US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Myanmar's government to take concrete steps to investigate human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims and hold accountable members of its security forces and others for any involvement in those actions, a State Department official said on Friday.

Pompeo, meeting Myanmar minister Kyaw Tint Swe on Thursday at the UN General Assembly gathering in New York, also reiterated US calls for Myanmar to immediately free two jailed Reuters reporters, according to a State Department summary seen by Reuters.

The meeting followed the recent release of two US and UN reports chronicling atrocities in the military crackdown last year, which sent in which almost 700,000 minority Rohingya Muslims fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Myanmar's government to take concrete steps to investigate human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims and hold accountable members of its security forces and others for any involvement in those actions, a State Department official said on Friday.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Myanmar's government to take concrete steps to investigate human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims and hold accountable members of its security forces and others for any involvement in those actions, a State Department official said on Friday. Pompeo, meeting Myanmar minister Kyaw Tint Swe on Thursday at the UN General Assembly gathering in New York, also reiterated US calls for Myanmar to immediately free two jailed Reuters reporters, according to a State Department summary seen by Reuters. The meeting followed the recent release of two US and UN reports chronicling atrocities in the military crackdown last year, which sent in which almost 700,000 minority Rohingya Muslims fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh.

US urges Myanmar to hold security forces accountable in Rohingya crackdown

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned on Thursday that sanctions against North Korea must be "vigorously" enforced, during a Security Council meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Russia and China.

"Enforcement of UN Security Council sanctions must continue vigorously and without fail until we realize final, fully-verified denuclearization," Pompeo said.

On Wednesday, Pompeo agreed to return to North Kora next month to push forward denuclearisation talks.

Pompeo met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with his North Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, to discuss plans for his fourth trip to the longtime US arch-enemy.

Pompeo accepted an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to return to Pyongyang in October to move ahead on efforts for "the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK," news agency AFP reported.

Pompeo will also try to arrange a second summit between Trump and Kim, whose meeting in June in Singapore was the first ever between sitting leaders of the two states.

Trump has hailed his initiative with North Korea as a signature foreign policy success and heaped praise on Kim.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned on Thursday that sanctions against North Korea must be "vigorously" enforced, during a Security Council meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Russia and China.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned on Thursday that sanctions against North Korea must be "vigorously" enforced, during a Security Council meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Russia and China. "Enforcement of UN Security Council sanctions must continue vigorously and without fail until we realize final, fully-verified denuclearization," Pompeo said. On Wednesday, Pompeo agreed to return to North Kora next month to push forward denuclearisation talks. Pompeo met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with his North Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, to discuss plans for his fourth trip to the longtime US arch-enemy. Pompeo accepted an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to return to Pyongyang in October to move ahead on efforts for "the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK," news agency AFP reported. Pompeo will also try to arrange a second summit between Trump and Kim, whose meeting in June in Singapore was the first ever between sitting leaders of the two states. Trump has hailed his initiative with North Korea as a signature foreign policy success and heaped praise on Kim. (With inputs from agencies)

North Korea sanctions must be 'vigorously' enforced: Pompeo tells UN

The Pakistani leadership defines terrorism differently than the US government and is unlikely to act against all terrorist groups as demanded by Washington, Pakistan's former ambassador to America Husain Haqqani has said.&nbsp;

In an article in the journal 'American Interest', Haqqani said that Pakistani leaders' view of their country's interests in Afghanistan, differ vastly from those of the US and that limits the prospects of cooperation in ending the Afghan war.

"Pakistan's leadership defines terrorism differently than the US government and thus is unlikely to act against all terrorist groups, as (Secretary of State) Mike Pompeo demanded," Haqqani, who is now the Director for South and Central Asia at Washington-based Hudson Institute, said.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is scheduled to meet Pompeo on October 2 to further discussions initiated during the Secretary of State's brief stopover in Islamabad on September 5, while on his way to India.

"US diplomats have spent almost three decades trying to lure Pakistan's decision-makers into seeing things their way," Haqqani observed, adding that this had led to what President Donald Trump recently described as Pakistan's "lies and deceit" on the USD 33 billion in economic and security assistance it has accepted from the US government since 9/11.

At the direction of Trump, the US has frozen all security aid to Pakistan since January this year.

Haqqani warned that the Trump Administration should be prepared for "less cooperation from Pakistan" with respect terrorism.&nbsp;

He noted that less than a week after Secretary Pompeo's stopover, Pakistan's Supreme Court had overruled restrictions imposed by the previous government on Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), a front for the terrorist Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and its charity arm Falahi Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), both of whom are connected to UN designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed.

This was an indication that Pakistan's new government, backed by the country's military establishment and judiciary, did not intend to respect US or UN terrorism designations, Haqqani alleged.&nbsp;

The former top Pakistani envoy argued that it was important for American diplomats to understand that the other side is unwilling to compromise, given that Pakistan and the US have disagreed over Afghanistan almost consistently since the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989.&nbsp;

Haqqani said that it is "unlikely that Pakistan or the Afghan Taliban will change their calculus at a time when they believe that the US military is eager to leave Afghanistan."&nbsp;

Haqqani believes that the way out for the US would be to "bypass Pakistan and directly negotiate with the Afghan Taliban".&nbsp;

The Pakistani leadership defines terrorism differently than the US government and is unlikely to act against all terrorist groups as demanded by Washington, Pakistan's former ambassador to America Husain Haqqani has said.

The Pakistani leadership defines terrorism differently than the US government and is unlikely to act against all terrorist groups as demanded by Washington, Pakistan's former ambassador to America Husain Haqqani has said. In an article in the journal 'American Interest', Haqqani said that Pakistani leaders' view of their country's interests in Afghanistan, differ vastly from those of the US and that limits the prospects of cooperation in ending the Afghan war. "Pakistan's leadership defines terrorism differently than the US government and thus is unlikely to act against all terrorist groups, as (Secretary of State) Mike Pompeo demanded," Haqqani, who is now the Director for South and Central Asia at Washington-based Hudson Institute, said. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is scheduled to meet Pompeo on October 2 to further discussions initiated during the Secretary of State's brief stopover in Islamabad on September 5, while on his way to India. "US diplomats have spent almost three decades trying to lure Pakistan's decision-makers into seeing things their way," Haqqani observed, adding that this had led to what President Donald Trump recently described as Pakistan's "lies and deceit" on the USD 33 billion in economic and security assistance it has accepted from the US government since 9/11. At the direction of Trump, the US has frozen all security aid to Pakistan since January this year. Haqqani warned that the Trump Administration should be prepared for "less cooperation from Pakistan" with respect terrorism. He noted that less than a week after Secretary Pompeo's stopover, Pakistan's Supreme Court had overruled restrictions imposed by the previous government on Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), a front for the terrorist Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and its charity arm Falahi Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), both of whom are connected to UN designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed. This was an indication that Pakistan's new government, backed by the country's military establishment and judiciary, did not intend to respect US or UN terrorism designations, Haqqani alleged. The former top Pakistani envoy argued that it was important for American diplomats to understand that the other side is unwilling to compromise, given that Pakistan and the US have disagreed over Afghanistan almost consistently since the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989. Haqqani said that it is "unlikely that Pakistan or the Afghan Taliban will change their calculus at a time when they believe that the US military is eager to leave Afghanistan." Haqqani believes that the way out for the US would be to "bypass Pakistan and directly negotiate with the Afghan Taliban".

Pakistan unlikely to change its behaviour over terrorism: Husain Haqqani

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-says-trump-kim-summit-more-likely-after-october-report-167820">Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Trump-Kim summit more likely after October: Report</a>

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday he was working to set up the next summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but any meeting will likely be after October.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/uidai-sees-victory-sc-judgement-says-private-usage-restricted-167800">Aadhaar verdict: UIDAI sees victory in Supreme Court judgement, says private usage restricted</a>

The UIDAI Wednesday termed the Supreme Court judgement, which upheld Aadhaar as a constitutionally valid scheme, as a victory.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/10-afghan-children-2-women-dead-air-strike-un-initial-report-167798">10 Afghan children, 2 women dead in air strike: UN initial report</a>

An air strike appears to have killed 12 members of an Afghan family, most of them children, the United Nations said, citing preliminary findings, as US and Afghan forces ramp up aerial bombardments against militants.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-labour-partys-corbyn-say-will-vote-against-pm-mays-brexit-deal-it-stands-167816">Labour will vote against PM May's Chequers Brexit plan, says Jeremy Corbyn</a>

British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Wednesday Labour would vote against a Brexit deal based on Theresa May's proposals, the strongest warning yet to a prime minister whose plan to leave the European Union is hanging by a thread.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-parliament-passes-pension-bill-key-second-reading-167808">Russian parliament passes pension bill in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-parliament-passes-pension-bill-key-second-reading-167808">key</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-parliament-passes-pension-bill-key-second-reading-167808"> second reading</a>

The Russian parliament's lower house, State Duma passed the controversial pension bill in key second reading on Wednesday.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Trump-Kim summit more likely after October: Report Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday he was working to set up the next summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but any meeting will likely be after October.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Trump-Kim summit more likely after October: Report Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday he was working to set up the next summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but any meeting will likely be after October. Aadhaar verdict: UIDAI sees victory in Supreme Court judgement, says private usage restricted The UIDAI Wednesday termed the Supreme Court judgement, which upheld Aadhaar as a constitutionally valid scheme, as a victory. 10 Afghan children, 2 women dead in air strike: UN initial report An air strike appears to have killed 12 members of an Afghan family, most of them children, the United Nations said, citing preliminary findings, as US and Afghan forces ramp up aerial bombardments against militants. Labour will vote against PM May's Chequers Brexit plan, says Jeremy Corbyn British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Wednesday Labour would vote against a Brexit deal based on Theresa May's proposals, the strongest warning yet to a prime minister whose plan to leave the European Union is hanging by a thread. Russian parliament passes pension bill in key second reading The Russian parliament's lower house, State Duma passed the controversial pension bill in key second reading on Wednesday.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The United States on Friday denounced China's treatment of its Uighur Muslims in unusually strong terms, adding to a growing list of disputes in increasingly turbulent relations between the two powers.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voiced alarm after a United Nations report described the mass internment of Uighurs under the pretext of preventing extremism in the western Xinjiang region where the minority group is concentrated. &nbsp;

"Hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of Uighurs are held against their will in so-called re-education camps where they're forced to endure severe political indoctrination and other awful abuses," Pompeo said in a speech on the state of religious freedom around the world.

"Their religious beliefs are decimated," Pompeo said.

In a letter to Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, both Republican and Democratic members of Congress late last month called for sanctions on Chinese officials implicated in the internment of Uighurs.

Pompeo did not say whether the United States would take punitive measures.

Even so, the remarks were striking for their tone, with President Donald Trump's administration putting human rights on the back seat in relations with allies such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

The Trump administration itself has faced criticism at home and abroad for its stance on Muslims, with the president as a candidate calling for a complete ban on Muslims entering the United States and, soon after taking office, barring entry to citizens of several Muslim-majority countries.

Pompeo also expressed concern about the fate of Christians in China, who he said had been targeted in a government crackdown.

The government, he said, has been "closing churches, burning Bibles and ordering followers to sign papers renouncing their faith." &nbsp;

- China defends treatment - 
In an interview earlier in the week, Pompeo had described China as a greater threat to the United States than Russia, saying that Beijing was a "non-transparent government."

"It treats our intellectual property horribly, it treats its religious minorities horribly," he told Fox News.

China has rejected the findings of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.&nbsp;

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said last month that the report was "based on so-called information that is yet to be verified and has no factual basis."

Hua added that China was doing what was needed to combat extremism and terrorism on its western frontier.

Uighurs have long complained of systematic discrimination in the region, which activists call East Turkestan, with tensions especially rife in areas that have seen large-scale migration from China's dominant Han ethnicity.

The Uyghur Human Rights Project, an advocacy group that uses an alternative spelling for the minority group's name, has estimated that an entire 10 percent of the population has been detained as part of an indoctrination campaign.

- Rising disputes - 
The fresh focus on human rights comes as trade disputes mount between the world's two largest economies.

The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting $200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting $60 billion worth of American products.

The two sides have already imposed tariffs on $50 billion in goods from each country.

Trump in his first year appeared to relish a chummy rapport with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he invited to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. But relations have wobbled as Trump takes an increasingly hard line to protect domestic industry.

Moving a step further, the United States said Thursday it was placing financial sanctions on the Equipment Development Department of China's defense ministry as well as its top administrator for violating sanctions on Russia by buying Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles.

Russia and China both lashed out at the move, with Beijing urging the United States to withdraw the sanctions or "bear the consequences."

The United States on Friday denounced China's treatment of its Uighur Muslims in unusually strong terms, adding to a growing list of disputes in increasingly turbulent relations between the two powers.

The United States on Friday denounced China's treatment of its Uighur Muslims in unusually strong terms, adding to a growing list of disputes in increasingly turbulent relations between the two powers. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voiced alarm after a United Nations report described the mass internment of Uighurs under the pretext of preventing extremism in the western Xinjiang region where the minority group is concentrated. "Hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of Uighurs are held against their will in so-called re-education camps where they're forced to endure severe political indoctrination and other awful abuses," Pompeo said in a speech on the state of religious freedom around the world. "Their religious beliefs are decimated," Pompeo said. In a letter to Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, both Republican and Democratic members of Congress late last month called for sanctions on Chinese officials implicated in the internment of Uighurs. Pompeo did not say whether the United States would take punitive measures. Even so, the remarks were striking for their tone, with President Donald Trump's administration putting human rights on the back seat in relations with allies such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration itself has faced criticism at home and abroad for its stance on Muslims, with the president as a candidate calling for a complete ban on Muslims entering the United States and, soon after taking office, barring entry to citizens of several Muslim-majority countries. Pompeo also expressed concern about the fate of Christians in China, who he said had been targeted in a government crackdown. The government, he said, has been "closing churches, burning Bibles and ordering followers to sign papers renouncing their faith." - China defends treatment - In an interview earlier in the week, Pompeo had described China as a greater threat to the United States than Russia, saying that Beijing was a "non-transparent government." "It treats our intellectual property horribly, it treats its religious minorities horribly," he told Fox News. China has rejected the findings of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said last month that the report was "based on so-called information that is yet to be verified and has no factual basis." Hua added that China was doing what was needed to combat extremism and terrorism on its western frontier. Uighurs have long complained of systematic discrimination in the region, which activists call East Turkestan, with tensions especially rife in areas that have seen large-scale migration from China's dominant Han ethnicity. The Uyghur Human Rights Project, an advocacy group that uses an alternative spelling for the minority group's name, has estimated that an entire 10 percent of the population has been detained as part of an indoctrination campaign. - Rising disputes - The fresh focus on human rights comes as trade disputes mount between the world's two largest economies. The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting $200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting $60 billion worth of American products. The two sides have already imposed tariffs on $50 billion in goods from each country. Trump in his first year appeared to relish a chummy rapport with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he invited to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. But relations have wobbled as Trump takes an increasingly hard line to protect domestic industry. Moving a step further, the United States said Thursday it was placing financial sanctions on the Equipment Development Department of China's defense ministry as well as its top administrator for violating sanctions on Russia by buying Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles. Russia and China both lashed out at the move, with Beijing urging the United States to withdraw the sanctions or "bear the consequences."

