this is newsday on bbc world news. this is a special edition. we have correspondence reporters in soulmate and washington. president trump has agreed to hold an historic meeting with the north korean leader, kim jong—un, may. meeting with the north korean leader, kimjong—un, may. let us listen to the announcement. good evening. today i had the privilege of briefing president trump on my recent visit to pyongyang, north korea. i would like to thank president trump, the vice president and his wonderful national security team, including my close friend, general mcmaster. i explained to president trump that his leadership and his maximum pressure policy, together with international solidarity brought us to this juncture. i expressed president moonjae—in‘s personal gratitude for president trump's leadership.

i told president trump that in our meeting, of both korean leaders, kim jong—un said he is committed to denuclearisation. kim pledged that north korea will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests. he understands that the routine joint military exercises between the republic of korea and the united states must continue. and he expressed his eagerness to meet president trump as soon as possible. president trump appreciated the briefing and said he would meet kim jong—un by may, to achieve permanent denuclearisation. the republic of korea along with the united states, japan and our many partners around the world remain fully and resolutely committed to the complete denuclearisation

of the korean peninsula. along with president trump, we are optimistic about continuing a diplomatic process to test the possibility of a peaceful resolution. the republic of korea, the united states, and our partners, stand together in insisting that we not repeat the mistakes of the past and that the pressure will continue until north korea matches its words with concrete actions. thank you. that announcement made by south korean diplomats more than one hour ago at the white house lawn in washington, dc. for more insight on this unfolding development and

historian —— historic meeting, we are joined historian —— historic meeting, we arejoined by eric hamm are now washington studios. what does this mean for geopolitical tensions in asia? this is a whole new paradigms that we are seeing unfolding in new time. we have never had a sitting us president to meet with the north korean leader so we now have the president of the united states agreeing to meet with kimjong—un and just less than —— in less than two months on right now, if there are preconditions, we don't know what they are. it doesn't be the president has set them. one thing we do know, kim jong—un president has set them. one thing we do know, kimjong—un is a master propagandist why believe this is a country that has always longed for acceptance, that is always wanted to be seen as part of the global community and so this gives him an opportunity to get what he has

a lwa ys opportunity to get what he has always been seeking and that is not only relevant but the fact that his country is now recognised as a major player on the world stage so president trump has actually bypassed the stick is one of your other people are now as mentioned and has moved directly to the carrot and has moved directly to the carrot and has moved directly to the carrot and has agreed to these meetings and i think this is a game changing moment, not only for the united states, not only for north korea but for the entire global landscape. indeed, this is a game changing development if it does happen in may. there has been a statement from japan may have stressed that north korea must commit to a banding —— abandoning its nuclear development completely. will this mean when president trump and kim jong—un meets in pyongyang or some neutral

ground, whether kim jong—un will give up his nuclear arsenal? we just have not seen north korea be willing to do that. what's interesting about the statement we heard, they are willing to halt testing. they have the capability to not only create missiles and nuclear weapons but to also put them in use. to halt testing actually doesn't offer anything to president trump in terms of actual meaning. what we want to see from them is an actual more concrete and substance if admonition in terms of not only halting production but removing their current facilities and weapons and bringing perhaps inspectors in to

not only examine our sites but also begin the process of denuclearisation. that is something we would need to see. before the president would agreed to the meeting like this. what could potentially go on between now and may? for this to fall through? what could go wrong is that the president could go wrong is that the president could now come back with those conditions that we are looking for and many of us are concerned is on the table. there are a number of issues in terms of maybe not only halting its programme but eliminating its programme. we don't know for sure if north korea would agree to that. we have to understand and keep in mind the sanctions that have been put in place have been

very crippling, not only to the people but to the regime. the president has made clear those crippling sanctions will stay in place. if north korea would ask that those sanctions be lifted and resident trump does not agree to it, thatis resident trump does not agree to it, that is something that could put a halt to these initial talks that we are seeing take place right now. do you think president trump would agree to meet him in pyongyang? some are saying some island in south korea. beijing? maybe north america? where do you think would be the perfect place for this meeting?‘ meeting in pyongyang or anywhere in north korea is a bridge too far for president trump and also, we just don't know where something like this would take place. these are two men who are in many ways very alike.

