Bill Cosby is hitting the town; legal experts see a strategy Source: AP

Bill Cosby is suddenly out and about in his hometown of Philadelphia in what legal experts say appears to be an effort by the comedian to rebuild his good-guy image ahead of his retrial on sexual assault charges in the spring. In the past two weeks, the 80-year-old Cosby emerged from a long period of near-seclusion to have dinner with friends at a restaurant and gave his first comedy performance in more than two years.

UPDATE 1-U.S. Senate sets evening vote on Powell to be Fed chair

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday agreed to hold an evening vote on the nomination of Federal Reserve Governor Jerome Powell to succeed Janet Yellen at the helm of the central bank, a move that would likely ensure continuity in U.S. monetary policy. The Republican-controlled Senate voted 84-12 to move toward a final vote, which it agreed to hold at 5 p.m. .

Schumer Takes Border-Wall Offer Off the Table

On Friday, hours before the Great Government Shutdown of 2018 began, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told Donald Trump in a one-on-one meeting that that he was ready to capitulate on the president's most famous campaign promise: a border wall with Mexico. Politico reports that a day after Democrats agreed to end the impasse by agreeing to reopen the government, Schumer informed the White House through an aide that his proposition was no longer valid.

U.S. attorney general questioned in special counsel Russia probe

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was questioned last week by the special counsel's office investigating potential collusion between Russia and President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday. The interview marked the first time that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office is known to have interviewed a member of Trump's Cabinet.

President signs stopgap bill ending government shutdown; funding extended through February 8

President Donald Trump signed a bill late yesterday ending the three-day government shutdown. The bill was approved earlier in the day by the House and Senate as Democrats joined Republicans to fund the government through February 8. In exchange for voting to end the shutdown, the Democrats received a promise from Republican leaders to address the plight of young, undocumented immigrants known as "dreamers," among other issues.

George W Bush’s Image Has Been Rehabilitated

Former President George W. Bush has seen a dramatic turnaround in his approval rating since leaving office over 16 years ago with over a majority of the country now viewing him favorably. Since leaving the White House in 2009, the 43rd President has seen his approval rating nearly double to 61 percent from 33 percent, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS.

As shutdown eases federal workers fear prospect of another

The swift steps ending a messy and expensive government shutdown set the stage for hundreds of thousands of federal workers to return Tuesday, but some say they fear they could find themselves in limbo again in a few more weeks. Congress sped toward moving to reopen government after Democrats reluctantly voted to temporarily pay for resumed operations on Monday afternoon.

Opioid commission member: Our work is a ‘sham’

The Republican-led Congress has turned the work of the president's opioid commission into a "charade" and a "sham," a member of the panel told CNN. "Everyone is willing to tolerate the intolerable - and not do anything about it," said former Democratic Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who was one of six members appointed to the bipartisan commission in March.

Out of character, Trump keeps his distance as shutdown ends Source: AP

As the shutdown of the federal government lumbered toward an end, President Donald Trump remained out of sight, suppressing his instincts to become part of the story by making a deal or picking a fight. Trump told allies over the weekend that he hated being on the sidelines, but he followed the recommendations of his staff and key congressional Republicans and removed himself from the negotiations.

Democrats’ Schumer draws criticism with deal to end shutdown

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., arrives at the Capitol at the start of the third day of the government shutdown, in Washington, Monday, Jan. 22, 2018. Schumer, arguably the most powerful Democrat in Washington, is trying to keep his party together to force a spending bill that would include protections for young immigrants.

The Latest: Immigrant advocates skewer Senate Democrats

Prominent immigrant advocacy groups are skewering Democratic senators for relenting in a fight that linked immigration changes to continued government funding. The youth group United We Dream says Senate Democrats who supported a deal to keep the government running through Feb. 8 are "enablers" of President Donald Trump's agenda.

As shutdown deal reached, Trump stays out of sight

As the shutdown of the federal government lumbered toward an end on Monday, President Donald Trump remained out of sight, suppressing his instincts to make himself part of the story by making a deal or picking a fight. Trump told allies over the weekend that he hated being on the sidelines, but he followed the recommendations of his staff and key congressional Republicans and removed himself from the negotiations.