US criticizes treatment of Uighurs in latest China row

The US is not interested in regime change in Tehran, but wants it to change its behaviour and stop continuing with their terror threats to the world, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday as he described Iran as the world's "largest state sponsor of terror".

Earlier this year, the Trump administration had withdrawn from the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal and reimposed a series of tough sanctions on Iran.&nbsp;

While the first phase of sanctions is already in place, the sanctions would come into full force on November 4 and the US expects all countries, including India, to bring down their import of Iranian oil to zero by then.

"We have made very clear that regime change is not President (Donald) Trump's policy. We've laid out what it is we want from the Islamic Republic of Iran," Pompeo told MSNBC in an interview.

The demand from the US, he said, is pretty straightforward.&nbsp;

"For starters, stop launching missiles into Riyadh, arming Hizbollah, and threatening Israel. How about ceasing to be the world's largest state sponsor of terror. These are simple demands that we make of every country in the world, and that's what we are looking for from Iran as well," Pompeo said.

"When the Islamic regime makes that change, we'll be happy to have a conversation with them. President Trump's made that very clear. But there's no signs that they're backing off continuing their terror threats around the world," he said.

In another interview with CNN, Pompeo alleged that Iran has been confronting the world as the world's largest state sponsor of terror for quite some time.

"They have armed militias the Lebanese Hizbollah, Kata'ib Hizballah, and militias in Iraq. They are arming the Houthis in Yemen, launching missiles into the Gulf states. The US has begun to apply economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran to prevent them from doing this. That's our mission," he said.

The Trump administration, he said, has told the Islamic Republic of Iran that using a proxy force to attack an American interest will not prevent US from responding against the prime actor.&nbsp;

"That is, we will not let Iran get away with using a proxy force to attack an American interest. Iran will be held accountable for those incidents," he said.

Pompeo said that Iran is going to be held accountable for those acts. "If they're responsible for the arming and training of these militias, we're going to go to the source," he said.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to be the world's largest state sponsor of terror," Pompeo told Fox News in another interview.

"We are determined to stop that behaviour and to change the way the Iranian regime inflicts horrors all around the world," he said.&nbsp;

A good piece of that was President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which to him made no sense whatsoever, to begin to reimpose costs on Iran so that they don't have the wealth, the contacts around the world, and the capacity to inflict harm on the American people and others around the world.&nbsp;

"We're looking for our European partners to join us, but we have a big coalition that understands that these sanctions make sense and will continue to assist us in enforcing them," Pompeo told Fox News.

The US is not interested in regime change in Tehran, but wants it to change its behaviour and stop continuing with their terror threats to the world, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday as he described Iran as the world's "largest state sponsor of terror".

The US is not interested in regime change in Tehran, but wants it to change its behaviour and stop continuing with their terror threats to the world, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday as he described Iran as the world's "largest state sponsor of terror". Earlier this year, the Trump administration had withdrawn from the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal and reimposed a series of tough sanctions on Iran. While the first phase of sanctions is already in place, the sanctions would come into full force on November 4 and the US expects all countries, including India, to bring down their import of Iranian oil to zero by then. "We have made very clear that regime change is not President (Donald) Trump's policy. We've laid out what it is we want from the Islamic Republic of Iran," Pompeo told MSNBC in an interview. The demand from the US, he said, is pretty straightforward. "For starters, stop launching missiles into Riyadh, arming Hizbollah, and threatening Israel. How about ceasing to be the world's largest state sponsor of terror. These are simple demands that we make of every country in the world, and that's what we are looking for from Iran as well," Pompeo said. "When the Islamic regime makes that change, we'll be happy to have a conversation with them. President Trump's made that very clear. But there's no signs that they're backing off continuing their terror threats around the world," he said. In another interview with CNN, Pompeo alleged that Iran has been confronting the world as the world's largest state sponsor of terror for quite some time. "They have armed militias the Lebanese Hizbollah, Kata'ib Hizballah, and militias in Iraq. They are arming the Houthis in Yemen, launching missiles into the Gulf states. The US has begun to apply economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran to prevent them from doing this. That's our mission," he said. The Trump administration, he said, has told the Islamic Republic of Iran that using a proxy force to attack an American interest will not prevent US from responding against the prime actor. "That is, we will not let Iran get away with using a proxy force to attack an American interest. Iran will be held accountable for those incidents," he said. Pompeo said that Iran is going to be held accountable for those acts. "If they're responsible for the arming and training of these militias, we're going to go to the source," he said. "The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to be the world's largest state sponsor of terror," Pompeo told Fox News in another interview. "We are determined to stop that behaviour and to change the way the Iranian regime inflicts horrors all around the world," he said. A good piece of that was President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which to him made no sense whatsoever, to begin to reimpose costs on Iran so that they don't have the wealth, the contacts around the world, and the capacity to inflict harm on the American people and others around the world. "We're looking for our European partners to join us, but we have a big coalition that understands that these sanctions make sense and will continue to assist us in enforcing them," Pompeo told Fox News.

Not interested in regime change but want Iran to change its behaviour: Pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday he hoped for a second summit between Donald Trump and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un "before too long" to press ahead with efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons.

"I'm hopeful that I get a chance to travel again to Pyongyang to continue these negotiations before too long," Pompeo told the cable network MSNBC.

"And then before too long ... I hope the two leaders get together again to continue to make progress on this incredible important issue for the entire world."&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday he hoped for a second summit between Donald Trump and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un "before too long" to press ahead with efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday he hoped for a second summit between Donald Trump and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un "before too long" to press ahead with efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. "I'm hopeful that I get a chance to travel again to Pyongyang to continue these negotiations before too long," Pompeo told the cable network MSNBC. "And then before too long ... I hope the two leaders get together again to continue to make progress on this incredible important issue for the entire world."

Pompeo hopes for new Trump-Kim summit 'before too long'

North Korea's Kim Jong Un understands that denuclearisation must happen "quickly", US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday, warning there will be no sanctions relief for Pyongyang until the process is complete.

Pompeo said Washington remained committed to the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearisation of North Korea, after the joint statement from the US-North Korea summit in Singapore drew criticism for lack of detail on the key issue.

"We believe that Kim Jong Un understands the urgency... that we must do this quickly," he said of the effort to have North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons.

Washington's top diplomat is in Seoul to brief his South Korean and Japanese counterparts on Tuesday's historic talks -- the first between sitting leaders of the two countries -- after which a triumphant President Donald Trump said the world can "sleep well".

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/we-got-along-from-the-beginning-trump-says-of-kim-commentators-say-us-prez-got-outfoxed-144089">'We got along from the beginning,' Trump says of Kim. Commentators say Trump got outfoxed</a>

Following the summit, Trump said the US would halt its "provocative" joint military drills with South Korea as long as negotiations are ongoing with the North, an announcement that caught Seoul by surprise.

But the US-South Korea alliance remains "as robust as ever", Seoul's foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha said at a press conference with Pompeo and Japanese foreign minister Taro Kono.

Pompeo is scheduled to fly to Beijing to meet his Chinese counterpart after the meetings in Seoul.

The comment was made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who added that there would be no sanctions relief for Pyongyang until the process is complete

North Korea's Kim Jong Un understands that denuclearisation must happen "quickly", US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday, warning there will be no sanctions relief for Pyongyang until the process is complete. Pompeo said Washington remained committed to the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearisation of North Korea, after the joint statement from the US-North Korea summit in Singapore drew criticism for lack of detail on the key issue. "We believe that Kim Jong Un understands the urgency... that we must do this quickly," he said of the effort to have North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons. Washington's top diplomat is in Seoul to brief his South Korean and Japanese counterparts on Tuesday's historic talks -- the first between sitting leaders of the two countries -- after which a triumphant President Donald Trump said the world can "sleep well". Also read: 'We got along from the beginning,' Trump says of Kim. Commentators say Trump got outfoxed Following the summit, Trump said the US would halt its "provocative" joint military drills with South Korea as long as negotiations are ongoing with the North, an announcement that caught Seoul by surprise. But the US-South Korea alliance remains "as robust as ever", Seoul's foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha said at a press conference with Pompeo and Japanese foreign minister Taro Kono. Pompeo is scheduled to fly to Beijing to meet his Chinese counterpart after the meetings in Seoul.

Kim Jong-Un knows denuclearisation must be 'quick': US

China urged the United States on Thursday to make a "wise decision" on trade, saying it was ready to respond in case Washington chose confrontation, as US&nbspPresident Donald prepares to decide whether to activate tariffs on Chinese goods.

Trump is due to unveil revisions to his initial tariff list targeting $50 billion of Chinese goods on Friday. People familiar with the revisions said the list would be slightly smaller than the original, with some goods deleted and others added, particularly in the technology sector.

Another administration official said a draft document showed the new list would still be close to $50 billion, with about 1,300 product categories, but both the dollar amount and quantity of products were still subject to change.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing, with US&nbspSecretary of State Mike Pompeo at his side, the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said there were two choices when it came to the trade issue.

"The first choice is cooperation and mutual benefit. The other choice is confrontation and mutual loss. China chooses the first," Wang said. "We hope the US&nbspside can also make the same wise choice. Of course, we have also made preparations to respond to the second kind of choice."

The move toward activating US&nbsptariffs on Chinese goods follows negotiations between US&nbspand Chinese officials centred on increased purchases by Beijing of American farm and energy commodities and cutting the US&nbsptrade deficit with China.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross this month met Chinese officials in Beijing and brought back a Chinese proposal to buy around $70 billion worth of additional commodities and manufactured goods. But that offer has not been accepted by Trump, people familiar with the matter said.

Wang said a basic consensus reached by the two countries during the recent talks was a pact to use "constructive means" to handle disagreements.

"We hope the US&nbspside can meet China halfway and earnestly implement this important consensus, and promote the appropriate resolution of the relevant issue through a win-win and not lose-lose manner," he said.

"In this process, we hope the US&nbspside does not unilaterally take any non-constructive actions, and does not create new obstacles for the next phase of consultations."&nbsp

Pompeo said the US&nbspdeficit with China was still too high, but that they had had good talks.

"I stressed how important it is for President Trump to rectify that situation so that trade becomes more balanced, more reciprocal and more fair, with the opportunity to have American workers be treated fairly. We had good and constructive discussions."

Pompeo struck a warm tone with Chinese President Xi Jinping, at a meeting later in the evening, including wishing him a happy birthday for Friday - eliciting a chuckle and a "thank you" from Xi.

"President Trump asked me to send his regards. I have watched your interactions. He truly values the relationship personally between the two of you and the relationship between our two countries," Pompeo said.

&nbsp

MOVE COULD COME FRIDAY

It remains unclear when Trump would activate the tariffs, if he decides to do so. Several industry lobbyists told Reuters they expected the move to come as early as Friday, with publication of a Federal Register notice, or it could be put off until next week.

If Washington adopts tariffs, Beijing is expected to hit back with its own duties on US&nbspimports, including soybeans, cars, chemicals and planes, according to a list it released in early April.

Under the 1974 trade law that Trump invoked to pursue a tariff investigation into China's intellectual property practices, he could delay the activation by 30 days. He can also delay the tariffs by another 180 days if the US&nbspTrade Representative's office finds negotiations with China are yielding progress.

"The president's trade team has recommended tariffs. If there are not tariffs, it will be because the president has decided that he's not ready to implement tariffs," a person familiar with the administration's deliberations told Reuters.

But that recommendation came prior to Trump's trip late last week to Canada for the G7 leaders' summit and to Singapore for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to defuse a nuclear standoff on the Korean peninsula.

Trump returned to Washington early on Wednesday morning. In an interview aired on Wednesday, Trump told Fox News that he was "very strongly clamping down on trade" with China.

Asked how strong, Trump said: "Well, I think very strongly. I mean you'll see over the next couple of weeks. They understand what we are doing."

Trump did not specifically mention the tariffs and added that he had "a very good relationship with President Xi (Jinping) of China".

The administration's trade hawks, including U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and White House trade and manufacturing adviser Peter Navarro, have advocated a tougher approach to address U.S. allegations that China has misappropriated American intellectual property through joint venture requirements, state-backed acquisitions of U.S. technology firms and outright theft.

Amid the rising trade tension, China's Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said Chinese exporters have been front-loading their shipments due to changes in the international trade environment.

Trump is due to unveil revisions to his initial tariff list targeting $50 billion of Chinese goods on Friday.

China urged the United States on Thursday to make a "wise decision" on trade, saying it was ready to respond in case Washington chose confrontation, as US&nbspPresident Donald prepares to decide whether to activate tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump is due to unveil revisions to his initial tariff list targeting $50 billion of Chinese goods on Friday. People familiar with the revisions said the list would be slightly smaller than the original, with some goods deleted and others added, particularly in the technology sector. Another administration official said a draft document showed the new list would still be close to $50 billion, with about 1,300 product categories, but both the dollar amount and quantity of products were still subject to change. Speaking to reporters in Beijing, with US&nbspSecretary of State Mike Pompeo at his side, the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said there were two choices when it came to the trade issue. "The first choice is cooperation and mutual benefit. The other choice is confrontation and mutual loss. China chooses the first," Wang said. "We hope the US&nbspside can also make the same wise choice. Of course, we have also made preparations to respond to the second kind of choice." The move toward activating US&nbsptariffs on Chinese goods follows negotiations between US&nbspand Chinese officials centred on increased purchases by Beijing of American farm and energy commodities and cutting the US&nbsptrade deficit with China. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross this month met Chinese officials in Beijing and brought back a Chinese proposal to buy around $70 billion worth of additional commodities and manufactured goods. But that offer has not been accepted by Trump, people familiar with the matter said. Wang said a basic consensus reached by the two countries during the recent talks was a pact to use "constructive means" to handle disagreements. "We hope the US&nbspside can meet China halfway and earnestly implement this important consensus, and promote the appropriate resolution of the relevant issue through a win-win and not lose-lose manner," he said. "In this process, we hope the US&nbspside does not unilaterally take any non-constructive actions, and does not create new obstacles for the next phase of consultations." Pompeo said the US&nbspdeficit with China was still too high, but that they had had good talks. "I stressed how important it is for President Trump to rectify that situation so that trade becomes more balanced, more reciprocal and more fair, with the opportunity to have American workers be treated fairly. We had good and constructive discussions." Pompeo struck a warm tone with Chinese President Xi Jinping, at a meeting later in the evening, including wishing him a happy birthday for Friday - eliciting a chuckle and a "thank you" from Xi. "President Trump asked me to send his regards. I have watched your interactions. He truly values the relationship personally between the two of you and the relationship between our two countries," Pompeo said. MOVE COULD COME FRIDAY It remains unclear when Trump would activate the tariffs, if he decides to do so. Several industry lobbyists told Reuters they expected the move to come as early as Friday, with publication of a Federal Register notice, or it could be put off until next week. If Washington adopts tariffs, Beijing is expected to hit back with its own duties on US&nbspimports, including soybeans, cars, chemicals and planes, according to a list it released in early April. Under the 1974 trade law that Trump invoked to pursue a tariff investigation into China's intellectual property practices, he could delay the activation by 30 days. He can also delay the tariffs by another 180 days if the US&nbspTrade Representative's office finds negotiations with China are yielding progress. "The president's trade team has recommended tariffs. If there are not tariffs, it will be because the president has decided that he's not ready to implement tariffs," a person familiar with the administration's deliberations told Reuters. But that recommendation came prior to Trump's trip late last week to Canada for the G7 leaders' summit and to Singapore for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to defuse a nuclear standoff on the Korean peninsula. Trump returned to Washington early on Wednesday morning. In an interview aired on Wednesday, Trump told Fox News that he was "very strongly clamping down on trade" with China. Asked how strong, Trump said: "Well, I think very strongly. I mean you'll see over the next couple of weeks. They understand what we are doing." Trump did not specifically mention the tariffs and added that he had "a very good relationship with President Xi (Jinping) of China". The administration's trade hawks, including U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and White House trade and manufacturing adviser Peter Navarro, have advocated a tougher approach to address U.S. allegations that China has misappropriated American intellectual property through joint venture requirements, state-backed acquisitions of U.S. technology firms and outright theft. Amid the rising trade tension, China's Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said Chinese exporters have been front-loading their shipments due to changes in the international trade environment.

