Top story: Former FBI boss will investigate Trump–Russia
Good morning, it’s Warren Murray delivering your early news today.
Ridding himself of one tormentor, James Comey, has earned Donald Trump an even bigger one. The enormous scandal surrounding the president has led to the appointment of a special counsel to investigate claims of Russian influence over the Trump campaign and the election. Robert Mueller, a former director of the FBI, was handed the job last night by Rod Rosenstein, Trump’s deputy attorney general.
Mueller is well regarded – he was made director of the FBI by George W Bush and ran it for most of Barack Obama’s presidency. Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats’ House minority leader, last night called Mueller “a respected public servant of the highest integrity”. He will have sweeping investigative powers and, in Rosenstein’s own words, a “degree of independence from the normal chain of command”.
It was Trump purportedly following Rosenstein’s advice to fire James Comey that precipitated all this. The president later admitted he had actually been “thinking of this Russia thing with Trump and Russia” when he made the decision – and next came Comey’s memo suggesting Trump had previously asked him to back off.
Trump, meanwhile, has insisted that he and his campaign will be completely cleared. Perceptions weren’t helped by the resurfacing of some banter by a senior Republican leader, who once suggested that Trump was on Putin’s payroll. Kevin McCarthy has dismissed it as an “attempt at humour gone wrong”.
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Tory manifesto – More of the elderly would pay for their in-home care under a returned Conservative government, Theresa May will announce as she unveils her election manifesto today. Wealthier people will need to draw on their assets and home equity instead of relying on councils to cover the cost of care workers. What else will May be saying? Alan Travis, Guardian home affairs editor, lists some things to watch out for – from Brexit and immigration, to taxes and supporting the aspirations of “a working-class kid from Brixton, Birmingham, Bolton or Bradford”. Be warned, writes Rafael Behr – Theresa May will raise your taxes and Labour is escorting her motorcade into office to do it.
Boris Johnson, meanwhile, has largely been out of the Tory campaign spotlight – and here’s what happened the moment he stepped into it. The foreign minister got a tongue-lashing when he used an appearance at a Sikh temple to extol the virtues of scotch whisky. Alcohol is taboo for many Sikhs.
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King of the skies – The Dutch monarch has revealed he flies commercial airliners part-time and has been doing so for more than 20 years.
King Willem Alexander said being a regular part-time pilot on KLM’s Fokker 70 fleet was a “relaxing” hobby that he managed to keep largely to himself. The king, who flies as a co-pilot, is stepping away from the controls to learn to fly a Boeing 737 as KLM is retiring its Fokkers.
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Smells like discrimination – A buy-to-let property tycoon has declared he was not racist to specify “no coloured people because of the curry smell” in his instructions to a letting agent. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is seeking a court injunction against Fergus Wilson for banning Indian and Pakistani tenants, which he insists should be his right. The rights watchdog is also investigating him for banning “battered wives”, zero-hours contract workers and single parents.
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Drinking and pregnancy – Strong warnings about the dangers of alcohol to an unborn child may be prompting some women to have abortions out of fear they have already done the damage, according to experts. Since 2016, national guidance has recommended expectant mothers abstain from alcohol entirely or risk harming the foetus. But several maternity, parenting and reproductive rights groups argue the evidence about the level of safe or unsafe drinking is not clear enough to be scaring women with overly prescriptive advice. On the other side, though, the Royal College of Midwives says there is “no evidence that any level of consumption is safe”.
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‘Voting for the next 40 years’ – It is the last day of campaigning for Iran’s presidential election and the stakes are high. The reforming president Hassan Rouhani faces a tough challenge from conservative Ebrahim Raisi who, Trump-style, has whipped up anger over the state of the economy, unemployment and the plight of the country’s poor. While Rouhani negotiated the landmark nuclear deal that eased sanctions, economic benefits have been slow to follow. And Raisi might be playing a longer game, positioning himself to become the next ayatollah – which makes winning the presidency a make-or-break proposition, as Emma Graham-Harrison explains.
Lunchtime read: Secrets of the DIY pop stars
They rack up millions of YouTube views, write personal letters to their fans and eschew recording-label contracts.
Musicians like ukulele-plucking Dodie, rapping DJ Paigey Cakey and virtuosic guitarist Jon Gomm have managed to build a career outside the mainstream industry – putting together their own albums, hawking their own merch, and keeping a relentless focus on connecting with their audience through social media. Throwing in some kung-fu moves and Chupa Chups helps too …
Sport
Southampton were held to a 0-0 draw against Manchester United, who were largely thankful to goalkeeper Sergio Romero for their point at St Mary’s. In Spain, Real Madrid are one point away from another La Liga title after a Cristiano Ronaldo brace helped them to a 4-1 win over Celta Vigo.
A study has found a specific 20-minute exercise programme can reduce injuries in teenage rugby players by more than 70%. And Australia coach Darren Lehmann has urged his players to come to agreement with Cricket Australia in their pay dispute, but does not think a strike during the Ashes will eventuate.
Business
Stocks in Asian markets have fallen along with the US dollar in overnight trading as concern mounts over Donald Trump being mired in scandal. Losses were small but Reuters reports that there is now doubt over the future of his pro-growth policies – and whether he can hold on to the presidency at all.
Overnight the pound was buying US$1.30 and €1.16.
The papers
The Conservative manifesto gives most their splash for the day. The Sun leads with “R.I.P. to rip-offs” and says Theresa May will become a consumer champion targeting rail bosses, lawyers and landlords who “live off” struggling families.
The Mail leads on the manifesto pledge on care homes mentioned in our story above. “You won’t have to sell home to pay for your care” – you can defer the bills instead, it says. The Times appears to have read the small print in the manifesto and has the polar opposite view of the Mail. It says tens of thousands will pay more for their elderly care.
The Telegraph goes with “Middle-class lose winter fuel payments to fund social care”, highlighting the Conservative plan to means test the annual allowance.
The Mirror skips the politics and claims that a former policewoman fears there are 100 paedophiles roaming the streets of Rochdale even after an abuse gang was jailed. And lastly the FT goes with the news from America, saying Trump is facing an “escalating crisis” on the back of his sacking of FBI director James Comey.
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