McD APOLOGISES FOR INSULTING TRUMP TWEET Military action against N. Korea an option: US

China doing ‘little’ to contain Pyongyang, says Trump

Seoul, March 17: A US policy of strategic patience with North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes has ended, secretary of state Rex Tillerson said in South Korea on Friday, warning that military action would be “on the table” if Pyongyang elevated the threat level.

On his first Asian visit as secretary of state, Mr Tillerson will travel to China on Saturday with a main focus on finding a “new approach” on North Korea after what he described as two decades of failed efforts to denuclearise the insular nation.

“Let me be very clear: the policy of strategic patience has ended. We are exploring a new range of security and diplomatic measures. All options are on the table,” Mr Tillerson told a news conference in Seoul.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that North Korea was “behaving very badly” and accused Pyongyang’s neighbor and only ally China of doing little to resolve the crisis over the North’s weapons programs. “They have been ‘playing’ the United States for years. China has done little to help!” Mr Trump said in a tweet.

Beijing is North Korea’s main diplomatic ally and trade partner. — Agencies New York, March 17: McDonald’s apologised after it briefly posted on tweet criticising President Donald Trump, which the company blamed on a hack from an external source.

The quickly deleted tweet offered an uncharitable appraisal of Mr Trump, saying, “You are actually a disgusting excuse of a President and we would love to have Barack Obama back, also you have tiny hands.”

The tweet was removed soon after being posted to one of McDonald’s official Twitter feeds — but not before being retweeted more than a thousand times and garnering plenty of attention in political and media circles. — AFP