US investigators corroborate some aspects of the Russia dossier  —  Washington (CNN)For the first time, US investigators say they have corroborated some of the communications detailed in a 35-page dossier compiled by a former British intelligence agent, multiple current and former US law enforcement and intelligence officials tell CNN.

Trump not planning to appeal travel ban ruling to Supreme Court  —  The Trump administration is not planning to appeal a temporary hold on the president's travel ban to the Supreme Court, a White House official said Friday.  —  But the White House said it will forge ahead on the broader battle …

Russia Considers Returning Snowden to U.S. to ‘Curry Favor’ With Trump: Official  —  U.S. intelligence has collected information that Russia is considering turning over Edward Snowden as a “gift” to President Donald Trump — who has called the NSA leaker a “spy” and a “traitor” who deserves to be executed.

Trump brings up vote fraud again, this time in meeting with senators  —  President Donald Trump can't stop—won't stop—talking about the election.  —  On Thursday, during a meeting with 10 senators that was billed as a listening session about Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch …

Federal agents conduct immigration enforcement raids in at least six states  —  U.S. immigration authorities made a series of arrests in at least half a dozen states across the country on Thursday and Friday, sweeping up an unknown number of undocumented immigrants, immigration lawyers and advocates said.

CIA freezes out top Flynn aide  —  A top deputy to National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was rejected for a critical security clearance, effectively ending his tenure on the National Security Council and escalating tensions between Flynn and the intelligence community.

Exclusive: White House Has Interviewed Carl Higbie for Press Secretary  —  Carl Higbie has interviewed for the position of White House press secretary, according to two senior administration officials familiar with the matter.  “Well, I can say that I've offered my services,” Higbie confirms for Washingtonian when reached by phone.

Trump has some awkward exchanges with the Japanese prime minister  —  President Donald Trump's grin-and-grip with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the Oval Office on Friday came off more like a power play between world leaders — and ended with an exaggerated eye roll from Abe.

Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway hires a chief of staff  —  Kellyanne Conway, counselor to President Trump and one of the most visible figures in the administration, is expanding her operation inside the White House by hiring a veteran congressional staffer as her chief of staff.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos physically blocked by protesters from entering D.C. school  —  Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was physically blocked by protesters from entering Jefferson Academy in SW, D.C. Friday morning.  This was her first visit to a public school.

The Madness of King Donald  —  I guess I should start by saying this is not a blog.  Nor is it what one might call a column.  It's an experiment of sorts to see if there's something in between those two.  Most Fridays, from now on, I'll be writing in this space about, among other things …

First on CNN: Trump nixes Elliott Abrams for State Department job  —  (CNN)CNN has learned that Elliott Abrams will not get the number two position at the State Department, according to Republican sources.  —  President Donald Trump met with Abrams and the sources said that the meeting went …

Americans Now Evenly Divided on Impeaching Trump  —  PPP's new national poll finds that Donald Trump's popularity as President has declined precipitously just over the last two weeks.  On our first poll of his Presidency voters were evenly divided on Trump, with 44% approving of him and 44% also disapproving.

Four accused in Facebook Live torture case plead not guilty  —  Brittany Covington, 18, of Chicago; (clockwise from upper left) Tesfaye Cooper, 18, of Chicago; Jordan Hill, 18, of Carpentersville; and Tanishia Covington, 24, of Chicago.  Each is charged with a hate crime, aggravated kidnapping …

REVEALED: This is what secretive billion-dollar startup Magic Leap has been working on  —  Magic Leap, the $4.5 billion startup backed by Google building technology that “augments” human vision with digital imagery, is scrambling to finish a working prototype before an important board meeting next week.

Breaking: Mob Gathering Outside Mitch McConnell's Home in Kentucky  —  This isn't going to end well.  There is a crowd forming outside Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell's house in Louisville, Kentucky.  Phil Lewis, a front page editor for the Huffington Post shared these pictures via his twitter account Friday night.

A Utah Congressman Faces the ‘Resistance’ in his Home State  —  The raucous crowd of Utahans that booed Rep. Jason Chaffetz off the stage Thursday night were, in many ways, a motley lot.  Some were progressive organizers rallying against President Trump's agenda; others were hunters and hippies …

University: Woman Behind Hitler Valentine Was Not A Student, Left Town  —  The woman who created an anti-Semitic Valentine's card featuring Adolf Hitler that was handed out by Central Michigan University College Republicans earlier this week admitted her role and has left the university's town, the school said in a statement Friday.

Readout of the President's Call with President Xi Jinping of China  —  President Donald J. Trump and President Xi Jinping of China had a lengthy telephone conversation on Thursday evening.  The two leaders discussed numerous topics and President Trump agreed, at the request of President Xi, to honor our “one China” policy.

Hundreds of thousands rally in Iran against Trump, chant ‘Death to America’: TV  —  Hundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied on Friday to swear allegiance to their clerical leaders and reject U.S. President Donald Trump's warning that he had put the Islamic Republic “on notice”, state TV reported.