A triad of big North Korean news over the past few weeks: first they kick out U.N. inspectors and vowed to restart their nuclear program. Then Kim Jong Il appeared in public for the first time in a month. And now, according to a report, they have test-fired two short range missiles.

Kim Jong Il, whose health has been a source of speculation since he failed to appear at a parade celebrating the 60th anniversary of North Korea, has reportedly appeared in public.

In 2006 North Korea conducted a nuclear test, albeit almost comically small. Since then a series of negotiations had produced a Feb. 2007 disarmament-for-aid agreement which resulted in the dismantling of the Yongbyon nuclear plant. However, on Wednesday North Korea backed away from the agreement, expelling U.N. inspectors and vowing the restart the plant, which can make weapons-grade plutonium.

While speculation has run rampant of late that Kim Jong Il has been dead since 2003, with an "imposter" masquerading as him since then, it was reported on Tuesday by a U.S. intelligence official that the North Korean leader may have suffered a stroke.

The construction of Ryugyong Hotel took twenty plus years. Now North Korea is planning the opening of Ryugyong Hotel, which has been also known as the hotel of doom due to its look.

North Korea has put on a very visual spectacle to persuade the world it is serious about ending its nuclear programs. With international cameras rolling, Pyongyang blew up a cooling tower at its main nuclear facility.

North Korea said on Wednesday that it has set up an emergency unit to tackle possible bird flu outbreaks after the disease spread widely in South Korea.

North Korea has reportedly fired several short-range missiles off its western coast on Friday, a day after South Korea withdrew officials from a joint industrial zone with North Korea on Pyongyang's request.

South Korea President Lee Myung-bak's administration is calling for improvement in North Korea's human rights situation and pledging cooperation with the United Nations on the issue. The move is a departure from previous administrations, which kept silent on North Korean human rights abuses to avoid irritating Pyongyang. VOA Seoul Correspondent Kurt Achin reports.

The chief U.S. negotiator on North Korea arrived in Beijing Saturday to try to revive stalled nuclear disarmament talks.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says it is "very important" that North Korea make a full declaration of its nuclear activities, and has ordered Washington's chief nuclear negotiator to remain in China to continue talks.

The New York Philharmonic has given an historic concert in the North Korean capital Pyongyang. It was the first visit by a major US musical group to North Korea.