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Politics

President Donald Trump, left, greets Tony Kim, Kim Hak Song, seen in the shadow, and Kim Dong Chul, three Americans detained in North Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center right, shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, on April 27, 2018. (Photos: AP/Reuters)

President Donald Trump, left, greets Tony Kim, Kim Hak Song, seen in the shadow, and Kim Dong Chul, three Americans detained in North Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center right, shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, on April 27, 2018. (Photos: AP/Reuters)

President Donald Trump will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12, 2018, he confirmed Thursday. The announcement comes shortly after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took his second known trip to the country to secure the release of three Americans previously detained by North Korea.

“The highly anticipated meeting between Kim Jong Un and myself will take place in Singapore on June 12th,” President Trump revealed on Twitter. “We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace!”

The Americans three were all detained recently, with one being sentenced in 2016.

Kim Dong Chul, a South Korea-born U.S. citizen and former Virginia resident, was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years hard labor in prison after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea’s border with Russia.

Tony Kim was detained at Pyongyang’s airport in April 2017. Pyongyang accused him of “hostile acts” against the communist regime. He taught accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

Kim Hak Song, an ethnic Korean born in China, was also detained in May 2017 for “hostile acts.” He worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups.

The President and First Lady Melania Trump boarded their medical plane around 3 AM EST to meet with them privately before the arrival ceremony. President Trump said they are in “good health” and called it a “great honor.”

“We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home,” the three said in a statement released by the State Department. “We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world.”

Mr. Pompeo’s first trip to the country came during Easter weekend. It was meant to gauge the potential for and viability of a summit, which would be the first-ever between the U.S. and North Korea after more than six decades of hostility.

The North and South remain in a technical state of war. The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Shortly after Mr. Pompeo returned to the U.S., Kim announced that he suspended Pyongyang’s nuclear testing program, including a freeze on intercontinental ballistic missile tests and closing a nuclear site. The extraordinary development came after North Korea announced they dropped demands for a freeze to U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises and the withdrawal of U.S. troops as preconditions for talks.

The positive developments toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has handed the Trump Administration an enormous foreign policy victory. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in pledged after their historic meeting in late April to work for the “complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.”

Kim became the first North Korean leader since the Korean War to step over the border and set foot in South Korea. The first summit in more than a decade resulted in an agreement to work with the U.S. and China to declare an official end to the 1950s Korean war, and seek an agreement to establish “permanent” and “solid” peace.

President Moon, who credited President Trump for the progress on the peninsula, has also agreed to visit Pyongyang later this year. In a show of good faith, the two leaders agreed to open a liaison office, to stop broadcasting propaganda, to stop conducting leaflet drops along the border and to allow families divided by the DMZ to meet.

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is a 160-mile (260-km) long, 2.5-mile (4-km) wide strip of land created in the 1953 armistice to serve as a buffer between the South and North.

President Donald Trump announced the "highly anticipated

Economy

U.S. jobless claims graph on a tablet screen.

U.S. jobless claims graph on a tablet screen.

The Labor Department (DOL) said initial jobless claims were unchanged at a seasonally adjusted 211,000 for the week ending May 5, beating the 220,000 median forecast. The 4-week moving came in at 216,000, a decline of 5,500 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 221,500.

This is the lowest level for this average since December 20, 1969 when it was 214,500. Last week, the 4-week average fell to the lowest level since March 1973 and the Employment Situation revealed the unemployment rate fell to 3.9%, the lowest level since 2000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate for the week ending April 28 was 1.3%, a gain of 0.1% from the previous week’s unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 28 was 1,790,000, an increase of 30,000 from the previous week’s revised level.

The previous week’s level was revised up 4,000 from 1,756,000 to 1,760,000.

The 4-week moving average was 1,812,500, a decrease of 22,000 from the previous week’s revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since December 29, 1973 when it was 1,784,250

Claims taking procedures in Puerto Rico and in the Virgin Islands have still not returned to normal. Extended benefits were payable in the Virgin Islands during the week ending April 21.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 21 were in Alaska (3.0), the Virgin Islands (2.9), Connecticut (2.3), New Jersey (2.2), Puerto Rico (2.1), Rhode Island (2.1), California (2.0), Illinois (1.8), Pennsylvania (1.8), Massachusetts (1.7), and Minnesota (1.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 28 were in Wisconsin (+519), Arkansas (+485), New Hampshire (+364), Tennessee (+302), and Louisiana (+282), while the largest decreases were in Massachusetts (-3,917), Rhode Island (-1,980), Pennsylvania (-1,536), Arizona (-1,471), and Connecticut (-1,109).

