North Korea on Tuesday said US-South Korean war games are a "flagrant violation" of efforts to reach peace on the Korean peninsula and reflect a lack of "political will" to improve relations.

The comments by an unnamed North Korean foreign ministry spokesman, carried by state news agency KCNA, came as Pyongyang fired two "unidentified projectiles" off its eastern coast, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

There were no further details but the reported firing came after three earlier weapons tests over eight days.

"Despite our repeated warnings, the United States and South Korean authorities have finally started the joint military exercise targeting the DPRK," the foreign ministry spokesman for the nuclear-armed North said, according to KCNA.

"This is an undisguised denial and a flagrant violation of June 12 DPRK-US Joint Statement, Panmunjom Declaration and September Pyongyang Joint Declaration, all of which are agreements to establish new DPRK-US relations and build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean peninsula," the spokesman said, referring to the annual joint military exercises that began Monday.

After a year of mutual threats and mounting tension, US President Donald Trump and the North's Kim Jong Un held a historic summit in Singapore last year, where both leaders signed a vague pledge to work towards "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula".

A second summit in Hanoi in February broke up amid disagreements over sanctions relief and concessions from the North.

Trump and Kim agreed to resume nuclear talks during an impromptu June meeting in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula, but that working-level dialogue has yet to begin.

Pyongyang warned last week that further nuclear talks could be derailed if Seoul and Washington pushed ahead with the manoeuvres.

The North's spokesman on Monday also accused the US, apart from holding the exercises, of "deploying a large amount of latest offensive military equipment" in the South.

"All the above facts prove that the US and South Korean authorities do not have the political will at all to implement the joint statements whereby they committed to improving the DPRK-US relations and the inter-Korean relations and that they remain unchanged in their position to continue to face us as an enemy," the spokesman said.

He added that Pyongyang remains "unchanged in our stand to resolve the issues through dialogue," but warned that it was becoming more difficult.

"The prevailing situation is dramatically dampening down our desire for implementing the DPRK-US agreements and the inter-Korean agreements, which also affects the prospect of future dialogue," he said.

Pyongyang may have to seek "a new road," but if the US and South Korea continue to disregard the North's warnings, "we will make them pay a heavy price," the North's spokesman said.

North Korea on Tuesday said US-South Korean war games are a "flagrant violation" of efforts to reach peace on the Korean peninsula and reflect a lack of "political will" to improve relations.

North Korea on Tuesday said US-South Korean war games are a "flagrant violation" of efforts to reach peace on the Korean peninsula and reflect a lack of "political will" to improve relations. The comments by an unnamed North Korean foreign ministry spokesman, carried by state news agency KCNA, came as Pyongyang fired two "unidentified projectiles" off its eastern coast, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. There were no further details but the reported firing came after three earlier weapons tests over eight days. "Despite our repeated warnings, the United States and South Korean authorities have finally started the joint military exercise targeting the DPRK," the foreign ministry spokesman for the nuclear-armed North said, according to KCNA. "This is an undisguised denial and a flagrant violation of June 12 DPRK-US Joint Statement, Panmunjom Declaration and September Pyongyang Joint Declaration, all of which are agreements to establish new DPRK-US relations and build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean peninsula," the spokesman said, referring to the annual joint military exercises that began Monday. After a year of mutual threats and mounting tension, US President Donald Trump and the North's Kim Jong Un held a historic summit in Singapore last year, where both leaders signed a vague pledge to work towards "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". A second summit in Hanoi in February broke up amid disagreements over sanctions relief and concessions from the North. Trump and Kim agreed to resume nuclear talks during an impromptu June meeting in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula, but that working-level dialogue has yet to begin. Pyongyang warned last week that further nuclear talks could be derailed if Seoul and Washington pushed ahead with the manoeuvres. The North's spokesman on Monday also accused the US, apart from holding the exercises, of "deploying a large amount of latest offensive military equipment" in the South. "All the above facts prove that the US and South Korean authorities do not have the political will at all to implement the joint statements whereby they committed to improving the DPRK-US relations and the inter-Korean relations and that they remain unchanged in their position to continue to face us as an enemy," the spokesman said. He added that Pyongyang remains "unchanged in our stand to resolve the issues through dialogue," but warned that it was becoming more difficult. "The prevailing situation is dramatically dampening down our desire for implementing the DPRK-US agreements and the inter-Korean agreements, which also affects the prospect of future dialogue," he said. Pyongyang may have to seek "a new road," but if the US and South Korea continue to disregard the North's warnings, "we will make them pay a heavy price," the North's spokesman said.

US, South Korea lack 'political will'on peace talks: North Korea

Washington wants to quickly deploy new intermediate-range missiles in Asia, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said Saturday in a move likely to anger China.

The new Pentagon chief said the US was now free to deploy the weapons following its withdrawal Friday from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-blames-russia-for-inf-pact-demise-vows-measured-response-240181">Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces</a> (INF) treaty with Russia.

"Yes I would like to," Esper said when asked if the US was considering deploying new medium-range conventional weapons in Asia.

"We would like to deploy a capability sooner rather than later," Esper told reporters on a plane to Sydney at the start of a week-long tour of Asia.

"I would prefer the months... But these things tend to take longer than you expect."

The plan to deploy new missiles in Asia is <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-tariffs-serious-violation-will-take-countermeasures-china-240145">likely to anger China</a> which is vying with Washington for influence in the region, but Esper said Beijing should not be surprised.

"That should be no surprise because we have been talking about that for some time now," he said.

"And I want to say that 80 per cent of their inventory is INF range systems. So that should not surprise that we would want to have a like capability," he said.

But Esper stressed the US was not embarking on a new arms race.

"The traditional sense of an arms race has been in a nuclear context," he said.

"Right now, we don't have plans to build nuclear-tipped INF range weapons. It's the Russians who have developed non-compliant likely, possibly nuclear-tipped weapons," he said.

"So I don't see an arms race happening. I do see us taking corrective measures to develop a capability that we need for both the European theatre and this theatre, the Indo-Pac-Com theatre."

'Reassure our allies'

The INF treaty was considered a cornerstone of the global arms control architecture but the United States said the bilateral pact had given other countries -- namely China -- free rein to develop their own long-range missiles.

The rise of a militarily more assertive China in the region has worried traditional US allies such as Australia and New Zealand, and Beijing's actions in the South China Sea have alarmed neighbours with competing for territorial claims to the strategic waterway.

Esper did not specify where the US intended to deploy the weapons.

"I would not speculate because those things depend on plans, it's those things you always discuss with your allies," he said.

Esper said he chose Asia for his first trip since taking office on July 23 "to affirm our commitment to the region, to reassure our allies and our partners."

The Pentagon chief and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are due to meet with their Australian counterparts on Sunday.

Washington withdrew from the INF treaty on Friday after accusing Russia of violating it for years.

Under the pact signed in 1987 by then US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Washington and Moscow agreed to limit the use of conventional and nuclear medium-range missiles (with a range of 500-5,000 kilometres, 300-3,000 miles).

But its unravelling had been on the cards for months amid worsening ties between Russia and the US.

Washington wants to quickly deploy new intermediate-range missiles in Asia, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said Saturday in a move likely to anger China. The new Pentagon chief said the US was now free to deploy the weapons following its withdrawal Friday from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia.

Washington wants to quickly deploy new intermediate-range missiles in Asia, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said Saturday in a move likely to anger China. The new Pentagon chief said the US was now free to deploy the weapons following its withdrawal Friday from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia. "Yes I would like to," Esper said when asked if the US was considering deploying new medium-range conventional weapons in Asia. "We would like to deploy a capability sooner rather than later," Esper told reporters on a plane to Sydney at the start of a week-long tour of Asia. "I would prefer the months... But these things tend to take longer than you expect." The plan to deploy new missiles in Asia is likely to anger China which is vying with Washington for influence in the region, but Esper said Beijing should not be surprised. "That should be no surprise because we have been talking about that for some time now," he said. "And I want to say that 80 per cent of their inventory is INF range systems. So that should not surprise that we would want to have a like capability," he said. But Esper stressed the US was not embarking on a new arms race. "The traditional sense of an arms race has been in a nuclear context," he said. "Right now, we don't have plans to build nuclear-tipped INF range weapons. It's the Russians who have developed non-compliant likely, possibly nuclear-tipped weapons," he said. "So I don't see an arms race happening. I do see us taking corrective measures to develop a capability that we need for both the European theatre and this theatre, the Indo-Pac-Com theatre." 'Reassure our allies' The INF treaty was considered a cornerstone of the global arms control architecture but the United States said the bilateral pact had given other countries -- namely China -- free rein to develop their own long-range missiles. The rise of a militarily more assertive China in the region has worried traditional US allies such as Australia and New Zealand, and Beijing's actions in the South China Sea have alarmed neighbours with competing for territorial claims to the strategic waterway. Esper did not specify where the US intended to deploy the weapons. "I would not speculate because those things depend on plans, it's those things you always discuss with your allies," he said. Esper said he chose Asia for his first trip since taking office on July 23 "to affirm our commitment to the region, to reassure our allies and our partners." The Pentagon chief and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are due to meet with their Australian counterparts on Sunday. Washington withdrew from the INF treaty on Friday after accusing Russia of violating it for years. Under the pact signed in 1987 by then US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Washington and Moscow agreed to limit the use of conventional and nuclear medium-range missiles (with a range of 500-5,000 kilometres, 300-3,000 miles). But its unravelling had been on the cards for months amid worsening ties between Russia and the US.

US wants to quickly deploy new missiles in Asia: US Secretary of Defence

North Korea fired two short-range missiles early on Thursday from its eastern coast, South Korea's military said. It is the first missile test since leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to revive stalled denuclearisation talks. Watch this video to know more.

South Korean military: North Korea fired two missiles into sea

North Korea has conducted new missile tests, raising further tensions on the Korean peninsula. South Korea has described the launches as a security threat. Watch this video to know more.

South Korea calls North Korea missile tests as a security threat

North Korea fired the same type of short-range missiles during the two weapons tests last month, according to South Korean Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo.

"We see the weapons (North Korea fired on May 4 and May 9) as nearly the same type, though we are analyzing some differences," Yonhap News Agency quoted the minister as telling reporters here on Saturday.

The South Korean minister, however, stressed that more analysis was needed to verify if the missiles were ballistic in nature.

"Some have pointed out that they appear to be the same type of Russia`s Iskander, and they bear many similarities. But there are some differences," he said.

This is the first time South Korea recognised that short-range missiles were test-fired by Pyongyang.&nbsp;

The United States, on the other hand, claimed that short-range ballistic missiles were tested by the reclusive state in early May.

Furthermore, Washington strongly criticised the weapons tests, with acting US Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan stating that UN Security Council resolutions were violated by North Korea.&nbsp;

The country is banned from firing ballistic missiles as per the sanctions.

