North Korea’s Kim Jong-un has a new kind of diplomacy

This week’s Trump-Free Politics: Kim Jong-un is surprisingly receptive, tariffs are still in play, and Paul Manafort faces even more fraud charges.

Guess those tariffs are really happening

Despite major opposition from people within the U.S. government and throughout the world, the president formally enacted serious tariffs on steel and aluminum imports on Thursday. It’s supposedly a bid to strengthen American metal industries, though oftentimes it has seemed like many within those industries and without were skeptical of the plan. The White House has also cited national security concerns.

Steel imports will face a 25 percent tariff, while aluminum imports will deal with a 10 percent tariff. They will begin in 15 days.

However, the tariffs were not quite as sweeping as expected. Canada and Mexico are currently excluded from the new regulations. Other nations may be excluded at a later point, assuming their products meet somewhat nebulous security standards.

This did little to placate some, who have promised a trade war with the United States. The EU has said that it is willing to impose tariffs of its own on American products, like motorcycles, bourbon, jeans and peanut butter. U.S. exports, including agricultural products and electronics, could suffer as well.

Manafort pleads not guilty

Paul Manafort, former campaign manager for the current presidential administration, is still having a pretty bad series of weeks. It’s hard to feel totally bad for him, however, given the looming possibility that he will face serious time in prison for fraud charges.

On Thursday, Manafort pleaded not guilty to tax and fraud charges . He was also confined again to house arrest. The trial date was set by U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III for July 10.

This isn’t the only trial that Manafort and his team will have to face. Just last week, he pleaded not guilty to similar charges. A federal judge there set another trial date for September 17.

Manafort and co-defendant Rick Gates are facing these charges because of the ongoing Russia investigation headed by Robert Mueller. They also pleaded not guilty to some of the first charges leveled by Mueller’s team in October, which included a 12-count indictment.

Florida lawmakers do something about gun control

After the latest high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, left 17 people dead, those remaining called for more strenuous gun control measures. The Florida state legislature faced considerable backlash when it declined to hear bills relating to such issues shortly after the shooting. Now, on Wednesday, they have passed a gun control law for the state.

What’s in the bill, exactly? It raises the minimum age for gun purchases from 18 to 21. There is also a three-day background check, though exceptions include individuals such as police officers, military personnel and those with either a hunting or concealed carry license. Bump stocks (add-on devices that can allow rifles to fire at a near-automatic rate) are banned by the bill.

Additionally, the new law would expand mental health care and enact certain bans for people under serious mental health treatment. Millions of dollars would also go to school security measures, including armed school resource officers.

The bill gets complicated

The bill includes more controversial conditions as well. Namely, it calls for a martial-like program that would arm school employees. Gun control advocates have not advised such measures, though it has proven a favorite of gun-friendly organizations such as the NRA.

Classroom teachers would not take part in the program, though other school employees such as librarians and coaches could do so. State Senator Randolph Bracy successfully introduced an amendment that would require these individuals to complete 12 hours of diversity training. However, many remain skeptical of this aspect of the bill.

Now, it’s on Florida Governor Rick Scott to sign the bill into law. Scott has remained silent on whether or not he’ll actually give his okay to the legislation.

“I’m going to take the time, and I’m going to read the bill, and I’m going to talk to families,” he said on the subject. In 15 days, Scott must either sign the bill, veto it, or let it become law without his signature.

What is Kim Jong-un’s game?

Despite years of frosty relationships with other countries — if not outright hostility — North Korean leader Kim Jong-un surprised many this week. On Monday, he met with South Korean officials in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. There, he was reportedly warm and forthcoming during the meeting, which lasted four hours.

Perhaps most importantly, he indicated that the North Korean government would be willing to meet with the United States. This topic of discussion? Ending Kim’s nuclear weapons program.

Given all of the bluster that has previously come from North Korea regarding its nuclear weapons, this is a seemingly extraordinary development. This also marked some of Kim’s most open diplomatic talks ever. Previously, he and many of his officials had remained sequestered within North Korea and its immediate surroundings.

So, why the change? After all, this is a leader who has repeatedly threatened to attack the United States. Kim Jong-un has also ordered the assassinations of numerous North Korean officials, including his own uncle and reportedly his half-brother, Kim Jong-nam.

The White House has said that its also willing to meet with Kim. That said, both sides will face serious challenges. It’s possible that Kim is trying a new tactic in a long-running series of conflicts between the nations.

After all, there is no guarantee that North Korea will give up its nuclear arms program, which many reportedly believe is vital to the nation’s security. Three previous U.S. presidents have also attempted this same diplomacy, with little success.

And, finally, your palate cleanser

This week, The New York Times launched an initiative called Overlooked. It was created in order to correct long-standing omissions in one of its most formidable sections: the obituaries.

The newspaper started the series on Thursday with profiles of 15 women. “Who gets remembered — and how — inherently involves judgment,” wrote Amisha Padnani and Jessica Bennett. “To look back at the obituary archives can, therefore, be a stark lesson in how society valued various achievement and achievers”.

Next: Women To Admire: Tarana Burke

The collection will expand weekly in an effort to remedy these oversights. Some of the people currently honored are activist and journalist Ida B. Wells, revolutionary writer Qiu Jin, Bollywood actor Madhubala, and transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson. Read more about the genesis of the Overlooked project as presented by Padnani here.