NEW YORK (CNN) -- A major power outage struck simultaneously across dozens of cities in the eastern United States and Canada late Thursday afternoon.

Aug 14, 5:38 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- After two days of talks, the United States, Japan and South Korea have agreed that North Korea must end its nuclear weapons program, the State Department said Thursday.

North Korea is approaching the negotiations with a tough public line. On Wednesday, a foreign ministry spokesman demanded that the United States commit to a nonaggression treaty and normalize ties with the North.

The official also rejected any early inspection of North Korea's nuclear programs. That goal was reaffirmed by the United States, Japan and South Korea in their meetings at the State Department this week.

Japanese reporters were told after the meeting that Tokyo intends to press North Korea to permit the return of families of those Japanese who were kidnapped decades ago for training as spies.

Powell has offered to put in writing assurances that the Bush administration does not intend to attack North Korea and have Congress note the assurance.

The reports suggested Powell's signal of written assurances was opposed by the Pentagon and members of Vice President Dick Cheney's staff.

Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly will head the U.S. delegation at the Beijing talks.

That enemy diversion you've been ignoring... is their main attack.

January 3, 2003

"Let's see: Bush is worried that Saddam Hussein might get nuclear weapons in one year or maybe five years, but Kim Jong Il, according to the CIA, has one or two right now and might have half a dozen more in six months or so."

"To top that off, North Korea has long-range missiles that could potentially carry nuclear weapons to Hawaii or Alaska"

"Here's how Bob Woodward records the President in "Bush at War" when the subject of North Korea came up: "The President sat forward in his chair. I thought he might jump up he became so emotional as he spoke about the North Korean leader. 'I loathe Kim Jong Il!' Bush shouted, waving his finger in the air. 'I've got a visceral reaction to this guy.' " And Bush said he didn't buy the argument that toppling Kim Jong Il would create too many problems."