Good morning, I’m Tim Walker with today’s essential stories.
Trump sons and Kushner among judiciary committee targets
The House judiciary committee on Monday demanded documents from 81 individuals and organisations associated with Donald Trump, as Democrats take their investigations of the president’s alleged wrongdoing to another level. Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump and Jared Kushner were among those targeted, as well as Allen Weisselberg, the longtime chief financial officer of the Trump Organisation, the former US attorney general Jeff Sessions, and the now-defunct data-harvesting firm Cambridge Analytica.
Lines of inquiry. Several House panels are pursuing other lines of inquiry, with the House intelligence committee focusing on Trump’s prospective Moscow real-estate deal during the 2016 election, and the House ways and means committee preparing to demand the president’s tax returns.
Trade war. Trump on Monday opened up a new front in his global trade war, unveiling a plan to end preferential US trade treatment for India.
Clintons accused of nepotism over Ireland scholarship
Bill and Hillary Clinton tried to get their daughter Chelsea’s boyfriend a scholarship to Ireland, a veteran Democratic foreign policy adviser has alleged, claiming Hillary later cut funding for the same scholarship as retribution over her backing Barack Obama for the 2008 Democratic nomination. Trina Vargo, who was involved in Washington’s efforts to cement the Northern Ireland peace process during the Clinton administration, makes the claims in her new book, Shenanigans.
Political pressure? In 2000, Vargo claims, she was told Bill was “very unhappy” Chelsea’s then-boyfriend was not shortlisted for the Mitchell scholarship. In 2012, Hillary’s state department cut its annual contribution to the scholarship, which Vargo believes was revenge for her supporting Obama in 2008. The Guardian has contacted the Clintons for comment.
Clinton 2020. Hillary has ruled out running for president again in 2020, but insisted she’s “not going anywhere”.
Amazon charity arm facilitates funding for anti-vax groups
Amazon’s charity arm, the AmazonSmile Foundation, appears to be helping fund not-for-profit anti-vaccination groups, the Guardian has learned. The websites of four prominent anti-vaxxer organisations – the National Vaccine Information Center, Physicians for Informed Consent, Learn the Risk, and Age of Autism – promote the AmazonSmile fundraising program, whereby shoppers can donate 0.5% of the purchase price of items bought on Amazon to a charity of their choice.
MMR research. A major new study by Danish researchers has once again confirmed that there is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism, amid a global surge in measles cases.
‘London patient’ is second adult apparently cured of HIV
A man treated in Britain and known only as “the London patient” has been apparently cleared of HIV, around three years after receiving a transplant of bone marrow stem cells from a donor with a rare genetic mutation that resists the infection. More than 18 months after he stopped taking antiretroviral drugs, doctors say the man is only the second known adult ever to be “functionally cured” of the virus that causes AIDS.
‘Berlin patient’. The first man cured of HIV, Timothy Brown – AKA “The Berlin patient” – was declared free of the virus after similar treatment in 2007. He remains HIV-free.
Crib sheet
Jane Philpott, Canada’s treasury secretary has become the second minister to resign from Justin Trudeau’s cabinet over claims the prime minister’s office tried to pressure his former attorney general not to pursue a corruption case against a major engineering firm.
Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, is reportedly exploring filing for bankruptcy to cover potential liabilities from some 2,000 lawsuits alleging the drugmaker, which is owned by the wealthy Sackler family, contributed to the opioid crisis.
Up to 100 people remain trapped inside an illegal gold mine which collapsed on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia last Tuesday, with hopes fading for their chances of rescue.
Human rights activists in Mexico have condemned the government’s plan to shift domestic violence funding away from women’s shelters towards individual victims, saying it will expose women and children to greater danger.
Must-reads
The woman who tried to help a Dubai princess escape
Tiina Jauhiainen tried to help her best friend flee the gilded cage that came with being the daughter of Dubai’s ruler. A year after their failed escape attempt, she tells Radhika Sanghani about the night they were recaptured and her continuing fight for Princess Latifa’s freedom.
Luke Perry: forever the cool teen pinup
Luke Perry, who has died aged 52, never escaped the long shadow of handsome rebel Dylan McKay, his seminal role from Beverly Hills 90210. That’s no failing, writes Hadley Freeman – it’s a testament to how much the show and his character meant to a generation.
Why are we so willing to steal from work?
A new report has found many Americans have no qualms about stealing from their workplace. One worker who has pilfered clothes, alcohol, a hard drive and furniture from his employers told the Guardian he did so “to stick it to corporate America”, as Miranda Bryant reports.
Debunking of the notion of a ‘female brain’
In her new book The Gendered Brain, the neuroscientist Gina Rippon demolishes the myth of a “female brain” that fundamentally differs from the male version. Her work could do more for gender equality than any number of feminist manifestos, says Rachel Cooke.
Opinion
Victoria’s Secret recently announced it would close more than 50 stores in the US this year. As the brand’s grip on the lingerie market loosens, Krista Burton says it is time for “Vicky’s” airbrushed idea of beauty to evolve at last.
It’s clear that consumers want to see themselves reflected in the clothing they see advertised. It’s also clear that fit and comfort is important (take that, Victoria’s Secret underwire bras that never, ever fit, and also dig in all the wrong places, all day.) If it takes massive store closures to teach old executives that the game is changing, so be it.
Sport
For the second time this year, Trump has welcomed a champion college football team to the White House with a spread of McDonalds and Chick-fil-A fast food. Greeting North Dakota State, the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision champions, on Monday, he said he could have offered them more traditional fare, but “we like American companies”.
With Liverpool now a point behind their Premier League title rivals, Manchester City, Marcus Christenson crunches the numbers to find out which team has the easier run-in.
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