China urges US to make 'wise choice' ahead of tariffs decision

Tough sanctions will remain on North Korea until its complete denuclearisation, the US Secretary of State&nbsp;Mike&nbsp;Pompeo said on Thursday, apparently contradicting the North's view that the process agreed at this week's summit would be phased and reciprocal.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un issued a joint statement after their Singapore meeting that reaffirmed the North's commitment to "work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula", while Trump "committed to provide security guarantees".

Trump later told a news conference he would end joint US-South Korean military exercises.

"President Trump has been incredibly clear about the sequencing of denuclearisation and relief from the sanctions," Secretary of State Pompeo&nbsp;told reporters after meeting South Korea's president and Japan's foreign minister in Seoul.

"We are going to get complete denuclearisation only then will there be relief from the sanctions," he said.

North Korean state media reported on Wednesday Kim and Trump had recognised the principle of "step-by-step and simultaneous action" to achieve peace and denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula.

The summit statement provided no details on when North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons programme or how the dismantling might be verified.

Sceptics of how much the meeting achieved pointed to the North Korean leadership's long-held view that nuclear weapons are a bulwark against what it fears are US&nbsp;plans to overthrow it and unite the Korean peninsula.

However, South Korean President Moon Jae-In said the world, through the summit, had escaped the threat of war, echoing Trump's upbeat assessment of his meeting with Kim.

"What's most important was that the people of the world, including those in the United States, Japan and Koreans, have all been able to escape the threat of war, nuclear weapons and missiles," Moon told&nbsp;Pompeo.

Pompeo&nbsp;insisted North Korea was committed to giving up its nuclear arsenal but said it would "be a process, not an easy one".

Kim understood getting rid of his nuclear arsenal needed to be done quickly and there would only be relief from stringent UN&nbsp;sanctions on North Korea after its "complete denuclearisation",Pompeo&nbsp;said.

Moon later said South Korea would be flexible when it comes to military pressure on North Korea if it is sincere about denuclearisation.

Also on Thursday, North and South Korea held their first military talks in more than a decade. The talks followed on from an inter-Korean summit in April at which Moon and Kim agreed to defuse tension and cease "hostile acts".

Speaking later in the day in Beijing,&nbsp;Pompeo&nbsp;thanked China for its efforts to ensure the Trump-Kim summit happened, but also struck a note of caution.

"I wanted to thank you for the kind words you had for President Trump and work he did to put us in this place where we now believe we have a path forward which can truly, for the first time in so many years, create peace on the peninsula,"&nbsp;Pompeo&nbsp;told the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi.

"And there is still a lot of work to do. There are still risks that we won't achieve that."

Wang said the meeting brought the Korean peninsula nuclear issue back to the correct track of resolving it peacefully.

"It accords with the all parties' joint interests, including those of the United States and North Korea," he said.

&nbsp;

'EVERYBODY MUCH SAFER'

The United States has long insisted on complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation by North Korea.

But the summit statement reference to North Korea committing to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the peninsula has used been by North Korea in the past to include a US&nbsp;nuclear umbrella in the region, and echoes promises it has failed to keep.

Trump returned to the United States on Wednesday and took to Twitter to hail the meeting, the first between a sitting US&nbsp;president and a North Korean leader, as a major win for American security.

"Everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office," Trump tweeted. "There is no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea."

Democratic critics in the United States said the agreement was short on detail and the Republican president had made too many concessions to Kim, whose country is under U.N. sanctions for its nuclear and weapons programmes and is widely condemned for human rights abuses.

Pompeo&nbsp;said Trump's comments about the reduced threat from North Korea were made "with eyes wide open".

"It could be the case that our effort won’t ... work but we are determined to set the conditions so that we can right this failure of decades and reset the conditions for North Korea's participation in the community of nations,"&nbsp;Pompeo&nbsp;said after a trilateral meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

MAINTAIN READINESS

Japan has reacted to Trump's plan to cancel military exercises with South Korea with concern, saying the drills are vital for East Asian security.

Two North Korean missiles flew over Japan last year as North Korea made rapid advances in developing a missile capable of striking the US&nbsp;mainland with a nuclear warhead.

Tokyo is working on arranging a meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kim, with one possibility being an Abe visit to Pyongyang around August, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.

A Japanese government source familiar with the matter told Reuters officials aimed to discuss a summit with North Korean officials at a regional security conference in Mongolia on Thursday and Friday.

Kang said South Korea and the United States shared the same goals and approach to achieving denuclearisation.

"The issue of South Korea-US&nbsp;joint exercises is one that should be discussed," Kang said. "But the issues of the alliance should be dealt with under the premise we maintain a joint ironclad defence posture."

The U.S. intelligence assessment of the nuclear and other military threat posed by North Korea to US and allied forces remained unchanged despite Trump's and Moon's assertions about the North Korean nuclear threat being over, a senior US&nbsp;official responsible for studying the North Korean military said.

US&nbsp;officials said it was unclear what types of training involving US&nbsp;and South Korean troops might cross into Trump's now forbidden zone of "war games". But big, joint US-South Korean exercises appeared off-limits under the new guidance.

"Make no mistake, we are going to maintain the readiness of our forces in South Korea," said one US&nbsp;official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official acknowledged, however, it was still not certain how that was going to happen.

The United States maintains about 28,500 soldiers in South Korea, which remains in a technical state of war with the North after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.

Trump later told a news conference he would end joint US-South Korean military exercises

Tough sanctions will remain on North Korea until its complete denuclearisation, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday, apparently contradicting the North's view that the process agreed at this week's summit would be phased and reciprocal. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un issued a joint statement after their Singapore meeting that reaffirmed the North's commitment to "work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula", while Trump "committed to provide security guarantees". Trump later told a news conference he would end joint US-South Korean military exercises. "President Trump has been incredibly clear about the sequencing of denuclearisation and relief from the sanctions," Secretary of State Pompeo told reporters after meeting South Korea's president and Japan's foreign minister in Seoul. "We are going to get complete denuclearisation only then will there be relief from the sanctions," he said. North Korean state media reported on Wednesday Kim and Trump had recognised the principle of "step-by-step and simultaneous action" to achieve peace and denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula. The summit statement provided no details on when North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons programme or how the dismantling might be verified. Sceptics of how much the meeting achieved pointed to the North Korean leadership's long-held view that nuclear weapons are a bulwark against what it fears are US plans to overthrow it and unite the Korean peninsula. However, South Korean President Moon Jae-In said the world, through the summit, had escaped the threat of war, echoing Trump's upbeat assessment of his meeting with Kim. "What's most important was that the people of the world, including those in the United States, Japan and Koreans, have all been able to escape the threat of war, nuclear weapons and missiles," Moon told Pompeo. Pompeo insisted North Korea was committed to giving up its nuclear arsenal but said it would "be a process, not an easy one". Kim understood getting rid of his nuclear arsenal needed to be done quickly and there would only be relief from stringent UN sanctions on North Korea after its "complete denuclearisation",Pompeo said. Moon later said South Korea would be flexible when it comes to military pressure on North Korea if it is sincere about denuclearisation. Also on Thursday, North and South Korea held their first military talks in more than a decade. The talks followed on from an inter-Korean summit in April at which Moon and Kim agreed to defuse tension and cease "hostile acts". Speaking later in the day in Beijing, Pompeo thanked China for its efforts to ensure the Trump-Kim summit happened, but also struck a note of caution. "I wanted to thank you for the kind words you had for President Trump and work he did to put us in this place where we now believe we have a path forward which can truly, for the first time in so many years, create peace on the peninsula," Pompeo told the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi. "And there is still a lot of work to do. There are still risks that we won't achieve that." Wang said the meeting brought the Korean peninsula nuclear issue back to the correct track of resolving it peacefully. "It accords with the all parties' joint interests, including those of the United States and North Korea," he said. 'EVERYBODY MUCH SAFER' The United States has long insisted on complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation by North Korea. But the summit statement reference to North Korea committing to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the peninsula has used been by North Korea in the past to include a US nuclear umbrella in the region, and echoes promises it has failed to keep. Trump returned to the United States on Wednesday and took to Twitter to hail the meeting, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader, as a major win for American security. "Everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office," Trump tweeted. "There is no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea." Democratic critics in the United States said the agreement was short on detail and the Republican president had made too many concessions to Kim, whose country is under U.N. sanctions for its nuclear and weapons programmes and is widely condemned for human rights abuses. Pompeo said Trump's comments about the reduced threat from North Korea were made "with eyes wide open". "It could be the case that our effort won’t ... work but we are determined to set the conditions so that we can right this failure of decades and reset the conditions for North Korea's participation in the community of nations," Pompeo said after a trilateral meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono. MAINTAIN READINESS Japan has reacted to Trump's plan to cancel military exercises with South Korea with concern, saying the drills are vital for East Asian security. Two North Korean missiles flew over Japan last year as North Korea made rapid advances in developing a missile capable of striking the US mainland with a nuclear warhead. Tokyo is working on arranging a meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kim, with one possibility being an Abe visit to Pyongyang around August, the Yomiuri newspaper reported. A Japanese government source familiar with the matter told Reuters officials aimed to discuss a summit with North Korean officials at a regional security conference in Mongolia on Thursday and Friday. Kang said South Korea and the United States shared the same goals and approach to achieving denuclearisation. "The issue of South Korea-US joint exercises is one that should be discussed," Kang said. "But the issues of the alliance should be dealt with under the premise we maintain a joint ironclad defence posture." The U.S. intelligence assessment of the nuclear and other military threat posed by North Korea to US and allied forces remained unchanged despite Trump's and Moon's assertions about the North Korean nuclear threat being over, a senior US official responsible for studying the North Korean military said. US officials said it was unclear what types of training involving US and South Korean troops might cross into Trump's now forbidden zone of "war games". But big, joint US-South Korean exercises appeared off-limits under the new guidance. "Make no mistake, we are going to maintain the readiness of our forces in South Korea," said one US official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official acknowledged, however, it was still not certain how that was going to happen. The United States maintains about 28,500 soldiers in South Korea, which remains in a technical state of war with the North after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.

Mike Pompeo says North Korea sanctions to remain until complete denuclearisation

A day after <a href="http://wionews.com/world/north-korea-no-longer-a-nuclear-threat-says-trump-144139">President Trump and Kim Jong-un</a> concluded their talks, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on a visit to South Korea said US hopes for major nuclear disarmament by North Korea by 2020.

Speaking to reporters, Pompeo said he hoped for major disarmament in &nbsp;2-1/2 years, adding that "there will be in-depth verification."

North Korean leader <a href="http://wionews.com/world/north-korea-highlights-trump-concessions-on-war-games-after-summit-144140">Kim Jong-un had concluded an agreement </a>with President Trump on Tuesday during the Singapore summit promising to ensure denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, however, the fine print of the agreement wasn't clear leading several experts to doubt the timeline of the nuclear disarmament process.

"Not all of that work appeared in the final document. But lots of other places where there were understandings reached, we couldn't reduce them to writing, so that means there’s still some work to do," Pompeo said as he sought to clear doubts about the deal reached in Singapore between Trump and Kim.

"There was a great deal of work done that is beyond what was seen in the final document that will be the place that we will begin when we return to our conversations," the US secretary of state added.

Pompeo said he would stay engaged with the North Korean officials to continue the process started in Singapore on Tuesday, the US secretary said: &nbsp;"I don’t know exactly what the timing will be for our next conversation with the North Koreans. I would anticipate it will be fairly quickly."

President Trump had declared yesterday that the US and South Korea would no longer be conducting war games along the Korean Peninsula. Pompeo who arrived in South Korea on Wednesday will hold a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday and then hold a trilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono.

Although US troops are still stationed in South Korea due to a state of war existing between the two Koreas, but Kim during his meeting with Trump in Singapore had resolved to officially bring the 1950 Korean war to an end.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="autoplay encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4chqq6gpjmk" width="560"></iframe>

President Trump had declared yesterday that the US and South Korea would no longer be conducting war games along the Korean Peninsula.

A day after President Trump and Kim Jong-un concluded their talks, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on a visit to South Korea said US hopes for major nuclear disarmament by North Korea by 2020. Speaking to reporters, Pompeo said he hoped for major disarmament in 2-1/2 years, adding that "there will be in-depth verification." North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had concluded an agreement with President Trump on Tuesday during the Singapore summit promising to ensure denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, however, the fine print of the agreement wasn't clear leading several experts to doubt the timeline of the nuclear disarmament process. "Not all of that work appeared in the final document. But lots of other places where there were understandings reached, we couldn't reduce them to writing, so that means there’s still some work to do," Pompeo said as he sought to clear doubts about the deal reached in Singapore between Trump and Kim. "There was a great deal of work done that is beyond what was seen in the final document that will be the place that we will begin when we return to our conversations," the US secretary of state added. Pompeo said he would stay engaged with the North Korean officials to continue the process started in Singapore on Tuesday, the US secretary said: "I don’t know exactly what the timing will be for our next conversation with the North Koreans. I would anticipate it will be fairly quickly." President Trump had declared yesterday that the US and South Korea would no longer be conducting war games along the Korean Peninsula. Pompeo who arrived in South Korea on Wednesday will hold a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday and then hold a trilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono. Although US troops are still stationed in South Korea due to a state of war existing between the two Koreas, but Kim during his meeting with Trump in Singapore had resolved to officially bring the 1950 Korean war to an end.

