Good morning, I’m Tim Walker with Friday’s essential stories.
House Democrats want to interview Ivanka and Don Jr
Amid the fallout from Michael Cohen’s appearance before Congress this week, Democrats on the House oversight committee now wish to hear from Donald Trump’s children. Elijah Cummings, the committee chairman, has said he will seek interviews with Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump, Jr, as well as the Trump Organization’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, all of whom featured in Cohen’s explosive testimony on Wednesday.
Kushner’s clearance. The president personally demanded his son-in-law Jared Kushner be granted top secret security clearance despite the grave concerns of senior administration officials, the New York Times reported on Thursday.
Moscow project. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, has said the Russian-born former Trump associate Felix Sater will appear before his committee on 14 March to discuss the Trump Tower Moscow project.
US and North Korea differ on causes of summit breakdown
North Korea and the US have offered differing accounts of why this week’s talks between Kim Jong-Un and Trump in Hanoi were cut short without a deal. While the US president blamed the failure on North Korea’s demand that sanctions be lifted “in their entirety”, the North Korean foreign minister, Ri Yong-ho, claimed Pyongyang demanded only partial sanctions relief in return for dismantling its main nuclear complex at Yongbyon. North Korean media nonetheless described the summit as being of “great significance”.
No deal. Julian Borger explains how Trump and Kim arrived in Hanoi with false expectations, after both misread the other’s intentions following their first encounter in Singapore last year. Borger also notes that the US and North Korea only showed their hands on nuclear talks after the Hanoi summit was over.
Amateur hour. Michael H Fuchs says the failure of the summit in Vietnam exposes Trump’s amateurish approach to diplomacy.
How the NRA became ensnared in the Russia inquiry
At the National Rifle Association’s 2016 convention, where Trump secured the gun group’s coveted presidential endorsement, a senior NRA board member hosted a private dinner whose guests included the Russian agent Maria Butina, her handler and mentor – and a previously unreported Russian who chairs a defense industry foundation. In the second part of his report on the problems facing the NRA, Peter Stone looks at how its ties to both Russia and Trump have left the organisation entangled in the Mueller inquiry.
Presidential idol. Trump’s takeover of the conservative establishment includes not only the NRA, but also the Conservative Political Action Conference. Once hostile to Trump, CPAC is now “like a religious gathering full of Trump idolatry,” as David Smith reports.
Video: Portland police make deal with far-right leader
Video footage obtained by the Guardian portrays Portland police officers striking a deal with the leader of the far-right Patriot Prayer group not to arrest any of his members at a violent demonstration last year. In the clip, filmed during clashes between Patriot Prayer and counter-protesters in the Oregon city on 3 June 2018, Portland police bureau officers tell Joey Gibson the no-arrest deal was authorized by Lt Jeff Niiya, who is already under investigation for his apparently friendly relationship with Gibson.
No arrests. In the video, an officer tells Gibson: “I just talked to Jeff Niiya, and he asked me to tell you that he has probable cause to arrest a couple of the guys here.” However, he adds: “If you guys can go home, there won’t be any arrests.”
Crib sheet
Vladimir Zelenskiy, a Ukrainian comedian who stars in a sitcom about a teacher who unexpectedly becomes president, is currently leading in the polls ahead of Ukraine’s real-life presidential election.
The bankrupt energy firm PG&E has admitted it is “probable” that one of its transmission lines started the Camp fire in northern California, the deadliest US wildfire in a century, which killed 85 people.
Unicef has warned of “disastrous consequences” after a shocking global spike in measles cases among children – including in the US, which recorded six times more measles cases in 2018 than in 2017.
A new lawsuit could bring to an end New Hampshire’s unique and controversial practice of warehousing involuntarily committed mental health patients in prison.
Must-reads
How ‘Spain’s Watergate’ shattered a political system
The Gürtel case started in 2007 with a sting on a single Madrid mogul. Twelve years later, the biggest corruption case in Spain’s recent history has exposed hundreds of greedy politicians and businessmen – and even brought down a government. Sam Edwards tells the inside story.
Can we still listen to Michael Jackson?
The new documentary Leaving Neverland contains detailed and compelling allegations that the late King of Pop was a paedophile. Guardian writers weigh in on whether we can separate Michael Jackson’s music from his alleged crimes.
The life and death of Willie McCoy
Last month, 20-year-old rapper Willie McCoy was shot dead by police in Vallejo, California, after falling asleep in his car outside a Taco Bell. Sam Levin spoke to his loved ones about a young man for whom music might have been the “golden ticket” to a better life.
The Netflix documentary that celebrates sporting losers
Netflix’s excellent new documentary series Losers is ostensibly about sport, but its real subject is defeat, writes Stuart Heritage. Each episode documents a notorious sporting failure in the words of those who were there, including the boxer who fluked his way to a world heavyweight championship – and then lost it immediately.
Opinion
Three Syrian intelligence officials suspected of torture were recently arrested in Europe. It was a groundbreaking moment, says Natalie Nougayrède, which raises hopes that eventually Bashar al-Assad can be held accountable for crimes against his own people.
Seeking justice for Syrians is no doubt a marathon, but if history teaches us anything, it is that massive human rights violations must not be left unpunished.
Sport
Malcolm Brogdon is the steady heart of the NBA’s most exciting team. The Milwaukee Bucks guard talks to Donald McRae about race, education and playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Will Everton shock league leaders Liverpool with their first derby win in nine years? Can Arsenal capitalise on Tottenham’s lacklustre form when the arch-rivals meet at Wembley? Those are two of 10 things to look out for during this weekend’s Premier League action.
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