TOP STORIES
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THE AFTERMATH Following his first defeat on Capitol Hill, President Donald Trump is facing the strengthened power of the House Freedom Caucus, questions about whether he backs Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, and the ultimate reality that Obamacare is still the law of the land. Here’s what’s next on the table for the Trump administration. [HuffPost]
UNDERSTANDING JARED KUSHNER’S NEW ROLE Trump’s son-in-law will be running the White House Office of American Innovation, a new team tasked with “fixing” the federal government by implementing business strategies. [HuffPost]
U.S. WEIGHING GREATER INVOLVEMENT IN YEMEN WAR “U.S. military activity in Yemen until now has been confined mainly to counterterrorism operations against al-Qaeda’s affiliate there, with limited indirect backing for gulf state efforts in a two-year-old war that has yielded significant civilian casualties.” [WaPo]
LOS ANGELES POLICE SAY REPORTS OF RAPE BY LATINOS HAVE DECLINED BY 25 PERCENT Mostly over deportation fears. [HuffPost]
BREAKING DOWN UNITED’S LEGGINGS-GATE After the internet went into a tailspin over its supposed ban on wearing leggings, here’s what the air carrier had to say. [HuffPost]
IN ANOTHER BIT OF BAD NEWS FOR UBER The ride-hailing company has grounded its self-driving car fleet. [HuffPost]
UNPRECEDENTED ANTI-KREMLIN PROTESTS POP UP IN MAJOR RUSSIAN CITIES The protests, which involved thousands, appear to be the largest since 2012. Hundreds were detained, including opposition leader Alexei Navalny. [Reuters]
WHAT’S BREWING
AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR Check out the moments that propelled South Carolina, Gonzaga, UNC and Oregon to the Final Four. And here’s why this group of teams makes March Madness so great. [ESPN]
THIS 3D FLY-THROUGH MAP OF SPACE DUST Is as cool as it sounds. [HuffPost]
YOU WEREN’T INVITED TO ELTON JOHN’S BIRTHDAY? We weren’t either ... but a heckuva lot of A-listers were. [HuffPost]
BREAK OUT THE TISSUES Fans paid tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher in a memorial service Sunday. [HuffPost]
CONGRATS TO LIAM PAYNE AND CHERYL COLE On the birth of their baby boy. That kid’s going to have some pipes on him. [HuffPost]
WHY THE INTERNET IS FREAKING OUT ABOUT A 2002 MISSY ELLIOTT LYRIC We can attest to being in the “we did not see that coming” camp. [HuffPost]
BEFORE YOU GO
~ Apparently counterfeit condoms are something that authorities can seize by the thousands.
~ South Korean prosecutors are seeking an arrest warrant for the ousted president.
~ This is the bill Democrats refer to by the acronym MAR-A-LAGO.
~ Another reason March Madness can be stressful? All the athletes get hit up for their gear.
~ There is certainly something there when it comes to the new “Beauty and the Beast” movie, which continues to rule the box office.
~ We’re not crying, you’re crying over the meaningful gift this grandpa gave his granddaughter.
~ James Blunt gets real about how creepy his hit, “You’re Beautiful,” really is.
~ A man was sentenced to five years in prison for taping this dog’s mouth shut.
~ Mandy Moore has no time for your morbid “Tangled” and “Frozen” overlap theories.
~ And The Atlantic asks: Who owns your face?
Do you want to make a statement about the state of the union? Join Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, Amy Poehler and many more this Fridaywhen they team up for a modern-day Facebook Live telethon to support the ACLU. Join them here, donate and #standforrights2017.