The&nbsp;European Union vowed on Monday (October 16) to defend 2015 nuclear&nbsp;deal between&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;and world powers and urged US&nbsp;lawmakers not to reimpose sanctions after President Donald Trump chose not to certify Tehran&#39;s compliance with the accord.

Germany and France led a chorus of warnings to the United States, normally the&nbsp;EU&#39;s closest foreign policy ally, that any weakening of the agreement to prevent&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;obtaining nuclear weapons could have serious consequences for peace.

EU&nbsp;foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who chaired the final phase of the 2015 negotiations, held closed-door talks on how the 28-nation bloc should proceed and ministers were also set to discuss how to tackle&nbsp;Iran&#39;s ballistic missile programme.

But while several&nbsp;EU&nbsp;governments, including the Netherlands and Britain, said&nbsp;Iran&#39;s ballistic missiles and Tehran&#39;s interventions in Syria and Yemen were a concern, ministers said the immediate focus had to be saving the 2015&nbsp;deal.

Negotiated after 12 years of talks that&nbsp;EU&nbsp;diplomats helped to initiate and carry through, the accord with&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;is the most significant diplomatic success for the bloc in several decades.

At their meeting in Luxembourg, the&nbsp;EU&#39;s foreign ministers are also due to approve a new round of economic sanctions on&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;after Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear test last month. Many governments still hold out hope of repeating the&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;deal&nbsp;with&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea.

Germany and France led a chorus of warnings to the United States, normally the?EU's closest foreign policy ally, that any weakening of the agreement to prevent?Iran?obtaining nuclear weapons could have serious consequences for peace

The European Union vowed on Monday (October 16) to defend 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and urged US lawmakers not to reimpose sanctions after President Donald Trump chose not to certify Tehran's compliance with the accord. Germany and France led a chorus of warnings to the United States, normally the EU's closest foreign policy ally, that any weakening of the agreement to prevent Iran obtaining nuclear weapons could have serious consequences for peace. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who chaired the final phase of the 2015 negotiations, held closed-door talks on how the 28-nation bloc should proceed and ministers were also set to discuss how to tackle Iran's ballistic missile programme. But while several EU governments, including the Netherlands and Britain, said Iran's ballistic missiles and Tehran's interventions in Syria and Yemen were a concern, ministers said the immediate focus had to be saving the 2015 deal. Negotiated after 12 years of talks that EU diplomats helped to initiate and carry through, the accord with Iran is the most significant diplomatic success for the bloc in several decades. At their meeting in Luxembourg, the EU's foreign ministers are also due to approve a new round of economic sanctions on North Korea after Pyongyang's nuclear test last month. Many governments still hold out hope of repeating the Iran deal with North Korea.

EU vows to save Iran nuclear deal

Military intervention against North Korea would have &quot;devastating consequences&quot;, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned Friday, after US President Donald Trump said diplomatic efforts had failed.

Tensions over North Korea&#39;s weapons programmes have soared in recent months, with Pyongyang launching a flurry of missiles and conducting its sixth and most powerful nuclear test last month in defiance of international sanctions.

Trump&#39;s continued threats of military action against Pyongyang to tame its weapons ambitions have fuelled fears of a conflict on the Korean peninsula and next week the US and South Korea will begin a major naval drill as a show of force against the North.

Stoltenberg, who will visit South Korea and Japan in the coming weeks as a show of support, stressed that Washington had the right to defend itself and its allies, but called for greater diplomatic efforts.

&quot;The use of military force will have devastating consequences, I think nobody really wants that, therefore we need to continue to push for a negotiated solution,&quot; Stoltenberg said in an interview at NATO head quarters in Brussels.

&quot;The US has the right to defend itself, to defend its allies, but at same time I am absolutely certain no one wants a military solution, so we still see a united effort to try to step up the pressure against North Korea.&quot;

Trump met his national security team on Tuesday and discussed a &quot;range of options&quot; to respond to Pyongyang&#39;s repeated recent nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

The meeting came days after Trump, who last month threatened to &quot;destroy&quot; North Korea, said on Twitter that years of talks with Pyongyang had achieved nothing and &quot;only one thing will work&quot;.

&#39;Catastrophic consequences&#39;&nbsp;

Next week&#39;s naval drills in the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea will feature the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier and two US destroyers alongside South Korean Navy vessels, part of a flurry of military hardware movement in the region in recent days.

Earlier this week two supersonic US heavy bombers flew over the Korean peninsula, staging the first night-time joint aviation exercises with Japan and South Korea, the latest in a series of flyovers.

NATO&#39;s covenant of self-defence, under which an attack on one member triggers a response from all, does not apply to South Korea or Japan despite their status as &quot;global partners&quot; and Stoltenberg stressed that NATO was &quot;not planning any military presence in that part of the world&quot;.

But he cautioned that a strike on Japan or South Korea would &quot;trigger a really dangerous situation, it would have catastrophic consequences&quot;.

And the growing range and accuracy seen in the North&#39;s missile tests have prompted the 29-nation alliance to review its missile defence system, which has been partially operational from a base in Romania since last year.

&quot;Our experts are working on technology, on how to improve our systems,&quot; Stoltenberg said.

The North Korea crisis will be high on the agenda at a meeting of EU foreign minister next week, where a fresh package of sanctions against Kim Jong-Un&#39;s regime is set to be approved.

Three individuals and six entities will be added to the blacklist, a senior EU official said, and the bloc plans to step up diplomatic pressure on countries who are not enforcing tough international sanctions against the North.

A strike on Japan or South Korea would 'trigger a really dangerous situation, it would have catastrophic consequences', said Stoltenberg

Military intervention against North Korea would have "devastating consequences", NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned Friday, after US President Donald Trump said diplomatic efforts had failed. Tensions over North Korea's weapons programmes have soared in recent months, with Pyongyang launching a flurry of missiles and conducting its sixth and most powerful nuclear test last month in defiance of international sanctions. Trump's continued threats of military action against Pyongyang to tame its weapons ambitions have fuelled fears of a conflict on the Korean peninsula and next week the US and South Korea will begin a major naval drill as a show of force against the North. Stoltenberg, who will visit South Korea and Japan in the coming weeks as a show of support, stressed that Washington had the right to defend itself and its allies, but called for greater diplomatic efforts. "The use of military force will have devastating consequences, I think nobody really wants that, therefore we need to continue to push for a negotiated solution," Stoltenberg said in an interview at NATO head quarters in Brussels. "The US has the right to defend itself, to defend its allies, but at same time I am absolutely certain no one wants a military solution, so we still see a united effort to try to step up the pressure against North Korea." Trump met his national security team on Tuesday and discussed a "range of options" to respond to Pyongyang's repeated recent nuclear and ballistic missile tests. The meeting came days after Trump, who last month threatened to "destroy" North Korea, said on Twitter that years of talks with Pyongyang had achieved nothing and "only one thing will work". 'Catastrophic consequences' Next week's naval drills in the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea will feature the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier and two US destroyers alongside South Korean Navy vessels, part of a flurry of military hardware movement in the region in recent days. Earlier this week two supersonic US heavy bombers flew over the Korean peninsula, staging the first night-time joint aviation exercises with Japan and South Korea, the latest in a series of flyovers. NATO's covenant of self-defence, under which an attack on one member triggers a response from all, does not apply to South Korea or Japan despite their status as "global partners" and Stoltenberg stressed that NATO was "not planning any military presence in that part of the world". But he cautioned that a strike on Japan or South Korea would "trigger a really dangerous situation, it would have catastrophic consequences". And the growing range and accuracy seen in the North's missile tests have prompted the 29-nation alliance to review its missile defence system, which has been partially operational from a base in Romania since last year. "Our experts are working on technology, on how to improve our systems," Stoltenberg said. The North Korea crisis will be high on the agenda at a meeting of EU foreign minister next week, where a fresh package of sanctions against Kim Jong-Un's regime is set to be approved. Three individuals and six entities will be added to the blacklist, a senior EU official said, and the bloc plans to step up diplomatic pressure on countries who are not enforcing tough international sanctions against the North.

NATO warns N.Korea military action would have 'devastating consequences'

&nbsp;The United Arab Emirates on Thursday announced it had stopped issuing visas to North Korean nationals and downgraded diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, following similar moves by Kuwait and Qatar.

The UAE government ended the mission of its non-resident ambassador to North Korea as well as that of Pyongyang&#39;s non-resident ambassador to the UAE, the government-run WAM news agency said.&nbsp;

Abu Dhabi will also no longer grant North Korean companies authorisation to work in any of the seven emirates, WAM said.

Tensions over North Korea&#39;s weapons programme have soared in recent months, with Pyongyang launching a flurry of missiles and conducting its sixth and most powerful nuclear test last month.

UN sanctions against North Korea were last month expanded to include North Korean guest workers, along with textiles and a cap on oil exports.

South Korea and Japan have pressured Gulf states to stop employing North Korean workers, whose income goes towards remittances that benefit the regime in Pyongyang, according to Asian diplomatic sources.&nbsp;

In September, Kuwait gave the North Korean ambassador one month to leave the country and stopped issuing visas to all North Koreans.&nbsp;

Qatar has also said it would not renew visas for North Korean labourers, with the last work permits set to expire at the end of 2018.&nbsp;

Between 2,000 and 2,500 North Koreans currently work in Kuwait, and another estimated 1,000 in Qatar.&nbsp;

The UAE is home to some 1,300 North Korean workers, according to a South Korean diplomat.&nbsp;

Tensions over North Korea's weapons programme have soared in recent months, with Pyongyang launching a flurry of missiles and conducting its sixth and most powerful nuclear test last month

The United Arab Emirates on Thursday announced it had stopped issuing visas to North Korean nationals and downgraded diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, following similar moves by Kuwait and Qatar. The UAE government ended the mission of its non-resident ambassador to North Korea as well as that of Pyongyang's non-resident ambassador to the UAE, the government-run WAM news agency said. Abu Dhabi will also no longer grant North Korean companies authorisation to work in any of the seven emirates, WAM said. Tensions over North Korea's weapons programme have soared in recent months, with Pyongyang launching a flurry of missiles and conducting its sixth and most powerful nuclear test last month. UN sanctions against North Korea were last month expanded to include North Korean guest workers, along with textiles and a cap on oil exports. South Korea and Japan have pressured Gulf states to stop employing North Korean workers, whose income goes towards remittances that benefit the regime in Pyongyang, according to Asian diplomatic sources. In September, Kuwait gave the North Korean ambassador one month to leave the country and stopped issuing visas to all North Koreans. Qatar has also said it would not renew visas for North Korean labourers, with the last work permits set to expire at the end of 2018. Between 2,000 and 2,500 North Koreans currently work in Kuwait, and another estimated 1,000 in Qatar. The UAE is home to some 1,300 North Korean workers, according to a South Korean diplomat.

UAE stops issuing visas to North Koreans

US President Donald Trump may travel to the heavily fortified demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea when he visits South Korea next month, the South&#39;s Yonhap news agency said on Tuesday, citing a defence source.

The White House sent an advance team of working-level officials in late September to check candidate sites for Trump&#39;s &quot;special activity&quot; in South Korea, the source was quoted as saying.

Trump was expected to send a significant message to North Korea, either verbally or &quot;kinetically&quot;, during his first trip to the peninsula as US commander-in-chief, the source said.

The truce village of Panmunjom and the observation post, both inside the DMZ, were among locations Trump was considering visiting, the source said.

Yonhap did not elaborate and the White House did not comment.

Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have been engaged in an increasingly bellicose exchange of rhetoric, with Trump suggesting the military option was the only way to halt the North&#39;s missile and nuclear programmes.

A trip to the DMZ, following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Barack Obama, and Vice President Mike Pence, would bring Trump within yards of North Korean soldiers, who stand eyeball to eyeball with their South Korean enemies, and likely be regarded by the North as highly provocative.

In recent weeks, North Korea has launched two missiles over Japan and conducted its sixth nuclear test, all in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, and maybe fast advancing toward its well-publicised goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US mainland.

Trump repeatedly has made clear his distaste for dialogue with North Korea. Last week, he dismissed the idea of talks as a waste of time, a day after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Washington was maintaining open lines of communication with Kim Jong Un&#39;s government.

&quot;Our country has been unsuccessfully dealing with North Korea for 25 years, giving billions of dollars &amp; getting nothing.&nbsp;policy didn&#39;t work!&quot; the US president said in a Twitter post on Monday.

Reclusive 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 regularly threatens to destroy the South and its main ally, the United States.

Trump is scheduled to visit Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines starting from November 3.

US President Donald Trump may travel to the heavily fortified demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea when he visits South Korea next month, the South's Yonhap news agency said on Tuesday

US President Donald Trump may travel to the heavily fortified demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea when he visits South Korea next month, the South's Yonhap news agency said on Tuesday, citing a defence source. The White House sent an advance team of working-level officials in late September to check candidate sites for Trump's "special activity" in South Korea, the source was quoted as saying. Trump was expected to send a significant message to North Korea, either verbally or "kinetically", during his first trip to the peninsula as US commander-in-chief, the source said. The truce village of Panmunjom and the observation post, both inside the DMZ, were among locations Trump was considering visiting, the source said. Yonhap did not elaborate and the White House did not comment. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have been engaged in an increasingly bellicose exchange of rhetoric, with Trump suggesting the military option was the only way to halt the North's missile and nuclear programmes. A trip to the DMZ, following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Barack Obama, and Vice President Mike Pence, would bring Trump within yards of North Korean soldiers, who stand eyeball to eyeball with their South Korean enemies, and likely be regarded by the North as highly provocative. In recent weeks, North Korea has launched two missiles over Japan and conducted its sixth nuclear test, all in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, and maybe fast advancing toward its well-publicised goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US mainland. Trump repeatedly has made clear his distaste for dialogue with North Korea. Last week, he dismissed the idea of talks as a waste of time, a day after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Washington was maintaining open lines of communication with Kim Jong Un's government. "Our country has been unsuccessfully dealing with North Korea for 25 years, giving billions of dollars & getting nothing. policy didn't work!" the US president said in a Twitter post on Monday. Reclusive 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 regularly threatens to destroy the South and its main ally, the United States. Trump is scheduled to visit Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines starting from November 3.

Trump may visit demilitarised zone between North and South Korea: Report

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said &quot;only one thing will work&quot; in dealing with North Korea after previous administrations had talked to Pyongyang without results.

&quot;Presidents and their administrations have been talking to North Korea for 25 years, agreements made and massive amounts of money paid,&quot; Trump said in a tweet. &quot;...Hasn&#39;t worked, agreements violated before the ink was dry, making fools of U.S. negotiators. Sorry, but only one thing will work!&quot;

Trump did not make clear to what he was referring, but his comments seemed to be a further suggestion that military action was on his mind.

The president has previously said the United States would &quot;totally destroy&quot; North Korea if necessary to protect itself and its allies from Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear threats.

Earlier this week, during a meeting with top U.S. military leaders and their spouses, Trump told reporters it was the &quot;calm before the storm.&quot; Asked for clarification then on what he meant, Trump said: &quot;You&#39;ll find out.&quot;

Speaking to reporters on Saturday ahead of a trip to North Carolina, Trump said he had nothing more to clarify.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders referred to Iran and North Korea the following day when asked about Trump&#39;s &quot;calm before the storm&quot; comments.

Asked on Saturday about Trump&#39;s tweet, Sanders said she had nothing to add to the president&#39;s comments.

The Pentagon referred a question for clarification to the White House and said the Defense Department&#39;s job was to &quot;present the president military options and carry out orders.&quot;

Trump repeatedly has made clear his distaste for dialogue with North Korea. On Sunday he dismissed the idea of talks as a waste of time, a day after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Washington was maintaining open lines of communication with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un&#39;s government.

Trump said on Saturday that he had a good relationship with his secretary of state despite some disagreements.

&quot;We have a very good relationship. We disagree on a couple of things. Sometimes I&rsquo;d like him to be a little bit tougher, but other than that we have a very good relationship,&rdquo; he said.

A Russian lawmaker on Friday was quoted saying North Korea was preparing to test a long-range missile that it believes can reach the west coast of the United States. Anton Morozov, a member of the Russian lower house of parliament&#39;s international affairs committee, was part of a Russian delegation that visited Pyongyang from Oct. 2-6, according to Russian RIA news agency.

North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapons and missile programs have driven up tensions in the region and around the world in recent months, particularly after it conducted a test explosion of what it said was a hydrogen bomb.

Trump did not make clear to what he was referring, but his comments seemed to be a further suggestion that military action was on his mind

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said "only one thing will work" in dealing with North Korea after previous administrations had talked to Pyongyang without results. "Presidents and their administrations have been talking to North Korea for 25 years, agreements made and massive amounts of money paid," Trump said in a tweet. "...Hasn't worked, agreements violated before the ink was dry, making fools of U.S. negotiators. Sorry, but only one thing will work!" Trump did not make clear to what he was referring, but his comments seemed to be a further suggestion that military action was on his mind. The president has previously said the United States would "totally destroy" North Korea if necessary to protect itself and its allies from Pyongyang's nuclear threats. Earlier this week, during a meeting with top U.S. military leaders and their spouses, Trump told reporters it was the "calm before the storm." Asked for clarification then on what he meant, Trump said: "You'll find out." Speaking to reporters on Saturday ahead of a trip to North Carolina, Trump said he had nothing more to clarify. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders referred to Iran and North Korea the following day when asked about Trump's "calm before the storm" comments. Asked on Saturday about Trump's tweet, Sanders said she had nothing to add to the president's comments. The Pentagon referred a question for clarification to the White House and said the Defense Department's job was to "present the president military options and carry out orders." Trump repeatedly has made clear his distaste for dialogue with North Korea. On Sunday he dismissed the idea of talks as a waste of time, a day after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Washington was maintaining open lines of communication with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's government. Trump said on Saturday that he had a good relationship with his secretary of state despite some disagreements. "We have a very good relationship. We disagree on a couple of things. Sometimes I’d like him to be a little bit tougher, but other than that we have a very good relationship,” he said. A Russian lawmaker on Friday was quoted saying North Korea was preparing to test a long-range missile that it believes can reach the west coast of the United States. Anton Morozov, a member of the Russian lower house of parliament's international affairs committee, was part of a Russian delegation that visited Pyongyang from Oct. 2-6, according to Russian RIA news agency. North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs have driven up tensions in the region and around the world in recent months, particularly after it conducted a test explosion of what it said was a hydrogen bomb.

Trump says 'only one thing will work' with North Korea

Just days ahead of the Iran nuclear pact, US President Donald Trump warned today that President Rouhani&#39;s country hadn&#39;t &quot;lived up to the spirit of the agreement&quot;.&nbsp;

Talking about Iran and North Korea with reporters at the White House after meeting with military leaders, Trump said&nbsp;its&nbsp;&quot;calm before the storm&quot;.

&quot;You guys know what this represents?&quot; Trump said after journalists gathered in the White House state dining room to photograph him and first lady Melania Trump with the uniformed military leaders and their spouses, Reuters reported.

&quot;Maybe it&#39;s the calm before the storm,&quot; he said.

What storm?,&quot; the reporters asked.

&quot;You&#39;ll find out,&quot; Trump told questioning reporters.

&quot;The Iranian regime supports terrorism and exports violence and chaos across the Middle East,&quot; Trump later said in the Cabinet Room, AFP reported.

