January 1, TRUMP WALKS AWAY FROM NKOREA’S KIM, VIETNAM SUMMIT

(REUTERS) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he had walked away from a nuclear deal at his summit with Kim Jong Un because of unacceptable demands from the North Korean leader to lift punishing U.S.-led sanctions.

“It was all about the sanctions,” Trump said at a news conference after the talks were cut short. “Basically, they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, and we couldn’t do that.”

Lawyers: RogerStone‘Violated’ Gag Order By Calling Cohen a Liar

Michael Cohen scathing’s testimony – that Donald Trump was tipped off before WikiLeaks dumped a “massive” amount Hillary Clinton’s emails to embarrass the Democratic nominee – is a lie according to Roger Stone.

Stone, one of President Trump’s earliest backers, told the Boston Herald in a text: “Mr. Cohen’s statement is not true.”

Stone also denied the Cohen assertion to BuzzFeed News, The New York Times and ABC News.

Stone, 66, is charged with witness tampering, obstruction and lying to Congress in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. He’s been put on a partial gag order while awaiting trial.

GOP operative and President Donald Trump ally Roger Stone is “playing with fire” by publicly pushing back at Michael Cohen’s testimony Wednesday involving the GOP operative, Law&Crime reported.

“Given that his prosecution involves Stone’s communications with Wikileaks/Assange as well as touches upon President Trump’s alleged knowledge, a reasonable interpretation of the Court’s gag order is that it was violated,” national security lawyerMark Zaid told Law&Crime.

Former federal prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg also told Newsweek the “statement probably does violate the gag order,” adding Stone is “playing with fire.”

House Approves EXPANDED Background Checks for Gun Sales

(AP) – The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would expand background checks for gun sales to include firearm purchases at gun shows and over the internet, a measure likely to face Senate and White House opposition.

Chief Justice John Roberts Sides With Liberals in Death Penalty Case

(AP) – The Supreme Court is ordering a new state court hearing to determine whether an Alabama death row inmate is so affected by dementia that he can’t be executed.

The justices ruled 5-3 on Wednesday in favor of inmate Vernon Madison, who killed a police officer in 1985. His lawyers say he has suffered strokes that have left him with severe dementia.

Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s four liberals in siding with Madison, now 68.

H.W. Bush’s Service Dog Sully Starts New Job at Walter Reed

The service dog that stood by former President George H.W. Bush’s side until his death last year started a new role at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Wednesday.

Sully was installed as a “foreman” at the hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, where he will help wounded service members, their families, and staff at the military complex.Bush died Nov. 30, after which the nation mourned him during several days of memorial services. In a widely circulated photo, Sully was seen laying down in front of Bush’s casket.