Trump Ordered Mueller Fired, but Backed Off When White House Counsel Threatened to Quit  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump ordered the firing last June of Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel overseeing the Russia investigation, according to four people told of the matter …

An affair with Trump?  Nikki Haley on ‘disgusting’ rumors and her rise to a top foreign policy role  —  NEW YORK — Nikki Haley became a trusted member of Donald Trump's inner circle over the past year, but she's recently re-familiarized herself with a downside of professional success …

The White House's immigration proposal is dead on arrival  —  The White House framework on immigration reform that leaked yesterday — then was released early — is a non-starter those on the left, having spoken to progressive immigration leaders in close touch with top Democrats.

Donald Trump says sorry to Britain  —  Piers Morgan has frequently spoken about his friendship with Donald Trump - and now Piers has finally interviewed the US President in what was his first international interview since taking office.  —  This unmissable interview took place in Davos …

Operation Sabotage the Memo  —  What are Adam Schiff, the Justice Department and the FBI trying to hide?  —  Rep. Adam Schiff has many talents, though few compare to his ability to function as a human barometer of Democratic panic.  The greater the level of Schiff hot, pressured air, the more trouble the party knows it's in.

Jemele Hill is Leaving SC6 for The Undefeated  —  ESPN's SportsCenter will need a new co-host as Jemele Hill is expected to leave the show for a position with The Undefeated.  —  ESPN SportsCenter anchor Jemele Hill is leaving the 6:00 p.m. SC6 edition of SportsCenter to join the staff of The Undefeated …

Joe Kennedy to deliver Democratic response to State of the Union address  —  WASHINGTON - Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III, one of the Democratic Party's rising political stars, has been tapped by top party leaders to deliver the official Democratic response to President Trump's State of the Union address next week.

Rep. Pat Meehan will not seek reelection after sexual harassment furor  —  Rep. Pat Meehan will not seek reelection amid a furor over his use of taxpayer dollars to settle a sexual harassment claim against an aide, and the national response to his describing the woman as his “soul mate.”

Paris zoo shut after 50 baboons escape  —  Visitors to Paris Zoological Park evacuated as workers try to lure animals back to enclosures  —  The Paris Zoological Park has been evacuated and closed after dozens of baboons escaped their enclosure.  —  As zookeepers raced to round up the animals …

James Franco Was Scrubbed From Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue Cover  —  “We made a decision not to include James Franco on the Hollywood cover once we learned of the misconduct allegations against him,” a Vanity Fair spokesperson says.  —  Vanity Fair debuted its anticipated Hollywood Portfolio today …

U.S. economic growth slowed in 2017's fourth quarter, missing Trump's targets  —  The U.S. gross domestic product, a broad measure of the economy, increased by 2.3 percent in 2017.  GDP growth slowed in the year's fourth quarter to an annualized rate of 2.6, breaking a two-quarter streak of growth of more than 3 percent.

Deep in Clinton country, voters stand by their candidate  —  The pilings of long-gone piers still jut out of the murky Hudson River in New York County, N.Y., reminders of a shipping industry that's all-but-vanished from the region.  There's almost no manufacturing left in the towering buildings …

Dutch agencies provide crucial intel about Russia's interference in US-elections  —  Hackers from the Dutch intelligence service AIVD have provided the FBI with crucial information about Russian interference with the American elections.  For years, AIVD had access to the infamous Russian hacker group Cozy Bear.

Trump: Nobody wants to take care of DACA more than me  —  Watch CNBC's full interview with President Trump from Davos from CNBC.  —  President Trump  —  said Friday that he and Republicans want to find a way to extend protections for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Exclusive: ICE is about to start tracking license plates across the US  —  The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has officially gained agency-wide access to a nationwide license plate recognition database, according to a contract finalized earlier this month.

Scientists Rebel Over a Trump Ally at the Natural History Museum  —  Rebekah Mercer, a supporter of President Trump and an influential donor to conservative causes — including groups that deny climate science — is under renewed pressure to step down from the board of New York City's …

The Trumps asked to borrow a Van Gogh for the White House.  The Guggenheim offered an 18K gold toilet instead.  —  The emailed response from the Guggenheim's chief curator to the White House was polite but firm: the museum could not accommodate a request to “borrow” a painting by Vincent Van Gogh …

Baker has 61 times as much campaign money as all of his Democratic opponents — combined  —  As the 2018 gubernatorial contest crawls to a start, it is not just the polls showing Governor Charlie Baker hugely popular with voters but also the fund-raising numbers that paint a bleak picture for Democrats.

Ellison exploring Minnesota AG run  —  Keith Ellison, the progressive congressman and deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee, is exploring a run for Minnesota attorney general, according to four people he's discussed the possibility with.  —  Lori Swanson, the current attorney general …

Enemy of the State  —  Bill Browder helped craft U.S. policy toward Russia.  Was it for the better?  —  On June 6, 2016, Bill Browder, a London-based billionaire, sent an email to Kyle Parker, a congressional staffer, with the subject line “Veselnitskaya house.”