The US has ordered tariff hikes on all imports from China. Watch the full video to know more.

US orders tariff hike on all imports from China

North Korean missile launches over the past week have not affected Donald Trump's relationship with Kim Jong Un, the US president said Friday, in a change of course after initially expressing his dissatisfaction.

Pyongyang fired two short-range missiles Thursday following an earlier drill the previous Saturday -- the first in 18 months.

The North had not launched any missiles since November 2017, shortly before once reclusive Kim embarked on diplomatic overtures.

"I don't consider that a breach of trust at all. And, you know, at some point I may. But at this point no," Trump said in an interview with Politico.

"These were short-range missiles and very standard stuff. Very standard."

Twenty-four hours earlier, however, Trump showed his irritation and impatience on an issue where he hopes to succeed while all his predecessors -- Republicans and Democrats -- have failed.&nbsp;

"Nobody's happy about it," he told reporters, in reaction to the launches.

"We'll see what happens," Trump added. "I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. But I don't think they are ready to negotiate."

Will the US president at some point lose faith in Kim? He has met twice with the North Korean leader and claimed that the two have a special friendship and even "love."

"I mean it's possible that at some point I will, but right now not at all," he told Politico.

'Undiminished threat'

The first face-to-face historic meeting between the two men in June 2018 in Singapore produced only a vague statement about denuclearization, allowing both sides to make very different interpretations of it.&nbsp;

February's second summit, in Hanoi, broke up without a deal after they failed to agree on what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief.

Since then, Kim has accused Washington of acting in "bad faith" and given it until the end of the year to change its approach.&nbsp;

North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the mouthpiece of the ruling party, devoted its entire front page and half of page two to the launch on Friday, with 16 pictures, the main one of Kim watching the launch from a camouflaged shelter.

Despite recent threats by the North to seek a new path, the nature and presentation of the two recent launches demonstrate that Pyongyang does not intend to walk away from talks any time soon, analysts say.

On Friday at the United Nations, 70 countries urged North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and related programs, decrying the "undiminished threat" posed to world peace.

Signatories included the United States and South Korea, as well as nations in Asia, Latin America, Africa and Europe.

Russia and China, supporters of Pyongyang, did not sign the document drafted by France.

According to a diplomatic source, about 15 countries asked to sign on to the request for North Korean disarmament after the new missile firings.

North Korean missile launches over the past week have not affected Donald Trump's relationship with Kim Jong Un, the US president said Friday, in a change of course after initially expressing his dissatisfaction.

North Korean missile launches over the past week have not affected Donald Trump's relationship with Kim Jong Un, the US president said Friday, in a change of course after initially expressing his dissatisfaction. Pyongyang fired two short-range missiles Thursday following an earlier drill the previous Saturday -- the first in 18 months. The North had not launched any missiles since November 2017, shortly before once reclusive Kim embarked on diplomatic overtures. "I don't consider that a breach of trust at all. And, you know, at some point I may. But at this point no," Trump said in an interview with Politico. "These were short-range missiles and very standard stuff. Very standard." Twenty-four hours earlier, however, Trump showed his irritation and impatience on an issue where he hopes to succeed while all his predecessors -- Republicans and Democrats -- have failed. "Nobody's happy about it," he told reporters, in reaction to the launches. "We'll see what happens," Trump added. "I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. But I don't think they are ready to negotiate." Will the US president at some point lose faith in Kim? He has met twice with the North Korean leader and claimed that the two have a special friendship and even "love." "I mean it's possible that at some point I will, but right now not at all," he told Politico. 'Undiminished threat' The first face-to-face historic meeting between the two men in June 2018 in Singapore produced only a vague statement about denuclearization, allowing both sides to make very different interpretations of it. February's second summit, in Hanoi, broke up without a deal after they failed to agree on what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief. Since then, Kim has accused Washington of acting in "bad faith" and given it until the end of the year to change its approach. North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the mouthpiece of the ruling party, devoted its entire front page and half of page two to the launch on Friday, with 16 pictures, the main one of Kim watching the launch from a camouflaged shelter. Despite recent threats by the North to seek a new path, the nature and presentation of the two recent launches demonstrate that Pyongyang does not intend to walk away from talks any time soon, analysts say. On Friday at the United Nations, 70 countries urged North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and related programs, decrying the "undiminished threat" posed to world peace. Signatories included the United States and South Korea, as well as nations in Asia, Latin America, Africa and Europe. Russia and China, supporters of Pyongyang, did not sign the document drafted by France. According to a diplomatic source, about 15 countries asked to sign on to the request for North Korean disarmament after the new missile firings.

North Korea's missile tests not 'breach of trust': US President Donald Trump

US-China Talks Were Headed To An Amicable Solution Before US President Trump Decided To Hike Tariffs On China. Is The Trade War Back On The Table?

Gravitas: Fresh Tariffs On China: Trump Spooks Global Markets With A Few Tweets

The US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Sunday blasted the result of the Kentucky Derby horse race, saying the controversial disqualification of first-finisher Maximum Security could only happen in "these days of political correctness."

"The Kentuky (sic) Derby decision was not a good one. It was a rough and tumble race on a wet and sloppy track, actually, a beautiful thing to watch," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Only in these days of political correctness could such an overturn occur. The best horse did NOT win the Kentucky Derby - not even close!"

In a stunning reversal, second-finisher and long-shot Country House was declared the winner of Saturday's 145th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville after Maximum Security became the first horse in the history of the race to be disqualified for an on-track infraction after crossing the line first.

Country House's team had objected to Maximum Security's win, saying the 9-2 favourite's wide turn heading into the soggy home stretch impeded other horses. After a 20-minute video review, officials found Maximum Security guilty of a contact foul and handed the win to Country House.

The 1-1/4 mile race called the "fastest two minutes in sports," and the first jewel in thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown, featured the largest guaranteed purse of $3 million and played out before more than 150,000 fans that packed Churchill Downs despite the wet weather.

Coming into Saturday's race, Country House had only notched one win in six starts.

Maximum Security's trainer and the owner told Sports Illustrated they planned to pursue any available appeals against the disqualification.

The US President Donald Trump on Sunday blasted the result of the Kentucky Derby horse race, saying the controversial disqualification of first-finisher Maximum Security could only happen in "these days of political correctness.

The US President Donald Trump on Sunday blasted the result of the Kentucky Derby horse race, saying the controversial disqualification of first-finisher Maximum Security could only happen in "these days of political correctness." "The Kentuky (sic) Derby decision was not a good one. It was a rough and tumble race on a wet and sloppy track, actually, a beautiful thing to watch," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Only in these days of political correctness could such an overturn occur. The best horse did NOT win the Kentucky Derby - not even close!" In a stunning reversal, second-finisher and long-shot Country House was declared the winner of Saturday's 145th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville after Maximum Security became the first horse in the history of the race to be disqualified for an on-track infraction after crossing the line first. Country House's team had objected to Maximum Security's win, saying the 9-2 favourite's wide turn heading into the soggy home stretch impeded other horses. After a 20-minute video review, officials found Maximum Security guilty of a contact foul and handed the win to Country House. The 1-1/4 mile race called the "fastest two minutes in sports," and the first jewel in thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown, featured the largest guaranteed purse of $3 million and played out before more than 150,000 fans that packed Churchill Downs despite the wet weather. Coming into Saturday's race, Country House had only notched one win in six starts. Maximum Security's trainer and the owner told Sports Illustrated they planned to pursue any available appeals against the disqualification.

Donald Trump slams Kentucky Derby result as 'political correctness' after disqualification

Political unrest in Venezuela Continued once again. Watch this video to know more.

Political unrest in Venezuela continues

US President Donald Trump has ruled out Russian interference in Venezuela. Watch the full video to know more.

Donald Trump: No Russian meddling in Venezuela

The US President Donald Trump began the National Day of Prayer service offering his support to Venezuelans who have taken to the streets in an effort to oust President Maduro. Watch full video to know more.

Venezuela Crisis: US President Donald Trump offers prayers to Venezuelans

House Democrats passed its first major piece of legislation addressing climate change on Thursday, aiming to prevent the US from leaving the Paris climate agreement. Watch full video to know more.

House Democrats pass major climate change bill

The House Judiciary Committee has been informed that Attorney General Bill Barr will not testify at a planned hearing. Watch full video to know more.

Mueller Report: William Barr skips house testimony

The "i word" - impeachment - is swirling around the US Congress since the release of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-mueller-report-everything-you-need-to-know-about-it-211667">Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s redacted Russia report</a>, which painted a picture of lies, threats and confusion in Donald Trump`s White House.

Some Democrats say trying to remove Trump from office would be a waste of time because his fellow Republicans still have majority control of the Senate. Other Democrats argue they have a moral obligation at least to try to impeach, even though Mueller did not charge Trump with conspiring with Russia in the 2016 US&nbsp;election or with obstruction of justice.

Whether or not the Democrats decide to go down this risky path, here is how the impeachment process works.&nbsp;

WHAT ARE GROUNDS FOR IMPEACHMENT?

The US&nbsp;Constitution says the president can be removed from office by Congress for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." Exactly what that means is unclear.

Before he became president in 1974, replacing Republican Richard Nixon who resigned over the Watergate scandal, Gerald Ford said: “An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history.”

Frank Bowman, a University of Missouri law professor and author of a forthcoming book on the history of impeachment, said Congress could look beyond criminal laws in defining "high crimes and misdemeanors."

Historically, it can encompass corruption and other abuses, including trying to obstruct judicial proceedings.

HOW DOES IMPEACHMENT PLAY OUT?

The term impeachment is often interpreted as simply removing a president from office, but that is not strictly accurate.&nbsp;

Impeachment technically refers to the 435-member House of Representatives approving formal charges against a president.&nbsp;

The House effectively acts as accuser - voting on whether to bring specific charges. An impeachment resolution, known as "articles of impeachment," is like an indictment in a criminal case. A simple majority vote is needed in the House to impeach.&nbsp;

The Senate then conducts a trial. House members act as the prosecutors, with senators as the jurors. The chief justice of the US&nbsp;Supreme Court presides over the trial. A two-thirds majority vote is required in the 100-member Senate to convict and remove a president from office.

No president has ever been removed from office as a direct result of an impeachment and conviction by Congress. 
Nixon quit in 1974 rather than face impeachment. Presidents Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998 were impeached by the House, but both stayed in office after the Senate acquitted them.

Obstruction of justice was one charge against Clinton, who faced allegations of lying under oath about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Obstruction was also included in the articles of impeachment against Nixon.

CAN THE SUPREME COURT OVERTURN?&nbsp;

No.

Trump said on Twitter on Wednesday that he would ask the Supreme Court to intervene if Democrats tried to impeach him. But America`s founders explicitly rejected making a Senate conviction appealable to the federal judiciary, Bowman said.

"They quite plainly decided this is a political process and it is ultimately a political judgment," Bowman said.

"So when Trump suggests there is any judicial remedy for impeachment, he is just wrong."

