Friday's Headlines: Trump struggles to stay calm on Russia, one call at a time

Four GOP senators oppose health plan, putting bill at risk; 'Meanness at the core:' Obama jumps back into fray to criticize Trump, GOP on health care; Amid chaos of Duterte's drug war in the Philippines, police allegedly hold people for ransom; How Trump's dubious claims make the entire government react;   Democracy Dies in Darkness     The morning's most important stories, selected by Post editors   Top Stories Trump struggles to stay calm on Russia, one call at a time Interviews with 22 senior administration officials, outside advisers, and presidential confidants and allies reveal a White House still trying to find a steady rhythm of governance while indulging and managing President Trump's combative and sometimes self-destructive impulses. By Ashley Parker and Philip Rucker  •  Read more » Four GOP senators oppose health plan, putting bill at risk Those senators — Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ted Cruz of Texas, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Mike Lee of Utah — dislike the Senate GOP bill because they do not feel it goes far enough in repealing the Affordable Care Act. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can afford to lose only two Republicans and still pass the measure. By Sean Sullivan, Kelsey Snell and Juliet Eilperin  •  Read more »   Debrief 'Meanness at the core:' Obama jumps back into fray to criticize Trump, GOP on health care Barack Obama had pledged to recede from the limelight, but in defending his White House legacy he is setting up a high-stakes confrontation between a former and current president that is virtually unprecedented in modern times. By David Nakamura  •  Read more »   Amid chaos of Duterte's drug war in the Philippines, police allegedly hold people for ransom Nothing seemed amiss when human rights investigators arrived at Police Station No. 1 in Manila. That is, until one of them knocked on a bookcase, and someone knocked back — revealing a dozen people packed into a small concrete cell. The raid provided a look at how police officers allegedly use illegal detention and violence to extort cash — and how tough it is to stop them.  By Emily Rauhala  •  Read more »   How Trump's dubious claims make the entire government react The Comey "tapes" tweet deepened the president's legal and political quagmire and highlighted a new reality for Washington, which must spring into action to bolster or refute his assertions of questionable origin. By Abby Phillip  •  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT   Opinions   Senate Republicans ready themselves for a massive theft from the poor By Eugene Robinson  •  Read more »   We participated in talks with North Korean representatives. This is what we learned. By Bruce Klingner and Sue Mi Terry  •  Read more »   Chuck Schumer: One important campaign promise Trump should keep By Chuck Schumer  •  Read more »   Here's how Ronald Reagan would fix the GOP's health-care mess By Henry Olsen  •  Read more »   Democrats will keep losing, unless they do this By Joe Scarborough  •  Read more »   Senate Republicans' Obamacare replacement is bad for America's health By Editorial Board  •  Read more » ADVERTISEMENT   More News   A year after divisive vote, doubts grow in town that embraced Brexit In the port town of Tilbury — where more than 72 percent of voters voted to leave the European Union — confusion, anger and resignation have largely displaced previous hopes for a more prosperous future. By Rick Noack  •  Read more » New Trump appointee has history of disparaging tweets against Obama, Megyn Kelly and Japanese Americans William C. Bradford, now in charge of the Energy Department office that assists Native American and Alaskan tribes, has apologized for the now-deleted tweets. By Dino Grandoni  •  Read more » Army reprimands another general for an improper relationship with a junior female officer Wayne W. Grigsby Jr. is the sixth general in the past year whom the Army has punished for sexual misconduct or improper interactions with women. By Craig Whitlock  •  Read more » The Fix | Analysis No cameras, no live audio and no Sean Spicer: The latest White House press briefing, annotated Off-camera briefings are becoming a regular occurrence in the Trump White House — especially on big news days. By Callum Borchers  •  Read more » Canadian sniper hits target more than 2 miles away, military says If true and if it killed the Islamic State militant being targeted, the 3,871-yard shot — or multiple shots — by a Canadian Special Operations soldier in Iraq would rank among the longest sniper kills in history. By Thomas Gibbons-Neff  •  Read more » Analysis NBA draft proves bountiful for 76ers, Knicks. Not so much for Bulls, Celtics. No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz fits Philadelphia's burgeoning core perfectly. But Chicago got only a middling package for trading away star Jimmy Butler. By Tim Bontemps  •  Read more » To tip or no: Uber's about-face on the propriety of a gratuity After resisting the practice for years, the ride-hailing service now allows riders to show their generosity in some cities. By Todd C. Frankel and Hamza Shaban  •  Read more »         Share Today's Headlines:       Twitter      Facebook Trouble reading? Click here to view in your browser. 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