US hopes for major nuclear disarmament by North Korea: US secretary of state Pompeo

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-has-become-slave-to-some-bjp-leaders-and-rss-says-rahul-gandhi--143700">India has become </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-has-become-slave-to-some-bjp-leaders-and-rss-says-rahul-gandhi--143700">slave</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-has-become-slave-to-some-bjp-leaders-and-rss-says-rahul-gandhi--143700"> to some BJP leaders and RSS, says Rahul Gandhi</a>

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that India has become a slave of 2-3 leaders of the ruling party and the RSS.&nbsp

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/former-pm-atal-bihari-vajpayees-health-is-stable-aiims-143693">Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health is stable:AIIMS</a>

All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Monday informed that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition is stable.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-12-killed-31-wounded-in-kabul-suicide-bombing--143688">Afghanistan: 12 killed, 31 wounded in Kabul suicide bombing</a>

A suicide bomber killed 12 people and wounded another 31 on Monday at the entrance to Afghanistan's rural rehabilitation and development ministry in the west of the capital, Afghan health officials confirmed.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/italy-shuts-ports-to-migrant-boat-asks-malta-to-open-its-doors-143680">Italy shuts ports to </a><a class="gr-progress" href="http://www.wionews.com/world/italy-shuts-ports-to-migrant-boat-asks-malta-to-open-its-doors-143680">migrant</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/italy-shuts-ports-to-migrant-boat-asks-malta-to-open-its-doors-143680"> boat, asks Malta to open its doors</a>

Italy will refuse to let a humanitarian ship carrying more than 600 migrants dock at its ports and has asked the Mediterranean island of Malta to open its doors to the vessel, government officials said on Sunday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mike-pompeo-says-north-korea-will-get-unique-security-guarantees-after-denuclearisation-143692">Mike Pompeo says North Korea will get 'unique' security guarantees after denuclearisation</a>

On the eve of the historic summit between the United States president Donald Trump and North Korea leader, Kim Jong-un secretary of state, Mike Pompeo said that the United States is willing to offer 'unique' security guarantee to North Korea after de-nuclearisation

&nbsp

India has become slave to some BJP leaders and RSS, says Rahul Gandhi Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that India has become a slave of 2-3 leaders of the ruling party and the RSS. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health is stable:AIIMS All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Monday informed that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition is stable. Afghanistan: 12 killed, 31 wounded in Kabul suicide bombing A suicide bomber killed 12 people and wounded another 31 on Monday at the entrance to Afghanistan's rural rehabilitation and development ministry in the west of the capital, Afghan health officials confirmed. Italy shuts ports to migrant boat, asks Malta to open its doors Italy will refuse to let a humanitarian ship carrying more than 600 migrants dock at its ports and has asked the Mediterranean island of Malta to open its doors to the vessel, government officials said on Sunday. Mike Pompeo says North Korea will get 'unique' security guarantees after denuclearisation On the eve of the historic summit between the United States president Donald Trump and North Korea leader, Kim Jong-un secretary of state, Mike Pompeo said that the United States is willing to offer 'unique' security guarantee to North Korea after de-nuclearisation

News brief: Read big stories of the day

On the eve of the historic summit between the United States president Donald Trump and North Korea leader, Kim Jong-un secretary of state, Mike Pompeo said that the United States is willing to offer 'unique' security guarantee to North Korea after de-nuclearisation.

He further said that North Korea has unprecedented opportunity to change the trajectory of its relationship with the United States.

News agency AFP reported, Mike Pompeo saying that "We will take actions to provide them sufficient certainty that they can be comfortable that denuclearisation is not something that ends badly for them, Just the opposite. That it leads to a brighter and better future for the North Korean people."

Meanwhile, the US and North Korean officials were in talks in Singapore in a late bid to narrow differences before their leaders hold an unprecedented summit meeting aimed at finding ways to end a nuclear stand-off on the Korean peninsula.

Borth leaders, Trump and Kim Jong-un arrived in Singapore on Sunday. This will be the first time leaders of the two countries will come face-to-face since the Korea war.

The complete denuclearisation is the key agenda of the summit which Kim Jong-un promised after the inter Korea-summit.

&nbsp

 
&nbsp

He further said that North Korea has unprecedented opportunity to change the trajectory of its relationship with the United States

On the eve of the historic summit between the United States president Donald Trump and North Korea leader, Kim Jong-un secretary of state, Mike Pompeo said that the United States is willing to offer 'unique' security guarantee to North Korea after de-nuclearisation. He further said that North Korea has unprecedented opportunity to change the trajectory of its relationship with the United States. News agency AFP reported, Mike Pompeo saying that "We will take actions to provide them sufficient certainty that they can be comfortable that denuclearisation is not something that ends badly for them, Just the opposite. That it leads to a brighter and better future for the North Korean people." Meanwhile, the US and North Korean officials were in talks in Singapore in a late bid to narrow differences before their leaders hold an unprecedented summit meeting aimed at finding ways to end a nuclear stand-off on the Korean peninsula. Borth leaders, Trump and Kim Jong-un arrived in Singapore on Sunday. This will be the first time leaders of the two countries will come face-to-face since the Korea war. The complete denuclearisation is the key agenda of the summit which Kim Jong-un promised after the inter Korea-summit.

Mike Pompeo says North Korea will get 'unique' security guarantees after denuclearisation

North Korea has confirmed to the US its willingness to denuclearise, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said today, asserting that President Donald Trump will not stand by a "bad deal" in his summit with Kim Jong-un in Singapore next week.

Any deal reached as a result of the meeting between Trump and the North Korean leader Kim would be brought before the Congress for its stamp of approval so that it cannot be reversed by any future administration, said Pompeo, who is spearheading the American efforts for talks with Pyongyang.

"The United States and North Korea have been holding direct talks in preparation for a summit, and North Korea has confirmed to us its willingness to denuclearise," he told reporters at a White House news conference.

Noting that a comprehensive whole-of-government effort in support of Trump's upcoming summit was underway, Pompeo said a White House and State Department-led advance teams were finalising logistical preparations and will remain in place in Singapore until the summit begins.

Trump continues to follow every development closely and is getting daily briefings from his national security team, he said.

The fact that the two leaders are coming to the table shows that they are very serious, Pompeo said, noting that the diplomatic model that they have used to date is different from past efforts.

The efforts gives them hope that they can find real success where past efforts have fallen short, he added.

Pompeo said Trump was hopeful, but he is also going into the summit with his eyes wide open. "We've seen how many inadequate agreements have been struck in the past. You can be sure that President Trump will not stand for a bad deal," he said.?&nbsp;

"The US has been clear, time and time again, that complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is the only outcome that we will find acceptable," Pompeo said.

Trump, he said, recognises that North Korea has great potential, and he looks forward to a day when sanctions on it can begin to be removed.

However, that cannot happen until the Pyongyang completely and verifiably eliminates its weapons of mass destruction programs, he reiterated.

Pompeo said Trump and Kim will certainly also discuss security assurances for North Korea, establishing a peace regime and improving relations between the two countries.&nbsp;

"Until we achieve our goals, the measures that the world, alongside the US, has put on the regime will remain. In the event diplomacy does not move in the right direction, these measures will increase. Throughout the entire process, the United States has been unified with Japan and South Korea in response to the threats from North Korea," he said.

Trump has been, and continues to be, committed to ridding the US and the world of threats posed by North Korea's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes, he said.&nbsp;

"These programmes threaten our homeland, our allies and partners, and the broader non-proliferation regime. North Korea's past activities also make clear that it is proliferation to other actors that creates a risk, in addition to the primary risks. It has supporting infrastructure that is also of concern," he said.

Pompeo, who has met Kim twice in the recent past, said the North Korean leader was very capable of articulating the things that he was prepared to do, presents clearly the challenges that they all have to overcome.?&nbsp;

"It's why the two leaders are meeting. It's the opportunity to lay those out clearly between the two leaders so that we can see if we can find a path forward together that achieves the outcomes that both countries want," he said.

"He (Kim) has indicated to me, personally, that he is prepared to denuclearise that he understands that the current model doesn't work, that he's prepared to denuclearise.&nbsp;He understands that we can't do it the way we've done it before -- that this has to be big and bold, and we have to agree to making major changes," he said.

"We can't step through this over years, but rather need to acknowledge it will take some amount of time, that this doesn't happen instantaneously. But that the model for succeeding -- security assurance and political normalization and denuclearisation completely, verifiably, and irreversibly -- for that to take place, we've got to make bold decisions," Pompeo said.

Leading the American efforts in negotiating with the North Koreans, he said the US is making progress, inch by inch.&nbsp;

"We are going to travel there," the US Secretary of State said.

Asserting that the approach that Trump was taking is fundamentally different, the top American diplomat said in the past, there have been months and months of detailed negotiations, and it "got nowhere".&nbsp;"This has already driven us to a place we've not been able to achieve before," he said.&nbsp;

Pompeo said the Trump administration is hoping to submit a document that Congress would give currency and strength and elongation to the process so that when administrations do change, as they inevitably do, Chairman Kim will have comfort that American policy will continue down the same path.&nbsp;

The United States and North Korea have been holding direct talks in preparation for a summit, and North Korea has confirmed to us its willingness to denuclearise

North Korea has confirmed to the US its willingness to denuclearise, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said today, asserting that President Donald Trump will not stand by a "bad deal" in his summit with Kim Jong-un in Singapore next week. Any deal reached as a result of the meeting between Trump and the North Korean leader Kim would be brought before the Congress for its stamp of approval so that it cannot be reversed by any future administration, said Pompeo, who is spearheading the American efforts for talks with Pyongyang. "The United States and North Korea have been holding direct talks in preparation for a summit, and North Korea has confirmed to us its willingness to denuclearise," he told reporters at a White House news conference. Noting that a comprehensive whole-of-government effort in support of Trump's upcoming summit was underway, Pompeo said a White House and State Department-led advance teams were finalising logistical preparations and will remain in place in Singapore until the summit begins. Trump continues to follow every development closely and is getting daily briefings from his national security team, he said. The fact that the two leaders are coming to the table shows that they are very serious, Pompeo said, noting that the diplomatic model that they have used to date is different from past efforts. The efforts gives them hope that they can find real success where past efforts have fallen short, he added. Pompeo said Trump was hopeful, but he is also going into the summit with his eyes wide open. "We've seen how many inadequate agreements have been struck in the past. You can be sure that President Trump will not stand for a bad deal," he said.? "The US has been clear, time and time again, that complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is the only outcome that we will find acceptable," Pompeo said. Trump, he said, recognises that North Korea has great potential, and he looks forward to a day when sanctions on it can begin to be removed. However, that cannot happen until the Pyongyang completely and verifiably eliminates its weapons of mass destruction programs, he reiterated. Pompeo said Trump and Kim will certainly also discuss security assurances for North Korea, establishing a peace regime and improving relations between the two countries. "Until we achieve our goals, the measures that the world, alongside the US, has put on the regime will remain. In the event diplomacy does not move in the right direction, these measures will increase. Throughout the entire process, the United States has been unified with Japan and South Korea in response to the threats from North Korea," he said. Trump has been, and continues to be, committed to ridding the US and the world of threats posed by North Korea's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes, he said. "These programmes threaten our homeland, our allies and partners, and the broader non-proliferation regime. North Korea's past activities also make clear that it is proliferation to other actors that creates a risk, in addition to the primary risks. It has supporting infrastructure that is also of concern," he said. Pompeo, who has met Kim twice in the recent past, said the North Korean leader was very capable of articulating the things that he was prepared to do, presents clearly the challenges that they all have to overcome.? "It's why the two leaders are meeting. It's the opportunity to lay those out clearly between the two leaders so that we can see if we can find a path forward together that achieves the outcomes that both countries want," he said. "He (Kim) has indicated to me, personally, that he is prepared to denuclearise that he understands that the current model doesn't work, that he's prepared to denuclearise. He understands that we can't do it the way we've done it before -- that this has to be big and bold, and we have to agree to making major changes," he said. "We can't step through this over years, but rather need to acknowledge it will take some amount of time, that this doesn't happen instantaneously. But that the model for succeeding -- security assurance and political normalization and denuclearisation completely, verifiably, and irreversibly -- for that to take place, we've got to make bold decisions," Pompeo said. Leading the American efforts in negotiating with the North Koreans, he said the US is making progress, inch by inch. "We are going to travel there," the US Secretary of State said. Asserting that the approach that Trump was taking is fundamentally different, the top American diplomat said in the past, there have been months and months of detailed negotiations, and it "got nowhere". "This has already driven us to a place we've not been able to achieve before," he said. Pompeo said the Trump administration is hoping to submit a document that Congress would give currency and strength and elongation to the process so that when administrations do change, as they inevitably do, Chairman Kim will have comfort that American policy will continue down the same path.

North Korea has confirmed to US willingness to denuclearise: Pompeo

&nbsp;Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has sought unconditional compensation from the fellow signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) after the US pulled out of the Iran deal.

Taking to Twitter, Zarif said that the United States has violated international law by abandoning the agreement and Tehran expects unconditional compensation from other parties of JCPOA if Washington re-imposes nuclear-based sanctions on Iran.

"My letter to fellow foreign ministers on steps to take to address US` unlawful withdrawal from JCPOA.&nbsp; Its ever-expanding economic bullying requires action to save not just the accord, but multilateralism and the rule of law," Zarif tweeted.

If JCPOA is to survive, the remaining JCPOA participants and other economic partners need to ensure that Iran is compensated unconditionally through appropriate national, regional and global measures," Sputnik quoted Zarif as saying.

The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, earlier in a tweet, accused Germany, France and the United Kingdom for staying silent when the United States violated the 2015 agreement.

Zarif also condemned the US secretary of State Mike Pompeo as he threatened to impose the "strongest sanctions in the history" of Iran, last month.

On&nbsp;May 8, US President Donald Trump announced the Washington withdrawal from the JCPOA which limited the country's uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief.

Calling the accord as an "embarrassment" that was "defective at its core", he also warned of severe consequences if Iran resumes its nuclear programme.