they are both paranoid, they both crave attention, they both crave a cce pta nce crave attention, they both crave acceptance and so we just don't know what it will take for either leader in the space they would be co mforta ble in the space they would be comfortable and we need to find out from both the trump administration and the north korean leadership, who will be the initial teams and players who will engage in these talks. one thing we have to make clear, while we do have a secretary of state who will certainly be at the table, there is no acting undersecretary in the state department to begin these lower level talks because what happens is, these talks work from the bottom and we are seeing talks beginning from

the top and moving the way down. this is something that is very definite but as we have seen, president trump, has very much corn against the grain. at this point, it's anyone's guess where this will ta ke it's anyone's guess where this will take place in what will be on the table for both parties in order to move forward. you mentioned earlier, if this materialises, this could really change the global political landscape. china, the united states, japan being part of this game changing event. how do you think russia played a role in this potential meeting? that's a very good question. in many instances,

russia has tried to upset the apple ca rt. russia has tried to upset the apple cart. russia has always tried, and we have seen vladimir putin in many insta nces, we have seen vladimir putin in many instances, step in the way of president obama during his tenure andi president obama during his tenure and i think russia is very much the stepchild, if you will, in terms of what role can they play. they do know they can cause chaos, they can foment discord. we have seen them do that. but will they actually stand down given we know how influential china is north korea. i think we can see discussions take place very much like we saw take place around iran's nuclear programme where we could have a number of different countries be involved in these discussions and usha these conversations forward. and russia was a part of these talks

with iran. just like north korea wa nts to with iran. just like north korea wants to be seen as an accepted country, we do know vladimir putin is operating in a way that he wants to see russia moved back into ce ntresta g e to see russia moved back into centrestage of their major player much like it was with the soviet union. eric ham, thank you to sharing your expert views, joining us sharing your expert views, joining us live from the washington studios. an awful lot has been happening in the past power. just an hour ago, we had the south korean delegation come out onto the lawn the white house. donald trump and kim jong—un

out onto the lawn the white house. donald trump and kimjong—un have been invited to meet. that meeting has been accepted. we will expect that meeting to take place by may next year. we're not sure where that a lot the experts suggest that pyongyang will not be a location. they will want to look for a neutral location for that historic meeting to take place. during that announcement, we heard that kim jong—un had agreed to halt nuclear and missile tests and he was committed to denuclearisation. and that north korea had pledged to refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests. something that has in the past really annoyed pyongyang, military exercises. a number of historic announcements. we are looking for commitment as well. lots

and lots of different lines are coming about nothing less than permanent denuclearisation in north korea. donald trump says kim jong—un talked about denuclearisation with south korean representatives, not just a phrase. that is in response to how much commitment we're hearing from north korea. nancy snow is professor of public diplomacy at the university of japan in professor of public diplomacy at the university ofjapan in tokyo. the japanese defence minister has been talking about this, calling for commitment for north korea to abandon nuclear development completely. were you feeling that you are hearing commitment. what you make these announcements? there is

some commitment with this statement, a strong one of denuclearisation. i warrior but, sitting here injapan that the region might little too ha rd that the region might little too hard ahead of this meeting, if this meeting should take place. listening to the other experts, there is a sense that we are looking at a chess game that these two players are unprecedented. not only with the meeting the unprecedented but the figureheads here are ones who are noted for changing our minds very quickly. i could see the white house coming out with further strong state m e nts coming out with further strong statements and in japan coming out with further strong statements and injapan also adding to that and then that could perhaps lead to an end of this meeting if north korea feels like it's already compromising. by going into the meeting. it would have to then pull

back. i really would hope there would be some holding back now. there is so much that has to go to place with this. president trump himself is likely to speak strongly now. there are going to be those around him who will say, you are getting played, there is no question that north korea has the upper hand. he will be listening to those who will say it's got to be very strong in his push back but that could again cripple this meeting taking place. we are getting some comments from the white house that this is not just a freeze, that this is the need toa just a freeze, that this is the need to a station, notjust a freeze. so the white house is trying to offer a bit more clarity on the commitments that we are lacking here —— denuclearisation. that's right, because the initial statement made it sound like it is a pause, and if

you listen in the days to follow, the international community will probably be calling for denuclearisation of the peninsula. now, that would be unprecedented, wouldn't it, and what would it look like? this is a regime where the people are starving, and it is also falling apart under the sanctions. but, as far as we know so far, north korea, up to this point, has never pledged to go completely denuclear. now, this may come down the road if this meeting were to take place and we re this meeting were to take place and were to be successful, and some trust building and credibility building were to come out of it, but right now i can't imagine that north korea is going to go into this meeting saying, yes, we are going to give up all of our nuclear weapons. it was said earlier that you have to

