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South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Chinese president Hu Jintao have reached a consensus on how to reach or rather to respond to North Korea's claimed nuclear test. The two leaders held a 40 minute-meeting today in Beijing. South Korea's security advisor told reporters China and South Korea support sanctions against the North, but also agreed the Korean Peninsula should be denuclearized in what he called a stable manner.

Meanwhile, a new US draft resolution circulated the UN Security Council members late Thursday, retains strain in economic and weapon sanctions against North Korea including a travel ban and financial restrictions. It eliminates a blanket arms embargo, but bans heavy conventional weapons such as tanks and combat aircrafts.

The US wants a vote on the issue by the end of the week. Russia and China are urging the Security Council not to rush to a vote, and instead wait for the flow of diplomatic activity to seize.

Japan's cabinet has meanwhile approved a package of economic sanctions agaist North Korea, as we here from VOA's Steve Herman in Tokyo.

There were 22 North Korean cargo freighters in Japanese ports Friday morning when Japan imposed new sanctions on Pyongyang, banning North Korean shipping for 6 months. The ships were given until Saturday to leave but by Friday evening, all were gone. Some without loading or unloading their cargo. A six-months ban which also covers all imports North Korean goods goes into effect Saturday as punishment for Pyongyang's annouced nuclear test on Monday. The finance ministry is requesting their banks with all transactions related to North Korean imports to aid trade between the countries which have no diplomatic relations had already slowed after North Korea's enlarged missile test launch in July. Japan imposed a limited sanctions at that time.

The UN Security Council is aiming for a new resolution on Friday calling for sanctions on North Korea. If that passes, Japan is expected to impose another round of measures including more extensive financial sanctions.

Britian's army chief is trying to calm a storm of controversy over his earlier remarks that British troops in Iraq should be withdrawn soon. General Richard Dannat says his remarks to the Daily Mail Newspaper with taking out of context. He denied any rift between him and the British goverment.

What's has been presented is quite sensational, and a major rift between the head of the army and the transactory on the head of the army and prime minister, I'm afraid I've never intended that if that way, and it is not the way that turn. I see it.

The Daily Mail quoted the army chief as saying British troops are making the security situation in Iraq worse and they need to be withdrawn sometime soon. The general says he meant soon as meaning after the mission /is completed.

Muhammad Yunus and the Bangladesh Bank he set up some 30 years ago have been jointly awarded to 2006 Nobel Peace Price.

Muhammad Yunus dup the banker to the poor has been awarded this year's top Nobel honor along with the Bank he established in 1976. When Yunus struke upon was a key tool in the fight against poverty. The issuing is so called micro credit, credit given to those too poor to qualify for traditional loans. In Oslo, Nobel Committee Head ODM says Yunus has been inspirational in transforming lives through his credit plan which in turn also severed to build democracy and strengthen human rights

Mr. Yunus has shown himself to be a leader, who has managed to translate visions into practice actions for benifit a millions of people. In his tireless effort to rule out poverty, Yunus gives out credit to poor people without security. His C Bank now has 6.5 million borrowers, most of them women. In addition, his bank also gives out nearly 70,000 scholarship to poor students annually.

Pakistan's interior minister says /the/ security agency have arrested 8 militants suspected of planting explosive devices in and around the capital of Islamabad earlier this month. Aftab Sherpao says all those arrested are Pakistani nationals, and they are suspected to have links to Al-Qaida. He also says security forces recovered arms and explosive from the suspects and that more arrests are likely.