CNBC reports: The White House is considering having a team of lawyers approve Donald Trump’s tweets, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing an advisor to the president. Although the idea is under consideration, Trump aides told the Journal that such a procedure would be hard to put in place. If implemented, the move would certainly lift a burden …

Reuters reports: Once U.S. President Donald Trump returns from his overseas trip, the White House plans to launch its most aggressive effort yet to push back against allegations involving Russia and his presidential campaign, tackling head-on a scandal that has threatened to consume his young presidency. Trump’s aides are preparing to establish a “war room” to combat mounting questions about …

I only use the word “flaunts” in tribute to the countless times Teabagistan lost their fucking minds over the gowns Michelle Obama sometimes wore to state dinners. The Associated Press reports: Melania Trump’s first outing in the Sicilian sunshine was in a colorful floral applique jacket by Dolce & Gabbana that sells for $51,000, or several thousand dollars below the …

The Washington Post reports: President Trump issued a statement on Ramadan — a holy month of fasting and prayer for Muslims around the world — that focused primarily on violence and terrorism. His statement was a stark contrast from the Ramadan message President George W. Bush issued in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, in which he emphasized how millions …

Bermuda’s Royal Gazette reports: Thousands rallied behind same-sex union opponents Preserve Marriage yesterday outside Parliament, alongside a smaller peaceful demonstration by supporters of same-sex marriage. Addressed by various speakers, the crowd reiterated calls for the Government to appeal the Supreme Court’s decision permitting same-sex unions. While the group’s charitable status has been revoked, Preserve Marriage vowed to continue as a …

CNN reports: Singer Ariana Grande has announced she will return to Manchester, England, for a benefit concert following a terror attack at her concert earlier this week. The event, she said, will honor and raise money for the victims and their families. “I want to thank my fellow musicians and friends for reaching out to be part of our expression …

From the Hollywood Reporter: Donald Trump, in the mid-1980s, aggressively pursued an official government post to the USSR, according to a Nobel Peace Prize winner with whom Trump interacted at the time. “He already had Russia mania in 1986, 31 years ago,” asserts Bernard Lown, a Boston-area cardiologist known for inventing the defibrillator and sharing the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize …

Channel News Asia reports: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte joked Friday that soldiers could rape up to three women, as he reassured them of his full support under his newly imposed regional martial law. Duterte, who often peppers his language with man-on-the-street curses, made the comments in jest during a speech at a military base to lift the spirits of troops …

Law News reports: It is called the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act of 2017. Signed this week by Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, it clamps down how whether people can move or change monuments in the state. No mention of the Confederacy is made in the law, but critics say it is meant to help glorify the South’s problematic past. This …

The Washington Examiner reports: Matt Drudge, editor and founder of the Drudge Report, had a little fun with the victory of Republican Greg Gianforte in the special election for Montana’s vacant U.S. House seat. Drudge sent out a tweet giving a nod to the tough-guy image Gianforte has made for himself after he was cited for misdemeanor assault against a …

NBC News reports: Former House Speaker John Boehner says that aside from international affairs and foreign policy, President Donald Trump’s time in office has so far been a “complete disaster.” Speaking at an energy conference Thursday in Houston, Boehner praised Trump for his approach abroad and his aggressiveness in fighting Islamic State militants, according to the energy publication Rigzone. “Everything …

The Texas Tribune reports: Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed a bill into law significantly reducing the cost to get a license to carry a handgun, making Texas one of the states with the lowest fee in the nation. “The right to bear arms is something that is synonymous with the state of Texas. We are proud to expand the …

People Magazine reports: While President Donald Trump has met with many male heads of government, First Lady Melania Trump has often mingled with their wives. But on Thursday, Mrs. Trump was introduced to the First Gentleman of Luxembourg. Gauthier Destenay, the husband of Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, joined Trump and other spouses for a dinner while their significant others …

ABC News reports: The FBI is investigating an attempted overseas cyberattack against the Trump Organization, summoning President Donald Trump’s sons, Don Jr. and Eric, for an emergency session with the bureau’s cybersecurity agents and representatives of the CIA, officials tell ABC News. Law enforcement officials who spoke to ABC News on the condition of anonymity confirmed the attempted hack and …

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports: Sitting on the tarmac at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Jan. 15, Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. sent a text message to one of his captains after a brief verbal exchange with a passenger. The sheriff explained in the text what should be done when Riverwest resident Dan Black got off the plane. …

The Associated Press reports: President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is willing to cooperate with federal investigators looking into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, his attorney said. The statement from attorney Jamie Gorelick was issued Thursday amid reports that the FBI was investigating meetings Kushner had in December with Russian officials. “Mr. Kushner previously volunteered to share with …

As usual, nobody has any idea what he’s talking about: President Trump on Friday morning said his first foreign trip has “made and saved” the U.S. “billions of dollars and millions of jobs” as he arrived at his final stop before returning home. Trump has landed in Sicily, Italy, for a G-7 summit after earlier visits to Saudi Arabia, Israel, …

The Hill reports: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday said the U.S. government has taken responsibility for leaks about the investigation into Monday’s terror attack in Manchester, England. “We take full responsibility for that and we obviously regret that that happened,” Tillerson said, appearing alongside British foreign secretary Boris Johnson in London. The British government reportedly resumed intelligence sharing …

NBC News reports: Declaring “love comes in all flavors,” Ben & Jerry’s said Thursday it’s banning its Australian customers from buying two scoops of the same flavor of ice cream until same-sex marriage is legalized across the country. Ben & Jerry’s, based in Vermont, is famous for its socially conscious advocacy, from combatting climate change to promoting ethical treatment of …

Human Rights Watch today released a 26-page report detailing the gruesome torture of gay men at the hands of Chechen police. Radio Free Europe reports: “All of the victims suffered repeated beatings,” the report said. “Security officials kicked them with booted feet, beat them with polypropylene pipes and sticks, and made other inmates beat them” — mostly on the men’s …