Washington, May 25: US President Donald Trump said on Friday that a nuclear summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could still take place as scheduled on June 12, just one day after he cancelled it.

"We'll see what happens. It could even be the 12th," Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before leaving for the US Naval Academy to deliver a commencement address.

"They very much want to do it. We'd like to do it. We're going to see what happens," he was quoted as saying by the Hill magazine.

North Korea issued a conciliatory statement on Thursday night in response to Trump's decision to scrap his meeting with Kim. 

"We reiterate to the US that there is a willingness to sit down at any time, in any way, to solve the problem," a top North Korean official said. 

Trump responded by saying that "it was a very nice statement they put out" and said the US was still "talking to them now", referring to the North Koreans.

Asked whether the North Koreans were playing games, the US President acknowledged they were -- and suggested he was too.

"Everybody plays games. You know that," he said when asked about the ongoing talks. "You know that better than anybody."

Trump's comments fuelled the uncertainty and confusion surrounding his attempts to broker a nuclear agreement with North Korea. 

He wrote a letter on Thursday to Kim informing him their June 12 meeting in Singapore was off due to Pyongyang's "open hostility" towards Washington.

A senior White House official said, however, that it would be extremely difficult to hold the summit on the original date, especially because North Korea cut off contact with the US regarding planning and logistics. 

"June 12 is in 10 minutes," the official said.

 

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Berlin (AP): Harry Kane was substituted in at the hour mark and still had enough time to score a hat trick on Saturday.

The England captain took his goal tally for Bayern Munich this season to 28 and the defending champions extended their lead to 11 points after thrashing Stuttgart 5-0 on the road.

Second-placed Leipzig later hosted Eintracht Frankfurt.

With Kane on the bench, Konrad Laimer took on the scoring duties and produced a superb finish. The Austria midfielder collected a long ball and combined with Michael Olise before slotting home from close range with a subtle backheel past goalkeeper Alexander Nübel in the 11th minute.

Kane made it 2-0 with a low shot into the bottom corner and Josip Stanišic added his name to the scoresheet. Kane added further luster to the win from the penalty spot after Stuttgart was reduced to 10 men for Lorenz Assignon using his arm to clear a ball in the 81st.

Kane completed the rout with a flick from an Olise cross with two minutes left. He has found the net five more times with England this season, taking his total to 33 goals for club and country.

Stuttgart had chances before halftime but lacked a cutting edge. Midfielder Nikolas Nartey thought he equalized only for his goal to be ruled out for offside after a VAR check.

Bayern Munich is unbeaten in 16 league and cup games against German opposition this season.

 

Other results

==========

Bayer Leverkusen suffered a fourth loss, 2-0 at Augsburg.

Defender Dimitrios Giannoulis put the host in front after six minutes then turned provider to set up forward Anton Kade. Leverkusen, which hit the woodwork, remained in fourth place, 14 points behind Bayern.

Wolfsburg scored from all of its shots on target and moved four points clear of the relegation zone after beating Union Berlin 3-1. Heidenheim defeated Freiburg 2-1. Cologne and St. Pauli drew 1-1.