The Iran nuclear deal was signed between six countries in 2015 - Iran, US, Britain, Germany, Russia, France and China for lifting economic sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limitations to the country's nuclear programme.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has sought unconditional compensation from the fellow signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) after the US pulled out of the Iran deal

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has sought unconditional compensation from the fellow signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) after the US pulled out of the Iran deal. Taking to Twitter, Zarif said that the United States has violated international law by abandoning the agreement and Tehran expects unconditional compensation from other parties of JCPOA if Washington re-imposes nuclear-based sanctions on Iran. "My letter to fellow foreign ministers on steps to take to address US` unlawful withdrawal from JCPOA. Its ever-expanding economic bullying requires action to save not just the accord, but multilateralism and the rule of law," Zarif tweeted. If JCPOA is to survive, the remaining JCPOA participants and other economic partners need to ensure that Iran is compensated unconditionally through appropriate national, regional and global measures," Sputnik quoted Zarif as saying. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, earlier in a tweet, accused Germany, France and the United Kingdom for staying silent when the United States violated the 2015 agreement. Zarif also condemned the US secretary of State Mike Pompeo as he threatened to impose the "strongest sanctions in the history" of Iran, last month. On May 8, US President Donald Trump announced the Washington withdrawal from the JCPOA which limited the country's uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. Calling the accord as an "embarrassment" that was "defective at its core", he also warned of severe consequences if Iran resumes its nuclear programme. The Iran nuclear deal was signed between six countries in 2015 - Iran, US, Britain, Germany, Russia, France and China for lifting economic sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limitations to the country's nuclear programme.

Iran asks JCPOA's signatories for unconditional compensation

<a href="http://wionews.com/world/take-action-against-terrorists-without-distinction-pompeo-to-pak-army-chief-general-bajwa-142698">Take action against terrorists without distinction: Pompeo to Pak Army chief General Bajwa</a>

US secretary of state&nbsp<a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/stop-blaming-pakistan-for-failures-in-afghanistan-gen-bajwa-to-us-33273">Mike Pompeo called up Pakistan</a>&nbspArmy chief General Qamar Bajwa and asked him to take action against terrorists "without any distinction".

<a href="http://wionews.com/world/major-fire-in-5-star-hotel-in-central-london-142696">Watch: Major fire in </a><a href="http://wionews.com/world/major-fire-in-5-star-hotel-in-central-london-142696">5-star</a><a href="http://wionews.com/world/major-fire-in-5-star-hotel-in-central-london-142696"> hotel in central London</a>

A major fire broke out in a hotel in central London with 25 fire tenders at the scene. The luxury hotel in Knightsbridge in central London had recently undergone extensive restoration.

<a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-ipl-betting-scandal-filmmaker-sajid-khan-to-be-questioned-by-the-police-142706">IPL betting scandal: Filmmaker Sajid Khan to be questioned by police?</a>

After Arbaaz Khan, another Bollywood name has emerged in the IPL betting scandal. Filmmaker Sajid Khan's name has emerged in connection to the IPL betting racket.&nbsp

<a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/zardari-welcomed-osama-bin-ladens-killing-by-us-book-142715">Zardari welcomed Osama bin Laden's killing by </a><a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/zardari-welcomed-osama-bin-ladens-killing-by-us-book-142715">US</a><a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/zardari-welcomed-osama-bin-ladens-killing-by-us-book-142715">: Book</a>

When the then US President Barack Obama called his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari to inform him about the killing of Osama bin Laden by the US forces in a raid in Abbottabad, the latter, according to a book, told him that this was a "good news".

<a href="http://wionews.com/world/at-least-99-dead-as-guatemala-volcano-threatens-new-eruptions-142691">Death toll rises to 99 in Guatemala's volcanic eruption</a>

Explosions boomed from Guatemala's fearsome Fuego volcano Wednesday, unleashing fresh torrents of molten mud and ash down slopes, as the death toll from a previous eruption rose to at least 99.

Take action against terrorists without distinction: Pompeo to Pak Army chief General Bajwa US secretary of state Mike Pompeo called up Pakistan&nbspArmy chief General Qamar Bajwa and asked him to take action against terrorists "without any distinction". Watch: Major fire in 5-star hotel in central London A major fire broke out in a hotel in central London with 25 fire tenders at the scene. The luxury hotel in Knightsbridge in central London had recently undergone extensive restoration. IPL betting scandal: Filmmaker Sajid Khan to be questioned by police? After Arbaaz Khan, another Bollywood name has emerged in the IPL betting scandal. Filmmaker Sajid Khan's name has emerged in connection to the IPL betting racket. Zardari welcomed Osama bin Laden's killing by US: Book When the then US President Barack Obama called his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari to inform him about the killing of Osama bin Laden by the US forces in a raid in Abbottabad, the latter, according to a book, told him that this was a "good news". Death toll rises to 99 in Guatemala's volcanic eruption Explosions boomed from Guatemala's fearsome Fuego volcano Wednesday, unleashing fresh torrents of molten mud and ash down slopes, as the death toll from a previous eruption rose to at least 99.

The US&nbspState Department has brought a group of diplomats home from Guangzhou, China, over concerns they were suffering from a mysterious malady that resembles a brain injury and has already affected US&nbsppersonnel in Cuba, its spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

After confirming one government employee had "suffered a medical incident" in the southern Chinese city, the department deployed a team to screen employees and family members at its consulate there, spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.

"As a result of the screening process so far, the department has sent a number of individuals for further evaluation and a comprehensive assessment of their symptoms and findings in the United States," Nauert said.

"Medical professionals will continue to conduct full evaluations to determine the cause of the reported symptoms and whether the findings are consistent with those noted in previously affected government personnel or possibly completely unrelated," she said.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the State Department had evacuated at least two Americans who fell ill after hearing strange noises in China.

Last year, 24 US&nbspgovernment employees and family members in Cuba displayed the symptoms, which were similar to those related to concussions and mild traumatic brain injury, according to the State Department.

The illnesses among the American diplomats stationed in Havana heightened tensions between the old cold war foes.

Secretary of state Mike Pompeo released a statement on Tuesday saying the department established a task force last month "to direct a multi-agency response to the unexplained health incidents."

"The precise nature of the injuries suffered by the affected personnel, and whether a common cause exists for all cases, has not yet been established," Pompeo said.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the State Department had evacuated at least two Americans

The US&nbspState Department has brought a group of diplomats home from Guangzhou, China, over concerns they were suffering from a mysterious malady that resembles a brain injury and has already affected US&nbsppersonnel in Cuba, its spokeswoman said on Wednesday. After confirming one government employee had "suffered a medical incident" in the southern Chinese city, the department deployed a team to screen employees and family members at its consulate there, spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. "As a result of the screening process so far, the department has sent a number of individuals for further evaluation and a comprehensive assessment of their symptoms and findings in the United States," Nauert said. "Medical professionals will continue to conduct full evaluations to determine the cause of the reported symptoms and whether the findings are consistent with those noted in previously affected government personnel or possibly completely unrelated," she said. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the State Department had evacuated at least two Americans who fell ill after hearing strange noises in China. Last year, 24 US&nbspgovernment employees and family members in Cuba displayed the symptoms, which were similar to those related to concussions and mild traumatic brain injury, according to the State Department. The illnesses among the American diplomats stationed in Havana heightened tensions between the old cold war foes. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo released a statement on Tuesday saying the department established a task force last month "to direct a multi-agency response to the unexplained health incidents." "The precise nature of the injuries suffered by the affected personnel, and whether a common cause exists for all cases, has not yet been established," Pompeo said.

Diplomats brought back from China due to mystery illness: US

France, Britain, Germany and the EU on Wednesday sent the United States a joint official request for their companies to be exempt from punitive measures resulting from fresh US sanctions on Iran.

"As allies, we expect that the United States will refrain from taking action to harm Europe's security interests," said the letter to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said the three countries and the EU were asking the US "to exempt European businesses doing legitimate trade in Iran from all extraterritorial American sanctions".

"Those businesses must be able to pursue their activities," he wrote on Twitter.

The plea comes as European leaders scramble to save the hard-fought deal signed between Iran and world powers in 2015 under which Tehran agreed to limits on its nuclear capacities in exchange for relief from crippling economic sanctions.

US President Donald Trump announced he was abandoning the deal last month -- which will mean new sanctions on the Islamic republic and punitive measures for those who trade with it.

Analysts say European firms which have rushed to invest in Iran after the lifting of sanctions over the past three years have the most to lose from the renewed sanctions.

Several major companies including France's Total and the Netherlands' Maersk have already said it will be impossible to stay in Iran once the sanctions are fully reimposed over the next six months, unless they receive explicit exemptions from Washington.&nbsp;

French automaker PSA said Monday that it would pull out of two joint ventures to sell its cars in Iran to avoid the risk of punishing fines.

'As allies, we expect that the United States will refrain from taking action to harm Europe's security interests,' said the letter to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

France, Britain, Germany and the EU on Wednesday sent the United States a joint official request for their companies to be exempt from punitive measures resulting from fresh US sanctions on Iran. "As allies, we expect that the United States will refrain from taking action to harm Europe's security interests," said the letter to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said the three countries and the EU were asking the US "to exempt European businesses doing legitimate trade in Iran from all extraterritorial American sanctions". "Those businesses must be able to pursue their activities," he wrote on Twitter. The plea comes as European leaders scramble to save the hard-fought deal signed between Iran and world powers in 2015 under which Tehran agreed to limits on its nuclear capacities in exchange for relief from crippling economic sanctions. US President Donald Trump announced he was abandoning the deal last month -- which will mean new sanctions on the Islamic republic and punitive measures for those who trade with it. Analysts say European firms which have rushed to invest in Iran after the lifting of sanctions over the past three years have the most to lose from the renewed sanctions. Several major companies including France's Total and the Netherlands' Maersk have already said it will be impossible to stay in Iran once the sanctions are fully reimposed over the next six months, unless they receive explicit exemptions from Washington. French automaker PSA said Monday that it would pull out of two joint ventures to sell its cars in Iran to avoid the risk of punishing fines.

France, Germany, Britain, EU formally request US exemptions from Iran sanctions

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un's right-hand man met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday to deliver a letter from his leader that could pave the way to a historic nuclear summit.

Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of North Korea's ruling party executive and a veteran regime insider, arrived for his Oval Office encounter accompanied by the senior US officials who have overseen an extraordinary diplomatic opening.

Both sides have committed themselves to the "denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula, but it is far from clear if Trump's mission to secure Pyongyang's complete disarmament can be aligned with Kim's quest to win international respect and protection.

On Thursday, after talks with Kim Yong Chol in New York, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed confidence that the process was moving in the right direction, but warned that the North's young leader must be bold enough to make a "strategic shift" in understanding that he will be safer without nuclear weapons.

On the same day in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un told Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that his commitment to denuclearization remains "unchanged and consistent and fixed," but experts warn that he will likely seek deep concessions from Washington.

In particular, he wants a formal end to the Korean conflict and is likely to seek international recognition and guarantees against any strike by the US forces stationed across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in South Korea.

US officials said that at the White House, Kim Yong Chol would deliver a letter that may not clear up all the questions about the agenda but may bring the planned Singapore meeting a step closer.

The delivery comes only a week after Trump threatened to consign the entire process to history, abruptly cancelling the summit in a sharply-worded letter, only to revive preparations shortly afterwards.

Since that short-lived crisis, diplomats from both countries have conducted an intense flurry of talks, culminating this week when Pompeo sat down in New York with Kim's envoy.

"It will take bold leadership from Chairman Kim Jong Un if we were able to seize this once in a lifetime opportunity to change the course for the world," Pompeo said Thursday.

"President Trump and I believe Chairman Kim is the kind of leader who can make those kind of decisions, and in the coming weeks and months, we will have the opportunity to test whether or not this is the case."

Strategic shift 
Pompeo also said that, after what have now been two meetings with Kim Jong Un and three with Kim Yong Chol, he believes the North is at least ready to consider addressing US demands for denuclearization.

"I believe they are contemplating a path forward. They can make a strategic shift. One that their country has not been prepared to make before. This will obviously be their decision," he said.

US officials now expect the summit to go ahead, but they want Pyongyang to accept that nuclear disarmament be at the heart of the discussion -- and warn there can be no end to sanctions without it.

Asked whether the answer would come on Friday in the letter, Pompeo said he did not know but added: "We have made real progress in the last 72 hours toward setting the conditions."

"The conditions are putting President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un in a place where we think there could be real progress made by the two of them meeting," he said.

Russia urges caution 
The flurry of diplomacy has also seen a rapprochement on the Korean peninsula, with the two Koreas holding high-level talks Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom to discuss their ongoing efforts to improve ties.

The meeting followed two landmark summits between the leaders of North and South Korea in the last five weeks.

The two Koreas agreed to hold more meetings throughout this month to carry out the agreements reached between their leaders at the April summit, a joint statement said following Friday's talks.

Even as the summit preparations continued, Japan on Friday said it had reported to the United Nations a suspected North Korean sanctions violation involving a ship-to-ship cargo transfer.

The official, Kim Yong Chol, was greeted by White House chief of staff John Kelly, who led him to the Oval Office for talks with Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to press secretary Sarah Sanders

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un's right-hand man met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday to deliver a letter from his leader that could pave the way to a historic nuclear summit. Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of North Korea's ruling party executive and a veteran regime insider, arrived for his Oval Office encounter accompanied by the senior US officials who have overseen an extraordinary diplomatic opening. Both sides have committed themselves to the "denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula, but it is far from clear if Trump's mission to secure Pyongyang's complete disarmament can be aligned with Kim's quest to win international respect and protection. On Thursday, after talks with Kim Yong Chol in New York, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed confidence that the process was moving in the right direction, but warned that the North's young leader must be bold enough to make a "strategic shift" in understanding that he will be safer without nuclear weapons. On the same day in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un told Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that his commitment to denuclearization remains "unchanged and consistent and fixed," but experts warn that he will likely seek deep concessions from Washington. In particular, he wants a formal end to the Korean conflict and is likely to seek international recognition and guarantees against any strike by the US forces stationed across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in South Korea. US officials said that at the White House, Kim Yong Chol would deliver a letter that may not clear up all the questions about the agenda but may bring the planned Singapore meeting a step closer. The delivery comes only a week after Trump threatened to consign the entire process to history, abruptly cancelling the summit in a sharply-worded letter, only to revive preparations shortly afterwards. Since that short-lived crisis, diplomats from both countries have conducted an intense flurry of talks, culminating this week when Pompeo sat down in New York with Kim's envoy. "It will take bold leadership from Chairman Kim Jong Un if we were able to seize this once in a lifetime opportunity to change the course for the world," Pompeo said Thursday. "President Trump and I believe Chairman Kim is the kind of leader who can make those kind of decisions, and in the coming weeks and months, we will have the opportunity to test whether or not this is the case." Strategic shift Pompeo also said that, after what have now been two meetings with Kim Jong Un and three with Kim Yong Chol, he believes the North is at least ready to consider addressing US demands for denuclearization. "I believe they are contemplating a path forward. They can make a strategic shift. One that their country has not been prepared to make before. This will obviously be their decision," he said. US officials now expect the summit to go ahead, but they want Pyongyang to accept that nuclear disarmament be at the heart of the discussion -- and warn there can be no end to sanctions without it. Asked whether the answer would come on Friday in the letter, Pompeo said he did not know but added: "We have made real progress in the last 72 hours toward setting the conditions." "The conditions are putting President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un in a place where we think there could be real progress made by the two of them meeting," he said. Russia urges caution The flurry of diplomacy has also seen a rapprochement on the Korean peninsula, with the two Koreas holding high-level talks Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom to discuss their ongoing efforts to improve ties. The meeting followed two landmark summits between the leaders of North and South Korea in the last five weeks. The two Koreas agreed to hold more meetings throughout this month to carry out the agreements reached between their leaders at the April summit, a joint statement said following Friday's talks. Even as the summit preparations continued, Japan on Friday said it had reported to the United Nations a suspected North Korean sanctions violation involving a ship-to-ship cargo transfer.