PROOF OF WRONGDOING?

In a typical criminal court case, jurors are told to convict only if there is "proof beyond a reasonable doubt," a fairly stringent standard.

Impeachment proceedings are different. The House and Senate "can decide on whatever burden of proof they want," Bowman said. "There is no agreement on what the burden should be."

PARTY BREAKDOWN IN CONGRESS?

Right now, there are 235 Democrats, 197 Republicans and three vacancies in the House. As a result, the Democratic majority could vote to impeach Trump without any Republican votes.

In 1998, when Republicans had a House majority, the chamber voted largely along party lines to impeach Clinton, a Democrat.

The Senate now has 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents who usually vote with Democrats.

Conviction and removal of a president would requires 67 votes. So that means for Trump to be impeached, at least 20 Republicans and all the Democrats and independents would have to vote against him.

WHO BECOMES PRESIDENT IF TRUMP IS REMOVED?

A Senate conviction removing Trump from office would elevate Vice President Mike Pence to the presidency to fill out Trump’s term, which ends on Jan. 20, 2021.

The "i word" - impeachment - is swirling around the US Congress since the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s redacted Russia report, which painted a picture of lies, threats and confusion in Donald Trump`s White House.

The "i word" - impeachment - is swirling around the US Congress since the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s redacted Russia report, which painted a picture of lies, threats and confusion in Donald Trump`s White House. Some Democrats say trying to remove Trump from office would be a waste of time because his fellow Republicans still have majority control of the Senate. Other Democrats argue they have a moral obligation at least to try to impeach, even though Mueller did not charge Trump with conspiring with Russia in the 2016 US election or with obstruction of justice. Whether or not the Democrats decide to go down this risky path, here is how the impeachment process works. WHAT ARE GROUNDS FOR IMPEACHMENT? The US Constitution says the president can be removed from office by Congress for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." Exactly what that means is unclear. Before he became president in 1974, replacing Republican Richard Nixon who resigned over the Watergate scandal, Gerald Ford said: “An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history.” Frank Bowman, a University of Missouri law professor and author of a forthcoming book on the history of impeachment, said Congress could look beyond criminal laws in defining "high crimes and misdemeanors." Historically, it can encompass corruption and other abuses, including trying to obstruct judicial proceedings. HOW DOES IMPEACHMENT PLAY OUT? The term impeachment is often interpreted as simply removing a president from office, but that is not strictly accurate. Impeachment technically refers to the 435-member House of Representatives approving formal charges against a president. The House effectively acts as accuser - voting on whether to bring specific charges. An impeachment resolution, known as "articles of impeachment," is like an indictment in a criminal case. A simple majority vote is needed in the House to impeach. The Senate then conducts a trial. House members act as the prosecutors, with senators as the jurors. The chief justice of the US Supreme Court presides over the trial. A two-thirds majority vote is required in the 100-member Senate to convict and remove a president from office. No president has ever been removed from office as a direct result of an impeachment and conviction by Congress. Nixon quit in 1974 rather than face impeachment. Presidents Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998 were impeached by the House, but both stayed in office after the Senate acquitted them. Obstruction of justice was one charge against Clinton, who faced allegations of lying under oath about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Obstruction was also included in the articles of impeachment against Nixon. CAN THE SUPREME COURT OVERTURN? No. Trump said on Twitter on Wednesday that he would ask the Supreme Court to intervene if Democrats tried to impeach him. But America`s founders explicitly rejected making a Senate conviction appealable to the federal judiciary, Bowman said. "They quite plainly decided this is a political process and it is ultimately a political judgment," Bowman said. "So when Trump suggests there is any judicial remedy for impeachment, he is just wrong." PROOF OF WRONGDOING? In a typical criminal court case, jurors are told to convict only if there is "proof beyond a reasonable doubt," a fairly stringent standard. Impeachment proceedings are different. The House and Senate "can decide on whatever burden of proof they want," Bowman said. "There is no agreement on what the burden should be." PARTY BREAKDOWN IN CONGRESS? Right now, there are 235 Democrats, 197 Republicans and three vacancies in the House. As a result, the Democratic majority could vote to impeach Trump without any Republican votes. In 1998, when Republicans had a House majority, the chamber voted largely along party lines to impeach Clinton, a Democrat. The Senate now has 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents who usually vote with Democrats. Conviction and removal of a president would requires 67 votes. So that means for Trump to be impeached, at least 20 Republicans and all the Democrats and independents would have to vote against him. WHO BECOMES PRESIDENT IF TRUMP IS REMOVED? A Senate conviction removing Trump from office would elevate Vice President Mike Pence to the presidency to fill out Trump’s term, which ends on Jan. 20, 2021.

Explainer: What does it take to remove a US president from office?

Concerns Over Losing Followers On Twitter & Allegations Of Pro Liberal-Bias In The Platform Dominate Trump's Meeting With Twitter's CEO Jack Dorsey

Gravitas: When The Potus Wants To Know Why He Is Losing Followers On Twitter

Big Democratic field taking shape for 2020 US presidential race

WION gives you a close look at the ket takeaways from the Mueller report that is released by Attorney General William Barr. Watch full video to know more.

Attorney General William Barr releases Mueller report

Mueller report reveals that there was no collusion between Russi-US. Watch full video to know more.

Mueller Report: No collusion between Russia-US

President Donald Trump's eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, met with members of the Ethiopian Women's Coffee Association in Addis Ababa on Sunday.

Ivanka Trump brings message of women empowerment to Ethiopia

Dressed in a black suit, an unmistakable blonde wig and an extra-long red tie, "Trump" leads a Cantonese opera troupe during a rehearsal in Hong Kong. Dubbed 'Trump on Show', the absurd drama shows a mish-mash of current and imagined events including the US president's meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

'Trump' debuts in Cantonese opera

Donald Trump is the first president in four decades to not publicly release his tax returns. Watch video to know more.

Donald Trump refuses to release his tax returns

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to put tariffs on cars coming from Mexico into the United States if Mexico does not continue to help Washington deal with the immigration and drug situation along the southern US&nbsp;border.

Trump told reporters at the White House he would put tariffs on cars or close the border, but he said he may start with the tariffs. He also said he would give Mexico a year to try to stop the flow of drugs before putting tariffs in place.

"A lot of good things are happening with Mexico. Mexico understands that we're going to close the border, or I'm going to tariff the cars," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Trump said he would "probably start off with the tariffs - that will be a very powerful incentive."

Trump warned last Friday that he would close the US&nbsp;border with Mexico this week unless Mexico took action to help stop the flow of illegal migrants across the frontier.

Trump said on Thursday that media coverage in recent days has prompted Mexico to make moves to curb the flow of immigrants to the United States and take other action to ease the pressure on US&nbsp;ports of entry.

Separately, Mexican exporters said this week they were looking into sending their goods to the United States by air freight to avoid a five-mile-long line of trucks at the border caused by the Trump administration moving federal agents away from customs checks to immigration duties.

&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to put tariffs on cars coming from Mexico into the United States if Mexico does not continue to help Washington deal with the immigration and drug situation along the southern US border.

US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to put tariffs on cars coming from Mexico into the United States if Mexico does not continue to help Washington deal with the immigration and drug situation along the southern US border. Trump told reporters at the White House he would put tariffs on cars or close the border, but he said he may start with the tariffs. He also said he would give Mexico a year to try to stop the flow of drugs before putting tariffs in place. "A lot of good things are happening with Mexico. Mexico understands that we're going to close the border, or I'm going to tariff the cars," Trump told reporters at the White House. Trump said he would "probably start off with the tariffs - that will be a very powerful incentive." Trump warned last Friday that he would close the US border with Mexico this week unless Mexico took action to help stop the flow of illegal migrants across the frontier. Trump said on Thursday that media coverage in recent days has prompted Mexico to make moves to curb the flow of immigrants to the United States and take other action to ease the pressure on US ports of entry. Separately, Mexican exporters said this week they were looking into sending their goods to the United States by air freight to avoid a five-mile-long line of trucks at the border caused by the Trump administration moving federal agents away from customs checks to immigration duties.

Trump threatens tariffs if Mexico does not help with immigration, drugs

President Donald Trump on Thursday said the US&nbsp;economy was very strong despite what he said were "unnecessary and destructive actions" taken by the US&nbsp;Federal Reserve, his latest attack on the nation's independent central bank.

"Despite the unnecessary and destructive actions taken by the Fed, the Economy is looking very strong, the China and USMCA deals are moving along nicely, there is little or no Inflation, and USA optimism is very high!," Trump said on Twitter.

USMCA is Trump's designation for a trade pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada that would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Trump has departed from the practice of recent previous administrations of not commenting on Fed interest rate policy, repeatedly criticizing the central bank for a rate-hike campaign it brought to an abrupt end last month.

On Friday, he said the Fed had made a mistake in raising rates, and his top economic adviser said the president felt the central bank should reverse course and cut borrowing cuts.

Several Fed officials have touted the underlying strength of the US&nbsp;economy in recent remarks, arguing that a spate of weak data is likely to prove fleeting. None have said they back a rate cut.

 
&nbsp;

President Donald Trump on Thursday said the US economy was very strong despite what he said were "unnecessary and destructive actions" taken by the US Federal Reserve, his latest attack on the nation's independent central bank.

President Donald Trump on Thursday said the US economy was very strong despite what he said were "unnecessary and destructive actions" taken by the US Federal Reserve, his latest attack on the nation's independent central bank. "Despite the unnecessary and destructive actions taken by the Fed, the Economy is looking very strong, the China and USMCA deals are moving along nicely, there is little or no Inflation, and USA optimism is very high!," Trump said on Twitter. USMCA is Trump's designation for a trade pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada that would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump has departed from the practice of recent previous administrations of not commenting on Fed interest rate policy, repeatedly criticizing the central bank for a rate-hike campaign it brought to an abrupt end last month. On Friday, he said the Fed had made a mistake in raising rates, and his top economic adviser said the president felt the central bank should reverse course and cut borrowing cuts. Several Fed officials have touted the underlying strength of the US economy in recent remarks, arguing that a spate of weak data is likely to prove fleeting. None have said they back a rate cut.

Trump says US economy strong despite 'destructive actions' by Fed

Chinese diplomats have contacted a woman arrested at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/trumps-criticizes-india-for-tremendously-high-tariffs-on-us-goods-says-its-one-of-the-highest-taxing-nations-in-world-207904">US President Donald Trump</a>'s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and offered her consular services, the Chinese foreign ministry said Thursday.

The woman was arrested Saturday at Trump's resort after attempting to gain access while carrying multiple mobile phones and a thumb drive containing malware, court documents revealed.

The US president was staying at the Florida resort at the time.

Zhang Yujing was arrested and charged with making false statements to federal officers and knowingly entering a restricted building -- which Mar-a-Lago becomes while Trump is in residence.

