SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he would halt nuclear tests and intercontinental missile launches, in a Saturday announcement welcomed by US President Donald Trump ahead of a much-anticipated summit between the two men.
Pyongyang’s declaration, long sought by Washington, will be seen as a crucial step in the fast diplomatic dance on and around the Korean peninsula.
It comes less than a week before the North Korean leader meets South Korean President Moon Jae-in for a summit in the Demilitarised Zone that divides the peninsula, ahead of the eagerly-awaited encounter with Trump himself.
But Kim gave no indication Pyongyang might be willing to give up its nuclear weapons, or the missiles with which it can reach the mainland United States.
The North had successfully developed its arsenal, including miniaturising warheads to fit them on to missiles, Kim said, and so “no nuclear test and intermediate-range and inter-continental ballistic rocket test-fire are necessary for the DPRK now.”
As such the North’s nuclear testing site was no longer needed, he told the central committee of the ruling Workers’ Party, according to the official KCNA news agency.
The party decided that nuclear blasts and ICBM launches will cease as of Saturday — the North has not carried any out since November — and the atomic test site at Punggye-ri will be dismantled to “transparently guarantee” the end of testing.
Within minutes of the report being issued, Trump tweeted: “This is very good news for North Korea and the World — big progress! Look forward to our Summit.”
Seoul too welcomed the announcement, calling it “meaningful progress” toward the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
But Kim offered no sign he might be willing to give up what he called the North’s “treasured sword,” saying its possession of nuclear weapons was “the firm guarantee by which our descendants can enjoy the most dignified and happiest life in the world.”
Pyongyang has made rapid technological progress in its weapons programs under Kim, which has seen it subjected to increasingly strict sanctions by the UN Security Council, the United States, the European Union, South Korea and others.
Last year it carried out its sixth nuclear blast, by far its most powerful to date, while Kim and Trump traded threats of war and personal insults as tensions ramped up.
Even when there was an extended pause in testing, US officials said that it could not be interpreted as a halt without an explicit statement from Pyongyang.
South Korean envoys have previously cited Kim as promising no more tests, but Saturday’s news is the first such announcement directly by Pyongyang.
Analysts cautioned that while the declaration was welcome, Pyongyang appeared determined to retain its nuclear capability.
“Certainly this is a positive development,” said Daniel Pinkston of Troy University. “It’s a necessary but not sufficient step in North Korea returning to its past non-proliferation commitments.”
And Christopher Green of the International Crisis Group added on Twitter: “I don’t see how North Korean statement constitutes a step toward denuclearization. It is a moratorium on testing, but recommits North Korea to nuclear weapons status.”
Japan — which has seen missiles fly over its territory — said it was not satisfied with Pyongyang’s pledge, pointing out North Korea did not mention the short- or medium-range missiles that put Tokyo within reach.
The formal declaration of an end to testing comes after Kim stated in his New Year speech that the development of North Korea’s nuclear force had been completed.
In the same address, he said he had a nuclear button on his desk, prompting Trump to tweet that he had a bigger one of his own.
Events have moved rapidly since then, catalyzed by the Winter Olympics in the South, and Seoul is now pushing for a peace treaty to formally end the Korean War, raising hopes that a settlement can finally be reached on the peninsula.
But there is a long way to go and Moon himself acknowledged this week that the “devil is in the details.”
The US is seeking the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the North, while according to Moon, Pyongyang wants security guarantees, potentially leaving much space for disagreement.
The North has long demanded the withdrawal of US troops from the peninsula and an end to its nuclear umbrella over South Korea, something unthinkable in Washington.
But Kim told the Workers’ Party meeting: “A fresh climate of detente and peace is being created on the Korean peninsula and the region and dramatic changes are being made in the international political landscape.”
For years, the impoverished North has pursued a “byungjin” policy of “simultaneous development” of both the military and the economy.
But the leader said that as it was now a powerful state, “the whole party and country” should concentrate on “socialist economic construction,” in what he called the party’s “new strategic line.”
