While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Feb 15 edition

Michael Flynn (centre) arrives prior to a joint news conference between US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Feb 13, 2017. PHOTO: REUTERS

Trump knew for weeks that aide was misleading White House over Russia: Spokesman

US President Donald Trump knew for weeks that national security adviser Michael Flynn had misled the White House about his contacts with Russia but did not immediately force him out, an administration spokesman said.

Trump was informed in late January that Flynn had not told Vice-President Mike Pence the whole truth about conversations he had with Russia's ambassador to the United States before Trump took office, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said.

Flynn quit on Monday after Trump lost trust in him and asked for his resignation, Spicer said. "The issue pure and simple came down to a matter of trust," Spicer told reporters.

The departure was another disruption for an administration already repeatedly distracted by miscues and internal dramas since the Republican businessman assumed the presidency on Jan 20.

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Ex-Indonesian president launches Twitter tirade before Jakarta election

Former Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono accused political "actors" of sabotaging his son's chances in this week's fiercely contested election for Jakarta governor, and threatened legal action against those he thinks responsible.

Yudhoyono's son Agus is running against two rivals in the contest for Jakarta, a key political battleground in the run-up to a 2019 presidential election in the world's third-largest democracy.

The elder Yudhoyono was responding to allegations by a former chief of the anti-corruption agency, Antasari Azhar, that the ex-president had put pressure on him to drop investigations against his relatives.

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Michelle Obama tweets for the first time since leaving the White House

Former first lady Michelle Obama's first tweet since Inauguration Day was a message to her husband, former president Barack Obama.

"Happy Valentine's Day to the love of my life and favourite island mate," Obama wrote in the mini love letter shared with her 7.17 million Twitter followers.

The photo accompanying the message was one of those ubiquitous (if you're not the former first couple) beach vacation shots of just feet and sand - and presumably an awesome time under the sun.

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In first, French Vogue features transgender cover model

Vogue Paris is to become the first French magazine to feature a transgender model on its cover, according the honour to Valentina Sampaio of Brazil for its March edition.

Calling Sampaio the "glam standard-bearer of a cause that is on the march", the French edition of Vogue describes the 22-year-old as a "femme fatale" who happened to be born a boy.

"Beyond her evident physical qualities and her sparkling personality, (Sampaio) embodies... a long and painful fight against being perceived as a 'gender exile'," Emmanuelle Alt, the magazine's editor-in-chief, writes in her editor's letter. "Vogue supports and chooses to celebrate" transgender people "in a post-gender world."

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Football: Man City's Jesus out with broken foot

Manchester City's Brazilian goal-scoring sensation Gabriel Jesus has broken his foot, the club said, sparking fears he may miss the rest of the season.

The 19-year-old striker, who has scored three goals in five games since joining City in January, suffered a "fractured metatarsal" bone against Bournemouth on Monday. He was brought off in the 15th minute of the 2-0 win which lifted City to second in the Premier League.

City did not say how long Jesus would be sidelined.

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