The United States and Russia clashed Friday over how to assist ailing Venezuela, with Moscow pledging new relief channelled through President Nicolas Maduro and Washington slapping sanctions over the blocking of US aid it tried to force through the border.

A day after Russia and China vetoed a US and European resolution at the UN Security Council that called for unimpeded aid deliveries, Washington said it was targeting six Venezuelan military officers for stopping last weekend's US-led convoy.

Four people were killed in the melee as Maduro's forces prevented the 178 metric tonnes of rice, beans and other food from crossing, with the leftist strongman seeing the aid as a pretext for a US-led invasion.

"We are sanctioning members of Maduro's security forces in response to the reprehensible violence, tragic deaths and unconscionable torching of food and medicine destined for sick and starving Venezuelans," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The six include Major General Richard Jesus Lopez Vargas, the commander of the Venezuelan National Guard. The sanctions freeze any assets in the United States and penalize US financial dealings with the officials.

The United States also revoked the visas of 49 Venezuelan officials and their family members, the State Department said.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom Washington has recognized as interim president, had hoped to triumph in bringing in the stockpiles of food, which the United States coordinated with Colombia and Brazil.

Guaido has said 300,000 people could die without an influx of aid into Venezuela. The United Nations says 2.7 million Venezuelans have fled since 2015 as the socialist economy crumbles, with basic supplies out of reach to the masses.

Russia steps up

More than 50 countries recognise Guaido as Venezuela's president -- but Maduro enjoys strong support from Russia, which is eager to challenge US interventionism, as well as China, which is concerned over the fate of billions of dollars Beijing has lent to Caracas.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, receiving Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez in Moscow, said Russia was stepping up shipments of wheat and was considering sending more medical supplies after shipping 7.5 tonnes worth.

"We are very closely cooperating and coordinating all our steps in the international arena," Lavrov said.

"This has acquired special significance now that Venezuela is facing a frontal attack and unabashed interference in its domestic affairs," he said.

Elliott Abrams, the US special representative on the crisis, charged that Maduro's forces would turn Russian aid into a "political weapon" by providing it only to supporters.

"Obviously we are in favour of giving humanitarian assistance to Venezuela; we are not in favour of giving it to this corrupt regime," Abrams told reporters in Washington.

Lavrov voiced hope that international pressure would "cool hotheads in Washington" who he said are seeking military intervention in Venezuela.&nbsp;

He alleged that the United States was planning to buy small arms, mortar launchers and shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles from an "Eastern European country" and station them "close to Venezuela."

Warnings of force

President Donald Trump has not ruled out military intervention in Venezuela, although even close US allies have said they would not support the use of force.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who has worked closely with Trump to seek Maduro's ouster, appeared this week to suggest a violent climax as he posted on Twitter two pictures of Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi -- one relaxed and smiling while in power, the other bloodied as he was lynched in an uprising.

Defying a travel ban by Maduro, Guaido went first to Colombia to try to bring in the aid and to meet with visiting US Vice President Mike Pence.&nbsp;

The 35-year-old political newcomer continued on to Brazil, where he met the new right-wing president, Jair Bolsonaro, and on Friday travelled to Paraguay.

Speaking to reporters in Brasilia on Thursday, Guaido said he would return home "at the latest on Monday" despite threats to arrest him.

Abrams said the United States was "very concerned" about Guaido's ability to return home safely and warned of a "very large reaction" if he is arrested.

The United States and Russia clashed Friday over how to assist ailing Venezuela, with Moscow pledging new relief channelled through President Nicolas Maduro and Washington slapping sanctions over the blocking of US aid it tried to force through the border.

The United States and Russia clashed Friday over how to assist ailing Venezuela, with Moscow pledging new relief channelled through President Nicolas Maduro and Washington slapping sanctions over the blocking of US aid it tried to force through the border. A day after Russia and China vetoed a US and European resolution at the UN Security Council that called for unimpeded aid deliveries, Washington said it was targeting six Venezuelan military officers for stopping last weekend's US-led convoy. Four people were killed in the melee as Maduro's forces prevented the 178 metric tonnes of rice, beans and other food from crossing, with the leftist strongman seeing the aid as a pretext for a US-led invasion. "We are sanctioning members of Maduro's security forces in response to the reprehensible violence, tragic deaths and unconscionable torching of food and medicine destined for sick and starving Venezuelans," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. The six include Major General Richard Jesus Lopez Vargas, the commander of the Venezuelan National Guard. The sanctions freeze any assets in the United States and penalize US financial dealings with the officials. The United States also revoked the visas of 49 Venezuelan officials and their family members, the State Department said. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom Washington has recognized as interim president, had hoped to triumph in bringing in the stockpiles of food, which the United States coordinated with Colombia and Brazil. Guaido has said 300,000 people could die without an influx of aid into Venezuela. The United Nations says 2.7 million Venezuelans have fled since 2015 as the socialist economy crumbles, with basic supplies out of reach to the masses. Russia steps up More than 50 countries recognise Guaido as Venezuela's president -- but Maduro enjoys strong support from Russia, which is eager to challenge US interventionism, as well as China, which is concerned over the fate of billions of dollars Beijing has lent to Caracas. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, receiving Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez in Moscow, said Russia was stepping up shipments of wheat and was considering sending more medical supplies after shipping 7.5 tonnes worth. "We are very closely cooperating and coordinating all our steps in the international arena," Lavrov said. "This has acquired special significance now that Venezuela is facing a frontal attack and unabashed interference in its domestic affairs," he said. Elliott Abrams, the US special representative on the crisis, charged that Maduro's forces would turn Russian aid into a "political weapon" by providing it only to supporters. "Obviously we are in favour of giving humanitarian assistance to Venezuela; we are not in favour of giving it to this corrupt regime," Abrams told reporters in Washington. Lavrov voiced hope that international pressure would "cool hotheads in Washington" who he said are seeking military intervention in Venezuela. He alleged that the United States was planning to buy small arms, mortar launchers and shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles from an "Eastern European country" and station them "close to Venezuela." Warnings of force President Donald Trump has not ruled out military intervention in Venezuela, although even close US allies have said they would not support the use of force. Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who has worked closely with Trump to seek Maduro's ouster, appeared this week to suggest a violent climax as he posted on Twitter two pictures of Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi -- one relaxed and smiling while in power, the other bloodied as he was lynched in an uprising. Defying a travel ban by Maduro, Guaido went first to Colombia to try to bring in the aid and to meet with visiting US Vice President Mike Pence. The 35-year-old political newcomer continued on to Brazil, where he met the new right-wing president, Jair Bolsonaro, and on Friday travelled to Paraguay. Speaking to reporters in Brasilia on Thursday, Guaido said he would return home "at the latest on Monday" despite threats to arrest him. Abrams said the United States was "very concerned" about Guaido's ability to return home safely and warned of a "very large reaction" if he is arrested.

Venezuela: Amid US sanctions, Russia pledges new relief to Maduro regime

The Canadian government, as expected, on Friday approved extradition proceedings against the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, prompting a furious reaction from China.

Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei's founder, was detained in Vancouver last December and is under house arrest. In late January the US Justice Department charged Meng and Huawei with conspiring to violate US sanctions on Iran.

Meng is due to appear in a Vancouver court at 10 am Pacific time (1800 GMT) on March 6, when a date will be set for her extradition hearing.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-row-china-questions-state-of-judicial-independence-in-canada-200522">Huawei invites US media to see for itself on spy claims</a>

"Today, Department of Justice Canada officials issued an authority to proceed, formally commencing an extradition process in the case of Ms&nbsp;Meng Wanzhou," the government said in a statement.

China, whose relations with Canada have deteriorated badly over the affair, denounced the decision and repeated previous demands for Meng's release.

US Justice Department spokeswoman Nicole Navas Oxman said Washington thanked the Canadian government for its assistance. "We greatly appreciate Canada's steadfast commitment to the rule of law," she said in a statement.

Legal experts had predicted the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would give the go-ahead for extradition proceedings, given the close judicial relationship between Canada and the United States.

But it could be years before Meng is sent to the United States since Canada's slow-moving justice system allows many decisions to be appealed.

A final decision will likely come down to the federal justice minister, who will face the choice of angering the United States by rejecting the extradition bid, or China by accepting it.

Professor Wesley Wark of the University of Ottawa's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs said, "the Canadians will take a beating throughout this whole process" from China.

"I suspect the Trudeau government is desperately hoping that the Americans reach a deal with the Chinese," he said by phone.

US President Donald Trump told Reuters in December he would intervene if it served national security interests or helped close a trade deal with China, prompting Ottawa to stress the extradition process should not be politicized. Last week Trump played down the idea of dropping the charges.

After Meng's detention, China arrested two Canadians on national security grounds, and a Chinese court later sentenced to death a Canadian man who previously had only been jailed for drug smuggling.

Brock University professor Charles Burton, a former Canadian diplomat who served two postings in China, said Beijing was likely to retaliate further.

"They're not going to take this lying down ... one shudders to think what the consequences could be," he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp, saying Beijing might crack down on Canadian canola shipments or stop Chinese students from going to Canada.

Ottawa rejects Chinese calls to release Meng, saying it cannot interfere with the judiciary.

"The Chinese side is utterly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the issuance of (the) authority to proceed," the embassy in Ottawa said in a statement.

Beijing had earlier questioned the state of judicial independence in Canada, noting the government faces accusations that it tried to intervene to stop a corruption trial.

Canadian Justice Minister David Lametti declined to comment.

Huawei was not immediately available for comment.

Meng's lawyers said they were disappointed and described the US charges as politically motivated.

The Canadian government, as expected, on Friday approved extradition proceedings against the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, prompting a furious reaction from China.

The Canadian government, as expected, on Friday approved extradition proceedings against the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, prompting a furious reaction from China. Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei's founder, was detained in Vancouver last December and is under house arrest. In late January the US Justice Department charged Meng and Huawei with conspiring to violate US sanctions on Iran. Meng is due to appear in a Vancouver court at 10 am Pacific time (1800 GMT) on March 6, when a date will be set for her extradition hearing. Also read: Huawei invites US media to see for itself on spy claims "Today, Department of Justice Canada officials issued an authority to proceed, formally commencing an extradition process in the case of Ms Meng Wanzhou," the government said in a statement. China, whose relations with Canada have deteriorated badly over the affair, denounced the decision and repeated previous demands for Meng's release. US Justice Department spokeswoman Nicole Navas Oxman said Washington thanked the Canadian government for its assistance. "We greatly appreciate Canada's steadfast commitment to the rule of law," she said in a statement. Legal experts had predicted the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would give the go-ahead for extradition proceedings, given the close judicial relationship between Canada and the United States. But it could be years before Meng is sent to the United States since Canada's slow-moving justice system allows many decisions to be appealed. A final decision will likely come down to the federal justice minister, who will face the choice of angering the United States by rejecting the extradition bid, or China by accepting it. Professor Wesley Wark of the University of Ottawa's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs said, "the Canadians will take a beating throughout this whole process" from China. "I suspect the Trudeau government is desperately hoping that the Americans reach a deal with the Chinese," he said by phone. US President Donald Trump told Reuters in December he would intervene if it served national security interests or helped close a trade deal with China, prompting Ottawa to stress the extradition process should not be politicized. Last week Trump played down the idea of dropping the charges. After Meng's detention, China arrested two Canadians on national security grounds, and a Chinese court later sentenced to death a Canadian man who previously had only been jailed for drug smuggling. Brock University professor Charles Burton, a former Canadian diplomat who served two postings in China, said Beijing was likely to retaliate further. "They're not going to take this lying down ... one shudders to think what the consequences could be," he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp, saying Beijing might crack down on Canadian canola shipments or stop Chinese students from going to Canada. Ottawa rejects Chinese calls to release Meng, saying it cannot interfere with the judiciary. "The Chinese side is utterly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the issuance of (the) authority to proceed," the embassy in Ottawa said in a statement. Beijing had earlier questioned the state of judicial independence in Canada, noting the government faces accusations that it tried to intervene to stop a corruption trial. Canadian Justice Minister David Lametti declined to comment. Huawei was not immediately available for comment. Meng's lawyers said they were disappointed and described the US charges as politically motivated.

Canada approves extradition process of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou

Donald Trump accused his former lawyer of perjury on Friday, saying Michael Cohen's scathing testimony to Congress this week contradicted a manuscript he wrote last year that complimented the US president.

"Wow, just revealed that Michael Cohen wrote a 'love letter to Trump' manuscript for a new book that he was pushing," Trump tweeted Friday.

"Book is the exact opposite of his fake testimony, which now is a lie!"

The president called on Congress to demand the transcript, given to publishers a short time ago and yet to go on sale.

"Michael Cohen's book manuscript shows that he committed perjury on a scale not seen before," Trump added.

Cohen, who worked for the president for a decade as his top "fixer" at the Trump Organization, assailed his ex-boss as "a racist... a conman... a cheat" in testimony Wednesday to the House Oversight Committee.

In a book proposal, Cohen sent to publishers in early 2018 -- before he was sentenced to three years in prison, partly for crimes related to his work for Trump -- the attorney promised a glowing picture of the real estate billionaire.

The manuscript was entitled "Trump Revolution: From the Tower to the White House, Understanding Donald J. Trump" -- and according to the Daily Beast, it was aimed at offsetting books deeply critical of the president.

The proposal was pulled back after FBI agents raided Cohen's home and offices in April 2018 in an investigation probing the attorney's taxes and hush payments he arranged for women who claimed affairs with the president.

"Sometime in early 2018, Mr Cohen was offered a substantial advance for a proposal regarding a book on understanding Donald Trump," Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis said.

"Mr Cohen ultimately elected not to proceed."

In the months after the raids, Cohen went from being a close ally of Trump to a foe, providing testimony in a plea deal with prosecutors that the president ordered him to make one hush payment and reimbursed him.

Trump scorned him as "a rat."

Cohen eventually pleaded guilty to felony charges of misuse of campaign funds in the hush payment, tax evasion and lying to Congress.

In five hours of testimony Wednesday, he compared employment with Trump to working for a "mobster."&nbsp;

Republican lawmakers however attacked Cohen as an unreliable witness, citing his earlier false testimony, and accused him of trying to cash in on his work for Trump with book and film deals.

Cohen said there were no deals in the works, but confirmed he had been approached and was open to the idea.

Donald Trump accused his former lawyer of perjury on Friday, saying Michael Cohen's scathing testimony to Congress this week contradicted a manuscript he wrote last year that complimented the US president.

Donald Trump accused his former lawyer of perjury on Friday, saying Michael Cohen's scathing testimony to Congress this week contradicted a manuscript he wrote last year that complimented the US president. "Wow, just revealed that Michael Cohen wrote a 'love letter to Trump' manuscript for a new book that he was pushing," Trump tweeted Friday. "Book is the exact opposite of his fake testimony, which now is a lie!" The president called on Congress to demand the transcript, given to publishers a short time ago and yet to go on sale. "Michael Cohen's book manuscript shows that he committed perjury on a scale not seen before," Trump added. Cohen, who worked for the president for a decade as his top "fixer" at the Trump Organization, assailed his ex-boss as "a racist... a conman... a cheat" in testimony Wednesday to the House Oversight Committee. In a book proposal, Cohen sent to publishers in early 2018 -- before he was sentenced to three years in prison, partly for crimes related to his work for Trump -- the attorney promised a glowing picture of the real estate billionaire. The manuscript was entitled "Trump Revolution: From the Tower to the White House, Understanding Donald J. Trump" -- and according to the Daily Beast, it was aimed at offsetting books deeply critical of the president. The proposal was pulled back after FBI agents raided Cohen's home and offices in April 2018 in an investigation probing the attorney's taxes and hush payments he arranged for women who claimed affairs with the president. "Sometime in early 2018, Mr Cohen was offered a substantial advance for a proposal regarding a book on understanding Donald Trump," Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis said. "Mr Cohen ultimately elected not to proceed." In the months after the raids, Cohen went from being a close ally of Trump to a foe, providing testimony in a plea deal with prosecutors that the president ordered him to make one hush payment and reimbursed him. Trump scorned him as "a rat." Cohen eventually pleaded guilty to felony charges of misuse of campaign funds in the hush payment, tax evasion and lying to Congress. In five hours of testimony Wednesday, he compared employment with Trump to working for a "mobster." Republican lawmakers however attacked Cohen as an unreliable witness, citing his earlier false testimony, and accused him of trying to cash in on his work for Trump with book and film deals. Cohen said there were no deals in the works, but confirmed he had been approached and was open to the idea.

Trump accuses ex-lawyer Michael Cohen of perjury, citing unpublished book

Lawyers for President Donald Trump's former campaign chief Paul Manafort urged a judge on Friday to impose a sentence "substantially below" the potential 19 to 24 years in prison he is facing for tax crimes and bank fraud.

Manafort, 69, is to be sentenced on March 7 by Judge TS&nbsp;Ellis of the Eastern District of Virginia after being convicted of five counts of filing false income tax returns, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failing to report a foreign bank account.

Manafort's attorneys, in a filing with the judge, said the sentencing guidelines -- which call for a prison term of 235 to 293 months -- are "clearly disproportionate to the offence conduct for which Mr Manafort was convicted."

"Mr Manafort acknowledges that he received a fair trial before this Court, he accepts the jury's verdict, and is truly remorseful for his conduct," they said.

His attorneys suggested a "sentence substantially below the range," arguing that Manafort is a first-time offender and is in poor health after spending the past nine months in prison.

Manafort is one of seven former Trump associates and senior aides who have been charged by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team, which is believed to be nearing the end of its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.

Mueller's office said in their own sentencing memo that Manafort was a "bold" criminal who "repeatedly and brazenly" broke the law but did not recommend a specific sentence.

Mueller's office said that Manafort violated the law for years and his sentence "must take into account the gravity of this conduct," to deter both Manafort and anyone else who would commit similar crimes.

"His criminal actions were bold," Mueller's office said, and included attempting to tamper with witnesses and lying to the FBI, government agencies and even his own lawyers.

Manafort's attorneys took issue with that characterization.

"The Special Counsel's attempt to vilify Mr Manafort as a lifelong and irredeemable felon is beyond the pale and grossly overstates the facts before this Court," they said.

"The cases that Special Counsel have brought against Mr Manafort have devastated him personally, professionally and financially," they said.

The charges against Manafort were not connected to his role in the Trump campaign but were for work he did for Russian-backed political parties in Ukraine between 2004 and 2014.

Manafort was also charged in Washington with money laundering, witness tampering and other offences and faces separate sentencing in that case.

Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Moscow and denounced the probe by Mueller, a former FBI director, as a "political witch hunt."

Lawyers for President Donald Trump's former campaign chief Paul Manafort urged a judge on Friday to impose a sentence "substantially below" the potential 19 to 24 years in prison he is facing for tax crimes and bank fraud.