North Korea`s projectiles launches were largely perceived as the country`s displeasure at the breakdown of the second US-North Korea summit in Vietnam in February this year.

Denuclearisation talks have come to a standstill ever since.

North Korea fired the same type of short-range missiles during the two weapons tests last month, according to South Korean Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. "We see the weapons (North Korea fired on May 4 and May 9) as nearly the same type, though we are analyzing some differences," Yonhap News Agency quoted the minister as telling reporters here on Saturday.

North Korea fired the same type of short-range missiles during the two weapons tests last month, according to South Korean Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. "We see the weapons (North Korea fired on May 4 and May 9) as nearly the same type, though we are analyzing some differences," Yonhap News Agency quoted the minister as telling reporters here on Saturday. The South Korean minister, however, stressed that more analysis was needed to verify if the missiles were ballistic in nature. "Some have pointed out that they appear to be the same type of Russia`s Iskander, and they bear many similarities. But there are some differences," he said. This is the first time South Korea recognised that short-range missiles were test-fired by Pyongyang. The United States, on the other hand, claimed that short-range ballistic missiles were tested by the reclusive state in early May. Furthermore, Washington strongly criticised the weapons tests, with acting US Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan stating that UN Security Council resolutions were violated by North Korea. The country is banned from firing ballistic missiles as per the sanctions. North Korea`s projectiles launches were largely perceived as the country`s displeasure at the breakdown of the second US-North Korea summit in Vietnam in February this year. Denuclearisation talks have come to a standstill ever since.

North Korea test-fired same type of missiles in May: Seoul

The United States deployed its assault ship and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to bolster an aircraft carrier force sent to counter alleged threats from Iran. Watch the full video to know more.

US sends assault ship, missiles to West Asia to warn Iran

Iran on Tuesday dismissed pressure from France and other Western powers for talks over its ballistic missile programme, but said it had no plans to increase the range of the weapons.

France said last week it was ready to impose further sanctions on Iran if no progress was made in talks about the missiles, described by Tehran as defensive but seen in the West as a destabilising factor in a volatile region.

"Negotiations over Iran's missile and defensive capabilities are not acceptable in any way," Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, a top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was quoted as saying by the IRNA news agency.

He said French leaders were only raising the issue to distract attention from anti-government demonstrations in their country. Iran on Monday denied that it was holding any talks with France about the missiles.

US President Donald Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal with Iran in May and reimposed sanctions, saying the accord did not address the missiles and what he saw as the Islamic republic's malign influence on the region.

France, along with other signatories, stuck with the accord, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear work in exchange for sanctions relief. But Paris and other European powers have also raised concerns about the missiles, fearing they could one day reach their territories.

“The enemies say Iran’s missile power should be eliminated, but we have repeatedly said our missile capabilities are not negotiable,” Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency, using a phrase usually applied to the United States and Israel.

SATELLITES

The secretary of Iran's National Security Council said Iran would keep working to improve the missiles' accuracy.

"Iran has no scientific or operational restriction for increasing the range of its military missiles, but based on its defensive doctrine, it is continuously working on increasing the precision of the missiles, and has no intention to increase their range," Ali Shamkhani, another close aide to Khamenei, was quoted as saying by state broadcaster IRIB.

In November 2017, the deputy head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that it would increase the range of its missiles beyond 2,000 km (1,200 miles), if Europe threatened Iran.

A UN&nbsp;Security Council resolution that accompanied the 2015 nuclear deal "called upon" Tehran to refrain for up to eight years from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons.

But Iran said that call did not amount to a binding order and has denied that its missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Washington has also told Tehran to stop developing satellite-launching technology, saying it was concerned that the same gear could also be used to launch warheads.

Shamkhani said Iran would keep working on the technology "to improve the quality of people’s lives and increase the country's technological prowess."

Telecoms Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi said on Tuesday that an Iranian satellite, called Friendship, will be launched soon. Another launch failed earlier this month.

Iran on Tuesday dismissed pressure from France and other Western powers for talks over its ballistic missile programme, but said it had no plans to increase the range of the weapons.

Iran on Tuesday dismissed pressure from France and other Western powers for talks over its ballistic missile programme, but said it had no plans to increase the range of the weapons. France said last week it was ready to impose further sanctions on Iran if no progress was made in talks about the missiles, described by Tehran as defensive but seen in the West as a destabilising factor in a volatile region. "Negotiations over Iran's missile and defensive capabilities are not acceptable in any way," Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, a top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was quoted as saying by the IRNA news agency. He said French leaders were only raising the issue to distract attention from anti-government demonstrations in their country. Iran on Monday denied that it was holding any talks with France about the missiles. US President Donald Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal with Iran in May and reimposed sanctions, saying the accord did not address the missiles and what he saw as the Islamic republic's malign influence on the region. France, along with other signatories, stuck with the accord, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear work in exchange for sanctions relief. But Paris and other European powers have also raised concerns about the missiles, fearing they could one day reach their territories. “The enemies say Iran’s missile power should be eliminated, but we have repeatedly said our missile capabilities are not negotiable,” Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency, using a phrase usually applied to the United States and Israel. SATELLITES The secretary of Iran's National Security Council said Iran would keep working to improve the missiles' accuracy. "Iran has no scientific or operational restriction for increasing the range of its military missiles, but based on its defensive doctrine, it is continuously working on increasing the precision of the missiles, and has no intention to increase their range," Ali Shamkhani, another close aide to Khamenei, was quoted as saying by state broadcaster IRIB. In November 2017, the deputy head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that it would increase the range of its missiles beyond 2,000 km (1,200 miles), if Europe threatened Iran. A UN Security Council resolution that accompanied the 2015 nuclear deal "called upon" Tehran to refrain for up to eight years from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons. But Iran said that call did not amount to a binding order and has denied that its missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Washington has also told Tehran to stop developing satellite-launching technology, saying it was concerned that the same gear could also be used to launch warheads. Shamkhani said Iran would keep working on the technology "to improve the quality of people’s lives and increase the country's technological prowess." Telecoms Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi said on Tuesday that an Iranian satellite, called Friendship, will be launched soon. Another launch failed earlier this month.

Iran rejects talks on missiles, but says no plan to increase range

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mike-pompeo-sees-strong-us-britain-ties-in-hard-brexit-183010">US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo</a> on Wednesday urged the United Nations to tighten restrictions on Iran's missiles, saying the Islamic republic had hundreds of projectiles that could strike US allies.

Pompeo headed to New York for a Security Council meeting on Iran, which recently confirmed a medium-range ballistic test, arguing it is legal and necessary for its defence.

"We risk the security of our people if Iran continues stocking up on ballistic missiles," Pompeo told the Security Council.

"We risk escalation of conflict in the region if we fail to restore deterrence. And we convey to all other malign actors that they too can defy the Security Council with impunity if we do nothing," he said.

Iran has "hundreds of missiles which pose a threat to our partners in the region," Pompeo said, likely referring to Israel and Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia.

Pompeo said the United States would press to preserve a UN arms embargo on Iran due to expire in 2020.

"We also call on the Council to establish inspection and interdiction&nbsp; 
measures, in ports and on the high seas, to thwart Iran's continuing efforts to circumvent existing arms restrictions," Pompeo said.

Pompeo has put a major focus on ramping up pressure on Iran, with President Donald Trump withdrawing from an international accord on curbing Tehran's nuclear program negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama.

He called for the reimposition of a ban on Iran developing missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons as outlined under Security Council Resolution 1929 of 2010.

That resolution was superceded by Security Council Resolution 2231 backing the Iran nuclear accord, which also called upon Tehran to refrain from the sensitive missile work.

Iran has argued that its missile tests are not nuclear in nature and that it is defending itself against threats, noting that Western powers backed Saddam Hussein in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.

European powers remain committed to the Iran accord and note that UN inspectors say Tehran has complied with terms on ending its nuclear program.

Karel van Oosterom, the Dutch ambassador to the United Nations, in a statement on behalf of eight European nations said that Iran's missile program was concerning but separate from the nuclear accord.

"We call on Iran to refrain from such activities, which deepen mistrust and increase regional tensions and are in non-conformity with Resolution 2231," he told reporters.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday urged the United Nations to tighten restrictions on Iran's missiles, saying the Islamic republic had hundreds of projectiles that could strike US allies.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday urged the United Nations to tighten restrictions on Iran's missiles, saying the Islamic republic had hundreds of projectiles that could strike US allies. Pompeo headed to New York for a Security Council meeting on Iran, which recently confirmed a medium-range ballistic test, arguing it is legal and necessary for its defence. "We risk the security of our people if Iran continues stocking up on ballistic missiles," Pompeo told the Security Council. "We risk escalation of conflict in the region if we fail to restore deterrence. And we convey to all other malign actors that they too can defy the Security Council with impunity if we do nothing," he said. Iran has "hundreds of missiles which pose a threat to our partners in the region," Pompeo said, likely referring to Israel and Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia. Pompeo said the United States would press to preserve a UN arms embargo on Iran due to expire in 2020. "We also call on the Council to establish inspection and interdiction measures, in ports and on the high seas, to thwart Iran's continuing efforts to circumvent existing arms restrictions," Pompeo said. Pompeo has put a major focus on ramping up pressure on Iran, with President Donald Trump withdrawing from an international accord on curbing Tehran's nuclear program negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama. He called for the reimposition of a ban on Iran developing missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons as outlined under Security Council Resolution 1929 of 2010. That resolution was superceded by Security Council Resolution 2231 backing the Iran nuclear accord, which also called upon Tehran to refrain from the sensitive missile work. Iran has argued that its missile tests are not nuclear in nature and that it is defending itself against threats, noting that Western powers backed Saddam Hussein in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. European powers remain committed to the Iran accord and note that UN inspectors say Tehran has complied with terms on ending its nuclear program. Karel van Oosterom, the Dutch ambassador to the United Nations, in a statement on behalf of eight European nations said that Iran's missile program was concerning but separate from the nuclear accord. "We call on Iran to refrain from such activities, which deepen mistrust and increase regional tensions and are in non-conformity with Resolution 2231," he told reporters.

Pompeo, at UN, urges tougher action on Iran missiles

Russia said on Wednesday it would send more of its advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile systems to Crimea and a Reuters reporter saw a Russian warship deploying nearby as tensions with Ukraine rose over Moscow's seizure of Ukrainian navy ships.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-india-russia-conduct-joint-military-exercise-in-uttar-pradesh-179994">Russia has steadily poured new military hardware</a> into Crimea since it annexed it from Ukraine in 2014, turning it into what Kremlin-backed media have called a fortress.

Moscow's announcement about new missiles follows its seizure of three Ukrainian naval vessels and their crews on Sunday over what it said was their illegal entry into Russian waters, something Ukraine denies.

Kiev introduced martial law in parts of the country after the incident, saying it feared a possible Russian invasion.