&quot;That is why we must put an end to Iran&#39;s continued aggression and nuclear ambitions,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;You will be hearing about Iran very shortly,&quot; the president warned.

Last month, President Trump at the UN General Assembly had said,&quot;The Iran Deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;Frankly, that deal is an embarrassment to the United States, and I don&rsquo;t think you&rsquo;ve heard the last of it -- believe me,&quot; he said during his speech.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had hit back at President Trump during his speech at the UN General Assembly later saying the multinational accord on Tehran&#39;s nuclear program could not be decided by &quot;one or two countries.&quot;

The Iran nuclear accord was hammered out between six nuclear powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States during President Obama&#39;s tenure in office.

 
&nbsp;

The Iran nuclear accord was hammered out between six nuclear powers during President Obama's tenure

Just days ahead of the Iran nuclear pact, US President Donald Trump warned today that President Rouhani's country hadn't "lived up to the spirit of the agreement". Talking about Iran and North Korea with reporters at the White House after meeting with military leaders, Trump said its "calm before the storm". "You guys know what this represents?" Trump said after journalists gathered in the White House state dining room to photograph him and first lady Melania Trump with the uniformed military leaders and their spouses, Reuters reported. "Maybe it's the calm before the storm," he said. What storm?," the reporters asked. "You'll find out," Trump told questioning reporters. "The Iranian regime supports terrorism and exports violence and chaos across the Middle East," Trump later said in the Cabinet Room, AFP reported. "That is why we must put an end to Iran's continued aggression and nuclear ambitions," he said. "You will be hearing about Iran very shortly," the president warned. Last month, President Trump at the UN General Assembly had said,"The Iran Deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into." "Frankly, that deal is an embarrassment to the United States, and I don’t think you’ve heard the last of it -- believe me," he said during his speech. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had hit back at President Trump during his speech at the UN General Assembly later saying the multinational accord on Tehran's nuclear program could not be decided by "one or two countries." The Iran nuclear accord was hammered out between six nuclear powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States during President Obama's tenure in office.

'Calm before the storm,' warns Trump on Iran, North Korea

Two women pleaded not guilty Monday to murdering the half-brother of North Korea&#39;s leader, at the start of their trial in Malaysia over the Cold War-style assassination that shocked the world.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, who arrived at the heavily guarded court in handcuffs and wearing bulletproof vests, entered their pleas through interpreters as proceedings got underway.

The defendants were arrested just days after the killing of Kim Jong-Nam on February 13 as he waited to board a plane to Macau at Kuala Lumpur airport.

The women are accused of rubbing toxic VX nerve agent, a chemical so deadly it is listed as a weapon of mass destruction, on his face.&nbsp;

Kim died an agonising death about 20 minutes after the hit, which was caught on airport CCTV as the VX rapidly shut down his central nervous system.

The defendants -- who face the death penalty if convicted -- claim they were duped into believing they were taking part in a prank for a reality TV show.&nbsp;

The murder sparked an angry row between North Korea and Malaysia with both countries expelling each other&#39;s ambassadors.&nbsp;

The women were led into Sham Alam High Court, outside Kuala Lumpur, in handcuffs for the start of the trial. Aisyah, 25, was wearing traditional Malaysian dress and Huong, 29, a blue jumper.&nbsp;

The murder charge was read to them in their native languages and interpreters assigned to the defendants indicated they were pleading not guilty.

Prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad then read a statement giving details of the murder and said the prosecution had sufficient evidence to prove the women&#39;s guilt.

&quot;We will provide evidence that the dead victim was at (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) departure lounge when Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong approached the dead victim and swiped a poisoned liquid on the face and eyes of the victim,&quot; he told the court.

&quot;The evidence clearly showed that their action to swipe the poison known as VX caused the death of the victim. Expert evidence will be shown that the VX was the cause of death and the chance to save him were extremely slim.&quot;

He said the women had carried out exercises with four other people before the murder to ensure they succeeded in their &quot;common intention&quot; of killing Kim.

&quot;Murder mystery&quot; 
 
Defence lawyers immediately demanded the court reveal the names of four other people charged with the murder.&nbsp;

The four were formally accused in March of the assassination alongside Aisyah and Huong but authorities said they were still at large and have not disclosed their names.

Police have said four North Korean suspects fled Malaysia on the day of the murder, and the women&#39;s defence teams insist these individuals are the main suspects.

About 200 police officers had been deployed to guard the court. The defendants arrived in a convoy of police cars with their sirens blaring.&nbsp;

The trial could at last shed light on the many unanswered questions surrounding the murder.&nbsp;

These range from how two women living precarious existences among Malaysia&#39;s army of migrant workers allegedly became involved in a high-profile assassination, to how a lethal nerve agent was deployed in an airport and killed Kim but harmed no one else.&nbsp;

South Korea accuses the North of being behind the murder of Kim Jong-Un&#39;s estranged half-brother, who had voiced criticism of the regime after falling from grace and going to live in exile overseas.

The North denies the allegation.

The run-up to the trial has been marked by fierce criticism from the women&#39;s lawyers who say the accused are the fall guys in the case.

As well as the North Koreans who fled immediately after the assassination, several others allegedly linked to the murder plot were allowed to leave the country later to ease the diplomatic crisis.&nbsp;

The women&#39;s legal teams also accuse prosecutors of dragging their heels on handing over key material required to mount a defence.

Prosecutors -- who insist the women will get a fair trial -- will lay out their case over two months and call 30 to 40 witnesses. The defence is then likely to be called.

Prior to the murder, Malaysia had been one of Pyongyang&#39;s few allies amid a global outcry over the country&#39;s atomic weapons programme.

After the assassination sent diplomatic relations plummeting between Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur, tensions only eased when Malaysia agreed to return Kim&#39;s body in March.&nbsp;

The women are accused of rubbing toxic VX nerve agent, a chemical so deadly it is listed as a weapon of mass destruction, on his face

Two women pleaded not guilty Monday to murdering the half-brother of North Korea's leader, at the start of their trial in Malaysia over the Cold War-style assassination that shocked the world. Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, who arrived at the heavily guarded court in handcuffs and wearing bulletproof vests, entered their pleas through interpreters as proceedings got underway. The defendants were arrested just days after the killing of Kim Jong-Nam on February 13 as he waited to board a plane to Macau at Kuala Lumpur airport. The women are accused of rubbing toxic VX nerve agent, a chemical so deadly it is listed as a weapon of mass destruction, on his face. Kim died an agonising death about 20 minutes after the hit, which was caught on airport CCTV as the VX rapidly shut down his central nervous system. The defendants -- who face the death penalty if convicted -- claim they were duped into believing they were taking part in a prank for a reality TV show. The murder sparked an angry row between North Korea and Malaysia with both countries expelling each other's ambassadors. The women were led into Sham Alam High Court, outside Kuala Lumpur, in handcuffs for the start of the trial. Aisyah, 25, was wearing traditional Malaysian dress and Huong, 29, a blue jumper. The murder charge was read to them in their native languages and interpreters assigned to the defendants indicated they were pleading not guilty. Prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad then read a statement giving details of the murder and said the prosecution had sufficient evidence to prove the women's guilt. "We will provide evidence that the dead victim was at (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) departure lounge when Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong approached the dead victim and swiped a poisoned liquid on the face and eyes of the victim," he told the court. "The evidence clearly showed that their action to swipe the poison known as VX caused the death of the victim. Expert evidence will be shown that the VX was the cause of death and the chance to save him were extremely slim." He said the women had carried out exercises with four other people before the murder to ensure they succeeded in their "common intention" of killing Kim. "Murder mystery" Defence lawyers immediately demanded the court reveal the names of four other people charged with the murder. The four were formally accused in March of the assassination alongside Aisyah and Huong but authorities said they were still at large and have not disclosed their names. Police have said four North Korean suspects fled Malaysia on the day of the murder, and the women's defence teams insist these individuals are the main suspects. About 200 police officers had been deployed to guard the court. The defendants arrived in a convoy of police cars with their sirens blaring. The trial could at last shed light on the many unanswered questions surrounding the murder. These range from how two women living precarious existences among Malaysia's army of migrant workers allegedly became involved in a high-profile assassination, to how a lethal nerve agent was deployed in an airport and killed Kim but harmed no one else. South Korea accuses the North of being behind the murder of Kim Jong-Un's estranged half-brother, who had voiced criticism of the regime after falling from grace and going to live in exile overseas. The North denies the allegation. The run-up to the trial has been marked by fierce criticism from the women's lawyers who say the accused are the fall guys in the case. As well as the North Koreans who fled immediately after the assassination, several others allegedly linked to the murder plot were allowed to leave the country later to ease the diplomatic crisis. The women's legal teams also accuse prosecutors of dragging their heels on handing over key material required to mount a defence. Prosecutors -- who insist the women will get a fair trial -- will lay out their case over two months and call 30 to 40 witnesses. The defence is then likely to be called. Prior to the murder, Malaysia had been one of Pyongyang's few allies amid a global outcry over the country's atomic weapons programme. After the assassination sent diplomatic relations plummeting between Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur, tensions only eased when Malaysia agreed to return Kim's body in March.

Women plead not guilty to murdering North Korea leader's half-brother

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Sunday dismissed the prospect of talks with North Korea as a waste of time a day after his own secretary of state said the United States was maintaining open lines of communication with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

&quot;I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man,&quot; Trump wrote on Twitter, using his sarcastic nickname for Kim and seeming to contradict the top US&nbsp;diplomat.

Trump, who has traded insults and threats with Kim in recent weeks amid escalating tensions over Pyongyang&rsquo;s nuclear and missile programs, later tweeted that his White House predecessors, Bill Clinton, George W&nbsp;Bush and Barack Obama, had all &quot;failed&quot; on North Korea by &quot;Being nice to Rocket Man,&rdquo;

&ldquo;So why would it work now?&quot; he asked.

Kim succeeded his father, Kim Jong Il, as North Korean leader in 2011, during Obama&#39;s administration. Previous presidents negotiated with Pyongyang but ultimately failed to prevent it from pressing ahead with its internationally condemned weapons programs.

Tillerson disclosed on Saturday that the United States was directly communicating with North Korea on its nuclear and missile programs but that Pyongyang had shown no interest in dialogue.

&quot;Save your energy Rex, we&#39;ll do what has to be done!&quot; Trump said.

Tillerson said during a trip to China that the United States had multiple direct channels of communication with Pyongyang, the first such disclosure from the Trump administration, and that it was probing North Korea to see whether it was interested in dialogue.

Tillerson expressed hope for reducing tensions with North Korea, which is fast advancing toward its goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland.

&quot;We are probing, so stay tuned,&quot; Tillerson told a small group of reporters. &quot;We ask: &#39;Would you like to talk?&#39;&quot; He said the United States had &quot;a couple of, three channels open to Pyongyang.&quot;

Aides downplay communication channels

A senior Trump administration official, asked for clarification about Trump&#39;s Sunday morning tweets, played down the significance of the communication channels.

&quot;At a time when North Korea is continuing its provocations, the president does not think now is the time to negotiate with them,&quot; the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official also said that to the extent that diplomatic channels exist between Washington and Pyongyang, they are aimed at securing the return of Americans detained by North Korea.

RC&nbsp;Hammond, an adviser to Tillerson, denied that his boss had been undercut by Trump&rsquo;s tweets and rejected any suggestion that the secretary of state should resign.

&quot;Let&#39;s resign the idea of resignation. The President just made it clear to the Kim regime the diplomatic offer on the table is cooling,&quot; Hammond said on Twitter.

He also downplayed any contacts.

&quot;Channels have been open for months. They&#39;ve been unused and cooling for months,&quot; Hammond wrote.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert made a similar point on Sunday. &quot;Diplomatic channels are open for #KimJongUn for now. They won&#39;t be open forever,&quot; she wrote on Twitter.

U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, wrote on Twitter: &quot;If Tillerson is wasting his time, it&rsquo;s only because his boss fails to understand the catastrophic consequences of war on Korean Peninsula.&quot;

Trump&#39;s rhetoric on North Korea has run the gamut, from personal attacks on Kim to veiled military threats, from a denial of any interest in talks to an insistence that he would prefer a diplomatic solution.

After announcing new US&nbsp;sanctions on North Korea last month, he acknowledged diplomacy was still possible, asking: &quot;Why not?&quot;. But he has also frequently declared that he had military options at its disposal, although US&nbsp;officials and outside experts have long said a U.S. strike on North Korea would risk massive casualties. 
&nbsp;

Trump wrote on Twitter that he 'is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man'

US President Donald Trump on Sunday dismissed the prospect of talks with North Korea as a waste of time a day after his own secretary of state said the United States was maintaining open lines of communication with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man," Trump wrote on Twitter, using his sarcastic nickname for Kim and seeming to contradict the top US diplomat. Trump, who has traded insults and threats with Kim in recent weeks amid escalating tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs, later tweeted that his White House predecessors, Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Barack Obama, had all "failed" on North Korea by "Being nice to Rocket Man,” “So why would it work now?" he asked. Kim succeeded his father, Kim Jong Il, as North Korean leader in 2011, during Obama's administration. Previous presidents negotiated with Pyongyang but ultimately failed to prevent it from pressing ahead with its internationally condemned weapons programs. Tillerson disclosed on Saturday that the United States was directly communicating with North Korea on its nuclear and missile programs but that Pyongyang had shown no interest in dialogue. "Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!" Trump said. Tillerson said during a trip to China that the United States had multiple direct channels of communication with Pyongyang, the first such disclosure from the Trump administration, and that it was probing North Korea to see whether it was interested in dialogue. Tillerson expressed hope for reducing tensions with North Korea, which is fast advancing toward its goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland. "We are probing, so stay tuned," Tillerson told a small group of reporters. "We ask: 'Would you like to talk?'" He said the United States had "a couple of, three channels open to Pyongyang." Aides downplay communication channels A senior Trump administration official, asked for clarification about Trump's Sunday morning tweets, played down the significance of the communication channels. "At a time when North Korea is continuing its provocations, the president does not think now is the time to negotiate with them," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official also said that to the extent that diplomatic channels exist between Washington and Pyongyang, they are aimed at securing the return of Americans detained by North Korea. RC Hammond, an adviser to Tillerson, denied that his boss had been undercut by Trump’s tweets and rejected any suggestion that the secretary of state should resign. "Let's resign the idea of resignation. The President just made it clear to the Kim regime the diplomatic offer on the table is cooling," Hammond said on Twitter. He also downplayed any contacts. "Channels have been open for months. They've been unused and cooling for months," Hammond wrote. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert made a similar point on Sunday. "Diplomatic channels are open for #KimJongUn for now. They won't be open forever," she wrote on Twitter. U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, wrote on Twitter: "If Tillerson is wasting his time, it’s only because his boss fails to understand the catastrophic consequences of war on Korean Peninsula." Trump's rhetoric on North Korea has run the gamut, from personal attacks on Kim to veiled military threats, from a denial of any interest in talks to an insistence that he would prefer a diplomatic solution. After announcing new US sanctions on North Korea last month, he acknowledged diplomacy was still possible, asking: "Why not?". But he has also frequently declared that he had military options at its disposal, although US officials and outside experts have long said a U.S. strike on North Korea would risk massive casualties.

Trump contradicts Tillerson, dismisses talks with North Korea as 'waste of time'

China is making progress in enforcing sanctions imposed on North Korea, a US State Department official said on Thursday, and urged skeptical members of Congress not to rush to enact new ones before giving Beijing&#39;s efforts a chance to take effect.

&quot;We are working closely with China to execute this strategy and are clear-eyed in viewing the progress, growing, if uneven, that China has made on this front,&quot; State Department Assistant Secretary Susan Thornton told a Senate hearing just before leaving for China with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

&quot;We do see Chinese policy shifting,&quot; she said, as members of the Senate Banking Committee advocated for tougher action to clamp down on Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear and missile development.

Tensions have been rising on the Korean Peninsula as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump exchange war-like threats and insults.

On Thursday, South Korea said it expects more provocative acts by North Korea next month to coincide with the founding of its communist party.

Several committee members want harsher measures, including secondary sanctions targeting Chinese banks and companies doing business with North Korea, and measures to bar oil imports.

Thornton and the other witness, Treasury Department Under Secretary Sigal Mandelker, said Congress should not do anything that could interfere with efforts to find a diplomatic solution.

&quot;When our hands are tied in different ways, it keeps us from being agile in the way that you would want us to be agile,&quot; Mandelker said.

Trump ordered new sanctions against North Korea last week, including on its shipping and trade networks, showing he was giving more time for economic pressures to address the crisis after repeated warnings about possible military action.

&quot;We are able and have the authority to target any company that&#39;s continuing to trade with North Korea in any industry,&quot; Mandelker said, when asked about the prospect of cutting off Chinese oil exports to North Korea.

Several committee members noted that North Korea&#39;s economy has grown in recent months, and said China must do more.

&quot;The consensus in Washington is that China is a partner in this issue. I do not think that that is the case,&quot; Republican Senator Tom Cotton said.

China&#39;s Commerce Ministry Thursday said that, following the latest UN sanctions passed on Sept. 12, North Korean firms in China and joint ventures in China and overseas would be shut down by January.

China says it will strictly and fully enforce UN resolutions against North Korea, but has also repeatedly called for more efforts to be made to get talks restarted and for there to be a diplomatic solution, warning war would bring disaster.

On Friday, the official China Daily said in an editorial the latest sanctions needed time before they would begin to bite.

&quot;But to ensure that the worst-case outcome does not materialise, while further coordinating their stances on the implementation of the UN sanctions to make sure they work, Beijing and Washington also need to discuss what else they can do to resolve the peninsula crisis peacefully,&quot; it said.

( Also Read :<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/absurd-us-on-north-koreas-allegations-of-trump-declaring-war-20652" target="_blank"> &#39;Absurd&#39;: </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/absurd-us-on-north-koreas-allegations-of-trump-declaring-war-20652" target="_blank">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/absurd-us-on-north-koreas-allegations-of-trump-declaring-war-20652" target="_blank"> on North Korea&#39;s allegations of Trump declaring war</a>)&nbsp;

China is making progress in enforcing sanctions imposed on North Korea, a US State Department official said on Thursday, and urged skeptical members of Congress not to rush to enact new ones before giving Beijing's efforts a chance to take effect

China is making progress in enforcing sanctions imposed on North Korea, a US State Department official said on Thursday, and urged skeptical members of Congress not to rush to enact new ones before giving Beijing's efforts a chance to take effect. "We are working closely with China to execute this strategy and are clear-eyed in viewing the progress, growing, if uneven, that China has made on this front," State Department Assistant Secretary Susan Thornton told a Senate hearing just before leaving for China with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. "We do see Chinese policy shifting," she said, as members of the Senate Banking Committee advocated for tougher action to clamp down on Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development. Tensions have been rising on the Korean Peninsula as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump exchange war-like threats and insults. On Thursday, South Korea said it expects more provocative acts by North Korea next month to coincide with the founding of its communist party. Several committee members want harsher measures, including secondary sanctions targeting Chinese banks and companies doing business with North Korea, and measures to bar oil imports. Thornton and the other witness, Treasury Department Under Secretary Sigal Mandelker, said Congress should not do anything that could interfere with efforts to find a diplomatic solution. "When our hands are tied in different ways, it keeps us from being agile in the way that you would want us to be agile," Mandelker said. Trump ordered new sanctions against North Korea last week, including on its shipping and trade networks, showing he was giving more time for economic pressures to address the crisis after repeated warnings about possible military action. "We are able and have the authority to target any company that's continuing to trade with North Korea in any industry," Mandelker said, when asked about the prospect of cutting off Chinese oil exports to North Korea. Several committee members noted that North Korea's economy has grown in recent months, and said China must do more. "The consensus in Washington is that China is a partner in this issue. I do not think that that is the case," Republican Senator Tom Cotton said. China's Commerce Ministry Thursday said that, following the latest UN sanctions passed on Sept. 12, North Korean firms in China and joint ventures in China and overseas would be shut down by January. China says it will strictly and fully enforce UN resolutions against North Korea, but has also repeatedly called for more efforts to be made to get talks restarted and for there to be a diplomatic solution, warning war would bring disaster. On Friday, the official China Daily said in an editorial the latest sanctions needed time before they would begin to bite. "But to ensure that the worst-case outcome does not materialise, while further coordinating their stances on the implementation of the UN sanctions to make sure they work, Beijing and Washington also need to discuss what else they can do to resolve the peninsula crisis peacefully," it said. ( Also Read : 'Absurd': US on North Korea's allegations of Trump declaring war)

China support for North Korea clampdown growing: US official

New York Fashion Week came to a glamorous end this year on 13th September with some of the hottest trends for&nbsp;spring/summer 2018.&nbsp;

From plus size models walking the ramp to various designers bringing in diversity in their shows, New York had a culturally rich fashion week&nbsp;of all times.

Some of the ramp styles that you would want to steal from this year&#39;s mega gala are the colour lilac in various hues and shades, the hands-free fanny pack that you can tie around the waist, comfortable yet stylish luxe garments that can be pulled off on the street and parties, sheer clothes, and glittery and dramatic shoes&nbsp;among some other hits.&nbsp;

While the fashion week ramp sizzled with glamour and style, the New York fashion circuit also saw an upgrade on the streets.&nbsp;

These are some of the most noteworthy street styles carried out by Instagram and YouTube celebrities during the event:

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BYyV5ZmlrZY/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Day 1 #nyfw2017 | All White everything ???? cape/vest is from @elliatt thank you @riviereagency for my day 1 outfit ????</a>

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY8cb4-gd0N/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">L O V E ?? S O C I E T Y @liketoknow.it http://liketk.it/2sGU5 #liketkit #ltkxnyfw #nyfw #nom #nomdotcom</a>

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY3q4gKA4r4/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Saw the @DanLiuDesign 2018 Spring Collection, it was beautiful ?? I&#39;m Wearing one of @danliudesign, Thanks To @RiviereAgency</a>

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY3oZSPFiR1/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Day 2 - #NYFW ?? @federomerofoto Bag @henribendel | Shoes @flystoreoficial . . #ny #nyfwss18 #streetstyle #fashionweek #joiceoliveira #joistyle #oitd #ootn #outfit #ny #city #latepost #bendelgirl #bendelgirls #henribendel</a>

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY39pwfHXL5/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Saw the amazing @danliudesign today for #NYFW, had the honor of getting dressed for his show and sat front row, and then finally got to meet him at the end. ?? Onto @leannemarshallofficial and @jarelzhang_official ??: @robbiebulilan Follow along my stories to see my night from @philippplein78 and @21savage and @future performing! Saw @nickiminaj too ?? ??????????????????????If you haven&#39;t already, vote for me today for #MaximsFinest! Link is in bio or you can click here to vote: www.maximsfinest.com/2017/kasey-ma ??</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Kasey Ma || theStyleWright (@thestylewright) on <time datetime="2017-09-10T20:46:40+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 10, 2017 at 1:46pm PDT</time>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY_I0NOH99f/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Back to school moment before the @coach fashion show ?? #nyfw</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Mary Leest (@maryleest) on <time datetime="2017-09-13T15:38:53+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 13, 2017 at 8:38am PDT</time>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY8lD__BiuN/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Last time I checked, I wasn&#39;t born to please anyone ??. Anyone else wish me? PC: @thestreetsensei // NYFW PHOTO DIARY (1 of 2) just hit the homepage. #nyfw</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Lynn Kim Do (@lynnkimdo) on <time datetime="2017-09-12T15:48:00+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 12, 2017 at 8:48am PDT</time>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY3YrM7BaKs/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">totally into this bag of skittles moment. candy anyone? ?? #womanist #nyfw @lisa.aiken @tamumcpherson</a>

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&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The ministry said the companies, including joint ventures with Chinese firms, have 120 days to close from the date the United Nations resolution was adopted

New York Fashion Week came to a glamorous end this year on 13th September with some of the hottest trends for spring/summer 2018. From plus size models walking the ramp to various designers bringing in diversity in their shows, New York had a culturally rich fashion week of all times. Some of the ramp styles that you would want to steal from this year's mega gala are the colour lilac in various hues and shades, the hands-free fanny pack that you can tie around the waist, comfortable yet stylish luxe garments that can be pulled off on the street and parties, sheer clothes, and glittery and dramatic shoes among some other hits. While the fashion week ramp sizzled with glamour and style, the New York fashion circuit also saw an upgrade on the streets. These are some of the most noteworthy street styles carried out by Instagram and YouTube celebrities during the event: Day 1 #nyfw2017 | All White everything ???? cape/vest is from @elliatt thank you @riviereagency for my day 1 outfit ???? A post shared by heba jay ?? (@heba_jay) on Sep 8, 2017 at 9:23am PDT × L O V E ?? S O C I E T Y @liketoknow.it http://liketk.it/2sGU5 #liketkit #ltkxnyfw #nyfw #nom #nomdotcom A post shared by Lauren Recchia (@northofmanhattan) on Sep 12, 2017 at 7:32am PDT × Saw the @DanLiuDesign 2018 Spring Collection, it was beautiful ?? I'm Wearing one of @danliudesign, Thanks To @RiviereAgency A post shared by Shalom Blac ???? (@shalom_blac) on Sep 10, 2017 at 11:02am PDT × Day 2 - #NYFW ?? @federomerofoto Bag @henribendel | Shoes @flystoreoficial . . #ny #nyfwss18 #streetstyle #fashionweek #joiceoliveira #joistyle #oitd #ootn #outfit #ny #city #latepost #bendelgirl #bendelgirls #henribendel A post shared by JOICE OLIVEIRA (@joiceoliveira) on Sep 10, 2017 at 10:40am PDT × Saw the amazing @danliudesign today for #NYFW, had the honor of getting dressed for his show and sat front row, and then finally got to meet him at the end. ?? Onto @leannemarshallofficial and @jarelzhang_official ??: @robbiebulilan Follow along my stories to see my night from @philippplein78 and @21savage and @future performing! Saw @nickiminaj too ?? ??????????????????????If you haven't already, vote for me today for #MaximsFinest! Link is in bio or you can click here to vote: www.maximsfinest.com/2017/kasey-ma ?? A post shared by Kasey Ma || theStyleWright (@thestylewright) on Sep 10, 2017 at 1:46pm PDT × Back to school moment before the @coach fashion show ?? #nyfw A post shared by Mary Leest (@maryleest) on Sep 13, 2017 at 8:38am PDT × Last time I checked, I wasn't born to please anyone ??. Anyone else wish me? PC: @thestreetsensei // NYFW PHOTO DIARY (1 of 2) just hit the homepage. #nyfw A post shared by Lynn Kim Do (@lynnkimdo) on Sep 12, 2017 at 8:48am PDT × totally into this bag of skittles moment. candy anyone? ?? #womanist #nyfw @lisa.aiken @tamumcpherson A post shared by Jan-Michael Quammie (@jan.quammie) on Sep 10, 2017 at 8:23am PDT ×

N. Korean firms in China ordered to close by January

South Korea expects more provocative acts by North Korea next month to coincide with the anniversary of the founding of the North Korean communist party and China&#39;s all-important Communist Party Congress.

In a meeting with President Moon Jae-in on Thursday, national security adviser Chung Eui-Yong said he expected Pyongyang to act around Oct. 10 and 18, but gave no details.

The South Korean security adviser&#39;s report also noted the risk of that a military conflict could be sparked by &quot;accidental incidents,&quot; Park Wan-Ju, a lawmaker and head spokesman of the ruling Democratic Party, said.

&quot;The president said the United States speaks of military and diplomatic options, but South Korea can&#39;t go through&nbsp;war again,&quot; said Park.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula have escalated in recent weeks as North Korea&#39;s leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump exchanged bellicose threats and insults over the North&#39;s nuclear and missile development programme.

The North has accused Trump of declaring war after he warned Kim&#39;s regime would not last if he persisted in threatening the United States and its allies, having earlier warned North Korea would be totally destroyed in such an event.

Asked whether China has a plan to respond to an emergency in North Korea, such as securing nuclear and missile sites, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said that &quot;military means cannot become an option&quot; and the issue should be resolved through talks.

&quot;The Chinese military will make all necessary preparations to protect the country&#39;s sovereignty and security and regional peace and stability,&quot; he added, without elaborating.

Pyongyang conducted its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3 and has launched dozens of missiles this year as it accelerates a programme aimed at enabling it to target the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile.

The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty.

China, North Korea&#39;s main ally, would likely be extremely unhappy if Pyongyang tested a missile or carried out some other act during its Communist Party Congress, held once every five years.

Park said President Moon told the meeting that Washington and Seoul agreed that pressure needed to be applied to North Korea, with the door to talks still open.

In a separate speech on Thursday, Moon said cooperation with the international community to curb the North&#39;s nuclear ambitions was at its highest level ever and called for the strengthening of South Korea-U.S. defences to rein in the North.

Since the North&#39;s latest nuclear test, countries have taken measures against the reclusive state, including the expulsion of North Korean diplomats.

Malaysia said on Thursday all its citizens are banned from travelling to North Korea until further notice due to escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

ROTATIONAL DEPLOYMENT

South Korean lawmakers said Chung had told them that the United States and South Korea had agreed on the rotational deployment of US strategic assets to South Korea, possibly as soon as year-end. What kind of assets would be rotated was not specified.

President Moon added it was inappropriate to discuss the deployment of nuclear weapons in South Korea, the lawmakers said.

Moon said he had personally been against the deployment of US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system in South Korea, but the decision was made as North Korea&#39;s missile capabilities were quickly improving.

China opposes the deployment of THAAD because it believes its powerful radar could be used to look inside its territory. South Korea and the United States have said it is only to curb North Korea&#39;s missile threats.

In a meeting with President Moon Jae-in on Thursday, national security adviser Chung Eui-Yong said he expected Pyongyang to act around Oct 10 and 18, but gave no details

South Korea expects more provocative acts by North Korea next month to coincide with the anniversary of the founding of the North Korean communist party and China's all-important Communist Party Congress. In a meeting with President Moon Jae-in on Thursday, national security adviser Chung Eui-Yong said he expected Pyongyang to act around Oct. 10 and 18, but gave no details. The South Korean security adviser's report also noted the risk of that a military conflict could be sparked by "accidental incidents," Park Wan-Ju, a lawmaker and head spokesman of the ruling Democratic Party, said. "The president said the United States speaks of military and diplomatic options, but South Korea can't go through war again," said Park. Tensions on the Korean peninsula have escalated in recent weeks as North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump exchanged bellicose threats and insults over the North's nuclear and missile development programme. The North has accused Trump of declaring war after he warned Kim's regime would not last if he persisted in threatening the United States and its allies, having earlier warned North Korea would be totally destroyed in such an event. Asked whether China has a plan to respond to an emergency in North Korea, such as securing nuclear and missile sites, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said that "military means cannot become an option" and the issue should be resolved through talks. "The Chinese military will make all necessary preparations to protect the country's sovereignty and security and regional peace and stability," he added, without elaborating. Pyongyang conducted its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3 and has launched dozens of missiles this year as it accelerates a programme aimed at enabling it to target the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile. The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. China, North Korea's main ally, would likely be extremely unhappy if Pyongyang tested a missile or carried out some other act during its Communist Party Congress, held once every five years. Park said President Moon told the meeting that Washington and Seoul agreed that pressure needed to be applied to North Korea, with the door to talks still open. In a separate speech on Thursday, Moon said cooperation with the international community to curb the North's nuclear ambitions was at its highest level ever and called for the strengthening of South Korea-U.S. defences to rein in the North. Since the North's latest nuclear test, countries have taken measures against the reclusive state, including the expulsion of North Korean diplomats. Malaysia said on Thursday all its citizens are banned from travelling to North Korea until further notice due to escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula. ROTATIONAL DEPLOYMENT South Korean lawmakers said Chung had told them that the United States and South Korea had agreed on the rotational deployment of US strategic assets to South Korea, possibly as soon as year-end. What kind of assets would be rotated was not specified. President Moon added it was inappropriate to discuss the deployment of nuclear weapons in South Korea, the lawmakers said. Moon said he had personally been against the deployment of US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system in South Korea, but the decision was made as North Korea's missile capabilities were quickly improving. China opposes the deployment of THAAD because it believes its powerful radar could be used to look inside its territory. South Korea and the United States have said it is only to curb North Korea's missile threats.

South Korea expects more provocative acts by North Korea in mid-October

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called a snap election even as tensions with North Korea continued to destabilise the Korean peninsula.

&quot;I will dissolve the House of Representatives on the 28th&nbsp;of September,&quot;&nbsp;Abe told reporters today.

The Japanese Prime Minister has been leading in the popularity polls recently which is up 20 per cent from 30 per cent in July.

The main opposition Democratic Party is struggling with single-digit ratings, Reuters reported.

Developing

"I will dissolve the House of Representatives on the 28th of September," Abe told reporters.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called a snap election even as tensions with North Korea continued to destabilise the Korean peninsula. "I will dissolve the House of Representatives on the 28th of September," Abe told reporters today. The Japanese Prime Minister has been leading in the popularity polls recently which is up 20 per cent from 30 per cent in July. The main opposition Democratic Party is struggling with single-digit ratings, Reuters reported. Developing

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe calls snap elections amid tensions with North Korea

North Korea&#39;s foreign minister <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-tweets-threats-against-north-korea-after-un-speech-20570">Ri Yong-ho said today US President Donald Trump</a> has &quot;declared war&quot; on his country.

The foreign minister <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-calls-trump-deranged-as-korean-peninsula-simmers-20538">threatened to shoot down US bombers</a>.&nbsp;

&quot;Trump claimed our leadership would not be around much longer,&quot; Ri Yong-ho said.

&quot;He(Trump) declared war on our country,&quot; the foreign minister said.

On Saturday, US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers&nbsp;escorted by fighter jets had flown in international airspace over waters east of North Korea for the first time decades.

The Pentagon later said the display of air power&nbsp;demonstrated the range of military options available to President Trump.

President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un openly traded insults last week with the US President saying North Korea&#39;s Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and leader Kim Jong Un &quot;won&#39;t be around much longer&quot; if Ri echoed the thoughts of &quot;Little Rocket Man&quot;, an apparent reference to Kim.

Kim Jong Un enraged at Trump&#39;s taunts called the US President &quot;mentally deranged US dotard&quot;.

&nbsp;

North Korea's foreign minister Ri Yong-ho threatened to shoot down US bombers

North Korea's foreign minister Ri Yong-ho said today US President Donald Trump has "declared war" on his country. The foreign minister threatened to shoot down US bombers. "Trump claimed our leadership would not be around much longer," Ri Yong-ho said. "He(Trump) declared war on our country," the foreign minister said. On Saturday, US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers escorted by fighter jets had flown in international airspace over waters east of North Korea for the first time decades. The Pentagon later said the display of air power demonstrated the range of military options available to President Trump. President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un openly traded insults last week with the US President saying North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and leader Kim Jong Un "won't be around much longer" if Ri echoed the thoughts of "Little Rocket Man", an apparent reference to Kim. Kim Jong Un enraged at Trump's taunts called the US President "mentally deranged US dotard".

Trump declared war on our country: North Korea

The recent North Korea bombing<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/sensex-nifty-close-down-over-north-korea-tensions-govts-stimulus-plan-20527"> threats and low confidence in the Indian economy have spooked</a> Indian markets today. It was a day of weak trade on the Dalal street as bears took complete control over bulls.

The Nifty closed below its key psychological 10,000-mark and the broader markets cracked 3 percent. Indian markets were tracking global weakness after North Korea threat indicated another hydrogen bomb test and s&amp;p downgraded China&#39;s credit rating.

It was across the board sell-off led by metals, realty, banking &amp; financials, and infra stocks but the nifty it outperformed with a marginal loss of 0.2 percent. The 30-share BSE Sensex plunged 447.60 points or 1.38 percent to 31,922.44 and the 50-share NSE nifty lost 157.50 points or 1.56 percent to 9,964.40.

The broader markets fell more than benchmarks today as the BSE midcap and smallcap indices cracked nearly 3 percent each on weak breadth. About four shares declined for every share rising on the BSE. However, the broad five reasons for markets falling are as follows

North Korea concerns

Geopolitical concerns over the Korean peninsula have remained under the spotlight as the trump administration has attempted to put more pressure on North Korea. Adding to the uncertainty is the fresh threat from the rogue nation about nuclear warfare.

 
China-Economy Downgrade

Asia&#39;s growth engine China is faltering and the recent downgrade by s&amp;p has raised doubts on China&#39;s economic prowess. Developments around China kept the market on its feet after its rating was downgraded.

 
Likely stimulus for Indian Economy

Indian markets could have been jittery over the economic prospects after the government announced plans to boost the economy. The Indian government is considering a plan to loosen the fiscal deficit target so that it could spend an additional Rs 50,000 crore ($7.7 billion) in the financial year ending in March 2018, two government sources said on Thursday.

Growth in Asia&#39;s third-largest economy India has slowed to a three-year low of 5.7 percent in the quarter that ended in June, and finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday that the government was looking for ways to speed it up.

The Nifty closed below its key psychological 10,000-mark and the broader markets cracked 3 percent

The recent North Korea bombing threats and low confidence in the Indian economy have spooked Indian markets today. It was a day of weak trade on the Dalal street as bears took complete control over bulls. The Nifty closed below its key psychological 10,000-mark and the broader markets cracked 3 percent. Indian markets were tracking global weakness after North Korea threat indicated another hydrogen bomb test and s&p downgraded China's credit rating. It was across the board sell-off led by metals, realty, banking & financials, and infra stocks but the nifty it outperformed with a marginal loss of 0.2 percent. The 30-share BSE Sensex plunged 447.60 points or 1.38 percent to 31,922.44 and the 50-share NSE nifty lost 157.50 points or 1.56 percent to 9,964.40. The broader markets fell more than benchmarks today as the BSE midcap and smallcap indices cracked nearly 3 percent each on weak breadth. About four shares declined for every share rising on the BSE. However, the broad five reasons for markets falling are as follows North Korea concerns Geopolitical concerns over the Korean peninsula have remained under the spotlight as the trump administration has attempted to put more pressure on North Korea. Adding to the uncertainty is the fresh threat from the rogue nation about nuclear warfare. China-Economy Downgrade Asia's growth engine China is faltering and the recent downgrade by s&p has raised doubts on China's economic prowess. Developments around China kept the market on its feet after its rating was downgraded. Likely stimulus for Indian Economy Indian markets could have been jittery over the economic prospects after the government announced plans to boost the economy. The Indian government is considering a plan to loosen the fiscal deficit target so that it could spend an additional Rs 50,000 crore ($7.7 billion) in the financial year ending in March 2018, two government sources said on Thursday. Growth in Asia's third-largest economy India has slowed to a three-year low of 5.7 percent in the quarter that ended in June, and finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday that the government was looking for ways to speed it up.

North Korea bombing threats spooks Sensex

North Korea today hit out against US President Donald Trump as Kim Jong Un threatened to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/may-test-hydrogen-bomb-over-pacific-north-korea-20504">test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean</a>.

President Donald Trump speaking on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-slaps-new-sanctions-on-north-korea-kim-calls-him-deranged-20503">the sidelines of the United Nations meeting</a> had said he would be imposing new sanctions against North Korea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un enraged at Trump called the US President &quot;mentally deranged US dotard&quot;.

Trump during his maiden address to the United Nations on Tuesday had said he would &quot;totally destroy&quot; North Korea and called Kim a &quot;rocket man&quot; on a suicide mission. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Japan described North Korea&#39;s threat to test a Hydrogen bomb as &quot;totally unacceptable&quot;.&nbsp;

The Korean peninsula is on a knife&#39;s edge with North Korea testing missiles last week and threatening to destabilize the region with more tests.

The United States and South Korea jointly conducted military exercise in Pocheon in the north-eastern region of Gyeonggi province in South Korea as the Korean peninsula continued to simmer over Kim&#39;s military manoeuvres.&nbsp;

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Trump during his maiden address to the United Nations on Tuesday had said he would "totally destroy" North Korea and called Kim a "rocket man" on a suicide mission

North Korea today hit out against US President Donald Trump as Kim Jong Un threatened to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean. President Donald Trump speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations meeting had said he would be imposing new sanctions against North Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un enraged at Trump called the US President "mentally deranged US dotard". Trump during his maiden address to the United Nations on Tuesday had said he would "totally destroy" North Korea and called Kim a "rocket man" on a suicide mission. Japan described North Korea's threat to test a Hydrogen bomb as "totally unacceptable". The Korean peninsula is on a knife's edge with North Korea testing missiles last week and threatening to destabilize the region with more tests. The United States and South Korea jointly conducted military exercise in Pocheon in the north-eastern region of Gyeonggi province in South Korea as the Korean peninsula continued to simmer over Kim's military manoeuvres.

North Korea's Kim calls Trump 'deranged' as Korean peninsula simmers

The United States and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-stealth-fighter-jets-bombers-fly-over-korean-peninsula-20339">South Korea jointly conducted military exercise</a>&nbsp;in Pocheon in&nbsp;the north-eastern region of Gyeonggi province in South Korea as the Korean peninsula continued to simmer over North Korea&#39;s missile tests conducted last week.&nbsp;

The drill was conducted in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-urges-china-russia-to-act-after-n-korea-missile-launch-20266">South Korea&#39;s Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with 700 troops</a>. The military manoeuvres&nbsp;were aimed to prepare the military to &quot;to fight tonight&quot; against North Korea.

The battalion commander of the US second armored brigade, Rob Kimmel told Reuters: &quot;We are continuing to train and be ready for any potential situation that may arise.&quot;

&quot;This is a kind of a pinnacle training event for a battalion size unit and so, you know, a battalion during a year here will only do one of these types of situations during that one rotation,&quot; Kimmel added.

On Monday, South Korea&#39;s defense ministry had the US had flown four F-35 stealth fighter jets and two B1-B bombers over the &nbsp;Korean peninsula in a military drill.

US President Donald Trump speaking at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday had said the United States will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea&quot;, adding &quot;Rocket Man is on a suicide mission&quot;.&nbsp;

Last Friday, North Korea had fired a ballistic missile over Japan in less than a month even as the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) imposed new sanctions to deter the country&#39;s ballistic and nuclear missile programme.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The drill was conducted in South Korea's Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with 700 troops involved in the exercise.

The United States and South Korea jointly conducted military exercise in Pocheon in the north-eastern region of Gyeonggi province in South Korea as the Korean peninsula continued to simmer over North Korea's missile tests conducted last week. The drill was conducted in South Korea's Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with 700 troops. The military manoeuvres were aimed to prepare the military to "to fight tonight" against North Korea. The battalion commander of the US second armored brigade, Rob Kimmel told Reuters: "We are continuing to train and be ready for any potential situation that may arise." "This is a kind of a pinnacle training event for a battalion size unit and so, you know, a battalion during a year here will only do one of these types of situations during that one rotation," Kimmel added. On Monday, South Korea's defense ministry had the US had flown four F-35 stealth fighter jets and two B1-B bombers over the Korean peninsula in a military drill. US President Donald Trump speaking at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday had said the United States will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea", adding "Rocket Man is on a suicide mission". Last Friday, North Korea had fired a ballistic missile over Japan in less than a month even as the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) imposed new sanctions to deter the country's ballistic and nuclear missile programme.

WATCH: US, South Korea joint military drill aims to 'fight tonight' against North Korea

South Korea approved a plan on Thursday to send $8 million worth of aid to North Korea, as China warned the crisis on the Korean peninsula was getting more serious by the day and the war of words between Pyongyang and Washington continued.

North Korea&#39;s foreign minister likened US President Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;to a &quot;barking dog&quot; on Thursday, after&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;warned he would &quot;totally destroy&quot; the North if it threatened the United States and its allies.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the situation on the Korean peninsula was getting more serious by the day and could not be allowed to spin out of control.

&quot;We call on all parties to be calmer than calm and not let the situation escalate out of control,&quot; Wang said, according to a report from the state-run China News Service on Thursday.

Meeting separately with his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, Wang reiterated a call for South Korea to remove the US-built THAAD anti-missile system, which China says is a threat to its own security.

&quot;China hopes South Korea will make efforts to reduce tension,&quot; a report on China&#39;s official Xinhua news agency quoted Wang as saying.

The decision to send aid to North Korea was not popular in South Korea, hitting President Moon Jae-in&#39;s approval rating. It also raised concerns in Japan and the United States and followed new UN sanctions against North Korea over its sixth nuclear test earlier this month.

The South&#39;s Unification Ministry said its aid policy remained unaffected by geopolitical tensions with the North. The exact timing of when the aid would be sent, as well as its size, would be confirmed later, the ministry said in a statement.

The South said it aimed to send $4.5 million worth of nutritional products for children and pregnant women through the World Food Programme and $3.5 million worth of vaccines and medicinal treatments through UNICEF.

&quot;We have consistently said we would pursue humanitarian aid for North Korea in consideration of the poor conditions children and pregnant women are in there, apart from political issues,&quot; said Unification Minister Cho Myong-gyon.

UNICEF&#39;s regional director for East Asia and the Pacific Karin Hulshof said in a statement before the decision the problems North Korean children face &quot;are all too real&quot;.

&quot;Today, we estimate that around 200,000 children are affected by acute malnutrition, heightening their risk of death and increasing rates of stunting,&quot; Hulshof said.

&quot;Food and essential medicines and equipment to treat young children are in short supply,&quot; she said.

The last time the South had sent aid to the North was in December 2015 through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) under ex-president Park Geun-hye.

Dog Barking

South Korea&#39;s efforts aimed at fresh aid for North Korea dragged down Moon&#39;s approval rating. Realmeter, a South Korean polling organisation, said on Thursday Moon&#39;s approval rating stood at 65.7 per cent, weakening for a fourth straight month.

Although the approval rate is still high, those surveyed said Moon had fallen out of favour due to North Korea&#39;s continued provocations and the government&#39;s decision to consider sending aid to North Korea, Realmeter said.

Moon will meet Japan&#39;s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;later on Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where North Korea was expected to be the core agenda item.

In an address on Tuesday,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;escalated his standoff with North Korea over its nuclear challenge, threatening to &quot;totally destroy&quot; the country of 26 million people if the North threatened the United States and its allies.

Trump&nbsp;also mocked its leader, Kim Jong Un, calling him a &quot;rocket man&quot;.

North Korea&#39;s Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho called&nbsp;Trump&#39;s comments &quot;the sound of a dog barking&quot;.

&quot;There is a saying that goes: &#39;Even when dogs bark, the parade goes on&#39;,&quot; Ri said in televised remarks to reporters in front of a hotel near the U.N. headquarters in New York.

&quot;If (Trump) was thinking about surprising us with dog-barking sounds then he is clearly dreaming,&quot; he said.

Asked by reporters what he thought of&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;calling North Korean leader Kim Jong Un &quot;rocket man&quot;, Ri quipped: &quot;I feel sorry for his aides.&quot;

North Korea conducted its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3 and has launched numerous missiles this year, including two intercontinental ballistic missiles and two other rockets that flew over Japan.

Such provocations have sparked strong disapproval from the international community, especially from the United States and Japan.

North Korea's foreign minister likened US President Donald?Trump?to a 'barking dog' on Thursday, after?Trump?warned he would 'totally destroy' the North if it threatened the United States and its allies

South Korea approved a plan on Thursday to send $8 million worth of aid to North Korea, as China warned the crisis on the Korean peninsula was getting more serious by the day and the war of words between Pyongyang and Washington continued. North Korea's foreign minister likened US President Donald Trump to a "barking dog" on Thursday, after Trump warned he would "totally destroy" the North if it threatened the United States and its allies. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the situation on the Korean peninsula was getting more serious by the day and could not be allowed to spin out of control. "We call on all parties to be calmer than calm and not let the situation escalate out of control," Wang said, according to a report from the state-run China News Service on Thursday. Meeting separately with his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, Wang reiterated a call for South Korea to remove the US-built THAAD anti-missile system, which China says is a threat to its own security. "China hopes South Korea will make efforts to reduce tension," a report on China's official Xinhua news agency quoted Wang as saying. The decision to send aid to North Korea was not popular in South Korea, hitting President Moon Jae-in's approval rating. It also raised concerns in Japan and the United States and followed new UN sanctions against North Korea over its sixth nuclear test earlier this month. The South's Unification Ministry said its aid policy remained unaffected by geopolitical tensions with the North. The exact timing of when the aid would be sent, as well as its size, would be confirmed later, the ministry said in a statement. The South said it aimed to send $4.5 million worth of nutritional products for children and pregnant women through the World Food Programme and $3.5 million worth of vaccines and medicinal treatments through UNICEF. "We have consistently said we would pursue humanitarian aid for North Korea in consideration of the poor conditions children and pregnant women are in there, apart from political issues," said Unification Minister Cho Myong-gyon. UNICEF's regional director for East Asia and the Pacific Karin Hulshof said in a statement before the decision the problems North Korean children face "are all too real". "Today, we estimate that around 200,000 children are affected by acute malnutrition, heightening their risk of death and increasing rates of stunting," Hulshof said. "Food and essential medicines and equipment to treat young children are in short supply," she said. The last time the South had sent aid to the North was in December 2015 through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) under ex-president Park Geun-hye. Dog Barking South Korea's efforts aimed at fresh aid for North Korea dragged down Moon's approval rating. Realmeter, a South Korean polling organisation, said on Thursday Moon's approval rating stood at 65.7 per cent, weakening for a fourth straight month. Although the approval rate is still high, those surveyed said Moon had fallen out of favour due to North Korea's continued provocations and the government's decision to consider sending aid to North Korea, Realmeter said. Moon will meet Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Trump later on Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where North Korea was expected to be the core agenda item. In an address on Tuesday, Trump escalated his standoff with North Korea over its nuclear challenge, threatening to "totally destroy" the country of 26 million people if the North threatened the United States and its allies. Trump also mocked its leader, Kim Jong Un, calling him a "rocket man". North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho called Trump's comments "the sound of a dog barking". "There is a saying that goes: 'Even when dogs bark, the parade goes on'," Ri said in televised remarks to reporters in front of a hotel near the U.N. headquarters in New York. "If (Trump) was thinking about surprising us with dog-barking sounds then he is clearly dreaming," he said. Asked by reporters what he thought of Trump calling North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "rocket man", Ri quipped: "I feel sorry for his aides." North Korea conducted its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3 and has launched numerous missiles this year, including two intercontinental ballistic missiles and two other rockets that flew over Japan. Such provocations have sparked strong disapproval from the international community, especially from the United States and Japan.

North Korea shrugs off Trump as 'barking dog'

It is a short distance from Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue to the United Nations headquarters on First Avenue, but these are different worlds. Donald Trump&rsquo;s native world is one of unilateralism and competition, with more than a hint of bravado and aggression. The U.N.&lsquo;s world is one of multilateralism and cooperation, with a heavy dose of diplomacy and collaboration.

Those two worlds met when Trump gave his first speech to the U.N. as America&rsquo;s president. And the nationalism and pragmatism of the relatively recently inaugurated leader of the U.S., <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-trump-victory-make-angela-merkel-leader-of-the-free-world-69017">if no longer the free world</a>, collided with the cosmopolitan, enduringly optimistic, if often weary,&nbsp;leadership of the U.N. Not surprisingly, it starkly contrasted with <a href="http://time.com/4501910/president-obama-united-nations-speech-transcript/">Barack Obama&rsquo;s final speech to the U.N.</a> a year ago.

&#39;It&rsquo;s complicated&rsquo;

Since his inauguration, Donald Trump has conceded on several occasions that <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/06/opinions/trump-foreign-policy-ghitis-opinion/index.html">foreign policy is &ldquo;complicated.</a>&rdquo; And his speech at the U.N. reinforced that fact. He attempted to bridge an uncomfortable divide between the isolationism and muscular foreign policy embraced by much of his political base and the inescapable need to cooperate with other countries in order to tackle a series of foreign policy problems that even the most powerful of states cannot address alone. My initial impression as a student of international relations is that he largely failed to reconcile that tension.

Trump&rsquo;s inaugural presidential address was more memorable for his <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/20/donald-trumps-full-inauguration-speech-transcript-annotated/">reference to carnage</a> than an appeal to inspirational values. And, likewise, his first U.N. speech will probably be remembered more for his threats against North Korea and his reference to the decimation of the U.S. middle class than a few desultory utterances in which he commended the United Nations for its humanitarian efforts.

Straddling two constituencies

Unsurprisingly, Trump&rsquo;s commentary was broad-ranging and inchoate. In again invoking the concept of &ldquo;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-to-deliver-un-speech-focused-on-principled-realism/">principled realism</a>,&rdquo; he tried to straddle, and to please, both his base and the audience in the room. But just like his wavering recent comments about events in Charlottesville or the fate of the &ldquo;Dreamers&rdquo; of DACA, his ambivalence on the future relationship between the United States and the United Nations will likely leave neither his supporters or his global audience satisfied.

So, against this background, what were the lessons gleaned from Trump&rsquo;s speech?

Here are five key points:

We are the world?

For the last three decades, every student who takes a university course in international relations has been taught two things. The first is that the countries of the world are becoming more interdependent. The second is that the United Nations is one of the mechanisms that can be used to address issues that require a collective response, like climate change or growing inequality. Trump rejected that formulation. In his speech, he argued that the United Nations should be built on the basis of sovereign, strong and independent states fed by patriotism and nationalism &ndash; not cosmopolitanism. States should be left alone unless they threaten external security or, Trump suggested eccentrically, they abrogate human rights &ndash; singularly referring to Venezuela.

Throwback to W

Rogue states, or &ldquo;regimes,&rdquo; are back in fashion. The term, like the &ldquo;Axis of Evil,&rdquo; was introduced by George W. Bush&rsquo;s administration. Then, it principally referred to Iran, North Korea and Iraq, and was used to justify an interventionist U.S. foreign policy. That language disappeared during the Obama administration, in favor of a focus on strategic patience and diplomacy. Trump&rsquo;s rejection of Obama&rsquo;s foreign policy could have taken him off in several directions. But in this instance, he has returned to Bush&rsquo;s.

A line to remember

But Bush&rsquo;s foray didn&rsquo;t end well. He used the term &ndash; and the threat those countries reputedly posed to international stability &ndash; to justify a long, bloody and costly war in Iraq that ultimately destabilized the Middle East. The consequences of Trump&rsquo;s return to that language could prove catastrophic on the Korean Peninsula. Never before can I recall an American president threatening to &ldquo;totally destroy&rdquo; another country like North Korea, as Trump did while standing at a lectern of an organization whose core mission is dedicated to peace. That, I suspect, will be the line from his speech that will be longest remembered, regardless of whether war actually breaks out.

Looking out for number one

Paradoxically, according to Trump, in pursuing its own narrow, short-term self-interest on security and trade, the United States will remain a &ldquo;model&rdquo; for the rest of the world. Again, this claim upends conventional American wisdom.

Attempts to enhance America&rsquo;s global reputation for the last seven decades have been built on its efforts to cultivate at least an image of <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/titles/10271.html">enlightened self-interest.</a> This has entailed promoting global stability, trade and democracy. Taking this long-term view has been at a cost to American taxpayers, workers and even American lives in a series of wars. American presidents have routinely justified this sacrifice by calling the U.S. &ldquo;a model&rdquo; from which the world has ultimately benefited. Until now, none has justified selfishness as a virtue to the rest of the world. &ldquo;As President of the United States, I will always put America first just like you, the leaders of your countries, will always, and should always, put your countries first,&rdquo; <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/19/trump-un-speech-2017-full-text-transcript-242879">proclaimed Trump.</a> It was a line reminiscent of Gordon Gecko&rsquo;s famous speech in the movie Wall Street, that &ldquo;greed is good.&rdquo;

Ignoring the needs of others

Economic and national security may be in, but enhancing economic and social development, addressing global inequality and combating climate change are certainly out.

The irony is inescapable: Two more hurricanes were threatening America&rsquo;s shores as Trump spoke. Seemingly oblivious to that fact, he completely ignored two of the greatest interrelated challenges facing humanity in a building whose central mission is to protect the species: how to feed the world&rsquo;s population while ensuring all of our children actually remain alive so that they can enjoy that meal. America First, he clearly implied, entails the right of the American middle class to drive to the mall and have enough money to spend on U.S. manufactured products when it gets there. But, on this occasion, the possibility that they may have to drive through a hurricane, flood, forest fire or smog to get there was not recognized by Trump as a major problem. And on questions of economic, political or social development? The nearest he got was a reference to refugees: Wars should cease so that they can return to their homes. It&rsquo;s cheaper that way. The president is probably unacquainted with the fact that a large proportion of the world&rsquo;s potential <a href="https://caribbeantradelaw.com/2017/01/30/hr4939-us-caribbean-strategic-engagement-act-of-2016-key-points-to-note/">environmental refugees</a> live in the Caribbean, and when the sea rises I suspect they will be heading in boats towards Florida, if not Mar-a-Lago, with no home to return to.

So what&rsquo;s the bottom line?

First, principled realism is a nice term if you are trying to appear coherent. But its principle components &ndash; of isolationism and engagement &ndash; are <a href="http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/?GCOI=80140100158520">inherently contradictory</a>. Cobbling them together should lead us to expect contradiction and equivocation rather than be surprised by it.

Second, we learned once again that Trump looks longingly backwards rather than forwards. His speech, when dispassionately analyzed, would have seemed more befitting if delivered in 1917 rather than 2017.

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/84328/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />And finally, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/19/politics/trump-un-speech-world-leaders-react/index.html">the lukewarm applause Trump received</a> &ndash; both when criticizing Iran and at the conclusion of his speech &ndash; suggests that, with few exceptions, the world&rsquo;s leaders share the sentiment held by a large portion of the American electorate: that the next three years and four months are going <a href="https://www.vox.com/2017/6/12/15781752/donald-trump-eternity-time-perception">to feel like an eternity</a>.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" nofollow="" rel="">The Conversation</a>.The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/trump-speaks-at-the-un-5-takeaways-84328" nofollow="" rel="">original article</a>.

In his first speech after becoming President of United States, Donald Trump threatened North Korea with total destruction.

It is a short distance from Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue to the United Nations headquarters on First Avenue, but these are different worlds. Donald Trump’s native world is one of unilateralism and competition, with more than a hint of bravado and aggression. The U.N.‘s world is one of multilateralism and cooperation, with a heavy dose of diplomacy and collaboration. Those two worlds met when Trump gave his first speech to the U.N. as America’s president. And the nationalism and pragmatism of the relatively recently inaugurated leader of the U.S., if no longer the free world, collided with the cosmopolitan, enduringly optimistic, if often weary, leadership of the U.N. Not surprisingly, it starkly contrasted with Barack Obama’s final speech to the U.N. a year ago. 'It’s complicated’ Since his inauguration, Donald Trump has conceded on several occasions that foreign policy is “complicated.” And his speech at the U.N. reinforced that fact. He attempted to bridge an uncomfortable divide between the isolationism and muscular foreign policy embraced by much of his political base and the inescapable need to cooperate with other countries in order to tackle a series of foreign policy problems that even the most powerful of states cannot address alone. My initial impression as a student of international relations is that he largely failed to reconcile that tension. Trump’s inaugural presidential address was more memorable for his reference to carnage than an appeal to inspirational values. And, likewise, his first U.N. speech will probably be remembered more for his threats against North Korea and his reference to the decimation of the U.S. middle class than a few desultory utterances in which he commended the United Nations for its humanitarian efforts. Straddling two constituencies Unsurprisingly, Trump’s commentary was broad-ranging and inchoate. In again invoking the concept of “principled realism,” he tried to straddle, and to please, both his base and the audience in the room. But just like his wavering recent comments about events in Charlottesville or the fate of the “Dreamers” of DACA, his ambivalence on the future relationship between the United States and the United Nations will likely leave neither his supporters or his global audience satisfied. So, against this background, what were the lessons gleaned from Trump’s speech? Here are five key points: We are the world? For the last three decades, every student who takes a university course in international relations has been taught two things. The first is that the countries of the world are becoming more interdependent. The second is that the United Nations is one of the mechanisms that can be used to address issues that require a collective response, like climate change or growing inequality. Trump rejected that formulation. In his speech, he argued that the United Nations should be built on the basis of sovereign, strong and independent states fed by patriotism and nationalism – not cosmopolitanism. States should be left alone unless they threaten external security or, Trump suggested eccentrically, they abrogate human rights – singularly referring to Venezuela. Throwback to W Rogue states, or “regimes,” are back in fashion. The term, like the “Axis of Evil,” was introduced by George W. Bush’s administration. Then, it principally referred to Iran, North Korea and Iraq, and was used to justify an interventionist U.S. foreign policy. That language disappeared during the Obama administration, in favor of a focus on strategic patience and diplomacy. Trump’s rejection of Obama’s foreign policy could have taken him off in several directions. But in this instance, he has returned to Bush’s. A line to remember But Bush’s foray didn’t end well. He used the term – and the threat those countries reputedly posed to international stability – to justify a long, bloody and costly war in Iraq that ultimately destabilized the Middle East. The consequences of Trump’s return to that language could prove catastrophic on the Korean Peninsula. Never before can I recall an American president threatening to “totally destroy” another country like North Korea, as Trump did while standing at a lectern of an organization whose core mission is dedicated to peace. That, I suspect, will be the line from his speech that will be longest remembered, regardless of whether war actually breaks out. Looking out for number one Paradoxically, according to Trump, in pursuing its own narrow, short-term self-interest on security and trade, the United States will remain a “model” for the rest of the world. Again, this claim upends conventional American wisdom. Attempts to enhance America’s global reputation for the last seven decades have been built on its efforts to cultivate at least an image of enlightened self-interest. This has entailed promoting global stability, trade and democracy. Taking this long-term view has been at a cost to American taxpayers, workers and even American lives in a series of wars. American presidents have routinely justified this sacrifice by calling the U.S. “a model” from which the world has ultimately benefited. Until now, none has justified selfishness as a virtue to the rest of the world. “As President of the United States, I will always put America first just like you, the leaders of your countries, will always, and should always, put your countries first,” proclaimed Trump. It was a line reminiscent of Gordon Gecko’s famous speech in the movie Wall Street, that “greed is good.” Ignoring the needs of others Economic and national security may be in, but enhancing economic and social development, addressing global inequality and combating climate change are certainly out. The irony is inescapable: Two more hurricanes were threatening America’s shores as Trump spoke. Seemingly oblivious to that fact, he completely ignored two of the greatest interrelated challenges facing humanity in a building whose central mission is to protect the species: how to feed the world’s population while ensuring all of our children actually remain alive so that they can enjoy that meal. America First, he clearly implied, entails the right of the American middle class to drive to the mall and have enough money to spend on U.S. manufactured products when it gets there. But, on this occasion, the possibility that they may have to drive through a hurricane, flood, forest fire or smog to get there was not recognized by Trump as a major problem. And on questions of economic, political or social development? The nearest he got was a reference to refugees: Wars should cease so that they can return to their homes. It’s cheaper that way. The president is probably unacquainted with the fact that a large proportion of the world’s potential environmental refugees live in the Caribbean, and when the sea rises I suspect they will be heading in boats towards Florida, if not Mar-a-Lago, with no home to return to. So what’s the bottom line? First, principled realism is a nice term if you are trying to appear coherent. But its principle components – of isolationism and engagement – are inherently contradictory. Cobbling them together should lead us to expect contradiction and equivocation rather than be surprised by it. Second, we learned once again that Trump looks longingly backwards rather than forwards. His speech, when dispassionately analyzed, would have seemed more befitting if delivered in 1917 rather than 2017. And finally, the lukewarm applause Trump received – both when criticizing Iran and at the conclusion of his speech – suggests that, with few exceptions, the world’s leaders share the sentiment held by a large portion of the American electorate: that the next three years and four months are going to feel like an eternity. This article was originally published on The Conversation.The Conversation. Read the original article.

Trump's first speech in the UN goes against the values of the organisation

US President said today more sanctions will be imposed on North Korea even as<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/watch-us-south-korea-joint-military-drill-aims-to-fight-tonight-against-north-korea-20480"> South Korea and </a>the United States continued military drills in the Korean peninsula.

&quot;We will be putting more sanctions on North Korea,&quot; Trump told Reuters on the sidelines of the United Nations meeting. The official announcement of the sanctions on North Korea will be made on Thursday.

A senior Trump administration official told Reuters the sanctions are not expected to target oil.

In his maiden address to the UN General Assembly, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-fiery-un-address-redefines-us-role-in-the-world-20426">President Donald Trump had emphatically declared</a> &quot;United States will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea&quot;, adding &quot;Rocket Man is on a suicide mission&quot;.

South Korean President Moon speaking at the United Nations said he wanted to prevent war from breaking out, adding tensions should not overly intensify leading to &quot;accidental military clashes&quot; which would destroy peace in the region.

Moon quoted former US President Ronald Reagan saying: &quot;Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.&quot;

A senior Trump administration official told Reuters the sanctions are not expected to target oil.

US President said today more sanctions will be imposed on North Korea even as South Korea and the United States continued military drills in the Korean peninsula. "We will be putting more sanctions on North Korea," Trump told Reuters on the sidelines of the United Nations meeting. The official announcement of the sanctions on North Korea will be made on Thursday. A senior Trump administration official told Reuters the sanctions are not expected to target oil. In his maiden address to the UN General Assembly, President Donald Trump had emphatically declared "United States will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea", adding "Rocket Man is on a suicide mission". South Korean President Moon speaking at the United Nations said he wanted to prevent war from breaking out, adding tensions should not overly intensify leading to "accidental military clashes" which would destroy peace in the region. Moon quoted former US President Ronald Reagan saying: "Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means."

Will be putting more sanctions on North Korea, says Trump

U.S. President Donald&nbsp;Trump&#39;s&nbsp;speech to the United Nations, where he warned he would &quot;totally destroy&quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-wants-greater-missile-power-in-face-of-north-korean-threats-19799">&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;if threatened</a>, reinforced the need for Pyongyang to realise it must give up its nuclear weapons,&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;said on Wednesday.

In a hard-edged speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump mockedNorth&nbsp;Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a &quot;rocket man&quot; for his repeated ballistic missile tests.

&quot;We view the speech as portraying a&nbsp;firm&nbsp;and specific stance on the key issues regarding keeping peace and safety that the international community and the United Nations are faced with,&quot; the office of&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a statement on Wednesday.

&quot;It clearly showed how seriously the United States government views&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&#39;s nuclear programme as the president spent an unusual amount of time discussing the issue,&quot; the presidential Blue House&#39;s statement said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/read-full-text-of-donald-trumps-un-speech-20420">Trump&#39;s&nbsp;speech </a>&quot;reaffirmed that&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;should be made to realize denuclearisation is the only way to the future through utmost sanctions and pressure&quot;, it said.

Moon came to power in May on a platform of more engagement with&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea. Since Pyongyang&#39;s sixth and largest nuclear test earlier on September&nbsp;3, however, Moon has said the time is not right for dialogue.

He and Trump plan to meet in New York early on Wednesday US&nbsp;time, Moon&#39;s office said.

&quot;GREAT STRENGTH&quot;

Trump&#39;s&nbsp;most direct military threat to attack&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;was his latest expression of concern about Pyongyang&#39;s repeated weapons tests.

&quot;The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea,&quot; Trump told the 193-member world body. &quot;Rocketman is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime.&quot;

U.S. ally Japan, which Pyongyang often threatens to destroy, has taken a consistently hard line on&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea, pushing for increased sanctions and pressure.

&quot;We greatly appreciate President Trump&rsquo;s approach to changing&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&rsquo;s policy stance, denuclearising the country and calling on the international community, including China and Russia, for their cooperation toward strengthening pressure on&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea,&quot; Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters.

Suga also welcomed&nbsp;Trump&#39;s&nbsp;reference to a Japanese girl who was kidnapped by&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean agents in 1977.

The plight of abductees is a key issue for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has pledged to rescue them while in office, and an emotive one for the Japanese public.

North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;admitted in 2002 it had kidnapped 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to train spies. Five of them returned to Japan but Tokyo suspects that hundreds more may have been taken.

STRICT SANCTIONS

North&nbsp;Korea, which has conducted more than 80 missile tests under third-generation leader Kim, says it needs its weapons to protect itself from U.S. aggression.&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;and the United States are technically still at war with&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;after the 1950-53&nbsp;Korean conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, interviewed by Fox News on Tuesday, highlighted Washington&#39;s policy of pressuring&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;through sanctions.

&quot;We have the strictest sanctions ever put in place. We do believe there are early signs of those having an effect,&quot; he said. &quot;Ultimately, though, we&#39;re going to need the assistance of the neighbours in the region.&quot;

The UN&nbsp;Security Council has unanimously imposed nine rounds of sanctions on&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea since 2006, the latest earlier this month aimed at restricting fuel supplies and cutting off textile exports, a key foreign exchange earner.

The United States has urged China,&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&#39;s main ally and trading partner, and Russia to do more to rein in Kim, something Trump appeared to allude to in his speech.

&quot;It is an outrage that some nations would not only trade with such a regime but would arm, supply and financially support a country that imperils the world with nuclear conflict,&quot; Trump told the General Assembly.

China&#39;s Foreign Ministry asked to respond to&nbsp;Trump&#39;s&nbsp;comments about destroying&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;if it had to, said U.N. resolutions were clear the&nbsp;Korean peninsula issue should be resolved peacefully through political and diplomatic means.

The resolutions passed by the UN&nbsp;Security Council on&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;reflected the &quot;common will and consensus of the international community&quot; to denuclearisation of the&nbsp;Korean Peninsula, Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular briefing.

In a hard-edged speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump mockedNorth?Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a "rocket man" for his repeated ballistic missile tests.

U.S. President Donald Trump's speech to the United Nations, where he warned he would "totally destroy" North Korea if threatened, reinforced the need for Pyongyang to realise it must give up its nuclear weapons, South Korea said on Wednesday. In a hard-edged speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump mockedNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a "rocket man" for his repeated ballistic missile tests. "We view the speech as portraying a firm and specific stance on the key issues regarding keeping peace and safety that the international community and the United Nations are faced with," the office of South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a statement on Wednesday. "It clearly showed how seriously the United States government views North Korea's nuclear programme as the president spent an unusual amount of time discussing the issue," the presidential Blue House's statement said. Trump's speech "reaffirmed that North Korea should be made to realize denuclearisation is the only way to the future through utmost sanctions and pressure", it said. Moon came to power in May on a platform of more engagement with North Korea. Since Pyongyang's sixth and largest nuclear test earlier on September 3, however, Moon has said the time is not right for dialogue. He and Trump plan to meet in New York early on Wednesday US time, Moon's office said. "GREAT STRENGTH" Trump's most direct military threat to attack North Korea was his latest expression of concern about Pyongyang's repeated weapons tests. "The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea," Trump told the 193-member world body. "Rocketman is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime." U.S. ally Japan, which Pyongyang often threatens to destroy, has taken a consistently hard line on North Korea, pushing for increased sanctions and pressure. "We greatly appreciate President Trump’s approach to changing North Korea’s policy stance, denuclearising the country and calling on the international community, including China and Russia, for their cooperation toward strengthening pressure on North Korea," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters. Suga also welcomed Trump's reference to a Japanese girl who was kidnapped by North Korean agents in 1977. The plight of abductees is a key issue for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has pledged to rescue them while in office, and an emotive one for the Japanese public. North Korea admitted in 2002 it had kidnapped 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to train spies. Five of them returned to Japan but Tokyo suspects that hundreds more may have been taken. STRICT SANCTIONS North Korea, which has conducted more than 80 missile tests under third-generation leader Kim, says it needs its weapons to protect itself from U.S. aggression. South Korea and the United States are technically still at war with North Korea after the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, interviewed by Fox News on Tuesday, highlighted Washington's policy of pressuring North Korea through sanctions. "We have the strictest sanctions ever put in place. We do believe there are early signs of those having an effect," he said. "Ultimately, though, we're going to need the assistance of the neighbours in the region." The UN Security Council has unanimously imposed nine rounds of sanctions on North Korea since 2006, the latest earlier this month aimed at restricting fuel supplies and cutting off textile exports, a key foreign exchange earner. The United States has urged China, North Korea's main ally and trading partner, and Russia to do more to rein in Kim, something Trump appeared to allude to in his speech. "It is an outrage that some nations would not only trade with such a regime but would arm, supply and financially support a country that imperils the world with nuclear conflict," Trump told the General Assembly. China's Foreign Ministry asked to respond to Trump's comments about destroying North Korea if it had to, said U.N. resolutions were clear the Korean peninsula issue should be resolved peacefully through political and diplomatic means. The resolutions passed by the UN Security Council on North Korea reflected the "common will and consensus of the international community" to denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular briefing.

Trump's warning to North Korea is firm and specific: South Korea

He said the US, should it be threatened, would have no choice but to destroy North Korea

READ: Full text of Donald Trump's UN speech

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-crisis-boosts-japans-hawkish-pm-analysts-20374">Japan</a> will&nbsp;deploy an additional missile defence system on its northern island of Hokkaido, a defence ministry spokesman told AFP, days after North Korea launched a missile over the island.

&quot;We are deploying a PAC-3 system at about&nbsp;noon&quot; to a base of the nation&#39;s Ground Self-Defense Force in the southern tip of Hokkaido, said Kensaku Mizuseki.

According to local officials, Japan has already deployed the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile defence system to another part of Hokkaido.

But Mizuseki declined to confirm where in Japan other PAC-3 systems were deployed, citing the sensitive nature of defence information.

The move comes with tensions on the Korean peninsula at fever-pitch after Pyongyang carried out its sixth nuclear test and fired two missiles over Japan in the space of less than a month, sparking emergency warnings to take cover.

North Korea has threatened to &quot;sink&quot; Japan into the sea and said&nbsp;Saturday&nbsp;that it sought military &quot;equilibrium&quot; with arch-enemy the United States by developing a full nuclear arsenal.

For his part, hawkish Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he would &quot;never tolerate&quot; the North&#39;s &quot;dangerous provocative action&quot; and has urged the international community to ramp up pressure on Pyongyang.

The UN Security Council, which condemned the launch as &quot;highly provocative,&quot; will hold a new ministerial-level meeting&nbsp;Thursday&nbsp;on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, focused on enforcing sanctions on the North Korean regime.

The move comes with tensions on the Korean peninsula at fever-pitch after Pyongyang carried out its sixth nuclear test and fired two missiles over Japan in the space of less than a month, sparking emergency warnings to take cover

Japan will deploy an additional missile defence system on its northern island of Hokkaido, a defence ministry spokesman told AFP, days after North Korea launched a missile over the island. "We are deploying a PAC-3 system at about noon" to a base of the nation's Ground Self-Defense Force in the southern tip of Hokkaido, said Kensaku Mizuseki. According to local officials, Japan has already deployed the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile defence system to another part of Hokkaido. But Mizuseki declined to confirm where in Japan other PAC-3 systems were deployed, citing the sensitive nature of defence information. The move comes with tensions on the Korean peninsula at fever-pitch after Pyongyang carried out its sixth nuclear test and fired two missiles over Japan in the space of less than a month, sparking emergency warnings to take cover. North Korea has threatened to "sink" Japan into the sea and said Saturday that it sought military "equilibrium" with arch-enemy the United States by developing a full nuclear arsenal. For his part, hawkish Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he would "never tolerate" the North's "dangerous provocative action" and has urged the international community to ramp up pressure on Pyongyang. The UN Security Council, which condemned the launch as "highly provocative," will hold a new ministerial-level meeting Thursday on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, focused on enforcing sanctions on the North Korean regime.

Japan to deploy additional missile defence system in north: Defence ministry

US President Donald Trump makes his debut at the United Nations on Monday, with an address on UN reform as a week of intense diplomacy kicks off, dominated by worries about North Korea, Iran and Myanmar.

Trump, who once disparaged the world body as a &quot;club&quot; for &quot;people to get together, talk and have a good time,&quot; will lay out his views on how to improve the United Nations a day before he makes his first address to the General Assembly.

About 130 world leaders are attending this year&#39;s global gathering, but all eyes will be on Trump, whose &quot;America First&quot; agenda has alarmed both allies and foes.

The UN&#39;s number one financial backer, the United States has threatened deep cuts to UN funding that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said would create an &quot;unsolvable problem&quot; for the world body.

Guterres, who is pushing for an overhaul of the UN bureaucracy, will also address the event at which leaders will sign a pledge of support for reform.

France and Russia have reacted coolly to the US initiative, amid concerns that the US administration is focused more on cost-cutting than improving the UN&#39;s performance.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley was a driving force behind a $600-million-dollar cut to the UN peacekeeping budget this year.

Haley on Friday pointed to the more than 120 countries that back the US-drafted political declaration on UN reform as a &quot;miraculous number,&quot; showing there is support for a &quot;massive reform package&quot; led by Guterres.

