Catalonia, North Korea, Puerto Rico: Your Monday Briefing
Here’s what you need to know: • The chances of resolving nuclear tensions with North Korea diplomatically plunged after President Trump said
that his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, was "wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man." Mr. Tillerson, above right, had raised hopes by saying the U.S. was in direct communication with the North and inviting talks.
Mr. Trump plans to travel to five Asian nations over 12 days in November, including
three critical to the North Korea crisis: Japan, South Korea and China.
[Reuters] • U.S. officials said an order for new pressure on North Korea, signed early in the Trump presidency, had had far-reaching effects.
• The People’s Bank of China lowered the reserve ratio — the amount of money banks must keep at the central bank
— in a bid to steer more bank loans to small businesses without inflating the country’s huge debt load.
• Regulators in South Korea, Switzerland the U.S. are taking steps to crack down
on initial coin offerings, a new method of raising money for start-ups.
[The New York Times] • The Australian fugitive Markis Scott Turner, accused of running a multimillion-dollar
drug syndicate, was arrested in the Philippines after a two-year manhunt.
