10 things you need to know today: August 22, 2018

1. Paul Manafort found guilty of bank fraud, tax evasion

A jury on Tuesday found Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort guilty on eight of the 18 counts against him, including five counts of filing false tax returns, one of failing to file a required tax form, and two bank fraud charges. The jury deadlocked on 10 other charges after four days of deliberations, and U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis declared a mistrial on those. The result marked a significant if mixed victory for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, even though the charges against Manafort involved his work as an international political consultant rather than his leadership of Trump's campaign. President Trump said he felt "badly" for Manafort but that the case "doesn't involve me" and "has nothing to do with Russian collusion."

The Washington Post CNN

2. Michael Cohen pleads guilty to 8 felony charges

President Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty in a Manhattan court on Tuesday to bank fraud, tax evasion, and campaign finance violations. Cohen said in court that he violated campaign finance laws by paying alleged hush money to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film star Stormy Daniels, and that he did it at Trump's direction. Both of the women claim to have had affairs with Trump more than a decade ago. The tax charges are linked to Cohen's investments in taxis and real estate. Cohen's plea deal does not require him to cooperate with federal prosecutors in Manhattan, but it leaves an open door for him to provide information to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling. If Cohen cooperates, Mueller could recommend a reduced sentence.

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The New York Times ABC News

3. Kavanaugh tells Collins Roe v. Wade is 'settled law'

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh told Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) that the Roe v. Wade case establishing a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy was "settled law," Collins said Tuesday. Collins said Kavanaugh told her that he agreed with Chief Justice John Roberts' conclusion, expressed during his 2005 confirmation hearing, that Roe was settled precedent. Collins is considered a potential swing vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation due to Democratic opposition and the GOP's slim 51-to-49 majority in the Senate. If she and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) back Kavanaugh, his confirmation would be all but certain, analysts say. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said "blase comments that it's settled law" aren't enough, because Kavanaugh could become "a wrecking ball against key health protections for millions of American women."

The Washington Post

4. U.S. adds to growing list of sanctions against Russians

The Trump administration on Tuesday imposed sanctions on two Russians, one Russian company, and one Slovakian company for allegedly helping another Russian company, Divetechnoservices, sidestep sanctions over hacking efforts by Russia intelligence agents. The U.S. Treasury Department in June sanctioned Divetechnoservices for getting underwater equipment and diving systems for Russian government agencies, including Russia's Federal Security Service, or F.S.B., its main intelligence agency. The Obama administration sanctioned F.S.B. in December 2016 for alleged cyber operations aimed at influencing the 2016 presidential election. The sanctioned companies, Saint Petersburg-based Vela-Marine Ltd and Slovakia-based Lacno S.R.O., and the two individuals, Marina Igorevna Tsareva and Anton Aleksandrovich Nagibin, allegedly helped Divetechnoservices get around the sanctions. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov called the new sanctions groundless.

Reuters

5. Grand jury indicts GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter on campaign finance charges

A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) and his wife, Margaret, on charges that they used $250,000 in campaign money for personal use. "The indictment alleges that Congressman Hunter and his wife repeatedly dipped into campaign coffers as if they were personal bank accounts, and falsified FEC campaign finance reports to cover their tracks," said U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman. The spending, between 2009 and 2016, allegedly included vacations to Italy and Hawaii, school tuition for their children, and video games. Mike Harrison, Hunter's chief of staff, said Hunter "believes this action is purely politically motivated." Hunter's lawyer said the investigation was meant to derail Hunter's re-election campaign.

Los Angeles Times

6. Facebook blocks political influence campaigns linked to Russia, Iran

Facebook said on Tuesday that it had uncovered several new efforts to mislead users. The social network said it had taken down 652 fake accounts, pages, and groups that were spreading misinformation. Facebook said the new activity was far more extensive than another influence campaign it revealed last month, and that the efforts originated in Iran and Russia and were aimed at people in Latin America, the U.K., the Middle East, and the U.S. "We believe these pages, groups, and accounts were part of two sets of campaigns," said Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. "One from Iran, with ties to state owned media. The other came from a set of people the U.S. government and others have linked to Russia."

The New York Times

7. Suspect leads investigators to body of Iowa college student

Investigators recovered a body believed to be that of Iowa college student Mollie Tibbetts, a 20-year-old who disappeared July 18 after going jogging. Police arrested Cristhian Bahena Rivera, an undocumented immigrant, and charged him with her murder. Investigators used location data from Tibbetts' Fitbit device and surveillance video to track down Rivera, who took police to Tibbetts' body in a corn field miles outside of Brooklyn, Iowa. Rivera worked in the area and had lived there for more than three years. "I can't speak about the motive. I can just tell you that it seemed that he followed her, seemed to be drawn to her on that particular day, for whatever reason he chose to abduct her," Division of Criminal Investigation special agent Rick Rahn said.

CBS News The Associated Press

8. Trump-backed candidate loses Wyoming GOP gubernatorial primary

Wyoming state Treasurer Mark Gordon beat businessman and political donor Foster Friess to win the state's Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday. Friess lost despite a late endorsement from President Trump, who tweeted his support early on Election Day. His loss snapped a winning streak for candidates backed by Trump in primary races for governor across the country. With nearly all precincts reporting, Gordon had 32 percent of the vote while Friess had 26 percent. Gordon was the early frontrunner in a crowded field, but Friess' wealth and connections helped him gain ground quickly. Incumbent Gov. Matt Mead (R) can't run due to term limits. Gordon will face Democratic state Rep. Mary Throne in November.

Politico

9. U.S. deports accused former Nazi guard

The U.S. on Tuesday deported a 95-year-old New York City man accused of being a former guard at a labor camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. The man, Jakiw Palij, was sent to Germany. The White House said Palij served during World War II as a guard at the Trawniki Labor Camp, where about 6,000 Jewish men, women, and children were fatally shot on Nov. 3, 1943, in one of the biggest single-day massacres of the Holocaust. "By serving as an armed guard ... and preventing the escape of Jewish prisoners during his Nazi service, Palij played an indispensable role in ensuring the Trawniki Jewish victims met their horrific fate at the hands of the Nazis," the White House said.

Reuters

10. Asia Argento denies sexual assault allegation

Actress Asia Argento on Tuesday denied an allegation of sexual assault from a former co-star while admitting that her late partner Anthony Bourdain paid the accuser to keep the claim quiet. Actor Jimmy Bennett accused Argento of sexually assaulting him when he was 17, The New York Times reported Sunday, and Argento ultimately paid him $380,000. In a statement, Argento strongly denied "any sexual relationship with Bennett" and claimed that Bennett knowingly levied a false accusation because he was "undergoing severe economic problems" and knew Bourdain had a reputation to protect. Bourdain "personally undertook to help Bennett economically," Argento wrote, in exchange for no "further intrusions." The arrangement came after Argento accused movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, launching the #MeToo movement.

Yashar Ali The New York Times