The Chinese Consulate General in Houston was notified of the arrest and "contacted the person concerned" to provide assistance, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular briefing Thursday, without offering details.

An arrest document in the federal district court of Palm Beach said Zhang first presented herself as a member and said she was headed to the pool — despite not having a swimsuit.

She then claimed to be attending a non-existent Chinese-American friendship event.&nbsp;

After she was detained, Zhang said she had been asked by a Chinese friend named Charles to attend the event and try to speak with a member of the president's family about US-China economic relations, the document said.

The woman carried two passports from the People's Republic of China, according to the US Secret Service, which arrested her.

Trump owns the luxurious beachside club in the wealthy Atlantic coast city of Palm Beach, and travels there frequently on weekends to play golf and meet friends.

He keeps a residence in a private area of the club, but was reportedly golfing at a nearby course around the time Zhang was there.

Two events had been recently advertised at Mar-a-Lago for Saturday by a local Chinese-American businesswoman, Cindy Yang, on Chinese language social media, the Miami Herald said.

Yang is a Mar-a-Lago member who built and later sold a chain of massage parlours in Florida, which were recently raided by police over prostitution.&nbsp;

In recent years she has promoted herself as a path of access to the US president, and Yang's website featured pictures of her with Trump, his family and officials.

The Herald also said an event promoter who Yang worked with was named Charles Lee.

Chinese diplomats have contacted a woman arrested at US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and offered her consular services, the Chinese foreign ministry said Thursday.

Chinese diplomats have contacted a woman arrested at US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and offered her consular services, the Chinese foreign ministry said Thursday. The woman was arrested Saturday at Trump's resort after attempting to gain access while carrying multiple mobile phones and a thumb drive containing malware, court documents revealed. The US president was staying at the Florida resort at the time. Zhang Yujing was arrested and charged with making false statements to federal officers and knowingly entering a restricted building -- which Mar-a-Lago becomes while Trump is in residence. The Chinese Consulate General in Houston was notified of the arrest and "contacted the person concerned" to provide assistance, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular briefing Thursday, without offering details. An arrest document in the federal district court of Palm Beach said Zhang first presented herself as a member and said she was headed to the pool — despite not having a swimsuit. She then claimed to be attending a non-existent Chinese-American friendship event. After she was detained, Zhang said she had been asked by a Chinese friend named Charles to attend the event and try to speak with a member of the president's family about US-China economic relations, the document said. The woman carried two passports from the People's Republic of China, according to the US Secret Service, which arrested her. Trump owns the luxurious beachside club in the wealthy Atlantic coast city of Palm Beach, and travels there frequently on weekends to play golf and meet friends. He keeps a residence in a private area of the club, but was reportedly golfing at a nearby course around the time Zhang was there. Two events had been recently advertised at Mar-a-Lago for Saturday by a local Chinese-American businesswoman, Cindy Yang, on Chinese language social media, the Miami Herald said. Yang is a Mar-a-Lago member who built and later sold a chain of massage parlours in Florida, which were recently raided by police over prostitution. In recent years she has promoted herself as a path of access to the US president, and Yang's website featured pictures of her with Trump, his family and officials. The Herald also said an event promoter who Yang worked with was named Charles Lee.

China offers assistance to woman arrested at Trump resort: Foreign ministry

On the day that their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hanois-metropole-hosting-kim-trump-summit-has-a-storied-past-200186">talks in Hanoi</a> collapsed last month, US&nbsp;President Donald Trump handed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a piece of paper that included a blunt call for the transfer of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and bomb fuel to the United States, according to the document seen by Reuters.

Trump gave Kim both Korean and English-language versions of the US&nbsp;position at Hanoi's Metropole hotel on February 28, according to a source familiar with the discussions, speaking on condition of anonymity. It was the first time that Trump himself had explicitly defined what he meant by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-ready-to-meet-kim-jong-un-again-for-denuclearisation-talks-white-house-202451">denuclearisation</a> directly to Kim, the source said.

A lunch between the two leaders was cancelled the same day. While neither side has presented a complete account of why the summit collapsed, the document may help explain it.

The document's existence was first mentioned by White House national security adviser John Bolton in television interviews he gave after the two-day summit. Bolton did not disclose in those interviews the pivotal US&nbsp;expectation contained in the document that North Korea should transfer its nuclear weapons and fissile material to the United States.

The document appeared to represent Bolton's long-held and hardline "Libya model" of denuclearisation that North Korea has rejected repeatedly. It probably would have been seen by Kim as insulting and provocative, analysts said.

Trump had previously distanced himself in public comments from Bolton's approach and said a "Libya model" would be employed only if a deal could not be reached.

The idea of North Korea handing over its weapons was first proposed by Bolton in 2004. He revived the proposal last year when Trump named him as national security adviser.

The document was meant to provide the North Koreans with a clear and concise definition of what the United States meant by "final, fully verifiable, denuclearisation," the source familiar with discussions said.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The State Department declined to comment on what would be a classified document.

After the summit, a North Korean official accused Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of "gangster-like" demands, saying Pyongyang was considering suspending talks with the United States and may rethink its self-imposed ban on missile and nuclear tests.

The English version of the document, seen by Reuters, called for "fully dismantling North Korea's nuclear infrastructure, chemical and biological warfare programme and related dual-use capabilities; and ballistic missiles, launchers, and associated facilities."

Aside from the call for the transfer of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and bomb fuel, the document had four other key points.

It called on North Korea to provide a comprehensive declaration of its nuclear programme and full access to US&nbsp;and international inspectors; to halt all related activities and construction of any new facilities; to eliminate all nuclear infrastructure; and to transition all nuclear programme scientists and technicians to commercial activities.

The summit in Vietnam's capital was cut short after Trump and Kim failed to reach a deal on the extent of economic sanctions relief for North Korea in exchange for its steps to give up its nuclear programme.

The first summit between Trump and Kim, which took place in Singapore in June 2018, was almost called off after the North Koreans rejected Bolton's repeated demands for it to follow a denuclearisation model under which components of Libya's nuclear programme were shipped to the United States in 2004.

Seven years after a denuclearisation agreement was reached between the United States and Libya's leader, Muammar Gaddafi, the United States took part in a NATO-led military operation against his government and he was overthrown by rebels and killed.

'Miserable fate'

Last year, North Korea officials called Bolton's plan "absurd" and noted the "miserable fate" that befell Gaddafi.

After North Korea threatened to cancel the Singapore summit, Trump said in May 2018 he was not pursuing a "Libya model" and that he was looking for an agreement that would protect Kim.

"He would be there, he would be running his country, his country would be very rich," Trump said at the time.

"The Libya model was a much different model. We decimated that country," Trump added.

The Hanoi document was presented in what US&nbsp;officials have said was an attempt by Trump to secure a "big deal" under which all sanctions would be lifted if North Korea gave up all of its weapons.

US-North Korean engagement has appeared to be in limbo since the Hanoi meeting. Pompeo said on March 4 he was hopeful he could send a team to North Korea "in the next couple of weeks," but there has been no sign of that.

Jenny Town, a North Korea expert at the Washington-based Stimson Center think tank, said the content of the US&nbsp;document was not surprising.

"This is what Bolton wanted from the beginning and it clearly wasn't going to work," Town said. "If the US&nbsp;was really serious about negotiations they would have learned already that this wasn't an approach they could take."

Town added, "It's already been rejected more than once, and to keep bringing it up ... would be rather insulting. It's a non-starter and reflects absolutely no learning curve in the process."

North Korea has repeatedly rejected unilateral disarmament and argues that its weapons programme is needed for defence, a belief reinforced by Gaddafi and others.

In an interview with ABC's "This Week" programme after the Hanoi summit, Bolton said the North Koreans had committed to denuclearisation in a variety of forms several times "that they have happily violated."

"We define denuclearisation as meaning the elimination of their nuclear weapons programme, their uranium enrichment capability, their plutonium reprocessing capability," Bolton said.

Asked who authored the document, Bolton said it had been "written at staff level and cleared around as usual."

On the day that their talks in Hanoi collapsed last month, US President Donald Trump handed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a piece of paper that included a blunt call for the transfer of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and bomb fuel to the United States, according to the document seen by Reuters.

On the day that their talks in Hanoi collapsed last month, US President Donald Trump handed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a piece of paper that included a blunt call for the transfer of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and bomb fuel to the United States, according to the document seen by Reuters. Trump gave Kim both Korean and English-language versions of the US position at Hanoi's Metropole hotel on February 28, according to a source familiar with the discussions, speaking on condition of anonymity. It was the first time that Trump himself had explicitly defined what he meant by denuclearisation directly to Kim, the source said. A lunch between the two leaders was cancelled the same day. While neither side has presented a complete account of why the summit collapsed, the document may help explain it. The document's existence was first mentioned by White House national security adviser John Bolton in television interviews he gave after the two-day summit. Bolton did not disclose in those interviews the pivotal US expectation contained in the document that North Korea should transfer its nuclear weapons and fissile material to the United States. The document appeared to represent Bolton's long-held and hardline "Libya model" of denuclearisation that North Korea has rejected repeatedly. It probably would have been seen by Kim as insulting and provocative, analysts said. Trump had previously distanced himself in public comments from Bolton's approach and said a "Libya model" would be employed only if a deal could not be reached. The idea of North Korea handing over its weapons was first proposed by Bolton in 2004. He revived the proposal last year when Trump named him as national security adviser. The document was meant to provide the North Koreans with a clear and concise definition of what the United States meant by "final, fully verifiable, denuclearisation," the source familiar with discussions said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The State Department declined to comment on what would be a classified document. After the summit, a North Korean official accused Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of "gangster-like" demands, saying Pyongyang was considering suspending talks with the United States and may rethink its self-imposed ban on missile and nuclear tests. The English version of the document, seen by Reuters, called for "fully dismantling North Korea's nuclear infrastructure, chemical and biological warfare programme and related dual-use capabilities; and ballistic missiles, launchers, and associated facilities." Aside from the call for the transfer of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and bomb fuel, the document had four other key points. It called on North Korea to provide a comprehensive declaration of its nuclear programme and full access to US and international inspectors; to halt all related activities and construction of any new facilities; to eliminate all nuclear infrastructure; and to transition all nuclear programme scientists and technicians to commercial activities. The summit in Vietnam's capital was cut short after Trump and Kim failed to reach a deal on the extent of economic sanctions relief for North Korea in exchange for its steps to give up its nuclear programme. The first summit between Trump and Kim, which took place in Singapore in June 2018, was almost called off after the North Koreans rejected Bolton's repeated demands for it to follow a denuclearisation model under which components of Libya's nuclear programme were shipped to the United States in 2004. Seven years after a denuclearisation agreement was reached between the United States and Libya's leader, Muammar Gaddafi, the United States took part in a NATO-led military operation against his government and he was overthrown by rebels and killed. 'Miserable fate' Last year, North Korea officials called Bolton's plan "absurd" and noted the "miserable fate" that befell Gaddafi. After North Korea threatened to cancel the Singapore summit, Trump said in May 2018 he was not pursuing a "Libya model" and that he was looking for an agreement that would protect Kim. "He would be there, he would be running his country, his country would be very rich," Trump said at the time. "The Libya model was a much different model. We decimated that country," Trump added. The Hanoi document was presented in what US officials have said was an attempt by Trump to secure a "big deal" under which all sanctions would be lifted if North Korea gave up all of its weapons. US-North Korean engagement has appeared to be in limbo since the Hanoi meeting. Pompeo said on March 4 he was hopeful he could send a team to North Korea "in the next couple of weeks," but there has been no sign of that. Jenny Town, a North Korea expert at the Washington-based Stimson Center think tank, said the content of the US document was not surprising. "This is what Bolton wanted from the beginning and it clearly wasn't going to work," Town said. "If the US was really serious about negotiations they would have learned already that this wasn't an approach they could take." Town added, "It's already been rejected more than once, and to keep bringing it up ... would be rather insulting. It's a non-starter and reflects absolutely no learning curve in the process." North Korea has repeatedly rejected unilateral disarmament and argues that its weapons programme is needed for defence, a belief reinforced by Gaddafi and others. In an interview with ABC's "This Week" programme after the Hanoi summit, Bolton said the North Koreans had committed to denuclearisation in a variety of forms several times "that they have happily violated." "We define denuclearisation as meaning the elimination of their nuclear weapons programme, their uranium enrichment capability, their plutonium reprocessing capability," Bolton said. Asked who authored the document, Bolton said it had been "written at staff level and cleared around as usual."

