Michael cohen admits tax evasion, breaking Election Campaign spending rules and lying to congress, but details have also emerged about the help mr cohen has given to a separate investigation into possible collusion between mr trumps Election Campaign staff and russia, being conducted by Robert Mueller. Our correspondent in washington is dan johnson. Hes been looking at the new evidence in the cohen case. Really damning detail about Michael Cohens criminal past. He admitted to much of that already, that is not new, but what weve learned is that during the months he has been cooperating with Robert Muellers investigation, he has been able to tell special counsel more about top level russian connections with the Trump Campaign during the president ial election back in 2016 and the key piece of evidence is about a project to build a trump tower in moscow, something that was being looked at and discussed with the russian government, a multibillion pound project that would have required the assistance and approval of the russian government. Michael cohen has admitted to Robert Muellers investigation that the discussions about that building project, even though it never went ahead, did continue during the president ial election so that means there was connections and there were discussions between the Trump Campaign and the russian government, officials there, about that multibillion dollar project during the president ial campaign, something that Michael Cohen has now admitted he lied to congress about initially. Hes admitted his lies, and the tax evasion he was previously involved in, and that is all building up into the picture why prosecutors think he deserves 4 5 years in prison despite the fact that he is now cooperating and has pleaded for leniency. Prosecutors think he deserves a substantial prison sentence. We are also learning some sort of emergence of communication with other russian figures. Does any of this now touch donald trump himself . It all points more clearly to further deeper negotiations, discussions, between people involved in the trump president ial campaign or in the Trump Organisation at that time, and senior russian officials. Michael cohen himself had a long discussion with an assistant to Vladimir Putins press secretary. There were also other people with the Campaign Offering advice and assistance. It paints a picture of how there were interactions, there were lines of communication and offers being made. This doesnt directly lead to the president at this stage but it certainly means the questions are getting closer and closer to him and the president himself has responded in some form on social media, tweeting rather cryptically, totally clears the president. Not clear exactly what he is referring to there but he feels none of the evidence and information that has emerged in the last few hours points any closer to him and thats something his spokeswoman Sarah Sanders is saying too. Briefly, what weve learned today, could this suggest that the Mueller Investigation is coming to a close or climax . It looks like we are getting nearer to the point of Robert Mueller releasing his final report and telling us exactly what he thinks the extent of this interaction was between the trump president ial campaign and russian officials. We have had more and more information released, about more and more of the people involved, and with every bit of news, it points to greater links and there will be heightened interests in seeing what Robert Muellers final conclusions are. But we still dont know when theyll come. In movements at the white house, President Trump has announced that william barr is his nominee to become the next attorney general following the departure ofjeff sessions. Mr barr will inherit oversight of the investigation into those claims of russian collusion during the 2016 election. Its a position mr barr knows well, having served in the job under president george hw bush. And the president has made it official that Heather Nauert is his pick for un ambassador. The Current State Department spokeswoman previously worked at fox news and if confirmed will be replacing nickey haley in the post. A bail hearing in canada for a Top Executive from the chinese telecoms giant huawei has been adjourned until monday. Meng wanzhou was told she faces fraud charges in the united states. She is the daughter of the companys founder and also huaweis chief financial officer. She faces prosecution in the us for allegedly trying to get round sanctions on iran. Our correspondent dave lee was at the bail hearing in vancouver. It was quite explosive because there were very few details released until the hearing began and like your correspondence said, this hearing was to decide whether ms meng should be granted bail, by those extradition proceedings get under way. Those proceedings could take an awful long time, years even, and if the us does get to have her extradited, ms meng will face multiple charges of bank fraud. Prosecutors believe they have found evidence that huawei was using an unofficial subsidiary, named skycom, in order to carry out trade in iran, in violation of sanctions. They said that huawei needed to deceive Financial Institutions in order to achieve that. Politically this comes at a tought time for both the us and china, who have an already rocky relationship, particularly on trade. It is fair to say that beijing is incensed at this arrest. Its called it a breach of ms mengs human rights and they have demanded that she is released immediately. Dave lee, bbc news, in vancouver. Dave lee reporting from vancouver. Joanna chiu is the Deputy Bureau chief of the vancouver star newspaper. I asked her what she found most surprising about the discussions in court. Well, the whole hearing was quite explosive because there were very few details released until the hearing began and like your correspond said, we learnt the allegations