" I 'm gon na take a look at it , " he told host George Stephanopoulos in the Sunday broadcast . Trump also suggested the people of Crimea would rather be part of Russia . That runs counter to the Obama administration , which imposed economic sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction against Russia for annexing the territory in Ukraine two years ago . Donald Trump 's proposal to suspend all Muslim immigration until the U.S. can ' figure out what is going on , ' was made last December . More recently , he has promised to suspend immigration from any country deemed ' compromised by terrorism . '

Russia wants to build a gas pipeline to the south through North Korea . That ’s not likely to happen soon with tensions rising on the peninsula , but there is scope for other cooperation between South Korea and Russia , including development of an Arctic sea route to Europe , he said . South Korea has n’t recognized Russia ’s annexation of Crimea , but it also has n’t joined the U.S.-backed sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction , Ko said . “ Korea is a divided country . We want Russian cooperation in solving the problem .

But it is far from clear that all the major players with a stake in what the North does are willing to take the kind of risks , and impose the kind of sanctions , that might prompt Pyongyang to back down or , alternatively , to lash out . Breaking News Alerts Sign up to receive an email from The New York Times as soon as important news breaks around the world . Kelsey Davenport , director for nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association in Washington , argued that stiffening existing sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction , while sending a political message , would be insufficient . “ Ratcheting up sanctions pressure demonstrates that there is a cost to violating Security Council resolutions , ” she said in an email . “ However , sanctions alone are not going to change Pyongyang ’s behavior .

He expected the number of new cases in 2015 to be at least 93,000 , up from just under 90,000 in 2014 . That , he said , would be the largest number of new cases since Russia began keeping data almost 30 years ago . The escalation comes as Russia struggles financially , beset by low oil prices , Western sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction and a falling ruble . Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev called last October for a series of urgent measures to respond to the growing epidemic . The government plans to spend 40 billion rubles ( $ 475.20 million ) on fighting HIV / AIDs in 2016 .

This is not to suggest that in similar circumstances a person engaged in this activity would face no consequences . To the contrary . Those individuals are often subject to security or administrative sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction but that 's not what we 're deciding now . As a result . Although the Department of Justice makes final decisions on matters like this we are expressing to justice our view .

Whether the plot is real or imagined , Moscow has cranked up its military activity in Crimea at the same time as holding a series of what it says are pre - planned war games and missile deployments in the area . Putin , who is expected to visit Crimea later this week in a show of support , convened his Security Council and canceled the next round of international talks meant to turn the shaky ceasefire in eastern Ukraine into a lasting peace . But his response - deliberately refocusing international attention back on eastern Ukraine and the lack of progress in implementing a peace deal there - suggests Putin is trying to milk the latest Crimean crisis as part of a diplomatic power play he hopes will eventually kill Western sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction . TALKS RUN INTO SAND European talks between Russia , Ukraine , France and Germany meant to ensure the peace deal 's implementation have so far run into the sand .

Samantha Power , US ambassador to the UN , called the use of chemical weapons " a barbaric tool , repugnant to the conscience of mankind , " and urged the Security Council to take " strong and swift action " against the perpetrators . She accused the Syrian government of violating a September 2013 resolution which orders the council " to impose measures " under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter for " any use of chemical weapons by anyone in the Syrian Arab Republic " . Those measures usually mean sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction , and Chapter 7 can be militarily enforced . In pictures : Syria surrenders a third of chemical weapons 15 show all In pictures : Syria surrenders a third of chemical weapons

" For ordinary Syrians , the spectre of arrest or abduction , and the near - inevitable horrors that follow , have paralysed communities across the country " . In light what they called pervasive and ongoing violations of international law , commission members recommended that the Security Council refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court in the Hague . The commission also implored council members to adopt targeted sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction against " persons , agencies and groups credibly suspected of being responsible for or complicit in conduct leading to custodial deaths , torture and enforced disappearances . " The report , however , did not list those who it believed should be punished . Related : More Than a Million Civilians Are Under Siege in Syria , Mostly by Regime , Report Says

" The United States stands firmly with the people of Ukraine in the face of continued — and I emphasize continued — aggression from Russia and Russian - backed separatists , " Biden said in November . So the official position of the U.S. government is that the Russian annexation of Crimea is illegal and dangerous . Trump , though , left open the possibility Wednesday of simply recognizing Crimea as Russian territory and even perhaps lifting related sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction . And not only that , but a top Trump foreign policy adviser has previously said , in an interview with Bloomberg , that Russian business interests have expressed excitement to him about the prospect of a President Trump easing sanctions : A globe - trotting American investment banker who 's built a career on deals with Russia and its state - run gas company , Carter Page says his business has suffered directly from the U.S. economic sanctions imposed after Russia 's escalating involvement in the Ukraine .