Kim Jong-Un's right-hand man meets Trump at White House

US President Donald Trump was to receive a letter from his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un&nbsp;on Friday, a much-anticipated moment as preparations for a historic nuclear summit gain pace.

Kim's right-hand man, Kim Yong Chol, was due in Washington a day after talks in New York with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made what the US diplomat called "real progress" towards holding the planned&nbsp;June 12&nbsp;summit.

Meanwhile, back in Pyongyang, the North Korean leader re-committed his isolated state to "denuclearisation", boosting hopes of what would be an extraordinary diplomatic turn-around just a week after Trump threatened to cancel preparations.

Since that short-lived crisis, diplomats in both countries have conducted an intense flurry of negotiations, culminating&nbsp;on Thursday&nbsp;when Pompeo sat down in New York with Kim's envoy.

Simultaneously, Kim met Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and, according to official news agency KCNA, said the North's "will for denuclearization of the Korean peninsula still remains unchanged and consistent and fixed."&nbsp;

It is still far from clear that North Korea's vision of "denuclearization" in exchange for security guarantees and sanctions relief will prove compatible with Washington's demand for a "complete, verifiable and irreversible" end to its nuclear program.

Many expert observers expect Kim, perhaps with tacit Chinese backing, to demand that Washington also reduce its own military footprint in South Korea and loosen its guarantees to treaty ally Japan.&nbsp;

But Pompeo suggested things are moving in the right direction.

"It will take bold leadership from Chairman Kim Jong Un if we were able to seize this once in a lifetime opportunity to change the course for the world," he said.

"President Trump and I believe Chairman Kim is the kind of leader who can make those kind of decisions, and in the coming weeks and months, we will have the opportunity to test whether or not this is the case."

Kim Yong Chol -- the most senior official from Pyongyang to visit the United States&nbsp;in 18 years&nbsp;-- is expected to present an eagerly expectant Trump with a letter from his young leader

But Pompeo warned this message in itself may not resolve all the issues standing in the way of the summit

"This is a difficult, difficult challenge. Make no mistake about it. There remains a great deal of work to do," Pompeo said, citing ongoing talks in Singapore and in the demilitarized zone on the Korean border

But he said that, after what have now been two meetings with Kim Jong Un and three with Kim Yong Chol, he believes the North is at least ready to consider addressing US demands for denuclearization

"I believe they are contemplating a path forward. They can make a strategic shift. One that their country has not been prepared to make before. This will obviously be their decision," he said

US officials now expect the summit to go ahead, but they want Pyongyang to accept that nuclear disarmament be at the heart of the discussion -- and warn there can be no end to trade sanctions without it

Asked whether the answer would come&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;in the letter, Pompeo said he did not know but added "we have made real progress in the last 72 hours toward setting the conditions.

"The conditions are putting President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un in a place where we think there could be real progress made by the two of them meeting," he said

Earlier, in Washington, Trump had said he was "looking forward" to reading the letter.

The flurry of diplomacy&nbsp;has also seen a rapprochement on the Korean peninsula, with the two Koreas holding high-level talks&nbsp;Friday&nbsp;at the border truce village of Panmunjom to discuss their ongoing efforts to improve ties.

The meeting follows two landmark summits between the leaders of North and South Korea in the last five weeks.

"We will discuss a way&nbsp;to implement expediently and smoothly agreements reached by the two leaders," the South's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told journalists before the talks.

He said the delegation would also try "to create a positive atmosphere for a US-North Korea summit."

On his visit to Pyongyang, Russia's Lavrov warned against setting expectations too high, urging all sides to "avoid the temptation to demand everything and now."

Lavrov passed on greetings from President Vladimir Putin to Kim and invited him to visit Russia, the Russian foreign ministry said.

Russia is the latest major nation to reach out to North Korea since Trump accepted Kim's proposal for a summit. Kim has already had two meetings each with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Kim meanwhile has re-committed his isolated state to 'denuclearisation', boosting hopes of what would be an extraordinary diplomatic turn-around just a week after Trump threatened to cancel preparations

US President Donald Trump was to receive a letter from his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un on Friday, a much-anticipated moment as preparations for a historic nuclear summit gain pace. Kim's right-hand man, Kim Yong Chol, was due in Washington a day after talks in New York with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made what the US diplomat called "real progress" towards holding the planned June 12 summit. Meanwhile, back in Pyongyang, the North Korean leader re-committed his isolated state to "denuclearisation", boosting hopes of what would be an extraordinary diplomatic turn-around just a week after Trump threatened to cancel preparations. Since that short-lived crisis, diplomats in both countries have conducted an intense flurry of negotiations, culminating on Thursday when Pompeo sat down in New York with Kim's envoy. Simultaneously, Kim met Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and, according to official news agency KCNA, said the North's "will for denuclearization of the Korean peninsula still remains unchanged and consistent and fixed." It is still far from clear that North Korea's vision of "denuclearization" in exchange for security guarantees and sanctions relief will prove compatible with Washington's demand for a "complete, verifiable and irreversible" end to its nuclear program. Many expert observers expect Kim, perhaps with tacit Chinese backing, to demand that Washington also reduce its own military footprint in South Korea and loosen its guarantees to treaty ally Japan. But Pompeo suggested things are moving in the right direction. "It will take bold leadership from Chairman Kim Jong Un if we were able to seize this once in a lifetime opportunity to change the course for the world," he said. "President Trump and I believe Chairman Kim is the kind of leader who can make those kind of decisions, and in the coming weeks and months, we will have the opportunity to test whether or not this is the case." Kim Yong Chol -- the most senior official from Pyongyang to visit the United States in 18 years -- is expected to present an eagerly expectant Trump with a letter from his young leader But Pompeo warned this message in itself may not resolve all the issues standing in the way of the summit "This is a difficult, difficult challenge. Make no mistake about it. There remains a great deal of work to do," Pompeo said, citing ongoing talks in Singapore and in the demilitarized zone on the Korean border But he said that, after what have now been two meetings with Kim Jong Un and three with Kim Yong Chol, he believes the North is at least ready to consider addressing US demands for denuclearization "I believe they are contemplating a path forward. They can make a strategic shift. One that their country has not been prepared to make before. This will obviously be their decision," he said US officials now expect the summit to go ahead, but they want Pyongyang to accept that nuclear disarmament be at the heart of the discussion -- and warn there can be no end to trade sanctions without it Asked whether the answer would come on Friday in the letter, Pompeo said he did not know but added "we have made real progress in the last 72 hours toward setting the conditions. "The conditions are putting President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un in a place where we think there could be real progress made by the two of them meeting," he said Earlier, in Washington, Trump had said he was "looking forward" to reading the letter. The flurry of diplomacy has also seen a rapprochement on the Korean peninsula, with the two Koreas holding high-level talks Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom to discuss their ongoing efforts to improve ties. The meeting follows two landmark summits between the leaders of North and South Korea in the last five weeks. "We will discuss a way to implement expediently and smoothly agreements reached by the two leaders," the South's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told journalists before the talks. He said the delegation would also try "to create a positive atmosphere for a US-North Korea summit." On his visit to Pyongyang, Russia's Lavrov warned against setting expectations too high, urging all sides to "avoid the temptation to demand everything and now." Lavrov passed on greetings from President Vladimir Putin to Kim and invited him to visit Russia, the Russian foreign ministry said. Russia is the latest major nation to reach out to North Korea since Trump accepted Kim's proposal for a summit. Kim has already had two meetings each with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Trump to receive letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un today

President Donald Trump on Thursday played down the chances of a quick breakthrough in talks with North Korea about its nuclear arsenal, as the top US&nbspdiplomat and a senior official from Pyongyang wrapped up two days of negotiations.

Trump, in a brief interview with Reuters aboard Air Force One on the way to Texas, said he was still hoping to hold an unprecedented summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore.

"I’d like to see it done in one meeting," he said. "But often times that’s not the way deals work. There’s a very good chance that it won’t be done in one meeting or two meetings or three meetings.&nbspBut it’ll get done at some point."

It was not clear if Trump meant he would need a second summit with Kim to reach the U.S. goal of persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear arms, or if he believed more lower-level talks were needed.

US&nbspSecretary of State Mike Pompeo and high-ranking North Korean official Kim Yong Chol concluded two days of meetings in New York on Thursday aimed at clearing the way for the summit.

"The meetings went well. They made progress," a senior U.S. State Department official said.

Trump said the North Korean envoy would be coming most likely on Friday to the White House to present him with a letter from Kim Jong Un.

North Korea, whose nuclear ambitions have been a source of world tension for decades, has made advances in missile technology in recent years but Trump has sworn not to allow it to develop nuclear missiles that could hit the United States.

He wants North Korea to "denuclearize," meaning to get rid of its nuclear arms, but the leadership in Pyongyang is believed to regard nuclear weapons as crucial to its survival and has rejected unilaterally disarming.

DIPLOMATIC FLURRY

Trump and Kim traded insults and threats of war last year but in March the bellicose rhetoric gave way to a proposal for a historic summit. However, disputes between Washington and Pyongyang led Trump to announce on May 24 he was cancelling the Singapore meeting with Kim, only to say the following day that it could still happen.

The days since have seen a flurry of diplomatic efforts to get the summit back on track.

If the North Korean delegation goes to the White House, it would be the first visit there by high-level Pyongyang officials since 2000 when senior figure Jo Myong Rok met President Bill Clinton.

Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol met for the second day in New York on Thursday. They shook hands at the start of their latest meeting at a condominium overlooking the East River.

Four officials from both sides sat across each other around a table in a room with a bay window that gave spectacular views of Manhattan, including the U.N. headquarters.

Kim Yong Chol is a close aide of leader Kim Jong Un and is vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee.

The United States, in return for North Korea giving up its nuclear weapons, could potentially loosen economic sanctions, leading to possible food and other aid to North Korea and improved ties with South Korea.

North and South Korea have technically been at war for decades, even though the Korean War's military combat ended in 1953 because a peace agreement was never signed.

China, North Korea's main trading partner and a key ally, said it supported and encouraged the "emerging good faith" between the United States and North Korea.

"At the same time as working to achieve the goal of denuclearization, we should also build long-term and effective initiatives to keep peace on the Korean peninsula," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said in Beijing.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and high-ranking North Korean official Kim Yong Chol concluded two days of meetings in New York on Thursday aimed at clearing the way for the summit.

President Donald Trump on Thursday played down the chances of a quick breakthrough in talks with North Korea about its nuclear arsenal, as the top US&nbspdiplomat and a senior official from Pyongyang wrapped up two days of negotiations. Trump, in a brief interview with Reuters aboard Air Force One on the way to Texas, said he was still hoping to hold an unprecedented summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore. "I’d like to see it done in one meeting," he said. "But often times that’s not the way deals work. There’s a very good chance that it won’t be done in one meeting or two meetings or three meetings.&nbspBut it’ll get done at some point." It was not clear if Trump meant he would need a second summit with Kim to reach the U.S. goal of persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear arms, or if he believed more lower-level talks were needed. US&nbspSecretary of State Mike Pompeo and high-ranking North Korean official Kim Yong Chol concluded two days of meetings in New York on Thursday aimed at clearing the way for the summit. "The meetings went well. They made progress," a senior U.S. State Department official said. Trump said the North Korean envoy would be coming most likely on Friday to the White House to present him with a letter from Kim Jong Un. North Korea, whose nuclear ambitions have been a source of world tension for decades, has made advances in missile technology in recent years but Trump has sworn not to allow it to develop nuclear missiles that could hit the United States. He wants North Korea to "denuclearize," meaning to get rid of its nuclear arms, but the leadership in Pyongyang is believed to regard nuclear weapons as crucial to its survival and has rejected unilaterally disarming. DIPLOMATIC FLURRY Trump and Kim traded insults and threats of war last year but in March the bellicose rhetoric gave way to a proposal for a historic summit. However, disputes between Washington and Pyongyang led Trump to announce on May 24 he was cancelling the Singapore meeting with Kim, only to say the following day that it could still happen. The days since have seen a flurry of diplomatic efforts to get the summit back on track. If the North Korean delegation goes to the White House, it would be the first visit there by high-level Pyongyang officials since 2000 when senior figure Jo Myong Rok met President Bill Clinton. Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol met for the second day in New York on Thursday. They shook hands at the start of their latest meeting at a condominium overlooking the East River. Four officials from both sides sat across each other around a table in a room with a bay window that gave spectacular views of Manhattan, including the U.N. headquarters. Kim Yong Chol is a close aide of leader Kim Jong Un and is vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee. The United States, in return for North Korea giving up its nuclear weapons, could potentially loosen economic sanctions, leading to possible food and other aid to North Korea and improved ties with South Korea. North and South Korea have technically been at war for decades, even though the Korean War's military combat ended in 1953 because a peace agreement was never signed. China, North Korea's main trading partner and a key ally, said it supported and encouraged the "emerging good faith" between the United States and North Korea. "At the same time as working to achieve the goal of denuclearization, we should also build long-term and effective initiatives to keep peace on the Korean peninsula," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said in Beijing.

Trump plays down chances of quick North Korea breakthrough, talks wrap up

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in New York&nbsp;on Wednesday&nbsp;to meet with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol, the most senior North Korean envoy to hold talks with American officials on US&nbsp;soil&nbsp;in 18 years.

Kim is a former spy chief and trusted adviser to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, playing a pivotal role in preparations for&nbsp;a historic&nbsp;summit between Kim and US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

Sent as Kim Jong Un's envoy to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February, Kim Yong Chol told South Korean President Moon Jae-in Pyongyang was open to talks with Washington, the first indication North Korea was changing course after months of trading threats and insults with the United States.