The episode risks derailing a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 in Argentina later this week. Trump said on Tuesday that he might cancel the meeting due to the incident, but the Kremlin said on Wednesday it thought it was still on.

Vadim Astafyev, a spokesman for Russia's southern military district, was cited by Russian news agencies on Wednesday as saying that a new battalion of S-400 missiles would be delivered to Crimea soon and become operational by the end of the year.

The deployment is likely to have been long-planned, but the timing of the announcement appeared designed to send a message to Ukraine and the West that Russia is serious about defending what it regards as its own territory and waters.

Crimea already hosts three battalions of the anti-aircraft missile systems which have a range of up to 400 km (250 miles) allowing Russia to control large swaths of the skies above the Black Sea.

Minesweeper

The new deployment would allow it to increase its air defence coverage area.

The United States has previously said that Russia's deployment of the missile systems to Crimea is "not good".

Separately, a Reuters correspondent in Crimea on Wednesday observed a Russian navy minesweeper ship, the Vice-Admiral Zakharin, heading for the Sea of Azov, which is used by both Ukraine and Russia and is an area of growing tensions.

Citing sources in Ukraine's ruling circles, Russia's Izvestia newspaper reported that Kiev had been trying to persuade Washington - so far unsuccessfully - to open a military base in Ukraine.

Reuters could not independently confirm the report.

Later on Wednesday, a Crimean court is due to order the detention of nine of the 24 captured Ukrainian sailors - including senior Ukrainian naval officers and at least one member of Ukraine's SBU intelligence agency.

A court in Simferopol, the capital of Crimea, on Tuesday, ordered the other 15 Ukrainian sailors to be detained for two months pending a possible trial.

All of the sailors face jail terms of up to six years if found guilty of what Moscow says was a plot to illegally cross the Russian border by trying to pass through the Russian-controlled Kerch Strait on Sunday without advance notice and ignoring calls to stop.

Ukraine says its ships did nothing wrong and have every right to use the strait, the only gateway to the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea, without Russian permission.

Russia said on Wednesday it would send more of its advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile systems to Crimea and a Reuters reporter saw a Russian warship deploying nearby as tensions with Ukraine rose over Moscow's seizure of Ukrainian navy ships.

Russia said on Wednesday it would send more of its advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile systems to Crimea and a Reuters reporter saw a Russian warship deploying nearby as tensions with Ukraine rose over Moscow's seizure of Ukrainian navy ships. Russia has steadily poured new military hardware into Crimea since it annexed it from Ukraine in 2014, turning it into what Kremlin-backed media have called a fortress. Moscow's announcement about new missiles follows its seizure of three Ukrainian naval vessels and their crews on Sunday over what it said was their illegal entry into Russian waters, something Ukraine denies. Kiev introduced martial law in parts of the country after the incident, saying it feared a possible Russian invasion. The episode risks derailing a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 in Argentina later this week. Trump said on Tuesday that he might cancel the meeting due to the incident, but the Kremlin said on Wednesday it thought it was still on. Vadim Astafyev, a spokesman for Russia's southern military district, was cited by Russian news agencies on Wednesday as saying that a new battalion of S-400 missiles would be delivered to Crimea soon and become operational by the end of the year. The deployment is likely to have been long-planned, but the timing of the announcement appeared designed to send a message to Ukraine and the West that Russia is serious about defending what it regards as its own territory and waters. Crimea already hosts three battalions of the anti-aircraft missile systems which have a range of up to 400 km (250 miles) allowing Russia to control large swaths of the skies above the Black Sea. Minesweeper The new deployment would allow it to increase its air defence coverage area. The United States has previously said that Russia's deployment of the missile systems to Crimea is "not good". Separately, a Reuters correspondent in Crimea on Wednesday observed a Russian navy minesweeper ship, the Vice-Admiral Zakharin, heading for the Sea of Azov, which is used by both Ukraine and Russia and is an area of growing tensions. Citing sources in Ukraine's ruling circles, Russia's Izvestia newspaper reported that Kiev had been trying to persuade Washington - so far unsuccessfully - to open a military base in Ukraine. Reuters could not independently confirm the report. Later on Wednesday, a Crimean court is due to order the detention of nine of the 24 captured Ukrainian sailors - including senior Ukrainian naval officers and at least one member of Ukraine's SBU intelligence agency. A court in Simferopol, the capital of Crimea, on Tuesday, ordered the other 15 Ukrainian sailors to be detained for two months pending a possible trial. All of the sailors face jail terms of up to six years if found guilty of what Moscow says was a plot to illegally cross the Russian border by trying to pass through the Russian-controlled Kerch Strait on Sunday without advance notice and ignoring calls to stop. Ukraine says its ships did nothing wrong and have every right to use the strait, the only gateway to the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea, without Russian permission.

Russia to deploy new missiles to Crimea as Ukraine tensions rise

Russia's foreign ministry on Monday denied having any missiles that violate the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces arms control treaty that the United States has said it plans to quit because of violations by Moscow.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters that the missile that Washington has said is flouting the accord has not been tested at a range banned by the treaty.&nbsp;

He said the US decided Russia was guilty before receiving evidence to the contrary.

Russia will be forced to take into account and respond to US plans to deploy Aegis Ashore MK41 missiles in Europe, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Monday.

Russia's foreign ministry on Monday denied having any missiles that violate the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces arms control treaty that the United States has said it plans to quit because of violations by Moscow.

Russia's foreign ministry on Monday denied having any missiles that violate the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces arms control treaty that the United States has said it plans to quit because of violations by Moscow. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters that the missile that Washington has said is flouting the accord has not been tested at a range banned by the treaty. He said the US decided Russia was guilty before receiving evidence to the contrary. Russia will be forced to take into account and respond to US plans to deploy Aegis Ashore MK41 missiles in Europe, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Monday.

No missiles violating nuclear arms pact with US: Russia

Iran&nbsp;fired missiles on Monday at militants in Syria it blamed for an attack in southwestern&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;on September 22, the Revolutionary Guards said, in what it called a sign of Tehran's readiness to punish its enemies' "wickedness".

Tehran has accused US-backed Gulf Arab states of carrying out the September 22 shooting attack on a military parade that killed 25 people, nearly half of them members of&nbsp;Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards.

Monday's strike targeted the bases of "takfiri terrorists" backed by the United States and regional powers in eastern Syria, the Guards said in a statement on Sepah News, their official news site. It killed a number of militant leaders and destroyed their supplies and infrastructure, they said.

Iranian officials often use the word "takfiri" to describe Sunni Muslim hardliners.&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;is predominantly Shi'ite Muslim.

"Death to the family of Saud," "Death to America," and "Death to Israel" were written on one of the missiles shown on the Fars News site.

The strike targeted the last pocket of territory in southeastern Syria held by Islamic State, said an official in the&nbsp;Iran-backed regional alliance fighting in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

It is an area where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched a new offensive last month against Islamic State.

The US-led coalition confirmed&nbsp;Iranian forces had conducted "no notice strikes last night".

"At this time, the coalition is still assessing if any damage occurred and no coalition forces were in danger," Col. spokesman Sean Ryan said.

"IRON FIST"

Fars News posted video footage of several missiles streaking into a dark sky during the attack.

The six ballistic missiles used in the attack flew 570 km (354 miles) to hit the targets, the Guards said. A map shown on state TV pinpointed Kermanshah in western&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;as the launch site and Albu Kamal in southeast Syria as the target.

The missiles were&nbsp;Iranian-made Zolfaqar and Qiam missiles, Fars News reported.

"Our iron fist is prepared to deliver a decisive and crushing response to any wickedness and mischief of the enemies," the Guards, the most powerful military force in the Islamic Republic, said in their statement.

Seven drones were also used to bomb militant targets during the attack, they said.

The Ahvaz National Resistance, an&nbsp;Iranian ethnic Arab separatist movement, and the Islamic State have both claimed responsibility for the September 22 attack. Neither group has presented conclusive evidence to back up their claim.

Iranian military support has been vital to helping Assad through the Syrian war, and&nbsp;Iran-backed forces are deployed in southeastern Syria on the west bank of the Euphrates River.&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;has dismissed US demands that it leave Syria.

The official in the&nbsp;Iran-backed alliance described Monday's strike, targeting an area on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, as a "limited message". "One of the messages, to those it concerns, is that 'our missiles are one of our powerful cards that are ready to respond whenever we want'," the official said.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the highest authority in&nbsp;Iran, has said the militants responsible for the September 22 attack were paid by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and that&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;would "severely punish" those behind the violence.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have denied involvement in the attack.

Mohsen Rezaie, a former commander of the Guards, suggested in a Twitter message on Monday that more attacks were coming.

"The main punishment is on the way," Rezaie, who is secretary of the Expediency Council, an unelected arbitration body that resolves disputes between parliament and a clerical vetting body, the Guardian Council, wrote.

Last year, the Guards fired missiles at Islamic State militants in Syria after the group claimed responsibility for an attack on the parliament in Tehran and the mausoleum of the founder of&nbsp;Iran’s revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, that left at least 18 people dead and dozens wounded.

Iran fired missiles on Monday at militants in Syria it blamed for an attack in southwestern Iran on September 22, the Revolutionary Guards said, in what it called a sign of Tehran's readiness to punish its enemies' "wickedness".

Iran fired missiles on Monday at militants in Syria it blamed for an attack in southwestern Iran on September 22, the Revolutionary Guards said, in what it called a sign of Tehran's readiness to punish its enemies' "wickedness". Tehran has accused US-backed Gulf Arab states of carrying out the September 22 shooting attack on a military parade that killed 25 people, nearly half of them members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards. Monday's strike targeted the bases of "takfiri terrorists" backed by the United States and regional powers in eastern Syria, the Guards said in a statement on Sepah News, their official news site. It killed a number of militant leaders and destroyed their supplies and infrastructure, they said. Iranian officials often use the word "takfiri" to describe Sunni Muslim hardliners. Iran is predominantly Shi'ite Muslim. "Death to the family of Saud," "Death to America," and "Death to Israel" were written on one of the missiles shown on the Fars News site. The strike targeted the last pocket of territory in southeastern Syria held by Islamic State, said an official in the Iran-backed regional alliance fighting in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It is an area where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched a new offensive last month against Islamic State. The US-led coalition confirmed Iranian forces had conducted "no notice strikes last night". "At this time, the coalition is still assessing if any damage occurred and no coalition forces were in danger," Col. spokesman Sean Ryan said. "IRON FIST" Fars News posted video footage of several missiles streaking into a dark sky during the attack. The six ballistic missiles used in the attack flew 570 km (354 miles) to hit the targets, the Guards said. A map shown on state TV pinpointed Kermanshah in western Iran as the launch site and Albu Kamal in southeast Syria as the target. The missiles were Iranian-made Zolfaqar and Qiam missiles, Fars News reported. "Our iron fist is prepared to deliver a decisive and crushing response to any wickedness and mischief of the enemies," the Guards, the most powerful military force in the Islamic Republic, said in their statement. Seven drones were also used to bomb militant targets during the attack, they said. The Ahvaz National Resistance, an Iranian ethnic Arab separatist movement, and the Islamic State have both claimed responsibility for the September 22 attack. Neither group has presented conclusive evidence to back up their claim. Iranian military support has been vital to helping Assad through the Syrian war, and Iran-backed forces are deployed in southeastern Syria on the west bank of the Euphrates River. Iran has dismissed US demands that it leave Syria. The official in the Iran-backed alliance described Monday's strike, targeting an area on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, as a "limited message". "One of the messages, to those it concerns, is that 'our missiles are one of our powerful cards that are ready to respond whenever we want'," the official said. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the highest authority in Iran, has said the militants responsible for the September 22 attack were paid by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and that Iran would "severely punish" those behind the violence. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have denied involvement in the attack. Mohsen Rezaie, a former commander of the Guards, suggested in a Twitter message on Monday that more attacks were coming. "The main punishment is on the way," Rezaie, who is secretary of the Expediency Council, an unelected arbitration body that resolves disputes between parliament and a clerical vetting body, the Guardian Council, wrote. Last year, the Guards fired missiles at Islamic State militants in Syria after the group claimed responsibility for an attack on the parliament in Tehran and the mausoleum of the founder of Iran’s revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, that left at least 18 people dead and dozens wounded.

