After the balloon controversy which erupted at the start of the year, the relations between US and China nose-dived to a new level which appeared to have pushed the partnership between the nations to a standstill. However, a new development seems to raise brows. As per media reports citing a US official, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns made a secret trip to China last month in a bid to reopen the lines of communication with Beijing.

"Last month, Director Burns traveled to Beijing where he met with Chinese counterparts and emphasized the importance of maintaining open lines of communication in intelligence channels," the US official said on condition of anonymity, as per AFP news agency.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/indian-scientists-discover-62-plants-that-can-live-without-water-in-western-ghats-599626">Indian scientists discover 62 plants that can live without water in Western Ghats</a>

This comes as China declined a US offer to hold talks with the US at a Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore this week. The decision taken by China seems to have drawn criticism from US with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin terming it “unfortunate" saying that the situation could lead to “an incident that could very, very quickly spiral out of control.”

“(Y)ou’ve heard me talk a number of times about the importance of countries, with large, with significant capabilities, being able to talk to each other so you can manage crises and prevent things from spiraling out of control unnecessarily,” Austin told reporters in a news conference alongside Japanese Minster of Defense Yasukazu Hamada.

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“And as we take a look at some of the things that China is doing in the international airspace in the region and international waterways, you know, the provocative intercepts of our aircraft and also our allies’ aircraft, that’s very concerning, and we would hope that they would alter their actions. But since they haven’t yet, I’m concerned about, at some point, having an incident that could very, very quickly spiral out of control,” Austin added.

Watch | Hollywood star Bruce Willis' daughter Tallulah talks about her father's daily battle with dementia

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In a positive statement, Austin also said that US is ready to “welcome any opportunity to engage” with China.

<h2>Sullivan's meeting with Wang Yi&nbsp;</h2>

In the month of May, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met&nbsp;with Chinese Communist Party Politburo Member and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi in Vienna. The two sides had discussions on key issues ranging from global and regional security issues, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and cross-Strait issues. &nbsp;

The meeting was an effort to maintain open lines of communication between the US and China. Biden last met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022. Additionally, US trade representative Katherine Tai held a meeting with the Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao a week prior to the Sullivan-Wang Yi meeting.

<h2>Canceled Blinken trip &nbsp;</h2>

The spy balloon controversy led to the cancellation of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Beijing. Since then, the canceled trip has yet not been rescheduled. Prior to becoming CIA director, Burns has handled other missions as well for President Joe Biden. In an interview, Burns said US is confident that the Chinese leadership is considering the provision of lethal equipment to help Russia in the war on Ukraine.&nbsp;

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After the balloon controversy which erupted at the start of the year, the relations between US and China nose-dived to a new level which appeared to have pushed the partnership between the nations to a standstill.

After the balloon controversy which erupted at the start of the year, the relations between US and China nose-dived to a new level which appeared to have pushed the partnership between the nations to a standstill. However, a new development seems to raise brows. As per media reports citing a US official, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns made a secret trip to China last month in a bid to reopen the lines of communication with Beijing. "Last month, Director Burns traveled to Beijing where he met with Chinese counterparts and emphasized the importance of maintaining open lines of communication in intelligence channels," the US official said on condition of anonymity, as per AFP news agency. Also Read | Indian scientists discover 62 plants that can live without water in Western Ghats This comes as China declined a US offer to hold talks with the US at a Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore this week. The decision taken by China seems to have drawn criticism from US with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin terming it “unfortunate" saying that the situation could lead to “an incident that could very, very quickly spiral out of control.” “(Y)ou’ve heard me talk a number of times about the importance of countries, with large, with significant capabilities, being able to talk to each other so you can manage crises and prevent things from spiraling out of control unnecessarily,” Austin told reporters in a news conference alongside Japanese Minster of Defense Yasukazu Hamada. Also Read | US: Mumbai 26/11 attack accused Tahawwur Rana challenges order of his extradition to India “And as we take a look at some of the things that China is doing in the international airspace in the region and international waterways, you know, the provocative intercepts of our aircraft and also our allies’ aircraft, that’s very concerning, and we would hope that they would alter their actions. But since they haven’t yet, I’m concerned about, at some point, having an incident that could very, very quickly spiral out of control,” Austin added. Watch | Hollywood star Bruce Willis' daughter Tallulah talks about her father's daily battle with dementia × In a positive statement, Austin also said that US is ready to “welcome any opportunity to engage” with China. Sullivan's meeting with Wang Yi In the month of May, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Chinese Communist Party Politburo Member and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi in Vienna. The two sides had discussions on key issues ranging from global and regional security issues, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and cross-Strait issues. The meeting was an effort to maintain open lines of communication between the US and China. Biden last met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022. Additionally, US trade representative Katherine Tai held a meeting with the Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao a week prior to the Sullivan-Wang Yi meeting. Canceled Blinken trip The spy balloon controversy led to the cancellation of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Beijing. Since then, the canceled trip has yet not been rescheduled. Prior to becoming CIA director, Burns has handled other missions as well for President Joe Biden. In an interview, Burns said US is confident that the Chinese leadership is considering the provision of lethal equipment to help Russia in the war on Ukraine. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

