NSA whistleblower who leaked Russian hacking report petitions for clemency

Supporters of Reality Winner, a National Security Agency whistleblower who leaked classified information about Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election, petitioned Donald Trump on Monday for her early release from prison. Alison Grinter, an attorney representing the former US air force intelligence specialist, announced at a press conference in Dallas that she had submitted 4,500 letters of support to the federal office of the pardon attorney, the division of the Department of Justice that advises the US president on executive clemency decisions.

Wisconsin mother, two daughters found dead after Amber Alert issued; boyfriend arrested

A mother and two daughters who were the subjects of an Amber Alert were found dead Sunday afternoon, the victims of an apparent homicide, police said. Amarah J. Banks, 26; Zaniya R. Ivery, 5; and Camaria Banks, 4, were found in a garage, Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales said at a news conference. One count of felony aggravated battery was filed against him Saturday in Milwaukee County, according to online court records.

• Milwaukee amber alert canceled after bodies of missing mom, 2 girls found in garage

  WLS – Chicago
• 
  Missing Milwaukee woman, two daughters found dead in garage

  NBC News

Mississippi floods appear to hit peak with parts of Jackson under water

Floodwaters in central Mississippi appeared to hit their peak on Monday, potentially allowing the area around the state capital Jackson to avoid any casualties after the Pearl River reached its highest level in 37 years, officials said. The Pearl River rose to its third-highest point in recorded history after heavy rains last week filled the Ross Barnett Reservoir to capacity, forcing managers on Saturday to begin releasing water into the river just upstream from Jackson. The floods submerged streets in low-lying areas, prompting 16 search-and-rescue operations to pluck stranded people from their homes, Governor Tate Reeves said.

• 
  Mississippi on the verge of catastrophic flooding

  CBS News Videos
• 
  Rescuers save dogs stranded by Mississippi floods

  Reuters Videos

Boy Scouts of America files for bankruptcy

The Boy Scouts of America has filed for bankruptcy protection. Facing mounting legal costs from defending itself against lawsuits alleging sexual abuse of boys, the venerable non-profit sought Chapter 11 protection in a court filing Tuesday. A spokesman for the Boy Scouts of America said in a statement that the filing had "two key objectives: equitably compensate victims who were harmed during their time in Scouting and continue carrying out its mission for years to come.

• 
  Pier 1 Imports bankruptcy: Chain files for Chapter 11 as it continues closure of up to 450 stores

  USA TODAY
• 
  Boy Scouts files for bankruptcy amid deluge of child sex abuse cases

  USA TODAY

'Ghost ship' washes ashore in Ireland after Storm Dennis

A "ghost ship" drifting without a crew for more than a year washed ashore on Ireland's south coast in high seas caused by Storm Dennis, the Republic's coast guard said. The abandoned 77-metre (250-feet) cargo ship MV Alta ran aground on rocks outside the village of Ballycotton near Cork, Ireland's second city, bringing an end to her months-long voyage. The Alta's odyssey began in September 2018 when she became disabled in the mid-Atlantic en route from Greece to Haiti.

• 
  'Ghost Ship' Washes Up on Irish Coast During Storm Dennis

  Storyful
• 
  Ghost ship washes up in Ireland

  The Independent

This Is Iran's Deadliest Missile (And It Could Someday Carry a Nuclear Weapon)

Iranian media have broadcast the first-ever footage of an operational Sejjil medium-range rocket in its underground bunker. The same February 2020 broadcast includes what apparently is new or at least rarely-seen footage of trials involving the Sejjil. The 59-feet-tall Sejjil could be a leading candidate to carry atomic warheads, if and when Iran develops them.

Chinese police reportedly put a professor under house arrest, cut his internet, and kicked him off social media after he criticized President Xi over the coronavirus

Reuters A Chinese professor who wrote a scathing essay criticizing President Xi Jinping's handling of the novel coronavirus was placed under house arrest and had his internet services cut, The Guardian reported, citing his friends. After returning from his Chinese New Year holiday, Xu Zhangrun was put under house arrest, with several people patrolling the entrance of his home in Beijing. Friends of the professor told The Guardian that Xu's social-media accounts have either been removed or suspended.

Turkey’s Erdogan Joins In on Vilification of Soros

An Istanbul court acquitted prominent businessman Osman Kavala of charges of plotting to overthrow the government during mass protests that shook the country in 2013. Nine defendants were cleared, and arrest warrants for others living abroad have been rescinded. Others accused in the case include actor Mehmet Ali Alabora and journalist Can Dundar, who have both left the country.

