Ex-Trump advisor gave ‘information’ on Russia contacts +++ Hope for Yemen peace talks

5. Jänner 2019, 02:00

Ex-Trump advisor gave ‘information’ on Russia contacts

The US special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, has recommended that President Trump's former National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, should face little or no prison time for the crime of lying to the FBI. Mueller has said Flynn has given substantial assistance to the investigation, including details of contacts between the Trump transition team and Russian government officials.

Hope for Yemen peace talks

A delegation from Yemen’s Saudi-backed government is due in Sweden for UN sponsored peace talks with Houthi rebels. Houthi representatives are already in Stockholm. Top UN official, David Beasley, has just returned from a trip to Yemen: “One thing that I did see is that there appears to be a sense of exhaustion over the war from all sides. So I’m hoping the peace talks yield themselves to a path of hope.”

US senators accuse bin Salman on Khashoggi murder

Senior US senators have said they are certain that the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, ordered the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in October. They were speaking after a classified briefing by the CIA. Their conclusion contradicts the position of the Trump administration. Meanwhile Turkey has issued arrest warrants for two former top aides to bin Salman saying it is concerned Saudi Arabia won't hold the suspects accountable.

NATO warns Russia over nuclear arms treaty

NATO member states have backed US accusations that Russia has violated a nuclear arms reduction treaty concluded during the Cold War. The US has warned it will withdraw from treaty within 60 days unless Russia returns to compliance. NATO general secretary Jens Stoltenberg: “Russia now has a last chance to come back into compliance with the INF treaty. But we must also start to prepare for a world without the treaty.” Russia has rejected the accusations and has said it will be forced to respond, if the US withdraws.

British government suffers early Brexit defeats

British prime minister Theresa May’s government suffered major defeats in parliament yesterday on the first of five days of debate on the agreement with the European Union for Britain’s withdrawal. MPs passed an historic motion finding the government in contempt of parliament for failing to publish in full the legal advice on Brexit. They also passed an amendment allowing parliament to seize control of what happens if May’s Brexit deal is rejected in next Tuesday’s vote.

The weather

Mainly cloudy with scattered showers in the west. Sunny spells in the east. Top temperatures 2 to 10 degrees.

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