Differences over Iran, North Korea&nbsp;

On Monday, Trump will hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, who will also be making his maiden address at the General Assembly on Tuesday, and with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Both Macron and Netanyahu are expected to raise the future of the Iran nuclear agreement, with the French leader making a strong case for keeping it alive and the Israeli prime minister pushing for its demise.

Trump will also have a working dinner with Latin American leaders that will touch on the crisis in Venezuela.

North Korea&#39;s nuclear and missile tests will be in the spotlight with foreign ministers set to discuss enforcing sanctions against Pyongyang during a Security Council meeting on non-proliferation on Thursday.

Also on Thursday, Trump will be holding talks with Japanese and South Korean leaders who have backed the US drive to ratchet up sanctions on North Korea.

The council last week imposed a new raft of measures such as a ban on export textiles and a cap on oil shipments to pile pressure on Pyongyang to come to the table and negotiate an end to its nuclear and missile programs.

Russia and China, however, are calling for diplomatic talks with North Korea while warning that a military option as suggested by the United States would have catastrophic consequences.

Myanmar&nbsp;

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will host a meeting on the military campaign in Myanmar which the United Nations has described as &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; after more than 400,000 Rohingya Muslims were forced to flee.

The closed-door meeting will be attended by a representative from Myanmar and by foreign ministers from &quot;a range of countries with a strong interest in seeing an end to the violence there,&quot; a British diplomat said.

Ahead of the opening of the General Assembly, UN member-states will discuss the aftermath of Hurricane Irma that devastated parts of the United States and the Caribbean.&nbsp;

The hurricane disaster offers a reminder of the destructive force of nature as leaders set their sights on implementing the Paris agreement on climate change despite the US withdrawal from the deal.

Trump, who once disparaged the world body as a "club" for "people to get together, talk and have a good time," will lay out his views on how to improve the United Nations a day before he makes his first address to the General Assembly.

US President Donald Trump makes his debut at the United Nations on Monday, with an address on UN reform as a week of intense diplomacy kicks off, dominated by worries about North Korea, Iran and Myanmar. Trump, who once disparaged the world body as a "club" for "people to get together, talk and have a good time," will lay out his views on how to improve the United Nations a day before he makes his first address to the General Assembly. About 130 world leaders are attending this year's global gathering, but all eyes will be on Trump, whose "America First" agenda has alarmed both allies and foes. The UN's number one financial backer, the United States has threatened deep cuts to UN funding that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said would create an "unsolvable problem" for the world body. Guterres, who is pushing for an overhaul of the UN bureaucracy, will also address the event at which leaders will sign a pledge of support for reform. France and Russia have reacted coolly to the US initiative, amid concerns that the US administration is focused more on cost-cutting than improving the UN's performance. US Ambassador Nikki Haley was a driving force behind a $600-million-dollar cut to the UN peacekeeping budget this year. Haley on Friday pointed to the more than 120 countries that back the US-drafted political declaration on UN reform as a "miraculous number," showing there is support for a "massive reform package" led by Guterres. Differences over Iran, North Korea On Monday, Trump will hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, who will also be making his maiden address at the General Assembly on Tuesday, and with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Both Macron and Netanyahu are expected to raise the future of the Iran nuclear agreement, with the French leader making a strong case for keeping it alive and the Israeli prime minister pushing for its demise. Trump will also have a working dinner with Latin American leaders that will touch on the crisis in Venezuela. North Korea's nuclear and missile tests will be in the spotlight with foreign ministers set to discuss enforcing sanctions against Pyongyang during a Security Council meeting on non-proliferation on Thursday. Also on Thursday, Trump will be holding talks with Japanese and South Korean leaders who have backed the US drive to ratchet up sanctions on North Korea. The council last week imposed a new raft of measures such as a ban on export textiles and a cap on oil shipments to pile pressure on Pyongyang to come to the table and negotiate an end to its nuclear and missile programs. Russia and China, however, are calling for diplomatic talks with North Korea while warning that a military option as suggested by the United States would have catastrophic consequences. Myanmar British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will host a meeting on the military campaign in Myanmar which the United Nations has described as "ethnic cleansing" after more than 400,000 Rohingya Muslims were forced to flee. The closed-door meeting will be attended by a representative from Myanmar and by foreign ministers from "a range of countries with a strong interest in seeing an end to the violence there," a British diplomat said. Ahead of the opening of the General Assembly, UN member-states will discuss the aftermath of Hurricane Irma that devastated parts of the United States and the Caribbean. The hurricane disaster offers a reminder of the destructive force of nature as leaders set their sights on implementing the Paris agreement on climate change despite the US withdrawal from the deal.

Trump pushes UN reform as world leaders gather for crisis talks

Late summer rains and the growing importance of privately produced crops mean North Korea will likely avoid acute food shortages this year despite earlier fears of drought and mounting international sanctions, defectors and experts say.

The U.N.&#39;s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned in July of the worst drought in 16 years in the country, saying there were &quot;serious concerns&quot; about a lack of rainfall in key cereal-producing areas.

&quot;People said they delayed planting because it was too dry in the early spring, but right after that it rained,&quot; said Kang Mi-jin at the Seoul-based Daily NK, a website run by defectors.

&quot;Crop conditions are fine now,&quot; said Kang, who said she had cross-checked the news of the harvest with several sources still inside North Korea.

Weather data for areas in China that border North Korea&#39;s main crop zones show rains picked up from August, helping to alleviate dry conditions.

U.S. Department of Agriculture satellite images suggest North Korea&#39;s crop yields will be similar to last year, said Kim Young-hui, a North Korean defector and a specialist in the country&rsquo;s economy at Korea Finance Corp in Seoul.

North Korea experienced a crippling famine in the 1990s when a combination of bad weather, economic mismanagement and the demise of fuel subsidies from the Soviet Union all but destroyed its state-run Public Distribution System (PDS) of rationing.

The FAO report, which described the PDS as the &quot;main source of food&quot; for around 70 percent of the population, said increased food imports would be required to ensure adequate food supplies for the most at-risk groups, including children and elderly.

However, the rise of privately produced food sold in North Korean markets has slowly overtaken the PDS as the primary distributor of food, a factor which experts say official UN&nbsp;reports overlook.

The reports, often produced in conjunction with the North Korean government, may not be able to focus on markets given the political sensitivity of inherently capitalist activity in a state which still outwardly professes to maintain a Soviet-style command economy, experts say.

&quot;Many people rely completely on the markets and off-the-books private farming for their food,&quot; said Sokeel Park of Liberty in North Korea, an organisation which aids defectors.

&quot;Corrupt officials will also siphon off government supplies and sell them for profit,&quot; said Park. &quot;This means international agencies&#39; regurgitation of Pyongyang&#39;s official food data should be taken with a pinch of salt&quot;.

In the years since the famine, farmers have also been granted increasing autonomy at local levels to proactively change crops, staving off the risk of food shortages, and reducing the reliance on imports.

North Korea&#39;s grain imports totalled $26.5 million in 2016, down from $139.2 million in 2012, according to the state-run Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. January to June imports this year were just $10.6 million, albeit up sharply on the $3 million over the same period a year go.

Prices in North Korean markets have remained relatively stable and continue to be a reliable source of food, according to defectors who closely monitor North Korean market prices and activity.

The U.N.&#39;s World Food Programme (WFP) said there was still very little direct information available on how important markets are for household food access. WFP was consulting with the North Korean government to carry out more detailed studies on food security later this year, it said in an emailed response to questions.

Another threat to North Korea&#39;s food security was an increase in U.N. sanctions following the country&#39;s sixth and largest nuclear bomb test earlier this month.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously agreed to a range of new measures including imposing a ban on the country&#39;s textile exports and capping imports of crude oil and fuel.

Gasoline and diesel prices rose sharply since the nuclear test, market data analysed by Reuters on Monday showed.

The sanctions were likely to hit essential items such as oil, sugar, salt, vinegar and milk powder, which are imported, controlled centrally and distributed via state shops at subsidized prices, the WFP said.

But in contrast to more developed countries, agriculture in North Korea relies much more on mass-mobilisation of workers rather than mechanisation such as harvesters and tractors.

So while a lack of oil would likely slow the harvest, the overall impact would not be significant, according to Linda Lewis of the American Friends Service Committee, an NGO running farm projects in North Korea.

&quot;Fuel shortages are not a new problem, and North Korean farmers are quite resourceful,&quot; Lewis said.

The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned in July of the worst drought in 16 years in the country, saying there were "serious concerns" about a lack of rainfall in key cereal-producing areas.

Late summer rains and the growing importance of privately produced crops mean North Korea will likely avoid acute food shortages this year despite earlier fears of drought and mounting international sanctions, defectors and experts say. The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned in July of the worst drought in 16 years in the country, saying there were "serious concerns" about a lack of rainfall in key cereal-producing areas. "People said they delayed planting because it was too dry in the early spring, but right after that it rained," said Kang Mi-jin at the Seoul-based Daily NK, a website run by defectors. "Crop conditions are fine now," said Kang, who said she had cross-checked the news of the harvest with several sources still inside North Korea. Weather data for areas in China that border North Korea's main crop zones show rains picked up from August, helping to alleviate dry conditions. U.S. Department of Agriculture satellite images suggest North Korea's crop yields will be similar to last year, said Kim Young-hui, a North Korean defector and a specialist in the country’s economy at Korea Finance Corp in Seoul. North Korea experienced a crippling famine in the 1990s when a combination of bad weather, economic mismanagement and the demise of fuel subsidies from the Soviet Union all but destroyed its state-run Public Distribution System (PDS) of rationing. The FAO report, which described the PDS as the "main source of food" for around 70 percent of the population, said increased food imports would be required to ensure adequate food supplies for the most at-risk groups, including children and elderly. However, the rise of privately produced food sold in North Korean markets has slowly overtaken the PDS as the primary distributor of food, a factor which experts say official UN reports overlook. The reports, often produced in conjunction with the North Korean government, may not be able to focus on markets given the political sensitivity of inherently capitalist activity in a state which still outwardly professes to maintain a Soviet-style command economy, experts say. "Many people rely completely on the markets and off-the-books private farming for their food," said Sokeel Park of Liberty in North Korea, an organisation which aids defectors. "Corrupt officials will also siphon off government supplies and sell them for profit," said Park. "This means international agencies' regurgitation of Pyongyang's official food data should be taken with a pinch of salt". In the years since the famine, farmers have also been granted increasing autonomy at local levels to proactively change crops, staving off the risk of food shortages, and reducing the reliance on imports. North Korea's grain imports totalled $26.5 million in 2016, down from $139.2 million in 2012, according to the state-run Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. January to June imports this year were just $10.6 million, albeit up sharply on the $3 million over the same period a year go. Prices in North Korean markets have remained relatively stable and continue to be a reliable source of food, according to defectors who closely monitor North Korean market prices and activity. The U.N.'s World Food Programme (WFP) said there was still very little direct information available on how important markets are for household food access. WFP was consulting with the North Korean government to carry out more detailed studies on food security later this year, it said in an emailed response to questions. Another threat to North Korea's food security was an increase in U.N. sanctions following the country's sixth and largest nuclear bomb test earlier this month. The U.N. Security Council unanimously agreed to a range of new measures including imposing a ban on the country's textile exports and capping imports of crude oil and fuel. Gasoline and diesel prices rose sharply since the nuclear test, market data analysed by Reuters on Monday showed. The sanctions were likely to hit essential items such as oil, sugar, salt, vinegar and milk powder, which are imported, controlled centrally and distributed via state shops at subsidized prices, the WFP said. But in contrast to more developed countries, agriculture in North Korea relies much more on mass-mobilisation of workers rather than mechanisation such as harvesters and tractors. So while a lack of oil would likely slow the harvest, the overall impact would not be significant, according to Linda Lewis of the American Friends Service Committee, an NGO running farm projects in North Korea. "Fuel shortages are not a new problem, and North Korean farmers are quite resourceful," Lewis said.

Late summer rains, private food supplies limit impact of North Korea drought

The Nifty hit an all-time high on Monday, joining a rally in Asian shares, with banks, diversified conglomerates and automobile firms leading the gains.

Asian shares hit decade highs as investors regained confidence after the weekend passed with no new provocation by North Korea.

&quot;There seems to be a global rally where liquidity is driving all markets. Markets have become very overbought,&quot; said Sanjiv Bhasin, executive vice president of markets and corporate affairs at IIFL.

Trade deficit touched 2.4 percent of gross domestic product and inflation is rising, which means the Reserve Bank of India may not cut rates at its next meeting, he added.

Data released late on Friday showed India&#39;s trade deficit widened to $11.64 billion in August from a month ago.

The broader NSE Nifty was up 0.72 percent at 10,157.90 as of 0555 GMT, with almost all sectors in the green.

Earlier in the session, it gained as much as 0.81 percent to a record high of 10,167.15. The benchmark BSE Sensex was 0.63 percent higher at 32,474.86.

The Nifty auto index gained as much as 1.4 percent, with Tata Motors Ltd rising as much as 2.8 percent and Bajaj Auto Ltd climbing up to 3.5 percent.

&quot;There is a feel-good factor as there could be more spending because of the ongoing festival season,&quot; Bhasin said.

Larsen and Toubro Ltd rose as much as 2.7 percent and Eicher Motors Ltd gained up to 1.9 percent on bargain-hunting after three consecutive sessions of decline.

Bharti Infratel Ltd climbed as much as 3.7 percent, making it the top percentage gainer on the NSE index.

Bharti Infra is dependent on annuity income from cellular towers, which have been in a fine space after Bharti Airtel reduced its stake in the company, according to Bhasin.

The NSE bank index rose as much as 1 percent, with top gainer IndusInd Bank Ltd up as much as 2.5 percent.

Electronics manufacturer Dixon Technologies (India) Ltd surged as much as 70 percent on its trading debut, while Bharat Road Network Ltd rose as much as 6.8 percent on its first day of trading.

Asian shares hit decade highs as investors regained confidence after the weekend passed with no new provocation by North Korea.

The Nifty hit an all-time high on Monday, joining a rally in Asian shares, with banks, diversified conglomerates and automobile firms leading the gains. Asian shares hit decade highs as investors regained confidence after the weekend passed with no new provocation by North Korea. "There seems to be a global rally where liquidity is driving all markets. Markets have become very overbought," said Sanjiv Bhasin, executive vice president of markets and corporate affairs at IIFL. Trade deficit touched 2.4 percent of gross domestic product and inflation is rising, which means the Reserve Bank of India may not cut rates at its next meeting, he added. Data released late on Friday showed India's trade deficit widened to $11.64 billion in August from a month ago. The broader NSE Nifty was up 0.72 percent at 10,157.90 as of 0555 GMT, with almost all sectors in the green. Earlier in the session, it gained as much as 0.81 percent to a record high of 10,167.15. The benchmark BSE Sensex was 0.63 percent higher at 32,474.86. The Nifty auto index gained as much as 1.4 percent, with Tata Motors Ltd rising as much as 2.8 percent and Bajaj Auto Ltd climbing up to 3.5 percent. "There is a feel-good factor as there could be more spending because of the ongoing festival season," Bhasin said. Larsen and Toubro Ltd rose as much as 2.7 percent and Eicher Motors Ltd gained up to 1.9 percent on bargain-hunting after three consecutive sessions of decline. Bharti Infratel Ltd climbed as much as 3.7 percent, making it the top percentage gainer on the NSE index. Bharti Infra is dependent on annuity income from cellular towers, which have been in a fine space after Bharti Airtel reduced its stake in the company, according to Bhasin. The NSE bank index rose as much as 1 percent, with top gainer IndusInd Bank Ltd up as much as 2.5 percent. Electronics manufacturer Dixon Technologies (India) Ltd surged as much as 70 percent on its trading debut, while Bharat Road Network Ltd rose as much as 6.8 percent on its first day of trading.

Nifty hits record high, auto stocks gain

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-deploys-anti-missile-system-as-us-seeks-tough-north-korea-sanctions-19959">South Korea&#39;s defense ministry said today the US flew</a> four F-35 stealth fighter jets and two B1-B bombers over the &nbsp;Korean peninsula in a military drill on Monday as tension over North Korea&#39;s missile tests continued to destabilize the region.

Last Friday, North Korea had <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-second-missile-over-japan-in-less-than-a-month-20229">fired a ballistic missile over Japan in less</a> than a month even as the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) imposed new sanctions to deter the country&#39;s ballistic and nuclear missile programme.&nbsp;

&quot;Four stealth fighters and two bombers flew over the peninsula to demonstrate the deterrence capability of the US-South Korea alliance against North Korea&#39;s nuclear and missile threats&quot;, the ministry said in a statement.

The bombers flew from the US military base in Guam and the fighters flew from Japan, joined by six South Korean fighter jets in the drill, the South Korean defence ministry added.

North Korea had said on Saturday it aims to reach an &quot;equilibrium&quot; of military force with the United States, which earlier signaled its patience for diplomacy is wearing thin after Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan for the second time in under a month.

Earlier in the month, the South Korean Navy had conducted live drills just days after North Korea donated a hydrogen bomb.

The bombers flew from the US military base in Guam and the fighters flew from Japan, joined by six South Korean fighter jets in the drill

South Korea's defense ministry said today the US flew four F-35 stealth fighter jets and two B1-B bombers over the Korean peninsula in a military drill on Monday as tension over North Korea's missile tests continued to destabilize the region. Last Friday, North Korea had fired a ballistic missile over Japan in less than a month even as the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) imposed new sanctions to deter the country's ballistic and nuclear missile programme. "Four stealth fighters and two bombers flew over the peninsula to demonstrate the deterrence capability of the US-South Korea alliance against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats", the ministry said in a statement. The bombers flew from the US military base in Guam and the fighters flew from Japan, joined by six South Korean fighter jets in the drill, the South Korean defence ministry added. North Korea had said on Saturday it aims to reach an "equilibrium" of military force with the United States, which earlier signaled its patience for diplomacy is wearing thin after Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan for the second time in under a month. Earlier in the month, the South Korean Navy had conducted live drills just days after North Korea donated a hydrogen bomb.

US stealth fighter jets, bombers fly over Korean peninsula

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe&rsquo;s visit to India on 13-14 September for attending the annual summit has marked one more milestone in the evolving India- Japan partnership. The joint statement issued by them highlights the increasing importance of their converging strategic interests. It is evident not only in the title of the statement itself but also in the positions that they have taken on issues like North Korea&rsquo;s increasing belligerence, Japan&rsquo;s involvement in various infrastructure projects in India, the ongoing India-Japan defence cooperation, maritime security, and Japan&rsquo;s interest in India&rsquo;s North Eastern region.

The present summit took place against the backdrop of two major developments in the region &ndash; North Korea&rsquo;s nuclear and missile tests and the China-India-Bhutan military standoff in Doklam.&nbsp;

North Korea&rsquo;s intransigence on its nuclear weapons and missile programme is not new. But its nuclear and missile tests in the last one year have intensified regional tensions and its refusal to abide by UN Security Council resolutions has heightened the threats to East Asian countries, particularly Japan and South Korea. Many in the region apprehended that Pyongyang&rsquo;s nuclear and missile programmers could drive other countries to reconsider their positions on non-proliferation.&nbsp;

Though both India and Japan have categorically criticised Pyongyang in the past, this time around they made a coordinated condemnation of its policies. In a speech at the summit, Mr. Abe sent out a message to Pyongyang along with Mr. Modi that they would take &ldquo;firm steps against the challenges that have emanated from North Korea &rdquo; and would &ldquo;force North Korea to roll back its recent aggressive moves.&rdquo; Many analysts point out that though India has criticised North Korea in the past, for the first time it is getting directly involved in the deepening crisis.

