‘I believe Putin’: Trump dismissed US advice on North Korea threat, says McCabe

Former FBI chief says president believed Russian leader over US security agencies and ‘a crime may have been committed’ over Comey firing

A former FBI acting director has alleged Donald Trump dismissed advice from his own security agencies on the threat posed by North Korea’s missiles, saying “I don’t care. I believe Putin.”

Andrew McCabe made the claims in an interview with 60 Minutes, in which he discussed his tenure at the FBI after James Comey was fired by the president in 2017.

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Trump says Kim summit will be in Hanoi as envoy hails talks progress

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.

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Trump confirms second summit with Kim Jong-un will be in Vietnam within weeks

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.

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North Korea trying to keep its nuclear missiles safe from US strikes, says UN report

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.

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Fake eyelash company fined $1m over North Korean imports

ELF Cosmetics managed to bat away more than $40m in penalties after reporting its breach of sanctions to authorities

A California cosmetics company has agreed to pay a nearly US$1m fine for importing fake eyelashes containing materials from North Korea in breach of sanctions, the US treasury has announced.

Between 2012 and 2017 the company imported “156 shipments of false eyelash kits from two suppliers located in the People’s Republic of China that contained materials sourced by these suppliers” from North Korea, said a treasury statement.

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US North Korea envoy says Trump is ready to ‘end this war’

Stephen Biegun says Kim Jong-un has committed to ‘destruction’ of plutonium and uranium sites ahead of talks

The US’s special envoy for North Korea has said Donald Trump was willing to offer diplomatic relations and economic aid in return for progress towards “closing the door on 70 years of war and hostility” on the Korean peninsula.

Stephen Biegun, who is due to visit Seoul on Sunday for talks with his counterpart, Kim Hyok-chol, warned that Washington has “contingencies” in place if denuclearisation talks fail, but said: “President Trump is ready to end this war. It is over. It is done. We’re not going to invade North Korea. We are not seeking to topple the regime.”

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Kim Jong-un expresses ‘great satisfaction’ at Trump letter ahead of talks

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.

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Trump and Kim Jong-un to meet again at second nuclear summit

  • Location of summit between leaders to be announced later
  • Decision comes in wake of talks between Trump and envoy

Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un will hold a second summit near the end of next month, the White House has announced, after the president held an Oval Office meeting with a North Korean emissary.

Related: Kim Yong-chol: the ultimate North Korean regime insider

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Friday US briefing: Trump escalates feud with Pelosi amid shutdown

How the president’s two years in power have changed key US policies ... North Korean envoy to meet Pompeo ... Democrat takes charge of Flint water crisis investigation

Good morning, I’m Tim Walker with today’s essential stories.

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Trump announces huge expansion of US missile defense system

Arms control experts fear system review, unveiled at Pentagon, could fuel arms race with Russia and China

Donald Trump has announced plans for a huge expansion of US missile defense with aim of destroying enemy missiles “anywhere, anytime, any place”.

The missile defense review, which Trump unveiled on Thursday in a speech at the Pentagon, calls for a major upgrade in land and sea-based missile interceptor systems, as well as the development of a layer of satellite sensors in low orbit that would help track new types of cruise missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) countries like Russia and China are developing.

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‘Getting serious’: Kim Jong-un’s Beijing detour brings a second Trump summit closer

China’s endorsement has strengthened Kim’s hand, while a second US summit could show his independence

Kim Jong-un has told Xi Jinping he wants a second meeting with Donald Trump and is committed to “achieving results” amid an impasse over denuclearisation, according to state media reports of their meeting in Beijing this week.

Kim told Xi that North Korea would “continue sticking to the stance of denuclearisation” and “make efforts for the second summit between the [North Korean] and US leaders to achieve results”, Chinese state media reported.

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‘Most extraordinary millennial’ – why does China focus on Kim Jong-un’s age?

Mixed messages of welcome greet North Korean leader on three-day trip to Beijing

In China, Kim Jong-un is regarded not only as North Korea’s supreme leader, he is a millennial. As Kim arrived in Beijing on Monday for a three-day visit, Chinese media went out of their way to flatter the young leader.

