World
North Korea Test-Fires 2 More Missiles As US Sends Carrier
South Korea’s SEOUL — On Monday, the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz and her battle group began operations with South Korean warships, hours after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles in apparent protest of the allies’ growing maneuvers.
This month’s seventh missile test heightened regional tensions as the North’s weapons tests and joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea intensified in a cycle of tit-for-tat.
The launches could have been timed to coincide with the arrival of the USS Nimitz and its strike group, which included a guided missile cruiser and two destroyers and participated in air defense exercises and other maneuvers with South Korean vessels waters around Jeju Island.
South Korean navy spokesperson Jang Do Young said the drills were aimed at honing joint operational capabilities and proving the U.S. resolve to defend its ally with all available options, including nuclear, in the wake of the North’s “escalating nuclear and missile threats.”
On Tuesday, the Nimitz strike group was scheduled to arrive in Busan’s South Korean mainland port.
“The United States has deployable strategic assets at the ready every day,” said Carrier Strike Group Eleven leader Rear Adm. Christopher Sweeney. “We can and will continue to deploy those assets.”
The two North Korean missiles were launched from a western inland area
The two North Korean missiles were launched from a western inland area south of Pyongyang between 7:47 a.m. and 8 a.m. and traveled approximately 370 kilometers (229 miles) before falling at sea, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. The missiles, which landed beyond Japan’s exclusive economic zone, traveled on an erratic trajectory and reached a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers, according to Japan’s military. (31 miles).
Previously, Japan used similar wording to describe a North Korean solid-fuel missile that appears to be modeled after Russia’s Iskander mobile ballistic weapon, which is supposed to be maneuverable in low-altitude flight to better elude South Korean missile defenses. North Korea also has another short-range system similar to the MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System used by the United States.
Hirokazu Matsuno, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, stated that North Korea might increase its testing activity by launching additional missiles or conducting its first nuclear test since September 2017.
The South Korean and Japanese militaries condemned the new launches as a severe provocation endangering regional peace and stated that they were cooperating with the U.S. to further evaluate the missiles. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command stated that while the launches did not constitute an imminent threat to the U.S. or its allies, they underscore North Korea’s “destabilizing impact” of its illicit nuclear and missile programs.
North Korea, subject to U.N. Security Council sanctions for its nuclear program since 2016
North Korea, subject to U.N. Security Council sanctions for its nuclear program since 2016, did not immediately respond to the launches.
Last week, the U.S. and South Korea concluded their largest springtime drills in years, including computer simulations and live-fire field exercises. However, the allies have continued their field training as a show of force against the mounting dangers from the North.
North Korea also launched a short-range missile when the USS Ronald Reagan and its battle group arrived in September for joint drills with South Korea, the last time the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier to waters near the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea has launched more than 20 ballistic and cruise missiles this year to push the U.S. to accept its nuclear status and negotiate sanctions relief from a position of strength.
This month’s tests included an intercontinental ballistic missile and a series of short-range missiles designed to overwhelm South Korean defenses as North Korea attempts to demonstrate its ability to undertake nuclear strikes on South Korea and the United States mainland.
The North conducted a three-day practice last week that claimed to simulate nuclear assaults on South Korean targets.
The country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, has called the joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea “invasion rehearsals.” According to the allies, the exercises are defensive.
The tests included a rumored nuclear-capable underwater drone.
The tests included a rumored nuclear-capable underwater drone, which the North said could unleash a massive “radioactive tsunami” and destroy navy vessels and ports. Analysts questioned whether such a device posed a significant new danger, and Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff warned in a statement Monday that the North Korean allegations were likely “exaggerated and fabricated.”
Following some of its ballistic and cruise missile tests earlier this month, North Korea claimed that those missiles were tipped with dummy nuclear warheads that detonated 600 to 800 meters (1,960 to 2,600 feet) above their sea targets, presenting them as maximum damage heights.
North Korea has already had a record year of weapons testing, launching more than 70 missiles in 2022. It had enacted an escalator nuclear strategy that allows for pre-emptive nuclear strikes in a wide range of scenarios in which it perceives its leadership to be under threat.
“It appears North Korea is practicing, or signaling that it is practicing, the use of nuclear strikes, both preemptive and retaliatory, in various scenarios authorized in its nuclear doctrine,” said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security.
“The problem is that continued testing allows Pyongyang to perfect its technology, strengthen its nuclear weapons capability, threaten South Korea and Japan, increase the possibility of miscalculation, which could lead to inadvertent conflict, and accumulate political leverage ahead of future diplomatic talks with Washington.”
Following the North’s confirmation of the drone test on Friday, South Korea’s air force disclosed information about a five-day joint practice with the U.S. last week, which included live-fire displays of air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry.
According to the air force, the exercise aimed to test precision strike capabilities and reaffirm the credibility of Seoul’s “three-axis” strategy against North Korean nuclear threats. This strategy includes striking potential targets ahead of time, stopping incoming missiles, and taking out the North’s leadership and key military facilities.