Watch: Iran fires missiles at militants in Syria over parade attack

According to Syrian media, government's military provinces of Hama and Aleppo were targetted by enemy missiles, the attackers have not been identified.

The attack was confirmed by the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights monitor which also informed about the presence of "Iranian elements" at two of the targeted bases.

"Syria is being exposed to a new aggression with some military bases in rural Hama and Aleppo hit with enemy rockets," an army source was quoted as saying without elaborating.

Earlier, state television said successive blasts were heard in rural Hama province and that authorities were investigating the cause.

An opposition source said one of the locations hit was an army base known as Brigade 47 near Hama city, widely known as a recruitment centre for Iranian-backed Shi`ite militias who fight alongside President Bashar al-Assad`s forces.

No information on the number of casualties was available.

Meanwhile, Syria and its ally Iran recently accused Israel of conducting deadly strikes against a military base in the heart of the country.

The United States and its allies France and UK carried out strikes targetting several Syrian regime's military positions on April 14.

The US-led attack came in response to a suspected chemical attack by the Syrian regime on rebel-held Douma.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

No information on the number of casualties was available

According to Syrian media, government's military provinces of Hama and Aleppo were targetted by enemy missiles, the attackers have not been identified. The attack was confirmed by the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights monitor which also informed about the presence of "Iranian elements" at two of the targeted bases. "Syria is being exposed to a new aggression with some military bases in rural Hama and Aleppo hit with enemy rockets," an army source was quoted as saying without elaborating. Earlier, state television said successive blasts were heard in rural Hama province and that authorities were investigating the cause. An opposition source said one of the locations hit was an army base known as Brigade 47 near Hama city, widely known as a recruitment centre for Iranian-backed Shi`ite militias who fight alongside President Bashar al-Assad`s forces. No information on the number of casualties was available. Meanwhile, Syria and its ally Iran recently accused Israel of conducting deadly strikes against a military base in the heart of the country. The United States and its allies France and UK carried out strikes targetting several Syrian regime's military positions on April 14. The US-led attack came in response to a suspected chemical attack by the Syrian regime on rebel-held Douma. (With inputs from agencies)

Syrian regime military positions attacked by missiles: State Media

Syrian anti-aircraft defences shot down missiles fired at the Syrian air base of Shayrat in Homs province late on Monday and another base northeast of the capital, Damascus, Syria's state television and pro-Iranian Hezbollah media said.

State television showed pictures of a missile that was shot in the air above the air base only days after a U.S., British and French attack on Syrian targets in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack on the city of Douma on the outskirts of Damascus.

State television did not mention three missiles that were fired at Dumair military airport, northeast of Damascus, that pro-Iranian Hezbollah's media service reported were intercepted by Syrian air defences.

Opposition sources say Dumair airport is a major air base used in a large-scale military campaign waged by the Syrian army with Russian firepower that regained eastern Ghouta, a rebel enclave on the outskirts of Damascus.

A Pentagon spokesman said there was no U.S. military activity in that area at this time.

Asked about the missile attack, an Israeli military spokesman said: "We don't comment on such reports."

Shayrat air base was targeted last year in a U.S. cruise missile attack in response to a chemical attack that killed at least 70 people, including children, on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun.

Israel has struck Syrian army locations many times in the course of the conflict, hitting convoys and bases of Iranian-backed militias that fight alongside Syrian President Bashar al- Assad's forces.

Israel has long said Iran was expanding its influence in a belt of territory that stretches from the Iraqi border to the Lebanese border, where Israel says Iran supplies Hezbollah with arms.

Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias have a large military presence in Syria and are well entrenched in central and eastern areas near the Iraqi border.

State television showed pictures of a missile that was shot in the air above the air base only days after a US, British and French attack on Syrian targets in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack on the city of Douma on the outskirts of Damascus

Syrian anti-aircraft defences shot down missiles fired at the Syrian air base of Shayrat in Homs province late on Monday and another base northeast of the capital, Damascus, Syria's state television and pro-Iranian Hezbollah media said. State television showed pictures of a missile that was shot in the air above the air base only days after a U.S., British and French attack on Syrian targets in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack on the city of Douma on the outskirts of Damascus. State television did not mention three missiles that were fired at Dumair military airport, northeast of Damascus, that pro-Iranian Hezbollah's media service reported were intercepted by Syrian air defences. Opposition sources say Dumair airport is a major air base used in a large-scale military campaign waged by the Syrian army with Russian firepower that regained eastern Ghouta, a rebel enclave on the outskirts of Damascus. A Pentagon spokesman said there was no U.S. military activity in that area at this time. Asked about the missile attack, an Israeli military spokesman said: "We don't comment on such reports." Shayrat air base was targeted last year in a U.S. cruise missile attack in response to a chemical attack that killed at least 70 people, including children, on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun. Israel has struck Syrian army locations many times in the course of the conflict, hitting convoys and bases of Iranian-backed militias that fight alongside Syrian President Bashar al- Assad's forces. Israel has long said Iran was expanding its influence in a belt of territory that stretches from the Iraqi border to the Lebanese border, where Israel says Iran supplies Hezbollah with arms. Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias have a large military presence in Syria and are well entrenched in central and eastern areas near the Iraqi border.

Syrian air defences shoot down missiles over two air bases in Homs: State TV

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Russia of a forthcoming response to suspected chemical attack in Syria, declaring that missiles "will be coming" and blasting Moscow for standing by Syrian President Bashar Assad.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/984022625440747520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!' You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!" Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.

In another tweet, Trump said that the US relationship with Russia is worse than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold War.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Our relationship with Russia is worse now than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold War. There is no reason for this. Russia needs us to help with their economy, something that would be very easy to do, and we need all nations to work together. Stop the arms race?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/984032798821568513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Russian lawmakers have warned the United States that Moscow would view an airstrike on Syria as a war crime, saying it could trigger a direct military clash, reports said.

Trump didn’t say whether he was referring to a U.S. military strike. But he has threatened military action in response to Syria’s suspected chemical attack, which activists and rescuers say killed at least 40 people. The Syrian government and its ally Russia have denied that such an attack ever happened

'Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!' You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!' Trump wrote on Twitter

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Russia of a forthcoming response to suspected chemical attack in Syria, declaring that missiles "will be coming" and blasting Moscow for standing by Syrian President Bashar Assad. Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018 × "Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!' You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!" Trump wrote in a post on Twitter. In another tweet, Trump said that the US relationship with Russia is worse than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold War. Our relationship with Russia is worse now than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold War. There is no reason for this. Russia needs us to help with their economy, something that would be very easy to do, and we need all nations to work together. Stop the arms race? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018 × Russian lawmakers have warned the United States that Moscow would view an airstrike on Syria as a war crime, saying it could trigger a direct military clash, reports said. Trump didn’t say whether he was referring to a U.S. military strike. But he has threatened military action in response to Syria’s suspected chemical attack, which activists and rescuers say killed at least 40 people. The Syrian government and its ally Russia have denied that such an attack ever happened

Missiles 'will be coming' at Syria: Trump warns Russia

According to reports, one person has been killed and 2 injured in a ballistic missile attack on the capital city of Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The attack was reported to have been carried out by Yemen rebels.&nbsp;

The attack by the Shiite rebels was carried out on the eve of the third anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in Yemen.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb">
Saudi Arabia says 1 person killed, 2 wounded in ballistic missile attack on kingdom's capital by Yemen rebels, reports the Associated Press.
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/978057660984676353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">25 March 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The Iran-aligned Huthi rebels fired three missiles at Riyadh and four others at the southern cities of Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran, with the coalition saying they all targeted populated areas.

"This aggressive and hostile action by the Iran-backed Huthi group proves that the Iranian regime continues to support the armed group with military capabilities," coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said.

"The firing of multiple ballistic missiles towards cities is a serious development."

According to the Huthi-run Al-Masira television channel, the rebels had targeted Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport as well as other airstrips in the south of the kingdom.

The Saudi-led war in Yemen began in the year 2015. Since last year, nearly dozens of missiles have been fired into Saudi Arabia by the Huthi rebels all of them are reported to have been intercepted by Saudi forces. Another strike targeted Riyadh's Yamamah palace, the official residence of King Salman in December last year.&nbsp;

The Huthis plan a huge rally in Sanaa today to mark the war's third anniversary.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The attack, which injured two, was carried out on the eve of the third anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in Yemen

According to reports, one person has been killed and 2 injured in a ballistic missile attack on the capital city of Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The attack was reported to have been carried out by Yemen rebels. The attack by the Shiite rebels was carried out on the eve of the third anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in Yemen. Saudi Arabia says 1 person killed, 2 wounded in ballistic missile attack on kingdom's capital by Yemen rebels, reports the Associated Press. — ANI (@ANI) 25 March 2018 × The Iran-aligned Huthi rebels fired three missiles at Riyadh and four others at the southern cities of Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran, with the coalition saying they all targeted populated areas. "This aggressive and hostile action by the Iran-backed Huthi group proves that the Iranian regime continues to support the armed group with military capabilities," coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said. "The firing of multiple ballistic missiles towards cities is a serious development." According to the Huthi-run Al-Masira television channel, the rebels had targeted Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport as well as other airstrips in the south of the kingdom. The Saudi-led war in Yemen began in the year 2015. Since last year, nearly dozens of missiles have been fired into Saudi Arabia by the Huthi rebels all of them are reported to have been intercepted by Saudi forces. Another strike targeted Riyadh's Yamamah palace, the official residence of King Salman in December last year. The Huthis plan a huge rally in Sanaa today to mark the war's third anniversary. (With inputs from agencies)

Yemen rebels fire missiles at Riyadh, 1 killed

Ahead of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-israel-agree-to-act-tough-against-terrorist-networks-co-operate-in-trade-and-investment-8832">Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s visit</a>, India is set to buy surface-to-air missiles from Israel in a deal worth $70 million.

