RUSSIA Putin voices hope for cooperation with U.S.

MOSCOW — In a New Year telegram to U.S. President Donald Trump, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin says a constructive dialogue between the two nations is essential for global stability.

The Kremlin said Saturday that Putin emphasized in his Seasons Greetings to Trump that Russia and the U.S. could develop a “pragmatic cooperation aimed at long-term perspective” on the basis of “equality and mutual respect.”

Putin noted that “development of a constructive Russian-U.S. dialogue is particularly important for strengthening strategic stability in the world and finding the optimal answers to global threats and challenges.”

Ties between Moscow and Washington sank to a postCold War low following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the allegations of its meddling in the U.S. presidential election last year. toppled longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak.

The defendants comprise Islamists, secular activists, former Parliament members, parliament, lawyers and journalists, who were convicted of defaming the country’s judiciary.

All the rulings can be appealed.

Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected president, was toppled by the army in mid-2013 after mass protests against his rule.

He has been tried in several different cases since his ouster.

Morsi is serving a final sentence of 20 years in prison in a separate case related to inciting deadly attacks on anti-Islamist protesters in 2012.

In September, Egypt’s top appeals court upheld a separate 25-year jail sentence for Morsi on charges of harming national security by leaking secret state documents to his ally Qatar while he was in office.