SOURCE – (AP)
Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, who served for more than three decades and was a pioneer for women in American politics, passed away at 90.
Feinstein was the eldest senator in the United States, and she voted on Thursday.
The veteran Democrat was questioned about alleged memory and cognitive issues for months.
After a “minor fall” at home in April, she was admitted to the hospital, the latest in a series of health concerns.
The office of Ms. Feinstein stated in a statement that she died overnight at her residence in Washington, DC.
The statement continued, “Senator Feinstein was a force of nature who had an enormous impact on our country and her home state.” She left an incontestable and extraordinary legacy.
Governor Gavin Newsom of California must now appoint her replacement. He had previously promised to nominate a black woman to serve the remainder of her term, which ends in 2025.
Ms. Feinstein, born in 1933 and grew up in San Francisco, attended Stanford University and was elected to the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors in 1969.
This election marked the beginning of a long career in public service that led her to become the first female mayor of San Francisco and, in 1992, a senator.
She had previously proclaimed her intention to retire at the end of the following year, but she resisted mounting pressure. Several prominent Democrats, including Representatives Adam Schiff and Katie Porter, have previously declared their intentions to run for her Senate seat.
Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, who served for more than three decades and was a pioneer for women in American politics, passed away at 90.
In a statement issued after her passing, US President Joe Biden said that Ms. Feinstein “made history in so many ways, and generations to come will benefit from her legacy.”
Due to a case of shingles, she was absent from Capitol Hill for nearly three months earlier this year. Upon her return, she assumed fewer responsibilities and used a wheelchair to navigate the US Capitol. She occasionally appeared perplexed in interviews, committee hearings, and floor votes.
Ms. Feinstein was well-known for her ardent support of gun control measures and the 1994 assault weapons prohibition signed into law by President Bill Clinton.
After the murders of her predecessor, George Moscone, and city councilman Harvey Milk, she became mayor of San Francisco in 1978.
She stated that the experience of racing to Mayor Moscone’s office and discovering a bullet wound while searching for his pulse had left an indelible mark on her.
As a senator, Ms. Feinstein was the first woman to chair the influential Senate Intelligence Committee, overseeing a multi-year evaluation of the CIA’s controversial interrogation program of foreign terrorists following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The evaluation ultimately resulted in legislation prohibiting “enhanced interrogation techniques” on terrorism suspects, such as waterboarding.
Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, who served for more than three decades and was a pioneer for women in American politics, passed away at 90.
Ms. Feinstein was the first woman to serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee and the first woman to lead the Senate Rules Committee.
Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, described Dianne Feinstein as a “pioneering woman leader” in a statement.
“Dianne’s extraordinary career will inspire countless women and girls to pursue careers in public service for generations to come,” she said.
On the Senate floor, Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell praised “her dogged advocacy and diligent service”.
In recent years, concerns about her deteriorating health and cognitive abilities have prompted calls for her retirement and brought attention to the aging of America’s legislators.
During a committee vote, individuals around her could be heard in a widely circulated video telling her to “just say yes.”
Despite mounting family tensions, she is succeeded by a daughter, Katherine, who reportedly held power of attorney over her mother’s legal affairs. Richard Blum, her investment banker spouse, passed away last year.
SOURCE – (BBC)
In New York City, a state of emergency has been declared as violent storms deliver flash flooding.
Many of the city’s subways, streets, and highways have been inundated, and LaGuardia Airport closed at least one terminal on Friday.
According to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, some areas received up to five inches (12.7cm) of rain overnight, and up to seven more inches (17.8cm) are expected.
“This is a dangerous, life-threatening storm,” she continued.
She announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she was proclaiming a state of emergency in New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley due to the region’s extreme rainfall.
She urged individuals to take precautions and to “never attempt to travel on flooded roads.”
As a result of the declaration of a state of emergency, New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a call for “heightened alertness and extreme caution.”
In New York City, a state of emergency has been declared as violent storms deliver flash flooding.
“Some of our subways are flooded, and it is extremely difficult to move around the city,” he said at a press conference.
Due to intense rainfall, people were pictured and captured on video wading through knee-deep water in the streets and subways.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) advised individuals who did not need to travel to remain at home.
Terminal A at La Guardia Airport is presently closed due to flooding, according to airport authorities.
Before traveling, passengers were instructed to verify with their airline.
The New York City Police Department also announced multiple road closures and the deployment of the National Guard.
Elsewhere, traffic stopped along a section of the FDR Drive, a significant thoroughfare on the east side of Manhattan, as the water rose above the tires of automobiles.
In addition, employees attempted to unclog a drain in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn, while cardboard and other debris floated by.
According to municipal officials, there were no storm-related fatalities or serious injuries as of midday (1600 GMT).
The weather service has issued flood warnings and advisories for approximately 18 million people in the New York metropolitan area and other major East Coast cities.
