Yates: Former Trump security aide was Russia blackmail risk

Former Acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates said on Monday she warned the White House in January that then-national security adviser Michael Flynn had been compromised and could have been vulnerable to blackmail by Russia. Yates testified at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing that focused primarily on Flynn, and did not shed much light on other aspects of investigations of allegations that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. election and whether there was collusion between President Donald Trump's campaign and Moscow.

White House was warned Trump aide Flynn a blackmail risk

The White House was warned in January that Donald Trump's national security advisor Michael Flynn was vulnerable to Russian blackmail, a top former official told lawmakers Monday, as the issue of the president's ties to Moscow returned to the spotlight. Trump hit back by dismissing suggestions that his team colluded with Russia as a "hoax," and calling the congressional investigations into Russia's interference in the US election a taxpayer-funded "charade."

Yates-Flynn timeline shows how Trump administration may have been engaged in coordinated cover-up

Sally Yates will finally testify Monday on what she knows about possible contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russia - and there's evidence to suggest she may drop some bombshell revelations. It seems like every time Yates' name or explosive claims about Russia enter the news cycle, President Donald Trump and his allies lash out.

France Fights to Keep Macron Email Hack From Distorting Election

France sought to keep a computer hack of frontrunner Emmanuel Macron's campaign emails from influencing the outcome of the country's presidential election with a warning on Saturday it could be a criminal offence to republish the data. Macron's team said a "massive" hack had dumped emails, documents and campaign financing information online just before campaigning ended on Friday and France entered a quiet period which forbids politicians from commenting on the leak.

US Air Force jets intercept Russian bombers near Alaska airspace

Illustrative photo of an American F-15 intercepting a Russian Tu-95 Bear Bomber during a Russian exercise near the west coast of Alaska in 2008. US Air Force jets on Thursday intercepted two Russian bombers escorted by a pair of Russian fighter jets flying near Alaskan airspace, in an incident that was described as a first by US defense officials.

Trump, Putin move toward cooperation in Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks to the media after his talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at Putin's residence in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, Tuesday, May 2, 2017. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled improving prospects for cooperation in Syria on Tuesday in what the White House called a “very good” phone discussion that included a focus on setting up safe zones in the war-torn nation.

Why would Putin have helped Trump to become president?

Why would have [President Vladimir] Putin of Russia ever wanted to try and help Donald Trump win the 2016 presidential election, which the Democrats, the Hillary Clinton campaign and much of the main news media alleged? Obama contended that if Hillary would have won the presidency, his policies would have been continued as if he had a third term in office, which, in my opinion, would have been a continuation of, among others. a weak and incoherent foreign policy.

The Latest: Putin denies interfering in US, Europe elections

Speaking during a joint news conference Tuesday with Germany's leader, Putin said such accusations are "simply rumors" that are being used as part of the domestic political struggle in the United States. U.S. intelligence agencies say they have evidence that Russia was behind the hacking of Democratic email accounts, which were intended to benefit Donald Trump and harm his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Russians involved in California secession plan

It has now become evident that the Russians have been meddling in the internal affairs of the United States beyond the 2016 presidential election. While the mass media have been focused on President Donald Trump, they missed the really big news about the plan in California to secede from the Union and become a free standing country.

Fears of Russian meddling as France prepares to go to the polls

Richard Burr, the head of the US Senate Intelligence Committee, was presiding over a briefing on the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election when he offered his assessment of who the next target might be. "I think it's safe by everybody's judgment that the Russians are actively involved in the French elections," Burr told reporters.

U.S. Treasury rejects Exxon Mobil request to drill in Russia

The Trump administration has rejected a request from Exxon Mobil to waive U.S. sanctions against Russia to allow the company to resume oil drilling around the Black Sea. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday in a brief statement that the administration "will not be issuing waivers to U.S. companies, including Exxon, authorizing drilling prohibited by current Russian sanctions."

Reuters: Think Tank Linked To Putin Distributed Plans to Influence U.S. Election

U.S. intelligence agencies released a report in January saying they assessed that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an "influence campaign" in the U.S. presidential election. The Reuters news agency reports that a Russian government think tank run by Kremlin-appointed former intelligence officials developed a plan to influence the outcome of the U.S. presidential election last year.

AP Source: Exxon seeks OK to resume Russian oil venture

A person familiar with the matter says Exxon Mobil is seeking permission from the U.S. government for approval to resume drilling around the Black Sea with a Russian partner, state-owned Rosneft . The oil giant's request is being reviewed by the Trump administration and is certain to draw extra scrutiny because it involves a company formerly run by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who cultivated close ties with Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin.

Changing Trump views toward Russia, China worry some allies

Once soft on Russia and hard on China, President Donald Trump rapidly reversed course in the last weeks, concluding there's more business to be done with Beijing than with Moscow. Trump's evolving views on those two world powers have brought the U.S. back into alignment with former President Barack Obama's pattern of "great power" politics.

Mixed reactions greet Trump’s new attitudes on Russia, China

" Once soft on Russia and hard on China, President Donald Trump rapidly reversed course in the last weeks, concluding there's more business to be done with Beijing than with Moscow. Trump's evolving views on those two world powers have brought the U.S. back into alignment with former President Barack Obama's pattern of "great power" politics.

Harder on Russia and softer on China, Trump’s views evolving

Once soft on Russia and hard on China, President Donald Trump rapidly reversed course in the last weeks, concluding there's more business to be done with Beijing than with Moscow. Trump's evolving views on those two world powers have brought the U.S. back into alignment with former President Barack Obama's pattern of "great power" politics.