Happening Today: Paul Manafort, Border Wall, Romaine, Ryan Adams, Bill Cosby

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Paul Manafort Lied to Investigators in Russia Probe, Judge Finds

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort intentionally lied to investigators and a federal grand jury in the special counsel's Russia probe, a judge ruled. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson's decision was another loss for Manafort, a once-wealthy political consultant who rose to lead Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and now faces years in prison in two criminal cases brought in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. The four-page ruling hurts Manafort's chance of receiving a reduced sentence, though Jackson said she would decide the exact impact during his sentencing next month. It also resolves a dispute that had provided new insight into how Mueller views Manafort's actions as part of the broader probe of Russian election interference and any possible coordination with Trump associates. Prosecutors have made clear that they remain deeply interested in Manafort's interactions with a man the FBI says has ties to Russian intelligence. But it's unclear exactly what has drawn their attention and whether it relates to election interference because much of the dispute has played out in secret court hearings and blacked out court filings.

Border Security Brawl Seems Near a Serene Resolution

Congress is set to resolve its clattering brawl with President Trump in uncommonly bipartisan fashion as lawmakers prepare to pass a border security compromise providing a mere sliver of the billions he's demanded for a wall with Mexico and averting a rekindled government shutdown this weekend. With Trump's halfhearted signature widely expected but hardly guaranteed, congressional leaders planned votes Thursday on the sweeping package. Passage first by the Republican-led Senate, then the Democratic-controlled House, was virtually certain, with sizable numbers of both parties' members set to vote "yes." Bargainers formally completed the accord moments before midnight. Trump's assent would end a raucous legislative saga that commenced before Christmas and was ending, almost fittingly, on Valentine's Day. The low point was the historically long 35-day partial federal shutdown, which Trump sparked and was in full force when Democrats took control of the House, compelling him to share power for the first time.

Source of Fall Romaine Outbreak a Mystery, US Regulators Say

U.S. food regulators say they weren't able to identify a contamination source for a food poisoning outbreak that prompted them to warn people to avoid romaine lettuce this fall. The Food and Drug Administration says it wasn't able to determine how a water reservoir on a Santa Barbara County, California, farm became contaminated with E. coli. It also says the water reservoir doesn't explain how lettuce from other farms may have been contaminated.The FDA says leafy greens' short shelf-life makes it difficult to investigate such outbreaks. It notes food safety has been a longstanding issue with leafy greens, and that the industry should review operations to minimize risk.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is always risk of foodborne illness when eating raw produce.

7 Women Claim Singer Ryan Adams Was Inappropriate, Report Says

A New York Times report says seven women have claimed singer-songwriter Ryan Adams offered to help them with their music careers but then turned things sexual, and he sometimes became emotional and verbally abusive. In the story, a 20-year-old female musician said Adams, 44, had inappropriate conversations with her while she was 15 and 16. Identified by her middle name Ava, she said that Adams exposed himself during a video call. Adams' ex-wife, actress and singer Mandy Moore, said Adams was psychologically abusive toward her throughout their marriage. Their divorce was official in 2016. The Times said the accounts have been corroborated by family members or friends who were present at the time. Adams' lawyer denied the claims to the Times. After the article was published, Adams tweeted Wednesday that "I am not a perfect man and I have made many mistakes."

Jailed Bill Cosby Says He's a Victim of 'Entrapment'

Convicted sex offender and former comedian Bill Cosby said his attempts to showcase equality on television led to his 3-to-10-year prison sentence and fall from grace as "America's Dad." In his first message from prison, the 81-year-old, who was declared a sexually violent predator by a Pennsylvania judge, told NBC10's Erin Coleman that he is a victim of "entrapment" carried out by a "low-life District Attorney" and "corrupt Judge." Cosby shared his comments with his wife, Camille, after a two-part interview with his spokesman Andrew Wyatt about Cosby's life at Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution Phoenix in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. In that interview, Wyatt shared how Cosby washed his meals before eating them and wakes up at 3:30 a.m. to do calisthenics in his cell. Cosby was convicted in April 2018 of drugging Andrea Constand and sexually assaulting her inside his Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, home in 2004.