Michael flynn also tells investigators that he spoke to russian officials at the request of individuals close to the u. S. President also on the program. Police in germany used Water Cannons to disperse a demonstration against the far right if the party who are meeting to elect a new leaders. And honor for fighting and justice and investigative journalist from azerbaijan is one of four winners of the alternative nobel prize. Im michel henery welcome to the program. A dramatic turn of events in a washington former u. S. National security advisor Michael Flynn has pled guilty to charges that he lied to the f. B. I. Prosecutors say flynn covered up his contacts with russia after Donald Trumps that dearie and last years president ial election reports also suggest flynn said a Senior Member of trumps team directed him to talk to russian officials. Have. Michael flynn leaving court in washington d. C. To cries of lock him up from protesters those words hark back to last year when flynn led chance for then democratic president ial candidate Hillary Clinton to be sent to jail. Flint said a Senior Member of the Trump Transition Team directed him to make contact with russian officials. When confirmed u. S. Media reports say that Senior Member is u. S. President Donald Trumps son in law jarrett coercion or if true the investigation moved much closer to trump himself. Democratic lawmakers have reacted with renewed calls for the investigation to include more people linked to the president you know it weve got a number of major figures like Donald Trump Jr i want to bring back jared questioner particularly in light of some of the supposed comments that general flynn may have been making. Weve got other individuals like Michael Cohen and others that we still need to come back but i weve got more facts to gather. Further data coming off i think were going to go to her as for the president he has remained uncharacteristically silent about flynn but that may have to change Michael Flynn was a very close advisor to trump his guilty plea raises the question how deep will the probe get into President Trumps inner circle is that of being thankful. I asked our washing of correspondent christopher naaman if there had been any reaction on President Trump or his administration on flynns guilty plea. Yes. For President Trump has basically tried to distance the white house from Michael Flynn he said that michael finn worked for this administration only for a very short while and also said that microphone didnt implicate anyone by name in his plea both is technically correct but of course Michael Flynn was National Security advisor only for a few weeks but he still was one of the most important biases of donald trump during the campaign after the complain and he was definitely part of Donald Trumps in a circle here and also he might not have implicated anyone by name during his plea but it seems clear that he has made a deal with the prosecutors and they are looking at the Transition Team prosecutors say a senior official in the Transition Team director Michael Flynn and according to media reports that seems to be jarrett cushion or the son in law and Senior Advisor of President Trump is there any indication of how far this probe will go. Now come out of the spotlight. Well obviously he will. He is under the spotlight already after these reports that doesnt necessarily mean he will indicted or anything is probably in trouble but the question is what did he actually do directing Michael Flynn in this is not an offense in itself i mean this is a normal part of a transition from one government to the next to also contact and bassett us from other countries the question is did jared at some point maybe also lie about his role in this whole affair and then he could be in trouble of course question also is a very important advisor here is charged with many important fields by President Trump like remodelling the american bureaucracy chinese relations or relations with china and peace in the middle east so if he comes under pressure that means trouble for donald trump even if the president so is not implicated yet as a person thank you karsten. Now to some of the other stories making news around the world the United States senate has narrowly approved a sweeping tax overhaul lawmakers voted by fifty one to forty nine to back the package the vote takes president and the republicans a step closer to their biggest legislative win of the year democrats say the bill will only benefit big business and the rich. The government and hunter s. Has given the military more powers in an effort to deal with violent protests and unrest the government said it was suspending Constitutional Rights and also imposing a curfew and this one person has died in the demonstrations over last weeks president ial election. German police are investigating a suspicious device that was found near a Christmas Market in the city of pottstown outside berlin officers evacuated the market while they examine the contents of the package security is high in the area after last years truck attack in berlin. Several people have been injured after police in germany used Water Cannons to disperse a protest against the far right party several hundred demonstrators have gathered in the Northern City of handover where the party is meeting for its First Congress since entering Parliament Party members are expected to elect new leaders at the event observers say a power struggle between radical nationalists and more traditional conservatives is that the dominate proceedings. Correspondent Michaela Cook dinner is in hanover today for us the camera how much of a shock to the political system have they if didnt bid in the last these last three months. Well now that they joined the german parliaments the National Plan the first time theyre already represented in fourteen Regional Parliament and theyve already somewhat changed the tone of many delegates so i switched from other parties are saying that they get there and sometimes we do get taken aback when the f. T. Takes on some of their arguing on particular issues not be able to hear at this Party Conference and we hear the party morten speaking right now behind me hes standing for reelection for the Party Leadership on this day and what we expect to see there once again is that struggle that has dominated this party pretty much from day one on how far right