Lawyers for President Donald Trump's former campaign chief Paul Manafort urged a judge on Friday to impose a sentence "substantially below" the potential 19 to 24 years in prison he is facing for tax crimes and bank fraud. Manafort, 69, is to be sentenced on March 7 by Judge TS Ellis of the Eastern District of Virginia after being convicted of five counts of filing false income tax returns, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failing to report a foreign bank account. Manafort's attorneys, in a filing with the judge, said the sentencing guidelines -- which call for a prison term of 235 to 293 months -- are "clearly disproportionate to the offence conduct for which Mr Manafort was convicted." "Mr Manafort acknowledges that he received a fair trial before this Court, he accepts the jury's verdict, and is truly remorseful for his conduct," they said. His attorneys suggested a "sentence substantially below the range," arguing that Manafort is a first-time offender and is in poor health after spending the past nine months in prison. Manafort is one of seven former Trump associates and senior aides who have been charged by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team, which is believed to be nearing the end of its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign. Mueller's office said in their own sentencing memo that Manafort was a "bold" criminal who "repeatedly and brazenly" broke the law but did not recommend a specific sentence. Mueller's office said that Manafort violated the law for years and his sentence "must take into account the gravity of this conduct," to deter both Manafort and anyone else who would commit similar crimes. "His criminal actions were bold," Mueller's office said, and included attempting to tamper with witnesses and lying to the FBI, government agencies and even his own lawyers. Manafort's attorneys took issue with that characterization. "The Special Counsel's attempt to vilify Mr Manafort as a lifelong and irredeemable felon is beyond the pale and grossly overstates the facts before this Court," they said. "The cases that Special Counsel have brought against Mr Manafort have devastated him personally, professionally and financially," they said. The charges against Manafort were not connected to his role in the Trump campaign but were for work he did for Russian-backed political parties in Ukraine between 2004 and 2014. Manafort was also charged in Washington with money laundering, witness tampering and other offences and faces separate sentencing in that case. Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Moscow and denounced the probe by Mueller, a former FBI director, as a "political witch hunt."

Lawyers for former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort, argue for leniency

Did the Trump-Kim summit achieve anything at all?

President Donald Trump's ex-attorney will return to Congress next week for more testimony, US lawmakers said Thursday, after three days of marathon appearances during which Michael Cohen accused his longtime boss of being a conman engaged in illegal activity.

House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff also revealed that Felix Sater, a Russian-born real estate developer who claims strong connections to the Kremlin, and who reportedly pitched the Moscow Trump Tower project to Trump's team, will testify before the committee on March 14.

The public hearing is believed to be the first scheduled appearance before Congress for Sater, who once had an office in Trump Tower and is seen as a mysterious figure who could shed light on dealings between the Trump organization, his campaign and Russia.

Cohen meanwhile will return on March 6 for additional closed-door testimony to the Intelligence Committee, Schiff said.

"It was a very productive interview today, where he was able to shed light on a lot of issues that are very core to our investigation, and we were able to drill down in great detail," Schiff said, adding that he intended to publicly release transcripts of Cohen's testimony "at the appropriate point."

News of the upcoming hearings came after Cohen's gruelling three days on Capitol Hill, including his explosive nationally televised testimony on Wednesday, during which he called Trump an inveterate liar, "racist," and "cheat."

Cohen -- who is to report to prison on May 6 to begin serving a three-year sentence for fraud, tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and lying to Congress -- expressed regret for his years of devoted service to Trump.

The onetime lawyer, who has been disbarred, said Trump directed him to lie about hush payments made to a porn actress to silence her claims of a 2006 affair with the real estate tycoon.

He also said Trump knew in advance in mid-2016 that WikiLeaks would publish emails stolen by the Russians from rival Hillary Clinton's campaign.

And Cohen asserted that lawyers for Trump and his family reviewed and edited his written testimony to Congress in 2017 in which he lied about the Moscow real estate deal.

Nevertheless, Cohen produced no fresh evidence that Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia during the election, the subject of an investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

'Lied a lot'

Speaking in Vietnam after a summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Trump sought to discredit Cohen, saying his former lawyer and fixer had "lied a lot" -- although not about "one thing."

"He said, no collusion with the Russian hoax," Trump said. "And I said, I wonder why he didn't lie about that, too, like everything else."

The president did not address any of Cohen's specific, explosive allegations about his decade of working with Trump.

On Thursday, two Republicans on the House Oversight Committee said they had petitioned the Justice Department to investigate Cohen for perjury.

They alleged that he lied in Wednesday's testimony about his alleged desire to get a job in the Trump White House, and about whether he had committed bank fraud in the past.

Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis rejected their claims.

"Mr. Cohen testified truthfully before the House Oversight Committee.... He also backed up much of his testimony with documents," Davis said, calling the complaint "baseless."

'Our boy can become president'

As for Sater, lawmakers will seek to quiz him on his dealings with the Trump Organization and the campaign.

Sater has boasted of his ties to Vladimir Putin, saying he could get the Russian president to say "great things" about Trump, and suggested that the Trump Tower deal would help him get elected.

"Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it," Sater wrote in a November 2015 email quoted by The New York Times.

"I will get all of Putin's team to buy in on this, I will manage this process."

Cohen has testified that Trump was negotiating on the Moscow building deal in 2016, contradicting Trump's repeated declarations during the presidential campaign that he had no business ties to the country.

President Donald Trump's ex-attorney will return to Congress next week for more testimony, US lawmakers said Thursday, after three days of marathon appearances during which Michael Cohen accused his longtime boss of being a conman engaged in illegal activity.

President Donald Trump's ex-attorney will return to Congress next week for more testimony, US lawmakers said Thursday, after three days of marathon appearances during which Michael Cohen accused his longtime boss of being a conman engaged in illegal activity. House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff also revealed that Felix Sater, a Russian-born real estate developer who claims strong connections to the Kremlin, and who reportedly pitched the Moscow Trump Tower project to Trump's team, will testify before the committee on March 14. The public hearing is believed to be the first scheduled appearance before Congress for Sater, who once had an office in Trump Tower and is seen as a mysterious figure who could shed light on dealings between the Trump organization, his campaign and Russia. Cohen meanwhile will return on March 6 for additional closed-door testimony to the Intelligence Committee, Schiff said. "It was a very productive interview today, where he was able to shed light on a lot of issues that are very core to our investigation, and we were able to drill down in great detail," Schiff said, adding that he intended to publicly release transcripts of Cohen's testimony "at the appropriate point." News of the upcoming hearings came after Cohen's gruelling three days on Capitol Hill, including his explosive nationally televised testimony on Wednesday, during which he called Trump an inveterate liar, "racist," and "cheat." Cohen -- who is to report to prison on May 6 to begin serving a three-year sentence for fraud, tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and lying to Congress -- expressed regret for his years of devoted service to Trump. The onetime lawyer, who has been disbarred, said Trump directed him to lie about hush payments made to a porn actress to silence her claims of a 2006 affair with the real estate tycoon. He also said Trump knew in advance in mid-2016 that WikiLeaks would publish emails stolen by the Russians from rival Hillary Clinton's campaign. And Cohen asserted that lawyers for Trump and his family reviewed and edited his written testimony to Congress in 2017 in which he lied about the Moscow real estate deal. Nevertheless, Cohen produced no fresh evidence that Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia during the election, the subject of an investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. 'Lied a lot' Speaking in Vietnam after a summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Trump sought to discredit Cohen, saying his former lawyer and fixer had "lied a lot" -- although not about "one thing." "He said, no collusion with the Russian hoax," Trump said. "And I said, I wonder why he didn't lie about that, too, like everything else." The president did not address any of Cohen's specific, explosive allegations about his decade of working with Trump. On Thursday, two Republicans on the House Oversight Committee said they had petitioned the Justice Department to investigate Cohen for perjury. They alleged that he lied in Wednesday's testimony about his alleged desire to get a job in the Trump White House, and about whether he had committed bank fraud in the past. Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis rejected their claims. "Mr. Cohen testified truthfully before the House Oversight Committee.... He also backed up much of his testimony with documents," Davis said, calling the complaint "baseless." 'Our boy can become president' As for Sater, lawmakers will seek to quiz him on his dealings with the Trump Organization and the campaign. Sater has boasted of his ties to Vladimir Putin, saying he could get the Russian president to say "great things" about Trump, and suggested that the Trump Tower deal would help him get elected. "Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it," Sater wrote in a November 2015 email quoted by The New York Times. "I will get all of Putin's team to buy in on this, I will manage this process." Cohen has testified that Trump was negotiating on the Moscow building deal in 2016, contradicting Trump's repeated declarations during the presidential campaign that he had no business ties to the country.

Donald Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen again in Congress next week: US lawmaker

South Korea will work with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/our-stance-will-never-change-even-if-us-seeks-further-talks-north-korea-on-us-sanctions-relief-200370">United States and North Korea</a> to ensure they reach agreement on denuclearisation, the South's president said on Friday, a day after talks between the US and North Korean leaders collapsed over sanctions.

A second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in Vietnam, was cut short after they failed to reach a deal on the extent of sanctions relief North Korea would get in exchange for steps to dismantle its nuclear programme.

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in has been an active supporter of efforts to end confrontation on the Korean peninsula, meeting Kim three times last year and trying to facilitate his nuclear negotiations with the United States.

"My administration will closely communicate and cooperate with the United States and North Korea so as to help their talks reach a complete settlement by any means," Moon said in a speech in the South Korean capital, Seoul.

Moon also said South Korea would consult with the United States on ways to resume joint projects with the North including tourism development at Mount Kumgang and the Kaesong industrial complex, both in North Korea.

The Hanoi summit came eight months after Trump and Kim met for the first time in Singapore and agreed to establish new relations and peace in exchange for a North Korean commitment to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Trump said two days of talks had made good progress but it was important not to rush into a bad deal. He said he had walked away because of unacceptable North Korean demands.

"It was all about the sanctions," Trump told a news conference after the talks were cut short. "Basically, they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, and we couldn't do that."

'Biggest step'

However, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told a midnight news conference after Trump left Hanoi that North Korea had sought only a partial lifting of sanctions "related to people's livelihoods and unrelated to military sanctions".

He said North Korea had offered a realistic proposal involving the dismantling of all of its main nuclear site at Yongbyon, including plutonium and uranium facilities, by engineers from both countries.

"This is the biggest denuclearisation step we can take based on the current level of trust between the two countries," Ri said.

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui told the same briefing she had the impression that Kim "might lose his willingness to pursue a deal" after the U.S. side rejected a partial lifting of sanctions in return for the destruction of Yongbyon, "something we had never offered before".

But despite raising that doubt, both sides indicated they wanted to maintain the momentum and press on.

North Korean media adopted a conciliatory tone.

The state KCNA news agency said Kim and Trump had a constructive and sincere exchange and decided to continue productive talks, without mentioning that the talks ended abruptly with no agreement.

Kim, who is due to leave Vietnam on Saturday, also expressed gratitude to Trump for travelling so far and actively putting in efforts to get results, KCNA added.

'Opportunity to talk'

A US&nbsp;Sate Department official said the North Korean media report had been "quite constructive".

"(It) suggests to me that like us there’s still ample opportunity to talk," the official, who declined to be identified, told reporters.

North Korea had proposed closing part of its Yongbyon nuclear complex in exchange for the lifting of all UN sanctions except those directly targeting their weapons of mass destruction programmes, the official said.

The United Nations and the United States ratcheted up sanctions on North Korea when the reclusive state conducted repeated nuclear and ballistic missile tests in 2017, cutting off its main sources of hard cash.

"The dilemma that we were confronted with is the North Koreans at this point are unwilling to impose a complete freeze on their weapons of mass destruction programmes," the official told reporters.

"So to give many, many billions of dollars in sanctions relief would in effect put us in a position of subsidising the ongoing development of weapons of mass destruction," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Analysts estimate North Korea may have a nuclear arsenal of 20 to 60 weapons which, if fitted to intercontinental ballistic missiles it has developed, could threaten the US mainland.

The collapse of the summit leaves Kim in possession of that arsenal though Trump said the North Korean leader had agreed to maintain his moratorium on nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

Trump spoke to the leaders of South Korea and Japan on his way back from Hanoi and told them the United States would work with them and talk to North Korea, the White House said.

Failure to reach an agreement marks a setback for Trump, a self-styled dealmaker under pressure at home over his ties to Russia and testimony from Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer who accused him of breaking the law while in office.

South Korea will work with the United States and North Korea to ensure they reach agreement on denuclearisation, the South's president said on Friday, a day after talks between the US and North Korean leaders collapsed over sanctions.

South Korea will work with the United States and North Korea to ensure they reach agreement on denuclearisation, the South's president said on Friday, a day after talks between the US and North Korean leaders collapsed over sanctions. A second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in Vietnam, was cut short after they failed to reach a deal on the extent of sanctions relief North Korea would get in exchange for steps to dismantle its nuclear programme. South Korea's President Moon Jae-in has been an active supporter of efforts to end confrontation on the Korean peninsula, meeting Kim three times last year and trying to facilitate his nuclear negotiations with the United States. "My administration will closely communicate and cooperate with the United States and North Korea so as to help their talks reach a complete settlement by any means," Moon said in a speech in the South Korean capital, Seoul. Moon also said South Korea would consult with the United States on ways to resume joint projects with the North including tourism development at Mount Kumgang and the Kaesong industrial complex, both in North Korea. The Hanoi summit came eight months after Trump and Kim met for the first time in Singapore and agreed to establish new relations and peace in exchange for a North Korean commitment to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. Trump said two days of talks had made good progress but it was important not to rush into a bad deal. He said he had walked away because of unacceptable North Korean demands. "It was all about the sanctions," Trump told a news conference after the talks were cut short. "Basically, they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, and we couldn't do that." 'Biggest step' However, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told a midnight news conference after Trump left Hanoi that North Korea had sought only a partial lifting of sanctions "related to people's livelihoods and unrelated to military sanctions". He said North Korea had offered a realistic proposal involving the dismantling of all of its main nuclear site at Yongbyon, including plutonium and uranium facilities, by engineers from both countries. "This is the biggest denuclearisation step we can take based on the current level of trust between the two countries," Ri said. North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui told the same briefing she had the impression that Kim "might lose his willingness to pursue a deal" after the U.S. side rejected a partial lifting of sanctions in return for the destruction of Yongbyon, "something we had never offered before". But despite raising that doubt, both sides indicated they wanted to maintain the momentum and press on. North Korean media adopted a conciliatory tone. The state KCNA news agency said Kim and Trump had a constructive and sincere exchange and decided to continue productive talks, without mentioning that the talks ended abruptly with no agreement. Kim, who is due to leave Vietnam on Saturday, also expressed gratitude to Trump for travelling so far and actively putting in efforts to get results, KCNA added. 'Opportunity to talk' A US Sate Department official said the North Korean media report had been "quite constructive". "(It) suggests to me that like us there’s still ample opportunity to talk," the official, who declined to be identified, told reporters. North Korea had proposed closing part of its Yongbyon nuclear complex in exchange for the lifting of all UN sanctions except those directly targeting their weapons of mass destruction programmes, the official said. The United Nations and the United States ratcheted up sanctions on North Korea when the reclusive state conducted repeated nuclear and ballistic missile tests in 2017, cutting off its main sources of hard cash. "The dilemma that we were confronted with is the North Koreans at this point are unwilling to impose a complete freeze on their weapons of mass destruction programmes," the official told reporters. "So to give many, many billions of dollars in sanctions relief would in effect put us in a position of subsidising the ongoing development of weapons of mass destruction," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Analysts estimate North Korea may have a nuclear arsenal of 20 to 60 weapons which, if fitted to intercontinental ballistic missiles it has developed, could threaten the US mainland. The collapse of the summit leaves Kim in possession of that arsenal though Trump said the North Korean leader had agreed to maintain his moratorium on nuclear and ballistic missile tests. Trump spoke to the leaders of South Korea and Japan on his way back from Hanoi and told them the United States would work with them and talk to North Korea, the White House said. Failure to reach an agreement marks a setback for Trump, a self-styled dealmaker under pressure at home over his ties to Russia and testimony from Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer who accused him of breaking the law while in office.

South Korea to work with US and North Korea after failed nuclear talks

The US President Donald Trump ordered his chief of staff in May to grant his son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner a top-secret security clearance, the New York Times reported on Thursday.

It said senior administration officials were troubled by the decision, which prompted then-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly to write an internal memo about how he had been ordered to give Kushner the top-secret clearance.

The White House counsel at the time, Donald McGahn, also wrote an internal memo outlining concerns raised about Kushner and how McGahn had recommended against the decision, it said.

The Times said the memos contradicted a statement made by Trump in an interview with the newspaper in January that he had no role in Kushner's receiving his clearance.

Asked about the report, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: "We don’t comment on security clearances."

Peter Mirijanian, a spokesman for Kushner's attorney Abbe Lowell, said in an email that White House and security clearance officials last year asserted that Kushner's clearance was "handled in the regular process with no pressure from anyone."

"New stories, if accurate, do not change what was affirmed at the time," Mirijanian said.

The US President Donald Trump ordered his chief of staff in May to grant his son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner a top-secret security clearance, the New York Times reported on Thursday.

The US President Donald Trump ordered his chief of staff in May to grant his son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner a top-secret security clearance, the New York Times reported on Thursday. It said senior administration officials were troubled by the decision, which prompted then-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly to write an internal memo about how he had been ordered to give Kushner the top-secret clearance. The White House counsel at the time, Donald McGahn, also wrote an internal memo outlining concerns raised about Kushner and how McGahn had recommended against the decision, it said. The Times said the memos contradicted a statement made by Trump in an interview with the newspaper in January that he had no role in Kushner's receiving his clearance. Asked about the report, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: "We don’t comment on security clearances." Peter Mirijanian, a spokesman for Kushner's attorney Abbe Lowell, said in an email that White House and security clearance officials last year asserted that Kushner's clearance was "handled in the regular process with no pressure from anyone." "New stories, if accurate, do not change what was affirmed at the time," Mirijanian said.

Trump ordered aide to give Kushner security clearance: Report

The United States and North Korea on Friday put forward starkly different accounts over the breakdown of a high-stakes summit in Hanoi but offered guarded hope that they could meet again.

After weeks of building expectations and with a signing ceremony ready to go, President Donald Trump abruptly ended his second-ever meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and declared a deadlock.

"Sometimes you have to walk and this was just one of those times," an unusually downbeat Trump told reporters.

"Basically they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety and we couldn't do that," Trump said before flying back to Washington.

In an exceptionally rare meeting with reporters, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho summoned the press in Hanoi at midnight and denied the White House account that Pyongyang was only seeking a complete deal.&nbsp;

North Korea had offered to "permanently and completely dismantle all the nuclear production facilities" at its main complex in Yongbyon if the US dropped sanctions "that hamper the civilian economy and the livelihood of our people", Ri said.

He warned that the North's stance was "invariable" and that its offer will "never change".

But North Korean state media -- which less than two years ago was branding Trump a "mentally deranged US dotard" -- offered a more conciliatory take, saying the summit had been "productive".

Kim and Trump "agreed to continue having productive talks to discuss the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and the improvement of US-North Korea relations", the Korean Central News Agency said.

The North Koreans appeared to be thinking through their response to the often unpredictable Trump, who insisted that he could obtain a better deal.

"I'd much rather do it right than do it fast," Trump told reporters, reaffirming his "close relationship" with Kim.

"There's a warmth that we have and I hope that stays, I think it will."

Trump also said he hoped to see Kim again soon but offered no details.

'It will take a little while'

The outcome in Hanoi fell far short of hopes that the meeting would build on the leaders' summit in Singapore in June, which marked a historic first but resulted only in a vague commitment to "work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula".&nbsp;

Progress subsequently stalled, with the two sides disagreeing on what that means.

The US president has since frequently dangled the prospect of a brighter economic future for a nuclear-free North Korea, at one point tweeting there was "AWESOME" potential.

