The plane truth: How we caught Chris Christie sunbathing on a closed beach  —  Gallery: Gov. Chris Christie and family on closed Island Beach State Park in N.J.  —  amills@njadvancemedia.com,  —  NJ Advance Media for NJ.com  —  In my 23 years as a photo journalist …

GOP lawmaker to CNN: ‘You guys are getting played’ … Rep. Scott Taylor (R-Va.) told CNN early Monday that the media is “getting played” by covering President Trump's tweets.  —  The congressman said the media needs to cover “real issues” instead of Trump's tweets when asked on CNN's …

Tillerson Ready to Let Russia Decide Assad's Fate  —  In talks with the U.N. chief, Tillerson indicates Russia should be in the driver's seat when it comes to the future of Syria.  —  Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told the U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres during …

Top GOP Senate recruit Ann Wagner won't challenge Claire McCaskill  —  Rep. Ann Wagner has opted against a 2018 Senate bid, choosing re-election to the House over challenging vulnerable Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill.  —  Wagner's surprise move, finalized over the weekend, is a blow to the Republican Party.

How Americans Order Their Steak  —  Are people who prefer their steaks well done just wrong?  It's the question that has divided a nation that is otherwise firmly united on the “steak is great” front, given that we Americans consume about 25 billion pounds of beef annually.

Emmanuel Macron assassination plot foiled by French police  —  (CNN)A man has been charged with plotting to assassinate French President Emmanuel Macron on Bastille Day during US President Donald Trump's visit to France, a spokeswoman for the Paris Prosecutor's office said Monday.

Jamie Horowitz, head of Fox Sports programming, fired in sexual harassment probe  —  Jamie Horowitz onstage at the ESPN portion of the 2013 Summer Television Critics Assn. tour at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 24, 2013 in Beverly Hills.  (Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)

Miami judge rules Florida's new Stand-Your-Ground law is unconstitutional  —  Florida's updated “Stand Your Ground” self-defense law is unconstitutional, a Miami judge ruled on Monday.  —  Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Milton Hirsch ruled that lawmakers overstepped their authority in modifying …

Medicaid Worsens Your Health?  That's a Classic Misinterpretation of Research  —  As a program for low-income Americans, Medicaid requires the poor to pay almost nothing for their health care.  Republicans in Congress have made clear that they want to change that equation for many …

Americans Say Civility Has Worsened Under Trump; Trust In Institutions Down  —  As Americans prepare to celebrate the country's 241st birthday, they believe the overall tone and level of civility between Democrats and Republicans in the nation's capital has gotten worse since the election …

Trump offers help to terminally ill U.K. boy  —  President Donald Trump on Monday offered to help a 10-month-old boy in the U.K. who is suffering from a rare genetic condition.  —  Charlie Gard received international attention after a series of legal battles by his parents on whether he should continue receiving life support.

Pentagon Considers Canceling Program That Recruits Immigrant Soldiers  —  The Pentagon is considering pulling out of a deal it made with thousands of noncitizen recruits with specialized skills: Join the military and we'll put you on the fast track to citizenship.

Maria Menounos Reveals She Was Diagnosed with a Brain Tumor — While Her Mom Is Fighting Stage 4 Brain Cancer  —  As she was caring for her mother, who has stage 4 brain cancer, Maria Menounos found out she was facing a health crisis of her own.  —  In February, the TV and Sirius XM radio host started experiencing troubling symptoms.

America's Future Is Texas  —  With right-wing zealots taking over the legislature even as the state's demographics shift leftward, Texas has become the nation's bellwether.  —  When Frederick Law Olmsted passed through Texas, in 1853, he became besotted with the majesty of the Texas legislature.

The Hijacked American Presidency  —  Every now and then we are going to have to do this: Step back from the daily onslaughts of insanity emanating from Donald Trump's parasitic presidency and remind ourselves of the obscenity of it all, registering its magnitude in its full, devastating truth.

Moon meets Obama, says last chance for NK talks  —  President Moon Jae-in renewed his resolve to pursue sanctions and dialogue to tackle North Korea's nuclear program during a meeting with former US President Barack Obama on Monday, saying now is the “last chance” for the regime to return to the negotiating table.

How Low Can Taxes Go?  Outside Washington, Republicans Find Limits  —  WASHINGTON — Something strange has been happening to taxes in Republican-dominated states: They are going up.  —  Conservative lawmakers in Kansas, South Carolina and Tennessee have agreed to significant tax increases …

Kushner, Ivanka rub elbows with Dem billionaire Soros at Hamptons party: report  —  First daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner were spotted at a party over the weekend rubbing elbows with billionaire Democratic financier George Soros and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer