US President Donald Trump took time out on Easter Sunday to deliver a terse message to North Korea: &quot;Got to behave.&quot;

Trump made the remark to a CNN reporter after kicking off the 139th annual Easter egg roll with First Lady Melania Trump.

Earlier in the day, the country&#39;s vice president Mike Pence warned&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;Monday not to test Donald Trump&#39;s resolve, declaring that &quot;all options are on the table&quot; in curbing its missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

Defying international pressure, the&nbsp;North&nbsp;Sunday test-fired another missile as fears grow that it may be preparing for its sixth atomic weapons test.

&quot;We hope to achieve this objective (the&nbsp;North&#39;s denuclearisation) through peaceful means but all options are on the table,&quot; Pence told a press conference in the South Korean capital after his trip to the tense border with the&nbsp;North.

&quot;Just in the past two weeks, the world witnessed the strength and resolve of our new president in actions taken in Syria and Afghanistan.

&quot;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;would do well not to test his resolve, or the strength of the armed forces of the United States in this region,&quot; Pence said at the press conference with South&nbsp;Korea&#39;s Acting President Hwang Kyo-Ahn.

Tensions between Pyongyang and Washington have soared in recent weeks, as a series of&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean missile tests have prompted ever-more bellicose warnings from Trump&#39;s administration.

The new and inexperienced US president has indicated he will not allow&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the western United States.

Pence declared that the era of US &quot;strategic patience&quot; in dealing with the&nbsp;North&nbsp;was over, after more than two decades.

North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;&quot;answered our overtures with wilful deception, broken promises and nuclear and missile tests&quot;, he said.

The US, which stations 28,500 troops in South&nbsp;Korea, would &quot;defeat any attack and we will meet any use of conventional or nuclear weapons with an overwhelming and effective response&quot;.

Pence&#39;s trip earlier Monday to the Demilitarised Zone between the two Koreas -- one of the most heavily fortified frontiers on the planet -- underscored Washington&#39;s changing policy towards the isolated state.

The visit came after a huge military parade Saturday during which&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;showcased apparent intercontinental ballistic missiles, and as a US carrier group converges on the Korean peninsula.

It also came the day after&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&#39;s latest launch -- which failed when the missile blew up seconds after blast-off.

Speaking at the village of Panmunjom inside the DMZ, Pence said America&#39;s relationship with South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;was &quot;ironclad and immutable&quot;.

Tensions&nbsp;

Pyongyang insists it needs a powerful arsenal -- including atomic weapons -- to protect itself from what it says is the ever-present threat of US invasion.

A top White House foreign policy adviser on Sunday became the latest Trump official to warn that while diplomatic pressure was preferable, US military action is very much on the table.

Pence urged the international community to join US and regional demands for an end to the&nbsp;North&#39;s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

&quot;It is heartening to see China commit to these actions. But the United States is troubled by China&#39;s economic retaliation against South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;for taking appropriate steps to defend itself,&quot; he said, referring to the US THAAD missile defence system.

The system being installed in South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;is designed to shoot down missiles from&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;or elsewhere. But China furiously objects to its deployment, saying it could spy on its own defence installations, and has taken apparent retaliatory action against South Korean firms operating in its country.

Pence said he and Trump &quot;have great confidence that China will properly deal with&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&quot;.

&quot;But as President Trump made clear just a few short days ago, if China is unable to deal with&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea, the United States and our allies will.&quot;

This is Pence&#39;s first visit to South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;-- part of an Asia swing that will also include stops in Japan, Indonesia and Australia -- and although it was conceived months ago, could hardly come at a time of higher tension.

(AFP)

Earlier in the day, Vice President Mike Pence said 'all options are on the table' to nullify North's nuclear programme

US President Donald Trump took time out on Easter Sunday to deliver a terse message to North Korea: "Got to behave." Trump made the remark to a CNN reporter after kicking off the 139th annual Easter egg roll with First Lady Melania Trump. Earlier in the day, the country's vice president Mike Pence warned North Korea Monday not to test Donald Trump's resolve, declaring that "all options are on the table" in curbing its missile and nuclear weapons programmes. Defying international pressure, the North Sunday test-fired another missile as fears grow that it may be preparing for its sixth atomic weapons test. "We hope to achieve this objective (the North's denuclearisation) through peaceful means but all options are on the table," Pence told a press conference in the South Korean capital after his trip to the tense border with the North. "Just in the past two weeks, the world witnessed the strength and resolve of our new president in actions taken in Syria and Afghanistan. "North Korea would do well not to test his resolve, or the strength of the armed forces of the United States in this region," Pence said at the press conference with South Korea's Acting President Hwang Kyo-Ahn. Tensions between Pyongyang and Washington have soared in recent weeks, as a series of North Korean missile tests have prompted ever-more bellicose warnings from Trump's administration. The new and inexperienced US president has indicated he will not allow North Korea to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the western United States. Pence declared that the era of US "strategic patience" in dealing with the North was over, after more than two decades. North Korea "answered our overtures with wilful deception, broken promises and nuclear and missile tests", he said. The US, which stations 28,500 troops in South Korea, would "defeat any attack and we will meet any use of conventional or nuclear weapons with an overwhelming and effective response". Pence's trip earlier Monday to the Demilitarised Zone between the two Koreas -- one of the most heavily fortified frontiers on the planet -- underscored Washington's changing policy towards the isolated state. The visit came after a huge military parade Saturday during which North Korea showcased apparent intercontinental ballistic missiles, and as a US carrier group converges on the Korean peninsula. It also came the day after North Korea's latest launch -- which failed when the missile blew up seconds after blast-off. Speaking at the village of Panmunjom inside the DMZ, Pence said America's relationship with South Korea was "ironclad and immutable". Tensions Pyongyang insists it needs a powerful arsenal -- including atomic weapons -- to protect itself from what it says is the ever-present threat of US invasion. A top White House foreign policy adviser on Sunday became the latest Trump official to warn that while diplomatic pressure was preferable, US military action is very much on the table. Pence urged the international community to join US and regional demands for an end to the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. "It is heartening to see China commit to these actions. But the United States is troubled by China's economic retaliation against South Korea for taking appropriate steps to defend itself," he said, referring to the US THAAD missile defence system. The system being installed in South Korea is designed to shoot down missiles from North Korea or elsewhere. But China furiously objects to its deployment, saying it could spy on its own defence installations, and has taken apparent retaliatory action against South Korean firms operating in its country. Pence said he and Trump "have great confidence that China will properly deal with North Korea". "But as President Trump made clear just a few short days ago, if China is unable to deal with North Korea, the United States and our allies will." This is Pence's first visit to South Korea -- part of an Asia swing that will also include stops in Japan, Indonesia and Australia -- and although it was conceived months ago, could hardly come at a time of higher tension. (AFP)

Trump's message to North Korea: 'Got to behave'

The United States is ruling nothing out in its dealings with North Korea, Vice President Mike Pence said Monday during a visit to the heavily militarised border between the two Koreas.

Washington wants to achieve security &quot;through peaceable means, through negotiations. But all options are on the table as we continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of South Korea,&quot; he said at the border village of Panmunjom.

Pence, speaking at Freedom House, a few metres from the military demarcation line that he described as a &quot;frontier of freedom&quot;, said America&#39;s relationship with South Korea was &quot;ironclad and immutable&quot;.

&quot;The message of the people of the United States of America is that we seek peace, but America has always sought peace through strength and my message here today standing with US forces Korea, standing with courageous soldiers from the Republic of Korea is a message of resolve.

&quot;The people of North Korea the military of North Korea should not mistake the resolve of the United States of America to stand with our allies.&quot;

Pence&#39;s visit to the DMZ comes a day after North Korea&#39;s latest missile test failed, when the rocket exploded seconds after blast off.

(AFP)

'... We seek peace, but America has always sought peace through strength,' the US vice president said

The United States is ruling nothing out in its dealings with North Korea, Vice President Mike Pence said Monday during a visit to the heavily militarised border between the two Koreas. Washington wants to achieve security "through peaceable means, through negotiations. But all options are on the table as we continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of South Korea," he said at the border village of Panmunjom. Pence, speaking at Freedom House, a few metres from the military demarcation line that he described as a "frontier of freedom", said America's relationship with South Korea was "ironclad and immutable". "The message of the people of the United States of America is that we seek peace, but America has always sought peace through strength and my message here today standing with US forces Korea, standing with courageous soldiers from the Republic of Korea is a message of resolve. "The people of North Korea the military of North Korea should not mistake the resolve of the United States of America to stand with our allies." Pence's visit to the DMZ comes a day after North Korea's latest missile test failed, when the rocket exploded seconds after blast off. (AFP)

'All options on table' with North Korea: Pence at DMZ

The United States, its allies and China are working together on a range of responses to North Korea&#39;s latest attempted ballistic missile test, US President Donald Trump&#39;s national security adviser said on Sunday, citing what he called an international consensus to act.

&quot;We are working together with our allies and partners and with the Chinese leadership to develop a range of options,&quot; national security adviser H R&nbsp;McMaster said on ABC&#39;s &quot;This Week&quot; program.

&quot;This latest missile test just fits into a pattern of provocative and destabilising and threatening behaviour on the part of the North Korean regime,&quot; McMaster said.

He said the president has asked the national security council to integrate the efforts of the Defense and State departments and US intelligence agencies to develop options if &quot;this pattern of behaviour continues and if the North Korean Regime refuses to denuclearise.&quot;

&quot;There is an international consensus now, including the Chinese leadership, that this is a situation that just cannot continue,&quot; McMaster said.

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<h5>McMaster said Trump has asked the national security council to integrate the efforts of the Defense and State departments and US intelligence agencies to develop options if &#39;this pattern of behavior continues and if the North Korean Regime refuses to denuclearise&#39;</h5>
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The North Korean missile &quot;blew up almost immediately&quot; after its test launch on Sunday, the US Pacific Command said.

Hours later US Vice President Mike Pence landed in South Korea for talks on the North&#39;s increasingly defiant arms programme. His visit comes a day after North Korea held a grand military parade in its capital city of Pyongyang, marking the birth anniversary of the state founder. What appeared to be new long-range ballistic missiles were on display in the parade.

Tensions have been steadily rising as Trump takes a hard rhetorical line with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who has rebuffed admonitions from China and proceeded with nuclear and missile programs seen by Washington as a direct threat.

Trump on Sunday acknowledged that the softer line he has taken on China&#39;s management of its currency was linked to China&#39;s help on the North Korea issue.

&quot;Why would I call China a currency manipulator when they are working with us on the North Korean problem? We will see what happens!&quot; Trump said on Twitter. Trump has backed away from a campaign promise to label China in that way.

South Korea said the North&#39;s latest show of force &quot;threatened the whole world&quot;.

But a US foreign policy adviser travelling with Pence on Air Force Two sought to defuse some of the tension, saying the test of what was believed to be a medium-range missile had come as no surprise.

&quot;We had good intelligence before the launch and good intelligence after the launch,&quot; the adviser told reporters on condition of anonymity.

&quot;It&#39;s a failed test. It follows another failed test. So really no need to reinforce their failure. We don&#39;t need to expend any resources against that.&quot;The adviser said the missile&#39;s flight lasted four or five seconds.

Pence, addressing an Easter service with American troops in South Korea, said the US commitment to South Korea was unwavering.

&quot;Let me assure you under President Trump&#39;s leadership, our resolve has never been stronger. Our commitment to this historic alliance with the courageous people of South Korea has never been stronger.&quot;

Pence was beginning a 10-day trip to Asia in what his aides said was a sign of US commitment to its ally in the face of rising tension.

The US nuclear-powered Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group is also heading to the region.&nbsp;

China, which Trump has urged to do more to rein in North Korea, has spoken out against its weapons tests and has supported UN sanctions. It has repeatedly called for talks while appearing increasingly frustrated with the North.

China banned imports of North Korean coal on February 26, cutting off its most important export. China&#39;s customs department issued an order on April 7 telling traders to return North Korean coal cargoes, said trading sources with knowledge of the order.

&nbsp;

Tensions Rise

Trump&#39;s decision to order a cruise missile strike on a Syrian airfield this month, in response to what he said was Syria&#39;s use of chemical weapons, raised questions about his plans for reclusive North Korea.

Pyongyang has conducted several missile and nuclear tests in defiance of UN sanctions, and regularly threatens to destroy South Korea and the United States.

&quot;The president has made clear that he will not accept the United States and its allies and partners in the region being under threat from this hostile regime with nuclear weapons,&quot; McMaster told ABC.

But McMaster, who was speaking from Kabul, Afghanistan, acknowledged the likelihood of North Korean retaliation if Washington uses military force in an attempt to stop its weapons programs.

&quot;What (is) particularly difficult about -- about dealing with this regime, is that it is unpredictable,&quot; he said.

&quot;It&#39;s time for us to undertake all actions we can, short of a military option, to try to resolve this peacefully,&quot; he said.

South Korea, which hosts 28,500 US troops and holds a presidential election on May 9, warned of punitive action if the Sunday launch led to further provocation.

&quot;North Korea showing a variety of offensive missiles at yesterday&#39;s military parade and daring to fire a ballistic missile today is a show of force that threatens the whole world,&quot; South Korea&#39;s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Impoverished North Korea and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

The North has warned of a nuclear strike against the United States if provoked. It has said it has developed and would launch a missile that can strike the mainland United States but officials and experts believe it is some time away from mastering the necessary technology, including miniaturising a nuclear warhead.

North Korea launched a ballistic missile from the same region this month, ahead of a summit between the United States and China in Florida to discuss the North&#39;s arms program.

But that missile, which US officials said appeared to be a liquid-fuelled, extended-range Scud, only flew about 60 km (40 miles), a fraction of its range, before spinning out of control.

Tension had escalated sharply amid concern the North may conduct a sixth nuclear test or a ballistic missile test around Saturday&#39;s 105th anniversary of the birth of founding father Kim Il Sung, what it calls the &quot;Day of the Sun&quot;.

China&#39;s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson exchanged views on the &quot;situation on the Korean peninsula&quot; by phone on Sunday, China&#39;s official Xinhua News Agency said. Yang said the two sides should maintain dialogue.

&nbsp;

Flower Show

In Pyongyang, there was a festive atmosphere at a flower show, with families out, taking pictures with North Korean-made smart phones. There was no mention of the test failure by the KCNA state news agency.

Company worker Rim Chung Ryol, 30, said he had not heard of the test. &quot;If it is a failure, then failure is the mother of success,&quot; he told Reuters.

Factory worker Ri Gul Chol, 37, also had not heard about the missile test. &quot;But whatever Kim Jong Un decides and instructs will succeed and all the citizens will support him,&quot; he said.

(Reuters)

'We are working together... to develop a range of options,' the US national security adviser said

The United States, its allies and China are working together on a range of responses to North Korea's latest attempted ballistic missile test, US President Donald Trump's national security adviser said on Sunday, citing what he called an international consensus to act. "We are working together with our allies and partners and with the Chinese leadership to develop a range of options," national security adviser H R McMaster said on ABC's "This Week" program. "This latest missile test just fits into a pattern of provocative and destabilising and threatening behaviour on the part of the North Korean regime," McMaster said. He said the president has asked the national security council to integrate the efforts of the Defense and State departments and US intelligence agencies to develop options if "this pattern of behaviour continues and if the North Korean Regime refuses to denuclearise." "There is an international consensus now, including the Chinese leadership, that this is a situation that just cannot continue," McMaster said. McMaster said Trump has asked the national security council to integrate the efforts of the Defense and State departments and US intelligence agencies to develop options if 'this pattern of behavior continues and if the North Korean Regime refuses to denuclearise' × The North Korean missile "blew up almost immediately" after its test launch on Sunday, the US Pacific Command said. Hours later US Vice President Mike Pence landed in South Korea for talks on the North's increasingly defiant arms programme. His visit comes a day after North Korea held a grand military parade in its capital city of Pyongyang, marking the birth anniversary of the state founder. What appeared to be new long-range ballistic missiles were on display in the parade. Tensions have been steadily rising as Trump takes a hard rhetorical line with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who has rebuffed admonitions from China and proceeded with nuclear and missile programs seen by Washington as a direct threat. Trump on Sunday acknowledged that the softer line he has taken on China's management of its currency was linked to China's help on the North Korea issue. "Why would I call China a currency manipulator when they are working with us on the North Korean problem? We will see what happens!" Trump said on Twitter. Trump has backed away from a campaign promise to label China in that way. South Korea said the North's latest show of force "threatened the whole world". But a US foreign policy adviser travelling with Pence on Air Force Two sought to defuse some of the tension, saying the test of what was believed to be a medium-range missile had come as no surprise. "We had good intelligence before the launch and good intelligence after the launch," the adviser told reporters on condition of anonymity. "It's a failed test. It follows another failed test. So really no need to reinforce their failure. We don't need to expend any resources against that."The adviser said the missile's flight lasted four or five seconds. Pence, addressing an Easter service with American troops in South Korea, said the US commitment to South Korea was unwavering. "Let me assure you under President Trump's leadership, our resolve has never been stronger. Our commitment to this historic alliance with the courageous people of South Korea has never been stronger." Pence was beginning a 10-day trip to Asia in what his aides said was a sign of US commitment to its ally in the face of rising tension. The US nuclear-powered Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group is also heading to the region. China, which Trump has urged to do more to rein in North Korea, has spoken out against its weapons tests and has supported UN sanctions. It has repeatedly called for talks while appearing increasingly frustrated with the North. China banned imports of North Korean coal on February 26, cutting off its most important export. China's customs department issued an order on April 7 telling traders to return North Korean coal cargoes, said trading sources with knowledge of the order. Tensions Rise Trump's decision to order a cruise missile strike on a Syrian airfield this month, in response to what he said was Syria's use of chemical weapons, raised questions about his plans for reclusive North Korea. Pyongyang has conducted several missile and nuclear tests in defiance of UN sanctions, and regularly threatens to destroy South Korea and the United States. "The president has made clear that he will not accept the United States and its allies and partners in the region being under threat from this hostile regime with nuclear weapons," McMaster told ABC. But McMaster, who was speaking from Kabul, Afghanistan, acknowledged the likelihood of North Korean retaliation if Washington uses military force in an attempt to stop its weapons programs. "What (is) particularly difficult about -- about dealing with this regime, is that it is unpredictable," he said. "It's time for us to undertake all actions we can, short of a military option, to try to resolve this peacefully," he said. South Korea, which hosts 28,500 US troops and holds a presidential election on May 9, warned of punitive action if the Sunday launch led to further provocation. "North Korea showing a variety of offensive missiles at yesterday's military parade and daring to fire a ballistic missile today is a show of force that threatens the whole world," South Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Impoverished North Korea and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The North has warned of a nuclear strike against the United States if provoked. It has said it has developed and would launch a missile that can strike the mainland United States but officials and experts believe it is some time away from mastering the necessary technology, including miniaturising a nuclear warhead. North Korea launched a ballistic missile from the same region this month, ahead of a summit between the United States and China in Florida to discuss the North's arms program. But that missile, which US officials said appeared to be a liquid-fuelled, extended-range Scud, only flew about 60 km (40 miles), a fraction of its range, before spinning out of control. Tension had escalated sharply amid concern the North may conduct a sixth nuclear test or a ballistic missile test around Saturday's 105th anniversary of the birth of founding father Kim Il Sung, what it calls the "Day of the Sun". China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson exchanged views on the "situation on the Korean peninsula" by phone on Sunday, China's official Xinhua News Agency said. Yang said the two sides should maintain dialogue. Flower Show In Pyongyang, there was a festive atmosphere at a flower show, with families out, taking pictures with North Korean-made smart phones. There was no mention of the test failure by the KCNA state news agency. Company worker Rim Chung Ryol, 30, said he had not heard of the test. "If it is a failure, then failure is the mother of success," he told Reuters. Factory worker Ri Gul Chol, 37, also had not heard about the missile test. "But whatever Kim Jong Un decides and instructs will succeed and all the citizens will support him," he said. (Reuters)

US, allies & China mulling responses to North Korea missile tests: McMaster

Pope Francis denounced &quot;oppressive regimes&quot; in his Easter message on Sunday but in an apparent call for restraint urged world leaders to prevent the spread of conflicts, as tensions rose in North Korea and Syria.

Francis, marking the fifth Easter season of his pontificate, said Mass before tens of thousands of people under exceptional security measures in St Peter&#39;s Square following recent vehicle attacks against pedestrians in London and Stockholm.

More police vans and army vehicles than usual were positioned at the entrances to the Vatican area and the faithful were stopped at several check points leading into the square, which was decorated with 35,000 flowers and trees.

In his Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message, delivered from the central balcony of St Peter&#39;s Basilica, Francis spoke of a world lacerated by conflicts and laced with tensions.

From the same balcony from where he first appeared to the world on the night of his election in 2013, Francis spoke of God walking &quot;beside all those forced to leave their homelands as a result of armed conflicts, terrorist attacks, famine and oppressive regimes&quot;.

He did not name any specific governments.

&quot;In the complex and often dramatic situations of today&#39;s world, may the Risen Lord guide the steps of all those who work for justice and peace. May he grant the leaders of nations the courage they need to prevent the spread of conflicts and to put a halt to the arms trade,&quot; he said.

Francis spoke hours after North Korea warned the United States to end its &quot;military hysteria&quot; or face retaliation as a US aircraft carrier group steamed towards the region and the reclusive state marked the 105th birth anniversary of its founding father.

Concern has grown since the US Navy fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield last week in response to a deadlygas attack. That raised questions about US President DonaldTrump&#39;s plans for North Korea, which has conducted missile andnuclear tests in defiance of United Nations and unilateral sanctions.

Francis also condemned the bomb blast on a crowded Syrian bus convoy that killed at least 112 people outside Aleppo as an &quot;ignoble&quot; attack, asking God to bring healing and comfort to civilian population in what he called the &quot;beloved and martyred Syria&quot;.

Speaking on the most important day in the Christian liturgical calendar, he called for peace in South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ukraine.

A surprise downpour hit Rome as the Mass was held but it passed quickly, allowing Francis to ride around in an open popemobile so people at the back of the crowd could see him.

Repeatedly during Holy Week services, Francis has drawn attention to the plight of war victims, refugees and migrants.

On Good Friday, he spoke of the &quot;shame&quot; of humanity becoming inured to daily scenes of bombed cities and drowning migrants.

(Reuters)

Francis urged world leaders to prevent spread of conflict as tensions are on the rise in the Korean peninsula and Syria

Pope Francis denounced "oppressive regimes" in his Easter message on Sunday but in an apparent call for restraint urged world leaders to prevent the spread of conflicts, as tensions rose in North Korea and Syria. Francis, marking the fifth Easter season of his pontificate, said Mass before tens of thousands of people under exceptional security measures in St Peter's Square following recent vehicle attacks against pedestrians in London and Stockholm. More police vans and army vehicles than usual were positioned at the entrances to the Vatican area and the faithful were stopped at several check points leading into the square, which was decorated with 35,000 flowers and trees. In his Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message, delivered from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica, Francis spoke of a world lacerated by conflicts and laced with tensions. From the same balcony from where he first appeared to the world on the night of his election in 2013, Francis spoke of God walking "beside all those forced to leave their homelands as a result of armed conflicts, terrorist attacks, famine and oppressive regimes". He did not name any specific governments. "In the complex and often dramatic situations of today's world, may the Risen Lord guide the steps of all those who work for justice and peace. May he grant the leaders of nations the courage they need to prevent the spread of conflicts and to put a halt to the arms trade," he said. Francis spoke hours after North Korea warned the United States to end its "military hysteria" or face retaliation as a US aircraft carrier group steamed towards the region and the reclusive state marked the 105th birth anniversary of its founding father. Concern has grown since the US Navy fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield last week in response to a deadlygas attack. That raised questions about US President DonaldTrump's plans for North Korea, which has conducted missile andnuclear tests in defiance of United Nations and unilateral sanctions. Francis also condemned the bomb blast on a crowded Syrian bus convoy that killed at least 112 people outside Aleppo as an "ignoble" attack, asking God to bring healing and comfort to civilian population in what he called the "beloved and martyred Syria". Speaking on the most important day in the Christian liturgical calendar, he called for peace in South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ukraine. A surprise downpour hit Rome as the Mass was held but it passed quickly, allowing Francis to ride around in an open popemobile so people at the back of the crowd could see him. Repeatedly during Holy Week services, Francis has drawn attention to the plight of war victims, refugees and migrants. On Good Friday, he spoke of the "shame" of humanity becoming inured to daily scenes of bombed cities and drowning migrants. (Reuters)

On Easter, Pope Francis denounces 'oppressive regimes'

North Korea on Saturday exhibited several ballistic missiles, including a possible new intercontinental missile (ICBM), during the military parade held to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the country&#39;s founder amid increased tensions with the United States.

During the parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, former president and founder of the country, the regime presented a hitherto unseen projectile mounted on trucks driving through the centre of the capital, prompting speculation that it might be a new ICBM powered by solid fuel.

However, experts were still analysing features of this new projectile, which could yet turn out to be just a model, as analysts have said in the past the North sometimes presents mock-ups of missiles that are still under development.

Earlier this year, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, who presided over Saturday&#39;s parade, warned that the country was in the process of finalizing the development of an ICBM that would be capable of reaching US territory.

In addition to Saturday&#39;s show of medium-range Musudan missiles and the KN-08, which can be launched from mobile platforms but has yet to be tested successfully, several of the regime&#39;s latest developments, such as the Pukguksong-1 and Pukguksong-2, were also displayed to the public for the first time during the parade through Kim Il-sung Square.

The first of these is a ballistic missile launched from a submarine (SLBM) and the second is a medium-range missile, also launched from a mobile platform, that was tested on Apr. 5, to which Washington responded this week by sending an aircraft carrier to the peninsula.

Washington has also hinted that it has looked into the possibility of a pre-emptive strike against North Korea to block any further development of the Juche regime&#39;s weapons development program.&nbsp;

The parade comes at a time of increased regional tension, after Washington this week reacted to Pyongyang&#39;s most recent weapons tests by sending the US Navy&#39;s Carrier Strike Group 1, which includes submarines and an aircraft carrier, to the Korean peninsula.

Satellite images released on Thursday purportedly showed advanced preparations for a potential nuclear test at Punggye-ri in North Korea.

A spokesman for Korean People&#39;s Army responded on Friday by threatening to &quot;ruthlessly ravage&quot; the US if it chose to launch a preemptive strike, blaming &quot;the Trump administration&#39;s reckless military provocation&quot; for the current regional unease.

As well as celebrating the Day of the Sun, the nation&#39;s most important holiday, North Korea is also preparing to mark the 85th anniversary of the Korean People&#39;s Army on Apr. 25.

(EFE)

North Korea presented a hitherto unseen projectile mounted on trucks prompting speculation that it might be a new ICBM

North Korea on Saturday exhibited several ballistic missiles, including a possible new intercontinental missile (ICBM), during the military parade held to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the country's founder amid increased tensions with the United States. During the parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, former president and founder of the country, the regime presented a hitherto unseen projectile mounted on trucks driving through the centre of the capital, prompting speculation that it might be a new ICBM powered by solid fuel. However, experts were still analysing features of this new projectile, which could yet turn out to be just a model, as analysts have said in the past the North sometimes presents mock-ups of missiles that are still under development. Earlier this year, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, who presided over Saturday's parade, warned that the country was in the process of finalizing the development of an ICBM that would be capable of reaching US territory. In addition to Saturday's show of medium-range Musudan missiles and the KN-08, which can be launched from mobile platforms but has yet to be tested successfully, several of the regime's latest developments, such as the Pukguksong-1 and Pukguksong-2, were also displayed to the public for the first time during the parade through Kim Il-sung Square. The first of these is a ballistic missile launched from a submarine (SLBM) and the second is a medium-range missile, also launched from a mobile platform, that was tested on Apr. 5, to which Washington responded this week by sending an aircraft carrier to the peninsula. Washington has also hinted that it has looked into the possibility of a pre-emptive strike against North Korea to block any further development of the Juche regime's weapons development program. The parade comes at a time of increased regional tension, after Washington this week reacted to Pyongyang's most recent weapons tests by sending the US Navy's Carrier Strike Group 1, which includes submarines and an aircraft carrier, to the Korean peninsula. Satellite images released on Thursday purportedly showed advanced preparations for a potential nuclear test at Punggye-ri in North Korea. A spokesman for Korean People's Army responded on Friday by threatening to "ruthlessly ravage" the US if it chose to launch a preemptive strike, blaming "the Trump administration's reckless military provocation" for the current regional unease. As well as celebrating the Day of the Sun, the nation's most important holiday, North Korea is also preparing to mark the 85th anniversary of the Korean People's Army on Apr. 25. (EFE)

As tensions mount, North Korea displays potential new ICBM on day marking founder's anniversary

North Korea warned the United States to end its &quot;military hysteria&quot; on Saturday or face retaliation as a US aircraft carrier group steamed towards the region amid fears the North may conduct a sixth nuclear weapons test.

Hundreds of military trucks carrying cheering and singing people headed for a parade marking the 105th anniversary of the birth of the country&#39;s founding father, celebrations that coincide with the latest threat by the reclusive state against the United States and President Donald Trump.

Concern has grown since the US Navy fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield last week in response to a deadly gas attack. That raised questions about Trump&#39;s plans for North Korea, which has conducted missile and nuclear tests in defiance of UN and unilateral sanctions.

&quot;All the brigandish provocative moves of the U.S. in the political, economic and military fields pursuant to its hostile policy toward the DPRK will thoroughly be foiled through the toughest counteraction of the army and people of the DPRK,&quot; North Korea&#39;s KCNA news agency said, citing a spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People&#39;s Army.

DPRK stands for the official name of North Korea, the Democratic People&#39;s Republic of Korea.

&quot;Our toughest counteraction against the US and its vassal forces will be taken in such a merciless manner as not to allow the aggressors to survive.&quot;

It said the Trump administration&#39;s &quot;serious military hysteria&quot; has reached a &quot;dangerous phase which can no longer be overlooked.&quot;

The United States has warned that a policy of &quot;strategic patience&quot; with North Korea is over. US Vice President Mike Pence travels to South Korea on Sunday on a long-planned 10-day trip to Asia.

China, North Korea&#39;s sole major ally and neighbour which nevertheless opposes its weapons programme, on Friday again called for talks to defuse the crisis.

&quot;We call on all parties to refrain from provoking and threatening each other, whether in words or actions, and not let the situation get to an irreversible and unmanageable stage,&quot; Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters in Beijing.

North Korea on Friday denounced the United States for bringing &quot;huge nuclear strategic assets&quot; to the region as the USS Carl Vinson strike group with a flag-ship nuclear-powered aircraft carrier steamed closer, and said it stood ready to strike back.

&quot;The Trump administration, which made a surprise guided cruise-missile strike on Syria on April 6, has entered the path of open threat and blackmail,&quot; KCNA quoted the military as saying in a statement.

&quot;The army and people of the DPRK will as ever courageously counter those who encroach upon the dignity and sovereignty of the DPRK and will always mercilessly ravage all provocative options of the US with Korean-style toughest counteraction.&quot;

North Korea, still technically at war with the South after their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce but not a treaty, has on occasion conducted missile or nuclear tests to coincide with big political events and often threatens the United States, South Korea and Japan.

Saturday marks the &quot;Day of the Sun,&quot; the 105th anniversary of the birth of state founder Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un.

(Reuters)

Concern has grown since the US Navy fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield last week in response to a deadly gas attack

North Korea warned the United States to end its "military hysteria" on Saturday or face retaliation as a US aircraft carrier group steamed towards the region amid fears the North may conduct a sixth nuclear weapons test. Hundreds of military trucks carrying cheering and singing people headed for a parade marking the 105th anniversary of the birth of the country's founding father, celebrations that coincide with the latest threat by the reclusive state against the United States and President Donald Trump. Concern has grown since the US Navy fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield last week in response to a deadly gas attack. That raised questions about Trump's plans for North Korea, which has conducted missile and nuclear tests in defiance of UN and unilateral sanctions. "All the brigandish provocative moves of the U.S. in the political, economic and military fields pursuant to its hostile policy toward the DPRK will thoroughly be foiled through the toughest counteraction of the army and people of the DPRK," North Korea's KCNA news agency said, citing a spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army. DPRK stands for the official name of North Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "Our toughest counteraction against the US and its vassal forces will be taken in such a merciless manner as not to allow the aggressors to survive." It said the Trump administration's "serious military hysteria" has reached a "dangerous phase which can no longer be overlooked." The United States has warned that a policy of "strategic patience" with North Korea is over. US Vice President Mike Pence travels to South Korea on Sunday on a long-planned 10-day trip to Asia. China, North Korea's sole major ally and neighbour which nevertheless opposes its weapons programme, on Friday again called for talks to defuse the crisis. "We call on all parties to refrain from provoking and threatening each other, whether in words or actions, and not let the situation get to an irreversible and unmanageable stage," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters in Beijing. North Korea on Friday denounced the United States for bringing "huge nuclear strategic assets" to the region as the USS Carl Vinson strike group with a flag-ship nuclear-powered aircraft carrier steamed closer, and said it stood ready to strike back. "The Trump administration, which made a surprise guided cruise-missile strike on Syria on April 6, has entered the path of open threat and blackmail," KCNA quoted the military as saying in a statement. "The army and people of the DPRK will as ever courageously counter those who encroach upon the dignity and sovereignty of the DPRK and will always mercilessly ravage all provocative options of the US with Korean-style toughest counteraction." North Korea, still technically at war with the South after their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce but not a treaty, has on occasion conducted missile or nuclear tests to coincide with big political events and often threatens the United States, South Korea and Japan. Saturday marks the "Day of the Sun," the 105th anniversary of the birth of state founder Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un. (Reuters)

North Korea warns of retaliation in face of US 'military hysteria'

China issued a stern warning Friday that a conflict over North Korea could break out &quot;at any moment&quot;, as Pyongyang vowed a &quot;merciless&quot; response to any US military action. 
 
Tensions in the region have surged to fresh heights in recent days with speculation mounting that the North is preparing a sixth nuclear test.&nbsp; 
 
A US naval strike force has been deployed near the Korean peninsula, and President Donald Trump has issued stark warnings that the threat posed by Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear weapons programme &quot;will be taken care of&quot;. 
 
A clearly rattled China, under pressure from Trump to prevent any North Korean provocation, said the situation had reached breaking point. 
 
&quot;One has the feeling that a conflict could break out at any moment,&quot; Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;If a war occurs, the result is a situation in which everybody loses and there can be no winner,&quot; he added during a joint press conference in Beijing with the visiting French foreign minister. 
 
Wang`s comments mirrored a warning from the North Korean foreign ministry`s Institute for Disarmament and Peace that &quot;thermo-nuclear war may break out any moment&quot;. North Korea has invoked similarly dire scenarios on previous occasions when tensions on the Korean peninsula have spiked, but Beijing`s warnings have fuelled international concerns that the current situation is reaching tipping point. 
 
The North&#39;s Korean People`s Army (KPA) added its voice to the bellicose rhetoric on Friday with a statement threatening strikes against US military bases and other targets in South Korea. 
 
&quot;The closer such big targets as nuclear powered aircraft carriers come, the greater would be the effect of merciless strikes,&quot; said the statement carried by the North`s official KCNA news agency. 
Citing the recent missile strike Trump ordered against Syria -- which was widely interpreted as a warning to Pyongyang -- the KPA denounced the US president for embarking on a path of &quot;open threat and blackmail&quot; against the North. 
 
It also urged Washington to &quot;come to its senses&quot; and find a &quot;proper&quot; solution to the current stand-off.&nbsp; 
 
Trump&#39;s military muscle-flexing was on display again Thursday when the US on dropped the biggest non-nuclear bomb it possesses on Afghanistan, targeting a complex used by the Islamic State group. 
 
The American president has repeatedly said he will prevent Pyongyang from its goal of developing a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile capable of reaching the mainland United States. 
 
A White House foreign policy advisor said Friday that the US was assessing military options, and added that another provocative test was a question of &quot;when&quot; rather than &quot;if.&quot; 
 
Satellite imagery analysis has noted activity at the North`s main nuclear test site ahead of Saturday`s 105th anniversary of the birth of the country`s founder leader Kim Il-Sung.The North&#39;s sabre-rattling has encouraged a rapprochement between Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, who met face-to-face for the first time late last week at Trump`s Mar-a-Lago resort.&nbsp; 
 
Though his election campaign was marked with acerbic denouncements of China`s &quot;rape&quot; of the US economy, Trump dropped his anti-China bombast in Florida, afterwards hailing an &quot;outstanding&quot; relationship with Xi.&nbsp; 
 
But he insists China -- the North`s sole major ally and economic lifeline -- must exert more leverage on Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear ambitions or suffer the consequences. 
 
Beijing has long opposed dramatic action against the North, fearing the regime`s collapse would send a flood of refugees across its borders and leave the US military on its doorstep. 
 
China&#39;s state broadcaster CCTV announced Friday that Air China -- the only foreign carrier operating commercial flights into North Korea -- would suspend services to Pyongyang from next week. 
The report gave no reason for the suspension, but noted that Air China has taken similar action in the past because of low passenger volumes. 
 
Despite the mounting tensions, there has been little sign of strain on the streets of Pyongyang in recent days, where the focus has been on preparations for Saturday`s anniversary. 
 
