The US president, Donald Trump, says it is not a good time to strike a denuclearisation deal after talks with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, break down in Vietnam
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un answers – for what is believed to be the first time – a question from a foreign journalist. Asked if he was positive about reaching a deal with US president Donald Trump over nuclear disarmament, Kim said it was too early to tell whether a deal could be reached. However, he said he had a 'feeling that good results would come out' of the talks and that he was not pessimistic. Trump then asks a nearby photographer to make sure he sends his pictures to Kim
Continue reading...Like most theatrical reboots, the strain in keeping things the same in Vietnam highlighted the small way things changed
Donald Trump vowed that his second meeting with Kim Jong-un would be at least the equal of the first and his Vietnamese hosts tried their utmost to make that happen.
In Hanoi on Wednesday evening, every effort was made in recreating the circumstances and ambience of Singapore, scene last June of the historic first meeting between an incumbent US president and a North Korea leader.
Continue reading...Hanoi was buzzing as it prepared for the meeting between the US president and the North Korean leader, with a heavy security presence amid fanfare and flags
Continue reading...The leaders of the US and North Korea meet in Hanoi, Vietnam, at the start of the second nuclear summit. The pair, who looked pleased to see each other as they shook hands, were to hold a brief discussion on Wednesday before full meetings on Thursday
Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un have arrived in Hanoi for meeting to discuss denuclearisation but claims from Cohen seem likely to dominate
Trump has now tweeted to deny media reports that, going in to the summit, his negotiating position is less than strong and he is preparing to make concessions to North Korea in exchange for only vague promises of nuclear disarmament
All false reporting (guessing) on my intentions with respect to North Korea. Kim Jong Un and I will try very hard to work something out on Denuclearization & then making North Korea an Economic Powerhouse. I believe that China, Russia, Japan & South Korea will be very helpful!
And here it is: Trump has dived into the Cohen allegations on twitter, accusing his former lawyer of lying and fraud (and also referring to himself in the third person)
Michael Cohen was one of many lawyers who represented me (unfortunately). He had other clients also. He was just disbarred by the State Supreme Court for lying & fraud. He did bad things unrelated to Trump. He is lying in order to reduce his prison time. Using Crooked’s lawyer!
Continue reading...From the easing of sanctions to denuclearisation and ending the Korean war, there’s a lot to play for in Hanoi
Donald Trump has said that when he meets Kim Jong-un in Hanoi’s Metropole Hotel on Wednesday evening, the potential for a deal is “awesome”.
Few would argue with that. A move to limit the North Korean arsenal and begin to re-integrate the country back into the international community, would be a significant step away from the brink of nuclear war.
Continue reading...The US military blocked internet access to a company underwritten by an oligarch close to Vladimir Putin during the 2018 midterms
Attorneys and political commentators are alerting a sitting US congressman to the US law on “witness tampering” after the representative in question, Matt Gaetz, appeared to threaten Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, who testified before Congress today.
Gaetz, who is from Florida, said:
Hey @MichaelCohen212 - Do your wife & father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful when you’re in prison. She’s about to learn a lot...
This should not be legal. Intimidating a witness before Congress should be against the law. https://t.co/uVBZR3NzXf
Who wants to tell @mattgaetz that sitting members of Congress aren’t immune from indictment?
My short text convo with @mattgaetz just now:
Me: Congressman, Any chance you have a few minutes to discuss what you implied with your tweet to Michael Cohen? Perhaps a preview?
Gaetz: Watch tomorrow.
Me: Will do -- anything I should be prepared for?
Gaetz: Fireworks https://t.co/g1bwYcjvrg
UPDATE:
Me: Any response to those who say you’re witness tampering? @mattgaetz: I’m witness testing. We still are allowed to test the veracity and character of witnesses, I think.
Me: So you disagree with those who say you’re witness tampering?
Gaetz: Yes. https://t.co/aBRZAF314A
Top strategists from Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign announced they would not be sticking with the Vermont senator for his 2020 campaign.
The New York Times said the departure of the three men, who produced Sanders’ 2020 announcement video last week, was “abrupt.”
Their departure could be indicative of Sanders’ desire to get serious about making changes to his team of strategists in an effort to make a deep run in a wide open Democratic primary field.
