Hope Hicks' “white lies” testimony becomes a flashpoint for House Intel Committee  —  In a rare, on-the-record accounting of some of the House Intelligence committee's secret, closed-door proceedings, two members of the House Intelligence Committee explained to CBS News what led White House …

Mueller investigation examining Trump's apparent efforts to oust Sessions in July … Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III has been investigating a period of time last summer when President Trump seemed determined to drive Attorney General Jeff Sessions from his job, according to people familiar …

Kushner's Business Got Loans from Companies After White House Meetings  —  Apollo, the private equity firm, and Citigroup made large loans last year to the family real estate business of Jared Kushner, President Trump's senior adviser.  —  Early last year, a private equity billionaire started paying regular visits to the White House.

See HUD's $31,000 mahogany dining set  —  Washington (CNN)A $31,000 dining set the Department of Housing and Urban Development purchased, which raised eyebrows when first reported Tuesday, includes a table, sideboard, breakfront — all in mahogany — and 10 mahogany chairs with a blue velvet finish …

Walmart Statement on Firearms Policy  —  In light of recent events, we've taken an opportunity to review our policy on firearm sales.  Going forward, we are raising the age restriction for purchase of firearms and ammunition to 21 years of age.  We will update our processes as quickly as possible to implement this change.

Questions linger about how Melania Trump, a Slovenian model, scored ‘the Einstein visa’  —  In 2000, Melania Knauss, a Slovenian model dating Donald Trump, began petitioning the government for the right to permanently reside in the United States under a program reserved for people with “extraordinary ability.”

Trump, The Day After: “Respect 2nd Amendment!”  —  Pontificate in haste, repent at leisure.  Or perhaps Donald Trump didn't have as much leisure as he might have surmised.  After a disastrous performance in a “listening session” yesterday in which Trump ridiculed Republicans for being controlled …

AP-NORC Poll: Most Americans say Trump is racist  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — More than half of Americans, including large majorities of blacks and Hispanics, think President Donald Trump is a racist.  More than half think his policies have made things worse for Hispanics and Muslims …

Putin claims Russia has nuclear arsenal capable of avoiding missile defenses … MOSCOW — Russia has developed nuclear weapons that can avoid any missile defense systems and plans to bolster its arsenal with nuclear-powered cruise missiles capable to hitting any point on the globe …

Trump is ramping up for a 2020 run (but Democrats STILL don't get it)  —  It's official: President Trump is running for re-election.  He announced Tuesday that he has appointed Brad Parscale as his campaign manager and that planning for the 2020 race is underway.

Fights Worth Having  —  For my money, the best op-ed published in The Times this week was Mona Charen's Feb. 25 barn-burner, “I'm Glad I Got Booed at CPAC.”  Charen is a movement conservative who worked for Nancy and Ronald Reagan and is a longtime contributor to National Review.

First on CNN: Planned Parenthood to target 8 states, spend $20 million as part of midterm battle plan  —  Pro-choice activist: White women can do better  —  Washington (CNN)Planned Parenthood's political arm is targeting eight states with competitive Senate and governor's races in its largest-ever midterm election campaign.

Has Jared Kushner Conspired to Defraud America?  —  Amid the dizzying details of internet trolls, almost a million dollars' worth of antique rugs and fake bank accounts, the indictments brought by Robert Mueller, the special counsel, in his investigation of Russian tampering in the 2016 election have one thing in common.

Hundreds gather at church for blessing ceremony featuring AR-15s  —  NEWFOUNDLAND, Pa. — Hundreds of crown-wearing worshipers clutching AR-15 rifles drank holy wine and exchanged or renewed wedding vows in a commitment ceremony at a Pennsylvania church on Wednesday, prompting a nearby school to cancel classes.

EU Warns Tech Giants to Remove Terror Content in 1 Hour—or Else  —  EU lays out rules for firms to fight online illegal material  —  Facebook, Google among tech firms under pressure to react  —  The European Union issued internet giants an ultimatum to remove illegal online terrorist content within …

Pruitt says he will start flying coach  —  EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt will start flying coach instead of first class at least part of the time, he told CBS News' Major Garrett Wednesday.  —  Pruitt had been flying first or business class consistently because his security detail was alarmed …

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico to Quit Amid Tense Relations Under Trump  —  MEXICO CITY — The United States ambassador to Mexico plans to resign from her post in May, according to a memo circulated on Thursday to embassy staff, the latest in a string of senior diplomatic departures from the region …

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll - February 2018: Health Care and the 2018 Midterms, Attitudes Towards Proposed Changes to Medicaid  —  KEY FINDINGS:  — Medicaid continues to be seen favorably by a majority of the public (74 percent) and about half (52 percent) believe the Medicaid program …

US weekly jobless claims drop to lowest level since 1969  — Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 210,000 for the week ended Feb. 24, the lowest level since December 1969.  — It was the 156th straight week that claims remained below …