The Essential Eight

1. Trump Announces More North Korea Sanctions; Beijing Orders Banks To Halt DPRK Business

Trump announces new economic sanctions targeting North Korea over nuclear program - The Washington Post:

President Trump announced an executive order Thursday to grant additional authority to the Treasury Department to enforce economic sanctions on North Korea and foreign companies and individuals that do business with the rogue nation in Northeast Asia.

The president also said that Chinese President Xi Jinping had ordered Chinese banks to cease conducting business with North Korean entities. Trump called the move "very bold" and "somewhat unexpected," and he praised Xi.

China's central bank tells banks to stop doing business with North Korea: sources - Reuters:

The document asked banks to fully implement United Nations sanctions against North Korea and warned of economic losses and reputational risks to banks that did not do so. Chinese banks received the document on Monday, the so…