Live Streaming
Program Highlight
Company Profile
International News (6893)
March
South Korea sees imminent prospect of North ICBM test, newspaper reports
Written by Nur Yasmin
The South Korean government believes North Korea could test an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) as soon as this week, domestic media said, citing unidentified sources.
Tension on the Korean peninsula has been rising amid growing signs that Pyongyang could soon follow through on its threats to restart such tests, breaking a self-imposed 2017 moratorium. read more
The office of outgoing President Moon Jae-in has told president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol a test launch was imminent and that it would not be a surprise if it took place on Monday, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper said.
Yonhap news agency said separately that both South Korea and the United States had detected signs of an upcoming test.
The comment was made as Moon's national security adviser, Suh Hoon, briefed Yoon on Saturday about foreign policy and security issues, the report said, citing an unnamed official at the president-elect's office.
"It is so imminent that it would be no surprise if they fire it on Monday," it quoted Suh as saying. "We are taking the situation seriously."
A spokesperson for Moon's office said Suh had briefed Yoon on North Korea's recent movements, including recent missile launches, and the Ukraine crisis, among other issues, but declined to comment on the Chosun Ilbo report.
Yoon spokesperson Kim Eun-hye told reporters that there could be additional briefings for the president-elect but did not confirm details of security issues.
At a meeting with senior aides, Moon called for Pyongyang to stop escalating tensions and seek diplomacy, and vowed to keep up a solid security posture.
Seoul's Unification Ministry handling inter-Korean affairs also urged the North to immediately halt actions that "run counter to peace and stability" on the peninsula.
On Friday, the United States and South Korea said in a rare joint announcement that the North had used its largest-ever ICBM in two recent launches, in the guise of satellite launch preparations. read more
The missile system, the Hwasong-17, was unveiled at a military parade in Pyongyang in 2020 and reappeared at a defence exhibition in October 2021. read more
The Dong-A Ilbo newspaper also reported on Monday, citing unnamed government sources, that a transporter-erector-launcher used to fire road-mobile missiles such as the Hwasong-17 had been spotted around the Pyongyang airport, where the two recent tests were held.
Yoon, who was elected president last week, had signalled a tougher line against Pyongyang.
While staying open to restarting stalled denuclearisation talks, he has said pre-emptive strikes might be needed to counter an imminent North Korean missile attack, and vowed to buy additional U.S. THAAD missile interceptors. read more
Before the election, Yoon also warned of "even stronger pressure from the international community if North Korea fires an ICBM under colour of a satellite launch".
He declined to make additional comment on Sunday. (reuters)
March
Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over navy ship's 'intrusion'
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Philippines summoned China's ambassador on Monday to explain what it called the "illegal intrusion and lingering presence" of a Chinese navy vessel in waters between some of the archipelago nation's largest islands.
The foreign ministry in a statement said a Chinese navy reconnaissance ship entered Philippine waters without permission and lingered from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1, ignoring repeated demands to leave.
It was detected off the Cuyo Group of Islands, close to Palawan, and Apo island off Mindoro, a presence the ministry said "did not constitute innocent passage and violated Philippine sovereignty".
China has been accused by Western countries of aggression by deploying hundreds of coast guard and fishing vessels in the exclusive economic zones of its neighbours and disrupting fisheries and energy exploration work, far off its mainland.
The deployment of military vessels in waters to which China has no claims is rare, however. China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Philippines foreign ministry did not say why it waited six weeks to report the incident. The defence minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Despite efforts to build closer ties with China, the Philippines has become more critical of its actions, including what it calls "swarming" by fishing vessels manned by militias off the disputed Spratly islands, and its blockade of a military resupply mission.
The last time a Chinese ambassador was summoned was in April last year. read more
China's foreign minister Wang Yi in January said Beijing would not use its strength to "bully" its smaller neighbours. (Reuters)
March
Sri Lanka finance minister meets top IMF official amid economic crisis
Written by Nur Yasmin
Sri Lanka's finance minister held talks with a top International Monetary Fund (IMF) official on Monday, two sources said, as the island nation seeks help to deal with its plunging reserves, a sliding currency and surging inflation.
IMF Asia and Pacific Department Director Changyong Rhee met Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Treasury Secretary S.R. Atygalle, two finance ministry officials told Reuters.
Sri Lanka is expected to start formal negotiations with the IMF in April on a possible programme that could boost reserves and put growth on a sustainable path. read more
In Monday's talks, officials discussed details of the IMF’s latest review of the economy and the assessments outlined by IMF executive directors at an IMF board meeting in late February.
Rhee meets Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday.
"The talks were wide ranging and covered key challenges the economy is facing," said one of the ministry officials, asking not to be named given the sensitivity of the talks.
"Right now, the focus is on how Sri Lanka can get IMF support. Talks on specific proposals will come later,” the official added, adding that Rajapaksa would brief the cabinet about the talks at a weekly meeting on Monday evening.
