Politics and Government

Law enforcement officials became so concerned by President Trump's behavior in the days after he fired FBI Director James Comey that they began investigating whether he had been working for Russia against U.S. interests, the New York Times reported.

Saturday marks Day 22 of the partial federal government shutdown, stretching past the 21 days the government shut down in 1995-96. Many federal workers missed their first paycheck on Friday.

The much-anticipated World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report helps market traders anticipate future crop prices, and helps farmers plan for the coming year. Its absence will only add more uncertainty to a market coming off a tough 2018.

Thousands of federal workers in Minnesota saw a payday come and go Friday with no paycheck.

The Iowa caucuses are more than a year away, but the field of Democratic candidates is already shaping up. Should U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., run for president? How does she stack up against other likely contenders? MPR News host Stephanie Curtis spoke with four guests about that: a reporter, a political scientist, a Republican strategist and a Democratic strategist.

By a vote of 411-7, the House passed a bill requiring that all government workers receive retroactive pay after the partial shutdown ends. The Senate approved the bill unanimously Thursday.

The Supreme Court says Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's recovery from cancer surgery is "on track" and no further treatment is required. But the 85-year-old justice will miss court arguments next week.

The Trump administration says there is a national security crisis at the Southern border. But most people in the country illegally didn't sneak across the border; they overstayed their visas.

An NPR/Ipsos poll finds more than 70 percent of Americans say the shutdown is embarrassing for the country, will hurt the economy and the government should remain open while budget talks continue.

President Trump continues his quest to curb illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. One expert says there have always been ebbs and flows to how welcoming the U.S. is to immigrants.