Today’s Headlines and Commentary

A gunman killed three people and wounded at least 13 others at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France on Tuesday, reports the Washington Post. Police have said that the attacker, who is still at large, is a 29-year-old who is known to French and German authorities and had been flagged for possible extremism. Five people have been detained in connection with the search.

President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday morning for his role in campaign finance violations during the Trump campaign; multiple financial crimes; and lying to Congress regarding efforts to secure a Trump Tower Moscow deal, according to the Post. In Cohen’s sentencing memo, prosecutors alleged that Cohen carried out the campaign finance violations at Trump’s direction.

In conjunction with Cohen’s sentence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced that it has reached a non-prosecution agreement with American Media, Inc. regarding the company’s role in one of the two campaign finance violations for which Cohen was sentenced.

U.S. investigators increasingly believe the massive Marriott data breach was carried out by Chinese government hackers, says the Post.

Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou has been granted bail of 10 million Canadian dollars, roughly $7.5 million, by a Canadian court while awaiting extradition to the U.S., according to the New York Times. Trump expressed a willingness to intervene in Justice Department proceedings regarding Meng if it would help secure a U.S.-China trade deal, reports Reuters.

British Prime Minister Theresa May faces a vote of no confidence on Wednesday following disapproval from the Conservative Party on her handling of Britain’s exit from the European Union, writes NPR.

A judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has delayed the plea hearing for accused Russian agent Maria Butina until Thursday, says Reuters.

In a sentencing memo filed on Tuesday evening, lawyers for former national security advisor Michael Flynn have requested no prison time for the retired general, according to CNN. Flynn has pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators on matters concerning communication between the Russian government and the Trump transition team.

ICYMI: Yesterday on Lawfare

Bob Bauer and Quinta Jurecic explored whether Trump’s alleged role in coordinating payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal constitute an impeachable offence.

Jurecic also shared the sentencing memo from Michael Flynn’s defense team.

Jen Patja Howell shared the latest episode of the Lawfare Podcast, in which Benjamin Wittes discusses the war in Yemen with Gregory Johnsen and Daniel Byman, followed by a conversation between Scott Anderson and Molly Reynolds on how Congress is planning to respond to the war.

In this week’s Middle East Ticker, J. Dana Stuster discussed Yemen peace talks, Saudi Arabia’s diminishing influence in Washington and the renewed attention on the targeting of foreign researchers in the Middle East.

Anthea Roberts, Henrique Choer Moraes and Victor Ferguson analyzed the Trump Administration’s strategy of economic security in the fourth installment of their series on the new Geoeconomic World Order.

Brian Corcoran summarized the current state of negotiations on a slate of issues under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Stewart Baker shared the latest episode of the Cyberlaw Podcast, which featured a news round-up and extensive discussion of Australia’s new encryption law.

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