Author Archives: MATTHEW PENNINGTON

{FD} Bolton meets with SKorea, Japan national security advisers

Posted on April 12, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

President Donald Trump's new national security adviser held talks Thursday with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, as the U.S. gears up for an unprecedented summit with North Korea.

{FD} Kim family has made denuclearization vows in China before

Posted on March 28, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

An enigmatic North Korean leader takes a secretive train trip to China to affirm fraternal ties and declare a commitment to denuclearization.

{FD} Trump, SKorea’s Moon vow to keep max pressure on NKorea

Posted on March 16, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who are both planning to meet North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un this spring, pledged Friday to maintain "maximum pressure" on his authoritarian regime and seek action on giving up his nukes, the White House said.

{FD} US offers $5M reward for Pakistan Taliban leader

Posted on March 8, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

The State Department has offered a $5 million reward for information on Pakistani Taliban leader Mullah Fazlullah in the latest U.S. effort to pressure militants in the South Asian nation.

{FD} South Korea to brief US on meeting with North Korea’s Kim

Posted on March 8, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

South Korean officials are to brief the White House Thursday on the outcome of their pathfinding meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (kim jawng oon).

{FD} ‘Corporate capitulation’: Mercedes chided for China apology

Posted on February 14, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

Two Republican lawmakers are lashing out at Mercedes-Benz for apologizing in China for quoting Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in a social media post.

{FD} US slaps more sanctions on Pakistan-based militants

Posted on February 7, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

The Trump administration imposed sanctions Wednesday on three individuals linked to Pakistan-based militant networks as it pushes Islamabad to crack down on perpetrators of attacks on Afghanistan.

{FD} Myanmar’s place at US military drills in Asia draws ire

Posted on February 7, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

Lawmakers are demanding Myanmar's exclusion from U.S.-led military exercises in neighboring Thailand next week amid pressure for more American sanctions in response to atrocities against Rohingya Muslims.

{FD} Pentagon: Afghan war costing US $45 billion per year

Posted on February 6, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

Forty-five billion dollars.

{FD} Taliban with Pakistan links put on US terror blacklist

Posted on January 25, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

The Trump administration has designated as terrorists six individuals accused of supporting the Taliban and Haqqani network in Afghanistan, and is stressing their links to Pakistan.

{FD} Pakistan’s ace in poker match with US: Afghan air routes

Posted on January 19, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

As bad as President Donald Trump describes U.S.-Pakistani ties today, they can get far worse.

{FD} Tillerson signals deeper US military commitment in Syria

Posted on January 17, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signaled deeper U.S. commitment to Syria on Wednesday, saying America would maintain its military presence there to prevent an Islamic State resurgence.

{FD} US allies from Korean War meet on North Korean nuke threat

Posted on January 15, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson huddles Tuesday with nations that fought on America's side in the Korean War, looking to increase economic pressure on North Korea over its nuclear weapons even as hopes rise for diplomacy.

{FD} Trump administration OKs $130M missile defense sale to Japan

Posted on January 9, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

The Trump administration has approved a $130 million missile defense sale to Japan to meet the escalating threat from North Korea.

{FD} US holding back security assistance provided to Pakistan

Posted on January 5, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

The United States has announced it is suspending security assistance to Pakistan for failing to take "decisive action" against Taliban militants targeting U.S. personnel in neighboring Afghanistan.

{FD} Trump boasts of ‘nuclear button’ but doesn’t really have one

Posted on January 3, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

President Donald Trump boasted that he has a bigger and more powerful "nuclear button" than North Korean leader Kim Jong Un does — but the president doesn't actually have a physical button.

{FD} Trump boasts of bigger ‘nuclear button’ than North Korea’s

Posted on January 2, 2018 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

President Donald Trump sounded open Tuesday to the possibility of an inter-Korean dialogue after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare overture toward South Korea in a New Year's address.

{FD} Bad to worse: How diplomatic hopes with North Korea plunged

Posted on December 30, 2017 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

In the first month of Donald Trump's presidency, an American scholar quietly met with North Korean officials and relayed a message: The new administration in Washington appreciated an extended halt in the North's nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

{FD} Pressed by lawmakers, US mulls more sanctions on Myanmar

Posted on December 22, 2017 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

The State Department said Friday the U.S. is considering further actions against those responsible for "ethnic cleansing" of Rohingya Muslims, after a Myanmar general was blacklisted and Democratic lawmakers called for more military officers to face sanctions.

{FD} Tillerson backtracks on offer of unconditional NKorea talks

Posted on December 15, 2017 by MATTHEW PENNINGTON

America's top diplomat stepped back Friday from his offer of unconditional talks with North Korea, telling world powers the nuclear-armed nation must earn the right to negotiate with the United States.