BREAKING NEWS: Trump says he's cut his Supreme Court short-list down to five candidates including TWO women and he'll announce a nominee July 9 - but he doesn't plan to ask any of them about Roe v. Wade  — President is under pressure from conservatives to pick a reliably right-wing Supreme Court justice …

North Korea has increased nuclear production at secret sites, say U.S. officials  —  “Work is ongoing to deceive us on the number of facilities, the number of weapons, the number of missiles,” said one U.S. official.  —  WASHINGTON — U.S. intelligence agencies believe that North Korea …

U.S. Ambassador to Estonia Resigns in Disgust After Trump Anti-Europe Rants  —  James Melville is the latest in a string of career diplomat resignations over Trump's comments and policies.  —  The U.S. ambassador to Estonia, James D. Melville Jr., a career diplomat and member …

Reporter resigns after false tweet that Maryland shooting suspect had MAGA hat  —  A reporter in Springfield, Mass., resigned from his job Friday after posting a Twitter message falsely stating that Maryland shooting suspect Jarrod Ramos had brought a “Make America Great Again” hat to the office of the Capital Gazette.

Trump Apparently Duped by Prankster on Air Force One Phone Call  —  President Donald Trump appeared to return a call from a prankster posing as New Jersey's Democratic Senator Bob Menendez during an Air Force One flight earlier this week, calling into question the White House's security protocols.

President Trump defends ICE amid increasing calls from Democrats to abolish the agency  —  President Donald Trump took to Twitter Saturday morning to attack Democrats over increased calls among the left ranks of the party for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to be eliminated.

Trump Leaves Door Open to U.S. Recognizing Russia's Crimea Grab  —  President Donald Trump left the door open to recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea, telling reporters that such a move would be up for discussion when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin next month.

Summer of Rage  —  It shouldn't have been such a shock.  After all, many of those most painfully poleaxed by the news of Anthony Kennedy's retirement on Wednesday were the same ones who'd always understood the stakes; we knew that this was the risk, we've been scared for a long time.

Russians Offered Business Deals to Brexit's Biggest Backer  —  LONDON — Arron Banks, a British financier who bankrolled the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union, has long bragged about his “boozy six-hour lunch” with the Russian ambassador eight months before the vote.

U.S. assessing cost of keeping troops in Germany as Trump battles with Europe  —  The Pentagon is analyzing the cost and impact of a large-scale withdrawal or transfer of American troops stationed in Germany, amid growing tensions between President Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to people familiar with the work.

‘Shaken’ Rosenstein Felt Used by White House in Comey Firing  —  WASHINGTON — In the days after the F.B.I. director James B. Comey was fired last year, the deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, repeatedly expressed anger about how the White House used him to rationalize the firing …

The Inconvenient Legal Troubles That Lie Ahead for the Trump Foundation  —  Barring an unexpected change, the Donald J. Trump Foundation will be defending itself in a New York courtroom shortly before this fall's midterm elections.  The proceedings seem unlikely to go well for the institution …

The Democratic Socialists of America show their muscle in New York congressional upset  —  The primary defeat Tuesday of Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., who was both a top-ranking House Democrat and the head of one of New York's last political machines, is an upset that is still sending shockwaves through the Democratic Party.

Former ICE General Counsel Heads to Prison for Identity Theft  —  By angelo gilardelli / Shutterstock.com  —  A former top legal adviser to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau was sentenced to 48 months in prison for wire fraud and identity theft affecting aliens, the Justice Department announced on Thursday.

Ted Cruz: ‘Vote for the Democrat’ over the GOP Nazi  —  CHICAGO — Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz on Friday urged residents of a Chicago-area congressional district to vote for a Democrat if they must, to avoid giving even one vote to an avowed Nazi who won the GOP nomination.

Trump administration may detain migrant families longer than previously allowed  —  The Trump administration plans to detain migrant families together in custody rather than release them, according to a new court filing that suggests such detentions could last longer than the 20 days envisioned by a court settlement.

To Report or Resist?  A Journalist's Struggles in the Age of Trump  —  There comes a time when you wonder if staying on the sidelines is the responsible thing to do  —  It has been a week of blows.  —  As a journalist, I've always resisted activism.  That doesn't mean I don't have opinions …

Iran's rulers face discontent as U.S. pressure mounts  —  ANKARA (Reuters) - Mounting pressure from the Trump administration combined with discontent among many Iranians at the state of the economy are rattling the Islamic Republic, with little sign that its leaders have the answers, officials and analysts say.

Death in a Hollywood Sex Dungeon: How a Top Agency Executive's “Mummification” Ritual Ended in Tragedy  —  For years, WME vp Skip Chasey has led an openly double life as a “master” in L.A.'s BDSM community.  But a role-playing encounter involving plastic wrap went horrifically wrong …

‘Not what we expected’: Trump's tax bill is losing popularity  —  In a packed arena in Fargo, N.D., this week, President Trump's most ardent supporters roared with approval when he talked about protecting the U.S. borders, beating the Democrats and “respect for our great, beautiful, wonderful American flag.”