Sri Lanka has been hit by a dollar drought with reserves dropping to $2.31 billion in February. The country is struggling to pay for critical imports including fuel, food and medicines.
Chronic shortages have hit Sri Lankans hard with rolling power cuts, long lines at pumps and record levels of inflation.
Last week the Sri Lankan rupee fell 30% after the government allowed the currency to free-float, driving prices even higher. (reuters)
March
US rushing US$200 million worth of weapons for Ukraine's defense against Russia
Written by nuke
US President Joe Biden arrives aboard Air Force One at Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Mar 11, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst) -
The United States on Saturday (Mar 12) said it would rush up to US$200 million in additional small arms, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons to Ukraine, as Ukrainian officials pleaded for more equipment to defend against heavy shelling by Russian forces.
President Joe Biden on Saturday authorised the additional security assistance, the White House said, paving the way for the "immediate" shipment of fresh military equipment to Ukraine, a senior administration official said.
Biden's decision brings total US security aid provided to Ukraine to US$1.2 billion since January 2021, and to US$3.2 billion since 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimea region of Ukraine, according to senior administration officials.
In a memorandum to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden directed that up to US$200 million allocated through the Foreign Assistance Act be designated for Ukraine's defense.
Blinken said he had authorised a fourth drawdown of US defense stocks, in line with Biden's directive, "to help Ukraine meet the armored, airborne, and other threats it is facing" as the war entered a third week.
He lauded the "great skill, iron will and profound courage" being shown by the Ukrainian armed forces and citizens, and said the United States would also continue to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need.
"The United States and our allies and partners stand in solidarity with the people and government of Ukraine in the face of the Kremlin’s aggression," he said in a statement. "The international community is united and determined to hold (Russian President Vladimir) Putin accountable."
Russia says it is engaged in a "special military operation" that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its neighbour's military capabilities and "de-Nazify" Ukraine.
The funds "will provide immediate military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-armor, anti-aircraft systems, and small arms in support of Ukraine’s front-line defenders", one of the US officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Ukraine has been asking for more Javelin anti-tank weapons and Stinger missiles to shoot down aircraft.
Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, on Saturday underscored Ukraine's need for additional military supplies in an interview with the non-profit Renew Democracy Initiative.
The United States has drawn from US weapons stocks to supply Ukraine repeatedly, beginning in the fall of 2021 and then again in December and February.
The last batch of US weapons provided in February included anti-armor, small arms, body armor and various munitions, according to the Pentagon, as well as anti-aircraft systems.
On Thursday night the US Congress approved US$13.6 billion in emergency aid for Ukraine as part of a YS$1.5 trillion measure to fund the US government through September//CNA
March
'Mission impossible': UN in Cambodia showed early limit of nation building
Written by nuke
UN peacekeepers patrol the streets of Phnom Penh in an armoured personnel carrier, Cambodia on Aug 27, 1993. (Photo: Reuters) -
Just over 30 years ago, a crackling radio in a refugee camp on the Thai border brought Sam Sophal word that the United Nations was coming to his war-ravaged homeland of Cambodia.
For Sam Sophal, who survived the Khmer Rouge genocide only because his mother bribed Khmer Rouge executioners with her silver watch, the promise of peace was irresistible.
The UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) arrived on Mar 15, 1992, with great expectations, the first UN nation-building operation after the collapse of the Soviet Union sparked hope that democracy would flourish around the world.
But long before last year's shambolic fall of Afghanistan and the costly international missions in Iraq, Kosovo and elsewhere, Cambodia would serve as an early warning of the flaws and limitations of nation building.
At the time, UNTAC was the most ambitious and expensive UN mission but despite its US$1.6 billion cost and US$20 billion in subsequent international aid, hopes of creating a vibrant democracy faded long ago.
"I felt very proud during the UNTAC time because I was the first generation to bring peace to Cambodia," says Sam Sophal, 60, who got a job as a translator with the mission soon after its launch.
"Now I see we have gone backwards. To one-party rule," he said under the shade of a Jujube tree in his Phnom Penh backyard.
Prime Minister Hun Sen, the same man in power before the UNTAC mission, remains leader, presiding over what critics call an authoritarian government with most opposition leaders in exile or in jail.
Government spokesman Phay Siphan rejects accusations that Hun Sen is an autocrat, saying he has worked for peace and democracy since 1979.
The United Nations said in a statement UNTAC's original mandate of "restoring to the Cambodian people and their democratically elected leaders their primary responsibility for peace, stability, national reconciliation and reconstruction had been fulfilled".
A prophecy that foretold of a "god with blue eyes" that would one day bless and restore the land had spread through villages during Cambodia's darkest years.
