Top story: ‘See you in court’ says Trump
Hello, this is Warren Murray bringing you today’s Guardian morning briefing.
Three judges have upheld an injunction against Donald Trump’s travel ban – ruling that he has failed to demonstrate any harm will come from keeping it on hold.
Trump’s customary Twitter response was a shade redder in the face than usual: “SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!” The president’s next step is to try and get the supreme court to take his side.
More suggestions have surfaced of Russian influence on Trump’s circle. His security chief, Michael Flynn, denied discussing Obama’s post-elections sanctions on Russia with Moscow’s ambassador but nine sources have contradicted him, according to a report. Some officials felt Flint signalled, illegally, that Trump planned to ease the sanctions.
Meanwhile Trump finally spoke with President Xi Jinping on the phone. They had an “extremely cordial” conversation and Trump affirmed his commitment to the “One China” policy, the White House said.
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Brexit and Scotland – If Scotland decided to go it alone because of Brexit it would have to reapply to join the EU, according to a senior Brussels official, rather than inheriting Britain’s membership. There will be only a “vanishingly small” drop in net migration after Britain leaves the EU, a thinktank has predicted.
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Food waste – Millennials are Instagramming their dinner but then failing to lick the plate clean, according to findings that lump part of the blame for food waste on this already much-maligned generation.
It seems like a hook to get your story into the papers but the supermarket-commissioned survey claims the 18-to-35s have an attitude of “live to eat” rather than “eat to live” like their elders who understand the true value of food. Chew 30 times before swallowing that one …
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‘Saddened and shocked’ – Religious leaders, MPs and charities have united to condemn the government’s surprise decision to take in only 350 unaccompanied refugee children from Europe and are going to court about it. It had been understood that the Dubs initiative would offer haven to nearly 10 times that many.
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Mass whale stranding – A heartbreaking scene in New Zealand where 416 pilot whales have beached in Golden Bay at the top of the south island. Around 300 died – the rest were guided back out to sea but most beached themselves again. Conservation staff and volunteers are still trying to save them.
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Kardashians-in-chief – Melania looking to build “multimillion-dollar business relationships” on the back of being First Lady, Ivanka touting her fashion range (with a presidential aide unethically plugging it on air) … Gaby Hinsliff suggests the damage the First Family are doing to Brand America will eventually bring down Brand Trump as well.
Lunchtime read: Can Emmanuel Macron save France – and the EU?
The spectre of far-right leader Marine Le Pen looms large over the upcoming French presidential election and the very future of the European Union itself.
With her mainstream rivals faltering, Martin Kettle examines just how much is riding on independent candidate Emmanuel Macron being able to fight through to victory.
Sport
Only six months after Rio 2016 the Brazilian city’s Olympic venues have already started falling into ruin. The centrepiece Maracana Stadium has been looted, the golf course is a failure and attempts to commercialise other facilities have come to little or nothing.
England coach Eddie Jones is winning the mind games ahead of England’s Six Nations rugby clash with Wales. A parliamentary vote of no confidence in the Football Association is more a whimper than a roar, says David Conn. And Formula One’s 2017 rule changes will not level the playing field, according to Giles Richards.
Business
The Nikkei went up 2.5% to an 18-month high after a similar spike on Wall Street on the back of the prospect of a “phenomenal” US tax cut by Donald Trump in the coming weeks. Japanese markets were on alert before the big meeting between Trump and PM Abe which could have significant trade and economic consequences.
The pound was buying US$1.25 and €1.17 overnight. See more morning business news at theguardian.com/business.
The papers
The Times continues an investigation saying public bodies including universities and charities – via Google – are paying to advertise on fake news sites. The Mirror has a poster-style front page saying that funding for the NHS is growing at the slowest rate since 1955.
The Mail and the Telegraph claim that millions of households are facing higher than inflation council tax bill rises (£80 a year on average). The Sun splashes again on the death of Tara Parker-Tomkinson saying she had confessed to friends that she craved drugs every day. The FT notes a swift sell-off of Greek debt as concerns rise over whether the country will get a €7bn bailout.
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