North Korea says it will halt nuclear activities

WASHINGTON — North Korea raised hopes Wednes­day for a major eas­ing in nuclear ten­sions under its youth­ful new leader, agree­ing to sus­pend ura­nium enrich­ment at a major facil­ity and refrain from mis­sile and nuclear tests in exchange for a moun­tain of crit­i­cally needed U.S. food aid.