Advertisement Continue reading the main story In a chilling epilogue to Mr. Kara - Murza ’s ordeal , a warning appeared in February on the Instagram account of Ramzan A. Kadyrov , the leader of Chechnya . It showed Mr. Kara - Murza outside the European Parliament building in Strasbourg , where he was speaking in favor of sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction against Russia . He was in cross hairs , with a caption : “ Those who have n’t understood will understand . ”

So now Clinton ’s policy was the same as Bush Sr . ’s : Saddam must go . And there was far more to the U.S. strategy than just intermittent bombing . The U.N. had imposed harsh sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction on Iraq , and the Bush administration had explained frankly that it would use them as the world ’s cruelest bank shot : The sanctions would kill Iraqis , which would motivate surviving Iraqis to overthrow Saddam , so that the killing could end . “ Iraqis will pay the price , ” said Robert Gates , then Bush Sr . ’s national security adviser . “ All possible sanctions will be maintained until [ Hussein ] is gone . ”

5 . The efforts are widespread . All of these efforts — in Ukraine , in Syria — are accompanied by a newly sophisticated disinformation campaign , primarily targeted at Europe , in order to undermine European support of anti - Russian sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction . The main tactic is undermining the very idea that truth and objectivity are attainable — or even exist — sucking viewers and Twitter readers into an epistemological black hole in which nothing was provable , not the fact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine , not the fact that a plane full of Dutch tourists was shot down by a Russian missile over the Donbas , not the fact that the European Union and NATO have been a net benefit for Europeans . Now , we ’re seeing a similar water - muddying campaign from the Russians in the U.S. , which dovetails smoothly with Trump and Mike Pence ’s post - truth approach .

6 . It ’s unclear what Obama ’s next steps are . There is talk of new sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction against Russia , but an official who works on Russia sanctions told me there has been no order from the White House to develop them . If Obama decides that he does want to go down that path , the White House would also need to issue a new executive order delineating these authorities in order not to dilute the sanctions levied against Russia for invading Ukraine . It may also not wish to mix them in with any potential sanctions for Russia ’s activities in Syria , which John Kerry called to be investigated as war crimes .

China buys record North Korean coal as sanctions ignored : Russell By Clyde Russell LAUNCESTON , Australia , Sept 26 ( Reuters ) - It appears that China is interpreting the " people 's well - being " as meaning North Korea should be able to export record amounts of coal in defiance of sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction against the rogue nuclear - armed state . China imported 2.465 million tonnes of coal from North Korea in August , the highest on record , and 61 percent above what was bought in April , the month sanctions were supposed to take effect . Tougher measures were imposed by the United Nations in March aimed at starving North Korea of funds for its nuclear and ballistic missile programme .

The number of Russians living in poverty has reached its highest level since 2006 , according to official statistics published by Russian news site Gazeta . Russia has been hit hard by a financial crisis since the end of 2014 , when low oil prices and an exchange of sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction with the EU and U.S. heaped pressure on its faltering currency , the ruble . The International Monetary Fund has projected that Russia ’s recession will not end before the end of 2016 . According to figures from Russia ’s federal statistics office , Rosstat , by the end of 2015 the number of Russians living in poverty grew by 3.1 million annually , reaching 19.2 million .

There ’s really nothing else of substance to say . " That 's not just to take a swat at Trump ; it helps explain the prior four points I am making here . Consider , for example , this exchange with David Sanger , where Trump begins by complaining that removing sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction from Iran will allow the country to do more business abroad , and then complains that Iran is not doing more business abroad : TRUMP : Certainly the deal is not long enough . Because at the end of the deal they ’re going to have great nuclear capability .

Vladimir Putin is known to detest Clinton and all but openly prefer the victory of his kindred spirit Trump . Why would he not ? Trump has said that he may end sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction against Russia , that he would n’t necessarily defend the Baltic states or other NATO members in the event of an attack , and that he was certain that Putin “ is not gon na go into Ukraine , all right ? You can mark it down . ” Russian troops , of course , are in Ukraine now , which Putin even admitted last December . And so left and right link arms , as they often do , in an attempt to smash bourgeois liberalism .

The U.N. sanctions include mandatory inspections of cargo leaving and entering North Korea by land , sea or air ; a ban on all sales or transfers of small arms and light weapons to the North ; and the expulsion of North Korean diplomats who engage in " illicit activities . " North Korean citizens in the capital , Pyongyang , interviewed by The Associated Press said Thursday , in an echo of official propaganda , they believe their country can fight off any sanctions . " No kind of sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction will ever work on us , because we 've lived under U.S. sanctions for more than half a century , " said Pyongyang resident Song Hyo Il . " And in the future , we 're going to build a powerful and prosperous country here , relying on our own development . " North Korean state media earlier warned that the imposition of new sanctions would be a " grave provocation " that shows " extreme " U.S. hostility against the country .