A secret diplomatic thaw? CIA chief makes trip to Beijing

As Ranil Wickremesinghe takes charge as Sri Lanka's new President, the chief of CIA has blamed Lanka's 'dumb bets' on China for the ongoing economic crisis. Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: CIA chief blames Lanka's 'dumb bets' for crisis

William Burns, who was sworn in as CIA director in March, was expected to meet Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, in the city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

CIA chief William Burns to meet top Israeli leaders

US President-elect Joe Biden has announced that he has chosen Veteran Diplomat William Burns to be his Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director.

Biden picks Diplomat William Burns as a CIA director

US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday announced William Burns as his pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, tapping a retired veteran diplomat who helped lead secret talks with Iran.

Burns spent over three decades in the US foreign service, including a stint as ambassador to Russia from 2005-2008, and high-ranking jobs in the State Department. \

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"Bill Burns is an exemplary diplomat with decades of experience on the world stage keeping our people and our country safe and secure," Biden said in a statement released by his transition team.

Burns, who holds a masters and doctoral degrees from Oxford University, also served as US ambassador to Oman from 1998-2001.

He retired from the foreign service in 2014 and is the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an international affairs think tank in the United States.

Burns had been considered a likely candidate to lead the State Department under Biden, given his deep experience with Iran.

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He was involved in back-channel negotiations that set the stage for the 2015 deal to limit Iran's nuclear capabilities.

"The fact that we did it quietly or secretly caused a certain amount of controversy," he said in a 2016 interview.&nbsp;

"But the reality is that after 35 years without sustained diplomatic contact between the United States and Iran, there was a huge amount of baggage, a lot of mistrust, and a lot of grievances."

US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday announced William Burns as his pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, tapping a retired veteran diplomat who helped lead secret talks with Iran.

US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday announced William Burns as his pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, tapping a retired veteran diplomat who helped lead secret talks with Iran. Burns spent over three decades in the US foreign service, including a stint as ambassador to Russia from 2005-2008, and high-ranking jobs in the State Department. \ Also read| Biden to receive second Covid vaccine dose on Monday "Bill Burns is an exemplary diplomat with decades of experience on the world stage keeping our people and our country safe and secure," Biden said in a statement released by his transition team. Burns, who holds a masters and doctoral degrees from Oxford University, also served as US ambassador to Oman from 1998-2001. He retired from the foreign service in 2014 and is the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an international affairs think tank in the United States. Burns had been considered a likely candidate to lead the State Department under Biden, given his deep experience with Iran. Also read| Major technology companies join list of Biden inaugural donors He was involved in back-channel negotiations that set the stage for the 2015 deal to limit Iran's nuclear capabilities. "The fact that we did it quietly or secretly caused a certain amount of controversy," he said in a 2016 interview. "But the reality is that after 35 years without sustained diplomatic contact between the United States and Iran, there was a huge amount of baggage, a lot of mistrust, and a lot of grievances."

Joe Biden taps career diplomat William Burns as CIA chief

U.S. Secretary of State nominee and CIA Director Mike Pompeo made a secret visit to North Korea over the Easter weekend and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to discuss a planned summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.

Pompeo's trip made him the most senior U.S. official ever known to have met with Kim and provided the strongest sign yet to Trump's willingness to become the first serving U.S. president ever to meet a North Korean leader.

Pompeo's conversations fueled Trump’s belief that productive negotiations were possible with North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but far from guaranteed, according to a U.S. senior official briefed on the trip.

The visit, a second U.S. official said, was arranged by South Korean intelligence chief Suh Hoon with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Yong Chol, and was intended to assess whether Kim was prepared to hold serious talks.&nbsp;

Pompeo, one of Trump's most trusted advisers, returned to report that it was worth continuing to pursue the possibility of a summit, but added that no site had been selected from lists of options, and consequently no logistical arrangements had been made so far, the second official said. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump said earlier on Tuesday the United States was engaged in direct talks at "extremely high levels" with North Korea to try to set up a summit between him and Kim.

He sowed some confusion by suggesting he had been speaking to Kim directly, but later clarified by saying: "Let's leave it a little bit short of the highest level."

Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders added: "The president said the administration has had talks at the highest levels and added that they were not with him directly.”

Asked about Pompeo, she said: “The administration does not comment on the CIA director’s travel.”

Pompeo told his Senate confirmation hearing for the post of secretary of state this week he was optimistic a course could be set at a Trump-Kim summit for a diplomatic outcome with North Korea, but added that no one was under any illusion that a comprehensive deal could be reached at that meeting.

Pompeo said the aim of the summit would be “an agreement ... such that the North Korean leadership will step away from its efforts to hold America at risk with nuclear weapons” and that Pyongyang should not expect rewards until it takes irreversible steps.

