US says Russia readying 'false-flag' operation to invade Ukraine
Russia has put in place operatives trained in explosives to carry out a “false- flag” operation to create a pretext to invade Ukraine, US officials alleged on Friday.
The United States released intelligence findings the day after National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that Russia, which has amassed tens of thousands of troops on the Ukrainian border, was “laying the groundwork to have the option of fabricating a pretext for an invasion.”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said US intelligence believed Russia could begin the operations “several weeks” before a military invasion, which could start between mid-January and mid-February.
“We have information that indicates Russia has already prepositioned a group of operatives to conduct a false-flag operation in eastern Ukraine,” Psaki told reporters. “The operatives are trained in urban warfare and in using explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against Russia’s own proxy forces.”
Worried by Russia, Sweden beefs up troops on Baltic island
Sweden's armed forces are boosting preparedness in regions including the Baltic island of Gotland, citing Russia's increased military activity in the area.
Military resources will be "reallocated to strengthen operations in several different places" in Sweden, with a "visible" change on Gotland, Michael Claesson, chief of operations at the Swedish military, said in a statement.
Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet on Friday published video of armoured combat vehicles patrolling the harbour of Visby, the largest town on the island.
Omicron linked to higher hospitalisation rate for babies
Omicron infection has resulted in a higher hospitalisation rate for babies in the UK than seen for previous variants of Covid-19, though most hospital stays were short, researchers said.
Infants under the age of one year old accounted for 42 per cent of children hospitalised during the Omicron wave, compared with 30 per cent in May to mid-December when the Delta variant was prevalent, a UK-wide team of doctors said in data released on Friday.
Outcomes for the hospitalised babies have been positive, however, with no deaths, less need for oxygen and proportionally fewer intensive-care admissions than during the Delta wave.
Dutch ease tough Covid-19 curbs, but bars stay shut
The Netherlands will relax some of the toughest Covid-19 restrictions in Europe after hospitalisations dropped despite a surge in Omicron variant cases, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Friday.
Shops, gyms, hairdressers, sex workers and sports clubs will be allowed to do business until 5pm daily from Saturday, nearly a month after they were shut down over the Christmas and New Year period.
But bars, restaurants, cafes and cultural locations will however remain closed until at least Jan 25, Rutte told the first press conference since a new government was sworn in earlier this week.
Alec Baldwin turns over his phone in Rust shooting probe
Actor Alec Baldwin turned his phone in to the police in Suffolk County, New York, on Friday morning, his lawyer said, starting a process that will allow investigators to collect data related to his fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the film Rust last year in New Mexico.
Baldwin agreed to a process in which he would hand over his iPhone and its password, and the phone's data would be reviewed by officials from the Suffolk County police department and district attorney's office before the relevant data would be passed to authorities in New Mexico, according to a search agreement provided by Baldwin's lawyer.
Baldwin, who has a home in Suffolk County, handed the phone over to the police himself, his lawyer, Aaron Dyer, said.