But it was not enough.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who accompanied Trump, said both sides "need to regroup" before agreeing to another meeting, adding: "My sense is it will take a little while."

Pompeo however also said "there's still a basis for believing that we can move forward".

Beyond the sub-par summit result, Trump came under fire at home for saying that Kim "didn't know" about the torture of an American college student jailed in the North.

Otto Warmbier, who was arrested for allegedly taking down a poster, returned home in 2017 in a coma and died soon afterward, with a US judge ruling that the 22-year-old had died from torture.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she thought there was "something wrong" with a US president choosing to believe "thugs" such as Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the US intelligence community.

'Major failure'

With a table already prepared for a working lunch and signing ceremony, Trump moved up his final news conference by two hours as he and Kim left without any accord.

"This is a major failure," tweeted Joe Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund peace foundation, saying it showed the limits of top-level summitry with "not enough time or staff" to work out a deal.&nbsp;

Trump flew around the world for the meeting and Kim undertook a mammoth two-and-a-half-day trek through China in his olive green train, travelling 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles).&nbsp;

Trump headed home, and Kim will stay on in Hanoi for a state visit.

The US leader placed calls from Air Force One to the leaders of US allies Japan and South Korea to discuss the summit, Sanders said.&nbsp;

Seoul said that Trump "expressed regret" to President Moon Jae-in, who helped arrange the summits, over not striking a deal with Kim.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a longstanding hawk on North Korea, told reporters that he "fully supports President Trump's decision to make no easy compromise".

In China, North Korea's primary ally, foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang voiced understanding, saying that "solving this problem is definitely not something that can be achieved overnight"

'Rocket man'

As in Singapore, the two men put on a show of bonhomie in Vietnam -- a far cry from 2017, when Trump was mocking Kim as "rocket man" and threatening to "totally destroy" North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests.

The two leaders, nearly 40 years apart in age, appeared to share jokes in front of reporters and indulged in a poolside stroll Thursday around the gardens of the luxury Metropole Hotel.

Before the summit, there was talk that there could be a political declaration ending the 1950-53 Korean War, which finished technically with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

Trump's failure to clinch a deal paradoxically brought him praise within his Republican Party -- some members had privately fretted that he was too eager to seal a historic accord.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that Trump "should be commended for his personal commitment to persuading Kim Jong Un to pursue a different path -- and for walking away when it became clear North Korea was not ready to commit enough to denuclearisation."&nbsp;

The United States and North Korea on Friday put forward starkly different accounts over the breakdown of a high-stakes summit in Hanoi but offered guarded hope that they could meet again.

The United States and North Korea on Friday put forward starkly different accounts over the breakdown of a high-stakes summit in Hanoi but offered guarded hope that they could meet again. After weeks of building expectations and with a signing ceremony ready to go, President Donald Trump abruptly ended his second-ever meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and declared a deadlock. "Sometimes you have to walk and this was just one of those times," an unusually downbeat Trump told reporters. "Basically they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety and we couldn't do that," Trump said before flying back to Washington. In an exceptionally rare meeting with reporters, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho summoned the press in Hanoi at midnight and denied the White House account that Pyongyang was only seeking a complete deal. North Korea had offered to "permanently and completely dismantle all the nuclear production facilities" at its main complex in Yongbyon if the US dropped sanctions "that hamper the civilian economy and the livelihood of our people", Ri said. He warned that the North's stance was "invariable" and that its offer will "never change". But North Korean state media -- which less than two years ago was branding Trump a "mentally deranged US dotard" -- offered a more conciliatory take, saying the summit had been "productive". Kim and Trump "agreed to continue having productive talks to discuss the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and the improvement of US-North Korea relations", the Korean Central News Agency said. The North Koreans appeared to be thinking through their response to the often unpredictable Trump, who insisted that he could obtain a better deal. "I'd much rather do it right than do it fast," Trump told reporters, reaffirming his "close relationship" with Kim. "There's a warmth that we have and I hope that stays, I think it will." Trump also said he hoped to see Kim again soon but offered no details. 'It will take a little while' The outcome in Hanoi fell far short of hopes that the meeting would build on the leaders' summit in Singapore in June, which marked a historic first but resulted only in a vague commitment to "work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". Progress subsequently stalled, with the two sides disagreeing on what that means. The US president has since frequently dangled the prospect of a brighter economic future for a nuclear-free North Korea, at one point tweeting there was "AWESOME" potential. But it was not enough. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who accompanied Trump, said both sides "need to regroup" before agreeing to another meeting, adding: "My sense is it will take a little while." Pompeo however also said "there's still a basis for believing that we can move forward". Beyond the sub-par summit result, Trump came under fire at home for saying that Kim "didn't know" about the torture of an American college student jailed in the North. Otto Warmbier, who was arrested for allegedly taking down a poster, returned home in 2017 in a coma and died soon afterward, with a US judge ruling that the 22-year-old had died from torture. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she thought there was "something wrong" with a US president choosing to believe "thugs" such as Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the US intelligence community. 'Major failure' With a table already prepared for a working lunch and signing ceremony, Trump moved up his final news conference by two hours as he and Kim left without any accord. "This is a major failure," tweeted Joe Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund peace foundation, saying it showed the limits of top-level summitry with "not enough time or staff" to work out a deal. Trump flew around the world for the meeting and Kim undertook a mammoth two-and-a-half-day trek through China in his olive green train, travelling 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles). Trump headed home, and Kim will stay on in Hanoi for a state visit. The US leader placed calls from Air Force One to the leaders of US allies Japan and South Korea to discuss the summit, Sanders said. Seoul said that Trump "expressed regret" to President Moon Jae-in, who helped arrange the summits, over not striking a deal with Kim. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a longstanding hawk on North Korea, told reporters that he "fully supports President Trump's decision to make no easy compromise". In China, North Korea's primary ally, foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang voiced understanding, saying that "solving this problem is definitely not something that can be achieved overnight" 'Rocket man' As in Singapore, the two men put on a show of bonhomie in Vietnam -- a far cry from 2017, when Trump was mocking Kim as "rocket man" and threatening to "totally destroy" North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests. The two leaders, nearly 40 years apart in age, appeared to share jokes in front of reporters and indulged in a poolside stroll Thursday around the gardens of the luxury Metropole Hotel. Before the summit, there was talk that there could be a political declaration ending the 1950-53 Korean War, which finished technically with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. Trump's failure to clinch a deal paradoxically brought him praise within his Republican Party -- some members had privately fretted that he was too eager to seal a historic accord. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that Trump "should be commended for his personal commitment to persuading Kim Jong Un to pursue a different path -- and for walking away when it became clear North Korea was not ready to commit enough to denuclearisation."

Trump, Kim Jong-un agree to continue having productive talks on North Korea's denuclearisation

US President Donald Trump returned to Washington DC Thursday after his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un collapsed over sanctions, and the two sides gave conflicting accounts of what happened, raising questions about the future of their denuclearisation negotiations.

Trump said two days of talks in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi had made good progress in building relations and on the main issue of denuclearisation, but it was important not to rush into a bad deal. He said he had walked away because of unacceptable North Korean demands.

"It was all about the sanctions," Trump told a news conference after the talks were cut short. "Basically, they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, and we couldn't do that."

However, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told a news conference past midnight and hours after Trump left Hanoi that North Korea had sought only a partial lifting of sanctions "related to people's livelihoods and unrelated to military sanctions".

He said it had offered a realistic proposal involving the dismantling of all of its main nuclear site at Yongbyon, including plutonium and uranium facilities, by engineers from both countries.

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui told the same briefing she had the impression that Kim "might lose his willingness to pursue a deal" after the U.S. side rejected a partial lifting of sanctions in return for the destruction of Yongbyon, "something we had never offered before".

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, asked about North Korea's statements, said the president was aware of the comments and the White House had nothing to add to what Trump said at the Hanoi news conference.

 
&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump returned to Washington DC Thursday after his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un collapsed over sanctions, and the two sides gave conflicting accounts of what happened, raising questions about the future of their denuclearisation negotiations.

US President Donald Trump returned to Washington DC Thursday after his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un collapsed over sanctions, and the two sides gave conflicting accounts of what happened, raising questions about the future of their denuclearisation negotiations. Trump said two days of talks in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi had made good progress in building relations and on the main issue of denuclearisation, but it was important not to rush into a bad deal. He said he had walked away because of unacceptable North Korean demands. "It was all about the sanctions," Trump told a news conference after the talks were cut short. "Basically, they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, and we couldn't do that." However, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told a news conference past midnight and hours after Trump left Hanoi that North Korea had sought only a partial lifting of sanctions "related to people's livelihoods and unrelated to military sanctions". He said it had offered a realistic proposal involving the dismantling of all of its main nuclear site at Yongbyon, including plutonium and uranium facilities, by engineers from both countries. North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui told the same briefing she had the impression that Kim "might lose his willingness to pursue a deal" after the U.S. side rejected a partial lifting of sanctions in return for the destruction of Yongbyon, "something we had never offered before". White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, asked about North Korea's statements, said the president was aware of the comments and the White House had nothing to add to what Trump said at the Hanoi news conference.

Trump returns to White House after summit collapse clouds future of US-North Korea nuclear diplomacy

Chinese telecom giant <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-has-no-evidence-of-backdoor-spying-in-5g-technology-huawei-chairman-199966">Huawei </a>has issued an unusual invitation to US media outlets to visit its facilities and meet staff as the company pushes back against global pressure arising from US accusations that it spies for Beijing.&nbsp;

Huawei purchased full-page adverts in major US newspapers on Thursday -- including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post -- for its "Open letter to the US media".

Bearing the headline "Don't believe everything you hear", it was attributed to Huawei board director Catherine Chen.

"I am writing to you in the hopes that we can come to understand each other better," it said.

"In recent years, the US government has developed some misunderstandings about us. We would like to draw your attention to the facts."

US President Donald Trump's administration has in recent months ramped up efforts to block Huawei, the leader in 5G technology, by urging allies to avoid the Chinese powerhouse, claiming that national security interests are at stake.

Huawei has responded in recent weeks by coming out in public to state its case with a directness unusual for a major Chinese company.

Its 74-year-old founder Ren Zhengfei, who previously rarely spoke to foreign media, has granted repeated interviews since the start of the year to deny that Huawei is a mole for China's Communist government.

Other Huawei officials have hit back by highlighting US government eavesdropping that was exposed by former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

Huawei's chairman Guo Ping forcefully pushed back at the US accusations this week in a keynote address at the mobile industry’s biggest annual global event in Barcelona.

"The US security accusation against our 5G has no evidence. Nothing," he said.

The issue has escalated with the arrest in Canada in December of Ren's daughter, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is accused of violating US sanctions against Iran and faces an extradition hearing in Canada this month.

Two Huawei affiliates also have been charged in the United States with trade theft for stealing robotics technology from T-Mobile and offering financial rewards to staff who stole secrets from rivals.

The open letter avoided those issues, focusing instead on how the huge company's systems have contributed to global connectivity.

It invited media outlets to visit its facilities.

"On behalf of Huawei, I would like to invite members of the US media to visit our campuses and meet our employees," it said, providing an email address for arranging visits.

"Don't believe everything you hear. Come and see us. We look forward to meeting you."

Chinese telecom giant Huawei has issued an unusual invitation to US media outlets to visit its facilities and meet staff as the company pushes back against global pressure arising from US accusations that it spies for Beijing.

Chinese telecom giant Huawei has issued an unusual invitation to US media outlets to visit its facilities and meet staff as the company pushes back against global pressure arising from US accusations that it spies for Beijing. Huawei purchased full-page adverts in major US newspapers on Thursday -- including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post -- for its "Open letter to the US media". Bearing the headline "Don't believe everything you hear", it was attributed to Huawei board director Catherine Chen. "I am writing to you in the hopes that we can come to understand each other better," it said. "In recent years, the US government has developed some misunderstandings about us. We would like to draw your attention to the facts." US President Donald Trump's administration has in recent months ramped up efforts to block Huawei, the leader in 5G technology, by urging allies to avoid the Chinese powerhouse, claiming that national security interests are at stake. Huawei has responded in recent weeks by coming out in public to state its case with a directness unusual for a major Chinese company. Its 74-year-old founder Ren Zhengfei, who previously rarely spoke to foreign media, has granted repeated interviews since the start of the year to deny that Huawei is a mole for China's Communist government. Other Huawei officials have hit back by highlighting US government eavesdropping that was exposed by former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden. Huawei's chairman Guo Ping forcefully pushed back at the US accusations this week in a keynote address at the mobile industry’s biggest annual global event in Barcelona. "The US security accusation against our 5G has no evidence. Nothing," he said. The issue has escalated with the arrest in Canada in December of Ren's daughter, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is accused of violating US sanctions against Iran and faces an extradition hearing in Canada this month. Two Huawei affiliates also have been charged in the United States with trade theft for stealing robotics technology from T-Mobile and offering financial rewards to staff who stole secrets from rivals. The open letter avoided those issues, focusing instead on how the huge company's systems have contributed to global connectivity. It invited media outlets to visit its facilities. "On behalf of Huawei, I would like to invite members of the US media to visit our campuses and meet our employees," it said, providing an email address for arranging visits. "Don't believe everything you hear. Come and see us. We look forward to meeting you."

Huawei invites US media to see for itself on spy claims

By Sojin Lim

The summit talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and US President&nbsp;Donald Trump, began in a climate of surprise and expectation in Singapore in June 2018. They have now ended (for the time being) in disappointment in Hanoi, Vietnam, with Trump walking out.

The US president said: “It was all about the sanctions. They wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety and we couldn’t do that … Sometimes you have to walk and this was one of those times.”

But is this the full story? Time will tell.

Either way, when Kim and Trump first met last year in Singapore, it was viewed as a victory for Kim’s gesture politics and a ray of hope for stability in the region. But as the latest round of talks ends prematurely without agreement, it seems Vietnam, the host, is the only winner – thanks to the summit drawing attention to the recent success of that country’s impressive economic development.

But while the US, North Korea and Vietnam have been dominating headlines, where has South Korea – the other principal stakeholder – been? So far, it seems to have been conspicuously absent. Is this because South Korea was not a part of the armistice agreement (between North Korea, the US, China and the UN) that halted the Korean War? Or is it because South Korea ultimately wouldn’t benefit from any North Korea-US agreement?

Certainly, South Korea is an immediate victim of the failed Hanoi summit. As soon as Trump abandoned the talks, the South Korean stock market fell dramatically. If Kim now resumes missile tests, South Korea would be the nation most at threat.

Indeed, even if Trump agrees eventually to lift the sanctions on North Korea, it would likely be South Korea that would have to provide most of the financial support to North Korea. The only immediate benefit for South Korea, if future negotiations between Kim and Trump go well, would be a diminished threat of war.

Not all doom and gloom

But South Korea could also benefit economically – at least in the long term – in a post-sanction environment. It could, for example, reopen the joint Kaesong Industrial Complex, which would benefit some small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Korea. South Korea could also expect a rising employment rate, due to more business opportunities with North Korea and beyond, and market expansion through the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund (IKCF). The IKCF was established in 1990 under the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund Act to promote mutual understanding and socio-economic cooperation between the Koreas. Anticipating lifting of sanctions, South Korea increased its IKCF budget to $890.7m in 2019, a 15 per cent increase in 2018.

With sanctions lifted, South Korea could also expect increased trade and tourism profits by linking railways between the two Koreas. Indeed, one of the main reasons why Kim took the train from North Korea to Vietnam was to send a message to South Korea: if South Korea pushes for an end to sanctions, it could run its railways through the north and connect with trade routes in China, Russia and Vietnam.

But these benefits rely on one key caveat: they will only happen if either North Korea or the US gives way to the other. And until that happens, this chicken-or-egg dilemma will worsen relations between the two Koreas.

Will he or won’t he?

It seems unlikely that Kim will surrender his nuclear programme. As the second summit was staged, on February 27, news broke of another well-known nuclear state, Pakistan, reportedly shooting down Indian military aircraft over Kashmir. The Pakistani prime minister, Imran Khan, immediately called a meeting of Pakistan’s National Command Authority and ordered a no-fly zone over the country, later commenting that given “the weapons they (India) have and we have, can we afford a miscalculation?”

The two events may seem unconnected, but it is highly likely that this has reaffirmed to Kim why he needs nuclear weapons. Remaining a de facto nuclear state is key to Kim ensuring his regime’s survival. Nuclear capability is certainly not something he will readily concede.

It is also doubtful whether Trump truly wants to pay too much attention to North Korea’s denuclearisation and economic development. It’s more likely that Trump is using his summits with Kim to strengthen his own domestic standing. Trump announced he was shelving an earlier second summit last year so he could focus on the mid-term elections – a ploy, perhaps, to attract more votes. And it’s perfectly possible now that he’s using the Hanoi summit to distract people from his ongoing scandals at home. Again, on the day Trump met Kim, Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, was giving highly critical testimony to Congress about his dealings with Trump.

And so South Korean president Moon Jae-in seems stuck between North Korea and the US – neither of whom seem entirely committed to their summit’s success. Meanwhile, Moon will face growing domestic criticism from conservatives at home over his growing IKCF budget – and the ongoing lack of results. There is still hope for the Korean peninsula, but it is dwindling. And if Moon is to survive, and South Korea is to benefit, he will have to find novel ways of getting Kim and Trump back to the negotiating table. It will be no easy task.

(Sojin Lim is Senior Lecturer, Deputy Director of the International Institute of Korean Studies, University of Central Lancashire)

(This article was originally published on the Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/north-korea-us-summit-what-its-failure-means-for-the-peninsulas-future-112634">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

By Sojin Lim The summit talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and US President Donald Trump, began in a climate of surprise and expectation in Singapore in June 2018.