Sent as Kim Jong Un's envoy to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February, Kim Yong Chol told South Korean President Moon Jae-in Pyongyang was open to talks with Washington

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in New York on Wednesday to meet with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol, the most senior North Korean envoy to hold talks with American officials on US soil in 18 years. Kim is a former spy chief and trusted adviser to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, playing a pivotal role in preparations for a historic summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump. Sent as Kim Jong Un's envoy to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February, Kim Yong Chol told South Korean President Moon Jae-in Pyongyang was open to talks with Washington, the first indication North Korea was changing course after months of trading threats and insults with the United States.

Pompeo, North Korean envoy wrap up meeting in New York

When Kim Yong Chol lands in New York this week, he will become the most senior North Korean envoy to hold talks with American officials on US&nbsp;soil&nbsp;in 18 years.

The former spy chief is a trusted adviser to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, playing a pivotal role in preparations for a historic summit between Kim and US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

In a sign of his importance, Trump announced Kim Yong Chol's New York trip on Twitter&nbsp;on Tuesday.

The White House said he would meet US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo later this week, the most high-level contact between the two countries in the United States since Jo Myong Rok, a marshal, met President Bill Clinton in 2000.

DIPLOMATIC HEAVYWEIGHT

Kim Yong Chol is a four-star general, vice chairman of the ruling Workers` Party`s Central Committee, and director of the United Front Department, which is responsible for inter-Korean relations.

Such positions, and his omnipresence before and during inter-Korean summits in April and&nbsp;on Saturday, making him one of the most powerful people in North Korea, South Korean officials say.

He has played a central role in the recent thaw in relations between the North and South Korea, as well as the United States.

Sent as Kim Jong Un`s envoy to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February, Kim Yong Chol told South Korean President Moon Jae-in Pyongyang was open to talks with Washington, the first indication North Korea was changing course after

months of trading threats and insults with the United States.

He and Kim Jong Un`s sister, Kim Yo Jong, were the only two officials to join the North Korean leader at the two inter-Korean summits.

He also coordinated Kim Jong Un`s two meetings with Pompeo in Pyongyang.

SPY UNDER SANCTIONS

Kim Yong Chol was previously chief of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, a top North Korean military intelligence agency, and has spent nearly 30 years as a senior member of the intelligence community.

The United States and South Korea blacklisted him for supporting the North`s nuclear and missile programmes in 2010 and 2016, respectively.

A visit to the United States would indicate a waiver was granted.

He was accused by South Korea of masterminding deadly attacks on a South Korean navy ship and an island in 2010.

He was also linked by US&nbsp;intelligence to a devastating cyber attack on Sony Pictures in 2014.

North Korea denied any involvement in either incident.

Kim Yong Chol "stormed out of the room" during military talks in 2014 when the South demanded an apology for the 2010 attacks, according to South Korean officials.&nbsp;

"He is a tough negotiator and an expert on inter-Korean talks, but it is true that he had been a symbol of hawks rather than harmony and reconciliation until this year," said Moon Sang-gyun, a former South Korean defence official.&nbsp;

BODYGUARD TO KIM`S FATHER

Kim Yong Chol served in the military police in the demilitarized zone on the border of the two Koreas.

He was also a bodyguard to Kim Jong Il, the former leader and late father of Kim Jong Un, according to North Korea Leadership Watch, an affiliate of the 38 North think tank.

He has been closely linked to Kim Jong Un's succession and has been seen flanking the leader on several public visits.

Kim Yong Chol is known to be difficult to work with, sarcastic and not sufficiently deferential to his superiors, Leadership Watch said.

He has also suffered tough times. South Korea`s intelligence agency said in 2015 Kim Yong Chol was demoted to a three-star general after dozing off during a meeting.&nbsp;

In 2016, Seoul`s unification ministry said he was briefly sent to a re-education camp for his "overbearing" manner and abuse of power.

The former spy chief Kim Yong Chol is a trusted adviser to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, playing a pivotal role in preparations for a historic summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump

When Kim Yong Chol lands in New York this week, he will become the most senior North Korean envoy to hold talks with American officials on US soil in 18 years. The former spy chief is a trusted adviser to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, playing a pivotal role in preparations for a historic summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump. In a sign of his importance, Trump announced Kim Yong Chol's New York trip on Twitter on Tuesday. The White House said he would meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo later this week, the most high-level contact between the two countries in the United States since Jo Myong Rok, a marshal, met President Bill Clinton in 2000. DIPLOMATIC HEAVYWEIGHT Kim Yong Chol is a four-star general, vice chairman of the ruling Workers` Party`s Central Committee, and director of the United Front Department, which is responsible for inter-Korean relations. Such positions, and his omnipresence before and during inter-Korean summits in April and on Saturday, making him one of the most powerful people in North Korea, South Korean officials say. He has played a central role in the recent thaw in relations between the North and South Korea, as well as the United States. Sent as Kim Jong Un`s envoy to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February, Kim Yong Chol told South Korean President Moon Jae-in Pyongyang was open to talks with Washington, the first indication North Korea was changing course after months of trading threats and insults with the United States. He and Kim Jong Un`s sister, Kim Yo Jong, were the only two officials to join the North Korean leader at the two inter-Korean summits. He also coordinated Kim Jong Un`s two meetings with Pompeo in Pyongyang. SPY UNDER SANCTIONS Kim Yong Chol was previously chief of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, a top North Korean military intelligence agency, and has spent nearly 30 years as a senior member of the intelligence community. The United States and South Korea blacklisted him for supporting the North`s nuclear and missile programmes in 2010 and 2016, respectively. A visit to the United States would indicate a waiver was granted. He was accused by South Korea of masterminding deadly attacks on a South Korean navy ship and an island in 2010. He was also linked by US intelligence to a devastating cyber attack on Sony Pictures in 2014. North Korea denied any involvement in either incident. Kim Yong Chol "stormed out of the room" during military talks in 2014 when the South demanded an apology for the 2010 attacks, according to South Korean officials. "He is a tough negotiator and an expert on inter-Korean talks, but it is true that he had been a symbol of hawks rather than harmony and reconciliation until this year," said Moon Sang-gyun, a former South Korean defence official. BODYGUARD TO KIM`S FATHER Kim Yong Chol served in the military police in the demilitarized zone on the border of the two Koreas. He was also a bodyguard to Kim Jong Il, the former leader and late father of Kim Jong Un, according to North Korea Leadership Watch, an affiliate of the 38 North think tank. He has been closely linked to Kim Jong Un's succession and has been seen flanking the leader on several public visits. Kim Yong Chol is known to be difficult to work with, sarcastic and not sufficiently deferential to his superiors, Leadership Watch said. He has also suffered tough times. South Korea`s intelligence agency said in 2015 Kim Yong Chol was demoted to a three-star general after dozing off during a meeting. In 2016, Seoul`s unification ministry said he was briefly sent to a re-education camp for his "overbearing" manner and abuse of power.

The man sent by North Korean leader to US for high-level talks

Members of civil society and religious minorities in India were concerned over minority communities feeling "increasingly vulnerable" due to Hindu nationalist groups engaging in violence against them in 2017, a US report on international religious freedom said today.

The Congressional-mandated annual report on International Religious Freedom covering 2017 was released by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

According to the report, representatives of religious minority communities stated that, while the national government sometimes spoke out against incidents of violence, local political leaders often did not, and at times made public remarks that individuals could interpret as condoning violence.

"Members of civil society and religious minorities stated that under the current government, religious minority communities felt increasingly vulnerable due to Hindu nationalist groups engaging in violence against non-Hindu individuals and their places of worship, the report said.

"Authorities often did not prosecute violence by vigilantes against persons, mostly Muslims, suspected of slaughtering or illegally transporting cows or trading in or consuming beef,&nbsp;the report said.

Citing some court cases such as triple Talaq, it said many long-standing legal cases involving religiously motivated violence and riots continued to advance slowly.

"The government continued its challenge to the minority status of Muslim educational institutions in the Supreme Court. Minority status afforded these institutions independence in hiring and curriculum decisions,"&nbsp;it said.

It said on July 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned a rise in deadly mob attacks on cattle traders, consumers of beef, and dairy farmers, and said killing persons in the name of protecting cows was unacceptable.&nbsp;

In a speech at University of Bangalore on August 7, then-Vice President of India Hamid Ansari said Dalits, Muslims, and Christians were feeling increasingly insecure, it noted. &nbsp;

In an August 10 interview, Ansari stated there was a feeling of "unease"&nbsp;and "insecurity creeping in"&nbsp;among Muslims in the country. His remarks drew criticism from the BJP and Hindu nationalist groups, the report said.

According to figures compiled by local partners of international non-governmental organisation (NGO) Open Doors, during the first six months of the year, Christians were harassed, threatened, or attacked for their faith in 410 reported incidents, compared with 441 incidents in all of 2016, the report said.

From January through May, the Ministry of Home Affairs reported 296 conflicts between religious communities, resulting in 44 deaths and 892 injuries, it said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Congressional-mandated annual report on International Religious Freedom covering 2017 was released by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Members of civil society and religious minorities in India were concerned over minority communities feeling "increasingly vulnerable" due to Hindu nationalist groups engaging in violence against them in 2017, a US report on international religious freedom said today. The Congressional-mandated annual report on International Religious Freedom covering 2017 was released by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. According to the report, representatives of religious minority communities stated that, while the national government sometimes spoke out against incidents of violence, local political leaders often did not, and at times made public remarks that individuals could interpret as condoning violence. "Members of civil society and religious minorities stated that under the current government, religious minority communities felt increasingly vulnerable due to Hindu nationalist groups engaging in violence against non-Hindu individuals and their places of worship, the report said. "Authorities often did not prosecute violence by vigilantes against persons, mostly Muslims, suspected of slaughtering or illegally transporting cows or trading in or consuming beef, the report said. Citing some court cases such as triple Talaq, it said many long-standing legal cases involving religiously motivated violence and riots continued to advance slowly. "The government continued its challenge to the minority status of Muslim educational institutions in the Supreme Court. Minority status afforded these institutions independence in hiring and curriculum decisions," it said. It said on July 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned a rise in deadly mob attacks on cattle traders, consumers of beef, and dairy farmers, and said killing persons in the name of protecting cows was unacceptable. In a speech at University of Bangalore on August 7, then-Vice President of India Hamid Ansari said Dalits, Muslims, and Christians were feeling increasingly insecure, it noted. In an August 10 interview, Ansari stated there was a feeling of "unease" and "insecurity creeping in" among Muslims in the country. His remarks drew criticism from the BJP and Hindu nationalist groups, the report said. According to figures compiled by local partners of international non-governmental organisation (NGO) Open Doors, during the first six months of the year, Christians were harassed, threatened, or attacked for their faith in 410 reported incidents, compared with 441 incidents in all of 2016, the report said. From January through May, the Ministry of Home Affairs reported 296 conflicts between religious communities, resulting in 44 deaths and 892 injuries, it said.

Religious minority communities in India felt increasingly vulnerable in 2017: Report

&nbspAn American citizen working at a U.S. consulate in China has reported suffering from "abnormal" sounds and pressure leading to a mild brain injury, the U.S. embassy said&nbspon Wednesday&nbspand China said it was investigating the incident.

The embassy, which issued a health alert to Americans living in China, said it could not link the case to health problems suffered by U.S. government staff in Cuba dating back to late 2016.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was concerned about the "serious medical incident" and raised it with China's visiting State Councillor Wang Yi.

"We notified China of what took place as best we know it and they have responded in a way that is exactly the right response," Pompeo told a news conference with Wang.

"We're working together to resolve (this) ... I hope we can figure it out," Pompeo said.

Earlier, he told Congress that the incident in China was "medically similar" to one suffered by U.S. diplomats in Cuba.

Wang, speaking through a translator, said Beijing was investigating the incident, adding "we haven't found any organization or individual has carried out such a sonic influence."

"We don't want to see that this individual case will be magnified, complicated or even politicized. We hope people will not associate it with other unnecessary matters," he cautioned.

The unnamed U.S. citizen assigned to the consulate in the southern city of Guangzhou had reported various "physical symptoms" dating from late 2017 to April this year, the U.S. embassy in Beijing said in an email.

The worker was sent to the United States for further evaluation. "The clinical findings of this evaluation matched mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI)," the embassy said.

Pompeo said medical teams were heading to Guangzhou to investigate the incident.

The U.S. government&nbspon Wednesday&nbspissued a health alert to Americans in China, warning them about what it described as "subtle and vague, but abnormal, sensations of sound and pressure".

"While in China, if you experience any unusual acute auditory or sensory phenomena accompanied by unusual sounds or piercing noises, do not attempt to locate their source. Instead, move to a location where the sounds are not present," the emailed alert said.

China's nationalistic Global Times tabloid said in a commentary late&nbspon Wednesday&nbspthat it was "very inappropriate" that the United States issued a public health alert despite only having a "vague understanding" of the situation.

It said it was "inconceivable" that China would carry out targeted attacks on the health of foreign diplomats.

"We firmly believe that there is not much possibility of any 'background' to the American consulate official's 'brain injury'," it said.

The U.S. government in October expelled 15 Cuban diplomats from the United States for what it said was Cuba's failure to protect staff at the U.S. embassy in Havana from mysterious health incidents at one point thought to possibly have been acoustic "attacks".

The staff there reported symptoms including hearing loss, dizziness, fatigue and cognitive issues, though Cuban officials dismissed the idea of acoustic strikes as "science fiction" and accused Washington of slander.

The cause of those incidents remains unresolved.

The Canadian government in April said it would remove families of diplomats posted to Cuba after Canadian personnel there in 2017 also reported similar health symptoms.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was concerned about the "serious medical incident" and raised it with China's visiting State Councillor Wang Yi.