With a piece of paper, Trump called on Kim to hand over nuclear weapons: Report

Secretary of State <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-direct-evidence-between-saudi-crown-prince-and-khashoggis-killing-pompeo-180866">Mike Pompeo</a>, who has managed where others have failed to stay in President Donald Trump's good graces, joked Monday that he knows how he'll leave —&nbsp;when he learns on Twitter.

In a rare light-hearted comment about his notoriously mercurial boss, Trump's loyal top diplomat alluded to the inglorious fate of his predecessor, Rex Tillerson.

Asked at a forum in his home state of Kansas how long he will remain secretary of state, Pompeo said to the audience's laughter: "I'm going to be there until he tweets me out of office.

"Which I'm not counting on, at least today," Pompeo said, before praising Trump.

Pompeo, who served at the start of Trump's term as CIA director, is careful not to show any daylight with the president and has succeeded in becoming one of the rare original cabinet members who has not clashed with him.

Tillerson, a courtly former oil executive who pressed unsuccessfully for Trump to stay in international agreements, was sacked by tweet after he returned from a trip to Africa, with the White House letting it be known that he learned the news while on the toilet.

Pompeo, a former congressman popular with conservatives, has been recruited by top Republicans to run for an open Senate seat in Kansas next year when Trump is up for re-election.

He has been coy about his intentions. In an interview with his hometown newspaper The Wichita Eagle, Pompeo, an evangelical Christian, said of his political future: "The Lord will get me to the right place."

Pompeo returned to Kansas ahead of a trip to the Middle East for a conference on promoting opportunities for businesses from the American heartland.

The meeting will lead up to the June 4-5 "Global Entrepreneurship Summit" in The Hague that Pompeo will co-host with The Netherlands.

Echoing a Trump theme of anti-elitism, Pompeo said he wanted to recruit more diplomats away from the US coasts.

"The State Department prides itself on having a diverse workforce. There's many dimensions to that. I want to make sure everyone we hire is not from New York or Boston or Washington," he told the forum.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has managed where others have failed to stay in President Donald Trump's good graces, joked Monday that he knows how he'll leave — when he learns on Twitter.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has managed where others have failed to stay in President Donald Trump's good graces, joked Monday that he knows how he'll leave — when he learns on Twitter. In a rare light-hearted comment about his notoriously mercurial boss, Trump's loyal top diplomat alluded to the inglorious fate of his predecessor, Rex Tillerson. Asked at a forum in his home state of Kansas how long he will remain secretary of state, Pompeo said to the audience's laughter: "I'm going to be there until he tweets me out of office. "Which I'm not counting on, at least today," Pompeo said, before praising Trump. Pompeo, who served at the start of Trump's term as CIA director, is careful not to show any daylight with the president and has succeeded in becoming one of the rare original cabinet members who has not clashed with him. Tillerson, a courtly former oil executive who pressed unsuccessfully for Trump to stay in international agreements, was sacked by tweet after he returned from a trip to Africa, with the White House letting it be known that he learned the news while on the toilet. Pompeo, a former congressman popular with conservatives, has been recruited by top Republicans to run for an open Senate seat in Kansas next year when Trump is up for re-election. He has been coy about his intentions. In an interview with his hometown newspaper The Wichita Eagle, Pompeo, an evangelical Christian, said of his political future: "The Lord will get me to the right place." Pompeo returned to Kansas ahead of a trip to the Middle East for a conference on promoting opportunities for businesses from the American heartland. The meeting will lead up to the June 4-5 "Global Entrepreneurship Summit" in The Hague that Pompeo will co-host with The Netherlands. Echoing a Trump theme of anti-elitism, Pompeo said he wanted to recruit more diplomats away from the US coasts. "The State Department prides itself on having a diverse workforce. There's many dimensions to that. I want to make sure everyone we hire is not from New York or Boston or Washington," he told the forum.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: Will serve until Trump 'tweets me out'

US President Donald <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/our-stance-will-never-change-even-if-us-seeks-further-talks-north-korea-on-us-sanctions-relief-200370">Trump is ready to meet</a> North Korean leader Kim Jong-un again for denuclearisation talks, the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/no-agreement-was-reached-at-trump-kim-summit-white-house-200203">White House said</a>, underlining that his decision to walk out of the Hanoi summit sent a signal to other countries as well that he is not desperate for a deal unless it is in America's interest.

US National Security Advisor John Bolton told ABC News that Trump's walk out from his meeting with Kim was "friendly" and it is not a reflection that the talks broke down. &nbsp;I don't really think it broke down. I think the president did exactly the right thing, he said, referring to the failed summit between the two leaders in Hanoi in Vietnam on February 26 and 27.

Trump and Kim's Vietnam meeting ended abruptly without a deal on North Korean denuclearisation in return for sanctions relief. On Friday, Trump told reporters his relationship with Kim was a very good one and said he would be surprised in a negative way if he did anything that was not per our understanding.

Trump and Kim first met in Singapore in June 2018, producing only a North Korean commitment to work towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

"Trump and Kim Jong-un had had a number of conversations about what might be done to denuclearise North Korea. Kim offered a partial deal. The president has been very clear that he doesn't want to make the same mistakes as past administrations, Bolton said.

"Trump proposed to Kim what he talked about really going back to Singapore, is what he called the big deal, that North Korea completely denuclearize. And, in exchange for that, there was a very bright economic future for the North Korean people," Bolton said.

The two leaders went around on this several times. They had a full exchange of views, as the saying goes. It was clear they weren't going to reach an agreement, Bolton said.

So, what the president did was, as he put it, to walk away in a friendly way from the discussion. He said he's prepared to meet Kim Jong-un again. It's no date set or anything like that, but it's possible that North Korea will go back and rethink the position they came in with and come back to talk to the president about the big deal, he told the news channel in a talk show.

According to Bolton what the president did in Hanoi, was important not just in the negotiations with North Korea on their nuclear programme, but also with China on trade, and also with Russia on arms control and other countries.

Despite all the media speculation, the president turned out not to be desperate for a deal. He didn't have to come away with success. In the pursuit of American national interest, he was prepared to risk people characterising the Hanoi summit as a failure because he wasn't going to accept terms that weren't in our national interest, he said.

I do think that's a message for others that we're involved in significant negotiations with. Now, in terms of China specifically, you know, we just concluded another round of negotiations here in Washington, Bob Lighthizer, the U.S. trade representative, Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, and others leading that, he said.

Talks with China are making progress, but there's work to be done. So it's true, as you say, there's no date set for the next summit, but it could be just a short time thereafter. We're going to have to have some more conversations and do the additional work, Bolton said.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump is ready to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un again for denuclearisation talks, the White House said, underlining that his decision to walk out of the Hanoi summit sent a signal to other countries as well that he is not desperate for a deal unless it is in America's interest.

US President Donald Trump is ready to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un again for denuclearisation talks, the White House said, underlining that his decision to walk out of the Hanoi summit sent a signal to other countries as well that he is not desperate for a deal unless it is in America's interest. US National Security Advisor John Bolton told ABC News that Trump's walk out from his meeting with Kim was "friendly" and it is not a reflection that the talks broke down. I don't really think it broke down. I think the president did exactly the right thing, he said, referring to the failed summit between the two leaders in Hanoi in Vietnam on February 26 and 27. Trump and Kim's Vietnam meeting ended abruptly without a deal on North Korean denuclearisation in return for sanctions relief. On Friday, Trump told reporters his relationship with Kim was a very good one and said he would be surprised in a negative way if he did anything that was not per our understanding. Trump and Kim first met in Singapore in June 2018, producing only a North Korean commitment to work towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. "Trump and Kim Jong-un had had a number of conversations about what might be done to denuclearise North Korea. Kim offered a partial deal. The president has been very clear that he doesn't want to make the same mistakes as past administrations, Bolton said. "Trump proposed to Kim what he talked about really going back to Singapore, is what he called the big deal, that North Korea completely denuclearize. And, in exchange for that, there was a very bright economic future for the North Korean people," Bolton said. The two leaders went around on this several times. They had a full exchange of views, as the saying goes. It was clear they weren't going to reach an agreement, Bolton said. So, what the president did was, as he put it, to walk away in a friendly way from the discussion. He said he's prepared to meet Kim Jong-un again. It's no date set or anything like that, but it's possible that North Korea will go back and rethink the position they came in with and come back to talk to the president about the big deal, he told the news channel in a talk show. According to Bolton what the president did in Hanoi, was important not just in the negotiations with North Korea on their nuclear programme, but also with China on trade, and also with Russia on arms control and other countries. Despite all the media speculation, the president turned out not to be desperate for a deal. He didn't have to come away with success. In the pursuit of American national interest, he was prepared to risk people characterising the Hanoi summit as a failure because he wasn't going to accept terms that weren't in our national interest, he said. I do think that's a message for others that we're involved in significant negotiations with. Now, in terms of China specifically, you know, we just concluded another round of negotiations here in Washington, Bob Lighthizer, the U.S. trade representative, Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, and others leading that, he said. Talks with China are making progress, but there's work to be done. So it's true, as you say, there's no date set for the next summit, but it could be just a short time thereafter. We're going to have to have some more conversations and do the additional work, Bolton said.

