Beijing, China | AFP | Trade tensions between the United States and China heated up on Tuesday as Beijing warned that it “will not sit idle” if a US probe into its intellectual property practices leads to sanctions. President Donald Trump’s decision to order the investigation comes on top of strains …
Read More »North Korea leader briefed on Guam missile plan: KCNA
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has been briefed on a plan to fire missiles near Guam but hinted that he would hold off on the launch, Pyongyang’s state media said Tuesday. Kim “examined the plan for a long time” and “discussed it” with commanding officers …
Read More »US-NKorea crisis tests Cold War’s nuclear deterrence doctrine
Paris, France | AFP | The doctrine of nuclear deterrence, put to the test in the standoff between Washington and Pyongyang, dates to the Cold War when the world’s two superpowers seemed hellbent on “mutually assured destruction”. The arms race between United States and the then Soviet Union saw a proliferation …
Read More »Canadian pastor faced ‘overwhelming loneliness’ in NKorea labor camp
Mississauga, Canada | AFP | A Canadian pastor recently freed from imprisonment in North Korea spoke Sunday of the “overwhelming loneliness” and harsh conditions he experienced during his two-and-a-half years in a labor camp. Hyeon Soo Lim, 62, was imprisoned by Pyongyang in January 2015 for carrying out “subversive activities,” a …
Read More »CIA chief says ‘nothing imminent’ in US-N.Korea standoff
Washington, United States | AFP | CIA director Mike Pompeo offered assurances Sunday there was “nothing imminent” in the US standoff with nuclear-armed North Korea but said he wouldn’t be surprised if Pyongyang conducted another missile test. Pompeo’s remarks cap a week in which US President Donald Trump vowed “fire …
Read More »China’s Xi urges Trump to avoid exacerbating N. Korea tensions
Beijing, China | AFP | Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged US President Donald Trump on Saturday to avoid rhetoric that could inflame tensions with North Korea as an escalating war of words raised global alarm. Xi made the plea in a phone call hours after Trump ramped up his warnings to …
Read More »Satellite photos suggest North Korea preparing submarine missile test: report
Washington, United States | AFP | Recent satellite photos suggest North Korea could be preparing for fresh submarine-based ballistic missile tests, an expert on its military said Friday. Joseph Bermudez, a specialist in North Korean defense and intelligence affairs, posted photographs on the authoritative 38 North blog of the US-Korea …
Read More »Guam tourism sees silver lining in North Korean threats
Hagatna, United States | AFP | Tourism-dependent Guam is looking to cash in on its new-found fame as a North Korean missile target, tapping an unlikely promotional opportunity to attract visitors to the idyllic island and prove that all publicity is good publicity. Pyongyang’s threats to launch four missile strikes near …
Read More »Merkel rejects use of force in N. Korea and verbal ‘escalation’
Berlin, Germany | AFP | German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday that she opposed any use of force to resolve the conflict with North Korea, after President Donald Trump said the US military was “locked and loaded”. “I don’t envision a military solution to this conflict but rather consistent work as …
Read More »Russia’s Lavrov warns risk of N. Korea escalation ‘very high’
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday cautioned that the risks of escalation of tensions between the United States and North Korea were “very high” following the recent war of words between Washington and Pyongyang. “I believe the risks are very high, especially considering this rhetoric, …
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