Islamabad, Pakistan | AFP | Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday inaugurated the country’s fifth nuclear power plant, developed in collaboration with China amid hopes that his government could end chronic power shortages this year. Pakistan is one of the few developing countries pursuing atomic energy in the wake …
Read More »US could sell S Korea billions of dollars of arms amid tensions
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Monday told his South Korean counterpart Washington was willing to approve arms sales worth “many billions of dollars” to Seoul following Pyongyang’s test of what it said was a miniaturized hydrogen bomb. President Trump “provided his conceptual approval for the …
Read More »Putin warns of ‘global catastrophe’ in N.Korea impasse
Xiamen, China | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Tuesday of a global “catastrophe” unless a diplomatic solution over North Korea is reached, saying imposing further sanctions on Pyongyang would be useless. Putin’s comments, following an international summit in China, came after the United States called for the “strongest …
Read More »US says N. Korea ‘begging for war,’ pushes for tougher UN sanctions
United Nations, United States | AFP | The US has accused North Korea of “begging for war” and pushed for the “strongest possible measures” on Pyongyang following its sixth and most powerful nuclear test. As world powers scramble to react to the latest grave step in the North’s rogue weapons …
Read More »N. Korea could be preparing new missile launch: Seoul
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea could be preparing another missile launch, Seoul said Monday as it strengthened its defences following Pyongyang’s biggest-ever nuclear test and declaration it had a hydrogen bomb. The South and the United States will deploy more of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile …
Read More »Kim Jong-Un: Absolute power — and an H-bomb to wield it
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un ranks among the world’s youngest heads of state, but has some of its most powerful weapons at his disposal. Sunday’s test of what appeared to be a powerful, full-fledged thermonuclear bomb, marked yet another watershed in Kim’s relentless drive as …
Read More »North Korea declares H-bomb test ‘a perfect success’
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea said Sunday it had tested a hydrogen bomb which it can mount on a missile, declaring “perfect success” in its biggest-ever nuclear detonation and presenting a potent challenge to President Donald Trump. Pyongyang has long sought the means to deliver an atomic …
Read More »Iran’s Rouhani dismisses military site inspections
Tehran, Iran | AFP | Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday dismissed the idea of inspections at its military sites, reportedly floated by the United States, saying they were not required under a nuclear deal with world powers. “Our commitments to the world are clear… our relations with the IAEA (International …
Read More »Joint exercises could send Korea tensions soaring again
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | After North Korea and the United States traded bellicose threats of nuclear conflagration, all eyes will be on an annual war game in the South next week that could send tensions spiralling back upwards, analysts say. Pyongyang tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) last month …
Read More »Iran says can quit nuclear deal if US keeps adding sanctions
Tehran, Iran | AFP | President Hassan Rouhani warned on Tuesday that Iran could abandon its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers within hours if the United States keeps on imposing new sanctions as he outlined plans for his new term. In a speech to parliament, he also hit out at …
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