US President Donald Trump ready to meet Kim Jong Un again for denuclearisation talks: White House

Donald Trump's hitherto failed ‘maximum pressure’ approach to Iran, as well as for that matter North Korea, begs the question what the US president’s true objectives are and what options he is left with should the policy ultimately fail.&nbsp;

In the case of North Korea, it remains to be seen whether&nbsp;the country’s reported rebuilding of a rocket launch site&nbsp;after the US president last month walked away from his summit in Hanoi with Kim-Jong-un constitutes a negotiating tactic or a breakdown. The site was partially dismantled as a goodwill gesture after the two men first met in Singapore last year.&nbsp;

A breakdown coupled with&nbsp;even harsher sanctions&nbsp;that similarly may not do the job risks leaving Trump with few good options beyond some kind of military operation.&nbsp;

Trump has so far credibly conveyed his intention of wanting to fully denuclearise North Korea rather than ultimately change its regime, a further indication of the apparent comfort he finds in dealing with at least some autocratic and authoritarian leaders.&nbsp;

The picture with regard to North Korea and Iran is both similar and different.&nbsp;

Iranian resilience backed by key players in the international community determined to salvage the 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear program could blunt the impact of harsh US sanctions, again leaving the United States with few good options beyond either backing away from its maximalist approach or weighing overt or covert military action.&nbsp;

Trump’s intentions regarding Iran, in contrast to North Korea, are far less clear.&nbsp;Increasingly strident language&nbsp;by the president’s hard-line national security advisor, John Bolton, as well as his Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, coupled with the specific&nbsp;changes of Iranian policies that the US is demanding,&nbsp;suggest that regime change rather than reform may be the president’s true objective. It is hard to see how Iran could comply with the US demands without a change of regime.&nbsp;

For now, Iran’s strategy appears to be circumventing sanctions in every way it can, ensuring continued support by Europe, China and Russia, and waiting it out to see whether Trump gets a second term in the 2020 US elections in the hope that a Democratic president comes to office who would negotiate a return of the United States to the nuclear accord.

“A pressure campaign will only be effective if enough time is dedicated to it. In other words,&nbsp;there are no quick and easy victories, as the North Korean case demonstrates. And attempts to get them will only push the goalposts further away,” said political scientist Ariane M Tabatabai.

In a twist of irony, carrot-and-stick-backed efforts by international regulators to get Pakistan and Iran to significantly upgrade their legal abilities to counter political violence potentially are proving to be more effective than maximum pressure.&nbsp;

Concern that Pakistan could be blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the international anti-money laundering and terrorism finance watchdog, compounded by mounting tension with India,&nbsp;prompted Pakistan in recent days to crack down on long tolerated militant groups.

Blacklisting potentially would have a debilitating impact on Pakistan’s crisis-ridden economy. It would restrict the ability of multilateral organisations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to aid or lend to Pakistan.&nbsp;

The fact that Iran faces a similar dilemma has sparked intense debate in the Islamic republic about how to deal with FATF demands that it join the watchdog and significantly upgrade its legal anti-money laundering and terrorism finance infrastructure to evade being blacklisted.&nbsp;

Iran’s parliament has so far passed two of four bills required for membership&nbsp;and together with the Expediency and Discernment Council is debating Iranian accession to the Combating the Financing of Terrorism Convention (CFT) and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime or Palermo Convention.&nbsp;

The FATF demands have put Iran between a rock and a hard place.

Iranian ratification of those conventions coupled with FATF membership holds out the promise of more effectively and more quickly than US maximum pressure curtailing Iran’s ability to fund regional proxies.&nbsp;

Failure to comply could significantly increase the pain of US sanctions by prompting those banks and financial institutions still willing to do business with Iran to rethink their positions.&nbsp;

It would also likely restrict the ability of supporters of the nuclear agreement to help Iran soften the impact of the sanctions.&nbsp;

"If you want us&nbsp;to succeed in the talks with Europe, at least the four proposed bills must be ratified," said a member of the Iranian parliament, Abulfazle Mousavi.&nbsp;

“By joining,&nbsp;Iranian banks will be under what will be unprecedented international scrutiny. This will make it more difficult, although not impossible, for Iran to transfer money to terror organisations… such as Hezbollah, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. Additionally, Iranian membership in the FATF would weaken the financial strength of the Iranian hard-liners, who have always called for a more aggressive foreign policy in the region,” said Iran scholar Meir Javedanfar.&nbsp;

That is what has fuelled opposition in Iran to acceptance of FATF’s requirements. Hardliners have warned that FATF would effectively impair Iran’s ability to pursue a defense strategy focused on fighting the country’s foreign policy and military battles far beyond its borders and would give US sanctions more bite.&nbsp;

"Joining these conventions will lead to interference with Iran's internal affairs, including financial and economic issues,” said Abolfazl Hasanbeygi, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission.

Mr. Hasanbeygi warned that FATF would be the vehicle that the country’s detractors would use to gain access to the workings of Iran's banking and economic system and its flows of funds.

As a result, Iran is at a crossroads more because of the application of a rules-based international and multilateral system than the coercion of punitive sanctions imposed by a world power. In reality, Iran is emerging as a litmus test of the effectiveness of varying forms of global governance.

If Iran “does not comply with the FATF regulations, the whole Iranian banking system could become thoroughly isolated&nbsp;from the global financial system. This means that it would be almost impossible to transfer the country's oil revenue internationally and even into its national economy,” said political analyst&nbsp;Shahir Shahidsaless.

“And if it does comply, it will face complications such as the creation of an FIU, becoming exposed to sanctions as a result of its chaotic banking system, greater difficulty bypassing US sanctions and, finally, risk getting trapped in allegations of financing terrorism,” he added referring to FATF’s insistence that members create a financial intelligence unit that monitors and reports on the funding of political violence.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Donald Trump's hitherto failed ‘maximum pressure’ approach to Iran, as well as for that matter North Korea, begs the question what the US president’s true objectives are and what options he is left with should the policy ultimately fail.

Donald Trump's hitherto failed ‘maximum pressure’ approach to Iran, as well as for that matter North Korea, begs the question what the US president’s true objectives are and what options he is left with should the policy ultimately fail. In the case of North Korea, it remains to be seen whether the country’s reported rebuilding of a rocket launch site after the US president last month walked away from his summit in Hanoi with Kim-Jong-un constitutes a negotiating tactic or a breakdown. The site was partially dismantled as a goodwill gesture after the two men first met in Singapore last year. A breakdown coupled with even harsher sanctions that similarly may not do the job risks leaving Trump with few good options beyond some kind of military operation. Trump has so far credibly conveyed his intention of wanting to fully denuclearise North Korea rather than ultimately change its regime, a further indication of the apparent comfort he finds in dealing with at least some autocratic and authoritarian leaders. The picture with regard to North Korea and Iran is both similar and different. Iranian resilience backed by key players in the international community determined to salvage the 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear program could blunt the impact of harsh US sanctions, again leaving the United States with few good options beyond either backing away from its maximalist approach or weighing overt or covert military action. Trump’s intentions regarding Iran, in contrast to North Korea, are far less clear. Increasingly strident language by the president’s hard-line national security advisor, John Bolton, as well as his Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, coupled with the specific changes of Iranian policies that the US is demanding, suggest that regime change rather than reform may be the president’s true objective. It is hard to see how Iran could comply with the US demands without a change of regime. For now, Iran’s strategy appears to be circumventing sanctions in every way it can, ensuring continued support by Europe, China and Russia, and waiting it out to see whether Trump gets a second term in the 2020 US elections in the hope that a Democratic president comes to office who would negotiate a return of the United States to the nuclear accord. “A pressure campaign will only be effective if enough time is dedicated to it. In other words, there are no quick and easy victories, as the North Korean case demonstrates. And attempts to get them will only push the goalposts further away,” said political scientist Ariane M Tabatabai. In a twist of irony, carrot-and-stick-backed efforts by international regulators to get Pakistan and Iran to significantly upgrade their legal abilities to counter political violence potentially are proving to be more effective than maximum pressure. Concern that Pakistan could be blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the international anti-money laundering and terrorism finance watchdog, compounded by mounting tension with India, prompted Pakistan in recent days to crack down on long tolerated militant groups. Blacklisting potentially would have a debilitating impact on Pakistan’s crisis-ridden economy. It would restrict the ability of multilateral organisations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to aid or lend to Pakistan. The fact that Iran faces a similar dilemma has sparked intense debate in the Islamic republic about how to deal with FATF demands that it join the watchdog and significantly upgrade its legal anti-money laundering and terrorism finance infrastructure to evade being blacklisted. Iran’s parliament has so far passed two of four bills required for membership and together with the Expediency and Discernment Council is debating Iranian accession to the Combating the Financing of Terrorism Convention (CFT) and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime or Palermo Convention. The FATF demands have put Iran between a rock and a hard place. Iranian ratification of those conventions coupled with FATF membership holds out the promise of more effectively and more quickly than US maximum pressure curtailing Iran’s ability to fund regional proxies. Failure to comply could significantly increase the pain of US sanctions by prompting those banks and financial institutions still willing to do business with Iran to rethink their positions. It would also likely restrict the ability of supporters of the nuclear agreement to help Iran soften the impact of the sanctions. "If you want us to succeed in the talks with Europe, at least the four proposed bills must be ratified," said a member of the Iranian parliament, Abulfazle Mousavi. “By joining, Iranian banks will be under what will be unprecedented international scrutiny. This will make it more difficult, although not impossible, for Iran to transfer money to terror organisations… such as Hezbollah, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. Additionally, Iranian membership in the FATF would weaken the financial strength of the Iranian hard-liners, who have always called for a more aggressive foreign policy in the region,” said Iran scholar Meir Javedanfar. That is what has fuelled opposition in Iran to acceptance of FATF’s requirements. Hardliners have warned that FATF would effectively impair Iran’s ability to pursue a defense strategy focused on fighting the country’s foreign policy and military battles far beyond its borders and would give US sanctions more bite. "Joining these conventions will lead to interference with Iran's internal affairs, including financial and economic issues,” said Abolfazl Hasanbeygi, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission. Mr. Hasanbeygi warned that FATF would be the vehicle that the country’s detractors would use to gain access to the workings of Iran's banking and economic system and its flows of funds. As a result, Iran is at a crossroads more because of the application of a rules-based international and multilateral system than the coercion of punitive sanctions imposed by a world power. In reality, Iran is emerging as a litmus test of the effectiveness of varying forms of global governance. If Iran “does not comply with the FATF regulations, the whole Iranian banking system could become thoroughly isolated from the global financial system. This means that it would be almost impossible to transfer the country's oil revenue internationally and even into its national economy,” said political analyst Shahir Shahidsaless. “And if it does comply, it will face complications such as the creation of an FIU, becoming exposed to sanctions as a result of its chaotic banking system, greater difficulty bypassing US sanctions and, finally, risk getting trapped in allegations of financing terrorism,” he added referring to FATF’s insistence that members create a financial intelligence unit that monitors and reports on the funding of political violence. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Iran and North Korea highlight pitfalls of Trump’s ‘maximum pressure’ strategy

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump is open to more talks with North Korea over denuclearisation, his national security adviser said on Thursday, despite <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-be-very-very-disappointed-says-trump-over-reports-of-north-korea-rebuilding-rocket-site-201648">reports it is reactivating parts of its missile programme</a>.

