Melania's stiletto sideshow  —  As the first lady departed to see storm fallout in Texas, Twitter erupted with critiques of her shoe choice.  —  Melania Trump, the former model and reluctant first lady, often lets her fashion choices do the talking for her.

Rep. Rohrabacher says ‘rendezvous’ being set up with Trump to relay info from WikiLeaks' Assange on DNC hack  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said Monday that a “rendezvous” is being set up between him and President Donald Trump to relay information he received …

Special Counsel Robert Mueller Subpoenas Paul Manafort's Spokesman  —  P.R. executive Jason Maloni was told to appear soon before a federal grand jury, according to person familiar with the matter  —  Special Counsel Robert Mueller has subpoenaed the spokesman for former Trump campaign …

Mattis freezes transgender policy; allows troops to continue serving, pending study  —  WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis late Tuesday announced that transgender troops will be allowed to continue serving in the military pending the results of a study by experts.

Google Critic Ousted From Think Tank Funded by the Tech Giant  —  WASHINGTON — In the hours after European antitrust regulators levied a record $2.7 billion fine against Google in late June, an influential Washington think tank learned what can happen when a tech giant that shapes public policy debates …

Judge won't vacate former Sheriff Joe Arpaio's contempt conviction without oral arguments … U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton canceled former Sheriff Joe Arpaio's upcoming sentencing hearing for his criminal contempt-of-court conviction, telling attorneys not to file replies to motions …

The incredible shrinking president  —  As President Trump formally launches his tax-reform drive this afternoon with a no-details, “vision-casting” speech in Springfield, Missouri, the self-inflicted wounds of the past 222 days are adding up.  (Speech preview here, off embargo at 6 a.m.)

Trump Pal Bought IAmAF**got.Com and VaginaBoy.Com, Then the Sites Attacked Their Mutual Enemy … Documents disclosed this week show just how far former Trump Organization adviser and convicted felon Felix Sater will go to help his one-time business associate President Donald Trump.

How to Get Rich in Trump's Washington  —  His presidency has changed the rules of influence in the nation's capital — and spawned a new breed of lobbyist on K Street.  —  As for so many other people, election night did not pan out quite the way Robert Stryk expected.

Georgia lawmaker: Talk of ditching Confederate statues could cause Democrat to ‘go missing’  —  A Georgia Republican lawmaker warned a Democratic former colleague who criticized his support for Civil War monuments on Facebook that she won't be “met with torches but something a lot more definitive” …

Winter Park-based Tampa professor fired after Hurricane Harvey ‘karma’ tweet  —  Ken Storey tweeted Sunday that the destruction from Hurricane Harvey was “instant karma” for Texans who voted Republican last year.  —  Privacy Policy  —  A visiting assistant professor at the University …

Tillerson moves to close State cyber office  —  has outlined a reorganization plan that would involve closing the State Department office charged with promoting U.S. cybersecurity interests abroad, according to a letter obtained Tuesday.  —  In a letter to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker

Reporter assaulted by Gianforte: He's refused to sit down with me  —  Journalist Ben Jacobs on Tuesday ripped Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) for failing to give him an on-the-record interview following a violent physical altercation on the eve of the special congressional election.

White House Won't Require Firms to Report Pay by Gender, Race  —  Obama-era proposal was aimed to address pay disparities  —  The White House on Tuesday said it will halt a planned Obama-era rule that would have required businesses to begin collecting data about how much they pay workers …

Exclusive: Wasserman Schultz IT Staffer Banned From House Network Months Ago Still Has Active Account  —  A former IT aide suspected of stealing equipment and data from Congress still has an active, secret email account on the House computer system, even though he has been banned …

Next target Guam, North Korea says  —  (CNN)North Korea's launch of a missile over Japan was a prelude to more military operations directed at the American territory of Guam, North Korean state media warned Wednesday.  —  The country's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported leader Kim Jong Un presided …

Preliminary data from at least one Texas rain gauge appears to have broken the Texas tropical cyclone rainfall record and a new contiguous United States tropical cyclone rainfall record may have also been established.  Cedar Bayou, near Mont Belvieu, Texas, recorded a preliminary rainfall associated …

‘Cortana, Open Alexa,’ Amazon Says.  And Microsoft Agrees.  —  In an unusual partnership, Amazon and Microsoft are working together to extend the abilities of their voice-controlled digital assistants.  —  SEATTLE — The crowded pack of voice-controlled digital assistants — Apple's Siri …

KKK Hoods & Russian Flags Appear In Trump Tower Gift Shop  —  Shoppers looking for MAGA hats at Trump Tower this week may have encountered a Ku Klux Klan hood or a photo of President Putin, and asked themselves whether what they were seeing was real merchandise.

Best Buy says viral photo of $40 packs of water in Houston was ‘a big mistake’  — The company told CNBC that it does not sell water by the case and the signage promoting the offer was a mistake made by several employees.  —  Electronics retailer Best Buy said a viral photo of cases …

In the Trenches of Trump's Leak War  —  How the administration has changed the game between investigative reporters and their government sources.  —  On July 6, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs issued a scathing report detailing what the Committee characterized …

FBI shuts down request for files on Hillary Clinton by citing lack of public interest  —  The FBI is declining to turn over files related to its investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emails by arguing a lack of public interest in the matter.

Trump appointee: Comment calling Obama's mother a ‘w@!re’ result of ‘Internet crimes’ against me  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)President Donald Trump's appointee to a Department of Energy post says inflammatory comments that appeared to have been made by him online were the result of …