By Sojin Lim The summit talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and US President Donald Trump, began in a climate of surprise and expectation in Singapore in June 2018. They have now ended (for the time being) in disappointment in Hanoi, Vietnam, with Trump walking out. The US president said: “It was all about the sanctions. They wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety and we couldn’t do that … Sometimes you have to walk and this was one of those times.” But is this the full story? Time will tell. Either way, when Kim and Trump first met last year in Singapore, it was viewed as a victory for Kim’s gesture politics and a ray of hope for stability in the region. But as the latest round of talks ends prematurely without agreement, it seems Vietnam, the host, is the only winner – thanks to the summit drawing attention to the recent success of that country’s impressive economic development. But while the US, North Korea and Vietnam have been dominating headlines, where has South Korea – the other principal stakeholder – been? So far, it seems to have been conspicuously absent. Is this because South Korea was not a part of the armistice agreement (between North Korea, the US, China and the UN) that halted the Korean War? Or is it because South Korea ultimately wouldn’t benefit from any North Korea-US agreement? Certainly, South Korea is an immediate victim of the failed Hanoi summit. As soon as Trump abandoned the talks, the South Korean stock market fell dramatically. If Kim now resumes missile tests, South Korea would be the nation most at threat. Indeed, even if Trump agrees eventually to lift the sanctions on North Korea, it would likely be South Korea that would have to provide most of the financial support to North Korea. The only immediate benefit for South Korea, if future negotiations between Kim and Trump go well, would be a diminished threat of war. Not all doom and gloom But South Korea could also benefit economically – at least in the long term – in a post-sanction environment. It could, for example, reopen the joint Kaesong Industrial Complex, which would benefit some small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Korea. South Korea could also expect a rising employment rate, due to more business opportunities with North Korea and beyond, and market expansion through the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund (IKCF). The IKCF was established in 1990 under the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund Act to promote mutual understanding and socio-economic cooperation between the Koreas. Anticipating lifting of sanctions, South Korea increased its IKCF budget to $890.7m in 2019, a 15 per cent increase in 2018. With sanctions lifted, South Korea could also expect increased trade and tourism profits by linking railways between the two Koreas. Indeed, one of the main reasons why Kim took the train from North Korea to Vietnam was to send a message to South Korea: if South Korea pushes for an end to sanctions, it could run its railways through the north and connect with trade routes in China, Russia and Vietnam. But these benefits rely on one key caveat: they will only happen if either North Korea or the US gives way to the other. And until that happens, this chicken-or-egg dilemma will worsen relations between the two Koreas. Will he or won’t he? It seems unlikely that Kim will surrender his nuclear programme. As the second summit was staged, on February 27, news broke of another well-known nuclear state, Pakistan, reportedly shooting down Indian military aircraft over Kashmir. The Pakistani prime minister, Imran Khan, immediately called a meeting of Pakistan’s National Command Authority and ordered a no-fly zone over the country, later commenting that given “the weapons they (India) have and we have, can we afford a miscalculation?” The two events may seem unconnected, but it is highly likely that this has reaffirmed to Kim why he needs nuclear weapons. Remaining a de facto nuclear state is key to Kim ensuring his regime’s survival. Nuclear capability is certainly not something he will readily concede. It is also doubtful whether Trump truly wants to pay too much attention to North Korea’s denuclearisation and economic development. It’s more likely that Trump is using his summits with Kim to strengthen his own domestic standing. Trump announced he was shelving an earlier second summit last year so he could focus on the mid-term elections – a ploy, perhaps, to attract more votes. And it’s perfectly possible now that he’s using the Hanoi summit to distract people from his ongoing scandals at home. Again, on the day Trump met Kim, Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, was giving highly critical testimony to Congress about his dealings with Trump. And so South Korean president Moon Jae-in seems stuck between North Korea and the US – neither of whom seem entirely committed to their summit’s success. Meanwhile, Moon will face growing domestic criticism from conservatives at home over his growing IKCF budget – and the ongoing lack of results. There is still hope for the Korean peninsula, but it is dwindling. And if Moon is to survive, and South Korea is to benefit, he will have to find novel ways of getting Kim and Trump back to the negotiating table. It will be no easy task. (Sojin Lim is Senior Lecturer, Deputy Director of the International Institute of Korean Studies, University of Central Lancashire) (This article was originally published on the Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

What does the failure of North Korea-US summit mean for Korean peninsula

The nuclear summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in Hanoi ended without an agreement Thursday, the White House said after the two leaders cut short their discussions.

They had "very good and constructive meetings" and "discussed various ways to advance denuclearisation and economic driven concepts", White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

But she went on: "No agreement was reached at this time," adding that their "respective teams look forward to meeting in the future,"

No joint communique was issued, despite high expectations beforehand for progress.

In the original White House programme, a &nbsp;"Joint Agreement Signing Ceremony" was scheduled as well as a working lunch for the two leaders.&nbsp;

In the event, both men left the summit venue without a public signing ceremony and Trump moved up his news conference by two hours, sparking doubts about the progress made at the summit.

The Hanoi summit was supposed to build on their initial historic meeting at Singapore that critics said was more style over substance.

In Hanoi, the smiles and bonhomie remained as Trump touted the "special relationship" between the two but concrete statements were vague.

From the outset, Trump had appeared to downplay expectations of an immediate breakthrough in nuclear talks, saying he was in "no rush" to clinch a rapid deal and was content if a pause in missile testing continued.

He frequently dangled the prospect of a brighter economic future for a nuclear-free North Korea, at one point saying there was "AWESOME" potential.

As in Singapore, the two men put on a show of bonhomie appeared to share jokes in front of reporters.

Looking relaxed but appearing to say little, they indulged in a poolside stroll Thursday around the gardens of the luxury Metropole Hotel, a colonial-era building that has played host to stars ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Brad Pitt.

It echoed a garden walkabout in Singapore, where the two men bonded over Trump's hulking car -- the "Beast" -- with the US president allowing the younger man a glimpse inside.

'Rocket man'

It was a far cry from the height of missile-testing tensions in 2017 when Trump slammed Kim as "rocket man" and the younger man branded the American president a "mentally deranged US dotard".

In apparently unprecedented scenes, Kim answered unscripted questions from foreign reporters, saying that he would welcome the establishment of a US liaison office in Pyongyang, which would be a step on the way to diplomatic normalisation.

The Pyongyang strongman is looking for relief from sanctions imposed on the North because of its weapons programmes, which saw tensions soar in 2017 before a wave of detente.

He said there were "people who hold a sceptical view of our meeting" but pledged to seek "great, ultimately good results".

"I think watching us have a great time will be like watching a scene from a fantasy movie," he added.

Before the summit, there was talk that there could be a political declaration ending the 1950-53 Korean War which finished technically with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

There were also hopes Kim could pledge to destroy North Korea's decades-old Yongbyon nuclear complex, which has long been at the heart of Pyongyang's atomic development but remains shrouded in secrecy -- and North Korea has promised to mothball it twice before.

A patent distraction from the summit was a scandal back home in Washington with Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen calling him a "racist" and a "conman" during a congressional hearing.

The president already showed he had the testimony at the back of his mind when he tweeted about it before his first meeting with Kim, saying Cohen -- who has been sentenced to three years in jail -- was "lying in order to reduce his prison time".

The nuclear summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in Hanoi ended without an agreement Thursday, the White House said after the two leaders cut short their discussions.

The nuclear summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in Hanoi ended without an agreement Thursday, the White House said after the two leaders cut short their discussions. They had "very good and constructive meetings" and "discussed various ways to advance denuclearisation and economic driven concepts", White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. But she went on: "No agreement was reached at this time," adding that their "respective teams look forward to meeting in the future," No joint communique was issued, despite high expectations beforehand for progress. In the original White House programme, a "Joint Agreement Signing Ceremony" was scheduled as well as a working lunch for the two leaders. In the event, both men left the summit venue without a public signing ceremony and Trump moved up his news conference by two hours, sparking doubts about the progress made at the summit. The Hanoi summit was supposed to build on their initial historic meeting at Singapore that critics said was more style over substance. In Hanoi, the smiles and bonhomie remained as Trump touted the "special relationship" between the two but concrete statements were vague. From the outset, Trump had appeared to downplay expectations of an immediate breakthrough in nuclear talks, saying he was in "no rush" to clinch a rapid deal and was content if a pause in missile testing continued. He frequently dangled the prospect of a brighter economic future for a nuclear-free North Korea, at one point saying there was "AWESOME" potential. As in Singapore, the two men put on a show of bonhomie appeared to share jokes in front of reporters. Looking relaxed but appearing to say little, they indulged in a poolside stroll Thursday around the gardens of the luxury Metropole Hotel, a colonial-era building that has played host to stars ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Brad Pitt. It echoed a garden walkabout in Singapore, where the two men bonded over Trump's hulking car -- the "Beast" -- with the US president allowing the younger man a glimpse inside. 'Rocket man' It was a far cry from the height of missile-testing tensions in 2017 when Trump slammed Kim as "rocket man" and the younger man branded the American president a "mentally deranged US dotard". In apparently unprecedented scenes, Kim answered unscripted questions from foreign reporters, saying that he would welcome the establishment of a US liaison office in Pyongyang, which would be a step on the way to diplomatic normalisation. The Pyongyang strongman is looking for relief from sanctions imposed on the North because of its weapons programmes, which saw tensions soar in 2017 before a wave of detente. He said there were "people who hold a sceptical view of our meeting" but pledged to seek "great, ultimately good results". "I think watching us have a great time will be like watching a scene from a fantasy movie," he added. Before the summit, there was talk that there could be a political declaration ending the 1950-53 Korean War which finished technically with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. There were also hopes Kim could pledge to destroy North Korea's decades-old Yongbyon nuclear complex, which has long been at the heart of Pyongyang's atomic development but remains shrouded in secrecy -- and North Korea has promised to mothball it twice before. A patent distraction from the summit was a scandal back home in Washington with Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen calling him a "racist" and a "conman" during a congressional hearing. The president already showed he had the testimony at the back of his mind when he tweeted about it before his first meeting with Kim, saying Cohen -- who has been sentenced to three years in jail -- was "lying in order to reduce his prison time".

'No agreement was reached' at Trump, Kim summit: White House

Hanoi's Sofitel Legend Metropole hosting the president of the United States and the North Korean leader for their second summit is one of the most iconic legacies of the French rule in Vietnam, not just for its architectural wonder but also for its storied past.

Ahead of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hanoi-summit-ready-to-denuclearise-or-would-not-be-holding-second-summit-with-trump-says-kim-jong-un-200167">meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un</a>, the luxury hotel was decorated with North Korean and Vietnamese flags and surrounded by dozens of security personnel who only allowed the hotel guests to use one of the entrances.

Opened in 1901 with funds from French investors, the complex soon became one of the meeting points for the colonial high society of that era, comprising majorly of the French authorities and local elites.

A single-day stay at the hotel could cost between €270-1,200 (around $307-$1,366).

In a city that has in the last few years been transforming in giant strides, leaving behind its colonial architectural legacies, the hotel, with its distinctive white façade, is one of the few places in Hanoi where time seems to have stopped since the past century and more.

Soon after its opening, it became a favourite spot for celebrities who would visit the then capital Tonkon.

These include Charlie Chaplin, who in the year 1936, at the peak of his fame, spent his honeymoon at the hotel with actor Paulette Godard.

In 1951, British author Graham Green wrote a part of his most famous novel "The Quiet American" - which is set in southern Saigon - in of the rooms of the Metropole.

With the decolonization and partition of Vietnam into two states in 1956, the Metropole came under the dominion of the communist regime of the north and lost some of its charms to the other hotels in Saigon.

During the turbulent years of the war with the US, a bunker was built in its basement to protect guests from bombings.

In 1972, actor and peace activist Jane Fonda and singer Joan Baez stayed there at the time of air raids during Christmas and sang with a Vietnamese guitarist.

The bunker was forgotten for a long time until a secret passage of 40 square meters was found by chance in 2011 by some workers and was made into a tourist attraction for guests.

In the recent times, the hotel has hosted international dignitaries such as Trump, who stayed there during his official visit to the country in November 2017 and also actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, during their trip in 2006.

Hanoi's Sofitel Legend Metropole hosting the president of the United States and the North Korean leader for their second summit is one of the most iconic legacies of the French rule in Vietnam, not just for its architectural wonder but also for its storied past.

Hanoi's Sofitel Legend Metropole hosting the president of the United States and the North Korean leader for their second summit is one of the most iconic legacies of the French rule in Vietnam, not just for its architectural wonder but also for its storied past. Ahead of the meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, the luxury hotel was decorated with North Korean and Vietnamese flags and surrounded by dozens of security personnel who only allowed the hotel guests to use one of the entrances. Opened in 1901 with funds from French investors, the complex soon became one of the meeting points for the colonial high society of that era, comprising majorly of the French authorities and local elites. A single-day stay at the hotel could cost between €270-1,200 (around $307-$1,366). In a city that has in the last few years been transforming in giant strides, leaving behind its colonial architectural legacies, the hotel, with its distinctive white façade, is one of the few places in Hanoi where time seems to have stopped since the past century and more. Soon after its opening, it became a favourite spot for celebrities who would visit the then capital Tonkon. These include Charlie Chaplin, who in the year 1936, at the peak of his fame, spent his honeymoon at the hotel with actor Paulette Godard. In 1951, British author Graham Green wrote a part of his most famous novel "The Quiet American" - which is set in southern Saigon - in of the rooms of the Metropole. With the decolonization and partition of Vietnam into two states in 1956, the Metropole came under the dominion of the communist regime of the north and lost some of its charms to the other hotels in Saigon. During the turbulent years of the war with the US, a bunker was built in its basement to protect guests from bombings. In 1972, actor and peace activist Jane Fonda and singer Joan Baez stayed there at the time of air raids during Christmas and sang with a Vietnamese guitarist. The bunker was forgotten for a long time until a secret passage of 40 square meters was found by chance in 2011 by some workers and was made into a tourist attraction for guests. In the recent times, the hotel has hosted international dignitaries such as Trump, who stayed there during his official visit to the country in November 2017 and also actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, during their trip in 2006.

Hanoi's Metropole hosting Kim-Trump summit has a storied past

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Thursday he was willing to give up his nuclear weapons and he would not be holding a second summit with US&nbsp;President Donald Trump in Vietnam if he were not.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hanoi-summit-in-no-rush-we-want-to-do-the-right-deal-says-trump-ahead-of-joint-agreement-signing-200145">Kim and Trump began the second day of talks</a> earlier on Thursday in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, with both expressing hopes for progress on improving relations and the key issue of denuclearisation.

"If I’m not willing to do that, I won’t be here right now,"&nbsp;Kim told reporters through an interpreter when asked if he was ready to give up his nuclear weapons.

Trump, responding to that, said: "That might be the best answer you’ve ever heard.”

The two leaders were sitting across from each other at a conference table, with their aides.

Kim did not elaborate on what "denuclearisation" would entail but asked if he was ready to take concrete steps, Kim said they had just been talking about that.

"Hope you give us more time to talk. Even a minute is precious," he told reporters.

While the United States is demanding North Korea give up all of its nuclear and missile programmes, the North wants to see the removal of a US nuclear umbrella for its Asian allies such as South Korea and Japan.

No rush

The two leaders' summit in Singapore in June, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader, produced a vague statement in which Kim pledged to work toward denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

But there has been little progress since.

Kicking off the second day of talks at the French-colonial-era Metropole hotel earlier, Trump again stressed the talks aimed at tackling North Korea's nuclear threat should not be rushed.

"I've been saying very much from the beginning that speed is not that important to me. I very much appreciate no testing of nuclear rockets, missiles, any of it, very much appreciate it," Trump told reporters before his session with Kim.

"Chairman Kim and myself, we want to do the right deal."

North Korea has conducted no nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile tests since late 2017.

Kim, asked by a reporter if he was confident about a deal, said, through an interpreter:

"It's too early to tell, but I wouldn't say I'm pessimistic. For what I feel right now, I do have a feeling that good results will come out," he said, in what was believed to be his first ever response to a foreign journalist.

"There must be people who watch us having a wonderful time, like a scene from a fantasy movie. We have so far made lots of efforts, and it's time to show them," Kim said.

Trump reiterated North Korea's potential, if a deal can be done, saying the isolated country could be an "economic powerhouse".

Asked if they were discussing human rights, Trump said they were discussing everything.

The two leaders took a brief break from their talks after about half an hour to stroll in the leafy hotel courtyard, by a swimming pool.

Trump and Kim have a series of meetings scheduled at the Metropole and will later hold a "joint agreement signing ceremony", the White House said.

After, Trump plans a news conference at 3:50 pm (0850 GMT).

Pressure

The White House has given no indication of what the signing ceremony might involve, although the two sides' discussions have included the possibility of a political statement to declare the 1950-53 Korean War over.

They have also discussed partial denuclearisation measures, such as allowing inspectors to observe the dismantling of North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear reactor, US and South Korean officials say.

US concessions to North Korea could include opening liaison offices or clearing the way for inter-Korean projects, but critics say Trump risks squandering vital leverage if he gives away too much, too quickly.

Kim said he would welcome the US opening a liaison office in Pyongyang, while Trump said, "Not a bad idea."

US intelligence officials have said there is no sign North Korea will give up its entire arsenal of nuclear weapons, which Kim's ruling family sees as vital to its survival, and analysts say Pyongyang is unlikely to commit to significant steps without an easing of punishing U.S.-led sanctions.

Facing mounting pressure at home over investigations into Russian meddling in the election, Trump has sought a big win by trying to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for promises of peace and development, a foreign policy goal that has confounded multiple predecessors.

In the United States on Wednesday, his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen testified at a congressional hearing in Washington, calling Trump a "conman" who knew in advance about the release of stolen emails aimed at hurting his Democratic rival in the 2016 election campaign. 
&nbsp;

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Thursday he was willing to give up his nuclear weapons and he would not be holding a second summit with US President Donald Trump in Vietnam if he were not.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Thursday he was willing to give up his nuclear weapons and he would not be holding a second summit with US President Donald Trump in Vietnam if he were not. Kim and Trump began the second day of talks earlier on Thursday in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, with both expressing hopes for progress on improving relations and the key issue of denuclearisation. "If I’m not willing to do that, I won’t be here right now," Kim told reporters through an interpreter when asked if he was ready to give up his nuclear weapons. Trump, responding to that, said: "That might be the best answer you’ve ever heard.” The two leaders were sitting across from each other at a conference table, with their aides. Kim did not elaborate on what "denuclearisation" would entail but asked if he was ready to take concrete steps, Kim said they had just been talking about that. "Hope you give us more time to talk. Even a minute is precious," he told reporters. While the United States is demanding North Korea give up all of its nuclear and missile programmes, the North wants to see the removal of a US nuclear umbrella for its Asian allies such as South Korea and Japan. No rush The two leaders' summit in Singapore in June, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader, produced a vague statement in which Kim pledged to work toward denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. But there has been little progress since. Kicking off the second day of talks at the French-colonial-era Metropole hotel earlier, Trump again stressed the talks aimed at tackling North Korea's nuclear threat should not be rushed. "I've been saying very much from the beginning that speed is not that important to me. I very much appreciate no testing of nuclear rockets, missiles, any of it, very much appreciate it," Trump told reporters before his session with Kim. "Chairman Kim and myself, we want to do the right deal." North Korea has conducted no nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile tests since late 2017. Kim, asked by a reporter if he was confident about a deal, said, through an interpreter: "It's too early to tell, but I wouldn't say I'm pessimistic. For what I feel right now, I do have a feeling that good results will come out," he said, in what was believed to be his first ever response to a foreign journalist. "There must be people who watch us having a wonderful time, like a scene from a fantasy movie. We have so far made lots of efforts, and it's time to show them," Kim said. Trump reiterated North Korea's potential, if a deal can be done, saying the isolated country could be an "economic powerhouse". Asked if they were discussing human rights, Trump said they were discussing everything. The two leaders took a brief break from their talks after about half an hour to stroll in the leafy hotel courtyard, by a swimming pool. Trump and Kim have a series of meetings scheduled at the Metropole and will later hold a "joint agreement signing ceremony", the White House said. After, Trump plans a news conference at 3:50 pm (0850 GMT). Pressure The White House has given no indication of what the signing ceremony might involve, although the two sides' discussions have included the possibility of a political statement to declare the 1950-53 Korean War over. They have also discussed partial denuclearisation measures, such as allowing inspectors to observe the dismantling of North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear reactor, US and South Korean officials say. US concessions to North Korea could include opening liaison offices or clearing the way for inter-Korean projects, but critics say Trump risks squandering vital leverage if he gives away too much, too quickly. Kim said he would welcome the US opening a liaison office in Pyongyang, while Trump said, "Not a bad idea." US intelligence officials have said there is no sign North Korea will give up its entire arsenal of nuclear weapons, which Kim's ruling family sees as vital to its survival, and analysts say Pyongyang is unlikely to commit to significant steps without an easing of punishing U.S.-led sanctions. Facing mounting pressure at home over investigations into Russian meddling in the election, Trump has sought a big win by trying to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for promises of peace and development, a foreign policy goal that has confounded multiple predecessors. In the United States on Wednesday, his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen testified at a congressional hearing in Washington, calling Trump a "conman" who knew in advance about the release of stolen emails aimed at hurting his Democratic rival in the 2016 election campaign.

