International
US ex-ambassador pleads guilty on Qatar lobbying
AFP
A former US ambassador has pleaded guilty to illegal lobbying for Qatar and accepting a lavish trip while serving as envoy to Pakistan, court documents showed.
Richard Olson, who has also served as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and as special representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan, was charged in federal court over violating a restriction on lobbying for a foreign country within a year of leaving office.
According to a criminal complaint, Olson, then still the ambassador in Islamabad, met in Los Angeles in 2015 with a Pakistani American who proposed working for a business associate from Bahrain.
The Pakistani American, who was not identified, quickly arranged a trip to London to discuss the cooperation, with Olson failing to disclose $19,000 provided him in first-class airfare, a luxury hotel stay and dinner, prosecutors said.
The businessperson proposed a one-year contract to Olson worth $300,000 after he ended his diplomatic career, the complaint said.
Olson initially was asked to help Qatar lobby for Washington to allow US customs preclearance at the Doha airport, a move that would ease lucrative connections to the United States.
The former ambassador was later asked to help Qatar as it faced a blockade by neighbors Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
A Qatari government official in turn wired $5.8 million to the Pakistani American who had approached Olson, the complaint said.
The complaint quoted Olson acknowledging being aware of ethical restrictions, saying he could not directly approach the US ambassador in Qatar.
A court filing said that Olson pleaded guilty to the offenses, with the case sent from California to Washington.
His filing was dated April 7. It was first reported by the news site Axios.
Since retiring from the Foreign Service, Olson — known as Rick — has often served as a commentator on events in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
International
Missile attack hits Kharkiv homes, leaving 13 wounded
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that a Russian missile attack on residential buildings in the eastern city of Kharkiv has left at least 13 people injured, according to local authorities.
“A horrific Russian attack on Kharkiv,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram, explaining that two missiles were fired, striking residential areas and causing “a number of casualties that is still being clarified.”
Local officials later confirmed that 13 people were injured in the attack, six of whom were hospitalized, including one woman in serious condition.
International
Sheinbaum evacuates National Palace after 6.5-magnitude earthquake hits Southern Mexico
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo evacuated the National Palace on Friday along with journalists and federal government staff after the seismic alert was activated during her morning press conference, triggered by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake with its epicenter in the south of the country.
The alert sounded while the president was speaking from the Treasury Hall, forcing the immediate interruption of the event and the activation of established safety protocols.
“Oh, it’s shaking,” Sheinbaum said as she noticed the tremor, before urging those present to remain calm.
According to preliminary information, the earthquake struck the state of Guerrero, one of Mexico’s most seismically active regions. The National Seismological Service (SSN) reported that the quake occurred at 7:58 a.m. local time (13:58 GMT).
Sheinbaum led the orderly evacuation of the historic building, accompanied by reporters covering the briefing and federal government personnel. Images released afterward show the president waiting in the central courtyard of the National Palace as she awaited guidance from Civil Protection authorities on whether it was safe to resume activities.
International
Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney to join Ukraine peace talks in Paris
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Friday that he will take part in peace negotiations on Ukrainescheduled to be held in Paris on January 5 and 6.
In a statement, the Canadian government said the meeting will bring together countries belonging to the so-called Coalition of the Willing, and aims to “accelerate efforts toward a negotiated peace” in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, supported by robust security guarantees.
Carney said Canada is working closely with its allies to achieve a “just and lasting peace,” stressing that the Coalition of the Willing must both deter further aggression and reinforce security guarantees, while ensuring that Ukraine is able to rebuild, recover and lay the foundations for genuine prosperity.
The Coalition of the Willing is made up of around 30 countries, the vast majority of them European, all of which are allies of Kyiv.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that a meeting of the Coalition, alongside other European leaders, will take place in Paris on January 6, focusing on security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a future peace agreement with Russia.
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