India had signed <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/modi-breaks-the-nehruvian-consensus-17657">seven agreements with Israel last year</a> during PM Modi&#39;s visit to Tel Aviv in July, but there were no agreements on defence. The agreements included communications and space technology.

The Defense ministry said India will buy 131&nbsp;surface-to-air missiles from Israel as Netanyahu begins his four-day trip to India.

The Indian defence ministry also said it had approved the purchase of 240 bombs from Russia&#39;s JSC Rosonboron Exports for $188 million.

&quot;This procurement will address the deficiency of precision-guided munitions in the IAF (Indian Air Force) arsenal, besides enhancing the offensive capabilities of the IAF,&quot; the defense ministry said in a statement.

India and Israel are involved in a number trade deals in space, agriculture and water cooperation. Israeli defence companies are also actively involved in government&#39;s &quot;Make in India&quot; initiative with joint ventures with several Indian companies.

The Indian defence ministry also said it had approved the purchase of 240 bombs from Russia's JSC Rosonboron Exports for $188 million.

Ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit, India is set to buy surface-to-air missiles from Israel in a deal worth $70 million. India had signed seven agreements with Israel last year during PM Modi's visit to Tel Aviv in July, but there were no agreements on defence. The agreements included communications and space technology. The Defense ministry said India will buy 131 surface-to-air missiles from Israel as Netanyahu begins his four-day trip to India. The Indian defence ministry also said it had approved the purchase of 240 bombs from Russia's JSC Rosonboron Exports for $188 million. "This procurement will address the deficiency of precision-guided munitions in the IAF (Indian Air Force) arsenal, besides enhancing the offensive capabilities of the IAF," the defense ministry said in a statement. India and Israel are involved in a number trade deals in space, agriculture and water cooperation. Israeli defence companies are also actively involved in government's "Make in India" initiative with joint ventures with several Indian companies.

Ahead of Netanyahu's visit, India to buy 131 surface-to-air missiles from Israel

Japan is to acquire medium-range, air-launched cruise missiles, capable of striking North Korea, a controversial purchase of what will become the longest-range munitions of a country that has renounced the right to wage war.

Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera did not refer to North Korea when announcing the planned acquisition and said the new missiles would be for defence, with Japan still relying on the United States to strike any enemy bases.

&quot;We are planning to introduce the JSM (Joint Strike Missile) that will be mounted on the F-35A (stealth fighter) as &#39;stand-off&#39;&nbsp;missiles that can be fired beyond the range of enemy threats,&quot; Onodera told a news conference.&nbsp;

Japan is also looking to mount Lockheed Martin Corp&#39;s extended-range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM-ER) on its F-15 fighters, he said.

The JSM, designed by Norway&#39;s Kongsberg Defence &amp; Aerospace, has a range of 500 km (310 miles). The JASSM-ER can hit targets 1,000 km away.

The purchase plan is likely to face criticism from opposition parties in parliament, especially from politicians wary of the watering down of Japan&#39;s renunciation of the right to wage war enshrined in its post-World War Two constitution.

But the growing threat posed by North Korean ballistic missiles has spurred calls from politicians, including Onodera, for a more robust military that could deter North Korea from launching an attack. 
Japan&#39;s missile force has been limited to anti-aircraft and anti-ship munitions with ranges of less than 300 km (186 miles).&nbsp;

The change suggests the growing threat posed by North Korea has given proponents of a strike capability the upper hand in military planning.

North Korea has recently test-fired ballistic missiles over Japan and last week tested a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that climbed to an altitude of more than 4,000 km before splashing into the sea within Japan`s exclusive economic zone.&nbsp;

Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera did not refer to North Korea when announcing the planned acquisition and said the new missiles would be for defence, with Japan still relying on the United States to strike any enemy bases

Japan is to acquire medium-range, air-launched cruise missiles, capable of striking North Korea, a controversial purchase of what will become the longest-range munitions of a country that has renounced the right to wage war. Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera did not refer to North Korea when announcing the planned acquisition and said the new missiles would be for defence, with Japan still relying on the United States to strike any enemy bases. "We are planning to introduce the JSM (Joint Strike Missile) that will be mounted on the F-35A (stealth fighter) as 'stand-off' missiles that can be fired beyond the range of enemy threats," Onodera told a news conference. Japan is also looking to mount Lockheed Martin Corp's extended-range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM-ER) on its F-15 fighters, he said. The JSM, designed by Norway's Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, has a range of 500 km (310 miles). The JASSM-ER can hit targets 1,000 km away. The purchase plan is likely to face criticism from opposition parties in parliament, especially from politicians wary of the watering down of Japan's renunciation of the right to wage war enshrined in its post-World War Two constitution. But the growing threat posed by North Korean ballistic missiles has spurred calls from politicians, including Onodera, for a more robust military that could deter North Korea from launching an attack. Japan's missile force has been limited to anti-aircraft and anti-ship munitions with ranges of less than 300 km (186 miles). The change suggests the growing threat posed by North Korea has given proponents of a strike capability the upper hand in military planning. North Korea has recently test-fired ballistic missiles over Japan and last week tested a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that climbed to an altitude of more than 4,000 km before splashing into the sea within Japan`s exclusive economic zone.

Japan to acquire air-launched missiles able to strike North Korea

Ukraine denied on Monday that it had ever supplied defence technology to North Korea, responding to an article in the New York Times that said North Korea may have purchased rocket engines from Ukrainian factory&nbsp;Yuzhmash.

Concern that North Korea is close to achieving its goal of putting the mainland United States within the range of a nuclear weapon has raised global tensions in recent weeks. The United States is a key backer of Ukraine.

The secretary of the Ukrainian Security and Defence Council, Oleksandr Turchynov, said Ukraine &quot;has never supplied rocket engines or any kind of missile technology to North Korea.&quot;

State-owned Yuzhmash said it had not produced military-grade ballistic missiles since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

&quot;In the years of independence, Yuzhmash has not produced, and is not producing, missiles and military missile systems,&quot; it said in a statement published on their company&#39;s website.

President Donald Trump warned at the weekend that the US&nbsp;military was &quot;locked and loaded&quot; if North Korea acted unwisely after threatening last week to land missiles near the US&nbsp;Pacific territory of Guam.

North Korean officials, in turn, have accused the US&nbsp;leader of driving the Korean peninsula to the brink of nuclear war.

On Sunday, the head of the US&nbsp;Central Intelligence Agency said he would not be surprised if North Korea tested another missile after it conducted two tests in July.

State-owned Yuzhmash said it had not produced military-grade ballistic missiles since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991

Ukraine denied on Monday that it had ever supplied defence technology to North Korea, responding to an article in the New York Times that said North Korea may have purchased rocket engines from Ukrainian factory Yuzhmash. Concern that North Korea is close to achieving its goal of putting the mainland United States within the range of a nuclear weapon has raised global tensions in recent weeks. The United States is a key backer of Ukraine. The secretary of the Ukrainian Security and Defence Council, Oleksandr Turchynov, said Ukraine "has never supplied rocket engines or any kind of missile technology to North Korea." State-owned Yuzhmash said it had not produced military-grade ballistic missiles since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. "In the years of independence, Yuzhmash has not produced, and is not producing, missiles and military missile systems," it said in a statement published on their company's website. President Donald Trump warned at the weekend that the US military was "locked and loaded" if North Korea acted unwisely after threatening last week to land missiles near the US Pacific territory of Guam. North Korean officials, in turn, have accused the US leader of driving the Korean peninsula to the brink of nuclear war. On Sunday, the head of the US Central Intelligence Agency said he would not be surprised if North Korea tested another missile after it conducted two tests in July.

Ukraine denies selling missile technology to North Korea

After successful missile launches, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un often exchanges smiles and hugs with the same three men and shares a celebratory smoke with them.

The three, shown with Kim in photographs and TV footage in North Korean media, are of great interest to Western security and intelligence agencies since they are the top people in the secretive country&#39;s rapidly accelerating missile programme.

They include Ri Pyong Chol, a former top air force general; Kim Jong Sik, a veteran rocket scientist; and Jang Chang Ha, the head of a weapons development and procurement centre.

The photographs and TV footage show that the three are clearly Kim&#39;s favourites. Their behaviour with him is sharply at variance with the obsequiousness of other senior aides, most of whom bow and hold their hands over their mouths when speaking to the young leader.

Unlike most other officials, two of them have flown with Kim in his private plane Goshawk-1, named after North Korea&#39;s national bird, state TV has shown.

With their ruling Workers Party, military and scientific credentials, the trio is indispensable to North Korea&#39;s rapidly developing weapons programmes - the isolated nation has conducted two nuclear tests and dozens of missile launches since the beginning of last year, all in violation of UN&nbsp;resolutions.

&quot;Rather than going through bureaucrats, Kim Jong Un is keeping these technocrats right by his side, so that he can contact them directly and urge them to move fast. It reflects his urgency about missile development,&quot; said An Chan-il, a former North Korean military officer who has defected to the South and runs a think tank in Seoul.

Kim Jong Sik and Jang are not from elite families, unlike many other senior figures in North Korea&#39;s ruling class, North Korean leadership experts say. They said Ri, the former air force commander, has been to one of the better-regarded schools in North Korea, but he and the other two were hand-picked by Kim Jong Un.

&quot;Kim Jong Un is raising a new generation of people separate from his father&#39;s key aides,&quot; said a South Korean official with knowledge of the matter, referring to Kim Jong Il, who died in late 2011 leaving the younger Kim in charge.

The official requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/2017-05-26t012941z_2_lynxmped4o23o_rtroptp_4_northkorea-missiles-trio-20170526015807.JPG" />
<div class="media-description">
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the intermediate-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2&#39;s launch test with Kim Jong Sik (2nd L), Ri Pyong Chol (3rd L) and Jang Chang Ha (R) in this undated photo released by KCNA. (Reuters)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

THE &#39;BIG POTATO&#39;

The most prominent of the three is Ri, according to leadership experts.

Always shown smiling in photographs, he is now deputy director of the Workers&#39; Party Munitions Industry Department, which oversees the development of North Korea&#39;s ballistic missile programme, according to the South Korean government and US&nbsp;Treasury.

The department was blacklisted by the US&nbsp;Treasury in 2010 and Ri was named by the South Korean government last year for activities related to the country&#39;s weapons programmes.

&quot;The big potato in that trio of people is Ri Pyong Chol,&quot; said Michael Madden, an expert on the North Korean leadership. &quot;He&#39;s been around since before Kim Jong Un was even talked about with any seriousness&quot;.

