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North Korea Launches 2 Missiles To Sea As Allies Hold Drills
North Korea conducted SEOUL, South Korea, Two short-range ballistic missile tests on Tuesday, one day after the US and South Korea started military exercises that Pyongyang considers a practice for an invasion.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea claimed in a statement that the missiles were fired from the coastal town of Jangyon in the country’s southwest and crossed over to North Korea before splashing down in the water off its eastern coast. It claimed that each missile had flown 620 kilometers (385 miles).
According to reported flight distances, the missiles appear to be aimed at South Korea, home to around 28,000 American troops. The military of South Korea referred to the launches as “a grave provocation” that jeopardizes regional peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The American Indo-Pacific Command declared that its partners were not immediately in danger from the launches on Tuesday. It also stated that the United States’ security commitment to South Korea and Japan remains “ironclad” and that the North’s recent tests demonstrate the “destabilizing consequences” of its illegal weapons programs.
According to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, there were no early reports of damage in Japanese waters, but officials were still gathering information on the North Korean launches.
Pyongyang may intensify its weapons testing in the upcoming days in retaliation for the allied military exercises scheduled to last through March 23. The leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, ordered his forces this week to be prepared to fend off what he described as the “frantic war preparedness measures” of his country’s adversaries.
Pyongyang may intensify its weapons testing in the upcoming days
After North Korea test-fired more than 70 missiles in 2022, many nuclear-capable weapons, and publicly threatened to use them in future confrontations with the United States and South Korea, concerns about its nuclear program have risen considerably.
North Korea is taking advantage of the long-stalled talks with Washington and the growing U.S.-South Korean drills to maximize its leverage in future negotiations with the United States.
The United States is a member of the Organization of American States, which is a member of the Organization of American States. But, other observers believe that a more consolidated Washington-Seoul-Tokyo partnership may encourage Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow to improve their trilateral relations.
Russia and China have frequently thwarted attempts by the United States and its allies to impose more stringent sanctions on North Korea because they are involved in conflicts with the United States.
The North conducted its second weapons test this week with Tuesday’s missiles. North Korea announced on Monday that it had tested two cruise missiles from a submarine the day before. Although foreign experts disagree on whether Pyongyang has operational nuclear-armed missiles, it was claimed that cruise missiles were being manufactured to carry nuclear warheads.
Although they are more difficult to detect, submarine-launched missile systems would allow the North to mount a second attack in retaliation. Yet according to analysts, the tightly sanctioned country would need years, a lot of money, and significant technological advancements to construct a fleet of submarines that could operate strikes reliably and stealthily.
The North conducted its second weapons test this week with Tuesday’s missiles.
North Korea has improved its submarine launch capabilities since its initial test in 2016. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan added that the country analyzed Sunday’s launches to gauge the North’s capabilities.
Sullivan added, “But of course, we’re not going to let any actions North Korea takes dissuade us or prevent us from taking the actions that we feel are essential to maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula.
The joint exercises between the United States and South Korea that began on Monday involve field drills and computer simulations of North Korean aggression and other security scenarios. According to South Korean defense officials, the field exercises would revert to the size of the greatest springtime exercises for the allies that were last staged in 2018.
The number of joint exercises between the two nations has increased as North Korea’s nuclear threats have increased.
Regardless of whether “North Korea attempts to disrupt them with provocations like missile launches,” Jeon Ha Gyu, a South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson, said on Tuesday, U.S.-South Korea drills would go on as usual. Ned Price, a spokesman for the State Department, said on Monday that the United States has made it clear that it has no hostile intentions toward North Korea and that the ongoing training exercises between the allies are “purely defensive in character.”
During telephone conversations for the second consecutive day to discuss the North Korean launches, the main South Korean and U.S. nuclear envoys reiterated Tuesday that the North would face “clear repercussions” for its actions without detailing what those would be. According to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry, they pledged to be “firmly ready” to retaliate against any provocations from North Korea.
The North Korean menace is anticipated to be a prominent topic of discussion at the summit between Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, and Kishida in Tokyo later this week. After years of disagreements resulting from Japan’s colonial domination over the Korean Peninsula before the end of World War II, the shared urgency over security is bringing Seoul and Tokyo closer together.
SOURCE – (AP)
The new head of the Army has stated that Britain must be prepared to fight a war within three years.
Gen Sir Roland Walker has issued a warning about a variety of risks in what he calls a “increasingly volatile” environment.
However, he stated that war was not inevitable and that the Army had “just enough time” to prepare to prevent conflict.
He stated that the Army’s fighting capacity would be doubled by 2027 and tripled by the end of the decade.
Gen Walker warned that the Britain was under threat from a “axis of upheaval” in his first speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Among the primary concerns confronting the Britain in the next years, as noted by the general in a briefing, is an enraged Russia, which may seek vengeance on the West for helping Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.
He stated: “It doesn’t matter how it finishes. I believe Russia will emerge from it weaker objectively – or completely – but still very, very dangerous and seeking some form of retaliation for what we have done to assist Ukraine.”
Britain’s Government Defence Review and Military Challenges
He also warned that China was determined to retake Taiwan, and Iran was likely to seek nuclear weapons.
He stated that the threats they posed may become particularly acute in the next three years, and that these countries had formed a “mutual transactional relationship” since the war in Ukraine, sharing weaponry and technology.
However, he stated that the path to conflict was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land troops to assist its deterrent strategy for avoiding war.
In his speech, he described his force of slightly over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army” and made no direct call for additional resources or men.
However, he pushed the British Army to adapt swiftly, focussing on technology such as artificial intelligence and weaponry rather than numbers.
His ultimate goal is for the Army to be capable of destroying an opponent three times its size.
This would entail firing quicker and farther, he said, aided by lessons learnt from the Ukraine war.
The general’s speech at the Royal United Services Institute land warfare conference comes only one week after the government began a “root and branch” defence review to “take a fresh look” at the challenges facing the armed services.
Defence Secretary John Healey launched the assessment, describing the existing status of the armed forces as “hollowed-out” and stating that “procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue”.
According to the most recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) numbers from April 2024, the Britain’s regular Army forces total 75,325 troops (excluding Gurkhas and volunteers).
That figure has been declining in recent years, as recruiting has failed to match retention. The previous Conservative administration lowered the planned headcount from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
Members of the NATO military alliance have agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence by 2024, but several countries are unlikely to fulfil this goal.
The Britain presently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that the defence review will include a “roadmap” for increasing this to 2.5%, however he has yet to provide a date for this promise.
Source: BBC
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
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