Today's Headlines and Commentary

North Korea accused the U.S. of stirring up conflict after Washington called for a UN Security Council meeting to discuss human rights abuses in North Korea, reports the Washington Post.

President Trump’s lawyers were repeatedly briefed by one of Paul Manafort’s lawyers on the former Trump campaign chairman’s discussions with federal investigators after Manafort agreed to a plea deal that would require him to cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller, says the New York Times.

Washington has imposed sanctions on Nicaragua’s vice president, Rosario Murillo, and a top aide in an escalating pressure campaign against the Sandinista government for its harsh crackdown on opponents and protesters, says the Times.

The U.S.-Turkey relationship faces a new obstacle: Ankara’s purchase of a Russian missile defense system, reports the Post. U.S. lawmakers are threatening to demand the delay or cancellation of an F-35 stealth fighter delivery to Turkey if the purchase is not voided.

A massive vehicular suicide bomb went off near a British security contractor’s compound on the eastern outskirts of Kabul on Wednesday, says the Post. After the explosion, several gunmen charged the compound on foot. As of this writing, 11 people had been transported to a hospital and no group has claimed responsibility.

Roger Stone associate Jerome Corsi said Tuesday that he may be indicted on a charge of lying to federal investigators, according to the Times.

ICYMI: Yesterday on Lawfare

Anthea Roberts, Henrique Choer Moraes and Victor Ferguson analyzed the relationship between economics and security in the second installment in their series on the new geoeconomic world order. The first part in the series may be found here.

Shanelle Van provided a comprehensive analysis of the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.

J. Dana Stuster posted this week’s Middle East Ticker, which featured discussion on the UAE’s release of British student Matthew Hedges, protests in Tunisia against the Saudi crown prince’s visit, and forward movement on peace talks in Yemen.

Jen Patja Howell posted a new episode of the Lawfare Podcast in which Benjamin Wittes sat down with Alina Polyakova and Scott Anderson to discuss the international law implications of unrest in the Kerch Strait.

Robert Chesney and Steve Vladeck posted a post-Thanksgiving episode of the National Security Law Podcast covering airstrikes in Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan and elsewhere; tear gas at the U.S.-Mexico border; and a recent U.S. Solicitor General trend.

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