Pompeo's trip made him the most senior U.S. official to visit North Korea since then-intelligence chief James Clapper in 2014.

The news came after Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened two days of talks at the president's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump said he believed there was a lot of goodwill in the diplomatic push with North Korea, but added it was possible the summit - first proposed in March and which the president said could take place in late May or early June - may not happen.

Efforts to arrange the unprecedented meeting have helped ease tensions over Pyongyang's development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States. Kim has agreed to discuss denuclearization, according to U.S. and South Korean officials.

"I really believe there’s a lot of goodwill a lot of good things are happening," Trump told reporters.

"As I always say, we’ll see what happens, because ultimately it’s the end result that matters, not the fact that we’re thinking about having a meeting or having a meeting."

MEETING SITE?

Trump, who has exchanged bellicose threats with Kim in the past year, said U.S. officials were looking at five locations for a meeting. Asked if any of those were in the United States, Trump replied: "No."

A U.S. official said sites in Southeast Asia and Europe were among those under discussion. Kim has rarely left North Korea.

Speculation has centered on a range of sites including Pyongyang, the demilitarized zone between the Koreas, Stockholm, Geneva and Mongolia.

Talks between Trump and Abe are largely focused on the prospective summit as Japan seeks a U.S. commitment that any denuclearization deal with Kim will include not just long-range missiles but those that could be aimed at Japan.

Reflecting the closeness of their ties, the Trump-Abe meetings included a walk around the carefully manicured grounds of the beachfront club and dinner on the patio with their wives. A round of golf was planned for Wednesday.

"For the North Korean issue, I’d like to underscore the importance of achieving the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization, as well as the abandonment of missile programs of North Korea," Abe told Trump.

Abe also obtained an agreement from Trump to bring up the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea, a highly emotive issue for the Japanese.

'IT'S POSSIBLE THINGS WON'T GO WELL'

Trump stressed that he and Abe were united.

"Japan and ourselves are locked, and we are very unified on the subject of North Korea," he said.

Trump said it was possible diplomatic efforts to arrange a Kim summit would fall short and if it did not happen, the United States and its allies would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions.

"It’s possible things won’t go well and we won’t have the meetings and we’ll just continue to go on this very strong path we have taken," he said.

Trump also backed efforts between South Korea and the North aimed at ending a state of war that has existed between the two countries since 1953.

"People don’t realize the Korean War has not ended. It’s going on right now. And they are discussing an end to the war. Subject to a deal, they have my blessing and they do have my blessing to discuss that," he said.

TRADE AGENDA

Trump and Abe could use a successful summit to give themselves a political boost at home. Trump has been hounded by controversies linked to an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and Abe is struggling with declining popularity because of scandals over suspected cronyism.

Trump has forged close ties with Abe during his 15 months in power and the two have bonded over rounds of golf during Abe's last visit to Florida more than a year ago and Trump's visit to Tokyo last November.

Japan fears Trump will try to link vital security matters with touchy trade topics. Tokyo is eager to avoid being pushed into talks on a two-way free trade agreement aimed not only at market access but at currency policies, something South Korea recently accepted when it renegotiated a trade deal with the United States.

Another irritant on trade is that Japan has not been given an exemption to tariffs on steel and aluminum exports to the United States, unlike the European Union, Canada and Mexico.

Pompeo travelled over the Easter weekend to discuss a planned summit with US President Donald Trump, who had said earlier that the US was talking to North Korea at 'extremely high levels'

