Seoul, April 21: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has announced the immediate suspension of nuclear and missile tests, media reports said on Saturday.

"From April 21, North Korea will stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles," Efe quoted Kim as saying.

North Korea will also "shut down a nuclear test site in the country's northern side to guarantee transparency in suspending nuclear tests," the report added.

Having established a nuclear deterrent, North Korea can now turn to overhauling its economy, Kim said.

Pyongyang's move comes ahead of Kim's April 27 summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the demilitarized zone that separates the two countries.

The last in-person talks between the leaders of North and South Korea took place 11 years ago.

What will be the first-ever encounter between the leaders of North Korea and the US is expected to happen in late May or early June.

US President Donald Trump, who accepted Kim's proposal for a meeting after months that saw the two men trade insults and threats, hailed the announcement from Pyongyang.

"North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site. This is very good news for North Korea and the World -- big progress! Look forward to our Summit," Trump wrote on Twitter.

 

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New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92. He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) on Thursday after his health reportedly detoriated.

According to sources, Dr. Singh was brought to the hospital's emergency department around 8 PM. However, the specific reason for his hospitalisation has not yet been disclosed.

Dr. Manmohan Singh is widely recognized for his pivotal role in steering India’s economic liberalisation as Finance Minister in the PV Narasimha Rao government from 1991 to 1996. His economic reforms during that period marked a transformative era for the Indian economy.

Serving as Prime Minister for two consecutive terms from 2004 to 2014 under the UPA government, Dr. Singh has been a towering figure in Indian politics. Until earlier this year, he was a member of the Rajya Sabha, retiring in April after decades of public service.