New activity has been detected at a factory that produced North Korea's first intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the United States, South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo and Donga Ilbo newspapers reported, citing lawmakers briefed by the National Intelligence Service.

This week, two US&nbsp;think-tanks and Seoul's spy agency said North Korea was rebuilding its Sohae rocket launch site, prompting Trump to say he would be "very, very disappointed" in North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if it were true. The think tanks said on Thursday that they believed the launch site was operational again.

Asked on Thursday if he was disappointed about recent North Korean activity, Trump told reporters,&nbsp;"It's disappointing," while adding without elaborating,&nbsp;"We'll see. We'll let you know in about a year."

The reports of North Korean activity raise more questions about the future of the dialogue Trump has pursued with Kim after a second summit between them broke down in Vietnam last week.

White House National Security Adviser John Bolton, who has argued for a tough approach to North Korea, said Trump was still open to more talks with the country.

"The president's obviously open to talking again. We'll see when that might be scheduled or how it might work out," he told Fox News, adding it was too soon to make a determination on the reports of the North Korean activity.

"We're going to study the situation carefully. As the president said, it would be very, very disappointing if they were taking this direction."

The Vietnam summit on February&nbsp;27-28 collapsed over differences about how far North Korea was willing to limit its nuclear program and the degree of US&nbsp;willingness to ease economic sanctions.

North Korea's state media, which had focused its reporting on the "constructive" talks between the leaders, reported for the first time on Friday that the summit ended with no agreement.&nbsp;

The official Rodong Sinmun newspaper accused Japan of trying to "disturb" North Korea's relations with the United States and said Japan had "applauded" the breakdown of the summit while the rest of the world regretted it.&nbsp;

Trump, eager for a big foreign policy win on North Korea, which has eluded his predecessors for decades, has repeatedly stressed his good relationship with Kim. He went as far late last year as saying they "fell in love," but the bonhomie has failed to bridge the wide gap between the two sides.

No comment yet

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday he was hopeful he would send a delegation to North Korea for more talks in the next couple of weeks, but that he had received "no commitment yet."

A senior State Department official told reporters on Thursday that Washington was keen to resume talks as soon as possible, but North Korea's negotiators needed to be given more latitude than they were ahead of the summit.

He said no one in the US&nbsp;administration advocated the incremental approach that North Korea has been seeking and the condition for its integration into the global economy, a transformed relationship with the United States and a permanent peace regime, was complete denuclearisation.

"Fundamentally, where we really need to see the progress, and we need to see it soon, is on meaningful and verifiable steps on denuclearisation. That's our goal and that's how we see these negotiations picking up momentum."

The official, who did not want to be identified, said the US&nbsp;side still saw North Korea's complete denuclearisation as achievable within Trump's current term, which ends in January 2021.

While the official said he would "not necessarily share the conclusion" that the Sohae site was operational again, any use of it would be seen as "backsliding" on commitments to Trump.

"We are watching in real-time developments at Sohae and we will definitely be seeking clarification on the purposes of that," he said.

Missile factory

South Korean spy chief Suh Hoon told lawmakers in Seoul that cargo vehicles were spotted moving around a North Korean ICBM factory at Sanumdong recently, the JoongAng Ilbo reported.

The paper also quoted Suh as saying North Korea had continued to run its uranium enrichment facility at the main Yongbyon nuclear complex after Trump and Kim's first summit in Singapore last June.

The Sanumdong factory produced the Hwasong-15 ICBM, which can fly more than 13,000 km (8,080 miles). After a test flight in 2017, North Korea declared the completion of its "state nuclear force" before pursuing talks with South Korea and the United States last year.

Separately, Washington's 38 North and Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tanks reported on Thursday that the North's Sohae site, which Kim pledged in Singapore to dismantle, appeared to be operational again after rebuilding work that began days before the Hanoi summit.

"The rebuilding activities at Sohae demonstrate how quickly North Korea can easily render reversible any steps taken towards scrapping its Weapons of Mass Destruction program with little hesitation," CSIS said.

It called the action "an affront" to Trump's diplomatic strategy that showed North Korean pique at his refusal to lift sanctions.

Sanctions warning

Some analysts see the work as aimed at pressing Washington to agree to a deal, rather than as a definite move to resume tests.

A US&nbsp;government source, who did not want to be identified, said North Korea's plan in rebuilding the site could have been to offer a demonstration of good faith by conspicuously stopping again if a summit pact was struck, while furnishing a sign of defiance or resolve if the meeting failed.

On Wednesday, Bolton warned of new sanctions if North Korea did not scrap its weapons program.&nbsp;

Despite his sanctions talk, there have been signs across Asia that the US&nbsp;"maximum pressure" sanctions campaign against North Korea has sprung leaks.

In a new breach, three South Korean companies were found to have brought in more than 13,000 tons of North Korean coal, worth 2.1 billion won ($2 million) since 2017, South Korea said.

The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, referring on Friday to international tension over North Korea, said a "resolution could not be reached overnight".&nbsp;

"All parties should have reasonable expectations on this," Wang told a news briefing.&nbsp;

China is North Korea's most important economic and diplomatic backer, and has suggested easing UN&nbsp;sanctions on North Korea as a way to reward it for its improved behavior.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump is open to more talks with North Korea over denuclearisation, his national security adviser said on Thursday, despite reports it is reactivating parts of its missile programme.

US President Donald Trump is open to more talks with North Korea over denuclearisation, his national security adviser said on Thursday, despite reports it is reactivating parts of its missile programme. New activity has been detected at a factory that produced North Korea's first intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the United States, South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo and Donga Ilbo newspapers reported, citing lawmakers briefed by the National Intelligence Service. This week, two US think-tanks and Seoul's spy agency said North Korea was rebuilding its Sohae rocket launch site, prompting Trump to say he would be "very, very disappointed" in North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if it were true. The think tanks said on Thursday that they believed the launch site was operational again. Asked on Thursday if he was disappointed about recent North Korean activity, Trump told reporters, "It's disappointing," while adding without elaborating, "We'll see. We'll let you know in about a year." The reports of North Korean activity raise more questions about the future of the dialogue Trump has pursued with Kim after a second summit between them broke down in Vietnam last week. White House National Security Adviser John Bolton, who has argued for a tough approach to North Korea, said Trump was still open to more talks with the country. "The president's obviously open to talking again. We'll see when that might be scheduled or how it might work out," he told Fox News, adding it was too soon to make a determination on the reports of the North Korean activity. "We're going to study the situation carefully. As the president said, it would be very, very disappointing if they were taking this direction." The Vietnam summit on February 27-28 collapsed over differences about how far North Korea was willing to limit its nuclear program and the degree of US willingness to ease economic sanctions. North Korea's state media, which had focused its reporting on the "constructive" talks between the leaders, reported for the first time on Friday that the summit ended with no agreement. The official Rodong Sinmun newspaper accused Japan of trying to "disturb" North Korea's relations with the United States and said Japan had "applauded" the breakdown of the summit while the rest of the world regretted it. Trump, eager for a big foreign policy win on North Korea, which has eluded his predecessors for decades, has repeatedly stressed his good relationship with Kim. He went as far late last year as saying they "fell in love," but the bonhomie has failed to bridge the wide gap between the two sides. No comment yet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday he was hopeful he would send a delegation to North Korea for more talks in the next couple of weeks, but that he had received "no commitment yet." A senior State Department official told reporters on Thursday that Washington was keen to resume talks as soon as possible, but North Korea's negotiators needed to be given more latitude than they were ahead of the summit. He said no one in the US administration advocated the incremental approach that North Korea has been seeking and the condition for its integration into the global economy, a transformed relationship with the United States and a permanent peace regime, was complete denuclearisation. "Fundamentally, where we really need to see the progress, and we need to see it soon, is on meaningful and verifiable steps on denuclearisation. That's our goal and that's how we see these negotiations picking up momentum." The official, who did not want to be identified, said the US side still saw North Korea's complete denuclearisation as achievable within Trump's current term, which ends in January 2021. While the official said he would "not necessarily share the conclusion" that the Sohae site was operational again, any use of it would be seen as "backsliding" on commitments to Trump. "We are watching in real-time developments at Sohae and we will definitely be seeking clarification on the purposes of that," he said. Missile factory South Korean spy chief Suh Hoon told lawmakers in Seoul that cargo vehicles were spotted moving around a North Korean ICBM factory at Sanumdong recently, the JoongAng Ilbo reported. The paper also quoted Suh as saying North Korea had continued to run its uranium enrichment facility at the main Yongbyon nuclear complex after Trump and Kim's first summit in Singapore last June. The Sanumdong factory produced the Hwasong-15 ICBM, which can fly more than 13,000 km (8,080 miles). After a test flight in 2017, North Korea declared the completion of its "state nuclear force" before pursuing talks with South Korea and the United States last year. Separately, Washington's 38 North and Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tanks reported on Thursday that the North's Sohae site, which Kim pledged in Singapore to dismantle, appeared to be operational again after rebuilding work that began days before the Hanoi summit. "The rebuilding activities at Sohae demonstrate how quickly North Korea can easily render reversible any steps taken towards scrapping its Weapons of Mass Destruction program with little hesitation," CSIS said. It called the action "an affront" to Trump's diplomatic strategy that showed North Korean pique at his refusal to lift sanctions. Sanctions warning Some analysts see the work as aimed at pressing Washington to agree to a deal, rather than as a definite move to resume tests. A US government source, who did not want to be identified, said North Korea's plan in rebuilding the site could have been to offer a demonstration of good faith by conspicuously stopping again if a summit pact was struck, while furnishing a sign of defiance or resolve if the meeting failed. On Wednesday, Bolton warned of new sanctions if North Korea did not scrap its weapons program. Despite his sanctions talk, there have been signs across Asia that the US "maximum pressure" sanctions campaign against North Korea has sprung leaks. In a new breach, three South Korean companies were found to have brought in more than 13,000 tons of North Korean coal, worth 2.1 billion won ($2 million) since 2017, South Korea said. The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, referring on Friday to international tension over North Korea, said a "resolution could not be reached overnight". "All parties should have reasonable expectations on this," Wang told a news briefing. China is North Korea's most important economic and diplomatic backer, and has suggested easing UN sanctions on North Korea as a way to reward it for its improved behavior.

Trump says open to talks with North Korea despite missile programme activity

Trump-Kim summit brings tourists to 'historic' event

President Donald Trump said on Friday there was "a very good chance" the United States would strike a deal with China to end their trade war and that he was inclined to extend his March 1 tariff deadline and meet soon with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

US&nbsp;and Chinese negotiators had made progress and will extend this week's round of negotiations by two days through Sunday, Trump told reporters at the White House as he met with his top negotiators and their counterpart, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He.

