Briefly

UNITED STATES

Ex-Trump prosecutor faces federal inquiry

A US federal agency has opened an investigation into former special counsel Jack Smith, who oversaw two criminal probes into President Donald Trump following his first term in the White House. The Office of Special Counsel confirmed to Reuters that it was investigating whether Smith violated the Hatch Act, a law prohibiting federal employees from using their position for political activity. The decision follows a request for a probe by Republican Senator Tom Cotton. The OSC is an independent agency that investigates the conduct of federal employees, but it does not have the authority to bring criminal charges. It is different from the type of Special Counsel's office previously overseen by Smith, who was appointed by the Justice Department to pursue criminal cases.

Tensions flare over nuclear rhetoric

US President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines on Friday in an escalation of what had been an online war of words with a Russian official. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said on Thursday Trump should remember that Moscow possessed Soviet-era nuclear strike capabilities of last resort, after Trump had told him to "watch his words". "Based on the highly provocative statements", Trump said he had "ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that". He added, "Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances."

GERMANY

Rail operator blames sabotage for third fire

Germany's state rail operator said on Saturday that a third fire in two days was deliberately started after two earlier ones caused the cancellation of hundreds of train journeys. Two of the blazes, in which rail cables were set on fire, occurred in western Germany. The third, reported on Saturday but which happened on Friday, was at Hohenmoelsen in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, the Deutsche Bahn rail company said. "According to the first elements of the inquiry, this cable fire was also a criminal fire," it said. The line was used by goods trains, notably to transport coal. The company said it had repaired the line between the western cities of Duesseldorf and Duisburg where the two earlier attacks were reported 1 kilometer apart on Thursday and Friday.

Agencies Via Xinhua