WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - US candidates running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination on Sunday (June 30) criticised President Donald Trump's latest overture to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying the leaders' meeting lacked substance and elevated a ruthless dictator. The Republican Trump became the first sitting US president to step into North Korea on Sunday, drawing on his penchant for showmanship and surprise to pull off talks with Mr Kim in the Demilitarised Zone that divides the two Koreas. The meeting, at Mr Trump's last-minute invitation, drew praise from some including Pope Francis as a step toward peace. Critics called it a publicity stunt and said Mr Trump wasted an important symbolic move when there has been little sign that North Korea has taken meaningful steps toward denuclearisation. A number of Democrats vying to replace Mr Trump in the White House in the 2020 election said there was nothing wrong with talking to US adversaries including Mr Kim. This round … [Read more...] about US Democratic candidates dump on Trump over North Korea meeting
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Trump, with a wag, asks Putin not to meddle in U.S. elections
President Donald Trump on Friday sardonically asked his Russian counterpart to please not meddle in U.S. elections, appearing to make light of a scandal that led to an investigation of his campaign's contact with the Kremlin during 2016 elections. A two-year probe into a Moscow-run influence campaign that boosted Trump's candidacy has clouded his presidency since it began, frustrating the Republican president, who has said he seeks better relations with Russia. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to reporters in Osaka, Japan, ahead of their first formal face-to-face meeting since a controversial summit in Helsinki last July and the mid-April release of U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian election meddling. Asked by reporters if he would raise the issue during their meeting, held on the sidelines of a Group of 20 (G20) summit, Trump said: "Yes, of course I will," drawing a laugh from Putin. Trump then turned to Putin to give the directive twice, as he … [Read more...] about Trump, with a wag, asks Putin not to meddle in U.S. elections
How Trump’s hawkish advisors won debate on Iran oil sanctions
WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump's unexpected decision to ban all Iranian oil purchases after May 1: ending exemptions for eight nations: came after hawkish economic and security advisors allayed the president's fears of an oil price hike, according to three sources familiar with the internal debate.The unprecedented move to fully sever Tehran’s financial lifeline - finalized just days before the April 22 announcement - underscores the influence of hard-liners within Trump’s National Security Council, which two of the sources said were the biggest advocates for the decision. They had for months argued for tightening the sanctions over the objections of State Department officials who favored allowing some partners and allies to keep buying Iranian oil."No one's actually tried to take this all the way to zero," a senior administration official told Reuters, adding that forging a consensus among government agencies required "a lot of work."President Donald Trump has … [Read more...] about How Trump’s hawkish advisors won debate on Iran oil sanctions
Obamas to produce adaptation of book on Trump presidency
Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama's production house will bring out an adaptation of Michael Lewis' "The Fifth Risk", which is around the administration of the Donald Trump presidency. Higher Ground Productions, the Obama's production company in partnership with Netflix, has unveiled an initial slate of projects, including this adaptation, reported variety.com. A description of the series reads: "From Lewis, the author of 'The Big Short' and 'Moneyball', and based on his book 'The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy', 'Fifth Risk', a non-fiction series, will portray the importance of unheralded work done by everyday heroes guiding our government and safeguarding our nation." The Obamas' other projects include a biopic on American reformer Frederick Douglass and a period drama set in the fashion world penned by Callie Khouri. The content comprises a range of scripted and unscripted projects for a range of audiences, as well as full-length features and documentaries. … [Read more...] about Obamas to produce adaptation of book on Trump presidency
News At first 2020 event, Biden sets up battle with Trump over union vote
PITTSBURGH -- Former US Vice President Joe Biden made clear on Monday at his first event as a presidential candidate that he stands ready to battle President Donald Trump for the support of the blue-collar workers who were key to Trump's election in 2016. Speaking before a welcoming crowd of union workers in Pittsburgh, Biden seemed at times to look past a Democratic nominating contest that promises to be arduous and toward a direct confrontation with Trump in the November 2020 general election. "I make no apologies. I am a union man," Biden told a crowd that included members of the Teamsters, steelworkers, firefighters and teachers unions. "The country wasn't built by Wall Street bankers, CEOs and hedge fund managers, it was built by you." Biden, 76, who served two terms as vice president to former President Barack Obama, echoed other Democrats in the field who have criticized the US economy for benefiting the wealthy at the expense of the middle class and working poor. "Everybody … [Read more...] about News At first 2020 event, Biden sets up battle with Trump over union vote