/AP

National Security

What You Need To Know About The Latest Big News In The Mueller Russia Investigation

A busy week has brought a flurry of twists and turns in the often difficult-to-understand story lines of the special counsel's investigation. Here's a breakdown of what happened and what it means.

Wednesday

Why The Crisis Between Ukraine And Russia Has Taken To The Sea

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko speaks to soldiers during a visit to a military base in Chernihiv region, Ukraine, on Wednesday. Russia and Ukraine traded blame after Russian border guards on Sunday opened fire on three Ukrainian navy vessels and eventually seized them and their crews. The incident put the two countries on a war footing and raised international concern. Mykola Lazarenko/Presidential Press Service via AP hide caption

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Mykola Lazarenko/Presidential Press Service via AP

World

Why The Crisis Between Ukraine And Russia Has Taken To The Sea

It's not by chance that the countries' 4 1/2-year conflict has taken on a naval dimension. Moscow is further imposing on Kiev its annexation of Crimea.

FACT CHECK: Trump's Claims About 'Record Clean' U.S. Air

High-rise buildings in downtown Los Angeles are seen on a hazy morning in September. Although the Clean Air Act of 1970 resulted in greatly improved air quality in the U.S., smog worsened between 2014 and 2016, according to the American Lung Association. Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

Politics

FACT CHECK: Trump's Claims About 'Record Clean' U.S. Air

The president says the U.S. environment is better than it has been in years. But data from various sources paint a more complicated picture.

Tuesday

Monday

New U.S. Climate Assessment Forecasts Dire Effects On Economy, Health

Volunteers search a mobile home park in Paradise, Calif. Government scientists predict wildfires like the one that struck this community will contribute to billions in losses for the U.S. economy. Kathleen Ronayne/AP hide caption

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Kathleen Ronayne/AP

Environment And Energy Collaborative

New U.S. Climate Assessment Forecasts Dire Effects On Economy, Health

The Trump administration released a major climate assessment on Black Friday. It is the most detailed and blunt assessment yet of the dangers of unchecked global warming.

Friday

Democrats Won The Suburbs. Now They Have To Hold Them

Newly elected members of the House of Representatives Lucy McBath and Abigail Spanberger meet in front of the U.S. Capitol. Both women represent newly Democratic suburban districts. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption

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Win McNamee/Getty Images

Politics

Democrats Won The Suburbs. Now They Have To Hold Them

Many of the party's newly-won suburban House districts are previous GOP strongholds that flipped by tiny margins. Republicans are already preparing to take them back.

Democrats Won The Suburbs. Now They Have To Hold Them

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Tuesday

'Maybe He Did, Maybe He Didn't': Trump Defends Saudis, Downplays U.S. Intel

President Trump speaks to reporters before leaving the White House on Tuesday. He said his administration would remain a "steadfast partner" of Saudi Arabia despite the recent killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Turkey. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP hide caption

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Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

'Maybe He Did, Maybe He Didn't': Trump Defends Saudis, Downplays U.S. Intel

The president says business deals and shared security interests with the Saudis — and not the death of Jamal Khashoggi — will set the tone for the relationship. "We're with Saudi Arabia," Trump said.

Monday

North Korea Denuclearization Plan Has Gone Nowhere Since Trump-Kim Summit

President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a declaration in June, but the vague language may be hampering further negotiations. Evan Vucci/AP hide caption

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Evan Vucci/AP

World

North Korea Denuclearization Plan Has Gone Nowhere Since Trump-Kim Summit

Five months after the Singapore summit, North Korea's nuclear program chugs on. "I think right now, we are absolutely stuck," says North Korea expert Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA analyst.

North Korea Denuclearization Plan Has Gone Nowhere Since Trump-Kim Summit

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Saturday

The Russia Investigations: Trump Says His Answers For Mueller Are Done. Now What?

President Trump has never foreclosed the possibility he might talk in person with the special counsel's investigators, even though his own attorneys have advised him against it. Pool/Getty Images hide caption

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Pool/Getty Images

National Security

The Russia Investigations: Trump Says His Answers For Mueller Are Done. Now What?

The president told reporters that he wrote the answers to questions from the special counsel and that he did so "very easily." He also said he suspected some were designed to be a "perjury trap."

Saturday

The Russia Investigations: Who's Running The Justice Department?

Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, left, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein attend the U.S. Marshal Service's Director's Honorary Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C, on November 1, 2018. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

National Security

The Russia Investigations: Who's Running The Justice Department?

The president's appointment of a new acting AG ejected Jeff Sessions and leapfrogged Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein, the only person at DOJ who the president may like less than Sessions or Robert Mueller.

Friday

Wednesday

What Will Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker Mean For The Mueller Inquiry?

New acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker participates in an August roundtable event at the Department of Justice's Kennedy building in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

National Security

What Will Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker Mean For The Mueller Inquiry?

The chief of staff to former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Whitaker is a former U.S. attorney with a history of questioning the scope of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

With Democrats In Control Of The House, Now Comes The Post-Election Wrangling

Supporters of Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown celebrate his campaign victory in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday night. Brown defeated Republican challenger Jim Renacci to win a third term in the Senate. Jeff Swensen/Getty Images hide caption

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Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

With Democrats In Control Of The House, Now Comes The Post-Election Wrangling

It was a night with bragging rights and disappointments — a midterm election in which both parties took some lumps, but could also take some satisfaction. Rancor and wrangling are likely from now on.