Policemen were seen outside Villa Elfvik Strand conference centre in Sweden where US-North Korea nuclear talks took place on October 5. Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP
Nuclear talks between North Korea and the US in Sweden has failed to produce a deal.
That's the word from North Korea's top negotiator Kim Myong Gil, who cast the blame on the US delegation's inability to "give up their old viewpoint and attitude".
"The negotiations have not fulfilled our expectation and finally broke off," Kim told reporters.
The US State Department, however, said those comments did not reflect "the content or spirit" of more than eight hours of talks.
"The US brought creative ideas and had good discussions with its DPRK counterparts," spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said, adding that Washington had accepted Sweden's invitation to return to Sweden for more discussions with Pyongyang in two weeks.
"The United States and the DPRK will not overcome a legacy of 70 years of war and hostility on the Korean Peninsula through the course of a single Saturday. These are weighty issues, and they require a strong commitment by both countries. The United States has that commitment," she said.
A South Korean court sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee to 20 months in jail on Wednesday for accepting Chanel bags and a diamond pendant from Unification Church officials in return for providing political favours.
Keir Starmer began the first visit to China by a British prime minister since 2018 on Wednesday, seeking to strengthen political and business ties with Beijing as relations between Western countries and the US become more volatile.
Deputy Chief Minister of the Indian state of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, has died in a plane crash on Wednesday while heading to the city of Baramati to attend public meetings ahead of local body elections next month. He was 66.
At least 38 people across 14 states had died as of Tuesday from a powerful winter storm that left much of the central and eastern US gripped by snow, ice, and below-freezing temperatures, according to local officials and news reports.
India is monitoring Nipah virus infections, with two reported from its eastern state of West Bengal since December, the health ministry said, as some Southeast Asia nations step up scrutiny of air travellers.