Damascus defiant as U.S. strikes prove more limited than feared … BEIRUT — Syria, Russia and Iran shrugged off strikes on Saturday by the United States and its allies against three Syrian chemical weapons facilities, which drew angry condemnations but no indication that there would be a wider escalation.

Michael Cohen and the End Stage of the Trump Presidency  —  On May 1, 2003, the day President George W. Bush landed on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln in front of the massive “Mission Accomplished” sign, I was in Baghdad performing what had become a daily ritual.

In his new book, James Comey calls for ‘ethical leadership.’ But does he live up to it?  —  Review of 'A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership" by James B. Comey … A HIGHER LOYALTY: Truth, Lies, and Leadership  —  Flatiron Books.  304 pp.  $29.99

Kentucky governor claims that children were sexually assaulted, used drugs while teachers protested … Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) lashed out against teachers participating in a statewide protest Friday, saying educators exposed some of the “hundreds of thousands” of children to sexual assault and drug use by walking out of class.

Video of two black men being removed from a Philadelphia Starbucks draws outrage, investigation  —  A video of two African American men being removed from a Philadelphia Starbucks has drawn national outrage and an “internal investigation” by police after it was posted earlier this week.

‘Was the Brexit poll compromised?  We may need a public debate about that’  —  Damian Collins, chair of the Commons committee looking into data breaches, says we are in the foothills of a global story … Damian Collins is a few minutes late for our interview in his House of Commons office and immediately apologises.

Trump's miserable crew has never been so desperate  —  These are desperate times for the quislings of Trump.  The cost of collaborating with President Trump in the continued debasement of American democracy is becoming far too high.  Fifteen months into his presidency …

Pro-Assad official says targeted bases were evacuated on Russian warning  —  BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian government and its allies have absorbed a U.S.-led attack on Saturday and the targeted sites were evacuated days ago thanks to a warning from Russia, a senior official in a regional alliance that backs Damascus said.

The Real Investigation  —  The one in the Southern District of New York, involving Michael Cohen and apparent hush-money payoffs, is a serious peril for Trump.  —  President Trump now has real legal peril.  The potential jeopardy stems from the investigation that came to light this week …

Michael Cohen's visiting Prague would be a huge development in the Russia investigation … McClatchy reported on Friday evening that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's team has evidence of a trip by President Trump's personal lawyer to Prague in the late summer of 2016.

The Al Gore Effect Comes to Minnesota  —  I got excited when I heard that all across the country, activists would be “marching for science” today.  Promoting, no doubt, information about X and Y chromosomes and the fact that-scientifically speaking-there are only two genders.  —  Just kidding.

DOJ Alumni Statement Regarding Rod Rosenstein, Robert Mueller, and the Rule of Law  —  We, the undersigned, are proud alumni of the United States Department of Justice.  We served this institution out of a commitment to the founding American principles that our democratic republic depends upon …

Judge: Transgender People A Protected Class, And The Military Can't Enact Trump Ban  —  “Transgender people have long been forced to live in silence, or to come out and face the threat of overwhelming discrimination,” the judge wrote.  —  WASHINGTON A federal judge late Friday barred …

Milos Forman, Oscar-Winning Director of 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' Dies at 86  —  LOS ANGELES — Milos Forman, a filmmaker who challenged Hollywood with his subversive touch, and twice directed movies that won the Oscar for best picture, died on Friday.  He was 86.