“The millennial who commands the wind and clouds has arrived in Beijing,” wrote Liu Hong, the Chinese editor of a Xinhua affiliate, on his public WeChat account. “To come to China for a heart-to-heart ahead of such momentous change is a sign of the complexity of the situation and the ability of the millennial to seize the moment.”

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What does 2019 hold for Kim Jong-un and North Korea?

Kim Jong-un goes into 2019 with momentum to build on after last year’s historic meeting with President Donald Trump. As Kim attempts to negotiate a fresh summit, the Guardian’s Tania Branigan looks at his leadership so far and Emma Graham-Harrison describes a rare trip to Pyongyan. Plus: Catherine Shoard on the annual film awards season

Donald Trump has revealed that negotiations are underway to secure a location for a new summit with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, after the historic meeting between the two men in Singapore last year.

It came after Kim warned in a New Year’s speech that Pyongyang may change its approach to nuclear talks if Washington persisted with sanctions.

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North Korea’s Kim Jong-un arrives in China for meeting with Xi Jinping

Beijing meeting comes as denuclearisation talks with the US have stalled

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in China on Monday for a three-day visit at the invitation of Chinese president Xi Jinping, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.

Kim’s visit, which state media confirmed would last for three days is his fourth summit with Xi, comes amid reports of advanced negotiations for a second summit between the North Korean leader and US president Donald Trump.

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Kim Jong-un’s new year message – video

The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has said his resolve for complete denuclearisation remains unchanged but he may have to seek a 'new path' if the United States continues to demand one-sided disarmament by his regime. In his new year address, Kim said there would be faster progress on denuclearisation if the United States took corresponding action. He added that he is willing to meet Donald Trump at any time to produce results that the international community would welcome.

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Mother seeks owner of treasured 1970s wedding snaps in old projector she bought on eBay

One is delighted! The Queen shares her excitement after Harry and Meghan reveal they're expecting their first child - five months after getting married The royal cover-up: How Meghan used subtle styling tricks to hide her baby bump - from structured coats to peplum tops and clever draping Revealed: How Harry and Meghan told Royal Family of pregnancy at Eugenie's extravagant, star-studded wedding that threatened to upstage their own Windsor nuptials five months earlier Revealed: How Meghan and Harry's baby will be SEVENTH in line to the throne - but WON'T be a prince or princess Is this what Meghan and Harry's first child will look like? Forensic artist uses photos of the couple to predict newest royal baby's features Sears files for bankruptcy after 132 years in business: Iconic retail giant collapses amid plunging sales, massive debts and the dominance of Amazon Thai cave boys hit the ... (more)

Nikki Haley to resign as UN ambassador

Haley's resignation letter obtained by the Washington Post was dated Oct. 3. It included praise of the president for allowing her to be "free to speak my mind on the issues of the day." She also vowed, "I will surely not be a candidate for any office in 2020."

Does Donald Trump deserve to win a Nobel Peace Prize?

Four former U.S. Presidents - Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt - have won the Nobel Peace Prize. Should Donald Trump's name be added to the list? Does Donald Trump deserve to win a Nobel Peace Prize? Four former U.S. Presidents - Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt - have won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Hillicon Valley: Facebook briefing lawmakers on massive breach |…

Welcome to Hillicon Valley, The Hill's newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Welcome! Follow the cyber team, Olivia Beavers and Jacqueline Thomsen , and the tech team, Harper Neidig and Ali Breland .

Suspected ricin detected in mail sent to Trump, Pentagon

Previous edition: Former FBI atty Lisa Page admits agency couldn't prove collusion between Trump and Russia before Mueller appointment - testimony An envelope addressed to President Donald Trump contained a substance suspected to be ricin and appeared to be connected to similar envelopes sent to the Pentagon, a law enforcement source told CNN. Two pieces of mail delivered to the Pentagon mail facility on Monday have initially tested positive for ricin, according to a US defense official.