"I think that we both feel there's a very good chance a deal will happen," Trump said.

Liu agreed there had been "great progress".

"From China, we believe that (it) is very likely that it will happen and we hope that ultimately we'll have a deal. And the Chinese side is ready to make our utmost effort," he said at the White House.

The Republican president said he probably would meet with Xi in March in Florida to decide on the most important terms of a trade deal.

Extending the deadline would put on hold Trump's threatened tariff increase to 25 percent from 10 percent on $200 billion of Chinese imports into the United States.

That would prevent a further escalation in a trade war that already has disrupted commerce in goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars, slowed global economic growth and roiled markets.

Optimism that the two sides will find a way to end the trade war lifted stocks, especially technology shares. The S&amp;P 500 stock index reached its highest closing level since Nov. 8. Oil prices rose to their highest since mid-November, with Brent crude reaching a high of $67.73 a barrel.

Currency agreement&nbsp;

Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the two sides had reached an agreement on currency. Trump declined to provide details, but US&nbsp;officials long have expressed concerns that China's yuan is undervalued, giving China a trade advantage and partly offsetting US&nbsp;tariffs.

Announcement of a pact aimed at limiting yuan depreciation was putting "the currency cart before the trade horse," but would likely be positive for Asian emerging market currencies, said Alan Ruskin, global head of currency strategy at Deutsche Bank in New York.

"How can you agree to avoid excessive Chinese yuan depreciation or volatility if you have not made an agreement on trade that could have huge FX implications?" Ruskin asked in a note to clients.

In a letter to Trump read aloud by an aide to Liu at the White House, Xi called on negotiators to work hard to strike a deal that benefits both country.

Trump said a deal with China may extend beyond trade to encompass Chinese telecommunications companies Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp.

The Justice Department has accused Huawei of conspiring to violate US&nbsp;sanctions on Iran and of stealing robotic technology from T-Mobile US Inc.

Chinese peer ZTE was last year prevented from buying essential components from US&nbsp;firms after pleading guilty to similar charges, crippling its operations.

MEMORANDUMS NO MORE

Trump appeared at odds with his top negotiator, US&nbsp;Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, on the preliminary terms that his team is outlining in memorandums of understanding for a deal with China. Trump said he did not like MOUs because they are short term, and he wanted a long-term deal.

"I don't like MOUs because they don't mean anything," Trump said. "Either you are going to make a deal or you're not."

Lighthizer responded testily that MOUs were binding, but that he would never use the term again.

Reuters reported exclusively on Wednesday that the two sides were drafting the language for six MOUs covering the most difficult issues in the trade talks that would require structural economic change in China.

Negotiators have struggled this week to agree on specific language within those memorandums to address tough US&nbsp;demands, according to sources familiar with the talks. The six memorandums include cyber theft, intellectual property rights, services, agriculture and non-tariff barriers to trade, including subsidies.

An industry source briefed on the talks said both sides have narrowed differences on intellectual property rights, market access and narrowing a nearly $400 billion US&nbsp;trade deficit with China. But bigger differences remain on changes to China's treatment of state-owned enterprises, subsidies, forced technology transfers and cyber theft of US&nbsp;trade secrets.

Lighthizer pushed back when questioned on forced technology transfers, saying the two sides made "a lot of progress" on the issue, but did not elaborate.

The United States has said foreign firms in China are often coerced to transfer their technology to Chinese firms if they want to operate there. China denies this.

The US&nbsp;Chamber of Commerce on Friday urged the US&nbsp;government to ensure the deal was comprehensive and addressed core issues, rather than one based on more Chinese short-term purchases of goods.

China has pledged to increase purchases of agricultural produce, energy, semiconductors and industrial goods to reduce its trade surplus with the United States.

China committed to buying an additional 10 million tonnes of US&nbsp;soybeans on Friday, US&nbsp;Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Twitter. China bought about 32 million tonnes of US&nbsp;soybeans in 2017. The commitments are a "show of good faith by the Chinese" and "indications of more good news to come," Perdue wrote.

China was the top buyer of US&nbsp;soybeans before the trade war, but Beijing's retaliatory tariffs on US&nbsp;soybeans slashed business that had been worth $12 billion annually.

President Donald Trump said on Friday there was "a very good chance" the United States would strike a deal with China to end their trade war and that he was inclined to extend his March 1 tariff deadline and meet soon with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

President Donald Trump said on Friday there was "a very good chance" the United States would strike a deal with China to end their trade war and that he was inclined to extend his March 1 tariff deadline and meet soon with Chinese President Xi Jinping. US and Chinese negotiators had made progress and will extend this week's round of negotiations by two days through Sunday, Trump told reporters at the White House as he met with his top negotiators and their counterpart, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He. "I think that we both feel there's a very good chance a deal will happen," Trump said. Liu agreed there had been "great progress". "From China, we believe that (it) is very likely that it will happen and we hope that ultimately we'll have a deal. And the Chinese side is ready to make our utmost effort," he said at the White House. The Republican president said he probably would meet with Xi in March in Florida to decide on the most important terms of a trade deal. Extending the deadline would put on hold Trump's threatened tariff increase to 25 percent from 10 percent on $200 billion of Chinese imports into the United States. That would prevent a further escalation in a trade war that already has disrupted commerce in goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars, slowed global economic growth and roiled markets. Optimism that the two sides will find a way to end the trade war lifted stocks, especially technology shares. The S&P 500 stock index reached its highest closing level since Nov. 8. Oil prices rose to their highest since mid-November, with Brent crude reaching a high of $67.73 a barrel. Currency agreement Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the two sides had reached an agreement on currency. Trump declined to provide details, but US officials long have expressed concerns that China's yuan is undervalued, giving China a trade advantage and partly offsetting US tariffs. Announcement of a pact aimed at limiting yuan depreciation was putting "the currency cart before the trade horse," but would likely be positive for Asian emerging market currencies, said Alan Ruskin, global head of currency strategy at Deutsche Bank in New York. "How can you agree to avoid excessive Chinese yuan depreciation or volatility if you have not made an agreement on trade that could have huge FX implications?" Ruskin asked in a note to clients. In a letter to Trump read aloud by an aide to Liu at the White House, Xi called on negotiators to work hard to strike a deal that benefits both country. Trump said a deal with China may extend beyond trade to encompass Chinese telecommunications companies Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp. The Justice Department has accused Huawei of conspiring to violate US sanctions on Iran and of stealing robotic technology from T-Mobile US Inc. Chinese peer ZTE was last year prevented from buying essential components from US firms after pleading guilty to similar charges, crippling its operations. MEMORANDUMS NO MORE Trump appeared at odds with his top negotiator, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, on the preliminary terms that his team is outlining in memorandums of understanding for a deal with China. Trump said he did not like MOUs because they are short term, and he wanted a long-term deal. "I don't like MOUs because they don't mean anything," Trump said. "Either you are going to make a deal or you're not." Lighthizer responded testily that MOUs were binding, but that he would never use the term again. Reuters reported exclusively on Wednesday that the two sides were drafting the language for six MOUs covering the most difficult issues in the trade talks that would require structural economic change in China. Negotiators have struggled this week to agree on specific language within those memorandums to address tough US demands, according to sources familiar with the talks. The six memorandums include cyber theft, intellectual property rights, services, agriculture and non-tariff barriers to trade, including subsidies. An industry source briefed on the talks said both sides have narrowed differences on intellectual property rights, market access and narrowing a nearly $400 billion US trade deficit with China. But bigger differences remain on changes to China's treatment of state-owned enterprises, subsidies, forced technology transfers and cyber theft of US trade secrets. Lighthizer pushed back when questioned on forced technology transfers, saying the two sides made "a lot of progress" on the issue, but did not elaborate. The United States has said foreign firms in China are often coerced to transfer their technology to Chinese firms if they want to operate there. China denies this. The US Chamber of Commerce on Friday urged the US government to ensure the deal was comprehensive and addressed core issues, rather than one based on more Chinese short-term purchases of goods. China has pledged to increase purchases of agricultural produce, energy, semiconductors and industrial goods to reduce its trade surplus with the United States. China committed to buying an additional 10 million tonnes of US soybeans on Friday, US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Twitter. China bought about 32 million tonnes of US soybeans in 2017. The commitments are a "show of good faith by the Chinese" and "indications of more good news to come," Perdue wrote. China was the top buyer of US soybeans before the trade war, but Beijing's retaliatory tariffs on US soybeans slashed business that had been worth $12 billion annually.

There's very good chance a deal will happen: Trump on ending trade war with China

President Donald Trump insisted Friday he was not pulling an about-face on his Syria withdrawal plans, after it was announced hundreds of US troops would remain in the war-torn country.

The White House quietly dropped the news late Thursday that around <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/around-200-us-troops-to-remain-in-syria-after-pullout-white-house-198898">200 American "peace-keeping" soldiers</a> would remain in northern Syria indefinitely, amid fierce criticism of Trump's decision to withdraw America's more than 2,000 troops there by April 30.

"I am not reversing course," Trump said at the White House, noting that 200 soldiers was only a "very small, tiny fraction" of the overall presence.

Senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham heralded the move, claiming the residual forces would somehow catalyze a bigger presence by European allies who had balked at the idea of committing troops to Syria minus an American ground presence.

"This 200 will attract probably 1,000 Europeans," Graham said in an interview with Fox News.

Trump, an avid Fox viewer, said he watched Graham and supported leaving "a small force with others. Whether it's NATO troops or whoever it might be, so that (IS) doesn't start up again."

Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Sean Robertson said the US troops would be part of a "multinational observing and monitoring force" that would be made up "primarily" of NATO allies in a northeast Syria "safe zone."

Robertson added the US would also maintain its presence at Al-Tanaf, a desert garrison in southern Syria where some 200 US soldiers are presently based.

Trump declared victory over IS in December despite thousands of fighters remaining and a continued effort to clear jihadists from a final scrap of territory. The decision prompted his defense secretary Jim Mattis to quit.

Critics have decried a number of possible outcomes from a US precipitous withdrawal, including a Turkish attack on US-backed Kurdish forces and a resurgence of IS.

Apart from the US, currently only France and Britain have a handful troops on the ground in Syria helping train local forces in the US-led effort against IS.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan visited Europe last week and attempted to convince allies to furnish a troop presence in Syria after the US pulls out.&nbsp;

But he struggled to persuade other countries why they should risk their forces with America gone.

Graham claimed "thousands of Europeans" had been killed by IS fighters coming from Syria into Europe.&nbsp;

"Now, the burden falls on Europe. Eighty percent of the operation should be European, maybe 20 percent us," he said.

According to various tracking groups, far fewer than 1,000 people have been killed in attacks by Islamists of all origins in Europe since 2014.

But Graham's rhetoric feeds into one of Trump's favorite topics -- the notion that European and NATO allies aren't contributing enough to global security.