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on Thursday unveiled the sprawling Ryomyong street development, a prestige housing project repeatedly promised in time to mark the occasion.&nbsp; 
 
Before the international press and tens of thousands of his adoring citizens, he cut a wide red ribbon to rhythmic cheers, before waving and returning to his Mercedes limousine.&nbsp;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

A US naval strike force has been deployed near the Korean peninsula. A clearly rattled China says the situation has reached breaking point

China issued a stern warning Friday that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment", as Pyongyang vowed a "merciless" response to any US military action. Tensions in the region have surged to fresh heights in recent days with speculation mounting that the North is preparing a sixth nuclear test. A US naval strike force has been deployed near the Korean peninsula, and President Donald Trump has issued stark warnings that the threat posed by Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme "will be taken care of". A clearly rattled China, under pressure from Trump to prevent any North Korean provocation, said the situation had reached breaking point. "One has the feeling that a conflict could break out at any moment," Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said. "If a war occurs, the result is a situation in which everybody loses and there can be no winner," he added during a joint press conference in Beijing with the visiting French foreign minister. Wang`s comments mirrored a warning from the North Korean foreign ministry`s Institute for Disarmament and Peace that "thermo-nuclear war may break out any moment". North Korea has invoked similarly dire scenarios on previous occasions when tensions on the Korean peninsula have spiked, but Beijing`s warnings have fuelled international concerns that the current situation is reaching tipping point. The North's Korean People`s Army (KPA) added its voice to the bellicose rhetoric on Friday with a statement threatening strikes against US military bases and other targets in South Korea. "The closer such big targets as nuclear powered aircraft carriers come, the greater would be the effect of merciless strikes," said the statement carried by the North`s official KCNA news agency. Citing the recent missile strike Trump ordered against Syria -- which was widely interpreted as a warning to Pyongyang -- the KPA denounced the US president for embarking on a path of "open threat and blackmail" against the North. It also urged Washington to "come to its senses" and find a "proper" solution to the current stand-off. Trump's military muscle-flexing was on display again Thursday when the US on dropped the biggest non-nuclear bomb it possesses on Afghanistan, targeting a complex used by the Islamic State group. The American president has repeatedly said he will prevent Pyongyang from its goal of developing a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile capable of reaching the mainland United States. A White House foreign policy advisor said Friday that the US was assessing military options, and added that another provocative test was a question of "when" rather than "if." Satellite imagery analysis has noted activity at the North`s main nuclear test site ahead of Saturday`s 105th anniversary of the birth of the country`s founder leader Kim Il-Sung.The North's sabre-rattling has encouraged a rapprochement between Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, who met face-to-face for the first time late last week at Trump`s Mar-a-Lago resort. Though his election campaign was marked with acerbic denouncements of China`s "rape" of the US economy, Trump dropped his anti-China bombast in Florida, afterwards hailing an "outstanding" relationship with Xi. But he insists China -- the North`s sole major ally and economic lifeline -- must exert more leverage on Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear ambitions or suffer the consequences. Beijing has long opposed dramatic action against the North, fearing the regime`s collapse would send a flood of refugees across its borders and leave the US military on its doorstep. China's state broadcaster CCTV announced Friday that Air China -- the only foreign carrier operating commercial flights into North Korea -- would suspend services to Pyongyang from next week. The report gave no reason for the suspension, but noted that Air China has taken similar action in the past because of low passenger volumes. Despite the mounting tensions, there has been little sign of strain on the streets of Pyongyang in recent days, where the focus has been on preparations for Saturday`s anniversary. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on Thursday unveiled the sprawling Ryomyong street development, a prestige housing project repeatedly promised in time to mark the occasion. Before the international press and tens of thousands of his adoring citizens, he cut a wide red ribbon to rhythmic cheers, before waving and returning to his Mercedes limousine. (AFP)

China warns of war 'at any moment' as North Korea vows 'merciless' response to US

A spokesperson for North Korea's foreign ministry said the country is 'ready to react to any mode of war desired by the US'

India has been struggling to keep its tallest tricolour fluttering at 360 feet in Attari on the Indo-Pakistan border in Amritsar against high velocity winds. The administration in Amritsar has now decided to hoist the flag only after getting an expert opinion from the Home Ministry. The tricolour, which is 120 x 80 feet wide and weighs a 100 kilograms, was hoisted on the Wagah border on March 5. Since then its fabric has been replaced a few times. The wire supporting the flag pole also snapped a couple of times. It was replaced four times in the past one month and had to be brought down again after it was damaged last week. "Frequently bringing the flag down for repair or replacing the torn fabric is not appropriate. It hurts people's sentiments. So, we have written to the Home Ministry to form a committee of experts," Amritsar deputy commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha told DNA. There are specific guidelines under the Flag Code of India, 2010, which need to be adhered to while hoisting the flag. The flag cost more than 100,000 Rs, officials told DNA. (WION with inputs from DNA)

North Korea vows response to 'reckless' US Navy move

China has agreed to &quot;strong&quot; new measures to punish North Korea if it carries out a nuclear test, Seoul said today after the US signalled it may act to shut down Pyongyang&#39;s weapons programme.

South Korea&#39;s top nuclear envoy made the comment after talks with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei, as the US sent a naval strike group to the region in a show of force.

&quot;We agreed that there should be strong additional measures based on UN Security Council resolutions if the North pushes ahead with a nuclear test or an ICBM launch despite warnings from the international community,&quot; Kim Hong-Kyun told reporters.

The North may stage a &quot;strategic provocation&quot; to mark key political dates this month, Kim said, adding that Wu&#39;s visit would serve as a &quot;strong warning&quot; against Pyongyang. Wu did not speak to the media after the talks.

China is the isolated country&#39;s sole major ally and economic lifeline, and Beijing in February suspended all coal imports from the North in punishment for Pyongyang&#39;s latest missile test.

Speculation of an imminent nuclear test is brewing as the North marks anniversaries including the 105th birthday of its founding leader on Saturday -- sometimes celebrated with a demonstration of military might.

President Donald Trump, fresh from a missile strike on Syria that was widely interpreted as a warning to North Korea, has asked his advisors for a range of options to rein in its ambitions, a top US official said yesterday.

The talks between Kim and Wu came shortly after Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a summit at which he pressed Beijing to do more to curb the North&#39;s nuclear ambitions.

&quot;(We) are prepared to chart our own course if this is something China is just unable to coordinate with us,&quot; US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after the summit.

He added however that Beijing had indicated a willingness to act on the issue.

&quot;We need to allow them time to take actions,&quot; Tillerson said, adding that Washington had no intention of attempting to remove the regime of Kim Jong-Un.

The meeting between Xi and Trump came on the heels of yet another missile test by the North, which fired a medium-range ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan on Wednesday.

The US Navy strike group Carl Vinson cancelled a planned trip to Australia this weekend, heading toward the Korean peninsula instead, in a move that will raise tensions in the region.

Seoul and Washington are also conducting joint military drills, an annual exercise which is seen by the North as a practice for war.

Pyongyang is on a quest to develop a long-range missile capable of hitting the US mainland with a nuclear warhead, and has so far staged five nuclear tests, two of them last year.

Satellite imagery analysis suggests it could be preparing for a sixth, with US intelligence officials warning that Pyongyang could be less than two years away from its goal of striking the continental United States.

(AFP)

South Korea's top nuclear envoy made the comment after talks with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei

China has agreed to "strong" new measures to punish North Korea if it carries out a nuclear test, Seoul said today after the US signalled it may act to shut down Pyongyang's weapons programme. South Korea's top nuclear envoy made the comment after talks with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei, as the US sent a naval strike group to the region in a show of force. "We agreed that there should be strong additional measures based on UN Security Council resolutions if the North pushes ahead with a nuclear test or an ICBM launch despite warnings from the international community," Kim Hong-Kyun told reporters. The North may stage a "strategic provocation" to mark key political dates this month, Kim said, adding that Wu's visit would serve as a "strong warning" against Pyongyang. Wu did not speak to the media after the talks. China is the isolated country's sole major ally and economic lifeline, and Beijing in February suspended all coal imports from the North in punishment for Pyongyang's latest missile test. Speculation of an imminent nuclear test is brewing as the North marks anniversaries including the 105th birthday of its founding leader on Saturday -- sometimes celebrated with a demonstration of military might. President Donald Trump, fresh from a missile strike on Syria that was widely interpreted as a warning to North Korea, has asked his advisors for a range of options to rein in its ambitions, a top US official said yesterday. The talks between Kim and Wu came shortly after Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a summit at which he pressed Beijing to do more to curb the North's nuclear ambitions. "(We) are prepared to chart our own course if this is something China is just unable to coordinate with us," US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after the summit. He added however that Beijing had indicated a willingness to act on the issue. "We need to allow them time to take actions," Tillerson said, adding that Washington had no intention of attempting to remove the regime of Kim Jong-Un. The meeting between Xi and Trump came on the heels of yet another missile test by the North, which fired a medium-range ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan on Wednesday. The US Navy strike group Carl Vinson cancelled a planned trip to Australia this weekend, heading toward the Korean peninsula instead, in a move that will raise tensions in the region. Seoul and Washington are also conducting joint military drills, an annual exercise which is seen by the North as a practice for war. Pyongyang is on a quest to develop a long-range missile capable of hitting the US mainland with a nuclear warhead, and has so far staged five nuclear tests, two of them last year. Satellite imagery analysis suggests it could be preparing for a sixth, with US intelligence officials warning that Pyongyang could be less than two years away from its goal of striking the continental United States. (AFP)

China, South Korea vow strong measures to prevent North's nuclear test

A Chinese envoy arrives in South Korea on Monday to discuss North Korea&#39;s increasingly defiant weapons programme as a US&nbsp;Navy strike group heads to the region amid concerns Pyongyang may be readying a fresh nuclear test.

North Korea marks several major anniversaries this month and often marks the occasions with major tests of military hardware.

The possibility of US&nbsp;military action against North Korea in response to such a test emerged as an option following last week&#39;s US&nbsp;strikes against Syria. It was further fuelled by comments from US&nbsp;President Donald Trump&#39;s top aides on the weekend.

In Tokyo, the feasibility of US&nbsp;military action was downplayed, while South Korea said the focus remained on deterrence and readiness.

&ldquo;It probably is not realistic for the US&nbsp;to attack North Korea,&quot; a Japanese defence ministry source said. &quot;If America says it is going to attack, both Japan and South Korea will probably put a stop to it,&quot; said the source who declined to be identified.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US&nbsp;military strike against Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons was a warning to other countries including North Korea that &quot;a response is likely&quot; if they pose a danger.

&quot;(Chinese) President Xi (Jinping) clearly understands, and I think agrees, that the situation has intensified and has reached a certain level of threat that action has to be taken,&quot; Tillerson said on CBS&#39;s Face the Nation.

China&#39;s Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei is expected to discuss the North&#39;s nuclear issue with his South Korean counterpart, according to the South Korean foreign ministry.

Wu&#39;s trip comes after Trump and Xi met in Florida, where Trump pressed his counterpart to do more to curb North Korea&#39;s nuclear programme.

&nbsp;

SHOW OF FORCE

The US&nbsp;Navy strike group Carl Vinson canceled a planned trip to Australia and is moving toward the western Pacific Ocean near the Korean peninsula as a show of force, a US&nbsp;official told Reuters over the weekend. &quot;We feel the increased presence is necessary,&quot; the official said.

South Korean and US&nbsp;forces are also involved in annual joint military drills that run until the end of April. The North calls the drills preparations for war against it.

Several North Korean anniversaries in April could be opportunity for Pyongyang to conduct nuclear or missile tests, South Korean defence ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun said.

North Korea has invited a large number of foreign media representatives to Pyongyang this week, likely to cover the so-called &quot;Day of the Sun&quot; birth anniversary on April 15 of the state founder Kim Il Sung.

Moon did not directly respond to a question about the possibility of a US&nbsp;military strike against the North.

&quot;Considering the possibility of North Korea&#39;s strategic provocations such as a nuclear test and missile launches, we have in place deterrence to the North&#39;s provocation and all readiness against them,&quot; he told a briefing on Monday.

Senior envoys of South Korea, Japan and the United State on the North Korea nuclear programme will soon meet to discuss their coordinated response, the South&#39;s foreign ministry said.

North Korea sounded a note of defiance on Saturday calling the US&nbsp;strikes against Syria &quot;an unforgivable act of aggression&quot; that showed its decision to develop nuclear weapons was &quot;the right choice&quot;.

North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Wednesday that flew a short distance before spinning out of control and crashing into the sea, the latest of a number of missile tests defying UN&nbsp;sanctions.

The North is also seen to be ready to conduct its sixth nuclear test at any time, with movements detected by satellites at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site.

(Reuters)

'If America says it is going to attack, both Japan and South Korea will probably put a stop to it,' said a Japanese Defence Ministry source

A Chinese envoy arrives in South Korea on Monday to discuss North Korea's increasingly defiant weapons programme as a US Navy strike group heads to the region amid concerns Pyongyang may be readying a fresh nuclear test. North Korea marks several major anniversaries this month and often marks the occasions with major tests of military hardware. The possibility of US military action against North Korea in response to such a test emerged as an option following last week's US strikes against Syria. It was further fuelled by comments from US President Donald Trump's top aides on the weekend. In Tokyo, the feasibility of US military action was downplayed, while South Korea said the focus remained on deterrence and readiness. “It probably is not realistic for the US to attack North Korea," a Japanese defence ministry source said. "If America says it is going to attack, both Japan and South Korea will probably put a stop to it," said the source who declined to be identified. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US military strike against Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons was a warning to other countries including North Korea that "a response is likely" if they pose a danger. "(Chinese) President Xi (Jinping) clearly understands, and I think agrees, that the situation has intensified and has reached a certain level of threat that action has to be taken," Tillerson said on CBS's Face the Nation. China's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei is expected to discuss the North's nuclear issue with his South Korean counterpart, according to the South Korean foreign ministry. Wu's trip comes after Trump and Xi met in Florida, where Trump pressed his counterpart to do more to curb North Korea's nuclear programme. SHOW OF FORCE The US Navy strike group Carl Vinson canceled a planned trip to Australia and is moving toward the western Pacific Ocean near the Korean peninsula as a show of force, a US official told Reuters over the weekend. "We feel the increased presence is necessary," the official said. South Korean and US forces are also involved in annual joint military drills that run until the end of April. The North calls the drills preparations for war against it. Several North Korean anniversaries in April could be opportunity for Pyongyang to conduct nuclear or missile tests, South Korean defence ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun said. North Korea has invited a large number of foreign media representatives to Pyongyang this week, likely to cover the so-called "Day of the Sun" birth anniversary on April 15 of the state founder Kim Il Sung. Moon did not directly respond to a question about the possibility of a US military strike against the North. "Considering the possibility of North Korea's strategic provocations such as a nuclear test and missile launches, we have in place deterrence to the North's provocation and all readiness against them," he told a briefing on Monday. Senior envoys of South Korea, Japan and the United State on the North Korea nuclear programme will soon meet to discuss their coordinated response, the South's foreign ministry said. North Korea sounded a note of defiance on Saturday calling the US strikes against Syria "an unforgivable act of aggression" that showed its decision to develop nuclear weapons was "the right choice". North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Wednesday that flew a short distance before spinning out of control and crashing into the sea, the latest of a number of missile tests defying UN sanctions. The North is also seen to be ready to conduct its sixth nuclear test at any time, with movements detected by satellites at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site. (Reuters)

China's nuclear envoy in South Korea amid talk of Trump action against North Korea

US&nbsp;military strikes against Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons are a warning to other nations, including North Korea, that &quot;a response is likely&quot; if they pose a danger, US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Sunday.

As a US&nbsp;Navy strike group headed toward the Korean Peninsula, Tillerson said China agrees that action is necessary to address North Korea&#39;s nuclear arsenal, following last week&#39;s meeting between US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Asked if Friday&#39;s strikes against Syria were a message to North Korea, Tillerson told ABC&#39;s This Week: &quot;The message that any nation can take is, &#39;If you violate international norms, if you violate international agreements, if you fail to live up to commitments, if you become a threat to others, at some point a response is likely to be undertaken.&#39;&quot;

&quot;In terms of North Korea,&quot; he added, &quot;we&#39;ve been very clear that our objective is a denuclearized Korea peninsula.&quot;

In a separate interview, Tillerson told CBS&#39; Face the Nation: &quot;President Xi clearly understands, and I think agrees, that the situation has intensified and has reached a certain level of threat that action has to be taken&quot;.

Trump will soon review options for removing the &quot;threat&quot; posed by North Korean missiles, White House national security adviser HR&nbsp;McMaster said on Sunday.

North Korean officials, including leader Kim Jong Un, have repeatedly indicated an intercontinental ballistic missile test or something similar could be coming, possibly as soon as April 15, the 105th birthday of North Korea&#39;s founding president and celebrated annually as &quot;the Day of the Sun&quot;.

Reuters was first to report on Saturday that the Navy strike group Carl Vinson, whose flagship is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of that name, will make its way toward the Korean peninsula from Singapore as a show of force after Pyongyang tested a liquid-fueled Scud missile this month.

&quot;It&#39;s prudent to do it, isn&#39;t it?&quot; McMaster said of the deployment on Fox News Sunday.

&quot;This is a rogue regime that is now a nuclear-capable regime, and President Xi and President Trump agreed that that is unacceptable, that what must happen is the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,&quot; he said.

A US&nbsp;national security review of options on North Korea include economic and military measures. But they lean more toward sanctions and increased pressure on Beijing to rein in its neighbour.

(Reuters)

'A response is likely' if nuclear-armed states like North Korea pose a danger, said the US?Secretary of State

US military strikes against Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons are a warning to other nations, including North Korea, that "a response is likely" if they pose a danger, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Sunday. As a US Navy strike group headed toward the Korean Peninsula, Tillerson said China agrees that action is necessary to address North Korea's nuclear arsenal, following last week's meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Asked if Friday's strikes against Syria were a message to North Korea, Tillerson told ABC's This Week: "The message that any nation can take is, 'If you violate international norms, if you violate international agreements, if you fail to live up to commitments, if you become a threat to others, at some point a response is likely to be undertaken.'" "In terms of North Korea," he added, "we've been very clear that our objective is a denuclearized Korea peninsula." In a separate interview, Tillerson told CBS' Face the Nation: "President Xi clearly understands, and I think agrees, that the situation has intensified and has reached a certain level of threat that action has to be taken". Trump will soon review options for removing the "threat" posed by North Korean missiles, White House national security adviser HR McMaster said on Sunday. North Korean officials, including leader Kim Jong Un, have repeatedly indicated an intercontinental ballistic missile test or something similar could be coming, possibly as soon as April 15, the 105th birthday of North Korea's founding president and celebrated annually as "the Day of the Sun". Reuters was first to report on Saturday that the Navy strike group Carl Vinson, whose flagship is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of that name, will make its way toward the Korean peninsula from Singapore as a show of force after Pyongyang tested a liquid-fueled Scud missile this month. "It's prudent to do it, isn't it?" McMaster said of the deployment on Fox News Sunday. "This is a rogue regime that is now a nuclear-capable regime, and President Xi and President Trump agreed that that is unacceptable, that what must happen is the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," he said. A US national security review of options on North Korea include economic and military measures. But they lean more toward sanctions and increased pressure on Beijing to rein in its neighbour. (Reuters)

Tillerson: Syria strike a message to others, including North Korea

A US Navy carrier strike group was moving towards the Korean Peninsula on Saturday as the United States boosts its defences against North Korea&#39;s nuclear ambitions.

&quot;US Pacific Command ordered the Carl Vinson Strike Group north as a prudent measure to maintain readiness and presence in the Western Pacific,&quot; said Commander Dave Benham, spokesman at US Pacific Command.

&quot;The number one threat in the region continues to be North Korea, due to its reckless, irresponsible and destabilizing program of missile tests and pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability,&quot; he told AFP.

The strike group includes the Nimitz-class aircraft supercarrier USS Carl Vinson, a carrier air wing, two guided-missile destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser.

Originally scheduled to make port calls in Australia, it headed instead from Singapore to the Western Pacific Ocean.

The North has carried out five nuclear tests -- two of them last year -- and expert satellite imagery analysis suggests it could well be preparing for a sixth.

US intelligence officials say Pyongyang could be less than two years away from developing a nuclear warhead that could reach the continental United States.

On Thursday and Friday, US President Donald Trump hosted his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for talks during which he pressed Pyongyang&#39;s key ally to help curb the North&#39;s nuclear weapons program.

Trump has threatened unilateral action against the hermit state, a threat that appears more palpable after he ordered a strike on a Syrian airfield following an apparent chemical attack.

The head of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which provides missile detection and defense for the region, said Thursday she was &quot;extremely confident&quot; of US capability to intercept a potential intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) bound for America from the North.

But General Lori Robinson expressed concerns for the type of ballistic missile powered by a solid-fuel engine that Pyongyang said it successfully tested in February.

&quot;Amidst an unprecedented pace of North Korean strategic weapons testing, our ability to provide actionable warning continues to diminish,&quot; Robinson said in written testimony to senators.

(AFP)

Originally scheduled to make port calls in Australia, it headed instead from Singapore to the Western Pacific Ocean

A US Navy carrier strike group was moving towards the Korean Peninsula on Saturday as the United States boosts its defences against North Korea's nuclear ambitions. "US Pacific Command ordered the Carl Vinson Strike Group north as a prudent measure to maintain readiness and presence in the Western Pacific," said Commander Dave Benham, spokesman at US Pacific Command. "The number one threat in the region continues to be North Korea, due to its reckless, irresponsible and destabilizing program of missile tests and pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability," he told AFP. The strike group includes the Nimitz-class aircraft supercarrier USS Carl Vinson, a carrier air wing, two guided-missile destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser. Originally scheduled to make port calls in Australia, it headed instead from Singapore to the Western Pacific Ocean. The North has carried out five nuclear tests -- two of them last year -- and expert satellite imagery analysis suggests it could well be preparing for a sixth. US intelligence officials say Pyongyang could be less than two years away from developing a nuclear warhead that could reach the continental United States. On Thursday and Friday, US President Donald Trump hosted his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for talks during which he pressed Pyongyang's key ally to help curb the North's nuclear weapons program. Trump has threatened unilateral action against the hermit state, a threat that appears more palpable after he ordered a strike on a Syrian airfield following an apparent chemical attack. The head of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which provides missile detection and defense for the region, said Thursday she was "extremely confident" of US capability to intercept a potential intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) bound for America from the North. But General Lori Robinson expressed concerns for the type of ballistic missile powered by a solid-fuel engine that Pyongyang said it successfully tested in February. "Amidst an unprecedented pace of North Korean strategic weapons testing, our ability to provide actionable warning continues to diminish," Robinson said in written testimony to senators. (AFP)

US Navy carrier moving towards Korean peninsula to strengthen defence

When the North and South Korean women&#39;s ice hockey teams clash in a rare match later on Thursday, the game could resonate beyond sports for the two rivals.

The two Koreas are facing off in the women&#39;s world ice hockey championships division II group A competition in South Korea&#39;s Gangneung, some 106 kilometres (66 miles) from the heavily fortified demilitarised zone dividing the North and South.

For the spectators, the game -- the first North-South face-off on the peninsula in 11 years, and a year out from the 2018 Winter Olympics partly held in Gangneung -- carries more meaning than just hockey.

More than 500 people, ranging from students to the elderly, have formed a joint cheerleading squad for the two Koreas, who will be waving a special blue and white flag with a map of Korea -- a symbol of Korean unification -- during the game.

&quot;We initially expected around 200 people but more than double that number showed up,&quot; said Lee Sun-Kyung, leader of the pro-unification group that organised the cheerleading team. &quot;It&#39;s a reflection of the people&#39;s high hopes and expectation,&quot; she said.

South Korean media have closely followed the North Korean team since their arrival on Saturday, with pictures of the players training or strolling on the beach plastered over the internet and TV.

The 30-member North Korean delegation, including the players, their coaches and some sports officials, have so far been reticent about speaking to South Korean media.

The sensitivity of the match can be felt in the press centre in Gangneung, which has a list of instructions taped on the tables.

&quot;Please refrain from asking any questions not related to the game, such as political questions,&quot; it says, warning that violators will be kicked out.

The game takes place when tensions are running especially high on the Korean peninsula following a ballistic missile launch by the North Wednesday and expectations of a sixth nuclear test.

The last time Pyongyang participated in an international sports event held in South Korea was the Incheon Asian Games in 2014, during which the North dispatched three of its top officials for talks with Seoul.

South Korea&#39;s women&#39;s football team are also on a rare trip to Pyongyang, where they are scheduled to play North Korea in an Asian Cup qualifying tournament on Friday.

(AFP)

It's the first North-South face-off on the peninsula in 11 years, one year away from the 2018 Olympics partly held in Gangneung

When the North and South Korean women's ice hockey teams clash in a rare match later on Thursday, the game could resonate beyond sports for the two rivals. The two Koreas are facing off in the women's world ice hockey championships division II group A competition in South Korea's Gangneung, some 106 kilometres (66 miles) from the heavily fortified demilitarised zone dividing the North and South. For the spectators, the game -- the first North-South face-off on the peninsula in 11 years, and a year out from the 2018 Winter Olympics partly held in Gangneung -- carries more meaning than just hockey. More than 500 people, ranging from students to the elderly, have formed a joint cheerleading squad for the two Koreas, who will be waving a special blue and white flag with a map of Korea -- a symbol of Korean unification -- during the game. "We initially expected around 200 people but more than double that number showed up," said Lee Sun-Kyung, leader of the pro-unification group that organised the cheerleading team. "It's a reflection of the people's high hopes and expectation," she said. South Korean media have closely followed the North Korean team since their arrival on Saturday, with pictures of the players training or strolling on the beach plastered over the internet and TV. The 30-member North Korean delegation, including the players, their coaches and some sports officials, have so far been reticent about speaking to South Korean media. The sensitivity of the match can be felt in the press centre in Gangneung, which has a list of instructions taped on the tables. "Please refrain from asking any questions not related to the game, such as political questions," it says, warning that violators will be kicked out. The game takes place when tensions are running especially high on the Korean peninsula following a ballistic missile launch by the North Wednesday and expectations of a sixth nuclear test. The last time Pyongyang participated in an international sports event held in South Korea was the Incheon Asian Games in 2014, during which the North dispatched three of its top officials for talks with Seoul. South Korea's women's football team are also on a rare trip to Pyongyang, where they are scheduled to play North Korea in an Asian Cup qualifying tournament on Friday. (AFP)

Ice hockey: North, South Korea clash in rare game

So far, it&rsquo;s all been about allies, but this week will be different. US President Donald Trump is set to host his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for a two-day summit at his exclusive Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on April 6-7.

The meeting between the leaders of the world&rsquo;s biggest economies, as Trump predicted in a tweet, is expected to be &ldquo;a difficult one&rdquo;. Sino-US ties had witnessed steady growth under Barack Obama, both in style and substance.

For starters, Obama&rsquo;s much-vaunted and now abandoned pivot to Asia led to anxieties in Beijing &ndash; the kinds that Obama sought to sooth by becoming the first US president to visit China during his first year in office.

Through Obama&rsquo;s terms in office, Sino-US ties grew within a theoretical framework of expanding cooperation while containing conflict. In a sense that axiom was adhered to.

While the Obama White House resisted the Chinese narrative of designating ties as a &ldquo;new type of great power relationship,&rdquo; Obama did acknowledge that the China-US relationship was the &ldquo;most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century&rdquo;.

Despite the inherent frictions in the relationship, Obama and Xi met on 11 different occasions since 2013. Their interactions often showcased a strong personal rapport, whether it was in the heat of the desert in Sunnylands in 2013 or under the cool blue lights of the imperial gardens of Zhongnanhai in November 2014.

While fundamental irritants - such as North Korea, the South China Sea dispute, differences at the UN Security Council, along with trade, currency valuation and cyber-security &ndash; have persisted, there has been historic cooperation in areas where interests have coincided, such as combating climate change and arriving at a deal with Iran on its nuclear programme.

Most importantly, however, the Obama years showed that strategic containment of China is a venture that is destined to fail. For instance, while Obama negotiated the TPP, which today lies in ruins, China has moved ahead with its Belt and Road Initiative and expanded its influence through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

With the arrival of Trump and his hostile approach to economic globalisation, Xi has sought to position himself as the face of an interconnected world, as evident in his recent address in Davos.

Another such scenario was witnessed last week. As Trump signed an executive order to demolish an array of anti-global warming policies at home, Chinese state media showcased images of Xi planting trees with primary school students in Beijing, promising to build an ecological civilisation. While Trump has indicated that he will be pulling out of the Paris climate change accord, Xi has vowed that China will remain true to its commitments to combat global warming.

So, when it comes to optics, Beijing has clearly out-done the Trump White House, although given the new US President&rsquo;s rhetorical incoherence, one can legitimately argue that this wasn&rsquo;t really a difficult task.

In terms of the bilateral relationship, Trump, it seems, has steadily climbed down from the vitriol of the campaign and transition periods.

For instance, in December Trump called Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, raising doubts whether he would respect the One-China policy. By February, however, he agreed to support the One-China policy during a phone conversation with Xi.

Likewise, all the campaign trail threats of designating China as a currency manipulator have not led to any policy action so far. Moreover, as has been the case so far under Trump, the President&rsquo;s off-the-cuff and often abrasive Twitter rhetoric has been balanced out by his diplomatic emissaries.

During his visit to Beijing in March, US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, went as far as borrowing Chinese catchphrases - &ldquo;non-confrontation&rdquo;, &ldquo;no conflict&rdquo;, &ldquo;mutual respect&rdquo; and &ldquo;win-win solutions&rdquo; - to describe Sino-US ties. That led to a rather strange media debate, with commentators speculating that despite the Twitter hostility, the new US administration will actually be more accommodating of China&rsquo;s great power narrative than Obama was.

Finally, while Trump has continued to lash out at Beijing for not doing enough to rein in an aggressive Pyongyang and threatened to go it alone against the North with the military option being on the table, the truth is that there are very few realistic options available for Washington to explore.

China, which accounts for nearly 70 per cent of Pyongyang&rsquo;s trade, says that its influence over North Korea is overstated by Washington. It has consistently argued that it is Washington&rsquo;s aggression, such as the recent joint military drills with Seoul in the region, which is making it difficult to bring Pyongyang to the negotiating table.

Beijing has reportedly proposed a &quot;double halt&quot; approach, with all sides dialing down the aggression. But that&rsquo;s a concept that the US State Department has already dismissed.

If for argument&#39;s sake, we assume that Trump is correct and that Beijing can do more to contain North Korea, but has been shirking that responsibility, then what is it that Washington can offer to encourage a policy shift?

In an interview to the Financial Times ahead of Xi&rsquo;s visit, Trump is quoted as saying &ldquo;trade is the incentive. It&rsquo;s all about trade&rdquo;. But given that the US trade deficit with China stands at $347 billion, a figure that Trump has promised to bring down, what sort of incentives can Trump realistically offer? Perhaps, we&rsquo;ll all have a better idea by April 6.

But from assessing what we&rsquo;ve seen so far, don&rsquo;t hold your breath: Trump isn&rsquo;t likely to follow up on the tough talk with serious action or a grand bargain just yet.

(WION)

Washington expects Beijing to do more in reining in North Korea but what incentives can US offer for such a policy shift remains to be seen

So far, it’s all been about allies, but this week will be different. US President Donald Trump is set to host his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for a two-day summit at his exclusive Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on April 6-7. The meeting between the leaders of the world’s biggest economies, as Trump predicted in a tweet, is expected to be “a difficult one”. Sino-US ties had witnessed steady growth under Barack Obama, both in style and substance. For starters, Obama’s much-vaunted and now abandoned pivot to Asia led to anxieties in Beijing – the kinds that Obama sought to sooth by becoming the first US president to visit China during his first year in office. Through Obama’s terms in office, Sino-US ties grew within a theoretical framework of expanding cooperation while containing conflict. In a sense that axiom was adhered to. While the Obama White House resisted the Chinese narrative of designating ties as a “new type of great power relationship,” Obama did acknowledge that the China-US relationship was the “most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century”. Despite the inherent frictions in the relationship, Obama and Xi met on 11 different occasions since 2013. Their interactions often showcased a strong personal rapport, whether it was in the heat of the desert in Sunnylands in 2013 or under the cool blue lights of the imperial gardens of Zhongnanhai in November 2014. While fundamental irritants - such as North Korea, the South China Sea dispute, differences at the UN Security Council, along with trade, currency valuation and cyber-security – have persisted, there has been historic cooperation in areas where interests have coincided, such as combating climate change and arriving at a deal with Iran on its nuclear programme. Most importantly, however, the Obama years showed that strategic containment of China is a venture that is destined to fail. For instance, while Obama negotiated the TPP, which today lies in ruins, China has moved ahead with its Belt and Road Initiative and expanded its influence through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). With the arrival of Trump and his hostile approach to economic globalisation, Xi has sought to position himself as the face of an interconnected world, as evident in his recent address in Davos. Another such scenario was witnessed last week. As Trump signed an executive order to demolish an array of anti-global warming policies at home, Chinese state media showcased images of Xi planting trees with primary school students in Beijing, promising to build an ecological civilisation. While Trump has indicated that he will be pulling out of the Paris climate change accord, Xi has vowed that China will remain true to its commitments to combat global warming. So, when it comes to optics, Beijing has clearly out-done the Trump White House, although given the new US President’s rhetorical incoherence, one can legitimately argue that this wasn’t really a difficult task. In terms of the bilateral relationship, Trump, it seems, has steadily climbed down from the vitriol of the campaign and transition periods. For instance, in December Trump called Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, raising doubts whether he would respect the One-China policy. By February, however, he agreed to support the One-China policy during a phone conversation with Xi. Likewise, all the campaign trail threats of designating China as a currency manipulator have not led to any policy action so far. Moreover, as has been the case so far under Trump, the President’s off-the-cuff and often abrasive Twitter rhetoric has been balanced out by his diplomatic emissaries. During his visit to Beijing in March, US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, went as far as borrowing Chinese catchphrases - “non-confrontation”, “no conflict”, “mutual respect” and “win-win solutions” - to describe Sino-US ties. That led to a rather strange media debate, with commentators speculating that despite the Twitter hostility, the new US administration will actually be more accommodating of China’s great power narrative than Obama was. Finally, while Trump has continued to lash out at Beijing for not doing enough to rein in an aggressive Pyongyang and threatened to go it alone against the North with the military option being on the table, the truth is that there are very few realistic options available for Washington to explore. China, which accounts for nearly 70 per cent of Pyongyang’s trade, says that its influence over North Korea is overstated by Washington. It has consistently argued that it is Washington’s aggression, such as the recent joint military drills with Seoul in the region, which is making it difficult to bring Pyongyang to the negotiating table. Beijing has reportedly proposed a "double halt" approach, with all sides dialing down the aggression. But that’s a concept that the US State Department has already dismissed. If for argument's sake, we assume that Trump is correct and that Beijing can do more to contain North Korea, but has been shirking that responsibility, then what is it that Washington can offer to encourage a policy shift? In an interview to the Financial Times ahead of Xi’s visit, Trump is quoted as saying “trade is the incentive. It’s all about trade”. But given that the US trade deficit with China stands at $347 billion, a figure that Trump has promised to bring down, what sort of incentives can Trump realistically offer? Perhaps, we’ll all have a better idea by April 6. But from assessing what we’ve seen so far, don’t hold your breath: Trump isn’t likely to follow up on the tough talk with serious action or a grand bargain just yet. (WION)

Xi-Trump summit talks: Washington can't ignore a resurgent China

US President Donald Trump has said the US will eliminate the nuclear threat from North Korea alone, if China does not help.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Well if China is not going to solve North Korea, we will. That is all I am telling you,&rdquo; Mr Trump said.&nbsp;

&ldquo;China has great influence over North Korea. And China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won&rsquo;t. If they do, that will be very good for China, and if they don&rsquo;t, it won&rsquo;t be good for anyone,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;

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<h5>The Financial Times reported Mr Trump as saying it was &#39;totally&#39; possible for the US to tackle North Korea without China</h5>
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Trump&#39;s comments were made at the White House to the the Financial Times newspaper.&nbsp;

Chinese President Xi Jinping will be visiting the United States this week.&nbsp;

The Financial Times reported Mr Trump as saying it was &ldquo;totally&rdquo; possible for the US to tackle North Korea without China.&nbsp;

It added that when he was asked if that meant dealing with Pyongyang one on one, he said: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t have to say any more. Totally.&rdquo;&nbsp;

&ldquo;There is a real possibility that North Korea will be able to hit the US with a nuclear-armed missile by the end of the first Trump term,&rdquo; the Financial Times reported deputy White House national security adviser KT McFarland as saying to it in a separate interview.&nbsp;

(WION)

'Well if China is not going to solve North Korea, we will. That is all I am telling you,' he told the Financial Times newspaper

US President Donald Trump has said the US will eliminate the nuclear threat from North Korea alone, if China does not help. “Well if China is not going to solve North Korea, we will. That is all I am telling you,” Mr Trump said. “China has great influence over North Korea. And China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won’t. If they do, that will be very good for China, and if they don’t, it won’t be good for anyone,” he added. The Financial Times reported Mr Trump as saying it was 'totally' possible for the US to tackle North Korea without China × Trump's comments were made at the White House to the the Financial Times newspaper. Chinese President Xi Jinping will be visiting the United States this week. The Financial Times reported Mr Trump as saying it was “totally” possible for the US to tackle North Korea without China. It added that when he was asked if that meant dealing with Pyongyang one on one, he said: “I don’t have to say any more. Totally.” “There is a real possibility that North Korea will be able to hit the US with a nuclear-armed missile by the end of the first Trump term,” the Financial Times reported deputy White House national security adviser KT McFarland as saying to it in a separate interview. (WION)

Trump says US will eliminate nuclear threat from North Korea alone

Nine Malaysians freed by Pyongyang arrived home early Friday, after Kuala Lumpur agreed to send back the body of the assassinated half-brother of North Korea&#39;s leader, ending a bitter feud between the two countries.

Kim Jong-Nam was killed with the lethal nerve agent VX on February 13 in a Kuala Lumpur airport, triggering a diplomatic row between Malaysia and North Korea, which expelled each other&#39;s ambassadors and barred their citizens from leaving.

But a deal announced by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and confirmed by North Korean state media on Thursday said the two countries had lifted their respective travel bans, and Kuala Lumpur would send the body to North Korea.

The Malaysians, three embassy staff and six family members, landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport before sunrise where they were met on the tarmac by Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman.

On Thursday, following the deal, Najib declared on Twitter: the &quot;diplomatic crisis is over&quot;.

&quot;Following the completion of the autopsy on the deceased and receipt of a letter from his family requesting the remains be returned to North Korea, the coroner has approved the release of the body,&quot; Najib said in a statement.

The prime minister did not specify who in the family had made the request. Kim&#39;s wife and children, who were living in exile in the Chinese territory of Macau, staged a vanishing act after the murder and are believed to be in hiding.

South Korea has blamed Pyongyang for the Cold War-style killing, citing what they say was a standing order from North Korea&#39;s leader Kim Jong-Un to murder his exiled and estranged half-brother.

But the North denies this and denounced Malaysia&#39;s investigation into the death as an attempt to smear the secretive regime.

It had insisted that the man died of a heart attack and his body should be handed over to Pyongyang.

A van believed to be carrying the body of Kim left a hospital morgue in Kuala Lumpur Thursday, where it had been kept for more than six weeks, and headed for the airport&#39;s cargo centre.

Chinese and Malaysian media reported it was put on board a Malaysian Airlines plane bound for Beijing that left Kuala Lumpur at 7:39 pm.

An AFP photographer saw a North Korean embassy van and officials leaving Beijing airport early Friday morning, and South Korean news agency Yonhap reported Kim&#39;s body was expected to leave for Pyongyang on an Air Koryo flight as early as on Saturday.Analysts said the North Korean regime may use Kim&#39;s body as a &quot;propaganda tool&quot;.

&quot;They will likely use the body to claim they were not responsible and tell an alternative narrative,&quot; said Bridget Welsh, an expert on Southeast Asian politics.&nbsp;

Pyongyang has refused to confirm the identity of the victim, who was carrying a North Korean passport bearing the name of Kim Chol when he was killed.

Malaysia however has officially confirmed his identity using DNA evidence and had said it had been waiting for his next of kin to claim the body. 
There are fears Kim&#39;s 21-year-old son, Kim Han-Sol, could be targeted next.

Two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- have been arrested and charged with the murder. Airport CCTV footage shows them approaching the 45-year-old victim and apparently smearing his face with a piece of cloth.

Malaysian investigators are also seeking seven North Korean suspects, four of whom left Malaysia on the day of the murder. Interpol has issued an international arrest warrant for the four men.

Japanese media on board the MH360 plane to Beijing said two of the three other suspects were on board the plane that carried the remains of Kim. It was still unclear what happened to the third suspect.

(AFP)

The Malaysians, three embassy staff and six family members, landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport before sunrise

Nine Malaysians freed by Pyongyang arrived home early Friday, after Kuala Lumpur agreed to send back the body of the assassinated half-brother of North Korea's leader, ending a bitter feud between the two countries. Kim Jong-Nam was killed with the lethal nerve agent VX on February 13 in a Kuala Lumpur airport, triggering a diplomatic row between Malaysia and North Korea, which expelled each other's ambassadors and barred their citizens from leaving. But a deal announced by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and confirmed by North Korean state media on Thursday said the two countries had lifted their respective travel bans, and Kuala Lumpur would send the body to North Korea. The Malaysians, three embassy staff and six family members, landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport before sunrise where they were met on the tarmac by Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman. On Thursday, following the deal, Najib declared on Twitter: the "diplomatic crisis is over". "Following the completion of the autopsy on the deceased and receipt of a letter from his family requesting the remains be returned to North Korea, the coroner has approved the release of the body," Najib said in a statement. The prime minister did not specify who in the family had made the request. Kim's wife and children, who were living in exile in the Chinese territory of Macau, staged a vanishing act after the murder and are believed to be in hiding. South Korea has blamed Pyongyang for the Cold War-style killing, citing what they say was a standing order from North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un to murder his exiled and estranged half-brother. But the North denies this and denounced Malaysia's investigation into the death as an attempt to smear the secretive regime. It had insisted that the man died of a heart attack and his body should be handed over to Pyongyang. A van believed to be carrying the body of Kim left a hospital morgue in Kuala Lumpur Thursday, where it had been kept for more than six weeks, and headed for the airport's cargo centre. Chinese and Malaysian media reported it was put on board a Malaysian Airlines plane bound for Beijing that left Kuala Lumpur at 7:39 pm. An AFP photographer saw a North Korean embassy van and officials leaving Beijing airport early Friday morning, and South Korean news agency Yonhap reported Kim's body was expected to leave for Pyongyang on an Air Koryo flight as early as on Saturday.Analysts said the North Korean regime may use Kim's body as a "propaganda tool". "They will likely use the body to claim they were not responsible and tell an alternative narrative," said Bridget Welsh, an expert on Southeast Asian politics. Pyongyang has refused to confirm the identity of the victim, who was carrying a North Korean passport bearing the name of Kim Chol when he was killed. Malaysia however has officially confirmed his identity using DNA evidence and had said it had been waiting for his next of kin to claim the body. There are fears Kim's 21-year-old son, Kim Han-Sol, could be targeted next. Two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- have been arrested and charged with the murder. Airport CCTV footage shows them approaching the 45-year-old victim and apparently smearing his face with a piece of cloth. Malaysian investigators are also seeking seven North Korean suspects, four of whom left Malaysia on the day of the murder. Interpol has issued an international arrest warrant for the four men. Japanese media on board the MH360 plane to Beijing said two of the three other suspects were on board the plane that carried the remains of Kim. It was still unclear what happened to the third suspect. (AFP)

Freed Malaysians arrive home from North Korea after Kim row

More than 100 countries launched the first UN talks aimed at achieving a legally binding ban on nuclear weapons even as the Trump administration is leading&nbsp;an international boycott of the process it deems unrealistic.

India will not be participating in the first UN conference in more than 20 years on&nbsp;global nuclear weapons ban.

The United States, Britain and France are among almost 40 countries that will not join talks on a nuclear weapons ban treaty starting at the United Nations.&nbsp;

Britain, France, Israel, Russia and the US voted no, while China, India and Pakistan abstained from voting on the&nbsp;resolution in October. In its Explanation of Vote (EoV) given for its abstention on the resolution in October, India had said that it was &quot;not convinced&quot; that the proposed conference could address the longstanding expectation of the international community for a comprehensive instrument on nuclear disarmament.

India also maintained that the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament (CD) is the single multilateral disarmament negotiation forum.

Britain&#39;s UN&nbsp;Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said: &quot;The UK is not attending the negotiations on a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons because we do not believe that those negotiations will lead to effective progress on global nuclear disarmament.&quot;

Deputy French UN, Ambassador Alexis Lamek said &quot;the security conditions were not right&quot;&nbsp;for a nuclear weapons ban treaty.

&quot;In the current perilous context, considering in particular the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, our countries continue to rely on nuclear deterrence for security and stability,&quot; Lamek said.

The US&#39; envoy to the UN Nikki Haley said the Assembly &quot;suddenly&quot; wants to have a hearing to ban nuclear weapons and while as a mother and daughter, she wants a world with no nuclear weapons, one also has to be &quot;realistic&quot;.

She said given the current times &quot;bad actors&quot; cannot be allowed to keep their nuclear weapons while other nations try to maintain peace and safety.

&quot;We would love to have a ban on nuclear weapons but in this day and time we cannot honestly say that we can protect our people by allowing the bad actors to have them (nuclear weapons) and those of us who are good trying to keep the peace and safety not to have them,&quot; Haley told reporters.

The push for a ban was announced in October by 123 UN members who say the threat of atomic disaster is growing thanks to tensions fanned by North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapons program and an unpredictable new administration in Washington.

Leaders of the effort include Austria, Ireland, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and Sweden, supported by hundreds of non-profit organizations.

In 2009, then-president Barack Obama announced a drive to reduce the role of nuclear weapons and eventually eliminate them.

But his administration strongly encouraged NATO allies to vote against this year&#39;s UN negotiations, saying a ban would obstruct cooperation to respond to nuclear threats from adversaries.

&nbsp;

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India, United States, Britain and France are among almost 40 countries that will not join talks on a nuclear weapons ban treaty starting at the United Nations (WION)
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(WION with agency inputs)

India will not be participating in the first UN conference in more than 20 years on global nuclear weapons ban

More than 100 countries launched the first UN talks aimed at achieving a legally binding ban on nuclear weapons even as the Trump administration is leading an international boycott of the process it deems unrealistic. India will not be participating in the first UN conference in more than 20 years on global nuclear weapons ban. The United States, Britain and France are among almost 40 countries that will not join talks on a nuclear weapons ban treaty starting at the United Nations. Britain, France, Israel, Russia and the US voted no, while China, India and Pakistan abstained from voting on the resolution in October. In its Explanation of Vote (EoV) given for its abstention on the resolution in October, India had said that it was "not convinced" that the proposed conference could address the longstanding expectation of the international community for a comprehensive instrument on nuclear disarmament. India also maintained that the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament (CD) is the single multilateral disarmament negotiation forum. Britain's UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said: "The UK is not attending the negotiations on a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons because we do not believe that those negotiations will lead to effective progress on global nuclear disarmament." Deputy French UN, Ambassador Alexis Lamek said "the security conditions were not right" for a nuclear weapons ban treaty. "In the current perilous context, considering in particular the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, our countries continue to rely on nuclear deterrence for security and stability," Lamek said. The US' envoy to the UN Nikki Haley said the Assembly "suddenly" wants to have a hearing to ban nuclear weapons and while as a mother and daughter, she wants a world with no nuclear weapons, one also has to be "realistic". She said given the current times "bad actors" cannot be allowed to keep their nuclear weapons while other nations try to maintain peace and safety. "We would love to have a ban on nuclear weapons but in this day and time we cannot honestly say that we can protect our people by allowing the bad actors to have them (nuclear weapons) and those of us who are good trying to keep the peace and safety not to have them," Haley told reporters. The push for a ban was announced in October by 123 UN members who say the threat of atomic disaster is growing thanks to tensions fanned by North Korea's nuclear weapons program and an unpredictable new administration in Washington. Leaders of the effort include Austria, Ireland, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and Sweden, supported by hundreds of non-profit organizations. In 2009, then-president Barack Obama announced a drive to reduce the role of nuclear weapons and eventually eliminate them. But his administration strongly encouraged NATO allies to vote against this year's UN negotiations, saying a ban would obstruct cooperation to respond to nuclear threats from adversaries. India, United States, Britain and France are among almost 40 countries that will not join talks on a nuclear weapons ban treaty starting at the United Nations (WION) × (WION with agency inputs)

India, US, UK among several countries decide not to attend UN talks on nuclear weapons ban treaty

China said on Thursday the United States should respect its air defence identification zone (ADIZ), after Chinese officials warned a US bomber it was illegally flying inside China&#39;s self-declared zone in the East China Sea.

The Pentagon rejected the Chinese call and said it would continue its flight operations in the region.

China declared the zone, in which aircraft are supposed to identify themselves to Chinese authorities, in the East China Sea in 2013, which the United States and Japan have refused to recognise.

CNN, citing the US Pacific Air Forces, said a B-1 bomber was flying near South Korea on Sunday, and that its pilots responded to Chinese air traffic controllers by saying they were carrying out routine operations in international airspace. The aircraft did not deviate from its flight path.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she had not heard of the matter, and referred questions to the Defence Ministry, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

&quot;But, generally speaking, I hope that in this region all countries&#39; actions consider the security concerns of relevant countries and be beneficial for mutual trust, peace and stability between countries,&quot; Hua told a daily news briefing.

&quot;The United States has its own ADIZs. I think if this matter is true, they should respect China&#39;s relevant ADIZ rights,&quot; she added, without elaborating.

A spokesman for the US Defence Department, Commander Gary Ross, said the United States viewed China&#39;s establishment of an East China Sea ADIZ in 2013 as &quot;a unilateral change to the status quo ... that raises regional tensions and increases the risk of miscalculation, confrontation and accidents.&quot;

He said the US military would not change how it conducts its operations.

&quot;The United States will not acquiesce to unilateral acts of other States designed to restrict the rights, freedoms, and uses of the sea and airspace, as reflected in international law,&quot; he said.

&quot;We do not accept, nor do we recognise, the East China Sea ADIZ declared by China,&quot; he said.

The US Air Force deployed a B-1B Lancer strategic bomber for bilateral training missions in Japanese and South Korean airspace on Tuesday, a show of force in response to recent North Korean missile tests.

(Reuters)

The Pentagon rejected the Chinese call and said it would continue its flight operations in East China Sea

China said on Thursday the United States should respect its air defence identification zone (ADIZ), after Chinese officials warned a US bomber it was illegally flying inside China's self-declared zone in the East China Sea. The Pentagon rejected the Chinese call and said it would continue its flight operations in the region. China declared the zone, in which aircraft are supposed to identify themselves to Chinese authorities, in the East China Sea in 2013, which the United States and Japan have refused to recognise. CNN, citing the US Pacific Air Forces, said a B-1 bomber was flying near South Korea on Sunday, and that its pilots responded to Chinese air traffic controllers by saying they were carrying out routine operations in international airspace. The aircraft did not deviate from its flight path. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she had not heard of the matter, and referred questions to the Defence Ministry, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment. "But, generally speaking, I hope that in this region all countries' actions consider the security concerns of relevant countries and be beneficial for mutual trust, peace and stability between countries," Hua told a daily news briefing. "The United States has its own ADIZs. I think if this matter is true, they should respect China's relevant ADIZ rights," she added, without elaborating. A spokesman for the US Defence Department, Commander Gary Ross, said the United States viewed China's establishment of an East China Sea ADIZ in 2013 as "a unilateral change to the status quo ... that raises regional tensions and increases the risk of miscalculation, confrontation and accidents." He said the US military would not change how it conducts its operations. "The United States will not acquiesce to unilateral acts of other States designed to restrict the rights, freedoms, and uses of the sea and airspace, as reflected in international law," he said. "We do not accept, nor do we recognise, the East China Sea ADIZ declared by China," he said. The US Air Force deployed a B-1B Lancer strategic bomber for bilateral training missions in Japanese and South Korean airspace on Tuesday, a show of force in response to recent North Korean missile tests. (Reuters)

China asks US to respect its air defence zone

&nbsp;North Korea has nothing to fear from any US move to broaden sanctions aimed at cutting it off from the global financial system and will pursue &quot;acceleration&quot; of its nuclear and missile programmes, a Pyongyang envoy told Reuters on Tuesday.

This includes developing a &quot;pre-emptive first strike capability&quot; and an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM), said Choe Myong Nam, deputy ambassador at the DPRK (North Korean) mission to the United Nations in Geneva.

Reuters, quoting a senior US official in Washington, reported on Monday that the Trump administration is considering sweeping sanctions as part of a broad review of measures to counter North Korea&#39;s nuclear and missile threat.

&quot;I think this is stemming from the visit by the Secretary of State (Rex Tillerson) to Japan, South Korea and China...We of course are not afraid of any act like that,&quot; Choe told Reuters.

&quot;Even prohibition of the international transactions system, the global financial system, this kind of thing is part of their system that will not frighten us or make any difference.&quot;

He called existing sanctions &quot;heinous and inhumane&quot;.

North Korea has been under sanctions for &quot;half a century&quot; but the communist state survives by placing an emphasis on juche or &quot;self-sufficiency&quot;, he said. His country wants a forum set up to examine the &quot;legality and legitimacy of the sanctions regime&quot;.

He denounced joint annual military exercises currently being carried out by the United States and South Korea on the divided peninsula and criticised remarks by Tillerson during his talks with regional allies last week.

&quot;All he was talking about is for the United States to take military actions on DPRK (the Democratic People&#39;s Republic of Korea,&quot; Choe said.

North Korea rejects claims by Washington and Seoul that the military drills are defensive. They involve strategic nuclear bombers and a nuclear submarine Columbus that recently entered South Korean ports, he said.

&quot;In the light of such huge military forces involved in the joint military exercises, we have no other choice but to continue with our full acceleration of the nuclear programmes and missile programmes. It is because of these hostile activities on the part of the United States and South Korea.&quot;

Pre-emptive Strike Capability

&quot;We strengthen our national defence capability as well as pre-emptive strike capabilities with nuclear forces as a centrepiece,&quot; Choe said.

He declined to give technical details of North Korea&#39;s latest rocket engine test on Sunday - seen as a possible prelude to a partial ICBM flight - calling it a great historical event that would lead to &quot;fruitful outcomes&quot;.

&quot;I can tell you for sure that the inter-continental ballistic rockets of the DPRK will be launched at any time and at any place as decided by our Supreme Leadership,&quot; Choe said, recalling leader Kim Jong Un&#39;s pledge in a New Year&#39;s address.

Analysts say North Korea has likely mastered the technology to power the different stages of an ICBM and may show it off soon, but is likely still a long way from being able to hit the mainland United States.

&quot;The United States has been talking about launching pre-emptive strikes at North Korea,&quot; Choe said. &quot;And we have been prepared to deter, to counter-attack such attacks on the part of the United States.

&quot;We would utilise every possible means in our hands and the inter-continental ballistic rocket is one of them.&quot;

(Reuters)

Reuters, quoting a senior US official in Washington, reported that the Trump administration is considering sweeping sanctions against DPRK

North Korea has nothing to fear from any US move to broaden sanctions aimed at cutting it off from the global financial system and will pursue "acceleration" of its nuclear and missile programmes, a Pyongyang envoy told Reuters on Tuesday. This includes developing a "pre-emptive first strike capability" and an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM), said Choe Myong Nam, deputy ambassador at the DPRK (North Korean) mission to the United Nations in Geneva. Reuters, quoting a senior US official in Washington, reported on Monday that the Trump administration is considering sweeping sanctions as part of a broad review of measures to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threat. "I think this is stemming from the visit by the Secretary of State (Rex Tillerson) to Japan, South Korea and China...We of course are not afraid of any act like that," Choe told Reuters. "Even prohibition of the international transactions system, the global financial system, this kind of thing is part of their system that will not frighten us or make any difference." He called existing sanctions "heinous and inhumane". North Korea has been under sanctions for "half a century" but the communist state survives by placing an emphasis on juche or "self-sufficiency", he said. His country wants a forum set up to examine the "legality and legitimacy of the sanctions regime". He denounced joint annual military exercises currently being carried out by the United States and South Korea on the divided peninsula and criticised remarks by Tillerson during his talks with regional allies last week. "All he was talking about is for the United States to take military actions on DPRK (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," Choe said. North Korea rejects claims by Washington and Seoul that the military drills are defensive. They involve strategic nuclear bombers and a nuclear submarine Columbus that recently entered South Korean ports, he said. "In the light of such huge military forces involved in the joint military exercises, we have no other choice but to continue with our full acceleration of the nuclear programmes and missile programmes. It is because of these hostile activities on the part of the United States and South Korea." Pre-emptive Strike Capability "We strengthen our national defence capability as well as pre-emptive strike capabilities with nuclear forces as a centrepiece," Choe said. He declined to give technical details of North Korea's latest rocket engine test on Sunday - seen as a possible prelude to a partial ICBM flight - calling it a great historical event that would lead to "fruitful outcomes". "I can tell you for sure that the inter-continental ballistic rockets of the DPRK will be launched at any time and at any place as decided by our Supreme Leadership," Choe said, recalling leader Kim Jong Un's pledge in a New Year's address. Analysts say North Korea has likely mastered the technology to power the different stages of an ICBM and may show it off soon, but is likely still a long way from being able to hit the mainland United States. "The United States has been talking about launching pre-emptive strikes at North Korea," Choe said. "And we have been prepared to deter, to counter-attack such attacks on the part of the United States. "We would utilise every possible means in our hands and the inter-continental ballistic rocket is one of them." (Reuters)

Not scared of US sanctions: North Korean envoy

More than a month after Kim Jong-Nam was murdered in Kuala Lumpur, experts are struggling to make sense of Malaysia&#39;s findings that the lethal nerve agent VX was used to kill him without apparent harm to anyone else.

Malaysian police have released virtually no forensic evidence connected to the high-profile assassination of the estranged half-brother of North Korea&#39;s leader Kim Jong-Un.&nbsp;

Scientists are confounded by how VX -- a toxin so deadly it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction by the UN -- was deployed in an international airport without causing serious injury to the assailants, first responder medics or other travellers.

&quot;We are building speculation upon speculation&quot; to explain what happened, said Jean-Pascal Zanders, an expert on disarmament who focuses on chemical and biological weapons.

Airport CCTV footage on February 13 shows two women approaching the 45-year-old victim and apparently rubbing his face with a cloth. He died minutes later, according to police, who found traces of VX on his face.&nbsp;

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Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, have since been charged with his murder and have told diplomats they were duped into believing they were participating in a TV prank show.&nbsp;

Police have rejected those claims but have not released any evidence to explain how the women were able to handle one of the world&#39;s deadliest toxins without suffering severe harm.

Here are some key questions and answers about the attack:&nbsp;

What is VX? 
VX is an organophosphate compound that strikes the nervous system, over-stimulating glands and muscles till they tire and stop working.

People exposed to high doses of the toxin experience seizures, heart failure and a shutdown of the respiratory system. Since it evaporates slowly, it can potentially contaminate areas for long periods of time.

A global treaty signed by more than 160 countries that went into force in 1997 prohibits the production, stockpiling and use of VX.&nbsp;

North Korea, which is not among the signatories to the treaty, has been blamed by Seoul for Kim&#39;s assassination, with the South saying the regime&#39;s leader wanted to eliminate a potential rival.

Why are experts confounded?&nbsp; 
Experts have expressed skepticism about Malaysia&#39;s findings, with one UK-based scientist telling AFP that &quot;there are aspects of this that do not &#39;add up&#39;.&quot;

Simon Cotton, a specialist in molecular chemistry at the University of Birmingham, added: &quot;I cannot see how the accused women would have administered a fatal dose of VX directly to the victim without sustaining corresponding life-threatening injuries themselves.&quot;

&quot;There is also no report of any trace of VX - or of any cloths or containers carrying traces of it - at the &#39;crime scene&#39;.&quot;&nbsp;

So VX wasn&#39;t deployed? 
Not so fast. Some experts have put forward a hypothesis that the killing was carried out using a binary version of VX known as VX2.

In that case, the assassins would have separately applied two chemicals to his face, using a precursor which is not severely toxic on its own but lethal once combined with sulphur. The theory would also explain why two women were used for the attack.

&quot;The simplest explanation is that it was binary,&quot; said Matthew Meselson, a professor at Harvard University and member of the national advisory board at the US-based Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.

As the two chemicals combined on Kim&#39;s face to create VX, the assailants would have been unharmed while the delayed reaction would have allowed him to continue walking as shown in the CCTV footage.

It is also easier to transport VX across borders when it is broken down into two seemingly innocuous components.

Why use VX instead of other toxins? 
Experts believe Pyongyang made a considered decision to use VX instead of the more commonly deployed Sarin.

&quot;Sarin kills indiscriminately -- there&#39;s a heavy risk of collateral damage. To use it in a foreign country would have been an act of war,&quot; said Vipin Narang, an expert on nuclear strategy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Unlike Sarin, which evaporates quickly whether deployed as a gas or liquid, VX vaporises slowly, giving authorities time to cordon off affected areas before large numbers of people are exposed to it.

Is there any way Kim could have survived? 
Although just one drop of VX can kill a man when inhaled, the nerve agent takes longer to penetrate the skin, meaning that Kim could have survived had someone injected him with its antidote atropine within minutes.

Even simpler, he could have washed his face to remove the toxin -- which is soluble in cold water -- as the two assailants did, washing their hands soon after the attack.

&quot;If he had... washed his face or rubbed it off with tissues, it could have reduced his exposure,&quot; Harvard professor Meselson said.

&quot;He might have ended up sick, not dead&quot;.

Why are experts still doubtful? 
The binary theory relies entirely on circumstantial evidence and it doesn&#39;t explain how the medics who treated Kim shortly after the attack escaped contamination, disarmament expert Zanders pointed out.

&quot;People are assuming it is VX and then finding reasons for why certain anomalies exist,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

(AFP)

How could VX -- classified as a WMD by the UN -- have killed him in the middle of an airport without harming anyone else?

More than a month after Kim Jong-Nam was murdered in Kuala Lumpur, experts are struggling to make sense of Malaysia's findings that the lethal nerve agent VX was used to kill him without apparent harm to anyone else. Malaysian police have released virtually no forensic evidence connected to the high-profile assassination of the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un. Scientists are confounded by how VX -- a toxin so deadly it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction by the UN -- was deployed in an international airport without causing serious injury to the assailants, first responder medics or other travellers. "We are building speculation upon speculation" to explain what happened, said Jean-Pascal Zanders, an expert on disarmament who focuses on chemical and biological weapons. Airport CCTV footage on February 13 shows two women approaching the 45-year-old victim and apparently rubbing his face with a cloth. He died minutes later, according to police, who found traces of VX on his face. We are building speculation upon speculation' to explain what happened, said Jean-Pascal Zanders, an expert on disarmament who focuses on chemical and biological weapons × Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, have since been charged with his murder and have told diplomats they were duped into believing they were participating in a TV prank show. Police have rejected those claims but have not released any evidence to explain how the women were able to handle one of the world's deadliest toxins without suffering severe harm. Here are some key questions and answers about the attack: What is VX? VX is an organophosphate compound that strikes the nervous system, over-stimulating glands and muscles till they tire and stop working. People exposed to high doses of the toxin experience seizures, heart failure and a shutdown of the respiratory system. Since it evaporates slowly, it can potentially contaminate areas for long periods of time. A global treaty signed by more than 160 countries that went into force in 1997 prohibits the production, stockpiling and use of VX. North Korea, which is not among the signatories to the treaty, has been blamed by Seoul for Kim's assassination, with the South saying the regime's leader wanted to eliminate a potential rival. Why are experts confounded? Experts have expressed skepticism about Malaysia's findings, with one UK-based scientist telling AFP that "there are aspects of this that do not 'add up'." Simon Cotton, a specialist in molecular chemistry at the University of Birmingham, added: "I cannot see how the accused women would have administered a fatal dose of VX directly to the victim without sustaining corresponding life-threatening injuries themselves." "There is also no report of any trace of VX - or of any cloths or containers carrying traces of it - at the 'crime scene'." So VX wasn't deployed? Not so fast. Some experts have put forward a hypothesis that the killing was carried out using a binary version of VX known as VX2. In that case, the assassins would have separately applied two chemicals to his face, using a precursor which is not severely toxic on its own but lethal once combined with sulphur. The theory would also explain why two women were used for the attack. "The simplest explanation is that it was binary," said Matthew Meselson, a professor at Harvard University and member of the national advisory board at the US-based Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. As the two chemicals combined on Kim's face to create VX, the assailants would have been unharmed while the delayed reaction would have allowed him to continue walking as shown in the CCTV footage. It is also easier to transport VX across borders when it is broken down into two seemingly innocuous components. Why use VX instead of other toxins? Experts believe Pyongyang made a considered decision to use VX instead of the more commonly deployed Sarin. "Sarin kills indiscriminately -- there's a heavy risk of collateral damage. To use it in a foreign country would have been an act of war," said Vipin Narang, an expert on nuclear strategy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Unlike Sarin, which evaporates quickly whether deployed as a gas or liquid, VX vaporises slowly, giving authorities time to cordon off affected areas before large numbers of people are exposed to it. Is there any way Kim could have survived? Although just one drop of VX can kill a man when inhaled, the nerve agent takes longer to penetrate the skin, meaning that Kim could have survived had someone injected him with its antidote atropine within minutes. Even simpler, he could have washed his face to remove the toxin -- which is soluble in cold water -- as the two assailants did, washing their hands soon after the attack. "If he had... washed his face or rubbed it off with tissues, it could have reduced his exposure," Harvard professor Meselson said. "He might have ended up sick, not dead". Why are experts still doubtful? The binary theory relies entirely on circumstantial evidence and it doesn't explain how the medics who treated Kim shortly after the attack escaped contamination, disarmament expert Zanders pointed out. "People are assuming it is VX and then finding reasons for why certain anomalies exist," he said. (AFP)

The toxic mystery behind Kim Jong-Nam's assassination

North Korea has conducted a test of a new high-thrust engine at its Tongchang-ri rocket launch station and leader Kim Jong Un said the successful test was &quot;a new birth&quot; of its rocket industry, the reclusive North&#39;s official media said on Sunday.

The engine would help North Korea achieve world-class satellite launch capability, KCNA said, indicating the test was of a new type of rocket engine for long-range missiles.

The United States and China pledged to work together to get the North to take &quot;a different course&quot; and move away from its weapons programmes after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met his Chinese counterpart on Saturday.

North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests and a series of missile launches, in defiance of U.N. sanctions, and is believed by experts and government officials to be working to develop nuclear-warhead missiles that could reach the United States.

Kim Jong Un has said North Korea is close to a test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

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KCNA said the test was carried out at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground, where North Korea has conducted long-range rocket tests.

South Korea&#39;s military declined to comment.

The Washington-based think tank 38 North said last week satellite imagery indicated activity at the site&#39;s vertical engine stand, possibly in preparation for a rocket engine test.

&quot;The rail-mounted environmental shelter has been moved up against the engine test stand since February 5, either for maintenance or to position a rocket engine for testing,&quot; 38 North said in a note.

It said North Korea had installed the environmental shelter in late 2015 to conceal detection of test preparations.

KCNA cited leader Kim as saying the significance of the test would soon be evident.

&quot;He noted that the success made in the current test marked a great event of historic significance as it declared a new birth of the Juche-based rocket industry,&quot; KCNA said. Juche refers to North Korea&#39;s homegrown ideology of self-reliance.

&quot;He emphasised that the whole world will soon witness what eventful significance the great victory won today carries,&quot; it said.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

North Korea conducted a test of a new high-thrust engine Sunday

North Korea has conducted a test of a new high-thrust engine at its Tongchang-ri rocket launch station and leader Kim Jong Un said the successful test was "a new birth" of its rocket industry, the reclusive North's official media said on Sunday. The engine would help North Korea achieve world-class satellite launch capability, KCNA said, indicating the test was of a new type of rocket engine for long-range missiles. The United States and China pledged to work together to get the North to take "a different course" and move away from its weapons programmes after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met his Chinese counterpart on Saturday. North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests and a series of missile launches, in defiance of U.N. sanctions, and is believed by experts and government officials to be working to develop nuclear-warhead missiles that could reach the United States. Kim Jong Un has said North Korea is close to a test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Kim Jong Un has said North Korea is close to a test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile × KCNA said the test was carried out at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground, where North Korea has conducted long-range rocket tests. South Korea's military declined to comment. The Washington-based think tank 38 North said last week satellite imagery indicated activity at the site's vertical engine stand, possibly in preparation for a rocket engine test. "The rail-mounted environmental shelter has been moved up against the engine test stand since February 5, either for maintenance or to position a rocket engine for testing," 38 North said in a note. It said North Korea had installed the environmental shelter in late 2015 to conceal detection of test preparations. KCNA cited leader Kim as saying the significance of the test would soon be evident. "He noted that the success made in the current test marked a great event of historic significance as it declared a new birth of the Juche-based rocket industry," KCNA said. Juche refers to North Korea's homegrown ideology of self-reliance. "He emphasised that the whole world will soon witness what eventful significance the great victory won today carries," it said. (Reuters)

North Korea's Kim says engine test is 'new birth' of rocket industry

The US and China pledged on Saturday to work together in addressing the threat posed by North Korea&#39;s nuclear programme, as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned the situation had reached a &quot;dangerous level.&quot;

The language from Tillerson and his Chinese counterpart after talks in Beijing was notably conciliatory after a run-up in which US President Donald Trump accused China of doing nothing to control its rogue neighbour while Beijing blamed Washington for fuelling hostilities.

&quot;I think we share a common view and a sense that tensions in the peninsula are quite high right now and that things have reached a rather dangerous level,&quot; Tillerson said after talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

&quot;We will work together to see if we cannot bring the government in Pyongyang to a place where they want to make a different course, make a course correction, and move away from the development of nuclear weapons.&quot;

Tillerson arrived in Beijing earlier Saturday after visits to US allies Japan and South Korea where he said the US would no longer observe the &quot;failed&quot; approach of patient diplomacy favoured by Beijing and followed by the Obama administration.

Trump upped the pressure in a Friday Twitter blast accusing Beijing of failing to use its leverage as North Korea&#39;s key diplomatic and trade partner.

&quot;North Korea is behaving very badly. They have been &#39;playing&#39; the United States for years. China has done little to help!&quot; Trump said.

The tougher US talk followed two North Korean nuclear tests last year and recent missile launches, including a salvo earlier this month that Pyongyang described as practice for an attack on US bases in Japan.

Beijing is deeply reluctant to put harsh pressure on the unpredictable North lest it trigger a confrontation or a messy regime collapse.

China has hit back at the US, angrily accusing it of escalating the situation by holding military exercises with its ally Seoul and deploying an anti-missile system in South Korea.

Beijing has been calling for a resumption of diplomatic negotiations with North Korea on dismantling its nuclear programme -- which UN resolutions bar it from pursuing -- a track pursued for years in the past but which notably failed.

&quot;We can either let the situation aggravate and lead to conflict or go back to the right track of negotiations,&quot; Wang said.

&quot;We both hope to find ways to restart talks and do not give up hope for peace.&quot;

Summit looms&nbsp;

Neither side indicated any next steps.

Tillerson, a former Exxon oil executive who until this week had adopted a low profile in office, said in Seoul on Friday that the US and its allies were &quot;exploring a new range of diplomatic, security, economic measures.&quot;

He gave no details but said US military action against North Korea remained &quot;on the table&quot; if Pyongyang escalated its provocations.

China has taken shots at his get-tough approach, saying in recent days that its call for diplomatic talks was the &quot;only feasible option&quot; and challenging the Trump administration to propose something better.

One reason for the amicable tone on Saturday may be that delicate negotiations are ongoing for President Xi Jinping to visit Trump -- a frequent China critic -- in a first summit between the leaders next month in the United States.

Tillerson was expected to meet Xi on Sunday morning.

Beijing shares US concerns over Pyongyang&#39;s nuclearisation but is careful not to provoke North Korea.

But China took one of its toughest steps yet in February, announcing it would halt all imports of North Korean coal -- a key source of income for the impoverished state -- for the rest of this year, citing the UN sanctions.

The United Nations has imposed multiple sets of sanctions but China is accused of not fully enforcing them.&nbsp;

Under the Obama administration, the US ruled out diplomatic engagement until Pyongyang made a tangible commitment to denuclearisation, hoping that internal stresses in the isolated country would bring change.

North Korea says it needs to be able to defend itself, and conducted its first underground atomic test in 2006, triggering global condemnation.&nbsp;Four more test blasts have followed.

Beijing also is upset over the US deployment of an anti-missile system to South Korea that Washington and Seoul insist is purely a defensive measure against a possible North Korean attack.

But Beijing says the system undermines its own security and has reacted angrily, imposing a series of measures seen in South Korea as economic retaliation.

(AFP)

The reconciliation comes after US President Donald Trump and China accused each other of deepening the Pyongyang morass

The US and China pledged on Saturday to work together in addressing the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear programme, as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned the situation had reached a "dangerous level." The language from Tillerson and his Chinese counterpart after talks in Beijing was notably conciliatory after a run-up in which US President Donald Trump accused China of doing nothing to control its rogue neighbour while Beijing blamed Washington for fuelling hostilities. "I think we share a common view and a sense that tensions in the peninsula are quite high right now and that things have reached a rather dangerous level," Tillerson said after talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. "We will work together to see if we cannot bring the government in Pyongyang to a place where they want to make a different course, make a course correction, and move away from the development of nuclear weapons." Tillerson arrived in Beijing earlier Saturday after visits to US allies Japan and South Korea where he said the US would no longer observe the "failed" approach of patient diplomacy favoured by Beijing and followed by the Obama administration. Trump upped the pressure in a Friday Twitter blast accusing Beijing of failing to use its leverage as North Korea's key diplomatic and trade partner. "North Korea is behaving very badly. They have been 'playing' the United States for years. China has done little to help!" Trump said. The tougher US talk followed two North Korean nuclear tests last year and recent missile launches, including a salvo earlier this month that Pyongyang described as practice for an attack on US bases in Japan. Beijing is deeply reluctant to put harsh pressure on the unpredictable North lest it trigger a confrontation or a messy regime collapse. China has hit back at the US, angrily accusing it of escalating the situation by holding military exercises with its ally Seoul and deploying an anti-missile system in South Korea. Beijing has been calling for a resumption of diplomatic negotiations with North Korea on dismantling its nuclear programme -- which UN resolutions bar it from pursuing -- a track pursued for years in the past but which notably failed. "We can either let the situation aggravate and lead to conflict or go back to the right track of negotiations," Wang said. "We both hope to find ways to restart talks and do not give up hope for peace." Summit looms Neither side indicated any next steps. Tillerson, a former Exxon oil executive who until this week had adopted a low profile in office, said in Seoul on Friday that the US and its allies were "exploring a new range of diplomatic, security, economic measures." He gave no details but said US military action against North Korea remained "on the table" if Pyongyang escalated its provocations. China has taken shots at his get-tough approach, saying in recent days that its call for diplomatic talks was the "only feasible option" and challenging the Trump administration to propose something better. One reason for the amicable tone on Saturday may be that delicate negotiations are ongoing for President Xi Jinping to visit Trump -- a frequent China critic -- in a first summit between the leaders next month in the United States. Tillerson was expected to meet Xi on Sunday morning. Beijing shares US concerns over Pyongyang's nuclearisation but is careful not to provoke North Korea. But China took one of its toughest steps yet in February, announcing it would halt all imports of North Korean coal -- a key source of income for the impoverished state -- for the rest of this year, citing the UN sanctions. The United Nations has imposed multiple sets of sanctions but China is accused of not fully enforcing them. Under the Obama administration, the US ruled out diplomatic engagement until Pyongyang made a tangible commitment to denuclearisation, hoping that internal stresses in the isolated country would bring change. North Korea says it needs to be able to defend itself, and conducted its first underground atomic test in 2006, triggering global condemnation. Four more test blasts have followed. Beijing also is upset over the US deployment of an anti-missile system to South Korea that Washington and Seoul insist is purely a defensive measure against a possible North Korean attack. But Beijing says the system undermines its own security and has reacted angrily, imposing a series of measures seen in South Korea as economic retaliation. (AFP)

US, China plan to act together against 'dangerous' North Korea

Sirens blared and loudspeakers broadcast warnings in Japan&#39;s first civilian missile evacuation drill on Friday, conducted in a fishing town by officials wary about the threat of North Korean missiles.

