Trump welcomes 3 US detainees freed by N.Korea
Washington, May 10: US President Donald Trump welcomed the three freed American detainees who reached here on Thursday morning after they were released by North Korea.
Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Tony Kim were freed on Wednesday while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on a visit to the North Korean capital Pyongyang to discuss Trump's upcoming summit with leader Kim Jong-un, CNN reported.
No family members or friends of the freed Americans were present for their arrival due to protocol reasons, said an official. The men had to first debrief intelligence officials before heading to their homes, the official added.
Speaking on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews Air Force Base, Kim Dong Chul said his release felt "like a dream". "We are very, very happy."
Trump, who was accompanied by his wife Melania, told reporters it was "nice" of the North Korean leader to release the men ahead of their planned summit. According to reports, administration officials had been instructed to move forward with plans to convene the Trump-Kim meeting in Singapore.
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence were also present to welcome the three men home.
"Frankly we didn't think this was going to happen. It's a very important thing to all of us to be able to get these three great people out," Trump said.
After their meeting with the US President, the men were expected to go to Walter Reed Medical Centre in Maryland for further evaluation and medical treatment, according to White House Press Secretary Lindsay Walters.
They issued a joint statement on Wednesday thanking Trump saying: "We would like to express our deep appreciation to the US government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the US people for bringing us home."
Trump has marked the men's arrival as a major milestone ahead of his upcoming historic summit with Kim. He had previously said the release of the men was part of working towards the denuclearisation of North Korea.
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VHP warns of statewide stir in Karnataka against move to ease cattle transport law
Udupi (Karnataka) (PTI): The VHP on Saturday demanded the immediate withdrawal of a proposed amendment to the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, accusing the state government of weakening a law that has deterred illegal cattle transport.
The organisation's Go Raksha Wing, Karnataka South, has also announced district-level protests on December 8.
According to officials, the existing law mandates a bank guarantee for securing the release of vehicles seized for alleged illegal cattle transportation.
On December 4, the state Cabinet proposed an amendment enabling the release of such vehicles on an indemnity bond instead.
Addressing reporters in Udupi, VHP leader and Prantha Goraksha Pramukh Sunil K R, said the government's move amounted to "sympathy for cattle lifters" and claimed that it was part of broader actions "targeting Hindus".
He argued that the law in its current form is stringent and has played a crucial role in reducing incidents of illegal cattle transport and theft.
Under the Act, vehicles involved in offences can be surrendered and, upon conviction, permanently seized by authorities. "Diluting these provisions will embolden offenders," Sunil said.
The VHP leader warned that easing the process of vehicle release would not only encourage violators but also result in rising cruelty against cattle.
Sunil further claimed that the strict enforcement of the 2020 law had brought down cases of cattle-related offences significantly. Rolling back these provisions, he said, could reverse those gains and would lead to an increase in illegal transport.
He reiterated that the government must reconsider its decision and preserve the integrity of the existing law.