U.S. Secretary of State nominee and CIA Director Mike Pompeo made a secret visit to North Korea over the Easter weekend and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to discuss a planned summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. officials said on Tuesday. Pompeo's trip made him the most senior U.S. official ever known to have met with Kim and provided the strongest sign yet to Trump's willingness to become the first serving U.S. president ever to meet a North Korean leader. Pompeo's conversations fueled Trump’s belief that productive negotiations were possible with North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but far from guaranteed, according to a U.S. senior official briefed on the trip. The visit, a second U.S. official said, was arranged by South Korean intelligence chief Suh Hoon with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Yong Chol, and was intended to assess whether Kim was prepared to hold serious talks. Pompeo, one of Trump's most trusted advisers, returned to report that it was worth continuing to pursue the possibility of a summit, but added that no site had been selected from lists of options, and consequently no logistical arrangements had been made so far, the second official said. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump said earlier on Tuesday the United States was engaged in direct talks at "extremely high levels" with North Korea to try to set up a summit between him and Kim. He sowed some confusion by suggesting he had been speaking to Kim directly, but later clarified by saying: "Let's leave it a little bit short of the highest level." Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders added: "The president said the administration has had talks at the highest levels and added that they were not with him directly.” Asked about Pompeo, she said: “The administration does not comment on the CIA director’s travel.” Pompeo told his Senate confirmation hearing for the post of secretary of state this week he was optimistic a course could be set at a Trump-Kim summit for a diplomatic outcome with North Korea, but added that no one was under any illusion that a comprehensive deal could be reached at that meeting. Pompeo said the aim of the summit would be “an agreement ... such that the North Korean leadership will step away from its efforts to hold America at risk with nuclear weapons” and that Pyongyang should not expect rewards until it takes irreversible steps. Pompeo's trip made him the most senior U.S. official to visit North Korea since then-intelligence chief James Clapper in 2014. The news came after Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened two days of talks at the president's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump said he believed there was a lot of goodwill in the diplomatic push with North Korea, but added it was possible the summit - first proposed in March and which the president said could take place in late May or early June - may not happen. Efforts to arrange the unprecedented meeting have helped ease tensions over Pyongyang's development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States. Kim has agreed to discuss denuclearization, according to U.S. and South Korean officials. "I really believe there’s a lot of goodwill a lot of good things are happening," Trump told reporters. "As I always say, we’ll see what happens, because ultimately it’s the end result that matters, not the fact that we’re thinking about having a meeting or having a meeting." MEETING SITE? Trump, who has exchanged bellicose threats with Kim in the past year, said U.S. officials were looking at five locations for a meeting. Asked if any of those were in the United States, Trump replied: "No." A U.S. official said sites in Southeast Asia and Europe were among those under discussion. Kim has rarely left North Korea. Speculation has centered on a range of sites including Pyongyang, the demilitarized zone between the Koreas, Stockholm, Geneva and Mongolia. Talks between Trump and Abe are largely focused on the prospective summit as Japan seeks a U.S. commitment that any denuclearization deal with Kim will include not just long-range missiles but those that could be aimed at Japan. Reflecting the closeness of their ties, the Trump-Abe meetings included a walk around the carefully manicured grounds of the beachfront club and dinner on the patio with their wives. A round of golf was planned for Wednesday. "For the North Korean issue, I’d like to underscore the importance of achieving the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization, as well as the abandonment of missile programs of North Korea," Abe told Trump. Abe also obtained an agreement from Trump to bring up the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea, a highly emotive issue for the Japanese. 'IT'S POSSIBLE THINGS WON'T GO WELL' Trump stressed that he and Abe were united. "Japan and ourselves are locked, and we are very unified on the subject of North Korea," he said. Trump said it was possible diplomatic efforts to arrange a Kim summit would fall short and if it did not happen, the United States and its allies would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions. "It’s possible things won’t go well and we won’t have the meetings and we’ll just continue to go on this very strong path we have taken," he said. Trump also backed efforts between South Korea and the North aimed at ending a state of war that has existed between the two countries since 1953. "People don’t realize the Korean War has not ended. It’s going on right now. And they are discussing an end to the war. Subject to a deal, they have my blessing and they do have my blessing to discuss that," he said. TRADE AGENDA Trump and Abe could use a successful summit to give themselves a political boost at home. Trump has been hounded by controversies linked to an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and Abe is struggling with declining popularity because of scandals over suspected cronyism. Trump has forged close ties with Abe during his 15 months in power and the two have bonded over rounds of golf during Abe's last visit to Florida more than a year ago and Trump's visit to Tokyo last November. Japan fears Trump will try to link vital security matters with touchy trade topics. Tokyo is eager to avoid being pushed into talks on a two-way free trade agreement aimed not only at market access but at currency policies, something South Korea recently accepted when it renegotiated a trade deal with the United States. Another irritant on trade is that Japan has not been given an exemption to tariffs on steel and aluminum exports to the United States, unlike the European Union, Canada and Mexico.

CIA chief made secret visit to North Korea and met Kim Jong-Un: US officials

Russian election interference has not stopped and Moscow can be expected to meddle in the 2018 US vote, Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo said in an interview published Monday.

&quot;I haven&#39;t seen a significant decrease in their activity,&quot; Pompeo told the BBC of the Russians.

&quot;I have every expectation that they will continue to try and do that, but I&#39;m confident that America will be able to have a free and fair election (and) that we will push back in a way that is sufficiently robust that the impact they have on our election won&#39;t be great,&quot; he said.

The leading US intelligence agencies concluded at the end of 2016 that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directed a broad intelligence effort to influence the presidential election that year to undermine the campaign of Democrat Hillary Clinton and boost Donald Trump&#39;s chances.

That effort included hacking and releasing emails and documents from the Clinton campaign and filling social media with posts and &quot;news&quot; items aimed at discrediting her.

Trump has repeatedly dismissed the idea that Moscow helped him &mdash; and allegations his campaign colluded with the Russians &mdash; as fake news.

Pompeo, whom Trump appointed to the US spy agency, has deftly avoided that controversy while emphasizing he accepts the conclusions of his predecessor.

The 2018 midterm elections will involve all of the 435 members of the House of Representatives and 33 senators.

In the elections, minority Democrats will be battling to try and prise control of the two houses from Trump&#39;s Republicans.