it really wants to shift in a bit to put a stop to talk to you which is it says essentially on to stephanie. Mcilvain is there any sign to the time and of the infighting going on amongst the f. T. Members. Was pretty much been a part of his d. N. A. We dont really get a sense that a lot of deals a lot of power deals are being done much ahead of such a Party Conference and we saw a video here also which also included a phrase saying we want a home we want our country back well that sounds familiar doesnt it the likes of donald trump and us and thats essentially pretty much the agenda that all sides here are pushing for certainly against the migration policy but of course there are the likes of who wanted a turnaround from cleverish of the Second World War we describe the Holocaust Memorial and as a memorial shame that it really shouldnt be there although he said that that was misconstrued and there are radical elements here and what it looks like in the past morton who was pretty much set to be relaxed again might have to do a bit of power sharing. That very might get up from his chair and claim a title for himself so its always a bit of a shakespearean drama. Chris essentially this party is still quite a way away from finding its exact course and thats also why focus who was until very recently the co possibly to hit essentially left she felt it was going to fall right. Weve heard that police are bracing for potentially violent street protests against the party whats it like in hannover of this morning. Well i know that water cannon have been used already when i entered here is while ago there were certainly a couple of hundred protesters shouting at anyone who was pretty much heading towards the building but there is a very Large Police Presence it is pretty much impossible at this point to get anyway. Thank you. You may have heard of the nobel prize but what about the alternative nobel prize its official name is the right livelihood award and last night at a ceremony in sweden it was given to four people for their efforts to fight injustice. They arent famous but the winners of the right livelihood award known as the alternative nobel prize have dedicated their lives to social justice human rights and Government Transparency four people were awarded it this year and environmental lawyer from the us a human rights lawyer from india a disability rights activist from ethiopia and investigative journalist from azerbaijan. And the immensely pleased that at present twenty seventeen right livelihood award to my friend. For courage and tenacity in exposing corruption of the highest levels of government to outstanding Investigative Journalism in the name of transparency and accountability but its my love i couldnt leave azerbaijan to accept it despite international protest her countrys government has kept a travel ban against her in place she could only appear the video since the prices founding in stockholm in one nine hundred eighty the right livelihood award has been given to one hundred seventy people or organizations from sixty nine countries. Sports news now and the Bundesliga Club cologne have had a bad start to the season collecting just two points from thirteen games still theres been little talk of sacking their coach pay the shirker until now as the team prepares for tonights match hes beginning to feel the pressure. Slim pickings for cologne coach payton sterger at fridays final Training Session eleven players are out injured the billy goats are down a man and the Coaching Staff to after the club demoted their fitness coach stringer wants an assurance hes not the next to go for them and show them to or from diseases as a couple just want to clear decision to being tasered thats often its important for the guys to know who is leading them into the rest of the season its important for our day to day work here. And when team is going through a tough stretch and they dont know whos going to be in charge its not ideal. It isnt up to mars. Cologne could have wished for an easier opponent on saturday night as well. Because battling comeback draw against dortmund last week felt almost like a win the team hasnt lost since september and are brimming with confidence before things on his thats wanted it was the signs leading up to this game are not all that positive but maybe that kind of situation where it looks like we dont have any chances you could be helpful seans and maybe well have less pressure maybe well play with a bit more predicament that he doesnt when we for the moment look on the sri lankan can thats a lot of maybes but one thing seems certain this is a do or die match for. Another bad loss and the austrians time it cologne is surely up. To motorsports and audi made its formal aid to be one saturday as the new season got underway in hong kong the twenty fifteen diesel emissions scandal has forced manufacturers to rethink their approach to motor racing with other set to join the electric car series. Partly a sound power he is germanys first car manufacturer to compete in formula a. In twenty sixteen audi quits the world enjoyed championships where it lifted thirteen lemont titles to take a driving seat in a new era for motor racing one of its greatest rivals porsche is set to follow suit the move marks a major shift from manufacturers with what. Were hearing so much about new developments in improvements that we have to get involved with your sport more. But we want our product strategy to show a shift towards electrum ability in motor sport. Porsche will join the formula in twenty nineteen competition to see who can build the longest lasting battery will be key in the race for success is an extreme but these extreme racing conditions are a great opportunity to collect new data and experiences and transfer these into our developments for next season so its very new and its embryonic so its developing all the time but because it doesnt necessarily have the historical nature about it then it can define its own path and thats quite interesting for me is the way that its the finding its own path. With mercedes also set to launch a team from next season formula is fast becoming a viable alternative on the motor racing scene. Thats all for now be sure to tune in at the top of the hour my colleague and odonnell takes over until then thanks for watching today the unionists. W. s Program Guide to. The whole. Dot com paula