Hanoi summit: Ready to denuclearise or would not be holding second summit with Trump, says Kim Jong-un

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he was in "no rush" to secure a deal over Pyongyang's nuclear programme, playing down expectations of an immediate breakthrough in high-stakes talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The two men who once traded personal insults and threats of destruction were <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hanoi-summit-trump-and-kim-expected-to-sign-joint-agreement-on-day-2-200139">holding their second meeting in eight months</a>, with analysts stressing it needs to produce more concrete progress than their initial historic get-together in Singapore.

The Singapore summit resulted in cosy images but only a vague commitment from Kim to "work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". Diplomacy has since stalled amid disagreements on what that actually means.

As they sat down for Thursday's formal discussions in Hanoi, Trump said he was in "no rush" to seal a deal and that "speed was not that important" to him as long as the North's pause in missile and nuclear testing continued.

"I can't speak necessarily for today, but I can say that this, a little bit longer-term, and over a period of time, I know we're going to have fantastic success with respect to Chairman Kim and North Korea," said Trump.

Trump again touted the possibility of impoverished North Korea becoming an "economic powerhouse" if it gave up its nuclear arsenal -- an outcome analysts say is extremely unlikely.

Kim is looking for relief from sanctions imposed on the North because of its weapons programmes, which saw tensions soar in 2017 before a wave of detente.&nbsp;

The Pyongyang strongman said there were "people who hold a sceptical view of our meeting" but pledged to seek "great, ultimately good results".

"I think watching us have a great time will be like watching a scene from a fantasy movie," he added.

The North maintains total control over every aspect of Kim's domestic appearances, but he even answered a shouted question from a foreign reporter -- believed to be unprecedented -- saying he was "not pessimistic" about the outcome.

The state-run Rodong Sinmun newspapers plastered photographs of their first Hanoi handshake on Wednesday over its front page, one of them appearing to show Trump bowing slightly as he took Kim's hand.

Poolside stroll

The two men have again displayed outward signs of an unlikely diplomatic bromance in Hanoi, clasping hands and appearing to share jokes on Wednesday.

Looking relaxed but appearing to say little, they indulged in a poolside stroll Thursday around the gardens of the luxury Metropole Hotel, a Colonial-era building that has played hosts to stars ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Brad Pitt.

It echoed a garden walkabout in Singapore, where the two men bonded over Trump's hulking car, the "Beast", with the US president allowing the younger man a glimpse inside.

It was a far cry from the height of missile-testing tensions in 2017 when Trump slammed Kim as "rocket man" and the younger man branded the American president a "mentally deranged US dotard".

The summit was "pageantry for Trump and brings Kim more credibility on the world stage as a responsible, rational actor", the Stimson Center's David Kim told AFP.

"But I would define success in terms of outcomes. A decent outcome if we can get some concrete and verifiable commitments toward denuclearisation," he said, although the US would have to "trust but verify".&nbsp;

But scandal back home in Washington threatens to distract Trump with his former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen calling him a "racist" and a "conman" during a congressional hearing.

The president already showed he had the testimony at the back of his mind when he tweeted about it before his first meeting with Kim, saying Cohen -- who has been sentenced to three years in jail -- was "lying in order to reduce his prison time".

In addition to relief from biting sanctions, Kim is also seeking security guarantees for him and his regime.

One carrot could be a declaration on the Korean War, which ended in 1953 with an armistice, not a formal peace treaty. Asked about that before Wednesday's dinner, Trump merely replied: "We'll see."

Also mooted is the possibility of opening liaison offices, the first step on the road to normalising diplomatic relations.

In return, Kim might pledge to destroy North Korea's decades-old Yongbyon nuclear complex, which has long been at the heart of Pyongyang's atomic development but remains shrouded in secrecy -- and North Korea has promised to mothball it twice before.

Trump had already tempered expectations in the run-up to the Hanoi summit, saying he was content if North Korea continued its pause in nuclear and missile testing.

In Vietnam, Trump has frequently pointed to the recent history of the host country -- once a war-torn foe of the United States, now enjoying an economic boom with the growth of more than seven per cent.

Ahead of the talks, he hailed Kim as a "friend" and said North Korea could enjoy an "AWESOME" future if it gave up its nuclear weapons.

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he was in "no rush" to secure a deal over Pyongyang's nuclear programme, playing down expectations of an immediate breakthrough in high-stakes talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he was in "no rush" to secure a deal over Pyongyang's nuclear programme, playing down expectations of an immediate breakthrough in high-stakes talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The two men who once traded personal insults and threats of destruction were holding their second meeting in eight months, with analysts stressing it needs to produce more concrete progress than their initial historic get-together in Singapore. The Singapore summit resulted in cosy images but only a vague commitment from Kim to "work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". Diplomacy has since stalled amid disagreements on what that actually means. As they sat down for Thursday's formal discussions in Hanoi, Trump said he was in "no rush" to seal a deal and that "speed was not that important" to him as long as the North's pause in missile and nuclear testing continued. "I can't speak necessarily for today, but I can say that this, a little bit longer-term, and over a period of time, I know we're going to have fantastic success with respect to Chairman Kim and North Korea," said Trump. Trump again touted the possibility of impoverished North Korea becoming an "economic powerhouse" if it gave up its nuclear arsenal -- an outcome analysts say is extremely unlikely. Kim is looking for relief from sanctions imposed on the North because of its weapons programmes, which saw tensions soar in 2017 before a wave of detente. The Pyongyang strongman said there were "people who hold a sceptical view of our meeting" but pledged to seek "great, ultimately good results". "I think watching us have a great time will be like watching a scene from a fantasy movie," he added. The North maintains total control over every aspect of Kim's domestic appearances, but he even answered a shouted question from a foreign reporter -- believed to be unprecedented -- saying he was "not pessimistic" about the outcome. The state-run Rodong Sinmun newspapers plastered photographs of their first Hanoi handshake on Wednesday over its front page, one of them appearing to show Trump bowing slightly as he took Kim's hand. Poolside stroll The two men have again displayed outward signs of an unlikely diplomatic bromance in Hanoi, clasping hands and appearing to share jokes on Wednesday. Looking relaxed but appearing to say little, they indulged in a poolside stroll Thursday around the gardens of the luxury Metropole Hotel, a Colonial-era building that has played hosts to stars ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Brad Pitt. It echoed a garden walkabout in Singapore, where the two men bonded over Trump's hulking car, the "Beast", with the US president allowing the younger man a glimpse inside. It was a far cry from the height of missile-testing tensions in 2017 when Trump slammed Kim as "rocket man" and the younger man branded the American president a "mentally deranged US dotard". The summit was "pageantry for Trump and brings Kim more credibility on the world stage as a responsible, rational actor", the Stimson Center's David Kim told AFP. "But I would define success in terms of outcomes. A decent outcome if we can get some concrete and verifiable commitments toward denuclearisation," he said, although the US would have to "trust but verify". But scandal back home in Washington threatens to distract Trump with his former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen calling him a "racist" and a "conman" during a congressional hearing. The president already showed he had the testimony at the back of his mind when he tweeted about it before his first meeting with Kim, saying Cohen -- who has been sentenced to three years in jail -- was "lying in order to reduce his prison time". In addition to relief from biting sanctions, Kim is also seeking security guarantees for him and his regime. One carrot could be a declaration on the Korean War, which ended in 1953 with an armistice, not a formal peace treaty. Asked about that before Wednesday's dinner, Trump merely replied: "We'll see." Also mooted is the possibility of opening liaison offices, the first step on the road to normalising diplomatic relations. In return, Kim might pledge to destroy North Korea's decades-old Yongbyon nuclear complex, which has long been at the heart of Pyongyang's atomic development but remains shrouded in secrecy -- and North Korea has promised to mothball it twice before. Trump had already tempered expectations in the run-up to the Hanoi summit, saying he was content if North Korea continued its pause in nuclear and missile testing. In Vietnam, Trump has frequently pointed to the recent history of the host country -- once a war-torn foe of the United States, now enjoying an economic boom with the growth of more than seven per cent. Ahead of the talks, he hailed Kim as a "friend" and said North Korea could enjoy an "AWESOME" future if it gave up its nuclear weapons.

Hanoi summit: 'In no rush, we want to do the right deal', says Trump ahead of joint agreement signing

Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un meet for second summit in Hanoi

&nbsp;US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen accused him of breaking the law while in office and said for the first time that Trump knew in advance about a WikiLeaks dump of stolen emails that hurt his 2016 election rival, Hillary Clinton.

In a dramatic televised hearing in Congress on Wednesday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-jr-signed-checks-for-hush-money-related-to-affair-michael-cohen-200136">Cohen said Trump approved hush payments to cover up extra-marital sexual relationships</a> in violation of campaign finance laws and signed a personal check for $35,000 in 2017 to reimburse Cohen for at least one of those payments.

Cohen, 52, was a close aide of Trump for years and his testimony could increase the legal and political pressure on the Republican president, but he did not appear to disclose a "smoking gun" that could sink his former boss.

Cohen told a House of Representatives committee he had no direct evidence that Trump or his campaign colluded with Moscow during the election campaign.

Possible collusion is a key theme of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, which has dogged the president during his two years in office. Trump has repeatedly denied the allegation as has the Kremlin.

Assailing the president as a "conman" and a "cheat," Cohen said Trump knew ahead of time about WikiLeaks' release of emails in 2016 that undermined Democrat Clinton's presidential bid.

He also said Trump directed negotiations for a real estate project in Moscow during the White House race even as he publicly said he had no business interests in Russia.

"I wouldn't use the word colluding," Cohen said of Trump's dealings with Russia, adding that there was "something odd" about the president's good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The White House had no comment on Cohen's testimony but Trump earlier on Wednesday accused his former employee of lying.

"He did bad things unrelated to Trump. He is lying in order to reduce his prison time," Trump wrote on Twitter from Vietnam, where he was meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Republican lawmakers at the hearing tried to undermine Cohen, portraying him as an irredeemable liar who had benefited from financial crimes he pleaded guilty to last year, and saying the hearing was an opening gambit in a Democratic push to impeach Trump.

"I don’t believe Michael Cohen is capable of telling the truth," said Republican Representative James Comer.

Cohen was mostly calm and contrite under the heated questioning from Republicans, and cautioned them not to make the same mistake he did in protecting Trump.

"I did the same thing as you're doing now, for 10 years. I protected Mr. Trump for 10 years," Cohen told the committee hearing. "The more people that follow Mr. Trump as I did blindly are going to suffer the same consequences that I am suffering."

As the hearing wrapped up, Cohen wiped away tears when the committee's Democratic chairman, Elijah Cummings, expressed sympathy for him.

Cohen said in his closing remarks that he worried about the ramifications if Trump loses his re-election bid in&nbsp;2020.

"Given my experience working for Mr. Trump, I fear that if he loses the election in&nbsp;2020, there will never be a peaceful transition of power," Cohen said.

Ally turned witness

Cohen was one of Trump's closest aides and fiercest defenders, working with him on business and personal deals for a decade.

But he turned against him last year and is cooperating with prosecutors after pleading guilty to tax evasion, bank fraud and campaign finance violations. Democrats took control of the House after last year's congressional elections and called Cohen to testify.

He begins serving a three-year prison sentence in May.

"I am ashamed because I know what Mr. Trump is.<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-is-a-racist-conman-and-cheat-ex-lawyer-michael-cohen-tells-congress-200117"> He is a racist. He is a conman. He is a cheat</a>," Cohen said.

He said he was directed by Trump in 2016 to make a $130,000 payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels to cover up an extra-marital affair.

That payment could amount to an illegal in-kind contribution by Cohen to the campaign because it exceeded donation limits and was not disclosed in Trump's campaign finance reports, legal experts say.

Trump has denied having sex with Daniels and said the payments to her and another woman who claimed an affair were not illegal.

Cohen turned over to the committee a copy of a $35,000 check Trump signed on August 1, 2017, one in a series he said was to reimburse him for paying off Daniels after Trump took office.

Cohen said Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., co-signed another check, again for $35,000. A lawyer for Donald Jr. did not respond to a request for comment.

The sweeping claims against Trump, from a man who once said he would take a bullet for his boss, come as Mueller appears to be close to completing his investigation into possible collusion between Trump's campaign and Russian efforts to sway the vote.

Trump has called the Mueller investigation a "witch hunt."

US&nbsp;officials have said the emails released by WikiLeaks were stolen by Russia as part of Moscow's campaign of hacking and propaganda during the presidential race aimed at sowing discord in the United States and harming Clinton.

Trump has previously denied knowing in advance about the release of hacked Democratic National Committee emails during the election.

Cohen said he was in Trump's office in July 2016 when Roger Stone, a self-described "dirty trickster" and longtime political adviser to Trump, called the then-Republican presidential candidate.

Cohen said Stone told Trump he had been speaking with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who told him there would be a dump of emails within a couple of days that would damage Clinton's campaign.

The DNC emails drove a wedge between supporters of Clinton and her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Bernie Sanders. Although Clinton won the nomination, that rift weakened her candidacy.

"Mr. Cohen's statement is untrue," Stone said in an email, but did not specify which parts of the statement he meant.

Stone was indicted by Mueller on charges of lying to Congress about his communications with others related to WikiLeaks email dumps.

Cohen apologised for initially lying to Congress in 2017, when he said efforts to build a Trump skyscraper in Moscow had ceased by January 2016. He now says they continued through June 2016, during the height of the election campaign, and that Trump's lawyers "reviewed and edited" those false statements to Congress.

Cohen said Trump on multiple occasions inquired about the Moscow real estate project while telling the public he had no business dealings in Russia.

"He lied about it because he never expected to win the election. He also lied about it because he stood to make hundreds of millions of dollars," Cohen said.

US President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen accused him of breaking the law while in office and said for the first time that Trump knew in advance about a WikiLeaks dump of stolen emails that hurt his 2016 election rival, Hillary Clinton.

US President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen accused him of breaking the law while in office and said for the first time that Trump knew in advance about a WikiLeaks dump of stolen emails that hurt his 2016 election rival, Hillary Clinton. In a dramatic televised hearing in Congress on Wednesday, Cohen said Trump approved hush payments to cover up extra-marital sexual relationships in violation of campaign finance laws and signed a personal check for $35,000 in 2017 to reimburse Cohen for at least one of those payments. Cohen, 52, was a close aide of Trump for years and his testimony could increase the legal and political pressure on the Republican president, but he did not appear to disclose a "smoking gun" that could sink his former boss. Cohen told a House of Representatives committee he had no direct evidence that Trump or his campaign colluded with Moscow during the election campaign. Possible collusion is a key theme of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, which has dogged the president during his two years in office. Trump has repeatedly denied the allegation as has the Kremlin. Assailing the president as a "conman" and a "cheat," Cohen said Trump knew ahead of time about WikiLeaks' release of emails in 2016 that undermined Democrat Clinton's presidential bid. He also said Trump directed negotiations for a real estate project in Moscow during the White House race even as he publicly said he had no business interests in Russia. "I wouldn't use the word colluding," Cohen said of Trump's dealings with Russia, adding that there was "something odd" about the president's good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The White House had no comment on Cohen's testimony but Trump earlier on Wednesday accused his former employee of lying. "He did bad things unrelated to Trump. He is lying in order to reduce his prison time," Trump wrote on Twitter from Vietnam, where he was meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Republican lawmakers at the hearing tried to undermine Cohen, portraying him as an irredeemable liar who had benefited from financial crimes he pleaded guilty to last year, and saying the hearing was an opening gambit in a Democratic push to impeach Trump. "I don’t believe Michael Cohen is capable of telling the truth," said Republican Representative James Comer. Cohen was mostly calm and contrite under the heated questioning from Republicans, and cautioned them not to make the same mistake he did in protecting Trump. "I did the same thing as you're doing now, for 10 years. I protected Mr. Trump for 10 years," Cohen told the committee hearing. "The more people that follow Mr. Trump as I did blindly are going to suffer the same consequences that I am suffering." As the hearing wrapped up, Cohen wiped away tears when the committee's Democratic chairman, Elijah Cummings, expressed sympathy for him. Cohen said in his closing remarks that he worried about the ramifications if Trump loses his re-election bid in 2020. "Given my experience working for Mr. Trump, I fear that if he loses the election in 2020, there will never be a peaceful transition of power," Cohen said. Ally turned witness Cohen was one of Trump's closest aides and fiercest defenders, working with him on business and personal deals for a decade. But he turned against him last year and is cooperating with prosecutors after pleading guilty to tax evasion, bank fraud and campaign finance violations. Democrats took control of the House after last year's congressional elections and called Cohen to testify. He begins serving a three-year prison sentence in May. "I am ashamed because I know what Mr. Trump is. He is a racist. He is a conman. He is a cheat," Cohen said. He said he was directed by Trump in 2016 to make a $130,000 payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels to cover up an extra-marital affair. That payment could amount to an illegal in-kind contribution by Cohen to the campaign because it exceeded donation limits and was not disclosed in Trump's campaign finance reports, legal experts say. Trump has denied having sex with Daniels and said the payments to her and another woman who claimed an affair were not illegal. Cohen turned over to the committee a copy of a $35,000 check Trump signed on August 1, 2017, one in a series he said was to reimburse him for paying off Daniels after Trump took office. Cohen said Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., co-signed another check, again for $35,000. A lawyer for Donald Jr. did not respond to a request for comment. The sweeping claims against Trump, from a man who once said he would take a bullet for his boss, come as Mueller appears to be close to completing his investigation into possible collusion between Trump's campaign and Russian efforts to sway the vote. Trump has called the Mueller investigation a "witch hunt." US officials have said the emails released by WikiLeaks were stolen by Russia as part of Moscow's campaign of hacking and propaganda during the presidential race aimed at sowing discord in the United States and harming Clinton. Trump has previously denied knowing in advance about the release of hacked Democratic National Committee emails during the election. Cohen said he was in Trump's office in July 2016 when Roger Stone, a self-described "dirty trickster" and longtime political adviser to Trump, called the then-Republican presidential candidate. Cohen said Stone told Trump he had been speaking with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who told him there would be a dump of emails within a couple of days that would damage Clinton's campaign. The DNC emails drove a wedge between supporters of Clinton and her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Bernie Sanders. Although Clinton won the nomination, that rift weakened her candidacy. "Mr. Cohen's statement is untrue," Stone said in an email, but did not specify which parts of the statement he meant. Stone was indicted by Mueller on charges of lying to Congress about his communications with others related to WikiLeaks email dumps. Cohen apologised for initially lying to Congress in 2017, when he said efforts to build a Trump skyscraper in Moscow had ceased by January 2016. He now says they continued through June 2016, during the height of the election campaign, and that Trump's lawyers "reviewed and edited" those false statements to Congress. Cohen said Trump on multiple occasions inquired about the Moscow real estate project while telling the public he had no business dealings in Russia. "He lied about it because he never expected to win the election. He also lied about it because he stood to make hundreds of millions of dollars," Cohen said.