Prominent young Democrat steps down over 'bullying from Bernie Sanders supporters'

A prominent Young Democrats member has stepped down from her position over claims she experienced bullying from "Bernie Bros", a name given to Bernie Sanders' supporters. Lindy Li was the treasurer for Pennsylvania Young Democrats, but it was announced on Monday by the organisation's president that he had accepted her resignation. "Tonight I accepted the resignation of our Treasurer and am proud to appoint Rob Collini to the post & announce his confirmation by the PAYD Executive Committee," President TJ DeLuca wrote in a tweet on the organisation's page.

• 
  Hollywood Donors Eye Michael Bloomberg As Someone Who Can Take On Donald Trump – But Can He Stop Bernie Sanders?

  Deadline
• 
  Only 6 days until the Nevada caucus

  ABC News Videos

Federal judges association holding emergency meeting over DOJ interference in Stone case

The Federal Judges Association will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss concerns members have over President Trump and top Justice Department officials intervening in the case of longtime Trump friend and adviser Roger Stone. The association has more than 1,000 members, and says it supports a "fair, impartial, and independent judiciary." The group's president, U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe, told USA Today that members decided they "could not wait" until the organization's spring conference to address the matter. Stone was found guilty of lying to Congress and witness tampering, and last week, Trump complained about federal prosecutors recommending Stone receive a sentence of seven to nine years.

Gunmen kill 24 and injure 18 in attack on Burkina Faso church

Gunmen killed 24 people, including a pastor, in an attack on a church during Sunday Mass in northwestern Burkina Faso, four security sources told Reuters on Monday.

• 
  Twenty-four killed in Burkina Faso church attack: governor

  AFP
• 
  At least 24 killed in church mass shooting in Burkina Faso

  The Independent

Coronavirus 20 times more deadly than the flu? Death toll approaches 2,000

The director of a Chinese hospital at the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak became one of its victims Tuesday despite "all-out" efforts to save his life, Chinese health officials said. The death came the same day Chinese officials released new data showing the new virus could be 20 times more deadly than the flu. Liu Zhiming, president of Wuhan Wuchang Hospital in Hubei province, died of coronavirus-related pneumonia, China Daily reported.

• 
  Virus claims life of hospital director in hard-hit Wuhan

  Associated Press
• 
  Coronavirus Kills Chinese Film Director/Executive & Multiple Family Members

  Deadline

Missing Milwaukee woman, two daughters found dead in garage

A missing Milwaukee woman and her two daughters were found dead Sunday, the victims of an apparent homicide, authorities said. Amarah J. Banks, 26, Zaniya R. Ivery, 5, and Camaria Banks, 4, were found in a Milwaukee garage Sunday afternoon, Milwaukee police Chief Alfonso Morales said at a news conference. "You have to also understand that foul play was not an initial piece of this investigation, it was a missing investigation that escalated," Morales said.

• Milwaukee amber alert canceled after bodies of missing mom, 2 girls found in garage

  WLS – Chicago
• 
  Wisconsin mother, two daughters found dead after Amber Alert issued; boyfriend arrested

  USA TODAY

Israel's Iron Dome: A Rocket-Killer or Just Hype?

Any thoughts of an invulnerable missile shield evaporated when Hamas fired six-hundred-and-ninety rockets and mortar shells from Gaza into Israel earlier this month. Out of that six-hundred-and-ninety total, ninety never managed to cross into Israel, according to Israeli figures. Iron Dome intercepted two-hundred-and-forty, of which the Israel Defense Forces claim an 86 percent kill rate, with thirty-five rockets landing in populated areas.

Cuba burning tires to power factory as US oil sanctions bite

The Cuban government has ordered a cement factory to burn old tires to power its operations and save on oil, amid a worsening fuel shortage brought on by US sanctions on the Communist island. On orders of President Miguel Diaz-Canel, the firm Cementos Cienfuegos, located in the center of the country, will receive an increasing supply of used tires to burn, the official daily Granma said Monday. Cuba has been suffering oil shortages since last September, when the administration of President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on ships carrying petroleum to the island from its main fuel supplier Venezuela.

Bloomberg trails Sanders and other Democratic candidates in string of 2020 polls

Mike Bloomberg trails his Democratic rival Bernie Sanders in both head-to-head and values-based measures of support, polls have found. The billionaire came last, behind even Donald Trump, in a survey that asked potential voters whether candidates shared their values. Research by USA Today/Ipsos released on Sunday found that just 28 per cent of all adults agreed with Mr Bloomberg's policy positions, three points behind the incumbent president and two behind the next-worst-performing Democrats, Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg.

