1. A Ukrainian politician involved in the controversial plan to resolve Ukraine's conflict with Russian-backed rebels has been called to testify before a grand jury as part of the special counsel's investigation. Andrii Artemenko did not give any details about his upcoming grand jury appearance on Friday, but he said he assumes he will be asked about his communications with Michael Cohen from early 2017. Artemenko said he plans to cooperate with the subpoena and appear in person. (Politico)

  2. Michael Avenatti reiterated his threat that he would sue the Daily Caller for libel. "Just like there is nothing wrong with calling out unethical attorneys," Avenatti said, "there is nothing wrong with calling out unethical journalists." The Daily Caller published an article over the weekend that claimed "Avenatti's past is littered with lawsuits, jilted business partners and bankruptcy filings." (Washington Post)

  3. The White House blamed the deaths of more than 50 Palestinian protesters at the hands of Israel Defense Forces on Hamas propaganda. White House spokesperson Raj Sah said, "The responsibility for these tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas," referring to the 58 Palestinians killed and the 2,700 injured by the IDF. Shah added: "Hamas is intentionally and cynically provoking this response." (HuffPost)