North Korea demands U.S. drop sanctions
North Korea on Friday spurned appeals to join talks on its nuclear and missile programs, saying the United States should drop financial sanctions before any negotiations occur. A U.S. envoy said the communist nation was sinking deeper into isolation. At a conference in Malaysia, North Korea struck a defiant tone as U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice and top diplomats from other regional powers prepared to discuss Asian security matters without their counterpart from Pyongyang. Full Story