FBI backs CIA view that Russia intervened to help Trump win election  —  FBI Director James B. Comey and Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. have backed a CIA assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election in part to help Donald Trump win the presidency, according to U.S. officials.

North Carolina Governor Signs Law Limiting Power Of His Successor  —  Pat McCrory, North Carolina's outgoing Republican governor, has signed a law stripping executive powers from his successor, Democrat Roy Cooper.  —  The law removes the State Board of Elections from the governor's control …

US Defense official: Chinese warship stole US underwater drone  —  (CNN)A US oceanographic vessel Thursday had its underwater drone stolen by a Chinese warship literally right in front of the eyes of the American crew, a US defense official told CNN Friday.  —  In the latest encounter …

The Scariest Thing About Trump's Presidency So Far Is Michael Flynn and His Team of Nutters  —  The most frightening aspect of the looming Donald Trump presidency is not so much the likely outcomes, many of which are horrifying, as the unlikely ones.  Running the federal government of the world's …

Michelle Obama: ‘We are feeling what not having hope feels like’  —  (CNN)Following the election of Donald Trump, Michelle Obama said many Americans now know what it's like not to have hope.  —  “We feel the difference now.  See, now, we are feeling what not having hope feels like,” …

Now you can fact-check Trump's tweets — in the tweets themselves  —  On Friday morning, President-elect Donald Trump took a new tack in his war on the Russia hacking issue. … As our Dave Weigel noted, this isn't really accurate.  There was nothing illegal at play, and Donna Brazile …

Kushner: We struck deal with Sinclair for straighter coverage  —  Donald Trump's campaign struck a deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group during the campaign to try and secure better media coverage, his son-in-law Jared Kushner told business executives Friday in Manhattan.

G.O.P. Plans to Replace Health Care Law With ‘Universal Access’  —  WASHINGTON — House Republicans, responding to criticism that repealing the Affordable Care Act would leave millions without health insurance, said on Thursday that their goal in replacing President Obama's health law was to guarantee …

New York Times Will Vacate 8 Floors In Its HQ To Generate “Significant Rental Revenue”  —  Remember when The NYT reported that its ad hoc campaign to boost revenue by selling subscriptions in response to the vicious back and forth with Donald Trump, was said to be a smashing success?

Men's swimming and diving season suspended  —  The Princeton men's swimming and diving team has been informed by Ford Family Director of Athletics Mollie Marcoux Samaan and head coach Rob Orr that their season has been suspended pending a decision about the remainder of the team's schedule.

Former Russia Today Anchor: “There Really Isn't A Better Mouthpiece For The Kremlin” Than Trump  —  CHRIS JANSING: I want to bring in Liz Wahl, former anchor for state owned TV network Russia Today, who famously quit on air because she said she didn't want to be “part of the Russian propaganda machine.”

‘National Geographic’ just made history with its new cover  —  As part of its January 2017 issue exploring our evolving understandings and definitions of gender, National Geographic is featuring nine-year-old transgender rights activist Avery Jackson on its cover—the first time a trans person has made the cover of the magazine.

Gophers players boycott football after suspensions; Holiday Bowl in jeopardy  —  Team willing to boycott bowl game to protest suspensions  —  Video (01:21) : The players made a number of demands from University of Minnesota officials and said the team would boycott the Holiday Bowl game if they were not met.

U.S. to disclose estimate of number of Americans under surveillance  —  The U.S. intelligence community will soon disclose an estimate of the number of Americans whose electronic communications have been caught in the crosshairs of online surveillance programs intended for foreigners …

Sex toys used to help chase off armed robber at San Bernardino shop  —  Two feisty employees of a San Bernardino sex shop fought off an armed robber, yelling at him and throwing sex toys to chase him out of the store empty-handed.  —  KABC  —  Two feisty employees of a San Bernardino sex shop fought off …

Top spy office: Intel agencies will not brief Electoral College members on alleged Russian interference  —  Spy agencies will not brief members of the Electoral College on alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race before the Dec. 19 vote, despite pleas from 70 electors …