Several factors have driven the Korean rapprochement, including the North feeling that it can now negotiate from a position of strength, concern about the belligerence of the Trump administration, and the looming impact of sanctions.
North Korea's Kim promises no more nuclear or missile tests
North Korea's Kim promises no more nuclear or missile tests
- Suspension will be effective immediately
- Kim Jong Un said his country no longer needs to conduct nuclear tests
Russia says repelled Ukrainian assault on Belgorod region
- The Russian defense ministry said: “A total of five attacks were carried out by the enemy during the day”
- “No crossing of the state border of the Russian Federation was permitted“
MOSCOW: Russia said on Tuesday that Ukrainian army units attempted a ground assault on the Belgorod region earlier but were pushed back, in what Moscow cast as an attempt to undermine ceasefire talks with the United States.
US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held a phone call earlier, in which the Russian leader agreed to a limited deal to halt attacks on Ukrainian energy targets for 30 days but no full truce.
Ukraine used up to 200 fighters in the assault, as well as “five tanks, 16 armored combat vehicles and three demolition vehicles,” the Russian defense ministry said.
“A total of five attacks were carried out by the enemy during the day,” it added.
“No crossing of the state border of the Russian Federation was permitted.”
Kyiv did not immediately comment on Russia’s accusation.
Russia has accused Ukrainian troops of launching several incursions into its territory since launching its full-scale assault on Kyiv in February 2022, including the Kursk region, where fighting has been ongoing for months.
Five charged in European Parliament Huawei bribery probe
- The five were detained last week
- Four have now been arrested and charged with active corruption
BRUSSELS: The Belgian prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday that it has charged five people in connection with a bribery investigation in the European Parliament allegedly linked to China’s Huawei.
The five were detained last week. Four have now been arrested and charged with active corruption and involvement in a criminal organization, while a fifth faces money laundering charges and has been released conditionally.
The prosecutor’s officer did not disclose the names of those involved or give information that could identify them.
It said new searches had taken place on Monday, this time at European Parliament offices. The European Parliament did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.
Huawei said last week it took the allegations seriously. “Huawei has a zero tolerance policy toward corruption or other wrongdoing, and we are committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations at all times,” it said.
The prosecutors have said the alleged corruption took place “very discreetly” since 2021 under the guise of commercial lobbying and involved payments for taking certain political stances or excessive gifts such as food and travel expenses or regular invitations to football matches.
Ramadan on patrol: Pakistani policeman balances duty with devotion in Islamabad
- Constable Malik Mohammed Ikram says iftar hour is particularly ‘unpredictable’ as they are often caught up in patrolling, chasing suspects or responding to emergencies
- The 47-year-old, who always wanted to contribute to society’s betterment, says iftar and sahoor are secondary and duty to the public comes first
ISLAMABAD: As the daylight fades and residents sit together to break their fast amid a call for Maghreb prayer in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, Constable Malik Mohammed Ikram breaks his fast with a date and water while on duty.
The 47-year-old, who has been serving in the Islamabad police for 18 years and is currently part of their Dolphin patrolling squad, says he is proud of efficiently carrying out his duty, which takes on a different meaning during Ramadan, testing not only his endurance but also his devotion to faith.
Ikram’s schedule remains the same during Ramadan as any other day of the year, with an eight-hour shift varying between 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. or 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. But the fatigue feels different while fasting, he said.
“Indeed, performing our duties during Ramadan feels different,” he told Arab News, while on duty in Islamabad’s G-6 sector within the remits of the Aabpara Police Station.
“Nonetheless, it is our responsibility and our profession. We can choose to work with a positive attitude or do it out of obligation, so we try to do it happily.”
The capital city police department does not provide any formal iftar or sahoor meals but offers whatever it can to on-duty staff, according to Ikram. The policemen manage to have quick sahoor meals before heading out for duty on most days, and if not, they swing by a government mess or food stalls at the nearby G-6 market for a quick bite.