SOURCE – (BBC)
BALTIMORE — Officials said Thursday that police had been searching for the man arrested in a Baltimore tech entrepreneur slaying since last week as a suspect in a separate rape and arson.
Jason Billingsley, charged with first-degree murder in the death of Pava LaPere, 26, was released from prison in October 2016 after accumulating good behavior credits to reduce his sentence for a 2013 sexual assault.
Commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department Richard Worley stated at a news conference on Thursday that detectives believe LaPere was murdered on Friday evening, even though her body was not discovered until after she was reported missing on Monday. The Johns Hopkins University graduate, who founded the tech startup EcoMap Technologies while still a student, was discovered deceased in her flat complex with signs of blunt force trauma.
Brandon Scott, the mayor of Baltimore, questioned why Billingsley was released from prison so soon after his sexual assault conviction, but he noted that police are only one component of a larger system that includes prosecutors, courts, and prisons.\
“We are aware that we are discussing a system with which we must also contend,” he said.
Worley stated that investigators are evaluating all open cases since Billingsley’s release in October 2022 to determine whether any connections exist.
This violent criminal offender and repeat offender will be returned to prison, where he belongs, Worley stated. Now, let’s all collaborate to ensure that he stays there.
The family of LaPere thanked the city police and their law enforcement colleagues for their “tireless efforts” during the investigation and capture of the suspect.
Man Wanted In Killing Of Baltimore Tech Entrepreneur Pava LaPere Is Arrested, Police Say.
“We’re relieved to know he can no longer hurt other innocent victims,” the family said. While this does not alter the fact that Baltimore lost one of its most devoted and influential admirers, we will continue to honor Pava Marie’s life, achievements, and legacy.
According to an application for an arrest warrant, the victim in the 2013 case told police that during the assault, he displayed a knife and strangled her. Ivan Bates, the state’s attorney for Baltimore City, stated that Billingsley pleaded guilty in 2015 to first-degree sex assault, for which state guidelines prescribe a sentence of 15 to 25 years, but Billingsley received a sentence of 30 years with all but 14 years suspended as part of a plea agreement.
Bates stated that the judge who sentenced Billingsley hesitated before approving the plea agreement reached between prosecutors and Billingsley’s counsel. However, the judge ultimately approved the terms of the agreement.
According to court documents, Billingsley was convicted of second-degree assault in 2011 and first-degree assault in 2009.
Police say Billingsley is also a suspect in a rape, attempted murder, and arson that occurred in Baltimore on September 19. Within hours of the crime, a warrant was issued for Billingsley, and detectives have been actively searching for him ever since, including through his mobile and social media use, interviewing witnesses and monitoring his known addresses, according to Worley.
“When we held a press conference about the death of LaPere, we were approximately 88 metres away from capturing the suspect, but he was able to evade capture,” Worley said.
According to Worley, Billingsley knew the victims of the September 19 incident, which was not a random act, but the department did not warn the public about Billingsley at the time. According to him, the police have no reason to suspect LaPere knew Billingsley.
Man Wanted In Killing Of Baltimore Tech Entrepreneur Pava LaPere Is Arrested, Police Say.
“I hope this sends a message to anyone else who enjoys committing these kinds of cowardly, heinous acts that we will not tolerate it and will remove you from the streets of Baltimore,” said the mayor of Baltimore, Brandon Scott.
The public defender’s office, which has previously represented Billingsley, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that it was too soon to comment on this case. Thursday morning, the office waited to respond to an email seeking comment on behalf of Billingsley.
Bates stated that if a grand jury returns an indictment, his office will pursue a life sentence without parole.
“If this person is found guilty in a court of law, he or she will never again be able to harm any of the citizens of our fine city,” Bates said.
LaPere, named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 list for social impact earlier this year, was remembered at a vigil on Wednesday evening as someone who remained committed to building community and using entrepreneurship to create meaningful social change even as her national profile increased.
LaPere remained committed to the philanthropic endeavors that initially inspired her as she developed EcoMap, a platform that uses technology to curate data and make it more accessible throughout social ecosystems.
Frank LaPere, her father, told the crowd of more than 100 people assembled for the vigil, “She knew exactly what she wanted to accomplish, and nothing could stand in her way.”
according to Taboola
SOURCE – (AP)
Dianne Feinstein: ‘Pioneering’ Senator Dies Aged 90
New York City: State Of Emergency Declared Over Flash Flooding
Disney Plus Announces Crackdown On Password Sharing In Canada In 2023
-
Beauty5 months agoYeezy Shoes Still Stuck In Limbo After Adidas Split With Ye
-
Business5 months ago
Oprah Tells Class Of 2023 To Follow ‘Still, Small Voice’
-
Celebrity5 months ago
Harry Potter’s Miriam Margolyes Hospitalized With Chest Infection
-
News5 months ago
Strong Quake In Central Japan; 1 Dead, More Than 20 Injured
-
News5 months ago
2023: Arab Ministers To Meet Over Syria’s Return To Arab League
-
Beauty5 months ago
Martha Stewart Lands Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Cover At 81