The Labor Department (DOL) said initial jobless

World

Missile fire is seen from Damascus, Syria May 10, 2018. (Photo: Reuters)

Missile fire is seen from Damascus, Syria May 10, 2018. (Photo: Reuters)

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) said it responded to Iran firing rockets at Israeli-held territory for the first time by targeting nearly all of their military infrastructure in Syria on Thursday.

The targets also included military compounds, intelligence operations and munition warehouses, a statement read. The strikes were Israel’s largest air operation in years, the statement read.

“The IDF will not allow the Iranian threat to establish itself in Syria. The Syrian regime will be held accountable for everything happening in its territory,” the press release read. “The IDF is prepared for a wide variety of scenarios.”

Israel said 4 Iranian Grad and Fajr rockets were shot down by its Iron Dome air defense system and 16 fell short of their targets in the Golan, a territory Israel captured from Syria in a 1967 war.

The Quds Force, an external arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, carried out the launch. The missile deployment system used in the attack on Israel has been destroyed.

“We hit … almost all of the Iranian infrastructure in Syria,” Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said during a question and answer session at the annual Herzliya security conference in Tel Aviv. “I hope we finished this chapter and everyone got the message.”

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) said it

Politics

President Donald Trump, from left, greets Tony Kim, Kim Hak Song, seen in the shadow, and Kim Dong Chul, three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year, as they arrive at Andrews Air Force Base in Md., Thursday, May 10, 2018. First lady Melania Trump also greet them at right. (Photo: AP)

President Donald Trump, from left, greets Tony Kim, Kim Hak Song, seen in the shadow, and Kim Dong Chul, three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year, as they arrive at Andrews Air Force Base in Md., Thursday, May 10, 2018. First lady Melania Trump also greet them at right. (Photo: AP)

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeted 3 Americans detained and now released by North Korea at Joint Base Andrews, calling it a “great honor.” He boarded their medical plane at around 3 AM EST to meet with them privately before the arrival ceremony.

The three, who had been held for periods ranging between one and two years, were released on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s second known visit to the country ahead of a historic meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un.

“Frankly we didn’t think it was going to happen and it did,” President Trump said after thanking Kim. “We’re starting off on a new footing. This is a wonderful thing that he released the folks early.”

Kim Dong Chul, a South Korea-born U.S. citizen and former Virginia resident, was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years hard labor in prison after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea’s border with Russia.

Tony Kim was detained at Pyongyang’s airport in April 2017. Pyongyang accused him of “hostile acts” against the communist regime. He taught accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

Kim Hak Song, an ethnic Korean born in China, was also detained in May 2017 for “hostile acts.” He worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups.

“We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home,” the three said in a statement released by the State Department. “We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world.”

Mr. Pompeo, who was nominated by President Trump to replace Rex Tillerson, met with Kim during Easter weekend to gauge the potential for a summit with South Korea and the United States (US).

If the summit is held, it would be the first-ever between the U.S. and North Korea after more than six decades of hostility. The North and South remain in a technical state of war. The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Kim announced last month that he has suspended Pyongyang’s nuclear testing program, including a freeze on intercontinental ballistic missile tests and closing a nuclear site. The extraordinary development came after North Korea announced they dropped demands for a freeze to U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises and the withdrawal of U.S. troops as preconditions for talks.

“I think we have a very good chance of doing something very meaningful,” President Trump added. “My proudest achievement will be – this is part of it – when we denuclearize that entire peninsula.”

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania

Politics

Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo testifies before the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. May 11, 2017. (Photo: Reuters)

Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo testifies before the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. May 11, 2017. (Photo: Reuters)

President Donald Trump said on Twitter that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is en route from North Korea with 3 American detainees. It was Mr. Pompeo’s second known visit to the country ahead of a historic meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un.

He said the detainees are in “good health” and that the date and time of the highly-anticipated meeting with Kim have now been agreed upon. He revealed Mr. Pompeo’s trip shortly after announcing his plan to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.

“I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting,” he tweeted. “They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set.”

“Secretary Pompeo and his “guests” will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning,” he also tweeted. “I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!”

The Americans were all detained recently, with one being sentenced in 2016.

Kim Dong Chul, a South Korea-born U.S. citizen and former Virginia resident, was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years hard labor in prison after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea’s border with Russia.

Tony Kim was detained at Pyongyang’s airport in April 2017. Pyongyang accused him of “hostile acts” against the communist regime. He taught accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

Kim Hak Song, an ethnic Korean born in China, was also detained in May 2017 for “hostile acts.” He worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups.

Mr. Pompeo, who was nominated by President Trump to replace Rex Tillerson, met with Kim during Easter weekend to gauge the potential for a summit with South Korea and the United States (US).