Trump has repeatedly dismissed the idea that Moscow helped him — and allegations his campaign colluded with the Russians — as fake news

Russian election interference has not stopped and Moscow can be expected to meddle in the 2018 US vote, Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo said in an interview published Monday. "I haven't seen a significant decrease in their activity," Pompeo told the BBC of the Russians. "I have every expectation that they will continue to try and do that, but I'm confident that America will be able to have a free and fair election (and) that we will push back in a way that is sufficiently robust that the impact they have on our election won't be great," he said. The leading US intelligence agencies concluded at the end of 2016 that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directed a broad intelligence effort to influence the presidential election that year to undermine the campaign of Democrat Hillary Clinton and boost Donald Trump's chances. That effort included hacking and releasing emails and documents from the Clinton campaign and filling social media with posts and "news" items aimed at discrediting her. Trump has repeatedly dismissed the idea that Moscow helped him — and allegations his campaign colluded with the Russians — as fake news. Pompeo, whom Trump appointed to the US spy agency, has deftly avoided that controversy while emphasizing he accepts the conclusions of his predecessor. The 2018 midterm elections will involve all of the 435 members of the House of Representatives and 33 senators. In the elections, minority Democrats will be battling to try and prise control of the two houses from Trump's Republicans.

Russia is aiming to interfere in coming US elections, warns CIA chief

The White House has developed a plan to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Mike Pompeo, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, within weeks, a senior Trump administration official said on Thursday.

Under the plan, Republican Senator Tom Cotton would be tapped to replace Pompeo at the CIA, the New York Times reported, citing senior officials.

The Times, the first to report the plan, said it was not immediately clear whether President Donald Trump had given final approval to the shakeup.

Tillerson&#39;s departure would end a troubled tenure for the former Exxon Mobile chief executive who has found himself increasingly at odds with Trump over policy challenges such as North Korea and under fire for his planned cuts at the State Department.

John Kelly, the White House chief of staff, developed the transition plan and has discussed it with other officials, the Times reported. Under his plan, the staff reshuffle would happen around the end of the year or shortly afterwards.

Tillerson&#39;s departure has been widely rumoured for months, with attention focused on Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, as his likely replacement.

But Pompeo, a former three-term member of Congress, has increasingly moved to the forefront as he has gained Trump&#39;s trust on national security matters.

Under the plan, Republican Senator Tom Cotton would be tapped to replace Pompeo at the CIA, the New York Times reported, citing senior officials

The White House has developed a plan to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Mike Pompeo, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, within weeks, a senior Trump administration official said on Thursday. Under the plan, Republican Senator Tom Cotton would be tapped to replace Pompeo at the CIA, the New York Times reported, citing senior officials. The Times, the first to report the plan, said it was not immediately clear whether President Donald Trump had given final approval to the shakeup. Tillerson's departure would end a troubled tenure for the former Exxon Mobile chief executive who has found himself increasingly at odds with Trump over policy challenges such as North Korea and under fire for his planned cuts at the State Department. John Kelly, the White House chief of staff, developed the transition plan and has discussed it with other officials, the Times reported. Under his plan, the staff reshuffle would happen around the end of the year or shortly afterwards. Tillerson's departure has been widely rumoured for months, with attention focused on Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, as his likely replacement. But Pompeo, a former three-term member of Congress, has increasingly moved to the forefront as he has gained Trump's trust on national security matters.

White House has plan to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with CIA chief: US official

American Caitlan&nbsp;Coleman&nbsp;who along with <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-canadian-couple-were-held-in-pakistan-for-five-years-cia-chief-22673">her family was&nbsp;held by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network</a> and later rescued by Pakistan troops has told a local Canadian newspaper that she was &quot;held in Pakistan for at least a year&quot;.

Caitlan Coleman, her Canadian husband<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-official-releases-us-canadian-family-held-in-captive-for-5-years-22425"> Joshua Boyle and their three children who were born in captivity</a> were freed by the Pakistan Army a fortnight ago following five years as hostages of the Taliban.

Pakistan troops had said they were instrumental in freeing the couple. In a statement, the Pakistan Army had said the couple were rescued after a car chase.

However, speaking to the Toronto Star, Caitlan Coleman&nbsp;said: &quot;Right now, everybody&rsquo;s shunting blame and making claims. Pakistan says no, they were never in Pakistan until the end. The US says, no they were always in Pakistan; it was Pakistan&rsquo;s responsibility. But neither of those are true.&quot;

&quot;We were not crossing into Pakistan that day. We had been in Pakistan for more than a year at that point,&quot; Caitlan told the Toronto Star.&nbsp;

In fact, the CIA chief Mike Pompeo speaking at the&nbsp;Foundation for Defence of Democracies had said last week that the couple had been held captive inside Pakistan for five years.

The kidnappers mysteriously disappeared after the car chase with Major General Asif Ghafoor, military spokesman for Pakistan&#39;s army claiming&nbsp;that the vehicle&#39;s driver and another militant had escaped to a nearby refugee camp.

