North Korea: no, no, no, no, no, yes.

Wow, file this one under "Unexpected Course Alterations." Apparently North Korea changed its tune and decided to give up its nuclear weapons ambitions in exchange for the US promising not to attack it (either with nuclear or conventional weapons) and also providing aid and electricity.

Correspondents say the US was on the verge of walking out of the talks and heading home - a fact that may have been the clincher which forced North Korea to back down.

All the nations involved in the six party talks (China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the US) will actually provide the poor nation with energy assistance, as well as promote "economic co-operation in the fields of energy, trade and investment".

This is certainly a good development, given the shaky times we live in. The fewer desperate regimes without nuclear capabilities, the better. Let's just hope the deal will survive when the parties reconvene in November to iron out the details.