We begin with the latest round of talks between the US and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held two days of meeting with senior officials in Pyongyang. Pompeo said they made progress. But the DPRK is accusing Washington of making "gangster-like" demands. CGTN'S Toby Muse tells us what prompted such strong language from the DPRK.  

TOBY MUSE WASHINGTON "The DPRK called its high-level talks with the U.S. 'regrettable' and said Washington was acting 'gangster-like' in demanding that Pyongyang give up its nuclear weapons. The statement was in sharp contrast to earlier comments by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who called his two-day consultations productive. Pompeo was in the DPRK for follow-up talks after June's meeting between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in Singapore."

MIKE POMPEO US SECRETARY OF STATE "We had many hours of productive conversations. These are complicated issues. But we made progress on almost all of the central issues. Some places, a great deal of progress, other places there's still more work to be done."

TOBY MUSE WASHINGTON Yet, a statement issued by the DPRK's state news agency said the talks had been "very concerning" because it has led to a "dangerous phase that might rattle our willingness for denuclearization that had been firm". The DPRK said the U.S. had not offered enough to match what Pyongyang had already given. Yet, for the sharp comments, the DPRK added: "We still have faith in President Trump." The talks reportedly focused on repatriating the remains of U.S. troops from the Korean War and DPRK's requests the war be officially ended. A team from the Pentagon is due to meet with officials from the DPRK next week to discuss the issue. Additional talks are expected soon on the destruction of a DPRK missile engine testing facility.

MIKE POMPEO US SECRETARY OF STATE "The North Koreans also confirmed the missile engine testing facility. We talked about what the modalities would look like for the destruction of that facility as well."

TOBY MUSE WASHINGTON "But divergent interpretations of the talks have fueled fears the two sides may have different understandings of the world 'denuclearization'. The U.S. seeks a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. For the DPRK, it may mean the end to its new nuclear program, but that Pyongyang keeps the weapons it's already produced. Pompeo is now in Tokyo to meet with the Republic of Korea and Japanese officials to discuss his trip to the DPRK. Japan has taken the hardest line with the DPRK, worried that any deal could leave the DPRK with shorter-range missiles that could pose a threat to the country. TM, CGTN, Washington."