Born in 1948, Ri was partly educated in Russia and promoted when Kim Jong Un started to rise through the ranks in the late 2000s, Madden and the South Korean government official said.

Ri has visited China once and Russia twice. He met China&#39;s defence minister in 2008 as the air force commander and accompanied Kim Jong Il on a visit to a Russian fighter jet factory in 2011, according to state media.

&quot;Ri looks like the party&#39;s guy in the missile programme,&quot; said Kim Jin-moo, an expert on North Korea&#39;s elite and former government think tank analyst in Seoul.

&nbsp;

THE ROCKET SCIENTIST

The rocket scientist in the trio is Kim Jong Sik. He started his career as a civilian aeronautics technician, but now wears the uniform of a military general at the Munitions Industry Department, according to experts and the South Korean government.

But it was his role in the North Korea&#39;s first successful launch of a rocket in 2012 which really helped him earn recognition, Madden said.

&quot;When that thing went off and entered into a lower earth orbit, he got credit for that,&quot; said Madden. &quot;The nuclear and missile guys under Kim Jong Un are getting their jobs based on merit&quot;.

Last year, Kim Jong Sik was at the National Aerospace Development Administration or &quot;NADA&quot;, North Korea&#39;s official space agency, where he escorted Kim Jong Un through the mission control room ahead of a successful long-range rocket launch in February.

State TV footage showed him riding to a launch site in Kim Jong Un&#39;s private plane. Upon arrival, he accompanied the young leader down the red carpet and received flowers from other senior officials.

Most other details, including his age, are not known.

&nbsp;

THE MYSTERY MAN

Of the three men, the least is known about Jang Chang Ha, president of the Academy of the National Defence Science, previously called the Second Academy of Natural Sciences.

The body is in charge of the secretive country&#39;s research and development of its advanced weapons systems, &quot;including missiles and probably nuclear weapons&quot;, the US&nbsp;Treasury said in 2010 in its decision to blacklist the group.

The organisation obtains technology, equipment, and information from overseas for use in weapons programmes, the Treasury said. Jang was added to the Treasury blacklist in December 2016.

Under Jang&#39;s leadership, the academy has around 15,000 staff, including some 3,000 missile engineers, according to South Korean media reports, citing unnamed sources.

North Korea&#39;s banned weapons programme began in the early 2000s with a similar trio of men close to the leadership who specialised in procurement, science and military affairs.

Of them, logistician Jon Pyong Ho has died. The others - scientist So Sang Guk and military coordinator O Kuk Ryol - are elderly and no longer in the public eye.

Their place, Madden said, has been taken by Kim Jong Un&#39;s hand-picked men.

&quot;These are the men bringing North Korea&#39;s missile programme into the 21st Century.&quot; he said.

(Reuters)

Western security officials are focusing on the three men who hug and smoke in celebration with Kim Jung Un after missile launches

After successful missile launches, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un often exchanges smiles and hugs with the same three men and shares a celebratory smoke with them. The three, shown with Kim in photographs and TV footage in North Korean media, are of great interest to Western security and intelligence agencies since they are the top people in the secretive country's rapidly accelerating missile programme. They include Ri Pyong Chol, a former top air force general; Kim Jong Sik, a veteran rocket scientist; and Jang Chang Ha, the head of a weapons development and procurement centre. The photographs and TV footage show that the three are clearly Kim's favourites. Their behaviour with him is sharply at variance with the obsequiousness of other senior aides, most of whom bow and hold their hands over their mouths when speaking to the young leader. Unlike most other officials, two of them have flown with Kim in his private plane Goshawk-1, named after North Korea's national bird, state TV has shown. With their ruling Workers Party, military and scientific credentials, the trio is indispensable to North Korea's rapidly developing weapons programmes - the isolated nation has conducted two nuclear tests and dozens of missile launches since the beginning of last year, all in violation of UN resolutions. "Rather than going through bureaucrats, Kim Jong Un is keeping these technocrats right by his side, so that he can contact them directly and urge them to move fast. It reflects his urgency about missile development," said An Chan-il, a former North Korean military officer who has defected to the South and runs a think tank in Seoul. Kim Jong Sik and Jang are not from elite families, unlike many other senior figures in North Korea's ruling class, North Korean leadership experts say. They said Ri, the former air force commander, has been to one of the better-regarded schools in North Korea, but he and the other two were hand-picked by Kim Jong Un. "Kim Jong Un is raising a new generation of people separate from his father's key aides," said a South Korean official with knowledge of the matter, referring to Kim Jong Il, who died in late 2011 leaving the younger Kim in charge. The official requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the intermediate-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2's launch test with Kim Jong Sik (2nd L), Ri Pyong Chol (3rd L) and Jang Chang Ha (R) in this undated photo released by KCNA. (Reuters) × THE 'BIG POTATO' The most prominent of the three is Ri, according to leadership experts. Always shown smiling in photographs, he is now deputy director of the Workers' Party Munitions Industry Department, which oversees the development of North Korea's ballistic missile programme, according to the South Korean government and US Treasury. The department was blacklisted by the US Treasury in 2010 and Ri was named by the South Korean government last year for activities related to the country's weapons programmes. "The big potato in that trio of people is Ri Pyong Chol," said Michael Madden, an expert on the North Korean leadership. "He's been around since before Kim Jong Un was even talked about with any seriousness". Born in 1948, Ri was partly educated in Russia and promoted when Kim Jong Un started to rise through the ranks in the late 2000s, Madden and the South Korean government official said. Ri has visited China once and Russia twice. He met China's defence minister in 2008 as the air force commander and accompanied Kim Jong Il on a visit to a Russian fighter jet factory in 2011, according to state media. "Ri looks like the party's guy in the missile programme," said Kim Jin-moo, an expert on North Korea's elite and former government think tank analyst in Seoul. THE ROCKET SCIENTIST The rocket scientist in the trio is Kim Jong Sik. He started his career as a civilian aeronautics technician, but now wears the uniform of a military general at the Munitions Industry Department, according to experts and the South Korean government. But it was his role in the North Korea's first successful launch of a rocket in 2012 which really helped him earn recognition, Madden said. "When that thing went off and entered into a lower earth orbit, he got credit for that," said Madden. "The nuclear and missile guys under Kim Jong Un are getting their jobs based on merit". Last year, Kim Jong Sik was at the National Aerospace Development Administration or "NADA", North Korea's official space agency, where he escorted Kim Jong Un through the mission control room ahead of a successful long-range rocket launch in February. State TV footage showed him riding to a launch site in Kim Jong Un's private plane. Upon arrival, he accompanied the young leader down the red carpet and received flowers from other senior officials. Most other details, including his age, are not known. THE MYSTERY MAN Of the three men, the least is known about Jang Chang Ha, president of the Academy of the National Defence Science, previously called the Second Academy of Natural Sciences. The body is in charge of the secretive country's research and development of its advanced weapons systems, "including missiles and probably nuclear weapons", the US Treasury said in 2010 in its decision to blacklist the group. The organisation obtains technology, equipment, and information from overseas for use in weapons programmes, the Treasury said. Jang was added to the Treasury blacklist in December 2016. Under Jang's leadership, the academy has around 15,000 staff, including some 3,000 missile engineers, according to South Korean media reports, citing unnamed sources. North Korea's banned weapons programme began in the early 2000s with a similar trio of men close to the leadership who specialised in procurement, science and military affairs. Of them, logistician Jon Pyong Ho has died. The others - scientist So Sang Guk and military coordinator O Kuk Ryol - are elderly and no longer in the public eye. Their place, Madden said, has been taken by Kim Jong Un's hand-picked men. "These are the men bringing North Korea's missile programme into the 21st Century." he said. (Reuters)

Kim's rocket stars: The trio behind North Korea's missile programme

Twenty two people were killed in an attack on a mosque during Friday prayers inside a military base in Yemen&#39;s Marib province, local officials said.

Two missiles were fired at the mosque located inside the military camp of Kofal in the west of Marib after a rocket was fired, the officials said.

Most of Marib is under the control of forces loyal to President Abd Rabbu Mansour al-Hadi. Iran-allied Houthis are battling his internationally recognised government.

(Reuters)

Two missiles were fired at the mosque located inside the Kofal military camp in the west of Marib after a rocket was fired, officials said

Twenty two people were killed in an attack on a mosque during Friday prayers inside a military base in Yemen's Marib province, local officials said. Two missiles were fired at the mosque located inside the military camp of Kofal in the west of Marib after a rocket was fired, the officials said. Most of Marib is under the control of forces loyal to President Abd Rabbu Mansour al-Hadi. Iran-allied Houthis are battling his internationally recognised government. (Reuters)

Yemen mosque attack: 22 killed

Since the &#39;Space Race&#39; era of exploration&nbsp;between United States and Soviet Union, space technology has witnessed major developments.

Astronomers have carried out the study of space with telescopes and have progressed to take forward&nbsp;physical exploration, both by unmanned robotic probes and human spaceflights.

Early space explorations were carried out for military, communications and security purposes&nbsp;but now space colonisation, or space humanisation, is also emerging as a new frontier.

If you want to know how we fare in terms of space travel in the future, have a look at some of the most kickass upcoming space missions:

<h2>Asteroid mining technology</h2>

This year, the world will witness the first flight in connection with the long-term goal of asteroid mining.&nbsp;The Prospector-X test flight&nbsp;is a precursor to the Prospector-1 mission&nbsp;and will test the company&rsquo;s water-based propulsion, avionics and navigation systems. If successful, the Prospector-1 mission will take place before the end of the decade.&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J0vkqQN44I4" width="970"></iframe>

<h2>Blue Origin&nbsp;</h2>

Jeff Bezos&rsquo;s Blue Origin private space firm has a manned test flight dated for early this year. It will be a sub-orbital hop rather than a full-fledged journey into orbit. They also have a space capsule offering&nbsp;large windows and space for up to six people.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-YJhymiZjqc" width="970"></iframe>

<h2>Cassini&#39;s grand finale</h2>

NASA&rsquo;s&nbsp;Cassini probe has been orbiting Saturn since 2004, and&nbsp;the space agency is set for a finale this year.&nbsp;Cassini will&nbsp;undertake 22&nbsp;orbits between the inner rings and the planet, capturing information and images. Once the&nbsp;orbits are complete, the probe will burn&nbsp;in Saturn&rsquo;s upper atmosphere.&nbsp;Cassini has made many important discoveries since its launch. It spotted liquid-hydrocarbon lakes on Titan and geysers of water ice blasting from the south polar region of Saturn&rsquo;s moon Enceladus.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/59Br_aZ5i3c" width="970"></iframe>

<h2>Chinese probe to&nbsp;land on moon and return with samples</h2>

This is perhaps the most ambitious mission undertaken by the Chinese space agency. So far, China has sent a rover to the moon, but returning back with samples is risky. Chang&rsquo;e 5 mission will see a lunar lander touching down on the moon, gathering samples and bringing them back to Earth. Returning back is difficult as the probe needs to be protected during re-entry.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lBM5swBrKdY" width="970"></iframe>

