Not all details in GOP memo help undercut Mueller probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and his supporters are using a congressional memo alleging FBI surveillance abuse to raise questions about the origins of a federal investigation into his campaign's ties to Russia. But the four-page document includes revelations that might complicate the effort to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing probe.

The document contends that the FBI relied excessively on an ex-British spy whose opposition research was funded by Democrats when it applied for a surveillance warrant on a Trump campaign associate. Yet it also says the investigation into potential Trump ties to Russia actually began several months earlier — "triggered," it says, by information involving a separate campaign aide.

The spy who compiled the allegations admitted to having strong anti-Trump sentiments, but he was not a random find for the bureau. Rather, he was a "longtime FBI source" with a credible track record, says the memo from the House intelligence committee's Republican chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, and his staff.

The warrant authorizing the FBI to monitor the communications of campaign adviser Carter Page? Approved by a judge on four occasions, according to the memo, and signed off on by Trump's hand-picked deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein.

Without the underlying materials being made public, the memo only further intensified a partisan battle over how to interpret the actions of the FBI and Justice Department during the early stages of the counterintelligence investigation Mueller later inherited.

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What the GOP memo says (and doesn't say)

WASHINGTON (AP) — After more than a week of partisan bickering and social media-fueled buildup, the #releasethememo crowd got their wish.

President Donald Trump declassified it. The GOP majority of the House intelligence committee released it. And the public dissection of the four-page, GOP-authored document began.

Here are a few key takeaways:

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WHAT'S THE GIST?

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Trump taking tougher stance on Russia nuclear threat

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Friday announced it will continue much of the Obama administration's nuclear weapons policy, but take a more aggressive stance toward Russia. It said Russia must be convinced it would face "unacceptably dire costs" if it were to threaten even a limited nuclear attack in Europe.

The sweeping review of U.S. nuclear policy does not call for any net increase in strategic nuclear weapons — a position that stands in contrast to President Donald Trump's statement, in a tweet shortly before he took office, that the U.S. "must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes." In his State of the Union address Tuesday, he made no mention of expansion, though he said the arsenal must deter acts of aggression.

A 74-page report summarizing the review's findings calls North Korea a "clear and grave threat" to the U.S. and its allies. It asserts that any North Korean nuclear attack against the U.S. or its allies will result in "the end of that regime."

It also cast China as a potential nuclear adversary, saying the U.S. arsenal is tailored to "prevent Beijing from mistakenly concluding" that it could gain advantage by using its nuclear weapons in Asia, or that "any use of nuclear weapons, however limited, is acceptable."

The Pentagon-led review of the U.S. nuclear arsenal and the policies that govern it was ordered by Trump a year ago. In a written statement, Trump said U.S. strategy is designed to make use of nuclear weapons less likely. In an apparent reference to the threat of catastrophic cyberattack, he said the U.S. aims to strengthen deterrence of major attacks against the U.S. and its allies, including those that "may not come in the form of nuclear weapons."

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Victims' dad apologizes after lunging at Nassar in courtroom

CHARLOTTE, Mich. (AP) — A distraught father seething over sexual abuse suffered by three daughters tried to attack former sports doctor Larry Nassar in a Michigan courtroom after a judge rejected his request to confront the "demon" in a locked room, a stunning rush that reflected the anguish felt by parents who trusted him with their children.

Randall Margraves was blocked by an attorney, tackled by sheriff's deputies and hauled out of court Friday. He later apologized, saying he had lost control. Eaton County Judge Janice Cunningham said there was "no way" she would fine him or send him to jail under her contempt-of-court powers.

"I don't know what it would be like to stand there as a father and know that three of your girls were injured physically and emotionally by somebody sitting in a courtroom. I can't imagine that," the judge said.

Nonetheless, she added, it is "not acceptable that we combat assault with assault."

The incident occurred during the third and final sentencing hearing for Nassar, who has admitted to sexually assaulting girls under the guise of medical treatment. This case focuses on his work at Twistars, an elite gymnastics club southwest of Lansing.

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Palestinian-American brings #MeToo campaign to West Bank

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — A young Palestinian-American is the driving force behind a nascent #MeToo movement in this patriarchal corner of the world, selling T-shirts, hoodies and denim jackets with the slogan "Not Your Habibti (darling)" as a retort for catcalls and writing down women's complaints from her perch in a West Bank square.

Yasmeen Mjalli wants to encourage Palestinian society to confront sexual harassment, a largely taboo subject.

"What I am doing is to start a conversation that people are really afraid to have," said Mjalli as she put her merchandise on hangers in a clothing store.

The 21-year-old has faced backlash from conservatives and from some activists who say fighting Israel's occupation is the priority for Palestinians.