go step by step, and maybe it would ta ke go step by step, and maybe it would take giving up some weapons, four 25 weapons initially, to build some credibility, is the way to go, as opposed to an all or nothing approach —— 4—5. opposed to an all or nothing approach -- 4-5. do you think that president trump has just gone too quickly into this? i know that with this white house i am waiting for the tweets to start, if they haven't. and that is also worries them, because a tweet can go around them, because a tweet can go around the world, as we have seen —— worrisome. so we are seeing international relations like we have never seen international relations like we have never seen it before, and i think that less is more here. let's at least enjoy this news today without putting all these preconditions into this possible meeting. at the beginning, when we first heard this, we thought that may was too soon. and now it seems very far away. with

all the information that is going to go out there on to the internet, and with people satirising the possibility of kim jong—un and trump sitting down together, it would be late—night fodder for the talk shows. so i would hope that there would be a little bit of restraint now, and let some of the behind—the—scenes take place to put in place a meeting that would be lasting, and that would lead to some peace in this region that we have never seen peace in this region that we have never seen before. it is ironic, actually, i havejust checked donald trump's tweets, and that is where this no freeze line has come up. he has also talked about great progress, but the sanctions will remain untilan progress, but the sanctions will remain until an agreement has been reached. so i guess we are talking about carrots and sticks, and we are still hearing about that stick. yes, we have a salad of carrots and

sticks, and i imagine that this will continue. as i said before, there are plenty of people around president trump who are going to tell him to remain strong, and to use some rhetoric that he was using previously. but i hope that that might change and be moderated by those around him who will say let try to make this meeting happened. nancy, for your expertise, thank you, and for that analogy. my thanks to you. joining us now from beijing is our correspondent stephen mcdonnell, and stephen, would china wa nt to ta ke mcdonnell, and stephen, would china want to take some credit for this historic development? well, certainly beijing has been calling on pyongyang and washington to sit down. they have just had a constant refrain we hear from the down. they have just had a constant refrain we hearfrom the foreign ministry is that both sides should talk to one another, and so they will welcome this development, that is for sure. i guess they have been

ina similar is for sure. i guess they have been in a similar boat to president moon in that way, south korea's leader, saying at least you two should start talking to each other. but the other two crucial aspects to china's involvement is where might they meet? they could either met at the demilitarised zone, the only other option i think is to meet in china, and it could be that both donald trump and kimjong—un might come to china for that meeting. china in the past has had this whole six party talks process, you will remember, which it tried to get going, and it failed at the last moment. so you can imagine the frustration for the chinese government when last time around this all happened, this was a process all organised by china, with six countries. it went on for months and months. and that the final hurdle it failed. and so they would ye hoping that it doesn't happen again in that way. but at least they will be welcoming discussions,

rather than threats coming from both north korea and the united states. indeed, stephen, because you also have beijing being a major ally of pyongyang, and over the last year, they have also imposed sanctions, they have also imposed sanctions, they have also imposed sanctions, they have limited their trade dealings with pyongyang, because there has also been a lot of pressure from the international community for the chinese leadership to do something about the missile testing, and the nuclearisation of north korea. well, that's right, beijing would say nobody has inflicted more economic pain on north korea then we have. not only has china supported the sanctions at united nations, but 80 plus % of north korea's trade was with china, so when you get china stopping textiles, stopping seafood, stopping

coal, things like this coming through, that is going to have a huge impact on the already struggling north korean economy. now, many did call on china to do more, but beijing was saying, look, look how much we have done. there is nobody inflicting more pain on north korea than we are, and we are also kind of traditional allies with them, by the way, so you should give us some them, by the way, so you should give us some credit for that. so if indeed it is because of the pain of those sanctions that north korea has come to the bargaining table, they will be many people to thank for it, andi will be many people to thank for it, and i guess the chinese government would have to be one of them, though. so you can see that argument, that really they have put argument, that really they have put a lot of pressure on north korea. thank you so much for that update from beijing, our correspondent stephen mcdonnell. robert kelly is professor of political science, joining us live. professor kelly, what is your reading of this? is

north korea playing the united states here? i think sort of. i think that the north koreans have realised that president trump has a publicity seeking, volatile personality and eight months ago we we re personality and eight months ago we were talking about fire and fury at when you dangle the prospect of some major geopolitical win in front of the president, to reset the table, president trump really like that kind of thing, he really does. i have a feeling that is what is going on here, that is why a month ago we we re on here, that is why a month ago we were talking about a summit, and all ofa were talking about a summit, and all of a sudden they are going to meet each other in six weeks. it is really unprecedented. i think that's why the analyst community, at least the guys you have been interviewing in the last couple of hours, have responded with such a shock to this. normally doesn't work this way. normally doesn't work this way. normally you have meetings and negotiations, and then you have a concession, then you have a big