<h2>Dawn&#39;s mission&nbsp;</h2>

NASA&#39;s Dawn spacecraft will complete its task this year. The $467-million Dawn mission was launched in September 2007 to study Vesta and Ceres, the two largest objects in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The spacecraft has revealed a lot&nbsp;about dry, rocky Vesta and icy Ceres&nbsp;and has found evidence of water ice being&nbsp;common just beneath the dwarf planet&#39;s surface.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5OFgJwdZxRc" width="970"></iframe>

<h2>Exoplanet hunter</h2>

NASA will continue the search for exoplanets this year. It is teaming up with SpaceX to launch the TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) space telescope. TESS will monitor more than 200,000 stars for temporary drops in brightness caused by planetary transits. These planets range from gas giants to potential Earth-like planets. It will spend the early years looking for alien planets that cross the faces of their parent stars.&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZsPStvGgNuk" width="970"></iframe>

<h2>ESA to launch exoplanet telescope</h2>

The year will witness&nbsp;two space telescopes being launched.&nbsp;CHEOPS, one of the telescopes, will be looking at nearby stars&nbsp;already known to host exoplanets. This will give new information about existing planets.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mwf-zJ0bRb8" width="970"></iframe>

<h2>Falcon Heavy</h2>

Expected to launch in spring/summer, Falcon Heavy will be the most powerful rocket in the world. It will be&nbsp;capable of carrying 60 tons (54 metric tons) to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and 24.5 tons (22.2 metric tons) to the geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u26-CIDaazQ" width="970"></iframe>

<h2>Green alternative to chemical propulsion</h2>

NASA will be launching the Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM)&nbsp;for a new form of green propulsion, as an alternative to hydrazine, the fuel used today. It will lead to&nbsp;fuel loading becoming much safer, faster and less expensive. The alternative also has a higher density than hydrazine with a better thrust and a lower freezing point.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0rKYHLAThYc" width="970"></iframe>

<h2>Launching satellites from a Boeing 747</h2>

We have had plenty of satellites being launched into space from a jet aircraft, but firing satellites from a Boeing is completely unheard of. Virgin Galactic will be testing its new LauncherOne&nbsp;programme, which aims to carry&nbsp;a 200 kg payload&nbsp;into a &#39;sun synchronous orbit&#39;&nbsp;for less than $10 million.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L2OT8Fvo1zw" width="970"></iframe>

<h2>Private moon landing</h2>

For an award prize of&nbsp;$30 million, two companies will be fighting to land a robotic craft on the moon, a first for a private entity.&nbsp;Google&lsquo;s Lunar X Prize, in the form of Israel&rsquo;s SpaceIL and the USA&rsquo;s Moon Express programmes are looking to award the company which can achieve this feat. To win, they will not just land the spacecraft but will travel 500 metres and transmit HD video/pictures back to Earth.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cuXxBoSYmfc" width="970"></iframe>

<h2>Space debris</h2>

The mission is set to launch this year and will test a device that is aimed at capturing&nbsp;orbiting space debris. There will also be a system of spacing junk with an attached dragsail that will allow&nbsp;the existing&nbsp;debris to be pushed out of the orbit. If successful, we might just have less&nbsp;space junk floating around our planet.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ADVlDRmuooA" width="970"></iframe>

(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

&nbsp;

From mining asteroids to private space flights and even space tourism, here's what you can expect in space exploration in 2017

Since the 'Space Race' era of exploration between United States and Soviet Union, space technology has witnessed major developments. Astronomers have carried out the study of space with telescopes and have progressed to take forward physical exploration, both by unmanned robotic probes and human spaceflights. Early space explorations were carried out for military, communications and security purposes but now space colonisation, or space humanisation, is also emerging as a new frontier. If you want to know how we fare in terms of space travel in the future, have a look at some of the most kickass upcoming space missions: Asteroid mining technology This year, the world will witness the first flight in connection with the long-term goal of asteroid mining. The Prospector-X test flight is a precursor to the Prospector-1 mission and will test the company’s water-based propulsion, avionics and navigation systems. If successful, the Prospector-1 mission will take place before the end of the decade. Blue Origin Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin private space firm has a manned test flight dated for early this year. It will be a sub-orbital hop rather than a full-fledged journey into orbit. They also have a space capsule offering large windows and space for up to six people. Cassini's grand finale NASA’s Cassini probe has been orbiting Saturn since 2004, and the space agency is set for a finale this year. Cassini will undertake 22 orbits between the inner rings and the planet, capturing information and images. Once the orbits are complete, the probe will burn in Saturn’s upper atmosphere. Cassini has made many important discoveries since its launch. It spotted liquid-hydrocarbon lakes on Titan and geysers of water ice blasting from the south polar region of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Chinese probe to land on moon and return with samples This is perhaps the most ambitious mission undertaken by the Chinese space agency. So far, China has sent a rover to the moon, but returning back with samples is risky. Chang’e 5 mission will see a lunar lander touching down on the moon, gathering samples and bringing them back to Earth. Returning back is difficult as the probe needs to be protected during re-entry. Dawn's mission NASA's Dawn spacecraft will complete its task this year. The $467-million Dawn mission was launched in September 2007 to study Vesta and Ceres, the two largest objects in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The spacecraft has revealed a lot about dry, rocky Vesta and icy Ceres and has found evidence of water ice being common just beneath the dwarf planet's surface. Exoplanet hunter NASA will continue the search for exoplanets this year. It is teaming up with SpaceX to launch the TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) space telescope. TESS will monitor more than 200,000 stars for temporary drops in brightness caused by planetary transits. These planets range from gas giants to potential Earth-like planets. It will spend the early years looking for alien planets that cross the faces of their parent stars. ESA to launch exoplanet telescope The year will witness two space telescopes being launched. CHEOPS, one of the telescopes, will be looking at nearby stars already known to host exoplanets. This will give new information about existing planets. Falcon Heavy Expected to launch in spring/summer, Falcon Heavy will be the most powerful rocket in the world. It will be capable of carrying 60 tons (54 metric tons) to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and 24.5 tons (22.2 metric tons) to the geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). Green alternative to chemical propulsion NASA will be launching the Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) for a new form of green propulsion, as an alternative to hydrazine, the fuel used today. It will lead to fuel loading becoming much safer, faster and less expensive. The alternative also has a higher density than hydrazine with a better thrust and a lower freezing point. Launching satellites from a Boeing 747 We have had plenty of satellites being launched into space from a jet aircraft, but firing satellites from a Boeing is completely unheard of. Virgin Galactic will be testing its new LauncherOne programme, which aims to carry a 200 kg payload into a 'sun synchronous orbit' for less than $10 million. Private moon landing For an award prize of $30 million, two companies will be fighting to land a robotic craft on the moon, a first for a private entity. Google‘s Lunar X Prize, in the form of Israel’s SpaceIL and the USA’s Moon Express programmes are looking to award the company which can achieve this feat. To win, they will not just land the spacecraft but will travel 500 metres and transmit HD video/pictures back to Earth. Space debris The mission is set to launch this year and will test a device that is aimed at capturing orbiting space debris. There will also be a system of spacing junk with an attached dragsail that will allow the existing debris to be pushed out of the orbit. If successful, we might just have less space junk floating around our planet. (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

Out-of-the-world space expeditions

It is said that science fiction is about making the improbable seem possible. Writers of the genre postulate a world of the future. And while some of their ideas can end up remaining a fantasy, there are a number of times when their predictions have been right on the money.&nbsp;

Here&rsquo;s 9&nbsp;times sci-fi writers were spot-on about technological advancements:&nbsp;

<h2>Debit/Credit Cards</h2>

When Edward Bellamy wrote Looking Backward in 1888, people only relied on paper money. His book introduced the concept of universal credit where citizens of his future utopia carried a card that allowed them to spend on goods and services without paper money changing hands. The book was a huge success.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://wion.azureedge.net/photos/books_1-20161212084822.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Earphones</h2>

When Ray Bradbury published his dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 in 1953, portable audio already existed, but the headphones were ungainly and heavy. In his book, he talked about &ldquo;little seashells&hellip; thimble radios&rdquo; that brought an &ldquo;electronic ocean of sound, of music and talk and music and talk&rdquo;. Who would have then imagined that one day devices like in-ear earphones would become an integral part of people&rsquo;s daily lives.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://wion.azureedge.net/photos/books_6-20161212085416.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Electric Cars, Violence And Hookup Culture</h2>

John Brunner&rsquo;s Stand On Zanzibar was another piece of literature that was way ahead of its time. Published in 1969, his book painted a world that we are all too familiar with today: America plagued by random acts of violence like school shootings and terrorist attacks, cars powered by rechargeable electric fuel cells, men and women eschewing marriage for short-term and low commitment hookups. What was he thinking?&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://wion.azureedge.net/photos/books_8-20161212085717.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Stand On Zanzibar by John Brunner (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Geostationary Satellite Communications</h2>

In 1945, a pioneering science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke wrote a manuscript called The Space-Station: Its Radio Applications. He introduced for the first time, geosynchronous satellites being used for telecommunications relays and most importantly for television signals. Imagine a world without our televisions and scores of channels.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://wion.azureedge.net/photos/books_9-20161212085813.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
The Space-Station: Its Radio Applications by Arthur C. Clarke (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Moon Landing</h2>

Jules Verne wrote From The Earth To The Moon and predicted many aspects of the 1969 manned lunar landing of Apollo 11. Verne&rsquo;s astronauts were launched from a Florida site in an aluminium capsule. In the book, he even gave accurate calculations as to the amount of force that would be needed to propel the rocket out of Earth&rsquo;s atmosphere. We have gone much beyond the Moon now!

