In recent years tension’s rose between the U.S. and Russia but President Obama’s administration has taken a first step in repairing these damaged ties with its plans to cut down on nuclear weapons.

North Korea has agreed to disable all its nuclear facilities by 31st December in exchange for diplomatic sops and energy aid, according to an agreement reached during six-nation talks on peacefully dismantling Pyongyang's atomic programme.

The chief of the U.N. nuclear agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, and the Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema are stressing the need for the international community to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation treaty to avoid nuclear stand-offs such as the one with Iran. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.

Officials from six world powers are expected to meet for talks on persuading Iran to halt its sensitive nuclear work. The meeting in Berlin will involve senior diplomats from Germany and the five permanent United Nations Security Council members -- the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China.

A U.N. conference aimed at improving the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has been stalled again by Iranian objections to the agenda. Conference chairman Yukiya Amano says the meetings in Vienna have been postponed until Friday. At issue is Iran's refusal to accept a phrase calling for the "need for full compliance" with the treaty.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), which limits the spread of nuclear weapons, is suffering a crisis of confidence.