If the summit is held, it would be the first-ever between the U.S. and North Korea after more than six decades of hostility. The North and South remain in a technical state of war. The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Kim announced last month that he has suspended Pyongyang’s nuclear testing program, including a freeze on intercontinental ballistic missile tests and closing a nuclear site. The extraordinary development came after North Korea announced they dropped demands for a freeze to U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises and the withdrawal of U.S. troops as preconditions for talks.

The decision handed the Trump Administration an enormous foreign policy victory, as did the meeting between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The two men pledged after another historic meeting in late April to work for the “complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.”

Kim became the first North Korean leader since the Korean War to step over the border and set foot in South Korea. The first summit in more than a decade resulted in an agreement to work with the U.S. and China to declare an official end to the 1950s Korean war, and seek an agreement to establish “permanent” and “solid” peace.

President Moon has also agreed to visit Pyongyang later this year. In a show of good faith, the two leaders agreed to open a liaison office, to stop broadcasting propaganda, to stop conducting leaflet drops along the border and to allow families divided by the DMZ to meet.

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is a 160-mile (260-km) long, 2.5-mile (4-km) wide strip of land created in the 1953 armistice to serve as a buffer between the South and North.

President Donald Trump said on Twitter that

Elections

From left to right: Evan Jenkins, President Donald-Trump, and Patrick Morrisey smile during a roundtable discussion on tax reform on April 5, 2018. (Photo: AP)

From left to right: Evan Jenkins, President Donald-Trump, and Patrick Morrisey smile during a roundtable discussion on tax reform on April 5, 2018. (Photo: AP)

With 72% of precincts reporting, People’s Pundit Daily (PPD) can project Patrick Morrisey has won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in West Virginia. He now will go on to face vulnerable incumbent Democratic Senator Joe Manchin in November.

Mr. Morrisey led Rep. Evan Jenkins 35.2% to 28.8%. The victory for the attorney general was undoubtedly an upset over Congressman Jenkins. He ran up the counties and margins in the central, northern and eastern regions of the state, while Rep. Jenkins performed strong in the South and West.

President Donald Trump on Monday urged voters not to support Don Blankenship, a former coal mining executive who spent a year in prison for his role in a fatal mining explosion.

“To the great people of West Virginia we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, can’t win the General Election in your State…No way!” President Trump tweeted. “Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey!”

Mr. Blankenship, who said he was “more Trumpier than Trump,” carried Calhoun County, Roane County, Clay County and Mingo County. President Trump carried the state against Hillary Clinton in 2016 by 40 points, or 68% of the vote.

Nevertheless, a PPD Big Data Poll in West Virginia conducted before tax reform found 4 in 10 voters who approved of both President Trump and Senator Manchin said they would abandon the incumbent if he did not support tax reform. He did not.

Meanwhile, Senator Manchin outspent Paula Jean Swearengin, an unknown candidate by nearly 19-to-1. Yet, he still lost nearly 31% of the vote after receiving 80% in the 2012 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate vs. a conservative challenger. Recent polling shows 53% want him gone and just over 30% say he should be re-elected.

The race for the U.S. Senate in West Virginia is now rated Leans Republican on the PPD Election Projection Model.

People's Pundit Daily (PPD) can project Patrick

Elections

U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci announcing he will run in the Ohio governor race. (Photo: AP)

U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci announcing he will run in the Ohio governor race. (Photo: AP)

With 49% of precincts reporting, People’s Pundit Daily (PPD) can project Rep. Jim Renacci has won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Ohio, defeating the well-funded businessman Mike Gibbons. He now will go on to face vulnerable incumbent Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in November.

The moderate Republican-turned-Trump supporter led the pack with roughly 45% of the vote in a primary that only a few short months ago looked very different.

Rep. Renacci had been running in the Ohio governor’s race since last March but ended that gubernatorial bid. He made the decision after frontrunner Josh Mandel exited the race unexpectedly, citing health issues with his wife.

The PPD Big Data Poll, a.k.a. the PPD Buckeye State Battleground Poll, gave Mr. Mandel a solid edge against Senator Brown. In July, Mr. Mandel expanded his lead over Sen. Brown. In May, the state treasurer led 49% to 44%, but that 5-point advantage widened to 8 points, 50% to 42%.

In 2016, President Donald Trump easily defeated Hillary Clinton in Ohio, 52.1% to 43.5%. Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Rob Portman crushed Clinton ally Ted Strickland, 58.3% to 36.9%.

Sen. Portman is one of the most popular politicians the Big Data Poll has gauged this or last year to date. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of likely voters in Ohio approve of the job he is doing in the U.S. Senate, while just 36% disapprove.

“We’ll poll it, and we’ll poll it soon,” Rich Baris, the Director of the Big Data Poll and PPD Election Projection Model said. “Josh Mandel was very likely to win this race given President Trump’s stubbornly high numbers in the Buckeye State and the rightward shift we’ve seen since Senator Brown was reelected with Barack Obama on the ticket.”

