By Robert Potter The North Korean relationship with the rest of the world appears to be reaching a plateau from which their leader will struggle to escape. The recent rise and decline in tensions between the North and South has…
Category: Conflicts
Kabul bombing kills 13
At least 13 people, including nine civilians, were killed Monday in a suicide bombing targeting Afghan police which was claimed by Taliban insurgents in a remote area northwest of Kabul, authorities said.The bomber targeted a local police chief, injuring him…
‘Ten million without water’ in Delhi as caste riot toll rises to 16
More than 10 million people in India’s capital are without water despite the army regaining control of its key water source after protests, officials say. Keshav Chandra, head of Delhi’s water board, told the BBC it would take “three to…
Water rationed as India caste protest toll rises
At least 10 people killed as protesters from Jat community cut off water to New Delhi treatment plant, causing shortage. At least 10 people have been killed and 150 injured in protests by India’s agricultural Jat community in support of…
S.Korea challenges North Korea’s UN membership
Ambassador urges robust, comprehensive resolution; but no precedent of expulsion from UN Ha-young Choi South Korea’s delegation at the United Nations has questioned North Korea’s qualifications to be a member state, citing its continuous violations of UN Security Council resolutions…
Russia takes Turkey to UN over Syria
Security Council meeting to discuss protection of “Syria’s sovereignty” as Turkish shelling of Kurdish bases continues. Russia has called an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss what it describes as the deteriorating situation on the Turkish-Syrian border…
US planes strike IS camp in Libya
US warplanes have carried out attacks on militants from the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Libya, killing at least 38 people.The strikes hit an IS camp in Sabratha, around 70km (43 miles) west of Tripoli.US officials said it was “likely”…
Turkey blames Syrian Kurds for Ankara attack, vows retaliation
VICE News and Reuters A military convoy has been hit by a bomb in southeast Turkey, killing at least six troops and seriously injuring one more person — escalating tensions in an already febrile atmosphere following a deadly bomb blast…
Seoul postpones humanitarian aid to North Korea: MoU
Ha-young Choi Seoul temporarily halts aid one year after severe drought leaves many in need South Korea will suspend humanitarian aid to North Korea temporarily, the Ministry of Unification (MoU) stated on Wednesday at a press briefing, citing the continuous…
Death toll rises to 28 in Ankara
Twenty-eight people were killed and dozens wounded in Turkey’s capital Ankara on Wednesday when a car laden with explosives detonated next to military buses near the armed forces’ headquarters, parliament and other government buildings.The Turkish military condemned what it described…
North Korea celebrates rocket launch, Kim Jong-il’s birthday
By VICE News North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has been dead for more than four years, but his February 16 birthday is still lavishly celebrated by the regime he left behind. The festivities this year, when the diminutive tyrant would…
Russia rejects ‘war crimes’ blame in Syria
By Sally Hayden and Reuters The Kremlin has strongly rejected accusations by Turkey that Russia committed an “obvious war crime” in Syria after missile attacks killed scores of people on Monday, hitting several medical facilities and schools. “We categorically do…
‘Regime collapse’ awaits North Korea, says South’s leader
President Park Geun-hye issues tough warning and again accuses Kim Jong-un’s government of using cross-border funding to further weapons programme South Korea’s president has warned that North Korea faces “regime collapse” if it does not abandon its nuclear programme. Park…
Strikes on schools and hospitals in Syria ‘war crimes’
France and Turkey denounce raids in which up to 50 people were killed as Assad casts doubt on prospects for a truce. France and Turkey have called the bombing of two schools and five hospitals in Syria “war crimes”, while…
A second MSF hospital bombed in Syria in 10 days
By Sally Hayden and Reuters A hospital supported by medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in the Idlib province of northern Syria was “deliberately” hit by air strikes on Monday and eight people are missing, the charity has said in…
President Xi Jinping’s travel to the Middle East
By Giancarlo Elia Valori Historically, the Silk Road was established during the Han dynasty, between 206 B.C and 220 A.D., after the long Chinese exploration of Southern and Western Asia which had started at least two thousand years before. As…
Missiles hit Syrian schools and hospitals
At least 14 civilians were killed when missiles hit a children’s hospital, a school and other locations in the rebel-held Syrian town of Azaz near the Turkish border on Monday, a medic and two residents said.They said at least five…
Saudi Arabia, Turkey ‘prepare’ Syria ground operation
Turkey and Saudi Arabia could launch a ground operation against Islamic State (Daesh) terrorists in Syria, the Turkish foreign minister said Saturday, adding the Kingdom was already sending jets to a Turkish base to attack the extremists The coordinated plans…
Five UN peacekeepers killed in Mali mortar attack
Mali etremist mortar attack kills five UN peacekeepers Five UN peacekeepers have been killed in a mortar attack on their base in Kidal in northern Mali. Thirty others were hurt when militants used a van packed with explosives to ram…
Turkey continues assault on Kurds in Syria
A Turkish assault on positions claimed by Kurdish fighters in northern Syria has continued into a second day.On Saturday, Turkey began shelling the militia, which it says is linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).The YPG militia, which is…
France urges Russia to stop bombing civilians
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has called on Russia to stop hitting civilians in air raids in Syria.Mr Valls said an end to bombing civilians was the key to peace.His Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev said there was “no evidence of…
Russian threat of world war if troops sent to Syria
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has warned that the deployment of foreign ground troops in the Syrian conflict could result in a world war. Medvedev was quoted as saying in an interview published late on Thursday by the German newspaper…
Don’t ignore North Korean military, says Pentagon
Washington – A new Pentagon report concludes that North Korea “is committed to developing a long-range, nuclear-armed missile that is capable of posing a direct threat to the United States.” The report, required by law, updates Congress regularly on the…
US, Russia, European powers agree to Syrian truce in week
(RFE/RL) — Major powers agreed on Saturday to a cessation of hostilities in Syria and to expand delivery of humanitarian aid to people caught up in the conflict, top diplomats said in Munich on February 12. U.S. Secretary of State…
Ranking North Korean army officer executed?
Seoul -A senior North Korean military leader has been executed for “factionalism, misuse of authority and corruption,” a South Korean government official with knowledge of North Korean affairs told CNN Thursday. The official, who spoke to CNN on condition of…
Undermining opposition is promoting terrorist groups: US
The United States Intelligence Community has feared that prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s continuing efforts to “undermine the political opposition in Bangladesh will probably provide openings for transnational terrorist groups to expand their presence in the country.”
It’s complicated ethnic politics in the Middle East
Russell Whitehouse: With the declining health of Saudi octogenarian King Salman, how would you characterize the pros & cons of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman? Dr. Michael Izady: He [Mohammed bin Salman] is…
North Korea successfully puts satellite in orbit
Ha-young Choi Rocket stages, fairing fell in predicted areas; North not believed to have developed re-entry tech It took 9 minutes and 29 seconds for North Korea’s Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite to enter orbit after successfully separating from its propellant stages, South…
Syrian forces edge towards Turkey border
The Syrian army advanced towards the Turkish border on Monday in a major offensive backed by Russia and Iran that rebels say now threatens the future of their nearly five-year-old insurrection against President Bashar al-Assad.Iranian backed-militias played a key role…
Conservatives, progressives make case for S.Korean nukes
“It is time to possess a peaceful nuclear program for the right of self-defense.” This declaration came not from North Korean state media, but South Korean lawmaker Won Yoo-cheol of the ruling Saenuri Party on January 7, the day after…