Team Trump still isn't telling the truth about that 2016 Trump Tower meeting  —  First Read is your briefing from “Meet the Press” and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.  —  WASHINGTON — For all the attention to Rudy Giuliani's …

Asia Argento, Who Accused Weinstein, Made Deal With Her Own Accuser  —  The Italian actress and director Asia Argento was among the first women in the movie business to publicly accuse the producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault.  She became a leading figure in the #MeToo movement.

John Brennan's Choice to Confront Trump  —  Just before noon on January 20, 2017, John Brennan, the outgoing C.I.A. director, drove to the home of a former colleague to watch Donald Trump take the oath of office.  President Obama's most trusted intelligence advisers had come together …

Brett Kavanaugh memo detailed explicit questions for Clinton  —  Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a strikingly explicit 1998 memo that he was “strongly opposed” to giving then-President Bill Clinton any “break” in the independent counsel's questioning about his sexual relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky …

Cohen, Trump's Ex-Lawyer, Investigated for Bank Fraud in Excess of $20 Million  —  Federal authorities investigating whether President Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael D. Cohen, committed bank and tax fraud have zeroed in on well over $20 million in loans obtained by taxi businesses …

A leading Republican urges reform for Medicare and Social Security as deficits balloon after the GOP's tax cut  —  Rep. Steve Stivers , R-Ohio, has the toughest job in politics right now: trying to stop a Democratic “blue wave” at the polls this fall.  Stivers, chairman of the National …

American servicemember killed in Iraq helicopter crash after raid on ISIS  —  An American servicemember was killed and several other troops were injured late Sunday in Iraq when their helicopter crashed after participating in a raid against an Islamic State target, military officials said Monday.

Why Even a Blue Wave Could Have Limited Gains  —  The divergent geography of 2018 means we will really have two midterm elections, and one favors Republicans.  —  Mr. Wasserman is the House editor at The Cook Political Report.  —  The proper way to view the 2018 midterms might not be as one event …

The Media Keeps Giving Trump the Benefit of the Doubt on Collusion  —  Throughout the Russia scandal, President Trump has acted flamboyantly guilty, most recently by comparing himself implicitly with Richard Nixon during Watergate, and dismissing informants as “rats.”

Melania Trump tackles ‘destructive and harmful’ effects of social media  —  Melania Trump addresses cyberbullying summit  —  (CNN)First lady Melania Trump spoke out against cyberbullying Monday as part of her Be Best campaign, warning against “destructive and harmful” uses of social media …

Exclusive: Pentagon raises alarm about sharp drop in Iraqi refugees coming to U.S.  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Military officials are sounding the alarm inside the Trump administration about the sharp drop in admission to the United States of Iraqi refugees who have helped American troops in battle …

Here Are the Lobbying Emails Cuomo Fought Hard to Keep Secret  —  ALBANY — In January 2016, as Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo was preparing his annual State of the State address, some high-placed state officials knew they had a problem.  —  A pair of business executives — partners in multimillion-dollar …

Republicans slam Jason Isbell, Ben Folds as ‘the unhinged left’ ahead of Phil Bredesen rally  —  Phil Bredesen and Marsha Blackburn are the leading candidates to replace Bob Corker in the U.S. Senate Michael Schwab/USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee  —  The political arm of U.S. Senate Republicans …

South Africa begins seizing white-owned farms  —  SOUTH Africa has targeted the first two farms for unilateral seizure after the owners refused an offer of one-tenth of the land's value.  —  Silent slaughter - Farm attacks in South Africa1:54  —  A record 400 farmers attacked in 2017, between one or two murdered a week.

Trump Complains to Donors in the Hamptons About Powell's Rate Hikes  — President laments interest rate increases at GOP fundraiser  — Federal Reserve has raised rates five times in Trump's term  —  President Donald Trump said he expected Jerome Powell to be a cheap-money Fed chairman …

NYT Fact Check: Bret Stephens  —  Re: Column on whether or not America is “great”  —  After a number of reader complaints about inaccuracies in your previous columns, I've been asked by the Department of Corrections to get in touch with you regarding your latest piece.

Pope Francis: Letter to the People of God (full text)  —  Pope Francis has responded to new reports of clerical sexual abuse and the ecclesial cover-up of abuse.  In an impassioned letter addressed to the whole People of God, he calls on the Church to be close to victims in solidarity …

EXCLUSIVE: Jeremy Corbyn's secret trip to Israel to meet Hamas  —  UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (right) pictured in Jerusalem alongside Labour MP Andrew Slaughter (left), and Hamas officials Ahmad Attoun, Khaled Abu-Arafah, and Muhammad Totah.  —  Jeremy Corbyn visited Israel and the West Bank …

Congressman Alcee Hastings says ‘something is tragically wrong’ with Donald Trump's mind  —  U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings on stage at the Sunrise Civic Center Theater on Aug. 19, 2018, before he took over as emcee of a “Stronger Together” rally sponsored by 16 Broward County Democratic Clubs.

Northam calls Aug. 30 special session for legislature to redraw districts  —  Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) is calling the General Assembly into special session on Aug. 30 to redraw legislative districts in the House of Delegates.  —  A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court …

Harlem's Trash Bins Were Overflowing.  So the City Took 223 Away.  —  The green litter basket had stood on a street corner in Harlem for as long as anyone could remember, collecting unwanted plastic bottles, candy wrappers and crumpled bags and papers.  —  Then one day it was gone.