The wind had started to blow at the back to Democrats after Mr. Mandel’s withdrawal from the race, but Republicans have fielded a candidate capable of attracting broad support in the part and across the state.

“It remains to be seen just how broad the support for Rep. Renacci will be,” Mr. Baris added. “But we’re going to find out.”

The race for the U.S. Senate in Ohio is now rated a Battleground on the PPD Election Projection Model.

People's Pundit Daily (PPD) can project Rep.

Elections

Indiana State Representative Mike Braun, District 63. (Photo: Campaign Website)

Indiana State Representative Mike Braun, District 63. (Photo: Campaign Website)

With 44% precincts reporting, People’s Pundit Daily (PPD) can project Mike Braun has won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Indiana. The businessman from Jasper will go on to face vulnerable incumbent Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly in November.

“Mike Braun ran an amazing campaign against two members of Congress who had home bases of political support to draw on,” Richard Baris, the Director of the Big Data Poll and PPD Election Projection Model said. “He had a similar storyline and appeal of President Donald Trump, without the bluster.”

Mr. Braun had 41.1%, with Todd Rokita and Luke Messer battling it out for second with 29.5%.

Lake County, the second largest county in the state, was still reporting results. In early returns, Rep. Rokita led with roughly 50%, signaling he would start to pull away from Rep. Messer as more returns came in.

Rep. Messer, who represented the Sixth Congressional District, won his home base plus most of the counties in the East. Rep. Rokita, who represented the Fourth Congressional District, did manage to expand up to Lake County, but traded the more conservative areas of his district with Mr. Braun.

Each of the Republican candidates in the race were well-funded, but the outsider captured the pulse of the base. He even aired a new 60-second advertisement during an evening episode of “Roseanne” on ABC, praised by the base for the comedian’s support for President Trump.

He pounced on Rep. Rokita for “Trump bashing” after an  interview resurfaced from February of 2016, in which he used some rather unflattering words to describe President Trump. The lawmaker supported Marco Rubio over President Trump in the 2016 Republican nomination contest.

To be sure, Rep. Messer was by far the most vocal critic of President Trump during the Republican nomination.

Nevertheless, the race for the U.S. Senate in Indiana is rated Leans Republican on the PPD Election Projection Model.

“Mr. Braun was always the strongest candidate in the race,” Mr. Baris added. “As a former conservative Democrat, a fair trade proponent, and an outsider, he has significant crossover appeal for a state like Indiana.”

With 44% precincts reporting, People's Pundit Daily

Politics

Mike Pompeo, first the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) before State Department nominee, left, with President Donald J. Trump, right. (Photo: AP)

Mike Pompeo, first the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) before State Department nominee, left, with President Donald J. Trump, right. (Photo: AP)

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is currently en route to North Korea ahead of a historic meeting between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. Mr. Pompeo will be arriving for his second known visit to the country shortly and has meetings scheduled.

Mr. Pompeo, who was nominated by President Donald Trump to replace Rex Tillerson, received more than a dozen Democratic votes in favor of his CIA confirmation in the U.S. Senate. However, he received only 6 Democratic votes for his confirmation to head up the State Department.

Angus King, I-Maine, also voted to confirm Mr. Pompeo.

President Trump said the date and time of the highly-anticipated meeting with Kim have now been agreed upon. However, he has yet to reveal where or when it will happen, though he revealed it while announcing his plan to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.

Mr. Pompeo met with Kim during Easter weekend to gauge the potential for a summit with South Korea and the United States (US).

If the summit is held, it would be the first-ever between the U.S. and North Korea after more than six decades of hostility. The North and South remain in a technical state of war. The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Kim announced last month that he has suspended Pyongyang’s nuclear testing program, including a freeze on intercontinental ballistic missile tests and closing a nuclear site. The extraordinary development came after North Korea announced they dropped demands for a freeze to U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises and the withdrawal of U.S. troops as preconditions for talks.

The decision handed the Trump Administration an enormous foreign policy victory, as did the meeting between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The two men pledged after another historic meeting in late April to work for the “complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.”

Kim became the first North Korean leader since the Korean War to step over the border and set foot in South Korea. The first summit in more than a decade resulted in an agreement to work with the U.S. and China to declare an official end to the 1950s Korean war, and seek an agreement to establish “permanent” and “solid” peace.

President Moon has also agreed to visit Pyongyang later this year. In a show of good faith, the two leaders agreed to open a liaison office, to stop broadcasting propaganda, to stop conducting leaflet drops along the border and to allow families divided by the DMZ to meet.

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is a 160-mile (260-km) long, 2.5-mile (4-km) wide strip of land created in the 1953 armistice to serve as a buffer between the South and North.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is currently

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