One should also note that the joint statement, in an indirect reference to Pakistan, has stressed the need for holding accountable all parties that have supported North Korea&rsquo;s nuclear and missile programmes in the past. Similarly, the joint statement has condemned the growing menace of terrorism and exhorted Pakistan to bring to justice the organisers of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008 and in Pathankot in 2016.

On the positive side, one major takeaway for both countries from the summit is the inauguration of the much-celebrated bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The 508 Km, 1.1 lakh crore project is a prize catch for Mr. Abe who has been vigorously promoting Japan&rsquo;s high-quality infrastructure assistance to Asian countries. After losing out to China in Indonesia, in the high-speed rail technology competition, it became very important for Japan to get a footing in India.&nbsp;

As for Prime Minister Modi, he has been making all efforts to get Japan involved in some of India&rsquo;s flagship projects. He wants Japan&rsquo;s support for his coveted programmes, such as Make in India, Skills India, and Digital India. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad (MAHSR) project will usher in a new era in the Indian railway system as it is going to introduce Japan&rsquo;s advanced technology, and it could have a great impact on the business and industrial climate of western India. Japan has already demonstrated its credentials as a reliable supplier of superior technology in the construction of metro systems in many parts of India. In addition, Japan is also poised to play a key role in the modernisation of the conventional railway system.

Both countries have shown considerable interest in forging deeper cooperation in the defence sphere. The latest Defence Dialogue held in Tokyo a week earlier than the summit identified many areas for cooperation. India has already liberalised its policy on the entry of foreign technologies just as Mr. Abe has also removed the earlier restrictions on the export of Japanese defence technologies.

This situation provides a win-win position for intensifying bilateral cooperation. Both Mr. Abe and Mr. Modi have agreed to continue the on-going negotiations for the purchase of Japan&rsquo;s indigenously produced US-2 amphibian aircraft. Maritime security offers immense prospects for bilateral cooperation. In addition to the trilateral Malabar exercises, both India and Japan also want to deepen their bilateral naval cooperation which could provide many new opportunities for them collaborate. There are opportunities for Japan to help India build and modernise its naval base in the Andamans.

The joint statement also talks about the commitment of the two leaders to work together to enhance connectivity between Asia and Africa. They have expressed their desire to promote cooperation with Africa by developing industrial corridors and connectivity. They believe that both India and Japan with their long association with the African continent could contribute to the development of the Indo-Pacific region and offer an alternative to China&rsquo;s Belt and Road Initiative.

Nearer home. India is encouraging Japan to play a key role in the economic development of the North Eastern region. Japan is already involved in some key projects related to highways, power, management of natural resources and health. Recently, they have formed a coordination forum to intensify cooperation between the two sides.

&nbsp;

The joint statement issued by India and Japan highlights the increasing importance of their converging strategic interests.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to India on 13-14 September for attending the annual summit has marked one more milestone in the evolving India- Japan partnership. The joint statement issued by them highlights the increasing importance of their converging strategic interests. It is evident not only in the title of the statement itself but also in the positions that they have taken on issues like North Korea’s increasing belligerence, Japan’s involvement in various infrastructure projects in India, the ongoing India-Japan defence cooperation, maritime security, and Japan’s interest in India’s North Eastern region. The present summit took place against the backdrop of two major developments in the region – North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests and the China-India-Bhutan military standoff in Doklam. North Korea’s intransigence on its nuclear weapons and missile programme is not new. But its nuclear and missile tests in the last one year have intensified regional tensions and its refusal to abide by UN Security Council resolutions has heightened the threats to East Asian countries, particularly Japan and South Korea. Many in the region apprehended that Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmers could drive other countries to reconsider their positions on non-proliferation. Though both India and Japan have categorically criticised Pyongyang in the past, this time around they made a coordinated condemnation of its policies. In a speech at the summit, Mr. Abe sent out a message to Pyongyang along with Mr. Modi that they would take “firm steps against the challenges that have emanated from North Korea ” and would “force North Korea to roll back its recent aggressive moves.” Many analysts point out that though India has criticised North Korea in the past, for the first time it is getting directly involved in the deepening crisis. One should also note that the joint statement, in an indirect reference to Pakistan, has stressed the need for holding accountable all parties that have supported North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes in the past. Similarly, the joint statement has condemned the growing menace of terrorism and exhorted Pakistan to bring to justice the organisers of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008 and in Pathankot in 2016. On the positive side, one major takeaway for both countries from the summit is the inauguration of the much-celebrated bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The 508 Km, 1.1 lakh crore project is a prize catch for Mr. Abe who has been vigorously promoting Japan’s high-quality infrastructure assistance to Asian countries. After losing out to China in Indonesia, in the high-speed rail technology competition, it became very important for Japan to get a footing in India. As for Prime Minister Modi, he has been making all efforts to get Japan involved in some of India’s flagship projects. He wants Japan’s support for his coveted programmes, such as Make in India, Skills India, and Digital India. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad (MAHSR) project will usher in a new era in the Indian railway system as it is going to introduce Japan’s advanced technology, and it could have a great impact on the business and industrial climate of western India. Japan has already demonstrated its credentials as a reliable supplier of superior technology in the construction of metro systems in many parts of India. In addition, Japan is also poised to play a key role in the modernisation of the conventional railway system. Both countries have shown considerable interest in forging deeper cooperation in the defence sphere. The latest Defence Dialogue held in Tokyo a week earlier than the summit identified many areas for cooperation. India has already liberalised its policy on the entry of foreign technologies just as Mr. Abe has also removed the earlier restrictions on the export of Japanese defence technologies. This situation provides a win-win position for intensifying bilateral cooperation. Both Mr. Abe and Mr. Modi have agreed to continue the on-going negotiations for the purchase of Japan’s indigenously produced US-2 amphibian aircraft. Maritime security offers immense prospects for bilateral cooperation. In addition to the trilateral Malabar exercises, both India and Japan also want to deepen their bilateral naval cooperation which could provide many new opportunities for them collaborate. There are opportunities for Japan to help India build and modernise its naval base in the Andamans. The joint statement also talks about the commitment of the two leaders to work together to enhance connectivity between Asia and Africa. They have expressed their desire to promote cooperation with Africa by developing industrial corridors and connectivity. They believe that both India and Japan with their long association with the African continent could contribute to the development of the Indo-Pacific region and offer an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Nearer home. India is encouraging Japan to play a key role in the economic development of the North Eastern region. Japan is already involved in some key projects related to highways, power, management of natural resources and health. Recently, they have formed a coordination forum to intensify cooperation between the two sides.

Is countering China and North Korea the basis of India - Japan friendship?

North Korea said on Saturday it aims to reach an &quot;equilibrium&quot; of military force with the United States, which earlier signalled its patience for diplomacy is wearing thin after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-second-missile-over-japan-in-less-than-a-month-20229" target="_blank">Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan for the second time in under a month.</a>

&quot;Our final goal is to establish the equilibrium of real force with the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-urges-china-russia-to-act-after-n-korea-missile-launch-20266" target="_blank"> US&nbsp;and make the US&nbsp;rulers dare not talk about a military option</a>,&quot; North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was quoted as saying by the state news agency, KCNA.

Kim was shown beaming as he watched the missile fly from a moving launcher in photos released by the agency, surrounded by several officials.

&quot;The combat efficiency and reliability of Hwasong-12 were thoroughly verified,&quot; said Kim as quoted by KCNA. Kim added the North&#39;s goal of completing its nuclear force had &quot;nearly reached the terminal&quot;.

North Korea has launched dozens of missiles under Kim&#39;s leadership as it accelerates a weapons program designed to give it the ability to target the United States with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile.

After the latest missile launch on Friday, White House National Security Adviser HR&nbsp;McMaster said the United States was fast running out of patience with North Korea&#39;s missile and nuclear programs.

&quot;We&#39;ve been kicking the can down the road, and we&#39;re out of the road,&quot; McMaster told reporters, referring to Pyongyang&#39;s repeated missile tests in defiance of international pressure.

&quot;For those ... who have been commenting on a lack of a military option, there is a military option,&quot; he said, adding that it would not be the Trump administration&#39;s preferred choice.

Also on Friday, the UN&nbsp;Security Council condemned the &quot;highly provocative&quot; missile launch by North Korea.

It had already stepped up sanctions against North Korea in response to a nuclear bomb test on September&nbsp;3, imposing a ban on North Korea&#39;s textile exports and capping its imports of crude oil.

The US&nbsp;ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, echoed McMaster&#39;s strong rhetoric, even as she said Washington&#39;s preferred resolution to the crisis is through diplomacy and sanctions.

&quot;What we are seeing is, they are continuing to be provocative, they are continuing to be reckless and at that point there&#39;s not a whole lot the Security Council is going to be able to do from here, when you&#39;ve cut 90 percent of the trade and 30 percent of the oil,&quot; Haley said.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said that he is &quot;more confident than ever that our options in addressing this threat are both effective and overwhelming.&quot; He said at Joint Base Andrews near Washington that North Korea &quot;has once again shown its utter contempt for its neighbours and for the entire world community.&quot;

Missile

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-threatens-to-sink-japan-reduce-us-to-ashes-and-darkness-20228" target="_blank">North Korea&#39;s latest test missile</a> flew over Hokkaido in northern Japan on Friday and landed in the Pacific about 2,000 km&nbsp;to the east, the Japanese government said.

It traveled about 3,700 km&nbsp;in total, according to South Korea&#39;s military, far enough to reach the US&nbsp;Pacific territory of Guam, which the North has threatened before.

&quot;The range of this test was significant since North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile,&quot; the Union of Concerned Scientists advocacy group said in a statement. However, the accuracy of the missile, still at an early stage of development, was low, it said.

On Thursday, US&nbsp;Secretary of State Tillerson called on China, Pyongyang&#39;s only ally, and Russia to apply more pressure on North Korea by &quot;taking direct actions of their own.&quot;

Beijing has pushed back, urging Washington to do more to rein in North Korea.

&quot;Honestly, I think the United States should be doing .. much more than now, so that there&#39;s real effective international cooperation on this issue,&quot; China&#39;s ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, said on Friday.

&quot;They should refrain from issuing more threats. They should do more to find effective ways to resume dialogue and negotiation,&quot; he said while adding that China would never accept North Korea as a nuclear weapons state.

North Korea staged its sixth and most powerful nuclear bomb test earlier this month and in July tested long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching at least parts of the US&nbsp;mainland.

Last month, North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile that also flew over Hokkaido into the ocean.

Warning announcements about the latest missile blared in parts of northern Japan, while many residents received alerts on their mobile phones or saw warnings on TV telling them to seek refuge.

The US&nbsp;military said it had detected a single intermediate range ballistic missile but it did not pose a threat to North America or Guam.

Global equities investors largely shrugged off the latest missile test by North Korea as shares on Wall Street set new highs on Friday.

Differences over direct talks

Trump has promised not to allow North Korea to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile.

Russia&#39;s UN&nbsp;ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said the United States needed to begin talks with North Korea, something that Washington has so far ruled out.

&quot;We called on our US partners and others to implement political and diplomatic solutions that are provided for in the resolution,&quot; Nebenzia told reporters after the Security Council meeting. &quot;Without implementing this, we also will consider it as a non-compliance with the resolution.&quot;

Asked about the prospect of direct talks, a White House spokesman said, &quot;As the president and his national security team have repeatedly said, now is not the time to talk to North Korea.&quot;

South Korean President Moon Jae-in also said dialogue with the North was impossible at this point. He ordered officials to analyse and prepare for possible new North Korean threats, including electromagnetic pulse and biochemical attacks.

The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies.

North Korea said on Saturday it aims to reach an 'equilibrium' of military force with the United States

North Korea said on Saturday it aims to reach an "equilibrium" of military force with the United States, which earlier signalled its patience for diplomacy is wearing thin after Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan for the second time in under a month. "Our final goal is to establish the equilibrium of real force with the US and make the US rulers dare not talk about a military option," North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was quoted as saying by the state news agency, KCNA. Kim was shown beaming as he watched the missile fly from a moving launcher in photos released by the agency, surrounded by several officials. "The combat efficiency and reliability of Hwasong-12 were thoroughly verified," said Kim as quoted by KCNA. Kim added the North's goal of completing its nuclear force had "nearly reached the terminal". North Korea has launched dozens of missiles under Kim's leadership as it accelerates a weapons program designed to give it the ability to target the United States with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile. After the latest missile launch on Friday, White House National Security Adviser HR McMaster said the United States was fast running out of patience with North Korea's missile and nuclear programs. "We've been kicking the can down the road, and we're out of the road," McMaster told reporters, referring to Pyongyang's repeated missile tests in defiance of international pressure. "For those ... who have been commenting on a lack of a military option, there is a military option," he said, adding that it would not be the Trump administration's preferred choice. Also on Friday, the UN Security Council condemned the "highly provocative" missile launch by North Korea. It had already stepped up sanctions against North Korea in response to a nuclear bomb test on September 3, imposing a ban on North Korea's textile exports and capping its imports of crude oil. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, echoed McMaster's strong rhetoric, even as she said Washington's preferred resolution to the crisis is through diplomacy and sanctions. "What we are seeing is, they are continuing to be provocative, they are continuing to be reckless and at that point there's not a whole lot the Security Council is going to be able to do from here, when you've cut 90 percent of the trade and 30 percent of the oil," Haley said. US President Donald Trump said that he is "more confident than ever that our options in addressing this threat are both effective and overwhelming." He said at Joint Base Andrews near Washington that North Korea "has once again shown its utter contempt for its neighbours and for the entire world community." Missile North Korea's latest test missile flew over Hokkaido in northern Japan on Friday and landed in the Pacific about 2,000 km to the east, the Japanese government said. It traveled about 3,700 km in total, according to South Korea's military, far enough to reach the US Pacific territory of Guam, which the North has threatened before. "The range of this test was significant since North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile," the Union of Concerned Scientists advocacy group said in a statement. However, the accuracy of the missile, still at an early stage of development, was low, it said. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Tillerson called on China, Pyongyang's only ally, and Russia to apply more pressure on North Korea by "taking direct actions of their own." Beijing has pushed back, urging Washington to do more to rein in North Korea. "Honestly, I think the United States should be doing .. much more than now, so that there's real effective international cooperation on this issue," China's ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, said on Friday. "They should refrain from issuing more threats. They should do more to find effective ways to resume dialogue and negotiation," he said while adding that China would never accept North Korea as a nuclear weapons state. North Korea staged its sixth and most powerful nuclear bomb test earlier this month and in July tested long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching at least parts of the US mainland. Last month, North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile that also flew over Hokkaido into the ocean. Warning announcements about the latest missile blared in parts of northern Japan, while many residents received alerts on their mobile phones or saw warnings on TV telling them to seek refuge. The US military said it had detected a single intermediate range ballistic missile but it did not pose a threat to North America or Guam. Global equities investors largely shrugged off the latest missile test by North Korea as shares on Wall Street set new highs on Friday. Differences over direct talks Trump has promised not to allow North Korea to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile. Russia's UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said the United States needed to begin talks with North Korea, something that Washington has so far ruled out. "We called on our US partners and others to implement political and diplomatic solutions that are provided for in the resolution," Nebenzia told reporters after the Security Council meeting. "Without implementing this, we also will consider it as a non-compliance with the resolution." Asked about the prospect of direct talks, a White House spokesman said, "As the president and his national security team have repeatedly said, now is not the time to talk to North Korea." South Korean President Moon Jae-in also said dialogue with the North was impossible at this point. He ordered officials to analyse and prepare for possible new North Korean threats, including electromagnetic pulse and biochemical attacks. The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies.

North Korea says seeking military 'equilibrium' with US

&quot;Missile launch! Missile launch! A missile appears to have been launched from North Korea. Take cover in a building or underground.&quot;

To the accompaniment of blaring sirens and emergency phone alerts, that was the terrifying loudspeaker message that jolted millions of Japanese awake in the early hours as North Korea blasted its second missile over the country in less than a month.

But for local residents on the flightpath over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, there was no question of this becoming a routine event.

&quot;I cannot say that we are used to this. I mean, the missile flew right above our town. It&#39;s not a very comforting thing to hear,&quot; said Yoshihiro Saito, who works in the small fishing town of Erimo on Hokkaido.

&quot;It&#39;s pretty scary. I heard that it went 2,000 kilometres in the Pacific and dropped in the sea&quot; where 16 of his ships were operating under the missile&#39;s flight path.

Citizens in earthquake-prone Japan are well-drilled in seeking cover when emergency strikes but with only a matter of minutes from launch to impact, several residents voiced a feeling of helplessness.

&quot;It&#39;s really scary. The government tells us to flee to stable buildings but we can&#39;t do that quickly. Our colleagues offshore can never take cover,&quot; said Yoichi Takahashi, 57, a fisheries official in Kushiro on Hokkaido.

&quot;It has now happened twice to us ... We&#39;ll have restless days from now on,&quot; Takahashi told AFP.

Isamu Oya, 67, a sushi restaurant owner in Erimo, told AFP: &quot;The government told us to take cover in a stable building or underground, but there isn&#39;t one here. We have no choice but just do nothing.

&quot;Scary? Yes, but we can&#39;t help it.&quot;

Dangerous provocative action

Breakfast television programmes across Japan, usually broadcasting a light-hearted diet of children&#39;s shows and gadget features, instead flashed up the warning message as the intermediate range ballistic missile flew overhead.

Mobile carriers in Japan sent automatic text messages to rouse customers awake.

Train services between Japan&#39;s main island and Hokkaido were temporarily suspended after the launch and bullet train services were also halted.

Airports in the area appeared to be unaffected, however, with Shinya Matsuura, an official at Obihiro airport, near the missile&#39;s flightpath, telling AFP that passengers there were calm and quiet.

&quot;We are just relieved it did not affect us.&quot;

An ashen looking Shinzo Abe, Japan&#39;s prime minister, said his country could &quot;never tolerate&quot; such &quot;dangerous provocative action that threatens world peace&quot;.

&quot;If North Korea continues to walk down this path, it has no bright future. We must make North Korea understand this,&quot; he added.

The Japanese government said its priority was to ensure the safety of its citizens.

There were no immediate reports of falling debris or damage but Tokyo stressed that a missile launch without warning could have destroyed shipping or aircraft in the area.

But some locals living on the missile flight path fretted that repeated missile launches could have a damaging impact on their day-to-day lives.

&quot;We are afraid that this may have an impact on our life, ranging from fishing to tourism,&quot; said Hironori Matsura, an official at the anti-disaster division at Erimo town hall.

Sushi chef Oya said he thought the missile wouldn&#39;t affect his trade as most of his customers were local but acknowledged that &quot;I&#39;m afraid this may affect a flow of tourism to Erimo&quot;.

Meanwhile, others displayed a grim determination that life would go on.