Developing countries should focus on building resilience to a weaker economic environment and shielding the most vulnerable . The benefits from reforms to governance and business conditions are potentially large and could help offset the effects of slow growth in larger economies . ” The Bank said it expected the growth rate in the Middle East and North Africa region to more than double as a result of the ending of sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction against Iran and an end to declining oil prices . “ Growth is forecast to accelerate to 5.1 % in 2016 from 2.5 % in the year just ended , as the expected suspension or removal of economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran will allow that country to play a larger role in global energy markets . Growth is expected to pick up in other oil exporters as well , predominantly on the assumption that oil prices will stabilize . ”

A major dairy in one such country , Finland , announced the closing of a milk - processing facility because of losses caused in part by the lack of access to the Russian market . The Valio dairy company said it would close its Tampere , Finland , operations . " The milk market remains extremely difficult ; Russia continues its trade sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction against the EU . Due to global milk overproduction and weak global demand , prices for milk products are at a very low level . The removal of EU milk quotas has worsened the situation , " a Valio statement said .

The historic nuclear accord with Iran , dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , was negotiated for months and finally signed by Iran and the U.S. , UK , Russia , China , France ( the P5 ) and Germany ( +1 ) on 14 July , 2015 . Under the arrangement Iran has pledged to eliminate its stockpile of medium - enriched uranium , decrease its stockpile of low - enriched uranium by 98 % and reduce approximately two - thirds the total number of gas centrifuges for 13 years . In exchange for Iran ’s adherence to these terms , the UN Security Council members have agreed to reduce sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction on the Islamic Republic . For example , the U.S. is obligated to end all “ secondary ” sanctions , meaning those imposed on other countries to prohibit their business with Iran . The European Union will lift its own sanctions , effectively unfreezing some $ 100 billion in assets -- this number is an estimate from the U.S. Treasury Department -- currently tied up in overseas bank accounts .

Massive industry and banking deregulation ? Refreezing Cuban relations ? Abandoning the Iranian nuclear agreement and reintroducing sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction ? No one , that ’s who . Because the most dangerous and potentially destructive of Trump ’s domestic and international agenda were goals Republicans had been championing since before Trump ever started running for office !

German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a news conference after talks with Armenia 's President Serzh Sargsyan at the Chancellery in Berlin , Germany , April 6 , 2016 . REUTERS / Hannibal Hanschke / File Photo BERLIN There is no reason to lift the European Union 's sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction against Russia as Moscow has not fulfilled all of its commitments under an international peace plan , German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview published on Friday . Merkel told the RedaktionsNetzwerks Deutschland ( RND ) that Russia had caused a major crisis by annexing the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014 and with its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine . " Europe had to react against this violation of basic principles , " Merkel said .

China argues that the human rights situation in North Korea is not a threat to international peace and security and has sought to prevent the issue being discussed at the UN security council . Kim Jong - un placed on sanctions blacklist for the first time by US Read more US secretary of state John Kerry said he had spoken to China ’s foreign minister Wang Yi and hoped that Beijing would continue to cooperate with the United States UN sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction aimed at rolling back North Korea ’s nuclear weapons program . North Korea has been under UN sanctions since 2006 . In March , the security council imposed harsh new sanctions on the country in response to North Korea ’s fourth nuclear test in January and the launch of a long - range rocket in February .

The price of oil has rallied recently after oil ministers from Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed to keep production at January 's levels on Tuesday . But that deal will only take effect if other major producers do the same . Many analysts are skeptical about Iran 's willingness to freeze production just as sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction are expiring and the country is eager to ramp up output and reclaim its share of the world 's oil market . The impact of U.S. oil production on world market has taken away what used to be OPEC 's strangle hold on the price of oil , Barton said . " It used to be the 11 or 12 oil ministers could have a conference call and set the market .

Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters : " We will ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences . DPRK 's ( North Korea ) latest transgressions require our response to be even firmer . " The United States and China began discussing a U.N. sanctions transaction.transaction.embargosanction resolution after Pyongyang 's Jan. 6 atomic test . North Korea had initially given a Feb. 8 - 25 time frame for the launch but on Saturday changed that to Feb. 7 - 14 , apparently taking advantage of clear weather on Sunday . North Korea 's National Aerospace Development Administration called the launch " an epochal event in developing the country 's science , technology , economy and defense capability by legitimately exercising the right to use space for independent and peaceful purposes " .