The exercise comes more than a week after North Korea launched four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan&#39;s northwest coast, with one rocket landing about 200 kilometres&nbsp;(124 miles) from the town of Oga.

Friday&#39;s drill played out a scenario in which North Korea had fired a ballistic missile on the Japanese islands.

&quot;The missile is seen to have landed within a 20-kilometre&nbsp;(12-mile) boundary west of the Oga peninsula,&quot; a speaker blared during the evacuation. &quot;The government is currently examining the damage.&quot;

Residents of the largely rural peninsula jutting into the ocean about 450 kilometres&nbsp;(280 miles) north of the capital, Tokyo, made their way to a designated evacuation centre equipped with emergency kits and protective gear.

Schoolchildren in another part of town crouched down to the ground before hurrying inside a gymnasium.

&quot;I&#39;ve seen missiles flying between foreign countries on television, but I never imagined this would happen to us,&quot; said Hideo Motokawa, a 73-year-old who participated in the drill.

Officials said the exercise was prompted by growing concern about the regional security situation.&nbsp;Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Friday the missile drill was worthwhile, to help educate the public.

&quot;Anything can happen these days, and it&#39;s even more true when we cannot anticipate the behaviour of our neighbouring countries,&quot; said Osamu Saito, a security supervisor in the prefecture of Akita where Oga is located.

Some Oga residents worried about how they would react in a real attack. &quot;It&#39;s a scary thing,&quot; said participant Emiko Shinzoya, 73. &quot;If it did actually happen, I don&#39;t think we can do what we practiced today. We&#39;ll just be panicked.&quot;

&nbsp;

US condemns&nbsp;North Korea, calls for &quot;new approach&quot;

North Korea is also developing nuclear-tipped missiles, in defiance of UN&nbsp;Security Council resolutions and sanctions, and conducting nuclear tests in what US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson described earlier this week during a visit to Japan as an &quot;ever-escalating threat&quot;.&nbsp;

Tillerson&nbsp;began his first Asian visit as secretary of state, focusing on finding a&nbsp;&quot;new approach&quot; on North Korea after what he described as two decades of failed efforts to denuclearise the insular nation.

&quot;Let me be very clear: the policy of strategic patience has ended. We are exploring a new range of security and diplomatic measures. All options are on the table,&quot; Tillerson told a news conference today in Seoul.

He said any North Korean actions that threatened the South would be met with &quot;an appropriate response&quot;.

&quot;If they elevate the threat of their weapons programme to a level that we believe requires action, that option is on the table,&quot; Tillerson said when asked about military action.

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North Korea is behaving very badly. They have been &quot;playing&quot; the United States for years. China has done little to help!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/842724011234791424">March 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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(Compiled from Reuters)

Meanwhile US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in Seoul, and said regarding the military threat of Pyongang 'All options are on the table'

Sirens blared and loudspeakers broadcast warnings in Japan's first civilian missile evacuation drill on Friday, conducted in a fishing town by officials wary about the threat of North Korean missiles. The exercise comes more than a week after North Korea launched four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan's northwest coast, with one rocket landing about 200 kilometres (124 miles) from the town of Oga. Friday's drill played out a scenario in which North Korea had fired a ballistic missile on the Japanese islands. "The missile is seen to have landed within a 20-kilometre (12-mile) boundary west of the Oga peninsula," a speaker blared during the evacuation. "The government is currently examining the damage." Residents of the largely rural peninsula jutting into the ocean about 450 kilometres (280 miles) north of the capital, Tokyo, made their way to a designated evacuation centre equipped with emergency kits and protective gear. Schoolchildren in another part of town crouched down to the ground before hurrying inside a gymnasium. "I've seen missiles flying between foreign countries on television, but I never imagined this would happen to us," said Hideo Motokawa, a 73-year-old who participated in the drill. Officials said the exercise was prompted by growing concern about the regional security situation. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Friday the missile drill was worthwhile, to help educate the public. "Anything can happen these days, and it's even more true when we cannot anticipate the behaviour of our neighbouring countries," said Osamu Saito, a security supervisor in the prefecture of Akita where Oga is located. Some Oga residents worried about how they would react in a real attack. "It's a scary thing," said participant Emiko Shinzoya, 73. "If it did actually happen, I don't think we can do what we practiced today. We'll just be panicked." US condemns North Korea, calls for "new approach" North Korea is also developing nuclear-tipped missiles, in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions and sanctions, and conducting nuclear tests in what US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson described earlier this week during a visit to Japan as an "ever-escalating threat". Tillerson began his first Asian visit as secretary of state, focusing on finding a "new approach" on North Korea after what he described as two decades of failed efforts to denuclearise the insular nation. "Let me be very clear: the policy of strategic patience has ended. We are exploring a new range of security and diplomatic measures. All options are on the table," Tillerson told a news conference today in Seoul. He said any North Korean actions that threatened the South would be met with "an appropriate response". "If they elevate the threat of their weapons programme to a level that we believe requires action, that option is on the table," Tillerson said when asked about military action. North Korea is behaving very badly. They have been "playing" the United States for years. China has done little to help! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2017 × (Compiled from Reuters)

Sirens blare as Japan holds first civilian missile evacuation drill, fearing North Korea

North Korea warned the United States on Tuesday of &quot;merciless&quot; attacks if an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson, which is joining South Korean forces for exercises, infringes on its sovereignty or dignity.

North Korea, which has alarmed its neighbours with two nuclear tests and a string of missile launches since last year, said the arrival of the US&nbsp;strike group was part of a &quot;reckless scheme&quot; to attack it.

&quot;If they infringe on the DPRK&#39;s sovereignty and dignity even a bit, its army will launch merciless ultra-precision strikes from ground, air, sea and underwater,&quot; the North&#39;s state news agency KCNA said.

North Korea&#39;s official name is the Democratic People&#39;s Republic of Korea.

&quot;On March 11 alone, many enemy carrier-based aircraft flew along a course near territorial air and waters of the DPRK to stage drills of dropping bombs and making surprise attacks on the ground targets of its army,&quot; KCNA said.

A US Navy spokesman said the Carl Vinson was on a regular, scheduled deployment to the region during which it would take part in exercises with the forces of ally South Korea.

Last week, North Korea fired four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan in response to annual US-South Korea military drills, which the North sees as preparation for war.

The murder in Malaysia last month of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un&#39;s estranged half-brother has added to a sense of urgency to efforts to handle North Korea.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is due to make his first visit to South Korea on Friday.

Last week, the US&nbsp;ambassador to the United Nations said President Donald Trump&#39;s administration was re-evaluating its North Korea strategy and &quot;all options are on the table&quot;.

Chinese Opposition

Compounding regional tension, China is vehemently opposed to the deployment in South Korea of an advanced US&nbsp;anti-missile system.

The United States and South Korea say the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system is for defence against North Korea, but China fears its powerful radar can probe deep into its territory and compromise its security.

The United States began to deploy the system a week ago, a day after North Korea launched its latest four missile tests.

South Korean and US&nbsp;troops began the large-scale joint drills, which are billed as defensive in nature, on March 1.

The exercise last year involved about 17,000 American troops and more than 300,000 South Koreans. South Korea has said this year&#39;s exercise would be of a similar scale.

The United States has also started to deploy &quot;Gray Eagle&quot; attack drones to South Korea, a US&nbsp;military spokesman said on Monday.

China says the exercises do nothing to ease tension. Last week, it called on North Korea to stop its weapons tests and for South Korea and the United States to stop their drills.

A state-run Chinese newspaper said the USS Carl Vinson was taking part in a simulation of a preemptive strike against North Korea&#39;s nuclear and missile facilities.

The drills sent the North &quot;an explicit radical threat&quot;, to which it could not be expected to remain indifferent, the influential Global Times said. North and South Korea were &quot;equally hysterical&quot;, it said.

&quot;The U.S. and South Korea often accuse China of being uncooperative, but the reality is they are uncooperative over China&#39;s mediation,&quot; it said, referring to complaints that China does not do enough to rein in old ally North Korea.

(Reuters)

North Korea said the arrival of the US?strike group was part of a 'reckless scheme' to attack it

North Korea warned the United States on Tuesday of "merciless" attacks if an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson, which is joining South Korean forces for exercises, infringes on its sovereignty or dignity. North Korea, which has alarmed its neighbours with two nuclear tests and a string of missile launches since last year, said the arrival of the US strike group was part of a "reckless scheme" to attack it. "If they infringe on the DPRK's sovereignty and dignity even a bit, its army will launch merciless ultra-precision strikes from ground, air, sea and underwater," the North's state news agency KCNA said. North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "On March 11 alone, many enemy carrier-based aircraft flew along a course near territorial air and waters of the DPRK to stage drills of dropping bombs and making surprise attacks on the ground targets of its army," KCNA said. A US Navy spokesman said the Carl Vinson was on a regular, scheduled deployment to the region during which it would take part in exercises with the forces of ally South Korea. Last week, North Korea fired four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan in response to annual US-South Korea military drills, which the North sees as preparation for war. The murder in Malaysia last month of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother has added to a sense of urgency to efforts to handle North Korea. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is due to make his first visit to South Korea on Friday. Last week, the US ambassador to the United Nations said President Donald Trump's administration was re-evaluating its North Korea strategy and "all options are on the table". Chinese Opposition Compounding regional tension, China is vehemently opposed to the deployment in South Korea of an advanced US anti-missile system. The United States and South Korea say the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system is for defence against North Korea, but China fears its powerful radar can probe deep into its territory and compromise its security. The United States began to deploy the system a week ago, a day after North Korea launched its latest four missile tests. South Korean and US troops began the large-scale joint drills, which are billed as defensive in nature, on March 1. The exercise last year involved about 17,000 American troops and more than 300,000 South Koreans. South Korea has said this year's exercise would be of a similar scale. The United States has also started to deploy "Gray Eagle" attack drones to South Korea, a US military spokesman said on Monday. China says the exercises do nothing to ease tension. Last week, it called on North Korea to stop its weapons tests and for South Korea and the United States to stop their drills. A state-run Chinese newspaper said the USS Carl Vinson was taking part in a simulation of a preemptive strike against North Korea's nuclear and missile facilities. The drills sent the North "an explicit radical threat", to which it could not be expected to remain indifferent, the influential Global Times said. North and South Korea were "equally hysterical", it said. "The U.S. and South Korea often accuse China of being uncooperative, but the reality is they are uncooperative over China's mediation," it said, referring to complaints that China does not do enough to rein in old ally North Korea. (Reuters)

North Korea warns of 'merciless' strikes as US carrier joins South Korea drills

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on North Korea on Wednesday to stop nuclear and missile tests and, for the United States and South Korea to stop joint military drills that the isolated North regards as preparation for war.

North Korea launched four ballistic missiles on Monday in response to the military exercises. Wang said those tests and the drills were causing tensions on the Korean Peninsula to increase like two &quot;accelerating trains coming toward each other&quot;.

&quot;China&#39;s suggestion is, as a first step, for North Korea to suspend nuclear activity, and for the US&nbsp;and South Korea to also suspend large-scale military drills,&quot; Wang said at his annual news conference on the sidelines of the meeting of China&#39;s parliament in Beijing.

He said this &quot;dual suspension&quot; would allow all sides to return to the negotiating table.

North Korea fired four missiles into the sea off Japan&#39;s northwest coast on Monday, angering South Korea and Japan with the latest in a series of ballistic missile and nuclear tests in defiance of United Nations resolutions in recent months.

&quot;Holding nuclear weapons won&#39;t bring security, using military force won&#39;t be a way out,&quot; Wang said. &quot;There remains a chance of resuming talks, there is still hope for peace.&quot;

The United States had started to deploy the first elements of its advanced Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea after the North&#39;s latest tests, US&nbsp;Pacific Command said on Tuesday.

The deployment of the anti-missile defence system was likely to deepen a brewing conflict between South Korea and China, which has angrily opposed the THAAD deployment as destroying the regional security balance.

The planned THAAD installation, which South Korea has said would be operational by the end of the year, has led to a diplomatic standoff between China and South Korea.

Chinese authorities have closed nearly two dozen retail stores of South Korea&#39;s Lotte Group, which approved a land swap with the military last week to allow it to install the system.

China objects to the THAAD deployment, saying its territory is the target of the system&#39;s far-reaching radar. South Korea and the United States have said the missile system is aimed only at curbing North Korean provocations.

China is isolated North Korea&#39;s most important supporter, but Beijing has been angered by its repeated missile and nuclear tests and has signed up for increasingly severe UN&nbsp;sanctions against Pyongyang, including suspending coal imports.

China has also rejected accusations from US&nbsp;President Donald Trump that Beijing could be doing more, saying the problem was ultimately between Washington and Pyongyang.

(Reuters)

China is isolated North Korea's most important supporter, but Beijing has been angered by its repeated missile and nuclear tests

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on North Korea on Wednesday to stop nuclear and missile tests and, for the United States and South Korea to stop joint military drills that the isolated North regards as preparation for war. North Korea launched four ballistic missiles on Monday in response to the military exercises. Wang said those tests and the drills were causing tensions on the Korean Peninsula to increase like two "accelerating trains coming toward each other". "China's suggestion is, as a first step, for North Korea to suspend nuclear activity, and for the US and South Korea to also suspend large-scale military drills," Wang said at his annual news conference on the sidelines of the meeting of China's parliament in Beijing. He said this "dual suspension" would allow all sides to return to the negotiating table. North Korea fired four missiles into the sea off Japan's northwest coast on Monday, angering South Korea and Japan with the latest in a series of ballistic missile and nuclear tests in defiance of United Nations resolutions in recent months. "Holding nuclear weapons won't bring security, using military force won't be a way out," Wang said. "There remains a chance of resuming talks, there is still hope for peace." The United States had started to deploy the first elements of its advanced Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea after the North's latest tests, US Pacific Command said on Tuesday. The deployment of the anti-missile defence system was likely to deepen a brewing conflict between South Korea and China, which has angrily opposed the THAAD deployment as destroying the regional security balance. The planned THAAD installation, which South Korea has said would be operational by the end of the year, has led to a diplomatic standoff between China and South Korea. Chinese authorities have closed nearly two dozen retail stores of South Korea's Lotte Group, which approved a land swap with the military last week to allow it to install the system. China objects to the THAAD deployment, saying its territory is the target of the system's far-reaching radar. South Korea and the United States have said the missile system is aimed only at curbing North Korean provocations. China is isolated North Korea's most important supporter, but Beijing has been angered by its repeated missile and nuclear tests and has signed up for increasingly severe UN sanctions against Pyongyang, including suspending coal imports. China has also rejected accusations from US President Donald Trump that Beijing could be doing more, saying the problem was ultimately between Washington and Pyongyang. (Reuters)

China asks North Korea to stop missile tests, tells US and South to seek talks

North Korea on Tuesday banned all Malaysians from leaving the country and Malaysia has responded with a tit-for-tat action, dramatically escalating an already heated diplomatic row over the murder of North Korean leader&rsquo;s half-brother in Kuala Lumpur.

The North decided to &quot;temporarily ban the exit of Malaysian citizens in the DPRK&quot;, Pyongyang&#39;s official Korea Central News Agency said, citing the foreign ministry.

The bar would remain in place &quot;until the safety of the diplomats and citizens of the DPRK in Malaysia is fully guaranteed through the fair settlement of the case that occurred in Malaysia&quot;.

After Pyongyang announced the move, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said he has also instructed the police &quot;to prevent all North Korean citizens in Malaysia from leaving the country until we are assured of the safety and security of all Malaysians in North Korea&quot;.

He said it was an &ldquo;abhorrent act&rdquo; which was &quot;in total disregard of all international law and diplomatic norms&quot;. &nbsp;

Malaysian deputy foreign minister Reezal Marican told reporters that there were 11 Malaysians in North Korea: Three at the embassy, two UN workers and six family members.

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<h5>Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur had unusually strong links for years, but ties have rapidly degenerated in the weeks since Kim Jong-Nam was attacked at an international airport by two women with a potent nerve agent.</h5>
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Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur had unusually strong links for years, but ties have rapidly degenerated in the weeks since Kim Jong-Nam was attacked at an international airport by two women with a potent nerve agent.

Seoul has blamed Pyongyang for the assassination, and Kuala Lumpur wants to question several North Koreans, although the only one it arrested was released for lack of evidence.

The North has never confirmed the dead man&#39;s identity, but has denounced the Malaysian investigation as an attempt to smear it.

According to KCNA, Pyongyang&#39;s foreign ministry expressed hopes that the Malaysian government would solve the issue &quot;as early as possible&quot; from a position of &quot;goodwill&quot; and &quot;setting store by and developing the bilateral relations&quot;.

Malaysian diplomats and nationals in the North &quot;may work and live normally under the same conditions and circumstances as before&quot; while the travel ban is in place, it added.

(WION with&nbsp;inputs from agencies)

The extraordinary row has broken out over the killing of the North Korean leader's half-brother in Kuala Lumpur

North Korea on Tuesday banned all Malaysians from leaving the country and Malaysia has responded with a tit-for-tat action, dramatically escalating an already heated diplomatic row over the murder of North Korean leader’s half-brother in Kuala Lumpur. The North decided to "temporarily ban the exit of Malaysian citizens in the DPRK", Pyongyang's official Korea Central News Agency said, citing the foreign ministry. The bar would remain in place "until the safety of the diplomats and citizens of the DPRK in Malaysia is fully guaranteed through the fair settlement of the case that occurred in Malaysia". After Pyongyang announced the move, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said he has also instructed the police "to prevent all North Korean citizens in Malaysia from leaving the country until we are assured of the safety and security of all Malaysians in North Korea". He said it was an “abhorrent act” which was "in total disregard of all international law and diplomatic norms". Malaysian deputy foreign minister Reezal Marican told reporters that there were 11 Malaysians in North Korea: Three at the embassy, two UN workers and six family members. Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur had unusually strong links for years, but ties have rapidly degenerated in the weeks since Kim Jong-Nam was attacked at an international airport by two women with a potent nerve agent. × Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur had unusually strong links for years, but ties have rapidly degenerated in the weeks since Kim Jong-Nam was attacked at an international airport by two women with a potent nerve agent. Seoul has blamed Pyongyang for the assassination, and Kuala Lumpur wants to question several North Koreans, although the only one it arrested was released for lack of evidence. The North has never confirmed the dead man's identity, but has denounced the Malaysian investigation as an attempt to smear it. According to KCNA, Pyongyang's foreign ministry expressed hopes that the Malaysian government would solve the issue "as early as possible" from a position of "goodwill" and "setting store by and developing the bilateral relations". Malaysian diplomats and nationals in the North "may work and live normally under the same conditions and circumstances as before" while the travel ban is in place, it added. (WION with inputs from agencies)

North Korea bans all Malaysians from leaving country, Malaysia hits back with tit-for-tat move

The North Korean missiles that crashed into the Sea of Japan early Monday (March 6) was a training exercise to launch assaults on US bases in Japan.