Saito admitted that the missile has been dominating conversation in the town -- &quot;like how scary it is&quot; -- but said: &quot;No one really has talked about stopping their work or suspending their operations.&quot;

Residents woke up to blaring loudspeakers alerting them of the missile launch by North Korea, its second over Japan in a month

"Missile launch! Missile launch! A missile appears to have been launched from North Korea. Take cover in a building or underground." To the accompaniment of blaring sirens and emergency phone alerts, that was the terrifying loudspeaker message that jolted millions of Japanese awake in the early hours as North Korea blasted its second missile over the country in less than a month. But for local residents on the flightpath over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, there was no question of this becoming a routine event. "I cannot say that we are used to this. I mean, the missile flew right above our town. It's not a very comforting thing to hear," said Yoshihiro Saito, who works in the small fishing town of Erimo on Hokkaido. "It's pretty scary. I heard that it went 2,000 kilometres in the Pacific and dropped in the sea" where 16 of his ships were operating under the missile's flight path. Citizens in earthquake-prone Japan are well-drilled in seeking cover when emergency strikes but with only a matter of minutes from launch to impact, several residents voiced a feeling of helplessness. "It's really scary. The government tells us to flee to stable buildings but we can't do that quickly. Our colleagues offshore can never take cover," said Yoichi Takahashi, 57, a fisheries official in Kushiro on Hokkaido. "It has now happened twice to us ... We'll have restless days from now on," Takahashi told AFP. Isamu Oya, 67, a sushi restaurant owner in Erimo, told AFP: "The government told us to take cover in a stable building or underground, but there isn't one here. We have no choice but just do nothing. "Scary? Yes, but we can't help it." Dangerous provocative action Breakfast television programmes across Japan, usually broadcasting a light-hearted diet of children's shows and gadget features, instead flashed up the warning message as the intermediate range ballistic missile flew overhead. Mobile carriers in Japan sent automatic text messages to rouse customers awake. Train services between Japan's main island and Hokkaido were temporarily suspended after the launch and bullet train services were also halted. Airports in the area appeared to be unaffected, however, with Shinya Matsuura, an official at Obihiro airport, near the missile's flightpath, telling AFP that passengers there were calm and quiet. "We are just relieved it did not affect us." An ashen looking Shinzo Abe, Japan's prime minister, said his country could "never tolerate" such "dangerous provocative action that threatens world peace". "If North Korea continues to walk down this path, it has no bright future. We must make North Korea understand this," he added. The Japanese government said its priority was to ensure the safety of its citizens. There were no immediate reports of falling debris or damage but Tokyo stressed that a missile launch without warning could have destroyed shipping or aircraft in the area. But some locals living on the missile flight path fretted that repeated missile launches could have a damaging impact on their day-to-day lives. "We are afraid that this may have an impact on our life, ranging from fishing to tourism," said Hironori Matsura, an official at the anti-disaster division at Erimo town hall. Sushi chef Oya said he thought the missile wouldn't affect his trade as most of his customers were local but acknowledged that "I'm afraid this may affect a flow of tourism to Erimo". Meanwhile, others displayed a grim determination that life would go on. Saito admitted that the missile has been dominating conversation in the town -- "like how scary it is" -- but said: "No one really has talked about stopping their work or suspending their operations."

'Missile launch, take cover': How Japan woke up Friday

A&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean state agency threatened on Thursday to use nuclear weapons to &quot;sink&quot; Japan and reduce the United States to &quot;ashes and darkness&quot; for supporting a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-defiant-over-un-sanctions-as-trump-says-tougher-steps-needed-20172" target="_blank">UN&nbsp;Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test.</a>

The&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles the&nbsp;North&#39;s external ties and propaganda, also called for the breakup of the Security Council, which it called &quot;a tool of evil&quot; made up of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-warns-us-it-will-pay-due-price-for-spearheading-un-sanctions-20062" target="_blank">&quot;money-bribed&quot; countries that move at the order of the United States</a>.

&quot;The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us,&quot; the committee said in a statement carried by the North&#39;s official KCNA news agency.

Juche is the&nbsp;North&#39;s ruling ideology that mixes Marxism and an extreme form of go-it-alone nationalism preached by state founder Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong Un.

Regional tension has risen markedly since the reclusive&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-declares-h-bomb-test-a-perfect-success-19816" target="_blank">North&nbsp;conducted its sixth and by far its most powerful, nuclear test on September 3</a>, following a series of missile tests, including one that flew over Japan.

The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a US-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions on Monday in response, banning&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&#39;s textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral and capping fuel supplies.

The&nbsp;North&nbsp;reacted to the latest action by the Security Council, which had the backing of veto-holding China and Russia, by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-deploys-anti-missile-system-as-us-seeks-tough-north-korea-sanctions-19959" target="_blank">reiterating threats to destroy the United States, Japan and south Korea.</a>

&quot;Let&#39;s reduce the US&nbsp;mainland into ashes and darkness. Let&#39;s vent our spite with the mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now,&quot; the statement said.

Japan&#39;s Nikkei stock index and dollar/yen currency pared gains, although traders said that was more because of several Chinese economic indicators released on Thursday rather than a reaction to the&nbsp;North&#39;s latest statement.

South&nbsp;Korea&#39;s won also edged down around the same time over domestic financial concerns.

Despite the&nbsp;North&#39;s threats, South&nbsp;Korean President Moon Jae-in said he was against having nuclear weapons in his country, either by developing its own arsenal or bringing back U.S. tactical nuclear weapons that were withdrawn in the early 1990s.

&quot;To respond to&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;by having our own nuclear weapons will not maintain peace on the Korean peninsula and could lead to a nuclear arms race in&nbsp;northeast Asia,&quot; Moon said in an interview with CNN.

South&nbsp;Korea&#39;s Unification Ministry also said it planned to provide $8 million through the U.N. World Food Programme and UNICEF to help infants and pregnant women in the&nbsp;North.

The move marks Seoul&#39;s first humanitarian assistance for the&nbsp;North&nbsp;since its fourth nuclear test in January 2016 and is based on a longstanding policy of separating humanitarian aid from politics, the ministry said.

The&nbsp;North&#39;s latest threats also singled out Japan for &quot;dancing to the tune&quot; of the United States, saying it should never be pardoned for not offering a sincere apology for its &quot;never-to-be-condoned crimes against our people&quot;, an apparent reference to Japan&#39;s wartime aggression.

It also referred to South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;as &quot;traitors and dogs&quot; of the United States.

Japan criticised the&nbsp;North&#39;s statement harshly.

&quot;This announcement is extremely provocative and egregious. It is something that markedly heightens regional tension and is absolutely unacceptable,&quot; Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, visiting India, called for strict enforcement of the U.N. resolution, saying the world must force a change.

The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a U.S.-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions against&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;on Monday in response to its latest and most powerful test, banning&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&#39;s textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral and capping fuel supplies.

North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;had already rejected the Security Council resolution, vowing to press ahead with its nuclear and missile programmes.

A tougher initial U.S. draft of Monday&#39;s resolution was weakened to win the support of China, the North&#39;s lone major ally, and Russia. Significantly, it stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea, most of which come from China.

The latest sanctions also make it illegal for foreign firms to form commercial joint ventures with North&nbsp;Korean entities.

U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed that&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;will never be allowed to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, but has also asked China to do more to rein in its neighbour. China, in turn, favours an international response to the problem.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the international community had reached a &quot;high consensus&quot; on trying to realise a peaceful solution.

&quot;We urge the relevant directly involved parties to seize the opportunity and have the political nerve to make the correct political choice as soon as possible,&quot; Hua told a regular press briefing.

The&nbsp;North&nbsp;accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South&nbsp;Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies.

The United States and South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;are technically still at war with&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;because the 1950-53&nbsp;Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty.

A North Korean state agency threatened on Thursday to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a UN Security Council resolution

A North Korean state agency threatened on Thursday to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a UN Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles the North's external ties and propaganda, also called for the breakup of the Security Council, which it called "a tool of evil" made up of "money-bribed" countries that move at the order of the United States. "The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. Juche is the North's ruling ideology that mixes Marxism and an extreme form of go-it-alone nationalism preached by state founder Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong Un. Regional tension has risen markedly since the reclusive North conducted its sixth and by far its most powerful, nuclear test on September 3, following a series of missile tests, including one that flew over Japan. The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a US-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions on Monday in response, banning North Korea's textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral and capping fuel supplies. The North reacted to the latest action by the Security Council, which had the backing of veto-holding China and Russia, by reiterating threats to destroy the United States, Japan and south Korea. "Let's reduce the US mainland into ashes and darkness. Let's vent our spite with the mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now," the statement said. Japan's Nikkei stock index and dollar/yen currency pared gains, although traders said that was more because of several Chinese economic indicators released on Thursday rather than a reaction to the North's latest statement. South Korea's won also edged down around the same time over domestic financial concerns. Despite the North's threats, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he was against having nuclear weapons in his country, either by developing its own arsenal or bringing back U.S. tactical nuclear weapons that were withdrawn in the early 1990s. "To respond to North Korea by having our own nuclear weapons will not maintain peace on the Korean peninsula and could lead to a nuclear arms race in northeast Asia," Moon said in an interview with CNN. South Korea's Unification Ministry also said it planned to provide $8 million through the U.N. World Food Programme and UNICEF to help infants and pregnant women in the North. The move marks Seoul's first humanitarian assistance for the North since its fourth nuclear test in January 2016 and is based on a longstanding policy of separating humanitarian aid from politics, the ministry said. The North's latest threats also singled out Japan for "dancing to the tune" of the United States, saying it should never be pardoned for not offering a sincere apology for its "never-to-be-condoned crimes against our people", an apparent reference to Japan's wartime aggression. It also referred to South Korea as "traitors and dogs" of the United States. Japan criticised the North's statement harshly. "This announcement is extremely provocative and egregious. It is something that markedly heightens regional tension and is absolutely unacceptable," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, visiting India, called for strict enforcement of the U.N. resolution, saying the world must force a change. The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a U.S.-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions against North Korea on Monday in response to its latest and most powerful test, banning North Korea's textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral and capping fuel supplies. North Korea had already rejected the Security Council resolution, vowing to press ahead with its nuclear and missile programmes. A tougher initial U.S. draft of Monday's resolution was weakened to win the support of China, the North's lone major ally, and Russia. Significantly, it stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, most of which come from China. The latest sanctions also make it illegal for foreign firms to form commercial joint ventures with North Korean entities. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed that North Korea will never be allowed to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, but has also asked China to do more to rein in its neighbour. China, in turn, favours an international response to the problem. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the international community had reached a "high consensus" on trying to realise a peaceful solution. "We urge the relevant directly involved parties to seize the opportunity and have the political nerve to make the correct political choice as soon as possible," Hua told a regular press briefing. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies. The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty.

North Korean state agency threatens to 'sink' Japan, reduce US to 'ashes and darkness'

North Korea showed trademark defiance on Wednesday over new UN&nbsp;sanctions <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/46-quake-detected-in-n-korea-due-to-cave-in-china-19810" target="_blank">imposed after its sixth and largest nuclear test</a>, vowing to redouble efforts to fight off what it said was the threat of a US&nbsp;invasion.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said Monday&#39;s sanctions, unanimously agreed on Monday by the 15-member UN&nbsp;Security Council, were just a small step towards what is ultimately needed to rein in Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile programmes.

The North&#39;s Foreign Ministry said the resolutions were an infringement on its legitimate right to self-defence and aimed at &quot;completely suffocating its state and people through full-scale economic blockade&quot;.

&quot;The DPRK will redouble the efforts to increase its strength to safeguard the country&#39;s sovereignty and right to existence and to preserve peace and security in the region by establishing the practical equilibrium with the US,&quot; it said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People&#39;s Republic of Korea, North Korea&#39;s official name.

The statement echoed comments on Tuesday by the North&#39;s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Han Tae Song, who said Pyongyang was &quot;ready to use a form of ultimate means&quot;.

&quot;The forthcoming measures ... will make the US&nbsp;suffer the greatest pain it ever experienced in its history,&quot; Han said.

The North&#39;s Rodong Sinmun newspaper also accused South Korea of being Washington&#39;s &quot;puppet&quot;, criticising Seoul&#39;s agreement with the United States to amend an existing bilateral guideline that will now allow the South to use unlimited warhead payloads on its missiles.

The UN&nbsp;Security Council agreed to boost sanctions on North Korea, banning its textile exports and capping fuel supplies, and making it illegal for foreign firms to form commercial joint ventures with North Korean entities.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-envoy-says-north-korean-leader-begging-for-war-as-un-mulls-sanctions-19865" target="_blank">The UN&nbsp;resolution was triggered by North Korea&#39;s test of what it said was a hydrogen bomb.</a>

Damage to mountainous terrain at the North&#39;s nuclear test site in Punggye-ri seen in satellite imagery taken after the latest test was more extensive than anything seen after the five previous tests, the Washington-based 38 North project said.

There was also an&nbsp;activity at another location in the Mount Mantap site involving large vehicles and mining equipment that suggests &quot;onsite work could now be changing focus to further prepare those other portals for future underground nuclear testing&quot;, said 38 North, which monitors North Korea.

The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, of continual plans for invasion.

North Korea has also tested a missile capable of reaching the United States, but experts say it is likely to be at least a year before it can field an operational nuclear missile that could threaten the U.S. mainland.

Trump has vowed not to allow that to happen.

A tougher initial US&nbsp;draft resolution was weakened to win the support of China and Russia, both of which hold UN&nbsp;veto power. Significantly, it stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, most of which come from China.

&quot;We think it&#39;s just another very small step, not a big deal,&quot; Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

&quot;I don&#39;t know if it has any impact, but certainly it was nice to get a 15-to-nothing vote, but those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen.&quot;

US&nbsp;Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned China, North Korea&#39;s main ally and trading partner, that Washington would &quot;put additional sanctions on them and prevent them from accessing the US&nbsp;and international dollar system&quot; if it did not follow through on the new measures.

Another senior administration official told Reuters any such &quot;secondary sanctions&quot; on Chinese banks and other companies were on hold, for now, to give China time to show it was prepared to fully enforce the latest and previous rounds of sanctions.

Washington so far has mostly held off on new sanctions against Chinese banks and other companies doing business with North Korea, given fears of retaliation by Beijing and possibly far-reaching effects on the world economy.

Russia and China both say they respect UN&nbsp;sanctions and have called on the United States to return to negotiations with North Korea. They have also said they could kick-start talks with North Korea if the United States halts joint military drills with South Korea, which Washington has rejected.

An article carried on the front page of the People&#39;s Daily, the official paper of China&#39;s ruling Communist Party, said the Korean peninsula had reached the &quot;moment of choice&quot; where the United States and North Korea must break the cycle of nuclear tests and sanctions.

&quot;All parties involved in the peninsula have their own strategic considerations, but not being able to see beyond this vicious cycle is not in anyone&#39;s interest,&quot; the article said.

Asked about the North Korean and US&nbsp;rhetoric, China&#39;s foreign ministry reiterated a call for restraint and a return to dialogue.

&quot;We hope all relevant parties can be rational and maintain restraint and not take actions that could further increase tensions on the peninsula,&quot; ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular briefing.

In another show of force, South Korea&#39;s Air Force conducted its first live-fire exercise of Taurus long-range, air-to-surface missiles on Tuesday, the defence ministry said, as practice for precision bombing North Korean facilities.

US&nbsp;Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the new sanctions could eventually starve North Korea of an additional $500 million or more in annual revenue.

The United States has said that a previous round of sanctions agreed in August was aimed at cutting North Korea&#39;s $3 billion in exports by a third.

North Korea showed trademark defiance on Wednesday over new U.N. sanctions imposed after its sixth and largest nuclear test

North Korea showed trademark defiance on Wednesday over new UN sanctions imposed after its sixth and largest nuclear test, vowing to redouble efforts to fight off what it said was the threat of a US invasion. US President Donald Trump said Monday's sanctions, unanimously agreed on Monday by the 15-member UN Security Council, were just a small step towards what is ultimately needed to rein in Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile programmes. The North's Foreign Ministry said the resolutions were an infringement on its legitimate right to self-defence and aimed at "completely suffocating its state and people through full-scale economic blockade". "The DPRK will redouble the efforts to increase its strength to safeguard the country's sovereignty and right to existence and to preserve peace and security in the region by establishing the practical equilibrium with the US," it said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name. The statement echoed comments on Tuesday by the North's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Han Tae Song, who said Pyongyang was "ready to use a form of ultimate means". "The forthcoming measures ... will make the US suffer the greatest pain it ever experienced in its history," Han said. The North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper also accused South Korea of being Washington's "puppet", criticising Seoul's agreement with the United States to amend an existing bilateral guideline that will now allow the South to use unlimited warhead payloads on its missiles. The UN Security Council agreed to boost sanctions on North Korea, banning its textile exports and capping fuel supplies, and making it illegal for foreign firms to form commercial joint ventures with North Korean entities. The UN resolution was triggered by North Korea's test of what it said was a hydrogen bomb. Damage to mountainous terrain at the North's nuclear test site in Punggye-ri seen in satellite imagery taken after the latest test was more extensive than anything seen after the five previous tests, the Washington-based 38 North project said. There was also an activity at another location in the Mount Mantap site involving large vehicles and mining equipment that suggests "onsite work could now be changing focus to further prepare those other portals for future underground nuclear testing", said 38 North, which monitors North Korea. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, of continual plans for invasion. North Korea has also tested a missile capable of reaching the United States, but experts say it is likely to be at least a year before it can field an operational nuclear missile that could threaten the U.S. mainland. Trump has vowed not to allow that to happen. A tougher initial US draft resolution was weakened to win the support of China and Russia, both of which hold UN veto power. Significantly, it stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, most of which come from China. "We think it's just another very small step, not a big deal," Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. "I don't know if it has any impact, but certainly it was nice to get a 15-to-nothing vote, but those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen." US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned China, North Korea's main ally and trading partner, that Washington would "put additional sanctions on them and prevent them from accessing the US and international dollar system" if it did not follow through on the new measures. Another senior administration official told Reuters any such "secondary sanctions" on Chinese banks and other companies were on hold, for now, to give China time to show it was prepared to fully enforce the latest and previous rounds of sanctions. Washington so far has mostly held off on new sanctions against Chinese banks and other companies doing business with North Korea, given fears of retaliation by Beijing and possibly far-reaching effects on the world economy. Russia and China both say they respect UN sanctions and have called on the United States to return to negotiations with North Korea. They have also said they could kick-start talks with North Korea if the United States halts joint military drills with South Korea, which Washington has rejected. An article carried on the front page of the People's Daily, the official paper of China's ruling Communist Party, said the Korean peninsula had reached the "moment of choice" where the United States and North Korea must break the cycle of nuclear tests and sanctions. "All parties involved in the peninsula have their own strategic considerations, but not being able to see beyond this vicious cycle is not in anyone's interest," the article said. Asked about the North Korean and US rhetoric, China's foreign ministry reiterated a call for restraint and a return to dialogue. "We hope all relevant parties can be rational and maintain restraint and not take actions that could further increase tensions on the peninsula," ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular briefing. In another show of force, South Korea's Air Force conducted its first live-fire exercise of Taurus long-range, air-to-surface missiles on Tuesday, the defence ministry said, as practice for precision bombing North Korean facilities. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the new sanctions could eventually starve North Korea of an additional $500 million or more in annual revenue. The United States has said that a previous round of sanctions agreed in August was aimed at cutting North Korea's $3 billion in exports by a third.

North Korea defiant over UN sanctions as Trump says tougher steps needed

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