that warranted the extradition to the us from canada is to do at least with one charge of fraud, and the crown did say that each charge would be subject to jail terms of up to 30 years so this is a huge case of one of the Biggest Telecom companies in the world, their cfo getting arrested in vancouver, canada. We learned a lot of details today about how this would play out, and we expect this to last at least a few more days. Theres a lot being said that was made public for the first time at this hearing today. How big is huawei as a company in canada . Whats their involvement in the country . So meng was arrested in vancouver airport. She does have two homes here worth many million dollars, and shes had children who went to school here, so she has a personal connection to canada, but her company has sweeping partnerships with Canadian Companies and universities. Mostly its to do with telecom networks, developing sg interconnected networks. Canadas actually, among western countries, is one that has continued to work with huawei despite many Security Experts warning against this. Lets get some of the days other news. Angela merkels protege Annegret Kramp karrenbauer has been elected the new leader of germanys governing christian democrats. The 56 year old whos known as akk, won the most support in two rounds of voting by Party Delegates in hamburg. Mrs merkel will remain german chancellor for now although she has signalled her desire to stay in post until the end of her fourth term in 2021. A us court has found a white supremacist guilty of murdering a woman when he drove his car into a crowd of anti fascist demonstrators in cha rlottesville, virginia last year. A jury took less than a day to convictjames fields on all ten charges he faced, including killing Heather Heyer in august, 2017. Before the attack, james fields had taken part in a rally of white extremists, which police broke up after declaring it unlawful. The chief executive of the International Fashion chain ted baker, ray kelvin, is to take a voluntary leave of absence, after the company was made aware of further serious allegations about his conduct. Last week, an online petition launched by employees accused 62 year old mr kelvin of inappropriate comments and behaviour. For the first time in history, the un says more than half the worlds population is online. It estimates that by the end of this year, 3. 9 billion people will have access to the internet. The biggest growth is in developing countries, including some in africa. In france, a massive security operation is underway in preparation for more Anti Government protests this weekend. Fears of a repeat of last weeks violence on the streets has led to shops and some major Tourist Attractions being closed. Close to 90,000 police will be deployed across the country along with 75,000 emergency and security personnel. Extra security and armoured vehicles will be in the capital as the demonstrations, dubbed the yellow vest protests, have broadened beyond fuel tax rises to general dissatisfaction with president macron. Lucy williamson reports the Champs Elysees is again preparing for battle a consumer paradise twinkling behind bars. Some shops still have reminders of last weeks violence scrawled on their walls. Translation it makes sense to close. Weve lost a lot of money, me and my fellow shopkeepers. Its enough. Almost 90,000 Security Forces are being deployed across the country, and tourist sites, including the louvre and the eiffel tower, will close. The government has released a video on social media. Protesting is a right, it says, but attacking property or the state is not. Translation the gilets jaunes include pacifists with good intentions, but also people who have been radicalised, exploited by extremist groups and who want to topple the republic. Faced with systematic, organised violence, our forces will respond with firmness. This city is bracing itself. The heart of frances economic and political life has become a target for those who feel theyve lost touch with both. The threat tomorrow is from extremist groups and violent saboteurs, but the disillusion touches poorer working families across france. Jacqueline is part of a new Splinter Group called the free yellow jackets, who met the Prime Minister tonight for talks. Translation if we dont structure ourselves, we will fail. Its urgent that we choose people to represent ourselves, or else we will have done this for nothing. It wont work if there are 10,000 people shouting at the same time, just making a racket. Students across france have joined their own demands to the gilets jaunes campaign. The interior minister said they had been infiltrated by radical groups the reason, he said, these pupils were made to kneel outside their school by police. Last saturday saw the worst violence here in decades. What began as a protest over fuel tax rises has broadened into a Leaderless Movement that includes violent and extremist groups. To some, this protest is a cry of anger, to others the start of a new populist opposition. The government says its a monster thats escaped its creators control. Lucy williamson, bbc news, paris. Stay with us on bbc news, still to come a cargo ship plucks a british sailor from her badly damaged yacht cast adrift in the southern pacific ocean. This is bbc world news, the latest headlines us prosecutors say Donald Trumps former personal lawyer has given them information on how russian nationals tried to affect the 2016 president ial election. A Top Executive from chinese telecoms giant, huawei, has been remanded in custody after facing a Canadian Court on fraud charges. Ports in the English Channel could face disruption for up to six months, if the uk leaves the eu without a deal thats according to the british government. Its being described as a worst Case Scenario if there are delays to customs checks. Meanwhile, ministers have travelled across