• 
  Dem Candidates Attack Bloomberg for Trying to ‘Buy’ the Election

  National Review
• 
  Here Comes Michael Bloomberg (And Here Come the Questions)

  The National Interest

IMF Cuts Nigerian Growth Forecast on Coronavirus Oil Impact

Sign up to our Next Africa newsletter and follow Bloomberg Africa on Twitter Plunging oil prices stemming from the coronavirus outbreak led the International Monetary Fund to cut its estimate for Nigerian economic growth, highlighting the difficulties Africa's top crude producer faces reviving and diversifying its economy. The forecast was lowered to 2% from 2.5%, the lender said in a statement Monday after concluding an Article IV consultation. Nigeria needs a major policy overhaul to reduce vulnerabilities including widening current-account and budget deficits that jeopardize the economy, it said.

• 
  Singapore lowers growth forecast as virus hits economy

  AFP
• IMF team to visit Ukraine for technical discussions

  Reuters

As Trump Gives Up on ‘Endless Wars,' Russia, China, and Iran Move In

JERUSALEM–Two decades of expanding operations against what United States Special Operations Command called a “global insurgency of state and non-state actors” has led to fatigue at home and questions abroad about U.S. strategy. The latest Trump administration deal with the Taliban, challenges to the U.S. role in Syria and Iraq, and a potential reduction of forces in Africa point to a global trend in how the U.S. will deal with counter-insurgency in the future. What we're looking at is a global drawdown in U.S. forces committed to counter-terrorist operations at the same time President Donald Trump is demanding other countries, including NATO allies, do more.

Airlines, officials trace path of couple diagnosed with coronavirus that flew from Hawaii

Delta Air Lines and Hawaiian Airlines are working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Japanese health officials to trace the path of a couple from Nagoya, Japan, who were diagnosed with coronavirus after returning from Hawaii. Hawaiian state health officials say the couple, who are in their 60s, were in Hawaii from Jan. 28 to Feb. 7 and tested positive after being hospitalized in Japan. The man, who was diagnosed before his wife, flew on Hawaiian Airlines flight HA265 from Kahului, Hawaii, to Honolulu on Feb. 3, in addition to flying home on Delta flight 611 from Honolulu to Nagoya on Feb. 6 with his wife.

Kidnappers prey with ‘total impunity’ on migrants waiting for hearings in Mexico

The people waiting to board the van have already crossed into the USA, but have been sent back under the Trump administration's so-called Migrant Protection Protocols - known as “Remain in Mexico” – whereby would be asylum seekers must await their appointed hearing south of the border. MPP was rolled out in January last year, since when an estimated 57,000 people now wait south of the border for their asylum hearing date. Tens of thousands more are waiting just for the initial application for asylum.

New Mexico woman who was pregnant with third child still missing three years later

“Holidays will never be the same,” Jennifer told Dateline. Liz, as she is known by her family and friends, was four months pregnant with her third child. “She got in his truck and that's the last time I ever heard from her,” Amber said.

Millions Slaughtered: Asia Will Never Get Over The Horror Of The Korean War

Key point: Curiously, North Korea claimed that South Korean opened fire first. For Western nations, the answer is uncomplicated: North Korea, backed by China and the Soviet Union, launched an unprovoked invasion of its southern neighbor in 1950. An alternate history has been presented in Chinese textbooks, one in which the illegitimate lackeys of Western imperialists in the South attacked first, but China and the Soviet Union intervened to prevent an aggressive American invasion that threatened to sweep into China.

• 
  North Korea Tried to Fight the U.S. Navy (And Got Smoked)

  The National Interest
• 
  How North Korea Might Have Won The Korean War

  The National Interest

Russian intelligence agents reportedly went to Ireland to inspect undersea cables, and it's reigniting fears they could cut them and take entire countries offline

Submarine Cable Map Russian agents have been sent to Ireland to inspect its undersea cables, and it's sparking fears they could be tapped or cut in the future, according to The Sunday Times citing Irish police. Irish security services suspect that Russia's intelligence agency, the GRU, is using their country as a base to gather intelligence on targets in the EU and UK, The Sunday Times reported. The large number of tech companies that are based in Dublin could be another reason for Russia's suspected monitoring, an expert on transnational crime and Russian security told the newspaper.