Morning Brief: North Korea on its best behavior

Wed, 10/14/2009 - 7:42am

North Korean officials expressed regret for the deadly floods it caused in South Korea last month by releasing water from a dam. An official from South Korea's unification ministry said that while this was not literally an apology, "in the general context, we think it's an apology by North Korea with regard to this incident." This was a rare gesture from the North Korean regime, which has been increasingly hostile this year, and test-fired five missiles on Monday. 

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said that Chinese leaders believe they have receive confirmation that North Korea is willing to return to nuclear negotiations, on terms acceptable to the other parties. Campbell also praised Chinese cooperation in the negotiations. 

U.S. preacher Franklin Graham visited Pyongyang to deliver humanitarian aid and met with the North Korean foreign minister in what he called an "amicable atmosphere."

Nice day for a big wedding: The Rev. Sun Myung Moon married more than 40,000 people around the world in his largest mass wedding in a decade.

Asia

  • The Philippines has asked the country's largest Muslim separatist group to help find and free a kidnapped Irish priest. 
  • China has criticized Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for visiting a disputed Himalayan state.  
  • Tends of thousands are fleeing South Waziristan in anticipation of a government offensive.

Middle East

  • Israeli jets struck smuggling tunnels in Gaza in response to a Palestinian rocket attack. 
  • More than 150,000 refugees have now fled the fighting in Northwest Yemen.
  • The U.N. Human Rights Council will hold a special session today to reopen discussion on alleged human rights abuses committed by Israel in Gaza.  

Europe

Africa

Americas

KCNA/AFP/Getty Images
Joshua Keating | Permalink | | Comments? Login or register
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