Stormy Daniels accuses Trump attorney of defamation … Stormy Daniels ramped up her legal battle against President Trump on Monday, alleging in court that his personal attorney Michael Cohen defamed her by insinuating that she lied about an affair with Trump more than a decade ago.

Trump Talks of Bringing Back Rob Porter, Aide Accused of Spousal Abuse  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump has stayed in touch with Rob Porter, the former White House staff secretary who stepped down after allegations that he had abused his two former wives came to light, according …

White House Probes Loans to Kushner's Business  —  White House attorneys are examining whether two loans totaling more than $500 million to Jared Kushner's family business may have violated any criminal laws or federal ethics regulations, according to a letter from a federal ethics agency.

Why I changed my mind about John Bolton  —  In order to accommodate President Trump, the Republican Party has betrayed its principles on issues including Russia, immigration, free trade and fiscal austerity.  Yet to listen to the president's fans, the real hypocrites are Trump's conservative critics.

Dan Webb and Tom Buchanan Latest Lawyers to Decline to Join Trump's Legal Team … Two more high-power attorneys have had to turn down President Donald Trump.  Tom Buchanan and Dan Webb confirmed to The Daily Beast that Trump reached out to them about representing him, and that they couldn't do it.

Sources: Zinke tells employees diversity isn't important  —  Washington (CNN)Several employees at the Interior Department have told CNN that Secretary Ryan Zinke repeatedly says that he won't focus on diversity, an apparent talking point that has upset many people within the agency.

Linda Brown, center of Brown v. Board case, dies at 76  —  Linda Brown, who as a little girl in Topeka was at the center of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision that ended school segregation in the United States, has died at age 76.  —  Brown's sister, Cheryl Brown Henderson …

Rumor is Ryan will resign as U.S. House Speaker; Scalise will replace him, Amodei says  —  Nevada's 2nd U.S. House District Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, said on Nevada Newsmakers Monday that Rep. Paul Ryan may soon resign as Speaker of the U.S. House.  —  Amodei said he was repeating a rumor that's around Capitol Hill.

Sheriff: Maryland high school shooter died by shooting himself  —  Austin Wyatt Rollins, the 17-year-old who opened fire on classmates at Great Mills High School in Southern Maryland last week, injuring one and killing another, died by shooting himself in the head, officials investigating the case said Monday.

CNN Poll: 42% approve of Trump, highest in 11 months  —  WASHINGTON (CNN)President Donald Trump's approval rating has rebounded to its highest level since the 100-day mark of his presidency, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, even as his approval ratings for handling major issues remain largely negative.

Exclusive: Cambridge Analytica accused of violating US election laws in new legal action  —  Amid mounting accusations that data firm Cambridge Analytica misused the Facebook data of up to 50 million user profiles, the U.K.-based firm and its top executives are now also under fire for alleged violations of U.S. election laws.

ICE Uses Facebook Data to Find and Track Immigrants, Internal Emails Show  —  Cambridge Analytica may have had access to the personal information of tens of millions of unwitting Americans, but a genuine debate has emerged about whether the company had the sophistication to put that data effectively …

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un Visiting China, Sources Say  —  Kim Jong Un has made a surprise visit to Beijing on his first known trip outside North Korea since taking power in 2011, three people with knowledge of the visit said.  —  Further details of the visit, including how long Kim …

Packages with explosive material sent to military installations in DC area  —  Multiple suspicious packages containing explosive material were sent to at least three military installations in the Washington, D.C. area, a senior defense official told Fox News Monday.

Dow closes more than 650 points higher as trade tensions ease  — The Dow Jones industrial average closed 669 points higher, with Microsoft as the best-performing stock in the index.  — The move higher comes after the major averages posted their worst week since January 2016 amid fears of a trade war between China and the U.S.

Paul Bremer, Ski Instructor: Learning To Shred With The Bush Administration's Iraq War Fall Guy  —  Lots of people want to be ski instructors at the Okemo Mountain Resort.  Nobody gets rich doing it, but there are perks, including a free season pass and half-price meals at the Sitting Bull Bar & Lounge.

There's Something Funny About Tiffany Haddish  —  It took the world a ridiculously long time to realize the obvious: The breakout star of Girls Trip is fucking hilarious.  So GQ's Caity Weaver went whale watching with her.  —  Some people are better at being themselves than others are.

Statement by the Acting Director of FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection Regarding Reported Concerns about Facebook Privacy Practices  —  Tom Pahl, Acting Director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection, issued the following statement regarding reported concerns about Facebook's privacy practices:

After Stormy Daniels, Republicans Face a Referendum on Trump's Conduct  —  WASHINGTON — When Representative Ryan Costello of Pennsylvania announced on Sunday that he would join more than 40 other congressional Republicans not seeking re-election in November, he left no doubt about the reason …

They Push.  They Protest.  And Many Activists, Privately, Suffer as a Result.  —  For more coverage of race, sign up here to have our Race/Related newsletter delivered weekly to your inbox.  —  She lay curled in bed for days, paralyzed by the stresses of a life that she felt had chosen her as much as she had chosen it.

How an Instagram Post Led to an N.F.L. Cheerleader's Discrimination Case  —  Like a lot of people in their 20s, Bailey Davis has an Instagram account.  And as a cheerleader for the New Orleans Saints, Davis said, she followed team rules and made the page private so only people she approved could see what she posted.

Senator McConnell and Commissioner Quarles Announce Hemp Legislation  —  FRANKFORT, KY - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles (R-KY) announced today the impending introduction of legislation in the United States Senate to support Kentucky's hemp industry.