- Anti-IS campaign 'unchanged' - 
Shanahan, who spoke briefly to Pentagon reporters as he met with Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, insisted the mission to defeat IS remained unchanged.

"The transition that we are working towards is stabilization, and to enhance the security capability of local security forces," Shanahan said.&nbsp;

General Joe Dunford, who is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added he was confident allies would step into the fray.

"There is no change in the basic campaign. The resourcing is being adjusted because the threat has been changed," Dunford said.

Graham meanwhile said he had been speaking to Trump "continuously" about the withdrawal and persuaded him that a buffer zone needs to be created to protect US-backed Kurdish fighters from a possible attack by Turkey.&nbsp;

"You don't want to end one war and start another," Graham said he told Trump.&nbsp;

Akar, the Turkish minister, said Ankara did not have a problem with the Kurds in Syria, only with the armed US-backed Kurdish fighters there.

"We are fighting against terrorist organizations," Akar said.

President Donald Trump insisted Friday he was not pulling an about-face on his Syria withdrawal plans, after it was announced hundreds of US troops would remain in the war-torn country.

President Donald Trump insisted Friday he was not pulling an about-face on his Syria withdrawal plans, after it was announced hundreds of US troops would remain in the war-torn country. The White House quietly dropped the news late Thursday that around 200 American "peace-keeping" soldiers would remain in northern Syria indefinitely, amid fierce criticism of Trump's decision to withdraw America's more than 2,000 troops there by April 30. "I am not reversing course," Trump said at the White House, noting that 200 soldiers was only a "very small, tiny fraction" of the overall presence. Senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham heralded the move, claiming the residual forces would somehow catalyze a bigger presence by European allies who had balked at the idea of committing troops to Syria minus an American ground presence. "This 200 will attract probably 1,000 Europeans," Graham said in an interview with Fox News. Trump, an avid Fox viewer, said he watched Graham and supported leaving "a small force with others. Whether it's NATO troops or whoever it might be, so that (IS) doesn't start up again." Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Sean Robertson said the US troops would be part of a "multinational observing and monitoring force" that would be made up "primarily" of NATO allies in a northeast Syria "safe zone." Robertson added the US would also maintain its presence at Al-Tanaf, a desert garrison in southern Syria where some 200 US soldiers are presently based. Trump declared victory over IS in December despite thousands of fighters remaining and a continued effort to clear jihadists from a final scrap of territory. The decision prompted his defense secretary Jim Mattis to quit. Critics have decried a number of possible outcomes from a US precipitous withdrawal, including a Turkish attack on US-backed Kurdish forces and a resurgence of IS. Apart from the US, currently only France and Britain have a handful troops on the ground in Syria helping train local forces in the US-led effort against IS. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan visited Europe last week and attempted to convince allies to furnish a troop presence in Syria after the US pulls out. But he struggled to persuade other countries why they should risk their forces with America gone. Graham claimed "thousands of Europeans" had been killed by IS fighters coming from Syria into Europe. "Now, the burden falls on Europe. Eighty percent of the operation should be European, maybe 20 percent us," he said. According to various tracking groups, far fewer than 1,000 people have been killed in attacks by Islamists of all origins in Europe since 2014. But Graham's rhetoric feeds into one of Trump's favorite topics -- the notion that European and NATO allies aren't contributing enough to global security. - Anti-IS campaign 'unchanged' - Shanahan, who spoke briefly to Pentagon reporters as he met with Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, insisted the mission to defeat IS remained unchanged. "The transition that we are working towards is stabilization, and to enhance the security capability of local security forces," Shanahan said. General Joe Dunford, who is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added he was confident allies would step into the fray. "There is no change in the basic campaign. The resourcing is being adjusted because the threat has been changed," Dunford said. Graham meanwhile said he had been speaking to Trump "continuously" about the withdrawal and persuaded him that a buffer zone needs to be created to protect US-backed Kurdish fighters from a possible attack by Turkey. "You don't want to end one war and start another," Graham said he told Trump. Akar, the Turkish minister, said Ankara did not have a problem with the Kurds in Syria, only with the armed US-backed Kurdish fighters there. "We are fighting against terrorist organizations," Akar said.

As hundreds of US troops stay in Syria, Trump insists no U-turn

President Donald Trump on Friday ruled out reducing US forces from South Korea as part of a deal in his upcoming summit with North Korea.

"No, it's not. That is not one of the things on the table," Trump said when asked if he would consider pulling some of the 28,500 troops from South Korea.

Trump, answering questions as he met at the White House with a senior Chinese official, said that he would not reveal his bargaining cards ahead of next week's summit in Hanoi.

Pressed on what he would offer, Trump quipped: "Everything is on the table."

Trump again hailed his relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, whom he met in June in Singapore in the first-ever summit between the two adversaries.

The US leader will face pressure to produce more concrete results when they meet over two days at their second summit.

The businessman turned president has long mused about withdrawing US troops from allies, seeing them as an expense shouldered by the United States by countries that are often commercial competitors.

Heightening speculation that troops could be on the table, the United States and South Korea have been struggling to finalize a new arrangement on how much Seoul will pay for the US military presence, with the Trump administration pressing for more.

North Korea has never formally ended the 1950-53 war with its neighbor and officially is seeking reunification with the South.

But any bid to remove US troops would face strong pushback from the US Congress and Japan, whose conservative government is deeply wary of North Korea's intentions.

And South Korean President Moon Jae-in has shown little interest in booting out US troops, in contrast with some of his predecessors who shared his left-of-center ideology. 
&nbsp;

President Donald Trump on Friday ruled out reducing US forces from South Korea as part of a deal in his upcoming summit with North Korea. "No, it's not. That is not one of the things on the table," Trump said when asked if he would consider pulling some of the 28,500 troops from South Korea.

President Donald Trump on Friday ruled out reducing US forces from South Korea as part of a deal in his upcoming summit with North Korea. "No, it's not. That is not one of the things on the table," Trump said when asked if he would consider pulling some of the 28,500 troops from South Korea. Trump, answering questions as he met at the White House with a senior Chinese official, said that he would not reveal his bargaining cards ahead of next week's summit in Hanoi. Pressed on what he would offer, Trump quipped: "Everything is on the table." Trump again hailed his relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, whom he met in June in Singapore in the first-ever summit between the two adversaries. The US leader will face pressure to produce more concrete results when they meet over two days at their second summit. The businessman turned president has long mused about withdrawing US troops from allies, seeing them as an expense shouldered by the United States by countries that are often commercial competitors. Heightening speculation that troops could be on the table, the United States and South Korea have been struggling to finalize a new arrangement on how much Seoul will pay for the US military presence, with the Trump administration pressing for more. North Korea has never formally ended the 1950-53 war with its neighbor and officially is seeking reunification with the South. But any bid to remove US troops would face strong pushback from the US Congress and Japan, whose conservative government is deeply wary of North Korea's intentions. And South Korean President Moon Jae-in has shown little interest in booting out US troops, in contrast with some of his predecessors who shared his left-of-center ideology.

Trump rules out reducing US troops from South Korea

US President Donald Trump reacts to Pulwama attack

United States Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday announced his candidacy for the 2020 elections to the nation's presidency.&nbsp;

The self-styled democratic socialist, who represents the state of Vermont as an independent, is set to compete in the Democratic Party primaries and said he would run a grassroots campaign that re-addresses some of the major issues he focused on in his unsuccessful 2016 bid, such as Medicare-For-All, raising the minimum wage and tackling problems like climate change and wealth inequality.&nbsp;

"Make no mistake about it, the powerful special interests in this country have unbelievable power and they want to maintain the status quo," the 77-year-old senator, who has been credited with revitalizing the often-neglected left wing of the Democratic Party, said.&nbsp;

"They have unlimited amounts of money to spend on campaigns and lobbying and have a huge influence over the media and political parties," Sanders added.

"The only way we will win this election and create a government and an economy that works for all is with a grassroots movement the likes of which has never been seen in American history," he said. "They may have the money and the power; we have the people."

He pulled no punches when describing the incumbent president, Donald Trump, whom he called a "pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe."&nbsp;

The Brooklyn-born veteran of American politics is set to face stiff competition in a crowded primary race that already includes establishment figures such as fellow US senators Kamala Harris (California), Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), Cory Booker (New Jersey), Kirsten Gillibrand (New York) and Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota).

Other Democrats, such as the former mayor of San Antonio (Texas) and ex-secretary of housing and urban development, Julián Castro; the current mayor of South Bend (Indiana), Pete Buttigieg, or US Representatives Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii-02) and John Delaney (Maryland-06), have also declared their candidacies in the race to the White House.

Sanders lost the Democratic primaries in 2016 to Hillary Clinton, who in turn was unable to defeat Trump in the election despite winning the popular vote by almost three million ballots.&nbsp;

His candidacy had been widely anticipated by a segment of the party's more progressive base and by other independent organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America. 
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United States Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday announced his candidacy for the 2020 elections to the nation's presidency. The self-styled democratic socialist, who represents the state of Vermont as an independent, is set to compete in the Democratic Party primaries and said he would run a grassroots campaign that re-addresses some of the major issues he focused on in his unsuccessful 2016 bid, such as Medicare-For-All, raising the minimum wage and tackling problems like climate change and wealth inequality.

United States Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday announced his candidacy for the 2020 elections to the nation's presidency. The self-styled democratic socialist, who represents the state of Vermont as an independent, is set to compete in the Democratic Party primaries and said he would run a grassroots campaign that re-addresses some of the major issues he focused on in his unsuccessful 2016 bid, such as Medicare-For-All, raising the minimum wage and tackling problems like climate change and wealth inequality. "Make no mistake about it, the powerful special interests in this country have unbelievable power and they want to maintain the status quo," the 77-year-old senator, who has been credited with revitalizing the often-neglected left wing of the Democratic Party, said. "They have unlimited amounts of money to spend on campaigns and lobbying and have a huge influence over the media and political parties," Sanders added. "The only way we will win this election and create a government and an economy that works for all is with a grassroots movement the likes of which has never been seen in American history," he said. "They may have the money and the power; we have the people." He pulled no punches when describing the incumbent president, Donald Trump, whom he called a "pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe." The Brooklyn-born veteran of American politics is set to face stiff competition in a crowded primary race that already includes establishment figures such as fellow US senators Kamala Harris (California), Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), Cory Booker (New Jersey), Kirsten Gillibrand (New York) and Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota). Other Democrats, such as the former mayor of San Antonio (Texas) and ex-secretary of housing and urban development, Julián Castro; the current mayor of South Bend (Indiana), Pete Buttigieg, or US Representatives Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii-02) and John Delaney (Maryland-06), have also declared their candidacies in the race to the White House. Sanders lost the Democratic primaries in 2016 to Hillary Clinton, who in turn was unable to defeat Trump in the election despite winning the popular vote by almost three million ballots. His candidacy had been widely anticipated by a segment of the party's more progressive base and by other independent organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America.

At 77, US Senator Bernie Sanders announces 2020 presidential bid

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