Her parents, who grew up in a Palestinian farming town, immigrated to the United States and returned to the West Bank five years ago, weren't pleased, either.

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Arizona man who sold ammo to Las Vegas shooter is charged

CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona man who sold ammunition to the gunman who carried out the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history was charged Friday with manufacturing armor-piercing bullets, according to court documents.

Unfired armor-piercing bullets found inside the Las Vegas hotel room where Stephen Paddock launched the Oct. 1 attack had the fingerprints of ammunition dealer Douglas Haig, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Phoenix. It says Haig didn't have a license to manufacture armor-piercing ammunition.

Haig has acknowledged selling 720 rounds of tracer ammunition to Paddock in the weeks before the shooting that killed 58 people. Tracer bullets contain a pyrotechnic charge that illuminates the path of fired bullets so shooters can see whether their aim is correct.

The criminal charge involves another type of ammunition — armor-piercing bullets.

The documents don't say if any ammunition tied to Paddock was used in the attack. Las Vegas police wouldn't say whether armor-piercing bullets were used in the shooting but referred to a preliminary report saying some rifle magazines were loaded with armor-piercing ammunition.

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Marines seek young, tough recruits in Super Bowl ad

WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time in 30 years, the U.S. Marine Corps will be airing an ad during a Super Bowl, using an online-only spot Sunday to target a young, tough, tech-savvy audience for potential recruits who are looking for a challenge.

The high-powered, battle-heavy, 30-second ad shows Marines deploying off ships in amphibious vehicles, dropping bombs from aircraft and hurling a shoulder-launched drone into the air.

"It's not just the ships, the armor or the aircraft. It's something more. It's the will to fight and determination to win found inside each and every Marine that answers a nation's call," the announcer says, as the camera follows a squad of Marines storming off helicopters into a mock firefight while explosions erupt around them.

The goal, said Maj. Gen. Paul Kennedy, head of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command, is to reach a key demographic — young men and women who have faced and conquered challenges in their life, probably played combat sports like wrestling or rugby, and have a bit of that fighting spirit.

Network television viewers of the game won't see the Marine spot. But those watching through online streaming services — which charge a fraction of the advertising price — will see it twice.

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US stocks swoon, sending Dow down more than 650 points

U.S. stocks slumped Friday, and the market suffered its worst week in two years, as fears of inflation and disappointing quarterly results from technology and energy giants spooked investors. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped by more than 650 points.

Bond yields rose and contributed to the stock market swoon after the government reported that wages grew last month at the fastest pace in eight years. The Dow had its worst decline since June 2016, while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index had its biggest one-day percentage drop since September 2016.

"We've enjoyed low interest rates for so long, we're having to deal with a little bit higher rates now, so the market is trying to figure out what that could mean for inflation," said Darrell Cronk, head of the Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

The increase in bond yields hurts stocks in two ways: it makes it more expensive for companies to borrow money, and it also makes bonds more appealing to investors than riskier assets such as stocks.

Several major companies, including Exxon Mobil and Google's parent company, Alphabet, sank after reporting weak earnings. Apple fell on concerns about iPhone sales.

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New twists in probe of Natalie Wood's mysterious 1981 death

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The mystery of the death of acclaimed actress Natalie Wood has endured for nearly four decades as the investigation has ebbed and flowed like the tides off a California island where her body was found floating on Thanksgiving weekend 1981.

Renewed interest came this week when the lead detective in the case said her widower, actor Robert Wagner, now 87, is considered a person of interest.

Here's a look at what's known about the death and the investigation over the years.

ALL ABOARD

The body of Wood, 43, was found off Catalina Island, a scenic getaway about 30 miles south of the Los Angeles-area coastline. The three-time Academy Award nominee who starred in "West Side Story" and "Rebel Without a Cause" couldn't swim. She was wearing a red down jacket and nightgown.

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Michigan State gymnastics team tries to move on from Nassar

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The gymnasts danced like no one was watching , a joyous circle of pink-clad young women celebrating a meet with their teammates.

In truth, all eyes seem to be on Michigan State in these troubled days.

There are sharp questions for football coach Mark Dantonio and basketball coach Tom Izzo about allegations of sexual misconduct by their players over the years.

But above all, there is Larry Nassar, the disgraced former sports doctor who is facing the rest of his life in prison for molesting girls and young women under the guise of treatment. Nassar isn't associated with football or basketball. He stands accused of abusing mostly young gymnasts, some of them stars for Team USA, and he will forever be tied to Michigan State — his former employer.

But on this night, the Spartans tried to celebrate a feel-good moment on a campus in desperate need of one.