&quot;They first took us out of Afghanistan; it was several days&rsquo; drive,&quot; she told the Tornoto-based newspaper, adding, &quot;It was very bad. My husband and I were separated at that time. He wasn&rsquo;t allowed to see Najaeshi(her oldest son) or spend any time with us.&quot;

&quot;Then we were moved to the north of Miramshah, to the house of a man who said he was called Mahmoud. He was very nice to Najaeshi and would provide us with amenities that&nbsp;we wouldn&rsquo;t have otherwise,&quot; she told the Toronto Star.&nbsp;

&quot;He would take Najaeshi out to get him sunlight and nobody else did that at any other point,&quot; Caitlan added.

&quot;Our first fear &mdash; why we were not poking our heads up and yelling for help &mdash; was that it was another gang trying to kidnap us. Possibly just part of the Haqqani network fighting with another part. They&rsquo;re all just bandits,&quot; she said.

&quot;You&rsquo;re a prisoner for so long, you&rsquo;re so suspicious. I was still thinking we don&rsquo;t know these people, we don&rsquo;t know where they&rsquo;re taking us,&quot; she told the newspaper.

American Caitlan Campbell, her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle and their three children who were born in captivity were freed by the Pakistan Army a fortnight ago

American Caitlan Coleman who along with her family was held by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network and later rescued by Pakistan troops has told a local Canadian newspaper that she was "held in Pakistan for at least a year". Caitlan Coleman, her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle and their three children who were born in captivity were freed by the Pakistan Army a fortnight ago following five years as hostages of the Taliban. Pakistan troops had said they were instrumental in freeing the couple. In a statement, the Pakistan Army had said the couple were rescued after a car chase. However, speaking to the Toronto Star, Caitlan Coleman said: "Right now, everybody’s shunting blame and making claims. Pakistan says no, they were never in Pakistan until the end. The US says, no they were always in Pakistan; it was Pakistan’s responsibility. But neither of those are true." "We were not crossing into Pakistan that day. We had been in Pakistan for more than a year at that point," Caitlan told the Toronto Star. In fact, the CIA chief Mike Pompeo speaking at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies had said last week that the couple had been held captive inside Pakistan for five years. The kidnappers mysteriously disappeared after the car chase with Major General Asif Ghafoor, military spokesman for Pakistan's army claiming that the vehicle's driver and another militant had escaped to a nearby refugee camp. "They first took us out of Afghanistan; it was several days’ drive," she told the Tornoto-based newspaper, adding, "It was very bad. My husband and I were separated at that time. He wasn’t allowed to see Najaeshi(her oldest son) or spend any time with us." "Then we were moved to the north of Miramshah, to the house of a man who said he was called Mahmoud. He was very nice to Najaeshi and would provide us with amenities that we wouldn’t have otherwise," she told the Toronto Star. "He would take Najaeshi out to get him sunlight and nobody else did that at any other point," Caitlan added. "Our first fear — why we were not poking our heads up and yelling for help — was that it was another gang trying to kidnap us. Possibly just part of the Haqqani network fighting with another part. They’re all just bandits," she said. "You’re a prisoner for so long, you’re so suspicious. I was still thinking we don’t know these people, we don’t know where they’re taking us," she told the newspaper.

We were held in Pakistan for more than a year: Caitlan Coleman

The United States should assume<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-warns-threats-a-big-miscalculation-in-letter-to-australia-lawmakers-22635" target="_blank"> Kim Jong-Un</a>&#39;s regime is &quot;on the cusp&quot; of getting a nuclear missile capable of striking US targets and work to prevent this, the head of the CIA said Thursday.

CIA director Mike Pompeo said President Donald Trump is determined to prevent <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/nuclear-war-may-break-out-at-any-time-warns-north-korea-22539" target="_blank">North Korea</a> from making the breakthrough &quot;whether it happens on Tuesday or a month from Tuesday.&quot;

Both Pompeo and US National Security Adviser HR McMaster said Trump would still prefer to use sanctions and diplomacy to force Kim to come to the table to discuss disarmament.

But, speaking to a Washington policy forum, both also warned that the use of US military force remains an option to prevent Pyongyang from acquiring a long-range nuclear missile.

&quot;They are close enough now in their capabilities that from a US policy perspective we ought to behave as if we are on the cusp of them achieving that objective,&quot; Pompeo said.

Pompeo said US intelligence had kept close tabs on the North Korean program in the past, but that its missile expertise is now growing too quickly to be sure when it will succeed.

&quot;But when you&#39;re now talking about months our capacity to understand that at a detailed level is in some sense irrelevant,&quot; he said.

&quot;The president&#39;s made it very clear,&quot; he added.

&quot;He&#39;s prepared to ensure that Kim Jong-Un doesn&#39;t have the capacity to hold America at risk. By military force if necessary.&quot;

This week, North Korea&#39;s deputy UN ambassador declared that Pyongyang would not put its nuclear arsenal nor ballistic missile program on the table unless Washington drops its &quot;hostile&quot; stance.

