Noontime News Recap: Gaza access call, Middle East strikes and Baltic tensions dominate noon briefing
The United Nations has urged Israel to give international investigators full access to every part of Gaza as recovery teams continue to pull human remains from the ruins, with the death toll still rising and pressure growing for a clearer picture of what happened on the ground. πIn the Middle East, oil prices jumped as fighting threatened supply routes, after Yemen's Iran aligned Houthis fired dozens of missiles and drones at a military air base in Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia. The exchange underlined how the conflict is spilling across borders and raising fears for energy flows. π πSaudi... [Continue Reading]
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Kim Jong-un pledges unwavering support to Putin in letter backing Russia's war
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin promising what state media described as unwavering support for Moscow. In the message, Kim also referred to Russia's war against Ukraine as sacred, according to the report published on Tuesday. The letter comes as speculation grows that Pyongyang may be preparing to send more troops to Russia.The report said Kim told Putin that his will and that of the North Korean government were firm and unequivocal in seeking to expand and deepen joint work in a comprehensive way. It did not give a date for the... [Continue Reading]
North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles toward East Sea after joint drills
South Korea said North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea on Saturday, in a launch that came a day after trilateral maritime drills ended. The South Korean military said it detected the missiles at about 5:20am local time and estimated that they travelled around 250 kilometres. Officials in Seoul said they were sharing information with the United States and Japan as they assessed the launch.The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were launched from North Korea's eastern coastal area of Wonsan. It said South Korean and US intelligence authorities tracked the... [Continue Reading]
South Korea probes whether Kim Jong-un has an older son as succession questions continue
South Korea says it is trying to determine whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has an older son, in a fresh intelligence assessment that adds to long-running questions over succession in Pyongyang. The National Intelligence Service, or NIS, said on Thursday that it is still examining the possibility. At the same time, it reiterated its view that Kim Ju-ae, Kim Jong-un's daughter, remains the most likely heir apparent.The agency did not provide details on how it is pursuing the question or what evidence it has reviewed. Its latest assessment comes as Kim Ju-ae has continued to appear publicly alongside her... [Continue Reading]
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IAEA says North Korea has built new uranium enrichment facility at Yongbyon
The International Atomic Energy Agency says North Korea has built a new two-storey uranium enrichment facility at the Yongbyon nuclear complex. The watchdog described the development as a cause for serious concern and said the building appears capable of housing multiple centrifuge cascades. The assessment adds to evidence that the country is continuing to expand its nuclear infrastructure.The agency said the new building is part of the main Yongbyon complex and could accommodate up to 28 centrifuge cascades used to enrich uranium. It said the findings were based on satellite imagery because it has had no inspectors in North Korea... [Continue Reading]