the uk to try to convince the public to get behind the Prime Ministers brexit deal. Heres our deputy political editorjohn pienaar. Not easy, this, apparently though nothing like as tough as selling mrs mays brexit deal. For the chief secretary to the treasury, that meant doing time on the business end of the black pudding line. Once youre in there. Not sure if this is fully quality controlled for once, mrs may was out of sight in her constituency, but her orders were to get out, promote, defend, try to save her plan, and maybe with it, theresa may herself. Ministers obeyed dozens of them. Among ministers, many privately believe the government should delay the big vote next tuesday, rather than face a crushing defeat. For now, theyre making their case around the country and hoping mps listen to worried people and companies. They will hear those voices saying we want this sorted, we want this deal accepted, because we need to move on as a country, both to negotiate a good trading dealfor the future with the eu, and to deal with the pressing domestic agenda of the nhs, schools, housing and all the other things people want their politicians to focus on. And now, tougher warnings from government of the danger of ending up with no brexit deal at all. Up to six months of delays at dover for cross channel traffic, emergency plans to fast track and fly in medicines if supplies run short. But the brexiteers are coming theyre calling it all a scare story and theyre convinced the rebellion wont melt under pressure. No chance whatsoever. And it seems to me theyd be better off knocking on doors and talking to people, finding out what people want, not preaching to them. Are you worried, though, that theresa mays deal mayjust be the hardest brexit available . You cant be serious its not brexit, its not even brexit in name only. Anything, any other brexit deal would be better than what shes putting on the table. Labours hoping it ends up the big winner, if the decision goes back to the people. Weve put forward a new approach, which were hoping that mps from all Political Parties will vote for, and if they do, that will enable us to go off with a strong mandate, to negotiate with our european partners. If that doesnt happen, we have to, in the interests of the country, be prepared with fall back positions and that is a general election. Or, if we cant get that, yes, options on another peoples vote. Here, behind the posturing and the campaigning, the private talk is about power. The tea rooms and the corridors have been humming with the sound of plotting and scheming. For some, its about how to take control of brexit. For others, its about how to grab the keys to number ten. Talk to anyone, parliamentary newbies or political veterans, and theres one thing on which everyone can agree no one has seen or lived through times quite like these. Some breaking news. Police in new zealand have confirmed a missing british backpacker was murdered and are interviewing a man in connection with the killing. She was last seen ina with the killing. She was last seen in a hotel a week ago. Police say they are talking to a 26 year old man who may have been identified as a person of interest. The tech if has said they have not yet found graces body. The evidence we have located so far, some cctv footage we have, the investigation has determined that grace is no longer alive and this is a murder investigation. Police in new zealand investigating the disappearance of grace the lane in new zealand have arrested a 26 year old man with murder. Mallane. A teenager from hertfordshire who sent bomb threats to hundreds of schools in britain has been jailed for three years. George duke cohan, whos 19, sent the hoax emails to 1700 schools, claiming he would set off a device if money wasnt paid. He also made bomb threats to a plane bound for the us. Duncan kennedy reports from luton crown court. George duke cohan arrested in his own bedroom, the place hed spent eight months sending out hoax bomb threats. Can i pop this outside . Officers at the nca caught him after he created what the judge called havoc among thousands of schools. This school in watford was among those targeted by duke cohan. In fact, he sent hoax e mails to more than 2,000 schools, threatening to bomb them if they didnt hand over money. The evacuations he created caused panic. He even sent hoaxes to schools for children with special needs. The level of alarm and distress and Economic Loss suffered by both pupils, teachers, parents and the International Airline alike demonstrates the seriousness with which both the nca and its partners, and the court, views such online criminal offending. The airline was a United Airlines flight from london to san francisco. George duke cohan posed as the father of a child on board, with this phone call the judge said duke cohan wanted publicity for his own perverted sense of fun, but had caused suffering to thousands of people. Duncan kennedy, bbc news. A british yachtswoman has been rescued in the southern pacific, two days after her boat capsized, 2,000 miles west of cape horn. Susie goodall, whos 29, had been taking part in the golden globe race. Andy moore has the story. Safety at last. The cargo ship that rescued Susie Goodall used its crane to winch her on board. Shes reported to be uninjured and in good spirits. It was an ordeal that began 50 hours earlier, when this distress call, in the teeth of a ferocious storm. Her yacht had lost its mast and water had to be pumped out. In one of the remotest places on earth, she had a long wait for help to arrive. She was tossed about, seasick, in a disabled boat, in heavy seas. Shes had her time filled getting prepared for this lift off. So, the adrenaline will have been running and shell be elated now. It was a difficult rescue right to the end. The engine on susies yacht kept cutting out as it manoeuvred alongside the rescue ship, the tian