INTERVIEW – GEN. JACK KEANE – a retired 4 star general, former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army, the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War and Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst.
- VENEZUELA:
- Pompeo warns Russia against ‘messing around with Venezuela.’ Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had strict words on Sunday for Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding Venezuela – a day before the two are scheduled to meet to discuss, among other things, the continuing political crisis in the South American nation. “I’m going to tell him the same thing the president told the world: that every country must get out, including the Russians,” Pompeo said during an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” “That’s what I’ll tell him. We don’t want anyone messing around with Venezuela. Pompeo added: We want [Venezuela] to be an autonomous, independent sovereign state, with democratic elected officials. This is what we desire for the Venezuelan people.”
- Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó has said he is considering asking the US to launch a military intervention in the embattled country. Speaking to the BBC’s Nick Bryant, he said he would “evaluate all options” to oust President Nicolás Maduro. Last week he launched a failed attempt to spark a military rebellion and force Mr Maduro out of power. The president responded by delivering an address from an army base in Caracas, flanked by soldiers. Mr Guaidó declared himself Venezuela’s interim leader in January. As the head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, he invoked the constitution to assume an interim presidency, arguing that Mr Maduro’s re-election last year was illegitimate. But Mr Maduro – who is backed by Russia, China and the leaders of Venezuela’s military – has refused to cede power.
- NORTH KOREA: After North Korean missile launch, Trump still has confidence in deal with Kim Jong Un. WASHINGTON – After North Korea fired a barrage of missiles early Saturday, its first tests in more than a year, President Donald Trump said he remains confident in negotiations with Kim Jong Un and that a nuclear deal is still possible. Trump contended that Kim would not do anything to hurt relations between the United States and the North, saying the North Korean leader did not want to “break his promise” when it came to the testing of missiles and nuclear weapons. “Anything in this very interesting world is possible, but I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea, & will do nothing to interfere or end it,” Trump posted to Twitter Saturday morning. “He also knows that I am with him & does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen!” Trump’s remarks came hours after South Korea said the North had fired several missiles into the sea off its eastern coast. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff is analyzing the launch and aiming to identify the type of missiles, which they said flew about 125 miles in the direction of the ocean before landing in the water.
- IRAN: US sends aircraft carrier and bomber task force to ‘warn Iran’
- GAZA: Intense fighting subsides in Israel, Gaza after ceasefire takes hold
- RUSSIA / CHINA: Pompeo: Russia is “aggressive” in Arctic, China’s work there also needs watching
- China threatened with tariff hike by week’s end. President Trump has threatened to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent at the end of the week, as trade talks with China appeared to be stalling.
- President Donald Trump’s threats on Sunday to hike tariffs on Chinese imports initially worried investors that trade tensions between the two countries were escalating.
- Trump administration accuses Chinese officials of ‘reneging’ on earlier commitments in trade talks, reaffirms plan to raise
