10 things you need to know today: July 27, 2018

1. Cohen: Trump knew in advance of 2016 meeting with Russians

Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal attorney, says Trump knew in advance of a 2016 Trump Tower meeting between campaign associates, including Donald Trump Jr., and Russians promising dirt on then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, CNN reported Thursday, citing sources with knowledge of the matter. Trump has repeatedly denied knowing anything about the meeting before it happened. Since federal investigators raided his home and office, Cohen has openly clashed with Trump. Cohen says he was present when Trump learned of the Russians' offer from his son, and approved going ahead with the meeting. One of Cohen's attorneys, Lanny Davis, declined to comment. Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani called Cohen a "pathological liar."

CNN

2. White House: North Korea returns remains of U.S. soldiers

The White House said a U.S. Air Force jet carrying the remains of 55 Americans killed in the Korean War arrived at Osan Air Base in South Korea early Friday. "Today's actions represent a significant first step to recommence the repatriation of remains from North Korea and to resume field operations in North Korea to search for the estimated 5,300 Americans who have not yet returned home," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. The U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft was welcomed by several thousand U.S. service members and their families on the 65th anniversary of the armistice that ended the fighting in the Korean War. President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed at their summit last month to work together to recover U.S. remains and see to the "immediate repatriation of those already identified."

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The Washington Post The Associated Press

3. More than 700 children remain separated from migrant parents

The Trump administration said it had reunited 1,442 children of the roughly 2,500 separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexican border by the Thursday court-imposed deadline. In a court filing, government officials said another 378 children had been released to sponsors, reunited with parents already out of custody, or had turned 18. Government lawyers said 711 children could not be immediately returned to their families. Of those, 431 were children of parents already deported. The parents of 120 waived reunification, although the ACLU filed court documents saying that many of those parents didn't understand the forms they signed due to language barriers or illiteracy. The families, some caught trying to cross the border illegally and others seeking asylum at border crossings, were separated under the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy on illegal immigration.

Reuters

4. Russia tried to hack Sen. Claire McCaskill's office

Russian government hackers reportedly have tried unsuccessfully to get into the Senate computer network of Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for re-election in the fall midterms. "Russia continues to engage in cyber warfare against our democracy," McCaskill said in a press release. "I will not be intimidated. I've said it before and I will say it again, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is a thug and a bully." Microsoft executive Tom Burt said last week that Russia's military spy agency GRU had targeted two other midterm candidates. The Justice Department two weeks ago announced indictments against 12 GRU officers for hacking Democratic Party email systems to influence the 2016 presidential election.

The Washington Post

5. Trump Organization financial chief subpoenaed in Cohen inquiry

Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, has been called to testify in front of a federal grand jury as part of the criminal investigation into Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal lawyer, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal. Weisselberg is considered a witness, the Journal says, and it's unknown if he's already appeared before the grand jury. Weisselberg, who once worked for Trump's father, has been described as being very loyal to Trump, and former Trump executives said he also oversaw many of Trump's household expenses and for several years prepared his tax returns. People with knowledge of the matter told the Journal Cohen is being investigated for bank fraud and campaign-finance violations.

The Wall Street Journal

6. Trump defends tariffs in farm, steel states

President Trump defended his tariffs against China and other trade partners in appearances in two farm states on Thursday. "We just opened up Europe for you farmers," Trump told supporters in Iowa before heading to Illinois to visit a reopened steel plant. In Illinois, he said, "We've got aluminum coming out good, we've got steel coming out beyond good." The remarks came after Trump faced sharp criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike over his tariffs, which have fueled rising global trade tensions. Farm groups have blamed the tariffs for undercutting crop prices. The White House has responded with a promise of up to $12 billion in emergency aid to farmers hurt by the trade war.

USA Today

7. AP: Russian lawyer who met Trump Jr. had closer ties to Moscow than she said

Moscow lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who reportedly promised Donald Trump's presidential campaign dirt on then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, worked more closely with senior Russian officials than she has acknowledged, The Associated Press reported Thursday. According to emails, transcripts, and legal documents reviewed by the news agency, Veselnitskaya served as a ghostwriter for top Russian government lawyers and got help from senior Interior Ministry personnel in a key case. The AP could not reach Veselnitskaya for comment. She has denied she set up the Trump Tower meeting on behalf of Russian officials. She told Congress she operated "independently of any government bodies."

The Associated Press

8. Conservatives suspend call to impeach Rosenstein

Conservative Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) said Thursday he was tabling a resolution on impeaching Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for his handling of requests for Russia investigation documents. The news came after Meadows and other conservative Republicans met with the party leadership. Meadows, chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said he would instead push for contempt charges if the Justice Department fails to turn over requested material. Meadows said he believed the issues would be "the very first order of business" after the House returns from August recess. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said he opposed trying to impeach Rosenstein because Justice Department officials are making a good-faith effort to comply with congressional requests, and that they have done nothing that "rises to 'high crimes and misdemeanors.'"

The Hill

9. USA Today: U.S. most dangerous developed country in which to give birth

The U.S. is the most dangerous developed country in which to give birth, a USA Today investigation revealed Thursday. More than 50,000 American mothers are severely injured giving birth every year, and roughly 700 end up dying. About half of those deaths and injuries would be prevented if hospitals simply provided better care, USA Today found. But there's no tracking system for doctors to record childbirth issues, and doctors and hospitals alike regularly miss or ignore obvious signs of pre- and post-natal complications. The negligence has resulted in a sharp increase in maternal mortality rates, up from 17 deaths in 100,000 births in 1990 to 26.4 in 2015. The rest of the developed world saw steady or improved death rates, with many below 10 deaths per 100,000 births.

USA Today

10. Trump threatens Turkey with 'large sanctions' over pastor's detention

President Trump announced on Thursday that the U.S. would hit Turkey with "large sanctions" over the detention of American evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson. Turkey's government accuses Brunson of aiding a failed 2016 coup attempt. He is one of 20 Americans imprisoned over the attempt to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Trump tweeted that Brunson, who has been imprisoned for 21 months, is "a great Christian, family man," and "should be released immediately." Trump has sought warmer relations with Erdogan, but the Turkish government responded defiantly to Trump's extraordinary threat to punish a NATO ally. Nobody "dictates to Turkey," Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's foreign minister, tweeted. "We will never tolerate threats from anybody. Rule of law is for everyone; no exception."

The New York Times