fu. And then the first news of success in a brief tweet. On the ship, she wrote, followed by three exclamation marks. In the time waiting to be rescued with a broken cooker, she said shed been longing for a cup of tea. So it was no surprise that in the second message she said she had enjoyed a very good hot drink. Her friends welcomed the good news after an agonising wait. It was an absolutely huge relief, a massive relief, and i think everybody in our Sailing Community was just absolutely overjoyed by the news. Susie is now on her way to chile. Her dream of sailing solo around the world is over, for now, but at least shes safe. Andy moore, bbc news. The nominees for the 2019 grammy music awards have been unveiled and, as usual, there have been a few surprises and snubs. The awards show was criticised this year for its lack of diversity. So, in response, the number of nominees in each of the four main categories has been increased. Caroline rigby has been looking at whos up for the prizes. Her report contains some flash photography. Nominated for her record, golden hour, this Country Singer makes up pa rt hour, this Country Singer makes up part of the nominated musicians. A list of nominees that will not only be remembered for who they are but also their sheer number. This year sees are more diverse album of the yearin sees are more diverse album of the year in which half of the artists are women. For top categories expanded from five to. A restriction to address a lack of diversity in both its membership and awards. To address a lack of diversity in both its membership and awardslj think it has made a huge difference. That obviously had a huge number of black artists, rap, hip hop artist. The black have the soundtrack artists up with eight. The majority of lady gagas nominations also came from the movie soundtrack for a start is aboard. Taylor swift a notable snub with the album, reputation, receiving only one nod. Yet we will have to wait until february to find out whether the winners are little less middle of the road than usual. In the last few minutes, breaking news from new zealand investigating the disappearance of british back packer, grace millane. They have arrested a 26 year old man on suspicion of murder. We will keep you up with any updates on that story. Hello there. The last 2a hours have been quite turbulent weatherwise, weve had gales, heavy rain, and as we go through the weekend, things only quieten down a little bit. It will stay windy, a showery day to come on saturday, sunday should be a little drier but equally it will start to turn a bit chillier. Now, look at this, this beautiful swirl of cloud on the satellite picture, this is the deep low that passed the north of scotland on friday. You can see some showers circulating around the low. Weve still got some pretty strong winds out there. Across Northern Areas of the country, the winds will ease but further south it will stay quite windy and well see some showers pushing in from the west. For eastern areas it might be a dry start with some sunshine but these heavy downpours pushing in are becoming quite widespread by the afternoon, some of them contain the odd flash of lightning and the odd rumble of thunder. Temperature wise, nine in aberdeen, 13 in london. As we go through saturday night we will continue to see some downpours coming and going at times. It will also stay windy, particularly in the south. Now, for some southern and western coastal areas, we could see gusts through the night of 50 60, possibly in the most exposed spots 70mph wind gusts. That could cause some disruption. And look at all the white lines, the isobars squeezing together on the charts, a sign ofjust how windy it will be. This frontal system on sunday morning likely to bring some showers, but as it slides away southwards, and as the showers clear, we are going to be left with some chilly air working its way from the north, the winds switching around to more north or north westerly. Early on sunday, some showers in central and southern areas should clear away, most areas by the afternoon dry with some sunshine, a few showers in spots exposed to the north westerly winds. Temperatures a little lower, ranging from 5 6 in the north to maybe just double digits across the south. Those temperatures will drop away during sunday night, particularly for eastern and northern parts where the winds fall light and we keep clear skies, we could well see a touch of frost, as signified by this blue shading creeping across the map. Not quite as cold down towards the south west, seven degrees in plymouth, for example, as we start monday morning, but one in glasgow and freezing newcastle. But we start monday with High Pressure trying to take charge. You can see this little bump in the isobars. The winds will be lighter and we will get some spells of sunshine. Frontal systems lying in wait out west, though. So after a pretty quiet start to the week, things are likely to turn a bit more unsettled from midweek onwards. This is bbc news, the headlines us prosecutors say Donald Trumps former personal lawyer has given them information on how russian nationals tried to affect the 2016 president ial election. It comes as a court in new york says Michael Cohen should serve a substantial jail term for crimes including tax evasion. A Top Executive from the chinese telecoms giant, huawei, will remain in custody over the weekend, after appearing in a court in canada on fraud charges. Meng wanzhou, the daughter of the firms founder, is accused of breaching sanctions against iran. And french students clash with police as the country prepares for more Anti Government protests this weekend. The capital is hunkering down, with much of paris in lockdown, as tens of thousands of police are deployed around the country. Embattled president emmanual macron plans to address the nation on the yellow vest movements grievances next week