And Kim&#39;s regime has made no secret of its efforts to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting US mainland cities or bases in the Pacific, conducting regular tests. 
 
McMaster told the conference, organised by the Federation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), that the regime would not be allowed to develop arms that would threaten the United States.

&quot;We are not out of time but we are running out of time,&quot; Trump&#39;s top security adviser said.

&quot;The president has been very clear. He&#39;s not going to accept this regime threatening the United States with nuclear weapons,&quot; he warned.&nbsp;

&quot;There are those that say, &#39;accept and deter&#39;. Well, &#39;accept and deter&#39; is unacceptable.&quot;

CIA director Mike Pompeo said President Donald Trump is determined to prevent North Korea from making the breakthrough 'whether it happens on Tuesday or a month from Tuesday.'

The United States should assume Kim Jong-Un's regime is "on the cusp" of getting a nuclear missile capable of striking US targets and work to prevent this, the head of the CIA said Thursday. CIA director Mike Pompeo said President Donald Trump is determined to prevent North Korea from making the breakthrough "whether it happens on Tuesday or a month from Tuesday." Both Pompeo and US National Security Adviser HR McMaster said Trump would still prefer to use sanctions and diplomacy to force Kim to come to the table to discuss disarmament. But, speaking to a Washington policy forum, both also warned that the use of US military force remains an option to prevent Pyongyang from acquiring a long-range nuclear missile. "They are close enough now in their capabilities that from a US policy perspective we ought to behave as if we are on the cusp of them achieving that objective," Pompeo said. Pompeo said US intelligence had kept close tabs on the North Korean program in the past, but that its missile expertise is now growing too quickly to be sure when it will succeed. "But when you're now talking about months our capacity to understand that at a detailed level is in some sense irrelevant," he said. "The president's made it very clear," he added. "He's prepared to ensure that Kim Jong-Un doesn't have the capacity to hold America at risk. By military force if necessary." This week, North Korea's deputy UN ambassador declared that Pyongyang would not put its nuclear arsenal nor ballistic missile program on the table unless Washington drops its "hostile" stance. And Kim's regime has made no secret of its efforts to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting US mainland cities or bases in the Pacific, conducting regular tests. McMaster told the conference, organised by the Federation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), that the regime would not be allowed to develop arms that would threaten the United States. "We are not out of time but we are running out of time," Trump's top security adviser said. "The president has been very clear. He's not going to accept this regime threatening the United States with nuclear weapons," he warned. "There are those that say, 'accept and deter'. Well, 'accept and deter' is unacceptable."

North Korea 'on the cusp of' nuke that could hit US: CIA chief

Allegations of Russian interference in US politics cast a shadow over inaugural preparations on Sunday, with the CIA chief warning that President-elect Donald Trump must tamp down his shoot-from-the-hip style to protect national security.&nbsp;

John Brennan&#39;s warning to the incoming Republican president -&nbsp;just days before Friday&#39;s inauguration -&nbsp;came as senators launched a bipartisan probe into Moscow&#39;s alleged meddling in the 2016 election.

&quot;I don&#39;t think he has a full appreciation of Russian capabilities, Russia&#39;s intentions and actions,&quot; ?Brennan said of Trump on Fox News Sunday.&nbsp;

Trump has been effusive in his praise of Vladimir Putin and said in a news conference last week that if the Russian leader &quot;likes&quot; him it would be an &quot;asset&quot; to help repair the strained US-Russian relationship.

&quot;I think Mr. Trump has to be very disciplined in terms of what it is that he says publicly,&quot; Brennan said. &quot;He is going to be, in a few days&#39; time, the most powerful person in the world, in terms of sitting on top of the United States government and I think he has to recognise that his words do have impact.&quot;

&quot;This is more than being about him, it&#39;s about the United States and national security... he&#39;s going to have the opportunity to do something for national security as opposed to talking and tweeting,&quot; he said.

&quot;Spontaneity is not something that protects national security interests, so therefore, when he speaks, when he reacts, he has to make sure he understands that the implications and impact on the United States could be profound.&quot;

&#39;A sophisticated effort&#39;

US intelligence agencies allege that Putin ordered a covert effort to interfere in the election to boost Trump, 70, and harm his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Incoming Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday dismissed notions that the Trump team and the Kremlin had made contact during the 2016 race.

&quot;This is all a distraction,&quot; he said on NBC&#39;s Meet the Press. &quot;It&#39;s all part of a narrative to delegitimize the election and to question the legitimacy of his presidency.&quot;

A report from the Director of National Intelligence released this month said hackers working for Russia penetrated Democratic Party computers and accounts to release files embarrassing to Clinton, and also conducted a campaign of media manipulation with the same aim.

Asked whether she believed Russian efforts impacted the election&#39;s outcome, Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California -- vice chair of the Senate committee launching the bipartisan probe into the matter -- told NBC &quot;that&#39;s what I believe.&quot;

&quot;I have had all of the major classified briefings. I have been astonished at what has been a two-year effort at Russia to spearfish, to hack, to provide disinformation, propaganda, wherever it really could,&quot; the senator said.