FASTFACT
According to Pakistani policeman Malik Mohammed Ikram, being patient is part of the job, particularly during Ramadan, as fatigue and hunger can flare up tempers that hamper their duty.
Ikram, who leads a team of three other cops, says the iftar hour is particularly “unpredictable” as they often break their fast with dates, water and fruit while being caught up in patrolling, chasing suspects or responding to emergency calls.
“If we’re on duty during iftar, we have to manage on our own,” he said. “If there’s a station nearby, we go there, but there are times when the adhan is being called and we’re going for some task.”
Ikram recalls how he received an emergency call from the police control room about an accident near Zero Point just as he was about to break his fast this month and had to rush to the site to respond to the situation.
“If we are having iftar and we get a call regarding an emergency case or an accident, we have to leave everything and respond to the call,” he explained. “We also need to report our response time to the control room, letting them know how long it took us to respond after receiving the call.”
He said he was able to save a young man’s life following that call from the police control room.
“I felt really happy from the bottom of my heart,” he said, reminiscing on moments like this that remind him why he joined the police force. “The life of the man was saved due to timely treatment.”
For policemen, being patient is part of the job, particularly during Ramadan, as fatigue and hunger can flare up tempers that hamper their duty, according to Ikram.
“Our profession and the nature of duties are such that anger cannot work here, and we have to be patient,” he said.
Recalling another incident, Ikram said they were stationed near a traffic signal in the G6 sector when his team signaled for two youths riding a bike to stop, but they sped up and were eventually stopped after a long chase.
“We verified and found out that their bike was stolen. That’s why they tried to flee,” he said, highlighting that his team calmly handled the situation even though it could have turned tense.
Ikram says he is often assigned to the Red Zone, a high-security area housing key government buildings, embassies and key institutions, where shifts can run up to 16 hours even during Ramadan, but he accepts it as part of his calling.
The officer, whose other family members have also served in the police, says he always wanted to contribute to society’s betterment, which was the reason he joined the force.
“If there is an emergency during Ramadan, duty comes first,” he said. “I took up this profession because firstly, it’s all about rizq (livelihood) — Allah had written our rizq in this profession. Secondly, it was my personal choice to join the Islamabad police.”
Looking back at his years of service, Ikram says he finds fulfillment in small yet powerful moments.
“Iftar and sahoor are secondary. Duty is our responsibility, and the government pays us for it. So, duty always comes first,” he said as he picked up his radio and moved on with the routine patrol while fasting.
Trump, Putin agree halt to Ukraine energy attacks but no ceasefire
- The Kremlin said the two leaders had a “detailed and frank exchange of views” on Ukraine
- They discussed a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire
WASHINGTON: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agreed Tuesday on a halt in Russian attacks against Ukrainian energy targets — but fell far short of securing a full ceasefire in a highly anticipated phone call.
The US and Russian leaders spoke for more than an hour and a half and both expressed hopes for repairing relations between the countries.
However, there was no agreement from the Russian president for Washington’s proposed full 30-day ceasefire in Russia’s invasion of its pro-Western neighbor.
The Kremlin said Putin agreed to pause strikes on Ukraine energy targets for 30 days and that Putin had already given the order to his military. The White House said separately that the “leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire.”
Russia has launched a series of devastating attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure throughout the three-year-old war. According to the Kremlin statement, Ukraine — which has bombed multiple Russian oil installations — had also agreed to the truce on energy targets, although Kyiv had yet to comment.
The two leaders agreed that broader truce talks would “begin immediately in the Middle East,” the White House said in its statement, also citing a “huge upside” if Russia and the United States improve their relations.
But the Kremlin statement said a “key condition” for peace would be ending Western military and intelligence support to Ukraine’s embattled military — a position that will alarm Kyiv and European capitals that have already accused Putin of stalling.
Trump had already made clear before the call that he was ready to discuss “dividing up certain assets” — what parts of occupied Ukraine that Russia would be allowed to keep.
