NORTH KOREA

US President Donald Trump has released a letter from Kim Jong-un, in which North Korea’s leader voices hopes for a “new future” in bilateral relations. Mr Trump said the letter dated July 6 was “a very nice note”. But it made no mention of any efforts by Pyongyang toward denuclearisation — a key issue the two leaders discussed at their June summit in Singapore. Separately, the US has accused North Korea of violating a UN sanctions cap on refined oil products through ship-to-ship transfers at sea using 89 North Korean tankers.