Peaceful transition of power at risk if Trump loses 2020 election, says Michael Cohen

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will hold another day of talks at their second summit in eight months on Thursday, after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-meets-north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-in-hanoi-as-second-summit-begins-200070">swapping compliments at dinner </a>but giving no sign of progress on the key issue of denuclearisation.

Trump hailed "a very special relationship" when he met Kim in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi on Wednesday and said he was satisfied with the pace of talks, despite some criticism they were not moving quickly enough.

"Great meetings" and a "Very good dialogue," Trump said on Twitter after dinner with Kim at the French-colonial-era Metropole hotel while the White House said the two planned to sign a "joint agreement" after further talks on Thursday.

The White House has given no indication of what the signing ceremony might involve, although the two sides' discussions have included the possibility of a political statement to declare the 1950-53 Korean War over, which some critics see as premature.

They have also discussed partial denuclearisation measures, such as allowing inspectors to observe the dismantling of North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear reactor, US and South Korean officials say.

US concessions could include opening liaison offices or clearing the way for inter-Korean projects, but critics say Trump risks squandering vital leverage if he gives away too much, too quickly.

The Hanoi summit was Trump's second with Kim since an inconclusive meeting in Singapore in June that produced much fanfare but little substance and there had been little sign of concrete progress since.

The US president nevertheless appeared upbeat with Kim even as his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen testified at a congressional hearing in Washington, calling Trump a "conman" who knew in advance about the release of stolen emails aimed at hurting his Democratic rival in the 2016 election campaign.

Facing mounting pressure at home over investigations into Russian meddling in the election, Trump has sought a big win by trying to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for promises of peace and development, a foreign policy goal that has confounded multiple predecessors.

Trump told Kim on Wednesday he felt the first summit was "very successful". "Some people would like to see it go quicker; I’m satisfied; you’re satisfied, we want to be happy with what we're doing."

The leaders exchanged views at dinner with the aim of achieving comprehensive and ground-breaking results from their summit, state news agency KCNA said on Thursday.

"Sincere and in-depth views were exchanged to bring about a comprehensive and groundbreaking outcome," it said.

Trump says not walking back

Asked by a reporter if he was "walking back" on denuclearisation demands, Trump said, "No".

Trump and Kim held a 20-minute, one-on-one chat before a dinner that also involved US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump's acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, Kim's top envoy Kim Yong Chol and North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho.

On Thursday, they two leaders have a series of meetings scheduled at the Metropole, beginning with another one-on-one session lasting 45 minutes, the White House said.

After a "joint agreement signing ceremony" Trump plans a news conference at 3:50 pm Hanoi time (0850 GMT).

Asked if he would declare a formal end to the Korean War, which concluded with an armistice, rather than a peace treaty that North Korea has long sought, Trump said on Wednesday: "We’ll see."

The June meeting was the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader. It produced a joint statement in which Kim pledged to work toward denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and the two sides committed to establish new ties and build a permanent peace regime.

But there has been little progress since.

Kim said on Wednesday the leaders had overcome obstacles to meet a second time and praised Trump for his "courageous decision" to begin a dialogue, adding that he was "confident that there will be an excellent outcome that everyone welcomes".

Trump said late last year he and Kim "fell in love", but whether bonhomie can move them beyond summit pageantry to substantive progress on eliminating a North Korean nuclear arsenal that threatens the United States is a big question.

Trump indicated a more flexible stance in the run-up to Hanoi, saying he was in no rush as long as North Korea, which has not tested a nuclear weapon or intercontinental ballistic missile since 2017, maintained that freeze.

US intelligence officials have said there is no sign North Korea will give up its entire arsenal of nuclear weapons, which Kim's ruling family sees as vital to its survival, and analysts say Pyongyang is unlikely to commit to significant steps without an easing of punishing US-led sanctions.

Trump has appeared to be betting on his personal relationship with Kim, and the economic incentive after 70 years of hostility between their countries.

"Vietnam is thriving like few places on earth. North Korea would be the same, and very quickly, if it would denuclearize," Trump said on Twitter ahead of the meeting.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will hold another day of talks at their second summit in eight months on Thursday, after swapping compliments at dinner but giving no sign of progress on the key issue of denuclearisation.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will hold another day of talks at their second summit in eight months on Thursday, after swapping compliments at dinner but giving no sign of progress on the key issue of denuclearisation. Trump hailed "a very special relationship" when he met Kim in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi on Wednesday and said he was satisfied with the pace of talks, despite some criticism they were not moving quickly enough. "Great meetings" and a "Very good dialogue," Trump said on Twitter after dinner with Kim at the French-colonial-era Metropole hotel while the White House said the two planned to sign a "joint agreement" after further talks on Thursday. The White House has given no indication of what the signing ceremony might involve, although the two sides' discussions have included the possibility of a political statement to declare the 1950-53 Korean War over, which some critics see as premature. They have also discussed partial denuclearisation measures, such as allowing inspectors to observe the dismantling of North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear reactor, US and South Korean officials say. US concessions could include opening liaison offices or clearing the way for inter-Korean projects, but critics say Trump risks squandering vital leverage if he gives away too much, too quickly. The Hanoi summit was Trump's second with Kim since an inconclusive meeting in Singapore in June that produced much fanfare but little substance and there had been little sign of concrete progress since. The US president nevertheless appeared upbeat with Kim even as his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen testified at a congressional hearing in Washington, calling Trump a "conman" who knew in advance about the release of stolen emails aimed at hurting his Democratic rival in the 2016 election campaign. Facing mounting pressure at home over investigations into Russian meddling in the election, Trump has sought a big win by trying to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for promises of peace and development, a foreign policy goal that has confounded multiple predecessors. Trump told Kim on Wednesday he felt the first summit was "very successful". "Some people would like to see it go quicker; I’m satisfied; you’re satisfied, we want to be happy with what we're doing." The leaders exchanged views at dinner with the aim of achieving comprehensive and ground-breaking results from their summit, state news agency KCNA said on Thursday. "Sincere and in-depth views were exchanged to bring about a comprehensive and groundbreaking outcome," it said. Trump says not walking back Asked by a reporter if he was "walking back" on denuclearisation demands, Trump said, "No". Trump and Kim held a 20-minute, one-on-one chat before a dinner that also involved US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump's acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, Kim's top envoy Kim Yong Chol and North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho. On Thursday, they two leaders have a series of meetings scheduled at the Metropole, beginning with another one-on-one session lasting 45 minutes, the White House said. After a "joint agreement signing ceremony" Trump plans a news conference at 3:50 pm Hanoi time (0850 GMT). Asked if he would declare a formal end to the Korean War, which concluded with an armistice, rather than a peace treaty that North Korea has long sought, Trump said on Wednesday: "We’ll see." The June meeting was the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader. It produced a joint statement in which Kim pledged to work toward denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and the two sides committed to establish new ties and build a permanent peace regime. But there has been little progress since. Kim said on Wednesday the leaders had overcome obstacles to meet a second time and praised Trump for his "courageous decision" to begin a dialogue, adding that he was "confident that there will be an excellent outcome that everyone welcomes". Trump said late last year he and Kim "fell in love", but whether bonhomie can move them beyond summit pageantry to substantive progress on eliminating a North Korean nuclear arsenal that threatens the United States is a big question. Trump indicated a more flexible stance in the run-up to Hanoi, saying he was in no rush as long as North Korea, which has not tested a nuclear weapon or intercontinental ballistic missile since 2017, maintained that freeze. US intelligence officials have said there is no sign North Korea will give up its entire arsenal of nuclear weapons, which Kim's ruling family sees as vital to its survival, and analysts say Pyongyang is unlikely to commit to significant steps without an easing of punishing US-led sanctions. Trump has appeared to be betting on his personal relationship with Kim, and the economic incentive after 70 years of hostility between their countries. "Vietnam is thriving like few places on earth. North Korea would be the same, and very quickly, if it would denuclearize," Trump said on Twitter ahead of the meeting.

Hanoi summit: Trump and Kim expected to sign 'joint agreement' on day 2

Former US Vice President Joe Biden said this week he was "very close" to deciding whether to make a 2020 White House bid and will run only if he thinks he can win the Democratic Party`s nomination.

He is not alone in questioning if he is the man for the moment.

The clamor for Biden to join the pack seeking to challenge Republican President Donald Trump has quieted as the Democratic field has grown more crowded and diverse, according to interviews with more than two dozen strategists, activists, party organizers and voters.

Opinion polls show Biden, a former US senator from Delaware who served two terms as former President Barack Obama`s vice president, remains popular. But the Democratic Party may no longer need him in order to be competitive against Trump.

"I love Joe Biden. He`s a great guy and a great politician," said Jerry Shriner, a Democratic national committee member from Idaho. "I wish he were the president right now. But I`m not sure I wish he is president in 2021."

Democrats are in the early stages of an internal debate about how best to challenge Trump in next year`s presidential election, weighing factors like electability, ideology and identity.

The strength of the field - expected to include at least six sitting U.S. senators, plus several current or former governors, US House of Representatives members and a former Cabinet secretary - is a factor in Biden`s calculations, those close to him say.

He will be more likely to remain on the sidelines if he feels a strong candidate capable of beating Trump is emerging.

But a source close to Biden said: "If I had to guess, he`s probably going to do it."

Biden associates have held discussions with potential staffers and supporters who could serve political strategy, grassroots organizing and digital campaign roles, according to two sources. One source said those conversations were necessary to quickly ramp up a formal campaign operation should Biden decide to run.

Some party activists say, however, that Biden has not reached out to broad donor networks to gauge the level of monetary support he could expect.&nbsp; 
Biden, who mounted failed presidential campaigns in 2008 and 1988, said at an event in Delaware on Tuesday that he did not want a third bid to be "a fool`s errand."

"What I don’t want to do is take people’s time, effort and commitment without there being a clear shot I could be the nominee," he said. "I think I can."

'TOO OLD'

Biden chose not to run in 2016 when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was widely considered the heavy favorite for the Democratic nomination.

Some political analysts have since speculated he could have won industrial battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin that proved crucial to Trump`s surprise victory.

Biden`s high name recognition among Democratic voters means he likely can afford to wait longer than lesser-known candidates to enter the 2020 race. But even that comes with a risk.&nbsp;

"The longer he waits, the more people are going to start to want to follow some of the new and younger voices they`re hearing," said Bret Niles, the Democratic Party chairman in Linn County, Iowa.&nbsp;

Biden`s age, ideology and record already are drawing scrutiny. If elected, he would be 78 when he was sworn in.&nbsp;

"Joe Biden is too old," said Mary Donough, 60, a Democrat from Des Moines, Iowa, who plans to participate in her state`s crucial primary caucus next year and wants a younger candidate to challenge Trump.

"There is just more energy there," she said.

Biden`s backers will argue his age represents experience, said a former aide who asked to speak on background in order to explain internal talking points.&nbsp;

"Voters look at Donald Trump and they look at what we’re missing, which is someone who understands the institution, someone who is an adult, someone who is seasoned, someone who respects the institutions," the former aide said.

The Democratic Party undoubtedly has moved left since the last time Biden appeared alone on a ballot in 2008, when he was re-elected to the Senate by Delaware voters for his seventh term.

“Times have changed," said Adam Green, chairman of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. “Does he meet the moment?"&nbsp;

Green, whose group supports the candidacy of US Senator Elizabeth Warren, lumps Biden in with white, male, moderate Democrats who have faltered in recent elections, like Phil Bredesen, who lost his US Senate race in Tennessee last year.

Biden also will have to answer for his record.

He chaired the 1991 confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and was criticized for not doing enough to protect Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of sexual harassment. Biden has since apologized and said he should have done more to shield Hill from attacks by Republicans.

Unions remain unhappy about the free-trade deals advocated by the Obama administration, and liberal progressive groups point to the bailout of Wall Street banks during the financial crisis that provided no help to distressed homeowners.&nbsp;

Sharon Holle, who has been working to organize for Biden in Iowa ahead of his decision, argued his experience would appeal to Democrats nervous about the country`s direction under Trump.

"People are scared," Holle said. "We`re in a crisis right now. We need somebody we can trust."

Former US Vice President Joe Biden said this week he was "very close" to deciding whether to make a 2020 White House bid and will run only if he thinks he can win the Democratic Party`s nomination.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden said this week he was "very close" to deciding whether to make a 2020 White House bid and will run only if he thinks he can win the Democratic Party`s nomination. He is not alone in questioning if he is the man for the moment. The clamor for Biden to join the pack seeking to challenge Republican President Donald Trump has quieted as the Democratic field has grown more crowded and diverse, according to interviews with more than two dozen strategists, activists, party organizers and voters. Opinion polls show Biden, a former US senator from Delaware who served two terms as former President Barack Obama`s vice president, remains popular. But the Democratic Party may no longer need him in order to be competitive against Trump. "I love Joe Biden. He`s a great guy and a great politician," said Jerry Shriner, a Democratic national committee member from Idaho. "I wish he were the president right now. But I`m not sure I wish he is president in 2021." Democrats are in the early stages of an internal debate about how best to challenge Trump in next year`s presidential election, weighing factors like electability, ideology and identity. The strength of the field - expected to include at least six sitting U.S. senators, plus several current or former governors, US House of Representatives members and a former Cabinet secretary - is a factor in Biden`s calculations, those close to him say. He will be more likely to remain on the sidelines if he feels a strong candidate capable of beating Trump is emerging. But a source close to Biden said: "If I had to guess, he`s probably going to do it." Biden associates have held discussions with potential staffers and supporters who could serve political strategy, grassroots organizing and digital campaign roles, according to two sources. One source said those conversations were necessary to quickly ramp up a formal campaign operation should Biden decide to run. Some party activists say, however, that Biden has not reached out to broad donor networks to gauge the level of monetary support he could expect. Biden, who mounted failed presidential campaigns in 2008 and 1988, said at an event in Delaware on Tuesday that he did not want a third bid to be "a fool`s errand." "What I don’t want to do is take people’s time, effort and commitment without there being a clear shot I could be the nominee," he said. "I think I can." 'TOO OLD' Biden chose not to run in 2016 when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was widely considered the heavy favorite for the Democratic nomination. Some political analysts have since speculated he could have won industrial battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin that proved crucial to Trump`s surprise victory. Biden`s high name recognition among Democratic voters means he likely can afford to wait longer than lesser-known candidates to enter the 2020 race. But even that comes with a risk. "The longer he waits, the more people are going to start to want to follow some of the new and younger voices they`re hearing," said Bret Niles, the Democratic Party chairman in Linn County, Iowa. Biden`s age, ideology and record already are drawing scrutiny. If elected, he would be 78 when he was sworn in. "Joe Biden is too old," said Mary Donough, 60, a Democrat from Des Moines, Iowa, who plans to participate in her state`s crucial primary caucus next year and wants a younger candidate to challenge Trump. "There is just more energy there," she said. Biden`s backers will argue his age represents experience, said a former aide who asked to speak on background in order to explain internal talking points. "Voters look at Donald Trump and they look at what we’re missing, which is someone who understands the institution, someone who is an adult, someone who is seasoned, someone who respects the institutions," the former aide said. The Democratic Party undoubtedly has moved left since the last time Biden appeared alone on a ballot in 2008, when he was re-elected to the Senate by Delaware voters for his seventh term. “Times have changed," said Adam Green, chairman of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. “Does he meet the moment?" Green, whose group supports the candidacy of US Senator Elizabeth Warren, lumps Biden in with white, male, moderate Democrats who have faltered in recent elections, like Phil Bredesen, who lost his US Senate race in Tennessee last year. Biden also will have to answer for his record. He chaired the 1991 confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and was criticized for not doing enough to protect Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of sexual harassment. Biden has since apologized and said he should have done more to shield Hill from attacks by Republicans. Unions remain unhappy about the free-trade deals advocated by the Obama administration, and liberal progressive groups point to the bailout of Wall Street banks during the financial crisis that provided no help to distressed homeowners. Sharon Holle, who has been working to organize for Biden in Iowa ahead of his decision, argued his experience would appeal to Democrats nervous about the country`s direction under Trump. "People are scared," Holle said. "We`re in a crisis right now. We need somebody we can trust."

As Biden weighs 2020 bid, Democrats ask, 'Does he meet the moment?'

Saudi Arabia plans to become a major gas exporter within a decade raise questions about what the real goal of the kingdom’s policy, and by extension that of the United States, is towards Iran.

Officially both Saudi Arabia and the US, which last year withdrew from the 2015 international accord that curbs the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme and imposed harsh economic sanctions, are demanding a change of Iran’s regional and defence policies rather than of its regime.

Yet, statements in recent years by some Saudi leaders and US officials as well a string of declarations at the recent US-sponsored ministerial to promote a future of peace and stability in the Middle East in Warsaw by officials of the Trump administration as well as Saudi Arabia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain suggested that regime change was on their radar.

President Donald J Trump’s hard-line national security advisor John Bolton, a past advocate of regime change and a covert war to destabilise Iran, concluded an outline on the White House’s official Twitter account of Washington’s long list of grievances and accusations levelled at Iranian leaders by addressing supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, directly: “I don’t think you’ll have too many more anniversaries,” Bolton said as Iran celebrated the 40th anniversary of its Islamic revolution.

The notion that the real goal of Saudi and US policy is regime change prompted by the sanctions and a destabilisation campaign that would foster unrest among Iran’s ethnic minorities was bolstered by multiple indicators.

These include statements of Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and Bolton before he became Trump’s advisor; a flow of funds from the kingdom to militant, ultra-conservative anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian madrassas or religious seminaries that dot the Iranian border in the troubled Pakistani province of Balochistan; US and Saudi support for an exiled Iranian group that demands regime change in Tehran; and a string of recent attacks inside Iran.

With Saudi Arabia, however, announcing that it will invest $150 billion to enable it to export three billion cubic metres of gas a year by 2030, suggests that imminent regime change may not be in the kingdom’s immediate interest.

Viewed through the lens of the timeline of Saudi Arabia’s gas plans, the Kingdom is likely to benefit more from an Iran that is isolated and weakened for years to come to give the Saudis the time to get up to speed on gas rather than an Iran that under a new more accommodating government returns to the international fold. A potential destabilisation campaign that is low-level and intermittent but not regime threatening would serve that purpose.

It would also extend the window of opportunity on which Saudi Arabia relies to assert regional leadership. That window of opportunity exists as long as the obvious regional powers – Iran, Turkey and Egypt – are in various degrees of disrepair. Punitive economic sanctions, international isolation and domestic turmoil serve to keep Iran weak and unable to leverage its assets.

The emergence of Saudi gas plans appears to put Saudi strategy towards Iran at cross purposes. If Saudi Arabia’s gas-driven interest is prolonged containment of Iran, operations at the Indian-backed Arabian Sea port of Chabahar were believed to have given the effort to achieve a change of Tehran’s regional and defence policy, if not its regime, a sense of urgency.

Pakistani militants reported the flow of Saudi funds to Baloch Madrassas at the time that a government-backed Saudi think-tank, the International Institute of Iranian Studies, argued in a study that Chabahar, a mere 70 kilometres up the coast from the Chinese-backed Pakistani port of Gwadar posed “a direct threat to the Arab Gulf states” that called for “immediate countermeasures.”