&quot;I think it has been a very sophisticated effort.&quot;

&#39;Salacious allegations&#39;

Speculation was also swirling around an unproven dossier compiled by a former British MI6 intelligence agent, which alleged close ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, and also said Moscow had compromising video of Trump.

The fact that intelligence agencies had briefed the president-elect on the dossier -- which was later published online by BuzzFeed -- lent the allegations credence, but Brennan said the intelligence community was only &quot;making sure that the president-elect was aware that it was circulating.&quot;

&quot;I think there are some very salacious allegations in there -- again, unsubstantiated,&quot; he said, adding it was &quot;a responsibility in the minds of the intelligence directors&quot; to inform Trump as well as the Obama White House of the report.

Brennan bristled at Trump&#39;s likening of the US intelligence community to Nazi Germany, a comparison the president-elect made last week in a tweet after &nbsp;suggesting it was those agencies that had leaked the report.

&quot;What I do find outrageous is equating the intelligence community with Nazi Germany,&quot; the outgoing spy chief said of Trump&#39;s outburst. &quot;I do take great umbrage at that.&quot;

Speaking earlier Sunday on CBS, Pence blamed the scandal on &quot;media bias.&quot;

That some news organizations &quot;actually trafficked in a memo that was produced as opposition research and associated that with intelligence efforts -- I think that could only be attributed to media bias,&quot; the vice president-elect said.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Trump said last week that if the Russian leader 'likes' him it would be an 'asset' to help repair the strained US-Russian relationship

Allegations of Russian interference in US politics cast a shadow over inaugural preparations on Sunday, with the CIA chief warning that President-elect Donald Trump must tamp down his shoot-from-the-hip style to protect national security. John Brennan's warning to the incoming Republican president - just days before Friday's inauguration - came as senators launched a bipartisan probe into Moscow's alleged meddling in the 2016 election. "I don't think he has a full appreciation of Russian capabilities, Russia's intentions and actions," ?Brennan said of Trump on Fox News Sunday. Trump has been effusive in his praise of Vladimir Putin and said in a news conference last week that if the Russian leader "likes" him it would be an "asset" to help repair the strained US-Russian relationship. "I think Mr. Trump has to be very disciplined in terms of what it is that he says publicly," Brennan said. "He is going to be, in a few days' time, the most powerful person in the world, in terms of sitting on top of the United States government and I think he has to recognise that his words do have impact." "This is more than being about him, it's about the United States and national security... he's going to have the opportunity to do something for national security as opposed to talking and tweeting," he said. "Spontaneity is not something that protects national security interests, so therefore, when he speaks, when he reacts, he has to make sure he understands that the implications and impact on the United States could be profound." 'A sophisticated effort' US intelligence agencies allege that Putin ordered a covert effort to interfere in the election to boost Trump, 70, and harm his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton. Incoming Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday dismissed notions that the Trump team and the Kremlin had made contact during the 2016 race. "This is all a distraction," he said on NBC's Meet the Press. "It's all part of a narrative to delegitimize the election and to question the legitimacy of his presidency." A report from the Director of National Intelligence released this month said hackers working for Russia penetrated Democratic Party computers and accounts to release files embarrassing to Clinton, and also conducted a campaign of media manipulation with the same aim. Asked whether she believed Russian efforts impacted the election's outcome, Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California -- vice chair of the Senate committee launching the bipartisan probe into the matter -- told NBC "that's what I believe." "I have had all of the major classified briefings. I have been astonished at what has been a two-year effort at Russia to spearfish, to hack, to provide disinformation, propaganda, wherever it really could," the senator said. "I think it has been a very sophisticated effort." 'Salacious allegations' Speculation was also swirling around an unproven dossier compiled by a former British MI6 intelligence agent, which alleged close ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, and also said Moscow had compromising video of Trump. The fact that intelligence agencies had briefed the president-elect on the dossier -- which was later published online by BuzzFeed -- lent the allegations credence, but Brennan said the intelligence community was only "making sure that the president-elect was aware that it was circulating." "I think there are some very salacious allegations in there -- again, unsubstantiated," he said, adding it was "a responsibility in the minds of the intelligence directors" to inform Trump as well as the Obama White House of the report. Brennan bristled at Trump's likening of the US intelligence community to Nazi Germany, a comparison the president-elect made last week in a tweet after suggesting it was those agencies that had leaked the report. "What I do find outrageous is equating the intelligence community with Nazi Germany," the outgoing spy chief said of Trump's outburst. "I do take great umbrage at that." Speaking earlier Sunday on CBS, Pence blamed the scandal on "media bias." That some news organizations "actually trafficked in a memo that was produced as opposition research and associated that with intelligence efforts -- I think that could only be attributed to media bias," the vice president-elect said. (AFP)

US: CIA chief urges Trump to temper impulses amid Russia claims

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