Briefly

UNITED STATES

Trump considering 'full' pardon for Flynn

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he is considering a full pardon for former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about dealings with Russia's ambassador before Trump took office. "I am strongly considering a Full Pardon!" Trump tweeted. The president also cited an unspecified report that the Justice Department had lost records related to Flynn's case. Flynn attempted to withdraw the guilty plea in January, saying federal prosecutors had acted in "bad faith" and broke their end of the bargain when they sought prison time for him. Flynn is one of six Trump aides and associates charged in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into alleged ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. Russia denies any involvements in the election.

THE PHILIPPINES

Bird flu outbreak found in quail farm

The Philippines has detected an outbreak of avian flu in a northern province after tests showed the presence of the highly infectious H5N6 subtype of the influenza A virus in a quail farm, the country's farm minister said on Monday. Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the bird flu virus, the same strain that hit some local poultry farms in 2017, was detected in Jaen municipality in Nueva Ecija Province, where about 1,500 quails had died on one farm alone. A total of 12,000 quails have been destroyed and buried to prevent further infections, Dar said, citing field reports.

OMAN

Single-use plastic bags to go from 2021

Oman will ban single-use plastic bags from next year as part of efforts to reduce pollution and protect the environment, the government announced on Sunday. Located in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman stands out among its Gulf neighbors for its exceptional natural mountainous landscapes and rich marine life. "Companies and establishments are prohibited from using singleuse plastic bags with the aim to protect the Omani environment," the ministry of environment and climate affairs said in a statement. It warned that violators would face fines of up to 2,000 Omani rials ($5,120) when the ban takes effect on Jan 1, with repeat offenders "getting fined double the amount".

Agencies - Xinhua