The Russia House: Sally Yates, who was Acting Attorney General for only 10 days before she was fired for refusing to enforce President Trump’s immigration order, is scheduled to testify today before a Senate committee examining the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia. It’s been previously reported that days after the inauguration, Yates went to the White House to warn the Trump staff about National Security Adviser Mike Flynn’s deceptions about his conversations with the Russian ambassador. Although the White House and even the president may have known, Flynn was not fired until his lies were exposed in the press.

Fake President: In an interview with WBUR radio in Boston, golf writer James Dodson may have shed some light on why President Trump doesn’t reveal his tax returns.

Golfing with Trump’s son Eric in 2014, Dodson said he asked the younger Trump who was financing new golf courses for the Trump organization because American banks wouldn’t touch them. Dodson related that, “He said, ‘Well, we don’t rely on American banks. We have all the funding we need out of Russia.’ I said, ‘Really?’ And he said, ‘Oh, yeah. We’ve got some guys that really, really love golf, and they’re really invested in our programs. We just go there all the time.’”

Donald Trump has denied having any business with Russia. Shortly before the inauguration he tweeted, “I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA – NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING!”

Fresh Baguette: The political centrist and novice politician Emmanuel Macron has claimed victory in the French election in which voters rejected the French Trump, right winger Marine Le Pen.  Macron trounced his opponent with 66.1 percent of the vote to Le Pen’s 33.9.

Macron becomes the youngest president in the 59-year history of France’s Fifth Republic. He’s the youngest French leader since Napoleon. The former investment banker has not previously held an elective office.

While rejecting Le Pen’s extreme views on immigration and leaving the European Union, French voters still managed to revolt against main stream politics by electing a man with a newly-formed party. And that comes with a warning shot. Le Pen’s National Front party, which has its roots in racism and antisemitism, won its biggest share of the vote ever.

Social note: Macron’s wife, Brigitte Trogneux, is 64 years old and has seven grandchildren. She was his high school drama teacher and they married 10 years ago.

Hermit Kingdom: North Korea has detained a fourth American citizen, accusing him of “hostile acts” against the country. The man, identified as Kim Hak-song, was arrested on Saturday. He is the second US employee of Pyongyang University of Science and Technology to be arrested. The North has a tendency to take prisoners as bargaining chips.

Fox in the Hen House: The NY Times reports that the Environmental Protection Agency has fired at least five scientists on a major scientific review board and is considering replacing them with representatives of industry. The Times quotes spokesman, JP Freire. “The administrator believes we should have people on this board who understand the impact of regulations on the regulated community.”

EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, who spent a good deal of time prior to his appointment fighting the agency he now runs, is under orders from President Trump to re-make the organization.

No, Really: Miss Iceland quit the Miss Grand International beauty pageant after she was told to lose weight. In a resignation letter, Arna Ýr Jónsdóttir said, “Your staff told me that I had to lose weight for the finals because I have too much fat on me and also too big shoulders.” Jónsdóttir is an accomplished gymnast. She said, “In my country, my bodyshape is perfect.” It would be anywhere.

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