&nbspAn American citizen working at a U.S. consulate in China has reported suffering from "abnormal" sounds and pressure leading to a mild brain injury, the U.S. embassy said&nbspon Wednesday&nbspand China said it was investigating the incident. The embassy, which issued a health alert to Americans living in China, said it could not link the case to health problems suffered by U.S. government staff in Cuba dating back to late 2016. In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was concerned about the "serious medical incident" and raised it with China's visiting State Councillor Wang Yi. "We notified China of what took place as best we know it and they have responded in a way that is exactly the right response," Pompeo told a news conference with Wang. "We're working together to resolve (this) ... I hope we can figure it out," Pompeo said. Earlier, he told Congress that the incident in China was "medically similar" to one suffered by U.S. diplomats in Cuba. Wang, speaking through a translator, said Beijing was investigating the incident, adding "we haven't found any organization or individual has carried out such a sonic influence." "We don't want to see that this individual case will be magnified, complicated or even politicized. We hope people will not associate it with other unnecessary matters," he cautioned. The unnamed U.S. citizen assigned to the consulate in the southern city of Guangzhou had reported various "physical symptoms" dating from late 2017 to April this year, the U.S. embassy in Beijing said in an email. The worker was sent to the United States for further evaluation. "The clinical findings of this evaluation matched mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI)," the embassy said. Pompeo said medical teams were heading to Guangzhou to investigate the incident. The U.S. government&nbspon Wednesday&nbspissued a health alert to Americans in China, warning them about what it described as "subtle and vague, but abnormal, sensations of sound and pressure". "While in China, if you experience any unusual acute auditory or sensory phenomena accompanied by unusual sounds or piercing noises, do not attempt to locate their source. Instead, move to a location where the sounds are not present," the emailed alert said. China's nationalistic Global Times tabloid said in a commentary late&nbspon Wednesday&nbspthat it was "very inappropriate" that the United States issued a public health alert despite only having a "vague understanding" of the situation. It said it was "inconceivable" that China would carry out targeted attacks on the health of foreign diplomats. "We firmly believe that there is not much possibility of any 'background' to the American consulate official's 'brain injury'," it said. The U.S. government in October expelled 15 Cuban diplomats from the United States for what it said was Cuba's failure to protect staff at the U.S. embassy in Havana from mysterious health incidents at one point thought to possibly have been acoustic "attacks". The staff there reported symptoms including hearing loss, dizziness, fatigue and cognitive issues, though Cuban officials dismissed the idea of acoustic strikes as "science fiction" and accused Washington of slander. The cause of those incidents remains unresolved. The Canadian government in April said it would remove families of diplomats posted to Cuba after Canadian personnel there in 2017 also reported similar health symptoms.

Mystery 'sonic influence' in China prompts U.S. warning to citizens

American financial assistance to Pakistan is under review, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told lawmakers today and accused Islamabad of treating US diplomats "badly".&nbsp;

Pompeo was responding to questions from Congressman Dana Rohrabacher who said the US should stop providing any financial assistance to Pakistan until it releases Shakil Afridi, a doctor who helped the CIA hunt down Osama bin Laden in 2011.

"With respect to Pakistan, we released far fewer funds in 2018 than in the year prior. The remainder of the funds available are under review. My guess is that that number will be smaller still," he told members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rohrabacher said he sees no "reason" in giving any financial aid to Pakistan if it still keeps Afridi in jail.

Pompeo said he worked "diligently" on the issue of Afridi in his previous role as the CIA Director, but acknowledged that he has been "unsuccessful" so far.

"Please be aware that it's at my heart and I know it's important and we can do that. We can achieve that outcome," he said.

Rohrabacher intervened by saying that the situation is getting "worse" in Pakistan.&nbsp;

"These people in Karachi and the Sindhs and the others, they're now facing these people who are killing their leaders or killing their people who believe in certain things that are different than the radical Islamic philosophy of some of the people in the Pakistani government," he alleged.&nbsp;

Besides financial assistance issue, Pompeo said, the US also needs to take note of treatment meted out to American diplomats by Pakistan.

"Our State Department officials are being treated badly as well. Folks working in the embassies and in the consulates and other places are not being treated well by the Pakistani government either, a real problem that we need to take the measure of also," he said.

Congressman Brad Sharman hoped that the US State Department would reach out to the leaders of Pakistan about the "forced disappearances in Sind".

Pompeo was responding to questions from Congressman Dana Rohrabacher who said the US should stop providing any financial assistance to Pakistan until it releases Shakil Afridi, a doctor who helped the CIA hunt down Osama bin Laden in 2011

American financial assistance to Pakistan is under review, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told lawmakers today and accused Islamabad of treating US diplomats "badly". Pompeo was responding to questions from Congressman Dana Rohrabacher who said the US should stop providing any financial assistance to Pakistan until it releases Shakil Afridi, a doctor who helped the CIA hunt down Osama bin Laden in 2011. "With respect to Pakistan, we released far fewer funds in 2018 than in the year prior. The remainder of the funds available are under review. My guess is that that number will be smaller still," he told members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Rohrabacher said he sees no "reason" in giving any financial aid to Pakistan if it still keeps Afridi in jail. Pompeo said he worked "diligently" on the issue of Afridi in his previous role as the CIA Director, but acknowledged that he has been "unsuccessful" so far. "Please be aware that it's at my heart and I know it's important and we can do that. We can achieve that outcome," he said. Rohrabacher intervened by saying that the situation is getting "worse" in Pakistan. "These people in Karachi and the Sindhs and the others, they're now facing these people who are killing their leaders or killing their people who believe in certain things that are different than the radical Islamic philosophy of some of the people in the Pakistani government," he alleged. Besides financial assistance issue, Pompeo said, the US also needs to take note of treatment meted out to American diplomats by Pakistan. "Our State Department officials are being treated badly as well. Folks working in the embassies and in the consulates and other places are not being treated well by the Pakistani government either, a real problem that we need to take the measure of also," he said. Congressman Brad Sharman hoped that the US State Department would reach out to the leaders of Pakistan about the "forced disappearances in Sind".

Financial assistance to Pakistan under review: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

The United States is committed to achieving denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and creating conditions such that the North Korean regime no longer threatens the world, news agency PTI reported quoting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said.

Pompeo made the comments after attending a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and the visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in yesterday.

"We are committed to achieving denuclearisation and creating conditions such that the North Korean regime no longer threatens the world," PTI quoted Pompeo as saying to the reporters&nbsp

The State Department and the White House, he said, were continuing to prepare for the meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, so that in the event that the summit takes place on scheduled date, the administration is fully prepared.

Trump and Kim are scheduled to meet in Singapore on June 12. However, North Korea has threatened to cancel the meeting over a joint US-South Korea military exercise. The US has said it is going ahead with the preparation.

Pompeo said the mission statement had not changed at all.

"Will do what it takes to make sure that this is a successful meeting, whether that's meeting with the North Koreans in some third country or whatever it may take. We are prepared," Pompeo said in response to a question.

"The President will ask us to ensure that we've done all we can to make sure that we have the real opportunity to have this historic successful outcome," he said.

Exuding confidence that the meeting would indeed take place, Pompeo, who is the only US leader to have met Kim twice in the last one month, said the US was continuing to do its work and lay the foundation for a successful meeting.

"With respect to Chairman Kim, I haven't spoken publicly about the conversations we've had they were between he and I," Pompeo said.

"But I do have a real sense that he would find American investment, American technology, American know-how of real value to his people, and it's something that he and I had a chance to speak about generally," he said.

Pompeo said if the meeting takes place and North Korea promises denuclearisation, then America would be "quite capable of delivering them with lots of things that would make life better for the North Korean people".

Responding to a question, Pompeo said nothing has given them pause for the summit.

"Chairman Kim asked for this meeting. President Trump agreed to undertake it. We worked to find a date and location. We got those set. And since then, we're driving on," he said.

Pompeo made the comments after attending a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and the visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in yesterday.

The United States is committed to achieving denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and creating conditions such that the North Korean regime no longer threatens the world, news agency PTI reported quoting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said. Pompeo made the comments after attending a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and the visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in yesterday. "We are committed to achieving denuclearisation and creating conditions such that the North Korean regime no longer threatens the world," PTI quoted Pompeo as saying to the reporters The State Department and the White House, he said, were continuing to prepare for the meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, so that in the event that the summit takes place on scheduled date, the administration is fully prepared. Trump and Kim are scheduled to meet in Singapore on June 12. However, North Korea has threatened to cancel the meeting over a joint US-South Korea military exercise. The US has said it is going ahead with the preparation. Pompeo said the mission statement had not changed at all. "Will do what it takes to make sure that this is a successful meeting, whether that's meeting with the North Koreans in some third country or whatever it may take. We are prepared," Pompeo said in response to a question. "The President will ask us to ensure that we've done all we can to make sure that we have the real opportunity to have this historic successful outcome," he said. Exuding confidence that the meeting would indeed take place, Pompeo, who is the only US leader to have met Kim twice in the last one month, said the US was continuing to do its work and lay the foundation for a successful meeting. "With respect to Chairman Kim, I haven't spoken publicly about the conversations we've had they were between he and I," Pompeo said. "But I do have a real sense that he would find American investment, American technology, American know-how of real value to his people, and it's something that he and I had a chance to speak about generally," he said. Pompeo said if the meeting takes place and North Korea promises denuclearisation, then America would be "quite capable of delivering them with lots of things that would make life better for the North Korean people". Responding to a question, Pompeo said nothing has given them pause for the summit. "Chairman Kim asked for this meeting. President Trump agreed to undertake it. We worked to find a date and location. We got those set. And since then, we're driving on," he said.

US committed to achieving denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula: US Secretary of State

The new head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Gina Haspel, was sworn in on Monday (May 21) at the agency's headquarters in Virginia.

Haspel is the first woman to serve in that capacity, which is a source of tremendous pride, she said in remarks after taking the oath administered by Vice President Mike Pence.

"I stand on the shoulders of heroines who never sought public acclaim but served as inspirations to the generations that came after them," Haspel said.

The US&nbspSenate confirmed Gina Haspel on Thursday (May 17) to be director of the CIA, ending a bruising confirmation fight centered on her ties to the spy agency's past use of waterboarding and other brutal interrogation techniques.

Haspel is a 33-year veteran at the agency currently serving as its acting director. The tally was 54-45 in favor of her nomination in the 100-member chamber, where a simple majority was required for confirmation.

Trump nominated Haspel, then deputy director, in March to succeed Mike Pompeo as CIA director. Haspel became acting director after Pompeo was confirmed as secretary of state.

Haspel is the first woman to serve in that capacity, which is a source of tremendous pride, she said in remarks after taking the oath administered by Vice President Mike Pence

The new head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Gina Haspel, was sworn in on Monday (May 21) at the agency's headquarters in Virginia. Haspel is the first woman to serve in that capacity, which is a source of tremendous pride, she said in remarks after taking the oath administered by Vice President Mike Pence. "I stand on the shoulders of heroines who never sought public acclaim but served as inspirations to the generations that came after them," Haspel said. The US&nbspSenate confirmed Gina Haspel on Thursday (May 17) to be director of the CIA, ending a bruising confirmation fight centered on her ties to the spy agency's past use of waterboarding and other brutal interrogation techniques. Haspel is a 33-year veteran at the agency currently serving as its acting director. The tally was 54-45 in favor of her nomination in the 100-member chamber, where a simple majority was required for confirmation. Trump nominated Haspel, then deputy director, in March to succeed Mike Pompeo as CIA director. Haspel became acting director after Pompeo was confirmed as secretary of state.

In first, Donald Trump swears in new CIA Director Gina Haspel

In his first telephonic conversation to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, United States Secretary of States Mike Pompeo has ensured the commitment of US investment in Afghanistan.

According to State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert, the two discussed on maintaining peace in the restive state and in countering the growing terrorism.

The Secretary of States also praised the Afghan leader for his attempts at building a secure and prosperous future in the country and commended his efforts at reforming the country's institutions in order to ensure transparent, credible and timely elections.&nbsp

State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said, "Secretary Pompeo reinforced our enduring investment in Afghanistan, as outlined in the President's South Asia strategy, and expressed support for the Afghan military's defence of the city of Farah. The two discussed the strong partnership between the United States and Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism and our support for an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process".

(With inputs from PTI)

According to State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert, the two discussed on maintaining peace in the restive state and in countering the growing terrorism

In his first telephonic conversation to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, United States Secretary of States Mike Pompeo has ensured the commitment of US investment in Afghanistan. According to State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert, the two discussed on maintaining peace in the restive state and in countering the growing terrorism. The Secretary of States also praised the Afghan leader for his attempts at building a secure and prosperous future in the country and commended his efforts at reforming the country's institutions in order to ensure transparent, credible and timely elections. State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said, "Secretary Pompeo reinforced our enduring investment in Afghanistan, as outlined in the President's South Asia strategy, and expressed support for the Afghan military's defence of the city of Farah. The two discussed the strong partnership between the United States and Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism and our support for an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process". (With inputs from PTI)

Pompeo assures US investment in Afghanistan

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-lift-sanctions-on-north-korea-if-it-meets-demands-says-pompeo-136599">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-lift-sanctions-on-north-korea-if-it-meets-demands-says-pompeo-136599"> to lift sanctions on North Korea if it meets </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-lift-sanctions-on-north-korea-if-it-meets-demands-says-pompeo-136599">demands,</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-lift-sanctions-on-north-korea-if-it-meets-demands-says-pompeo-136599"> says Pompeo</a>

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday that Washington has agreed to lift the sanctions imposed on North Korea if it agrees to completely eliminate its nuclear program.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-may-says-committed-to-ensuring-iran-deal-is-upheld-136600">UK PM May says committed to ensuring Iran deal is upheld</a>

Britain and its European partners remain committed to ensuring the nuclear deal with Iran is upheld and Tehran must continue to meet its obligations under the pact, British Prime Minister Theresa May told the Iranian president on Sunday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/income-tax-department-to-seek-information-from-flipkart-on-walmart-buyout-ascertain-tax-liability-136609">Tax department to seek information from Flipkart on Walmart buyout, ascertain tax liability</a>

The tax department will seek share purchase agreement from Flipkart on the mega USD 16 billion buyout by US retail giant Walmart to assess the tax liability and also to find out whether the GAAR provisions can be invoked, an official said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sharifs-2611-statement-grossly-misinterpreted-pml-n-136615">Sharif's 26/11 statement 'grossly misinterpreted': PML-N</a>

The Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (N) party issued a detailed statement on Sunday disregarding all accusations made former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, saying that they were "grossly misinterpreted."

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-withdrawal-from-iran-deal-wasnt-aimed-at-the-europeans-136612">Pompeo: Withdrawal from Iran deal 'wasn't aimed at the Europeans'</a>

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he was "hopeful" that the US could strike a deal with its European allies regarding Iran's nuclear program, on Sunday (May 13) during an interview on "Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.

US to lift sanctions on North Korea if it meets demands, says Pompeo United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday that Washington has agreed to lift the sanctions imposed on North Korea if it agrees to completely eliminate its nuclear program. UK PM May says committed to ensuring Iran deal is upheld Britain and its European partners remain committed to ensuring the nuclear deal with Iran is upheld and Tehran must continue to meet its obligations under the pact, British Prime Minister Theresa May told the Iranian president on Sunday. Tax department to seek information from Flipkart on Walmart buyout, ascertain tax liability The tax department will seek share purchase agreement from Flipkart on the mega USD 16 billion buyout by US retail giant Walmart to assess the tax liability and also to find out whether the GAAR provisions can be invoked, an official said. Sharif's 26/11 statement 'grossly misinterpreted': PML-N The Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (N) party issued a detailed statement on Sunday disregarding all accusations made former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, saying that they were "grossly misinterpreted." Pompeo: Withdrawal from Iran deal 'wasn't aimed at the Europeans' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he was "hopeful" that the US could strike a deal with its European allies regarding Iran's nuclear program, on Sunday (May 13) during an interview on "Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.

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