summit. instead the president is diving right in, and is he ready for this? it seems like we're finding out the detail from tweets, we are only finding out that this is a freeze and notjust a pause from his tweets. is that going to work when we are talking about denuclearisation of north korea? yes, that is the question, write? the president has marketed himself in that way, the art of the deal, and that sort of stuff, but that is not really true. if you look at the president's management style of both his campaign and his presidency, he is known for the chaotic way he runs things, perpetual staff problems, and the trump people have really serious staffing issues on east asia, we don't even have an ambassador in north —— south korea. and that would just be astonishing. maybe the president will pull it off, and it is great that we are not on the verge of nuclear war like we we re on the verge of nuclear war like we were a year ago, but i would be sort of astonished if 70 years of major strategic and ideological divisions between north korea and the united

states were suddenly to be cleaned up. ijust states were suddenly to be cleaned up. i just can't see that. states were suddenly to be cleaned up. ijust can't see that. professor kelly, the president, kimjong—un, is to meet president moon. could something happened to prevent this potential meeting in may, briefly if you would? sure, there is a possibility the north koreans could walk back the deal and launch a missile, or something like that. the north koreans have done that sort of stuff. i am not sure what will happen with the north korean exercises, but there could be some major south korean political disruption. i imagine south korean conservatives, the right wing media in korea is pretty anti—communist, they will probably be very concerned about what will happen in the next eight weeks. but right now it looks like it is on track. professor kelly, thank you very much for being with us. we're out of time on this historic day. thank you forjoining us. historic day. thank you forjoining us. on this special edition, goodbye. good morning. it has been a bit of a

rollercoaster start to spring. this weekend we could see some of the warmest air of the year so far. but, while we finished yesterday with some clear skies around, those clear skies overnight will lead to a frosty start to friday morning. so a cold start, but a bright start across many areas. we got some rain and snow flurries across the highlands of scotland, and any early brightness will be hazy sunshine towards the channel islands, devon, cornwall, and that cloud will drift its way northwards, turning the sunshine hazy through the morning across other southern areas. the best of the sunshine really through the day, northern england, southern scotla nd the day, northern england, southern scotland and northern ireland. parts of southern scotland will see good sunny spells at times but one were to make further showers to come here. a nice they once you're in the sunshine, but by the end of the afternoon was to produce could reach ten to ii afternoon was to produce could reach ten to 11 degrees we could see rain spread across devon, cornwall, and other southern counties of england.

that is going to work its way northwards as we go through friday evening, pushing through wales, into the midlands and parts of east anglia as well. and it is all linked into this warm front. now, on it we will see some heavy pulses of rain through the night and into saturday morning. but it is what follows in its wake which many of you will notice. some very mild air working its way to all but northern scotland by the end of the day. now, that means it is going to be a fairly mild weekend compared to what we have been used to of late. what you will have to cater for at least a little bit of rain at some points. now, the wettest weather to start saturday will stretch from east anglia, northern england, north wales into northern ireland. as that hits colder air across scotland, in the hills we will see a spell of snow before it turns back to rain as the mild air pushes its way back in. england and wales will see sunny spells runtime, another batch of showers working through but the big story, but the temperatures, 15— 16 degrees with a little better brightness through the middle part of the day across parts of the east

midlands and east anglia especially. now, through saturday night and into sunday that area of rain and hill snow clears its way northwards. take the milder air into scotland as well, so it is a frost free night forjust well, so it is a frost free night for just about all as we well, so it is a frost free night forjust about all as we go into sunday morning. maybe one or two spots in the east could see a temporary frost but little bit of morning sunshine. sunday at the moment not shedding up to be too bad a day. we would like to see some breezy conditions in the west with and showers around. just got to watch this area of rain pushing into the near continent. looks like it will stay in the north sea but it could be a bit further west, so east anglia and the south—east, check your forecast was sunday mirror the time because there could be some rain very close by. some of the brightest weather will be in scotland. a frosty night to come here to take us into monday, but low pressure to start the week means many of you will start the week with showers. goodbye for now. i'm kasia madera with bbc news. our top story: there's been an historic announcement about north korea at the white house. president trump has agreed to meet

the north korean leader, kim jong—un. the white house confirmed the meeting would happen at a time and place yet to be determined. the head of a south korean delegation that held talks with both leaders this week said the meeting would happen by may. the south korean envoy praised mr trump's uncompromising stance for adding to the pressure on north korea. north korea has agreed also agreed to halt nuclear and missile tests. the white house said the trump administration looked forward to the denuclearisation of north korea — but in the meantime, all sanctions and maximum pressure must remain on pyongyang. the president said he agreed to the meeting because he is the ultimate decision—makers in his country. and the top story here in the uk: a jury at the old bailey has been shown a video,