Good morning, I’m Tim Walker with today’s essential stories.
Gun control advocates take stock of victories and setbacks
It is a year to the day since the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida, which revitalised the national movement to prevent gun violence. And while the prospect of new federal gun control laws were negligible under Donald Trump and a Republican-led Congress, campaigners can point to signs of progress, including the Democrats’ recent introduction of House bill HR 8, which would expand federal background check requirements on gun transfers and sales.
Students remember. As they prepare to mark Thursday’s anniversary, Parkland students have written about the shooting and its aftermath in these personal reflections first published by the Eagle Eye, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school newspaper.
Judge rules that Manafort lied to Mueller
A federal judge in Washington DC has found that Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manager, lied to Robert Mueller’s Russia inquiry about several issues, including his interactions with a former Russian intelligence agent, even after agreeing to cooperate with the special prosecutor. The Wednesday ruling by Judge Amy Berman Jackson means Mueller’s team is no longer obliged to honour its plea deal with Manafort, who could therefore spend many more years behind bars than he previously expected.
Mystery Russian. Manafort was accused of lying to Mueller about having shared polling data on the 2016 election with Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian political operative with ties to Moscow’s intelligence services.
Democrats attempt to throw light on ‘dark money’
Democrats hope to shed new light on the influence of “dark money” in US politics on Thursday, at the first congressional hearing on their sweeping new anti-corruption measure, HR1. The House Administration committee will examine the bill, which aims to combat the corrosive power of undisclosed political donations from big corporations and wealthy individuals.
John Doe files. In 2016 the Guardian published the John Doe files, documents revealing previously undisclosed political donations, intended to support candidates including then-Wisconsin governor Scott Walker.
AOC video. A clip of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez playing a “corruption game” to explain the lack of current campaign finance controls this week became the most-watched video of any politician on Twitter, ever.
Rio police kill 13 in gang raid, raising ‘shoot-to-kill’ concerns
Brazilian police killed 13 people during a deadly operation against a drug gang in Rio’s Fallet/Fogueteiro favela last Friday, raising fears that the “shoot-to-kill” policy promised by the new governor of Rio de Janeiro state has already come into effect. Fallet/Fogueteiro residents and relatives of the dead said two of those killed had been tortured, including a teenager with no gang links, while even those who were drug gang members had surrendered their weapons to police before being summarily executed.
Rio governor. Wilson Witzel, an ally of Brazil’s new far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, became governor of Rio state in January after campaigning on an anti-corruption platform, which included the promise of shoot-to-kill tactics to combat drug gangs.
Crib sheet
The House of Representatives has approved a resolution that would force an end to US involvement in Yemen, an implicit rebuke to the Trump administration for its continuing close alliance with Saudi Arabia.
Nasa has confirmed its Mars rover Opportunity is finally dead after 15 years, the longest ever mission to the planet’s surface. When it landed in January 2004, the robot was expected to survive for only around 90 Martian days.
The FBI has released sketches by the serial killer Samuel Little of his alleged victims, along with other information that the agency hopes could help solve dozens of unsolved homicides.
Multiple women have accused the musician Ryan Adams of “[dangling] career opportunities while simultaneously pursuing female artists for sex,” according to a report by the New York Times. Adams tweeted that the article was “upsettingly inaccurate” and contained details that were “outright false”.
Must-reads
How fashion has redefined sex appeal in the #MeToo era
It’s 18 months since the start of the MeToo movement. That’s three seasons in which fashion’s centre of gravity has shifted steadily away from sex, says Jess Cartner-Morley – long enough for the trend to trickle down to date night outfits this Valentine’s weekend.
Could a neo-Nazi be Slovakia’s next president?
Marian Kotleba, the leader of the far-right Our Slovakia party, is widely regarded as a neo-Fascist. In 2013, he won a shock victory in regional elections. Voted out four years later, his party turned its focus to the Slovak national legislature, taking 14 of its 150 seats. Next month, Kotleba will run for president. Shaun Walker reports.
From US intelligence officer to alleged Iranian spy
Monica Witt, a former intelligence officer with the US airforce, who converted to Islam and defected to Iran in 2013, has been charged with espionage. Julian Borger asks how the 39-year-old became so enthusiastic about turning her back on her homeland.
Life in the shadow of al-Shabaab
Given the enduring influence of the extremist group al-Shabaab, Mogadishu remains a dangerous place to live and work, especially for journalists, aid workers, government employees or youth leaders. Moulid Hujale reports from the Somali capital.
Opinion
The 2011 protests in Tahrir Square represented a radical democratic movement that wanted to restore people’s dignity. But now, rightwing populists around the world have reduced that need for dignity to a vindictive clamour for pride, writes Ece Temelkaran.
It is dangerous and unfortunate that so much public anger is being organised and mobilised by rightwing populists and ruthless autocrats such as Donald Trump, Viktor Orbán, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey and Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil.
Sport
The Ricketts family helped to turn the Chicago Cubs from “lovable losers” into World Series champions, ending the team’s 108-year drought. But now fans could be forgiven for wondering whether they made a deal with the devil, says Parker Molloy.
Son Heung-min and Jan Vertonghen both found the net as they spurred Tottenham to a 3-0 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on Wednesday, the first leg of their last-16 tie.
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