Vladimir Putin thanked President Trump last night for a CIA tip-off that led to the capture of a group of Islamists allegedly planning a terror attack on a cathedral in St Petersburg. The Russian president called his American counterpart to express gratitude for the information. Mr Putin asked Mr Trump to thank Mike Pompeo, director of the CIA. He promised that Russia would reciprocate if it acquired information about attacks being prepared in the US. The White House said that Mr Trump had passed on his thanks to Mr Pompeo.

Source: The Times December 18, 2017 00:03 UTC