Sessions, Flynn appear set for top Trump roles Reports say Senator Jeff Sessions is pick for attorney general; Japan PM calms global fears over Trump; May, Merkel and Obama discuss Islamic State Retired Lt Gen. Michael Flynn gestures as he arrives at Trump Tower yesterday. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Mazin Sidahmed Sessions for AG, say reports, while Flynn picked for national security adviser Michael Flynn has been offered the position of national security adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, a senior Trump official has said. Meanwhile Trump is reported to have chosen the Alabama senator Jeff Sessions for the job of attorney general. As national security adviser, the former military intelligence chief Flynn would have the direct ear of a president with no national security experience. Flynn's views on Islam and relationships with Russia make him a controversial figure. He tweeted in February that fear of Muslims is "rational" and frequently appears on the Russian state-funded news network RT. Flynn was a vocal critic of the Obama administration and broke with most national security officials by supporting Trump during the campaign. The announcement was met with concern from Human Rights Watch, who raised Flynn's refusal to rule out the use of torture. It remains unclear if he has accepted the position but he was photographed sitting in on a meeting between Trump and Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, on Thursday. Jeff Sessions is Trump's choice for attorney general, reports say Michael Flynn said to be offered job of Trump national security adviser Abe calms fears over Trump Japanese PM Shinzo Abe attempted to calm nerves over a rupture in US-Japan relations by saying he was confident he could trust Trump following their 90-minute meeting, Trump's first face-to-face with a foreign leader. Abe said he had "great confidence" in Trump and a spokesperson said the relationship had gotten off to an "extremely good start". Japan is one of many US allies alarmed by Trump's rhetoric during the campaign, in which he said that Japan should pay more towards its own security, and he would be comfortable with Seoul and Tokyo developing nuclear weapons – a statement Trump now denies making. Trump's stance on trade was also likely discussed as Trump campaigned on a promise to scrap the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, which Abe supports. The deal, however, appears to be dead in the water regardless of Trump's stance. Shinzo Abe says Japan can have confidence in Donald Trump Trump spokesman: what Muslim registry? A spokesman for the Trump administration released a statement yesterday saying that the president-elect had "never advocated" creating a registry for tracking people based on their religion, despite video evidence showing otherwise. Jason Miller, communications director for the transition team, released the statement in response to a flurry of questions on the issue in which he said it was "completely false" to say that Trump ever advocated for a registry. However, in a video recorded in Iowa last year, Trump was asked if Muslims should be put into a registry, to which he responded: "They have to be." Fears around the implementing the database were reignited after prominent Trump supporter Carl Higbie told Fox News's Megyn Kelly that the US's second world war Japanese internment camps could be used as a precedent for setting up a Muslim registry. People For the American Way, a progressive advocacy group, released a statement saying Republicans at every level should condemn any hint at returning to Japanese internment camps and called the Muslim registry unconstitutional and un-American. Spokesman claims Donald Trump never called for Muslim registry despite video evidence May, Merkel, Obama discuss Islamic State Barack Obama met with British prime minister Theresa May and German chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday to discuss the threat posed by Islamic State fighters who are now on the retreat. Fears have been raised that squeezing out the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq could push fighters to relocate to Africa or into Europe. Friday's "Quint" meeting with other world leaders will be held in Berlin and will feature French president François Hollande, Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi and Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy. May meets Obama and Merkel for talks on Islamic State threat Support the Guardian's fearless journalism Never has America needed fearless independent media more. Help us hold the new president to account, sort fact from fiction, amplify underrepresented voices, and understand the forces behind this divisive election – and what happens next. Support the Guardian by becoming a member or making a contribution. Cardinal-elect: church stands by refugees Cardinal-elect Joseph Tobin said he would "meet the challenge" to fulfill the Catholic church's priority of helping migrants and refugees resettle in the US, in the face of an incoming vehemently anti-immigration administration. Tobin, who was recently elected to cardinal by Pope Francis and will formally take the position on Saturday, won a battle with vice-president elect Mike Pence over his refusal to resettle refugees. In an interview with the the Associated Press, Tobin said that continuing its work over the next four years would be "challenging" but added: "The ethical reflection of a nation isn't reduced to the government ... I have a lot of faith in the American people." Catholic leader ready to help refugees settle in America despite Trump policy Levy brags about breaking 'dirtbag' Paterno's leg Detroit Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy touted breaking longtime Penn State coach Joe Paterno's leg as his "proudest moment in college". Levy, a vocal activist, called Paterno "a dirtbag" and said people "gotta stop prioritizing sports over humanity". Paterno is accused of covering up sexual abuse by his assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, who was convicted of 45 counts of sexual abuse in 2012. Levy accidentally broke Paterno's shinbone in a sideline tackle in a 2006 college game. DeAndre Levy: my proudest moment was breaking 'dirtbag' Joe Paterno's leg In case you missed it… Sex education should be giving us the information we need to feel in control of our bodies and make informed decisions about them, say Mona Chalabi and Mae Ryan, but it's failing. In episode four of Vagina Dispatches, the two journalists speak to their moms, friends and sex educators to find out why. Manage your emails | Unsubscribe | Trouble viewing? You are receiving this email because you are a subscriber to Guardian US Briefing. Guardian News & Media Limited - a member of Guardian Media Group PLC. Registered Office: 222 Broadway, 22nd and 23rd Floors, New York, New York, 10038