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.

Just how much trouble is Michael Flynn in?  —  On Wednesday, national security adviser Michael Flynn told The Washington Post that he and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak had never discussed the sanctions put in place by the Obama administration in a series of communications in December 2016.

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.

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.

Protesters block Betsy DeVos from entering public school in Washington  — “I will not be deterred in executing the vital mission of the Department of Education,” DeVos says  —  (CNN)Protesters briefly blocked Education Secretary Betsy DeVos as she tried to enter a public school on Friday morning.

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 …

Anger erupts at Republican town halls  —  Murfreesboro, Tennessee (CNN)More than seven years after angry anti-Obamacare town halls erupted across the country, raw emotions are boiling over again — this time, as the Republican Party under President Donald Trump gears up to dismantle Barack Obama's legacy.

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 …

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.

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 …

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.

Katy Perry gets political: Listen to her new song ‘Chained to the Rhythm’  —  Pop Music Critic  —  You know America's in a troubling spot when even Katy Perry is singing about the illusion of freedom.  —  That's the subject of “Chained to the Rhythm,” the once-carefree pop star's new single …

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.

Conflict Over Trump Forces Out an Opinion Editor at The Wall Street Journal  —  The Wall Street Journal's editorial features editor has left the paper following tensions over the section drifting in a pro-Donald Trump direction.  —  News of the departure of Mark Lasswell …

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.

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.

UNDER FIRE, CONWAY MAINTAINS SUPPORT OF THE PRESIDENT  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Kellyanne Conway, the high-profile White House counselor, has come under fire from Democratic and Republican lawmakers, fact checkers and the media.  But she's so far maintained the support of her boss, President Donald Trump.

Steve Bannon Cited Italian Thinker Who Inspired Fascists  —  ROME — Those trying to divine the roots of Stephen K. Bannon's dark and at times apocalyptic worldview have repeatedly combed over a speech that Mr. Bannon, President Trump's ideological guru, made in 2014 to a Vatican conference …

Democrats Are in Worse Shape than Even They Think  —  Warnings — or, in some cases, celebrations — that the Democrats are on the verge of a disastrous collapse have been growing more frequent recently.  —  Since the election, Rush Limbaugh has been hammering the point that the campaign …