Pyongyang&#39;s official KCNA news agency said North leader Kin Jong-Un himself gave the order for the firing of the projectiles, a development that caused turbulence in East Asia and the United States.

On Monday, South Korea&#39;s military and later Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had confirmed that the North test-fired four missiles, three of which crashed into Tokyo&#39;s waters that are part of an exclusive economic zone.

North Korea&#39;s continuance in their missile-testing policy flies in the face of rigorous sanctions imposed by the United Nations.

Pyongyang is barred by the UN from using any kind of ballistic missile technology.

But nuclear-armed North Korea has launched about five nuclear missiles in the last decade and about 20 ballistic missiles since 2015, according to a report in New York Times.

North&#39;s latest act of defiance has vexed South Korea and the US, who have sought an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

Pyongyang had test-fired another missile just days after US President Donald Trump assumed power in Washington, a provocative action that had tested the incoming US administration&#39;s mettle.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer later on Monday said North Korea poses a &quot;very serious threat&quot;, adding the Trump administration was taking steps to &quot;enhance our ability to defend against North Korea&#39;s ballistic missiles&quot;.

One of the measures include deployment of a missile defence system called THAAD in South Korea.

Kim Jong-Un has repeatedly spelled his desire of developing an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that can strike mainland United States.

In his 2017 New Year&#39;s address, Kim had said the development of an ICBM was in its &quot;final stages&quot;.

But Trump has insisted that the US would not let Pyongyang develop such a projectile.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

&nbsp;

Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency said North Korea leader Kin Jong-Un gave the order to fire himself

The North Korean missiles that crashed into the Sea of Japan early Monday (March 6) was a training exercise to launch assaults on US bases in Japan. Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency said North leader Kin Jong-Un himself gave the order for the firing of the projectiles, a development that caused turbulence in East Asia and the United States. On Monday, South Korea's military and later Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had confirmed that the North test-fired four missiles, three of which crashed into Tokyo's waters that are part of an exclusive economic zone. North Korea's continuance in their missile-testing policy flies in the face of rigorous sanctions imposed by the United Nations. Pyongyang is barred by the UN from using any kind of ballistic missile technology. But nuclear-armed North Korea has launched about five nuclear missiles in the last decade and about 20 ballistic missiles since 2015, according to a report in New York Times. North's latest act of defiance has vexed South Korea and the US, who have sought an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. Pyongyang had test-fired another missile just days after US President Donald Trump assumed power in Washington, a provocative action that had tested the incoming US administration's mettle. White House spokesman Sean Spicer later on Monday said North Korea poses a "very serious threat", adding the Trump administration was taking steps to "enhance our ability to defend against North Korea's ballistic missiles". One of the measures include deployment of a missile defence system called THAAD in South Korea. Kim Jong-Un has repeatedly spelled his desire of developing an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that can strike mainland United States. In his 2017 New Year's address, Kim had said the development of an ICBM was in its "final stages". But Trump has insisted that the US would not let Pyongyang develop such a projectile. (WION with inputs from AFP)

North Korea missile tests were training to attack US bases in Japan: Report

North Korea said&nbsp;Monday&nbsp;it would expel Malaysia&#39;s ambassador after its own envoy was ordered out of the Southeast Asian nation, in an increasingly bitter row over the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

&quot;The Foreign Ministry of the DPRK (North Korea) notifies that the Malaysian ambassador to the DPRK is labeled as a persona non grata... and demanded that the ambassador leave the DPRK,&quot; state news agency KCNA said, giving a 48-hour deadline.

The KCNA report came shortly after the North&#39;s ambassador Kang Chol flew home from Kuala Lumpur.&nbsp;

Malaysia&#39;s ambassador to Pyongyang had already been recalled for consultations as the two countries traded barbs over an investigation into the killing of the North Korean leader&#39;s half-brother with VX nerve agent last month.

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia&#39;s foreign ministry confirmed its ambassador to Pyongyang had been officially declared persona non grata.

&quot;This reciprocal action is normal in diplomacy,&quot; said ministry director-general Raja Nurshirwan. &nbsp;

North Korea has not acknowledged the dead man&#39;s identity but has repeatedly attacked the murder investigation and demanded a second autopsy, accusing Malaysia of conniving with its enemies.

Airport CCTV footage shows two women approaching the 45-year-old victim and apparently smearing his face with a cloth. Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than&nbsp;20 minutes later. Swabs of his face revealed traces of the VX nerve agent.

Two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- are in custody and have been charged with the murder while police are seeking seven North Korean suspects, four of whom left Malaysia on February 13, the day of the assassination.&nbsp;

Police last week released the only North Korean they had arrested, citing a lack of evidence.

South Korea has blamed Pyongyang for the murder, citing what it says was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother.

(AFP)

Malaysia's ambassador has been given two days'notice to leave the country, another low point in relations between the two countries

North Korea said Monday it would expel Malaysia's ambassador after its own envoy was ordered out of the Southeast Asian nation, in an increasingly bitter row over the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. "The Foreign Ministry of the DPRK (North Korea) notifies that the Malaysian ambassador to the DPRK is labeled as a persona non grata... and demanded that the ambassador leave the DPRK," state news agency KCNA said, giving a 48-hour deadline. The KCNA report came shortly after the North's ambassador Kang Chol flew home from Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia's ambassador to Pyongyang had already been recalled for consultations as the two countries traded barbs over an investigation into the killing of the North Korean leader's half-brother with VX nerve agent last month. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's foreign ministry confirmed its ambassador to Pyongyang had been officially declared persona non grata. "This reciprocal action is normal in diplomacy," said ministry director-general Raja Nurshirwan. North Korea has not acknowledged the dead man's identity but has repeatedly attacked the murder investigation and demanded a second autopsy, accusing Malaysia of conniving with its enemies. Airport CCTV footage shows two women approaching the 45-year-old victim and apparently smearing his face with a cloth. Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later. Swabs of his face revealed traces of the VX nerve agent. Two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- are in custody and have been charged with the murder while police are seeking seven North Korean suspects, four of whom left Malaysia on February 13, the day of the assassination. Police last week released the only North Korean they had arrested, citing a lack of evidence. South Korea has blamed Pyongyang for the murder, citing what it says was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother. (AFP)

Kim murder: North Korea to expel Malaysian envoy in diplomatic tit-for-tat

North Korea fired four missiles&nbsp;early Monday (January 6), three of which crashed into Japan-controlled waters, according to authorities in Tokyo and South Korea.

&quot;In terms of the range, it is around 1,000 kilometres,&quot; South&#39;s military&nbsp;said, adding Seoul and the US were &quot;closely analysing&quot; tracking data for further details.

South Korea&#39;s defence ministry said the projectiles were test-fired from North Pyongyang province &quot;around 7.36 am&quot; (2236 GMT).

Moments later, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the parliament: &quot;North Korea today fired four ballistic missiles almost simultaneously and they flew some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles).&quot;&nbsp;

The latest test-fires come&nbsp;a month after North Korea had launched a ballistic missile just days after US President Donald Trump assumed power.

North Korea is barred by the United Nations from launching any nuclear missile or use of any ballistic missile technology.

South Korea&#39;s Yonhap news agency quoted an unnamed military official&nbsp;as saying the latest launch might be of an intercontinental ballistic missile that could strike the United States.

North leader Kim Jong-Un has repeatedly warned of striking the US with nuclear missiles.

Just weeks before&nbsp;Donald Trump&#39;s inauguration as the country&#39;s 45th president, Kim had promised to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) any time soon.

In his New Year&#39;s speech this year, Kim said that the preparation for launching an ICBM was in its &quot;final stages&quot;.

But the nature of Monday&#39;s missiles are&nbsp;yet to be determined.

Visiting a&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean army headquarters unit, leader&nbsp;Kim&nbsp;Jong-Un ordered the troops to &quot;set up thorough countermeasures of a merciless strike against the enemy&#39;s sudden air assault&quot;, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said on the day the Foal Eagle exercises started.

Pyongyang has conducted five nuclear tests in the last ten years and fired 20 ballistic missiles in 2016 alone, but it is yet to test-fire an ICBM, according to The New York Times.

Pyongyang&#39;s yet another defiant test-fire is likely to test the Donald Trump administration yet again.

Despite a raft of sanctions imposed on the reclusive nation, Kim&#39;s North has gone ahead developing its nuclear capability.

Tokyo stocks open lower

Tokyo stocks opened lower on Monday after the yen rose and as investors awaited more information on North Korea&#39;s firing of ballistic missiles, three of which landed in Japanese waters.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index &nbsp;fell 0.52 per cent, or 100.67 points, to 19,368.50 in early trading, while the Topix index of all first-section issues was down 0.35 per cent, or 5.40 points, at 1,552.65.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

A military official?said the latest launch might be of an intercontinental ballistic missile that could strike the US

North Korea fired four missiles early Monday (January 6), three of which crashed into Japan-controlled waters, according to authorities in Tokyo and South Korea. "In terms of the range, it is around 1,000 kilometres," South's military said, adding Seoul and the US were "closely analysing" tracking data for further details. South Korea's defence ministry said the projectiles were test-fired from North Pyongyang province "around 7.36 am" (2236 GMT). Moments later, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the parliament: "North Korea today fired four ballistic missiles almost simultaneously and they flew some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles)." The latest test-fires come a month after North Korea had launched a ballistic missile just days after US President Donald Trump assumed power. North Korea is barred by the United Nations from launching any nuclear missile or use of any ballistic missile technology. South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted an unnamed military official as saying the latest launch might be of an intercontinental ballistic missile that could strike the United States. North leader Kim Jong-Un has repeatedly warned of striking the US with nuclear missiles. Just weeks before Donald Trump's inauguration as the country's 45th president, Kim had promised to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) any time soon. In his New Year's speech this year, Kim said that the preparation for launching an ICBM was in its "final stages". But the nature of Monday's missiles are yet to be determined. Visiting a North Korean army headquarters unit, leader Kim Jong-Un ordered the troops to "set up thorough countermeasures of a merciless strike against the enemy's sudden air assault", the state-run Korean Central News Agency said on the day the Foal Eagle exercises started. Pyongyang has conducted five nuclear tests in the last ten years and fired 20 ballistic missiles in 2016 alone, but it is yet to test-fire an ICBM, according to The New York Times. Pyongyang's yet another defiant test-fire is likely to test the Donald Trump administration yet again. Despite a raft of sanctions imposed on the reclusive nation, Kim's North has gone ahead developing its nuclear capability. Tokyo stocks open lower Tokyo stocks opened lower on Monday after the yen rose and as investors awaited more information on North Korea's firing of ballistic missiles, three of which landed in Japanese waters. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 0.52 per cent, or 100.67 points, to 19,368.50 in early trading, while the Topix index of all first-section issues was down 0.35 per cent, or 5.40 points, at 1,552.65. (WION with inputs from AFP)

North Korea fires four missiles, three land in Japanese waters

The only North Korean arrested over the dramatic airport assassination of Kim Jong-Nam is to be freed, Malaysia&#39;s attorney general said Thursday.

The announcement came the day after two young women appeared in court charged with murdering the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un with a banned nerve agent.

It also came hours after Kuala Lumpur said it was abruptly ending a visa waiver programme that allows nationals of the isolated state to come and go freely.

Attorney general Mohamed Apandi Ali said Ri Jong-Chol would be released on Friday.

&quot;He is a free man. His remand expires and there is insufficient evidence to charge him,&quot; Apandi said.

Seven other North Koreans are wanted in connection with the killing, including a diplomat and an airline employee who are believed to be in Malaysia.

Four others are thought to have fled to Pyongyang on the day of the murder.

Ri was arrested days after Kim suffered an agonising death after being attacked at Kuala Lumpur International Airport as he waited to board a flight to Macau.

CCTV footage shows two women approaching the heavyset 45-year old and appearing to thrust a cloth in his face. 
Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later, without reaching hospital.

Swabs of the dead man&#39;s face revealed traces of the VX nerve agent, a synthetic chemical so deadly that it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction.

South Korea has consistently pointed the finger of blame at North Korea for the assassination, citing what they say was a standing order from Kim Jong-Un to kill his half-brother, who lived in exile.

Pyongyang, which has never acknowledged Kim&#39;s identity, has denied the charge and disputes the autopsy, claiming Malaysia is in cahoots with its enemies.

The two countries, which had enjoyed relatively warm relations, have been at diplomatic daggers drawn since the killing. 
On Thursday Kuala Lumpur, which had earlier recalled its ambassador, said it was cancelling its visa-free travel deal with Pyongyang.

The government was implementing the change on the grounds of national security, Malaysian news agency Bernama quoted deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying.&nbsp;

The cancellation will take effect on March 6, after which North Koreans entering Malaysia will be required to obtain a visa, the report added.

Two female suspects in the attack, Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, were charged with murder on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The women, who were brought to court surrounded by heavily armed police and security officers, could face the death penalty if convicted of murder.

Both female suspects say they thought they were taking part in a prank video but police have dismissed the claims.&nbsp;

(AFP)

The announcement came a day after two women were charged with the murder of the North Korean leader's half-brother

The only North Korean arrested over the dramatic airport assassination of Kim Jong-Nam is to be freed, Malaysia's attorney general said Thursday. The announcement came the day after two young women appeared in court charged with murdering the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un with a banned nerve agent. It also came hours after Kuala Lumpur said it was abruptly ending a visa waiver programme that allows nationals of the isolated state to come and go freely. Attorney general Mohamed Apandi Ali said Ri Jong-Chol would be released on Friday. "He is a free man. His remand expires and there is insufficient evidence to charge him," Apandi said. Seven other North Koreans are wanted in connection with the killing, including a diplomat and an airline employee who are believed to be in Malaysia. Four others are thought to have fled to Pyongyang on the day of the murder. Ri was arrested days after Kim suffered an agonising death after being attacked at Kuala Lumpur International Airport as he waited to board a flight to Macau. CCTV footage shows two women approaching the heavyset 45-year old and appearing to thrust a cloth in his face. Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later, without reaching hospital. Swabs of the dead man's face revealed traces of the VX nerve agent, a synthetic chemical so deadly that it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction. South Korea has consistently pointed the finger of blame at North Korea for the assassination, citing what they say was a standing order from Kim Jong-Un to kill his half-brother, who lived in exile. Pyongyang, which has never acknowledged Kim's identity, has denied the charge and disputes the autopsy, claiming Malaysia is in cahoots with its enemies. The two countries, which had enjoyed relatively warm relations, have been at diplomatic daggers drawn since the killing. On Thursday Kuala Lumpur, which had earlier recalled its ambassador, said it was cancelling its visa-free travel deal with Pyongyang. The government was implementing the change on the grounds of national security, Malaysian news agency Bernama quoted deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying. The cancellation will take effect on March 6, after which North Koreans entering Malaysia will be required to obtain a visa, the report added. Two female suspects in the attack, Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, were charged with murder on Wednesday. The women, who were brought to court surrounded by heavily armed police and security officers, could face the death penalty if convicted of murder. Both female suspects say they thought they were taking part in a prank video but police have dismissed the claims. (AFP)

Malaysia to free North Korean man arrested in Kim killing

South Korea&#39;s intelligence believes that some North Korean government officials were involved&nbsp;in the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam earlier this month.

Among the suspects wanted by the Malaysian police include several officials who worked in North Korea&#39;s foreign and security ministries, according to South Korean lawmakers.

North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un&#39;s half-brother Kim Jong-Nam was killed in Malaysia&#39;s international airport when two women sprayed the deadly VX nerve agent on&nbsp;his face. VX nerve agent is a chemical capable of killing a person in minutes and listed by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

&quot;Among eight suspects in this case four are from the ministry of state security and two who actually took action are from the foreign ministry,&quot; Lee Cheol-woo, one of the lawmakers briefed by South Korean intelligence, told reporters.

&quot;That is why it is a case of terrorism led by the state, directly organised by the ministry of state security and the foreign ministry,&quot; Lee added.

One of the eight suspects wanted by Malaysia is a North Korea embassy official, who is believed to still be in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia&#39;s health minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said on Sunday that Kim Jong Nam died within 15-20 minutes of being assaulted by two women who are believed to have smeared VX on his face.

The women, Indonesian and Vietnamese citizens, are in police custody and have told officials from their respective embassies that they believed they were taking part in a TV prank.

Another South Korean lawmaker briefed by the intelligence agency, Kim Byung-kee, said the North Koreans had operated in three teams. Two teams were responsible for hiring women in Indonesia and Vietnam and bringing them to Malaysia to carry out the attack and another was a &quot;back-up&quot; team.

The killing has sparked a diplomatic standoff between the two usually friendly countries, with Malaysia refusing to hand over the body to North Korea before it is officially identified by the victim&#39;s next of kin.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

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South Korea's intelligence believes some of the suspects worked for North Korea's foreign and security ministries

South Korea's intelligence believes that some North Korean government officials were involved in the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam earlier this month. Among the suspects wanted by the Malaysian police include several officials who worked in North Korea's foreign and security ministries, according to South Korean lawmakers. North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un's half-brother Kim Jong-Nam was killed in Malaysia's international airport when two women sprayed the deadly VX nerve agent on his face. VX nerve agent is a chemical capable of killing a person in minutes and listed by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction. "Among eight suspects in this case four are from the ministry of state security and two who actually took action are from the foreign ministry," Lee Cheol-woo, one of the lawmakers briefed by South Korean intelligence, told reporters. "That is why it is a case of terrorism led by the state, directly organised by the ministry of state security and the foreign ministry," Lee added. One of the eight suspects wanted by Malaysia is a North Korea embassy official, who is believed to still be in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia's health minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said on Sunday that Kim Jong Nam died within 15-20 minutes of being assaulted by two women who are believed to have smeared VX on his face. The women, Indonesian and Vietnamese citizens, are in police custody and have told officials from their respective embassies that they believed they were taking part in a TV prank. Another South Korean lawmaker briefed by the intelligence agency, Kim Byung-kee, said the North Koreans had operated in three teams. Two teams were responsible for hiring women in Indonesia and Vietnam and bringing them to Malaysia to carry out the attack and another was a "back-up" team. The killing has sparked a diplomatic standoff between the two usually friendly countries, with Malaysia refusing to hand over the body to North Korea before it is officially identified by the victim's next of kin. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

North Korean government officials 'involved in Kim Jong-Nam's murder'

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