Written by Mohammed Hassan Husseinbor, identified as an Iranian political researcher, the study warned that Chabahar posed a threat because it would enable Iran to increase its market share in India for its oil exports at the expense of Saudi Arabia, raise foreign investment in the Islamic republic, increase government revenues, and allow Iran to project power in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

Pakistani analysts expect around $5 billion in Afghan trade to flow through Chabahar after India in December started handling the port’s operations. It could also further strain ties with Pakistan that accuses India of fomenting nationalist unrest in Balochistan. India and Pakistan are on the brink of a &nbsp;potentially escalating military conflict over Kashmir.

The perceived threat of Chabahar, however, pales against the opportunity that Saudi Arabia’s ability to be a major gas exporter would open up.

In a study published in 2015, energy scholar Micha’el Tanchum suggested that it would be gas supplies from Iran and Turkmenistan, two Caspian Sea states, rather than Saudi oil that would determine which way Eurasia’s future energy architecture tilts: China, the world’s third largest LNG importer, or Europe.

With 24.6 billion cubic metres potentially available for annual piped exports beyond its current supply commitments, Iran, unfettered by sanctions and with no Saudi competition, could emerge as Eurasia’s swing producer, which would significantly enhance its regional clout.

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s resignation in recent days, had it been accepted by President Hasan Rouhani, would have amounted to a victory for hardliners and served the interest of the Saudis and their allies.

“Zarif went. We are rid of him,” Israeli prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu gloated prematurely on his Farsi-language Twitter account.

The departure of Zarif, a suave, US-educated moderate who was Iran’s main negotiator of the nuclear accord, would have enhanced the quest of Saudi Arabia and its allies even if their timelines for a change of Iranian policies, if not of the regime, differ.

His continued tenure as foreign minister is likely to encourage Europe, China and Russia in their efforts to salvage the nuclear deal but little to change Saudi or US long-term strategy. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Saudi Arabia plans to become a major gas exporter within a decade raise questions about what the real goal of the kingdom’s policy, and by extension that of the United States, is towards Iran.

Saudi Arabia plans to become a major gas exporter within a decade raise questions about what the real goal of the kingdom’s policy, and by extension that of the United States, is towards Iran. Officially both Saudi Arabia and the US, which last year withdrew from the 2015 international accord that curbs the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme and imposed harsh economic sanctions, are demanding a change of Iran’s regional and defence policies rather than of its regime. Yet, statements in recent years by some Saudi leaders and US officials as well a string of declarations at the recent US-sponsored ministerial to promote a future of peace and stability in the Middle East in Warsaw by officials of the Trump administration as well as Saudi Arabia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain suggested that regime change was on their radar. President Donald J Trump’s hard-line national security advisor John Bolton, a past advocate of regime change and a covert war to destabilise Iran, concluded an outline on the White House’s official Twitter account of Washington’s long list of grievances and accusations levelled at Iranian leaders by addressing supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, directly: “I don’t think you’ll have too many more anniversaries,” Bolton said as Iran celebrated the 40th anniversary of its Islamic revolution. The notion that the real goal of Saudi and US policy is regime change prompted by the sanctions and a destabilisation campaign that would foster unrest among Iran’s ethnic minorities was bolstered by multiple indicators. These include statements of Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and Bolton before he became Trump’s advisor; a flow of funds from the kingdom to militant, ultra-conservative anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian madrassas or religious seminaries that dot the Iranian border in the troubled Pakistani province of Balochistan; US and Saudi support for an exiled Iranian group that demands regime change in Tehran; and a string of recent attacks inside Iran. With Saudi Arabia, however, announcing that it will invest $150 billion to enable it to export three billion cubic metres of gas a year by 2030, suggests that imminent regime change may not be in the kingdom’s immediate interest. Viewed through the lens of the timeline of Saudi Arabia’s gas plans, the Kingdom is likely to benefit more from an Iran that is isolated and weakened for years to come to give the Saudis the time to get up to speed on gas rather than an Iran that under a new more accommodating government returns to the international fold. A potential destabilisation campaign that is low-level and intermittent but not regime threatening would serve that purpose. It would also extend the window of opportunity on which Saudi Arabia relies to assert regional leadership. That window of opportunity exists as long as the obvious regional powers – Iran, Turkey and Egypt – are in various degrees of disrepair. Punitive economic sanctions, international isolation and domestic turmoil serve to keep Iran weak and unable to leverage its assets. The emergence of Saudi gas plans appears to put Saudi strategy towards Iran at cross purposes. If Saudi Arabia’s gas-driven interest is prolonged containment of Iran, operations at the Indian-backed Arabian Sea port of Chabahar were believed to have given the effort to achieve a change of Tehran’s regional and defence policy, if not its regime, a sense of urgency. Pakistani militants reported the flow of Saudi funds to Baloch Madrassas at the time that a government-backed Saudi think-tank, the International Institute of Iranian Studies, argued in a study that Chabahar, a mere 70 kilometres up the coast from the Chinese-backed Pakistani port of Gwadar posed “a direct threat to the Arab Gulf states” that called for “immediate countermeasures.” Written by Mohammed Hassan Husseinbor, identified as an Iranian political researcher, the study warned that Chabahar posed a threat because it would enable Iran to increase its market share in India for its oil exports at the expense of Saudi Arabia, raise foreign investment in the Islamic republic, increase government revenues, and allow Iran to project power in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Pakistani analysts expect around $5 billion in Afghan trade to flow through Chabahar after India in December started handling the port’s operations. It could also further strain ties with Pakistan that accuses India of fomenting nationalist unrest in Balochistan. India and Pakistan are on the brink of a potentially escalating military conflict over Kashmir. The perceived threat of Chabahar, however, pales against the opportunity that Saudi Arabia’s ability to be a major gas exporter would open up. In a study published in 2015, energy scholar Micha’el Tanchum suggested that it would be gas supplies from Iran and Turkmenistan, two Caspian Sea states, rather than Saudi oil that would determine which way Eurasia’s future energy architecture tilts: China, the world’s third largest LNG importer, or Europe. With 24.6 billion cubic metres potentially available for annual piped exports beyond its current supply commitments, Iran, unfettered by sanctions and with no Saudi competition, could emerge as Eurasia’s swing producer, which would significantly enhance its regional clout. Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s resignation in recent days, had it been accepted by President Hasan Rouhani, would have amounted to a victory for hardliners and served the interest of the Saudis and their allies. “Zarif went. We are rid of him,” Israeli prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu gloated prematurely on his Farsi-language Twitter account. The departure of Zarif, a suave, US-educated moderate who was Iran’s main negotiator of the nuclear accord, would have enhanced the quest of Saudi Arabia and its allies even if their timelines for a change of Iranian policies, if not of the regime, differ. His continued tenure as foreign minister is likely to encourage Europe, China and Russia in their efforts to salvage the nuclear deal but little to change Saudi or US long-term strategy. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Saudi Arabia tends to intensify efforts to isolate Iran

President Donald Trump criticised his former attorney Michael Cohen on Thursday for lying in testimony to Congress but found a reason to praise him, too, for not alleging Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia in 2016.

Trump, speaking at a news conference in Vietnam after failing to achieve a peace deal with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, called the blockbuster hearing back in Washington fake and said it should not have been scheduled during his trip.

"He lied a lot, but it was very interesting because he didn’t lie about one thing, he said no collusion with the Russian hoax," Trump said.

"I wonder why he didn’t lie about that too like he did about everything else. I was actually impressed that he didn’t say, `well, I think there was collusion for this reason or that`. He didn’t say that."

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/tensions-between-india-pakistan-to-reduce-says-us-president-trump-200232">Cohen testified on Wednesday</a>, calling Trump a "conman" who knew in advance about the release of stolen emails aimed at hurting his Democratic rival in the 2016 election campaign.&nbsp;

Trump criticised the timing of the hearing saying it should not have happened while he was on an important trip.

"Having a fake hearing like that and having it in the middle of this very important summit is really a terrible thing. They could have made it two days later or next week," he said.

"But having it during this very important summit is sort of incredible."

Trump has called an investigation into possible collusion between Moscow and his presidential campaign a “witch hunt”.&nbsp;

Cohen, 52, was a close aide of Trump for years and his testimony could increase the legal and political pressure on the Republican president.

But Cohen did not appear to disclose a "smoking gun" that could sink his former boss.

Cohen said he had no direct evidence that Trump or his campaign colluded with Moscow during the election campaign.

Possible collusion is a key theme of Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s Russia investigation, which has dogged the president during his two years in office. Trump has repeatedly denied the allegation as has the Kremlin.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump criticised his former attorney Michael Cohen on Thursday for lying in testimony to Congress but found a reason to praise him, too, for not alleging Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia in 2016.

President Donald Trump criticised his former attorney Michael Cohen on Thursday for lying in testimony to Congress but found a reason to praise him, too, for not alleging Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia in 2016. Trump, speaking at a news conference in Vietnam after failing to achieve a peace deal with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, called the blockbuster hearing back in Washington fake and said it should not have been scheduled during his trip. "He lied a lot, but it was very interesting because he didn’t lie about one thing, he said no collusion with the Russian hoax," Trump said. "I wonder why he didn’t lie about that too like he did about everything else. I was actually impressed that he didn’t say, `well, I think there was collusion for this reason or that`. He didn’t say that." Cohen testified on Wednesday, calling Trump a "conman" who knew in advance about the release of stolen emails aimed at hurting his Democratic rival in the 2016 election campaign. Trump criticised the timing of the hearing saying it should not have happened while he was on an important trip. "Having a fake hearing like that and having it in the middle of this very important summit is really a terrible thing. They could have made it two days later or next week," he said. "But having it during this very important summit is sort of incredible." Trump has called an investigation into possible collusion between Moscow and his presidential campaign a “witch hunt”. Cohen, 52, was a close aide of Trump for years and his testimony could increase the legal and political pressure on the Republican president. But Cohen did not appear to disclose a "smoking gun" that could sink his former boss. Cohen said he had no direct evidence that Trump or his campaign colluded with Moscow during the election campaign. Possible collusion is a key theme of Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s Russia investigation, which has dogged the president during his two years in office. Trump has repeatedly denied the allegation as has the Kremlin.

Trump derides 'fake' hearing but says Cohen truthful on 'no collusion'

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will begin a two-day official visit to Vietnam on Friday, Vietnam`s foreign ministry said in a statement shortly after Kim`s second summit with US President Donald Trump in Hanoi ended without agreement.

Trump said on Thursday he had walked away from a nuclear deal at the summit with Kim in the Vietnamese capital because of unacceptable North Korean demands to lift punishing US-led sanctions.

While Trump left Hanoi later to return to Washington, Kim is staying on in Vietnam, for a two-day official visit.

Kim will meet President Nguyen Phu Trong, who is also general secretary of Vietnam`s ruling Communist Party, on Friday afternoon, according to a copy of Kim`s schedule seen by Reuters.

He is then due to attend a state banquet at a convention centre in central Hanoi in the evening.

On Saturday, Kim will lay a wreath at the mausoleum of Vietnam`s founding president, Ho Chi Minh, and meet Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, before leaving Vietnam that evening.

Kim arrived in Vietnam on Tuesday, after travelling from North Korea by train.

Media has reported his train was scheduled to leave the Vietnamese border station of Dong Dang, where he arrived, at 6.30 p.m. (1130 GMT) on Saturday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will begin a two-day official visit to Vietnam on Friday, Vietnam`s foreign ministry said in a statement shortly after Kim`s second summit with US President Donald Trump in Hanoi ended without agreement.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will begin a two-day official visit to Vietnam on Friday, Vietnam`s foreign ministry said in a statement shortly after Kim`s second summit with US President Donald Trump in Hanoi ended without agreement. Trump said on Thursday he had walked away from a nuclear deal at the summit with Kim in the Vietnamese capital because of unacceptable North Korean demands to lift punishing US-led sanctions. While Trump left Hanoi later to return to Washington, Kim is staying on in Vietnam, for a two-day official visit. Kim will meet President Nguyen Phu Trong, who is also general secretary of Vietnam`s ruling Communist Party, on Friday afternoon, according to a copy of Kim`s schedule seen by Reuters. He is then due to attend a state banquet at a convention centre in central Hanoi in the evening. On Saturday, Kim will lay a wreath at the mausoleum of Vietnam`s founding president, Ho Chi Minh, and meet Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, before leaving Vietnam that evening. Kim arrived in Vietnam on Tuesday, after travelling from North Korea by train. Media has reported his train was scheduled to leave the Vietnamese border station of Dong Dang, where he arrived, at 6.30 p.m. (1130 GMT) on Saturday.

North Korea's Kim on official Vietnam visit March 1-2: Ministry

South Korea's presidential office expressed regret after the summit between <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-deal-with-kim-thwarted-by-north-korean-sanction-demands-200231">US President Donald Trump </a>and North Korea's Kim Jong Un ended without a deal but said "meaningful progress" had been made.

"It is regrettable President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not reach a complete agreement on today's summit," Blue House spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said in a statement.

"But it appears clear that more meaningful progress was made than at any other point in the past."

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had failed to reach an agreement due to North Korean demands to lift punishing US-led sanctions.

Earlier, both Trump and Kim had expressed hope for progress on improving relations and on the key issue of denuclearisation, in their talks in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, their second summit in eight months.

Both leaders left the venue of their talks, the French-colonial-era Metropole hotel, without attending a planned lunch together, and returned to their hotels.

Failure to reach an agreement marks a setback for Trump, a self-styled dealmaker under pressure at home over his ties to Russia and testimony from Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer, accusing him of breaking the law while in office.

South Korea's presidential office expressed regret after the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un ended without a deal but said "meaningful progress" had been made.

South Korea's presidential office expressed regret after the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un ended without a deal but said "meaningful progress" had been made. "It is regrettable President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not reach a complete agreement on today's summit," Blue House spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said in a statement. "But it appears clear that more meaningful progress was made than at any other point in the past." US President Donald Trump said on Thursday his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had failed to reach an agreement due to North Korean demands to lift punishing US-led sanctions. Earlier, both Trump and Kim had expressed hope for progress on improving relations and on the key issue of denuclearisation, in their talks in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, their second summit in eight months. Both leaders left the venue of their talks, the French-colonial-era Metropole hotel, without attending a planned lunch together, and returned to their hotels. Failure to reach an agreement marks a setback for Trump, a self-styled dealmaker under pressure at home over his ties to Russia and testimony from Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer, accusing him of breaking the law while in office.

North Korea summit outcome 'regrettable' but progress made: Seoul

Ex-lawyer Michael Cohen and Donald Trump on hush money, Moscow plans and WikiLeaks

The US and the Taliban have paused negotiations in Doha, with the diplomatic push aimed at ending the war in Afghanistan set to restart over the weekend following "solid" talks between the adversaries.

The latest meetings follow marathon talks last month that saw the US and the Taliban walk away with a "draft framework" focused on a potential US troop withdrawal and a pact to prevent Afghanistan from harbouring terrorists.&nbsp;

"Emerging from three solid days of talks with the Taliban in #Doha. Meetings were productive," tweeted US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading the American side during the negotiations.

"We continue to take slow, steady steps toward understanding and eventually #peace," he said.

"Both sides will take the next two days for internal deliberations, with plans to regroup on Saturday," Khalilzad added.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed the pause, adding the insurgents were "committed to the current peace process along with peace".

The US has continued to push for a ceasefire in the war-torn country and the opening of negotiations between the Taliban and the Kabul government.&nbsp;

The Taliban, however, has repeatedly refused to meet with officials of the Afghan government, whom they dismiss as "puppets".

Khalilzad hinted that headway was being made on the issue, tweeting "there is also progress on forming a national team in #Kabul ready to engage in intra-Afghan dialogue and talks with the Taliban".&nbsp;

Earlier in the week, the special envoy met with the Taliban's top political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Doha, in what has been touted as the highest-level engagement between the two sides in the months-long diplomatic thrust. &nbsp;

Khalilzad welcomed the presence of Baradar -- a co-founder of the Islamist movement -- at the table, calling the militants' negotiating side a "more authoritative Taliban delegation".

Baradar is believed to be widely respected by the Taliban’s various factions and analysts said his participation would help garner support for any deal from insurgents on the frontlines.&nbsp;

General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, is also attending the talks.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced his eagerness to end America's involvement in Afghanistan, where 14,000 US troops are still deployed.

Afghanistan has been enmeshed in nearly constant conflict since the Soviet invasion of 1979, which was followed by civil war, the Taliban regime, and the US invasion in late 2001.

The US and the Taliban have paused negotiations in Doha, with the diplomatic push aimed at ending the war in Afghanistan set to restart over the weekend following "solid" talks between the adversaries.

The US and the Taliban have paused negotiations in Doha, with the diplomatic push aimed at ending the war in Afghanistan set to restart over the weekend following "solid" talks between the adversaries. The latest meetings follow marathon talks last month that saw the US and the Taliban walk away with a "draft framework" focused on a potential US troop withdrawal and a pact to prevent Afghanistan from harbouring terrorists. "Emerging from three solid days of talks with the Taliban in #Doha. Meetings were productive," tweeted US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading the American side during the negotiations. "We continue to take slow, steady steps toward understanding and eventually #peace," he said. "Both sides will take the next two days for internal deliberations, with plans to regroup on Saturday," Khalilzad added. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed the pause, adding the insurgents were "committed to the current peace process along with peace". The US has continued to push for a ceasefire in the war-torn country and the opening of negotiations between the Taliban and the Kabul government. The Taliban, however, has repeatedly refused to meet with officials of the Afghan government, whom they dismiss as "puppets". Khalilzad hinted that headway was being made on the issue, tweeting "there is also progress on forming a national team in #Kabul ready to engage in intra-Afghan dialogue and talks with the Taliban". Earlier in the week, the special envoy met with the Taliban's top political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Doha, in what has been touted as the highest-level engagement between the two sides in the months-long diplomatic thrust. Khalilzad welcomed the presence of Baradar -- a co-founder of the Islamist movement -- at the table, calling the militants' negotiating side a "more authoritative Taliban delegation". Baradar is believed to be widely respected by the Taliban’s various factions and analysts said his participation would help garner support for any deal from insurgents on the frontlines. General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, is also attending the talks. President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced his eagerness to end America's involvement in Afghanistan, where 14,000 US troops are still deployed. Afghanistan has been enmeshed in nearly constant conflict since the Soviet invasion of 1979, which was followed by civil war, the Taliban regime, and the US invasion in late 2001.

US, Taliban pause negotiations in Doha following 'solid' talks

US President Donald Trump Thursday said "reasonably attractive" news from India and Pakistan.

Speaking to reporters in Hanoi, Vietnam after the second summit with North Korean leader Kim, Trump said, "We have reasonably attractive news from Pakistan and India. They have been going at it we have been involved in trying to help them stop. And we have some reasonably decent news."

He added, "I think, hopefully that will be coming to an end. It's being going for a long time. Decades and decades. There is a lot of dislike unfortunately."

Trump confirmed Washington was in touch with both sides.

&nbsp;"We have been in middle, trying to help them both out. See if we can get some organisation and some peace. And I think probably that is going to be happening," he said.

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistani Foreign Minister SM Qureshi had spoken to US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo in the aftermath of Indian strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camps in Pakistan on Tuesday.

National security Advisor Ajit Doval again spoke to US Secretary of state after Pakistan launched an attack on Indian military installations on Wednesday morning.

The US has been calling on Pakistan to act on terror groups on its soil. US State Department today reiterated its call for "Pakistan to abide by its United Nations Security Council commitments to deny terrorists safe haven &amp; block their access to funds"

US along with France and UK have proposed listing of JeM chief Masood Azhar under UN terror list.