Continue reading...Authorities say investigations led to suspicions the haul was to be taken to Pyongyang
Dutch customs officials at the port of Rotterdam have seized 90,000 bottles of vodka believed to be destined for the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, and his army chiefs.
The discovery, on the eve of Kim’s two-day summit with Donald Trump in Hanoi, was made after Dutch authorities flagged up the suspicious route and records of a Chinese-owned container ship, Nebula.
Continue reading...The North Korean leader has been filmed taking a pre-dawn smoke break while a woman who appears to be his sister holds a crystal ashtray for him. The footage was captured at Nanning railway station in China, hours before Kim's arrival in Vietnam for a summit with the US president, Donald Trump
Continue reading...North Korea’s leader has finally arrived in Hanoi after boarding a train on Saturday, travelling through China and then transferring to a Mercedes at the Vietnam border for the final 170km of the journey
Continue reading...North Korean leader to meet US president on Wednesday for dinner after three-day overland trip
Kim Jong-un has arrived in Hanoi, after transferring from train to car for the final leg of his overland trip to Vietnam where the North Korean leader is scheduled to have a private dinner and meeting with Donald Trump on Wednesday.
Kim will meet the US president for a brief one-on-one conversation, followed by a social dinner, at which they will each be accompanied by two guests and interpreters, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.
Continue reading...Trump says he would be happy if rogue state continues with nuclear testing ban, handing diplomatic initiative to Kim Jong-un
Donald Trump has said the US will be “happy” if North Korea simply agrees to continue its moratorium on nuclear and missile testing at this week’s summit in Hanoi.
The US president’s remarks on Sunday night represented a lowering of already modest expectations for his second meeting with Kim Jong-un in Hanoi, due to begin on Wednesday.
Continue reading...President and secretary of state lower expectations as they prepare for meeting amid no sign of concessions from Pyongyang
Donald Trump and his most senior diplomat moved on Sunday to lower expectations for this week’s summit with North Korea, having previously overstated their progress in blocking its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.
Related: Kim Jong-un boards train for two-day journey to meet Trump in Vietnam
Continue reading...Authorities unhappy with pair walking the streets of Hanoi and causing a ‘disturbance’
Vietnamese authorities were not amused when an impersonator of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, wandered the streets of Hanoi on Friday, just days before the second summit between Kim Jong-un and the US president, Donald Trump.
Howard X, an Australian, said Vietnamese authorities questioned him and another impersonator dressed as Trump and warned them they could be deported after they had taped an interview at a local TV station. The interview was not aired.
Continue reading...Second meeting between president and Kim Jong-un to be held in Vietnam next week
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, must make a “meaningful” gesture if he wants to see sanctions lifted, Donald Trump said on Wednesday ahead of a second summit between the two men scheduled for next week.
“The sanctions are on in full. I haven’t taken sanctions off,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
Continue reading...US president will meet North Korea leader in Vietnamese capital this month amid hopes of breakthrough
Donald Trump has said that US diplomats have had a “very productive meeting” with North Korean officials as he announced his summit later this month with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would be held in Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi.
“My representatives have just left North Korea after a very productive meeting and an agreed upon time and date for the second Summit with Kim Jong Un. It will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on February 27 & 28,” Trump said on Twitter.
Continue reading...The meeting between leaders of US and North Korea is expected to take place in either Danang or Hanoi on 27-28 February
Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un are to hold their second summit in Vietnam at the end of February, the US president has confirmed.
In his state of the union speech to Congress, Trump repeated an earlier claim to averted a major with his Korean diplomacy.
Continue reading...Measures said to include using civilian facilities to make and test missiles
North Korea is trying to ensure its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities are safe from US military strikes, a UN report has said, as officials from both countries prepared to meet to discuss a second summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.
Trump is expected to meet the North Korean leader, possibly in Vietnam, at the end of the month to discuss measures that would lead to Pyongyang giving up its nuclear weapons in return for US security guarantees and other assurances.
Continue reading...North Korea’s leader is making ‘good technical preparations’ for February summit, official news agency reports
North Korea’s Kim Jong-un has expressed “great satisfaction” after receiving a letter from Donald Trump ahead of a second summit between the two leaders, Pyongyang’s state media reported on Thursday.
Kim is making “good technical preparations” for the meeting, the official KCNA news agency said, in the country’s first comments on the talks scheduled for February.
Continue reading...