US-North Korea hold talks for first time since Kim Jong-un took power


Daniel Bardsley
  • English
  • Arabic

BEIJING // US and North Korean negotiators meet today for the first time since Kim Jong-un took power in the communist country after his father's death.

The US is looking for signs the new leader is ready to stop the country's nuclear programme and return to international negotiations, known as the six-party talks, analysts say.

The bilateral discussions in the Chinese capital come two months after the death of Mr Kim's father, Kim Jong-il, under whom North Korea held nuclear tests, sank a South Korean warship, began a uranium-enrichment programme and in 2010 attacked South Korean territory for the first time in decades.

But because his son has recently taken over, he must shore up his position in an administration dominated by elderly conservatives.

Therefore, no one expects North Korea to make concessions in the meeting with US officials that would allow the six-party talks to resume.

The talks, on hold since Pyongyang pulled out in 2009, involve both Koreas, the United States, Russia, Japan and China,

"It's a simple test for the United States to see whether or not the North Korean leadership has the willpower to take a more positive posture on its nuclear-weapons programme," said Park Young-ho, a senior fellow at the Korea Institute for National Reunification in Seoul.

"I don't think there will be any significant breakthrough. It's too early to expect the new leadership in Pyongyang will take a more flexible posture towards the West and South Korea."

Today's discussions, to be led on the North Korean side by Kim Kye-gwan and for the US by Glyn Davies, the special envoy for North Korea, follow fruitless bilateral talks in New York in July and in Geneva in October.

The United States and South Korea insist North Korea must halt uranium enrichment and allow in international nuclear inspectors before the six-party talks can resume. North Korea, along with its only real ally, China, has called for the talks to resume without conditions.

The six-party talks offer impoverished North Korea the chance to secure economic and humanitarian aid in return for abandoning nuclear ambitions.

Until North Korea, one of the poorest countries in the world, scraps its nuclear programme, the United States and South Korea are limiting aid to the country.

"I think North Korea will continue to argue that, 'OK, we are ready to go back to the six-party talks, but no preconditions,'" Mr Park said.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula were underscored at the weekend when North Korea threatened to retaliate if South Korea went ahead with military exercises in the Yellow Sea near their border.

In the exercises, the live-fire drills, which required about 1,000 island residents to be evacuated, took place yesterday without incident.

In November 2010, North Korea shelled Yeonpyeong island, killing two South Korean marines and two civilians in response to South Korean military drills on the island.

In March 2010, a South Korean warship, the Cheonan, sank near the sea border with North Korea. killing 46 sailors. An international group of experts found the ship was sunk by a torpedo from a North Korean submarine. North Korea has not admitted responsibility.

Also last year, North Korea said it had an advanced uranium-enrichment facility, taking it one step closer to the capacity to build nuclear weapons.

The Associated Press reported this week North Korea would hold a major ruling party political conference in mid-April, the month that marks 100 years since the birth of the country's founder, Kim Jong-il's father - Kim Il-sung, known as "Great Leader".

Kim Jong-un is expected to formally take over the chairmanship of the Central Military Commission and become the Workers' Party general secretary at the April conference.

What are the main cyber security threats?

Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

Sreesanth's India bowling career

Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40

ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55

T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Defence review at a glance

• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”

• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems

• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.

• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%

• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade

• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels

The%20specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E261hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E400Nm%20at%201%2C750-4%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.5L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C999%20(VX%20Luxury)%3B%20from%20Dh149%2C999%20(VX%20Black%20Gold)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

Directed by: Craig Gillespie

Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry

4/5

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

Recipe

Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo

Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method

Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.

Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.

Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking,  remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.

Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.

 

The Gandhi Murder
  • 71 - Years since the death of MK Gandhi, also christened India's Father of the Nation
  • 34 - Nationalities featured in the film The Gandhi Murder
  • 7 - million dollars, the film's budget 
Which products are to be taxed?

To be taxed:

Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category

Not taxed

Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.

Products excluded from the ‘sweetened drink’ category would contain at least 75 per cent milk in a ready-to-drink form or as a milk substitute, baby formula, follow-up formula or baby food, beverages consumed for medicinal use and special dietary needs determined as per GCC Standardisation Organisation rules

Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now