Tensions between India and Pakistan remained high in the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack, the worst on Indian security personnel in the last two decades.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump Thursday said "reasonably attractive" news from India and Pakistan. Speaking to reporters in Hanoi, Vietnam after the second summit with North Korean leader Kim, Trump said, "We have reasonably attractive news from Pakistan and India.

US President Donald Trump Thursday said "reasonably attractive" news from India and Pakistan. Speaking to reporters in Hanoi, Vietnam after the second summit with North Korean leader Kim, Trump said, "We have reasonably attractive news from Pakistan and India. They have been going at it we have been involved in trying to help them stop. And we have some reasonably decent news." He added, "I think, hopefully that will be coming to an end. It's being going for a long time. Decades and decades. There is a lot of dislike unfortunately." Trump confirmed Washington was in touch with both sides. "We have been in middle, trying to help them both out. See if we can get some organisation and some peace. And I think probably that is going to be happening," he said. Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistani Foreign Minister SM Qureshi had spoken to US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo in the aftermath of Indian strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camps in Pakistan on Tuesday. National security Advisor Ajit Doval again spoke to US Secretary of state after Pakistan launched an attack on Indian military installations on Wednesday morning. The US has been calling on Pakistan to act on terror groups on its soil. US State Department today reiterated its call for "Pakistan to abide by its United Nations Security Council commitments to deny terrorists safe haven & block their access to funds" US along with France and UK have proposed listing of JeM chief Masood Azhar under UN terror list. Tensions between India and Pakistan remained high in the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack, the worst on Indian security personnel in the last two decades.

Tensions between India, Pakistan to reduce, says US President Trump

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/no-agreement-was-reached-at-trump-kim-summit-white-house-200203">failed to reach an agreement</a> due to North Korean demands to lift punishing US-led sanctions.

Earlier, both Trump and Kim had expressed hope for progress on improving relations and on the key issue of denuclearisation, in their talks in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, their second summit in eight months.

"Basically, they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, but we couldn't do that ... we had to walk away from it," Trump told reporters after summit talks were cut short.

The United Nations and the United States ratcheted up sanctions on North Korea when the reclusive state undertook a series of nuclear and missile tests in 2017, cutting off its main sources hard cash.

Both leaders left the venue of their talks, the French-colonial-era Metropole hotel, without attending a planned lunch together, and returned to their hotels.

Failure to reach an agreement marks a setback for Trump, a self-styled dealmaker under pressure at home over his ties to Russia and testimony from Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer, accusing him of breaking the law while in office.

Trump said Cohen "lied a lot" during Congressional testimony in Washington on Wednesday.

While Trump had said he was in "no rush" to strike a deal with North Korea and wanted to do the right deal with Kim, the White House had been confident enough to schedule a now cancelled "joint agreement signing ceremony" at the conclusion of talks.

"You always have to be prepared to walk," Trump said, describing the two days of talks as very productive. "We had papers ready to be signed, it just wasn't appropriate."

Kicking off their second day in Hanoi earlier on Thursday, Trump again stressed the talks aimed at tackling North Korea's nuclear threat should not be rushed. He said he would be happy as long as North Korea conducted no more nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile tests.

North Korea has conducted no nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile tests since late 2017.

Trump said Kim had promised him there would be no more nuclear or rocket tests.

Trump said he and Kim had discussed dismantling North Korea's main nuclear facility at Yongbyon, which Kim was willing to do, but he had wanted sanctions relief.

News of the summit failure sent South Korea's currency lower and knocked regional stock markets. South Korea's Kospi index closed 1.8 per cent lower, marking the biggest one-day percentage loss since Oct 2018.

Denuclearisation pledge

Earlier Kim and Trump, seated across from each other at a conference table, appeared confident of progress.

“If I’m not willing to do that, I won’t be here right now,” Kim told reporters through an interpreter when asked if he was ready to give up his nuclear weapons.

Trump, responding to that, said: "That might be the best answer you’ve ever heard.”

Kim did not elaborate on what "denuclearisation" would entail but asked if he was ready to take concrete steps, Kim said they had just been talking about that.

While the United States is demanding North Korea give up all of its nuclear and missile programmes, the North wants to see the removal of a US nuclear umbrella for its Asian allies such as South Korea and Japan.

The two leaders' first summit, in Singapore in June, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader, produced a vague statement in which Kim pledged to work toward denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

But there has been little progress since.

Earlier Kim, asked by a reporter if he was confident about a deal, said, through an interpreter:

"It's too early to tell, but I wouldn't say I'm pessimistic. For what I feel right now, I do have a feeling that good results will come out," he said, in what was believed to be his first ever response to a foreign journalist.

"There must be people who watch us having a wonderful time, like a scene from a fantasy movie. We have so far made lots of efforts, and it's time to show them," Kim said.

Trump reiterated North Korea's potential, if a deal can be done, saying the isolated country could be an "economic powerhouse".

Trump said late last year he and Kim "fell in love", but there have been doubts about whether the bonhomie could move them beyond summit pageantry to substantive progress on eliminating a North Korean nuclear arsenal that threatens the United States.

While Trump indicated a more flexible stance in the run-up to Hanoi, critics warned that he risked squandering vital leverage over North Korea if he gave away too much, too quickly.

US intelligence officials have said there is no sign North Korea would eve give up its entire arsenal of nuclear weapons, which Kim's ruling family sees as vital to its survival.

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</ul>

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had failed to reach an agreement due to North Korean demands to lift punishing US-led sanctions.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had failed to reach an agreement due to North Korean demands to lift punishing US-led sanctions. Earlier, both Trump and Kim had expressed hope for progress on improving relations and on the key issue of denuclearisation, in their talks in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, their second summit in eight months. "Basically, they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, but we couldn't do that ... we had to walk away from it," Trump told reporters after summit talks were cut short. The United Nations and the United States ratcheted up sanctions on North Korea when the reclusive state undertook a series of nuclear and missile tests in 2017, cutting off its main sources hard cash. Both leaders left the venue of their talks, the French-colonial-era Metropole hotel, without attending a planned lunch together, and returned to their hotels. Failure to reach an agreement marks a setback for Trump, a self-styled dealmaker under pressure at home over his ties to Russia and testimony from Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer, accusing him of breaking the law while in office. Trump said Cohen "lied a lot" during Congressional testimony in Washington on Wednesday. While Trump had said he was in "no rush" to strike a deal with North Korea and wanted to do the right deal with Kim, the White House had been confident enough to schedule a now cancelled "joint agreement signing ceremony" at the conclusion of talks. "You always have to be prepared to walk," Trump said, describing the two days of talks as very productive. "We had papers ready to be signed, it just wasn't appropriate." Kicking off their second day in Hanoi earlier on Thursday, Trump again stressed the talks aimed at tackling North Korea's nuclear threat should not be rushed. He said he would be happy as long as North Korea conducted no more nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile tests. North Korea has conducted no nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile tests since late 2017. Trump said Kim had promised him there would be no more nuclear or rocket tests. Trump said he and Kim had discussed dismantling North Korea's main nuclear facility at Yongbyon, which Kim was willing to do, but he had wanted sanctions relief. News of the summit failure sent South Korea's currency lower and knocked regional stock markets. South Korea's Kospi index closed 1.8 per cent lower, marking the biggest one-day percentage loss since Oct 2018. Denuclearisation pledge Earlier Kim and Trump, seated across from each other at a conference table, appeared confident of progress. “If I’m not willing to do that, I won’t be here right now,” Kim told reporters through an interpreter when asked if he was ready to give up his nuclear weapons. Trump, responding to that, said: "That might be the best answer you’ve ever heard.” Kim did not elaborate on what "denuclearisation" would entail but asked if he was ready to take concrete steps, Kim said they had just been talking about that. While the United States is demanding North Korea give up all of its nuclear and missile programmes, the North wants to see the removal of a US nuclear umbrella for its Asian allies such as South Korea and Japan. The two leaders' first summit, in Singapore in June, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader, produced a vague statement in which Kim pledged to work toward denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. But there has been little progress since. Earlier Kim, asked by a reporter if he was confident about a deal, said, through an interpreter: "It's too early to tell, but I wouldn't say I'm pessimistic. For what I feel right now, I do have a feeling that good results will come out," he said, in what was believed to be his first ever response to a foreign journalist. "There must be people who watch us having a wonderful time, like a scene from a fantasy movie. We have so far made lots of efforts, and it's time to show them," Kim said. Trump reiterated North Korea's potential, if a deal can be done, saying the isolated country could be an "economic powerhouse". Trump said late last year he and Kim "fell in love", but there have been doubts about whether the bonhomie could move them beyond summit pageantry to substantive progress on eliminating a North Korean nuclear arsenal that threatens the United States. While Trump indicated a more flexible stance in the run-up to Hanoi, critics warned that he risked squandering vital leverage over North Korea if he gave away too much, too quickly. US intelligence officials have said there is no sign North Korea would eve give up its entire arsenal of nuclear weapons, which Kim's ruling family sees as vital to its survival.

Trump says deal with Kim thwarted by North Korean sanction demands

President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen testified to Congress on Wednesday that some reimbursement checks issued to him for hush-money payments to an adult film star were signed by Donald Trump Jr. and the Trump Organization's chief financial officer.

Cohen said Donald Trump himself, while president, signed a $35,000 while he was president to repay him for "hush money I paid on his behalf," Cohen told a House of Representatives committee.

"Other checks to reimburse me for the hush money payments were signed by Don Jr. and Allen Weisselberg," he said, referring to the president's son and the Trump Organization CFO.

Cohen's testimony raises the possibility that Donald Trump Jr. could be prosecuted for violating campaign finance laws, depending on whether he knew what the payments were intended for, said lawyer Andy Wright, who served as associate counsel to President Barack Obama.

Cohen pleaded guilty in August to campaign finance violations relating to arranging payments to adult film star Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, and to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, to maintain silence about their affairs with Trump ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for Trump Jr., did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for Trump, declined to immediately comment on Cohen's testimony.

On Wednesday, Cohen said Trump directed him to use his own funds from a home equity line of credit to pay Clifford to avoid any money being traced back to Trump.

Cohen said he was going to jail, in part, because of his decision "to help Mr. Trump hide that payment from the American people before they voted a few days later."

Cohen testified that Weisselberg knew the most about the payments, while Donald Trump Jr. had "cursory information."

A lawyer for Weisselberg declined to comment on Cohen's testimony.

Weisselberg received grand jury immunity during the Cohen prosecution, Reuters has reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.

A spokesman for the US Attorney's office in Manhattan, which prosecuted Cohen, declined to comment on whether Trump Jr. could be charged with campaign finance violations.

It depends "on what Donald Trump Jr. knew about what he was paying for and when," Wright said. He added that the president's son could be an accomplice after the fact, or part of the original scheme to engage in hush-money payments.

His father may not be prosecuted because of Justice Department policy to not indict a sitting president.

President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen testified to Congress on Wednesday that some reimbursement checks issued to him for hush-money payments to an adult film star were signed by Donald Trump Jr.

President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen testified to Congress on Wednesday that some reimbursement checks issued to him for hush-money payments to an adult film star were signed by Donald Trump Jr. and the Trump Organization's chief financial officer. Cohen said Donald Trump himself, while president, signed a $35,000 while he was president to repay him for "hush money I paid on his behalf," Cohen told a House of Representatives committee. "Other checks to reimburse me for the hush money payments were signed by Don Jr. and Allen Weisselberg," he said, referring to the president's son and the Trump Organization CFO. Cohen's testimony raises the possibility that Donald Trump Jr. could be prosecuted for violating campaign finance laws, depending on whether he knew what the payments were intended for, said lawyer Andy Wright, who served as associate counsel to President Barack Obama. Cohen pleaded guilty in August to campaign finance violations relating to arranging payments to adult film star Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, and to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, to maintain silence about their affairs with Trump ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for Trump Jr., did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for Trump, declined to immediately comment on Cohen's testimony. On Wednesday, Cohen said Trump directed him to use his own funds from a home equity line of credit to pay Clifford to avoid any money being traced back to Trump. Cohen said he was going to jail, in part, because of his decision "to help Mr. Trump hide that payment from the American people before they voted a few days later." Cohen testified that Weisselberg knew the most about the payments, while Donald Trump Jr. had "cursory information." A lawyer for Weisselberg declined to comment on Cohen's testimony. Weisselberg received grand jury immunity during the Cohen prosecution, Reuters has reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. A spokesman for the US Attorney's office in Manhattan, which prosecuted Cohen, declined to comment on whether Trump Jr. could be charged with campaign finance violations. It depends "on what Donald Trump Jr. knew about what he was paying for and when," Wright said. He added that the president's son could be an accomplice after the fact, or part of the original scheme to engage in hush-money payments. His father may not be prosecuted because of Justice Department policy to not indict a sitting president.

Donald Trump Jr. signed checks for hush money related to affair: Michael Cohen

13 Republicans vote to block Trump's National Emergency Declaration

As the city of Hanoi continued its frenzied preparations for a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-kim-ii-the-summit-the-script-and-the-sequel-199292">summit between the North Korean leader and </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-kim-ii-the-summit-the-script-and-the-sequel-199292">United</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-kim-ii-the-summit-the-script-and-the-sequel-199292"> States</a> president on Tuesday, the local Vietnamese population appears to admire the latter's vast wealth, uncompromising politics and strong personality.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-predicts-awesome-future-for-north-korea-if-kim-jong-un-gives-up-nukes-199965">Donald Trump</a> and Kim Jong-un are due to meet on Wednesday to discuss the denuclearization of the Pyongyang regime, as agreed on at their first summit held in Singapore in June last year.

"(Trump) is an intense, firm man, who gives everything for America and its people. He was already a millionaire before he became president. He is not there for money, he is making a sacrifice. I don't like Kim because he is a dictator and does not support policies of openness," An, a 40-year-old taxi driver, told EFE.

Trump's fortune is one of the main reasons for his popularity among the Vietnamese, who often consider wealth to be a personal virtue, and many people in Hanoi have decided to dye their hair to resemble the US president's.

"I like Trump more than Kim because he is rich and more powerful," says Duc, a 19-year-old student, who like his other 20 friends has been sporting the characteristic hair colour of the White House resident.

Artist Tram Lan Binh says he is fascinated by Trump, not because of his bank balance but because of his physical appearance, his facial expressions and his strong personality, and has painted 50 colourful portraits of the US president in acrylic over recent years.

Some of them have been displayed in the cafe that he runs on the outskirts of the capital, along with a life-size sculpture of Trump dressed in a striking yellow vest and shorts.

"We managed to get some exhibited a year ago in Washington, in front of the White House. The paintings are not for sale because I made them with a lot of heart and not for money. I feel a special fondness for Trump, his open and direct nature, his facial expressions and the way he deals with pressure inspires me. I am not bothered about what people say," explained the 37-year-old artist.

"I most enjoy painting his eyes and his facial expressions," he added.

The cafe has been specially decorated for the summit, with the flags of the US and North Korea, calls for peace and the portraits of Trump and Kim, another source of inspiration for Binh.

"I made these paintings when I learnt about the summit, but I have had an interest in Kim for a while. I began to draw his portrait even before his first meeting with Trump. He is intelligent, firm, direct and brave for agreeing to meet with Trump," he said.

The painter says he is especially drawn to the physical features of the North Korean leader, his "beautiful lips and round face," and went on to describe him as "a living masterpiece."

Even though Kim does not enjoy Trump's popularity in Vietnam, there was one place in Hanoi that on Tuesday was eagerly looking forward to the North Korean leader's arrival: the Kindergarten of Friendship between North Korea and Vietnam.

In Kim's honour, children between three and six years old along with their teachers performed a song and dance dressed in traditional Vietnamese attire, with the flags of both countries painted on their cheeks.

The kindergarten was built in 1978 with funds from Pyongyang, and is now one of the most prestigious preschools in Hanoi, with 450 students and 17 classrooms, one of them dedicated to Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea and Kim Jong-un's grandfather.

Some of the teachers hope that Kim's agenda, which has not been made public by North Korean officials, will include a visit to their kindergarten.

"We are all very hopeful; we don't know if he will come, but if he does, we will be prepared to give him a welcome," said one of the teachers.

As the city of Hanoi continued its frenzied preparations for a summit between the North Korean leader and United States president on Tuesday, the local Vietnamese population appears to admire the latter's vast wealth, uncompromising politics and strong personality.

As the city of Hanoi continued its frenzied preparations for a summit between the North Korean leader and United States president on Tuesday, the local Vietnamese population appears to admire the latter's vast wealth, uncompromising politics and strong personality. Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un are due to meet on Wednesday to discuss the denuclearization of the Pyongyang regime, as agreed on at their first summit held in Singapore in June last year. "(Trump) is an intense, firm man, who gives everything for America and its people. He was already a millionaire before he became president. He is not there for money, he is making a sacrifice. I don't like Kim because he is a dictator and does not support policies of openness," An, a 40-year-old taxi driver, told EFE. Trump's fortune is one of the main reasons for his popularity among the Vietnamese, who often consider wealth to be a personal virtue, and many people in Hanoi have decided to dye their hair to resemble the US president's. "I like Trump more than Kim because he is rich and more powerful," says Duc, a 19-year-old student, who like his other 20 friends has been sporting the characteristic hair colour of the White House resident. Artist Tram Lan Binh says he is fascinated by Trump, not because of his bank balance but because of his physical appearance, his facial expressions and his strong personality, and has painted 50 colourful portraits of the US president in acrylic over recent years. Some of them have been displayed in the cafe that he runs on the outskirts of the capital, along with a life-size sculpture of Trump dressed in a striking yellow vest and shorts. "We managed to get some exhibited a year ago in Washington, in front of the White House. The paintings are not for sale because I made them with a lot of heart and not for money. I feel a special fondness for Trump, his open and direct nature, his facial expressions and the way he deals with pressure inspires me. I am not bothered about what people say," explained the 37-year-old artist. "I most enjoy painting his eyes and his facial expressions," he added. The cafe has been specially decorated for the summit, with the flags of the US and North Korea, calls for peace and the portraits of Trump and Kim, another source of inspiration for Binh. "I made these paintings when I learnt about the summit, but I have had an interest in Kim for a while. I began to draw his portrait even before his first meeting with Trump. He is intelligent, firm, direct and brave for agreeing to meet with Trump," he said. The painter says he is especially drawn to the physical features of the North Korean leader, his "beautiful lips and round face," and went on to describe him as "a living masterpiece." Even though Kim does not enjoy Trump's popularity in Vietnam, there was one place in Hanoi that on Tuesday was eagerly looking forward to the North Korean leader's arrival: the Kindergarten of Friendship between North Korea and Vietnam. In Kim's honour, children between three and six years old along with their teachers performed a song and dance dressed in traditional Vietnamese attire, with the flags of both countries painted on their cheeks. The kindergarten was built in 1978 with funds from Pyongyang, and is now one of the most prestigious preschools in Hanoi, with 450 students and 17 classrooms, one of them dedicated to Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea and Kim Jong-un's grandfather. Some of the teachers hope that Kim's agenda, which has not been made public by North Korean officials, will include a visit to their kindergarten. "We are all very hopeful; we don't know if he will come, but if he does, we will be prepared to give him a welcome," said one of the teachers.

Trump trumps Kim in popularity among residents of Vietnamese capital

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