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://wion.azureedge.net/photos/books_3-20161212084933.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
From The Earth To The Moon by Jules Verne (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Nuclear Weapon</h2>

Robert Heinlein&rsquo;s 1940 short story Solution Unsatisfactory predicted a future world where America develops an atomic weapon that ends World War II unilaterally. After they use it, it spurs the rest of the world into a nuclear arms race to keep up. The story was written even before the United States entered World War II and five years before the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://wion.azureedge.net/photos/books_10-20161212085934.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Solution Unsatisfactory by Robert Heinlein (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Security Cameras</h2>

George Orwell wrote the book 1984 in 1949. In it, he spoke about the concept of a dystopian state monitored by an interconnected web of security cameras. It seemed absurd back then, but it is a reality now with round-the-clock security surveillance, cameras in both public and private spaces, GPS tracking and online tracking by government agencies. Orwell wrote about it all in his book.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://wion.azureedge.net/photos/books_5-20161212085316.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
1984 by George Orwell (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Tanks</h2>

H.G. Wells wrote the story The Land Ironclads which was published in the Strand Magazine in 1903. His story took the then-current technology of metal-hulled warships and put them on land, creating war machines- tanks. Wells&rsquo;s conceptualised modern day tanks were approximately 100 feet long and rolled on eight pairs of wheels, each of which had its own independent turning axle. A tower in the top of the machine let the captain survey the scene. In reality, the first tanks were deployed on the battlefield in 1916 during the battle of the Somme.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://wion.azureedge.net/photos/books_4-20161212085043.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
The Land Ironclads by H.G. Wells (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Video Chat</h2>

The first demonstration of consumer video conferencing was in the form of &lsquo;picturephone&rsquo; at the 1964 New York World&rsquo;s Fair. The technology has now come a long way with FaceTime and Skype becoming the standard means of long-distance communication. But all of this traces back to Hugo Gernsback&rsquo;s novel Ralph 124c 41+. The story was first printed in Modern Electrics magazine in 1911. It spoke about a device called the &ldquo;telephot&rdquo; that let people have eye contact while speaking across long distances.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://wion.azureedge.net/photos/books_7-20161212085540.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Ralph 124c 41+ by Hugo Gernsback (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

Paperless money, security cameras, nuclear weapons and more just stepped out of a book into our reality

It is said that science fiction is about making the improbable seem possible. Writers of the genre postulate a world of the future. And while some of their ideas can end up remaining a fantasy, there are a number of times when their predictions have been right on the money. Here’s 9 times sci-fi writers were spot-on about technological advancements: Debit/Credit Cards When Edward Bellamy wrote Looking Backward in 1888, people only relied on paper money. His book introduced the concept of universal credit where citizens of his future utopia carried a card that allowed them to spend on goods and services without paper money changing hands. The book was a huge success. Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy (WION) × Earphones When Ray Bradbury published his dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 in 1953, portable audio already existed, but the headphones were ungainly and heavy. In his book, he talked about “little seashells… thimble radios” that brought an “electronic ocean of sound, of music and talk and music and talk”. Who would have then imagined that one day devices like in-ear earphones would become an integral part of people’s daily lives. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (WION) × Electric Cars, Violence And Hookup Culture John Brunner’s Stand On Zanzibar was another piece of literature that was way ahead of its time. Published in 1969, his book painted a world that we are all too familiar with today: America plagued by random acts of violence like school shootings and terrorist attacks, cars powered by rechargeable electric fuel cells, men and women eschewing marriage for short-term and low commitment hookups. What was he thinking? Stand On Zanzibar by John Brunner (WION) × Geostationary Satellite Communications In 1945, a pioneering science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke wrote a manuscript called The Space-Station: Its Radio Applications. He introduced for the first time, geosynchronous satellites being used for telecommunications relays and most importantly for television signals. Imagine a world without our televisions and scores of channels. The Space-Station: Its Radio Applications by Arthur C. Clarke (WION) × Moon Landing Jules Verne wrote From The Earth To The Moon and predicted many aspects of the 1969 manned lunar landing of Apollo 11. Verne’s astronauts were launched from a Florida site in an aluminium capsule. In the book, he even gave accurate calculations as to the amount of force that would be needed to propel the rocket out of Earth’s atmosphere. We have gone much beyond the Moon now! From The Earth To The Moon by Jules Verne (WION) × Nuclear Weapon Robert Heinlein’s 1940 short story Solution Unsatisfactory predicted a future world where America develops an atomic weapon that ends World War II unilaterally. After they use it, it spurs the rest of the world into a nuclear arms race to keep up. The story was written even before the United States entered World War II and five years before the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Solution Unsatisfactory by Robert Heinlein (WION) × Security Cameras George Orwell wrote the book 1984 in 1949. In it, he spoke about the concept of a dystopian state monitored by an interconnected web of security cameras. It seemed absurd back then, but it is a reality now with round-the-clock security surveillance, cameras in both public and private spaces, GPS tracking and online tracking by government agencies. Orwell wrote about it all in his book. 1984 by George Orwell (WION) × Tanks H.G. Wells wrote the story The Land Ironclads which was published in the Strand Magazine in 1903. His story took the then-current technology of metal-hulled warships and put them on land, creating war machines- tanks. Wells’s conceptualised modern day tanks were approximately 100 feet long and rolled on eight pairs of wheels, each of which had its own independent turning axle. A tower in the top of the machine let the captain survey the scene. In reality, the first tanks were deployed on the battlefield in 1916 during the battle of the Somme. The Land Ironclads by H.G. Wells (WION) × Video Chat The first demonstration of consumer video conferencing was in the form of ‘picturephone’ at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. The technology has now come a long way with FaceTime and Skype becoming the standard means of long-distance communication. But all of this traces back to Hugo Gernsback’s novel Ralph 124c 41+. The story was first printed in Modern Electrics magazine in 1911. It spoke about a device called the “telephot” that let people have eye contact while speaking across long distances. Ralph 124c 41+ by Hugo Gernsback (WION) × (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

9 predictions by science-fiction writers that actually came true

Japan&nbsp;will develop a new land-to-sea missile as part of plans to beef up its defence of remote southern islands, as tensions with China increase over the disputed territory, a report said Sunday.

The two countries are locked in a long-running dispute over the uninhabited islets known as the Senkaku in&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;and the Diaoyu in China.

The report comes after repeated protests by Japanese foreign ministry officials over what Tokyo calls &quot;intrusions&quot; by Chinese ships in the territorial and contiguous waters of the rocky islands.

Tokyo plans to deploy the weapon, which reportedly will have a range of 300 kilometres (190 miles) on islands such as Miyako in Okinawa prefecture, the top-selling Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said, without citing sources.

The range will cover the disputed island chain, the Yomiuri said, adding that the deployment is expected by 2023.

Officials at the Defence Ministry could not be reached for comment.

&quot;In light of China&#39;s repeated acts of provocation around the Senkaku islands,&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;aims to increase deterrence with improved long-range strike capability,&quot; the newspaper stated.

The missile will be developed by&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;and will use solid fuel, the Yomiuri said, referring to the technology that allows for weapon&#39;s long-term storage and capacity to be launched at short notice.

Japan&nbsp;also protested in June after it said a Chinese navy frigate sailed close to territorial waters near the islands for the first time.

Tensions over the islands have been a frequent irritant and strained bilateral relations, though tensions had markedly relaxed over the past two years as the countries held talks. 
 
(AFP)

The two countries are locked in a long-running dispute over uninhabited islets known as Senkaku in?Japan?and Diaoyu in China

Japan will develop a new land-to-sea missile as part of plans to beef up its defence of remote southern islands, as tensions with China increase over the disputed territory, a report said Sunday. The two countries are locked in a long-running dispute over the uninhabited islets known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China. The report comes after repeated protests by Japanese foreign ministry officials over what Tokyo calls "intrusions" by Chinese ships in the territorial and contiguous waters of the rocky islands. Tokyo plans to deploy the weapon, which reportedly will have a range of 300 kilometres (190 miles) on islands such as Miyako in Okinawa prefecture, the top-selling Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said, without citing sources. The range will cover the disputed island chain, the Yomiuri said, adding that the deployment is expected by 2023. Officials at the Defence Ministry could not be reached for comment. "In light of China's repeated acts of provocation around the Senkaku islands, Japan aims to increase deterrence with improved long-range strike capability," the newspaper stated. The missile will be developed by Japan and will use solid fuel, the Yomiuri said, referring to the technology that allows for weapon's long-term storage and capacity to be launched at short notice. Japan also protested in June after it said a Chinese navy frigate sailed close to territorial waters near the islands for the first time. Tensions over the islands have been a frequent irritant and strained bilateral relations, though tensions had markedly relaxed over the past two years as the countries held talks. (AFP)

Japan to develop missiles amid rising hostility with China

Beijing has begun military drills in the South China Sea, state media reported today ahead of a ruling by an international arbitration court on a dispute with the Philippines over the strategic waters. 
 
The navy on Friday carried out &quot;combat exercises&quot; with &quot;live missiles&quot; between the Paracels and the southern Chinese island of Hainan, the PLA Daily, the military&#39;s official newspaper, said on its website. 
 
State television CCTV broadcast images of fighter aircraft and ships firing missiles, helicopters taking off and submarines surfacing. 
 
&quot;The drill focused on air control operations, sea battles and anti-submarine warfare&quot;, said the PLA Daily, whose article was reposted on the defence ministry website. 
 
The military manoeuvres come as the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is set to make its final decision on Tuesday in the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China. 
 
The PLA Daily however insisted they were &quot;routine exercises&quot; and unrelated to the court&#39;s ruling. 
 
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters in the face of rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours, most notably the Philippines and Vietnam. 
 
To bolster its claims it has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. 
 
Manila lodged its suit against Beijing in 2013, challenging China&#39;s claims to much of the strategic waterway and saying it was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories. 
 
Beijing has boycotted the proceedings, saying the court has no jurisdiction over the issue and that it will ignore the ruling. 
 
The Philippines said on Friday it was willing to share natural resources with Beijing in the contested seas even if it wins next week&#39;s legal challenge. 
 
Foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay told AFP that President Rodrigo Duterte&#39;s administration hoped to quickly begin direct talks with China following Tuesday&#39;s verdict. 
 
He said the negotiations could cover jointly exploiting natural gas reserves and fishing grounds within the Philippines&#39; exclusive economic zone. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The navy carried out 'combat exercises' with 'live missiles' between the Paracels and the southern Chinese island of Hainan

Beijing has begun military drills in the South China Sea, state media reported today ahead of a ruling by an international arbitration court on a dispute with the Philippines over the strategic waters. The navy on Friday carried out "combat exercises" with "live missiles" between the Paracels and the southern Chinese island of Hainan, the PLA Daily, the military's official newspaper, said on its website. State television CCTV broadcast images of fighter aircraft and ships firing missiles, helicopters taking off and submarines surfacing. "The drill focused on air control operations, sea battles and anti-submarine warfare", said the PLA Daily, whose article was reposted on the defence ministry website. The military manoeuvres come as the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is set to make its final decision on Tuesday in the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China. The PLA Daily however insisted they were "routine exercises" and unrelated to the court's ruling. China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters in the face of rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours, most notably the Philippines and Vietnam. To bolster its claims it has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. Manila lodged its suit against Beijing in 2013, challenging China's claims to much of the strategic waterway and saying it was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories. Beijing has boycotted the proceedings, saying the court has no jurisdiction over the issue and that it will ignore the ruling. The Philippines said on Friday it was willing to share natural resources with Beijing in the contested seas even if it wins next week's legal challenge. Foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay told AFP that President Rodrigo Duterte's administration hoped to quickly begin direct talks with China following Tuesday's verdict. He said the negotiations could cover jointly exploiting natural gas reserves and fishing grounds within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. (AFP)

Beijing holds South China Sea war games before Hague ruling

missiles

Missiles, News on Missiles, stories on Missiles, articles on Missiles, Missiles stories at Wion, Missiles news, Missiles latest news