The US president had said on his Truth Social network on the eve of the call that “many elements of a final agreement have been agreed to, but much remains” to be settled.
US allies, alarmed by Trump’s recent pivot toward Russia, fear the Republican will give too much ground to the Russian president, a leader for whom he has repeatedly expressed admiration.
Kyiv had already agreed to the US proposal to halt fighting for 30 days. It said on Tuesday before the call that it expected Moscow to “unconditionally” accept to the ceasefire.
“It is time for Russia to show whether it really wants peace,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said.
But Putin has repeatedly said that there were further issues that needed discussion, which Tuesday’s call apparently failed to fully resolve.
Putin gave a hard-line anti-Western speech Tuesday before the call, saying the West would still try to undermine Russia even if it lifted sanctions imposed over its invasion of Ukraine.
He mocked the G7 group of rich democracies — from which Russia was expelled in 2018 — to wild applause from the audience, saying it was too small to “see on a map.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned Putin does not want peace and is trying to achieve a better position militarily ahead of any halt in fighting.
Russia has attacked Ukraine with near daily barrages of drones and missiles for more than three years, occupying some 20 percent southern and eastern Ukraine and pressing a grinding advance in recent months.
The Kremlin has also hailed Moscow’s quick offensive in the Kursk region, parts of which Ukraine seized last year and was hoping to use as a bargaining chip.
The push toward a ceasefire began in February when Trump announced that he had spoken to Putin — a surprise call that broke Western efforts to isolate the Russian leader while his invasion continues.
As Trump upended years of US policy he then had a televised shouting match with Zelensky in the Oval Office on February 28, which led to the United States temporarily suspending its billions of dollars in military aid to Kyiv.
On Sunday Trump said he would discuss issues of “land” and “power plants” with Putin — a likely reference to the Moscow-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Trump is however intent on delivering on an election pledge to end fighting in Ukraine, blaming his predecessor Joe Biden’s policy on Russia for fueling the war.
“It must end NOW,” he said on Truth Social.
UK PM’s office retracts FM’s comments accusing Israel of breaching international law
- Israel only ‘at risk’ of violations, says spokesperson for Keir Starmer
- Reversal described as ‘disgraceful’ by Council for Arab-British Understanding
LONDON: The office of the UK prime minister has retracted a statement by Foreign Secretary David Lammy accusing Israel of breaking international law by blocking aid to Gaza.
Lammy told the House of Commons on Monday that Israel had breached international law, while a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday said the country was only “at risk” of doing so. It follows a series of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza that killed more than 400 Palestinians.
“Our position remains that Israel’s actions in Gaza are at clear risk of breaching international humanitarian law, and we continue to call the government of Israel to abide by its international obligations,” the spokesperson said.
“The government is not an international court, and, therefore, it is up to courts to make judgments.”
The Council for Arab-British Understanding described the reversal as a “disgraceful move” that “undermines the government’s claims that it respects international law.” It also exposes a sharp divide between Starmer and his foreign secretary, CAABU added.
Lammy’s comments concerned Israel’s blocking of food, fuel and medicine from entering Gaza.
He said on Monday: “This is a breach of international law. Israel quite rightly must defend its own security. But we find the lack of aid — it’s now been 15 days since aid got into Gaza — unacceptable, hugely alarming and very worrying.”
His acknowledgment of Israel’s violation of international law was a “welcome if belated admission” of the country’s criminal conduct, CAABU said, adding that after Lammy’s comments, the UK government should have announced measures to demonstrate consequences for Israel’s actions.
CAABU’s director, Chris Doyle, said: “Downing Street has serious questions to answer about the government’s continued complicity with Israeli war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
“We have raised the illegal blockade with David Lammy and other ministers repeatedly since October 2023 and most recently directly with a Foreign Office minister last week.
“We cannot have a business-as-usual relationship, which is why it is welcome that Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar will not be coming to the UK this week.”