So when UNTAC arrived with their sky-blue flag and helmets they were seen as an incarnation of that deity, some even painting their homes a UN shade of blue, recalled Youk Chhang, executive director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia.
UNTAC's main triumphs were bringing hundreds of thousands of refugees home from border camps in time for the May 1993 election, when almost 90 per cent of voters turned out//CNA
March
French climate activists want candidates running in next month's presidential elections to pay more attention to the planet. (Photo: AFP/Alain Jocard) -
Tens of thousands of people protested across France on Saturday (Mar 12) to call for more attention to the climate crisis in the runup to presidential polls next month.
"Look up", read one message in giant orange letters demonstrators held up in Paris, urging politicians to make protecting the planet a priority.
The sign was a nod to Netflix hit Don't Look Up, in which astronomers who discover a comet will wipe out the earth try in vain to get politicians to take the threat seriously.
"When are we going to talk about it?" read another sign.
The climate crisis took up only 1.5 per cent of talking points in media coverage of the election campaign from Feb 28 to Mar 6, a recent survey by climate justice non-governmental organisations has found.
Organisers said 80,000 protesters took part across the country, including 32,000 people in Paris. The interior ministry however said just around 40,000 demonstrated, of whom 11,000 in the capital.
In the northern city of Lille, Lydie Lampin Bernand described the climate crisis as "worse than critical".
"I'm only 34 years old, and even I've seen the planet slapped in the face with a shovel," she said.
"We have to protect the land we'll leave to our children," she added, but politicians had not so far shown they were up to tackling the challenge//CNA
March
Brits to get £350 a month to open homes to Ukraine refugees
Written by nuke
A demonstrator holds a British flag during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at Parliament Square in London, Britain, Mar 6, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Henry Nicholls) -
Britain will pay people to open their homes to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion as the government moves to deflect anger over its response to the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
The new scheme called "Homes for Ukraine" will let refugees from the war come to Britain even if they do not have family ties, the government said on Sunday (Mar 13).
Britain will pay people £350 pounds (US$456) a month if they can offer refugees a spare room or property for a minimum period of six months.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has sought to portray Britain as helping lead the global response to the Russian invasion - which Moscow calls a "special operation" - but his government has faced criticism over delays in accepting refugees.
Lawmakers from all the main political parties have attacked the government's insistence that Ukrainians seek visas and biometric tests before arriving in Britain, saying this prioritised bureaucracy over the welfare of those fleeing war.
Under the new scheme, members of the public, charities, businesses and community groups should be able to offer accommodation via a web page by the end of next week, the government said.
"The UK stands behind Ukraine in their darkest hour and the British public understand the need to get as many people to safety as quickly as we can," Michael Gove, the minister for housing, said in a statement.
"I urge people across the country to join the national effort and offer support to our Ukrainian friends. Together we can give a safe home to those who so desperately need it."
Anyone offering a room or home will have to show that the accommodation meets standards and they may have to undergo criminal record checks.
The number of refugees fleeing Ukraine could rise to more than 4 million, double the current estimates of about 2 million, the UN's Refugee Agency said last week//CNA
March
UK to host Baltic, Nordic leaders to find new ways to isolate Russia
Written by nuke
FILE PHOTO: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street in London, Britain March 9, 2022. REUTERS/Hannah McKay -
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will host leaders from countries along Russia's northwestern flank next week to discuss ways they can respond to President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, including finding new ways to isolate Russia's economy.
The leaders from countries in the Joint Expeditionary Force, a British-led grouping made up of Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden will meet for talks in London on Tuesday.
The leaders are expected to agree to more military exercises in the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea and will discuss the war in Ukraine and energy security, Johnson's office said.
"European security has been shaken by the attack of Russia on Ukraine, and alongside our partners, we will take action to ensure we emerge stronger and more united than before," Johnson said in a statement.
"Ensuring we are resilient to Putin's threats needs to go beyond our military footing - together alongside our North and Baltic Sea partners we must ensure we are insulated from Russia's interference and impact on our energy supplies, economy and values."
Britain has imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russian individuals and entities, promised to phase out Russian oil imports and banned Russian companies from raising debt and equity in its financial centre//CNA
March
Ukrainian foreign minister says ready to negotiate, but will not surrender
Written by nuke
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba speaks during a news conference after meeting with his counterparts Russian Sergei Lavrov and Turkish Mevlut Cavusoglu, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Antalya, Turkey Mar 10, 2022. (Photo: REUTERS/Murad Sezer) -
Ukraine was ready to negotiate to end the war started by Russia's invasion more than two weeks ago, but would not surrender or accept any ultimatums, the country's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Saturday (Mar 12).
Speaking at a virtual event organized by the non-partisan, nonprofit organization Renew Democracy Initiative, Kuleba said civilian lives would be saved if Ukraine had fighter jets and more attack planes to destroy large military columns.
"We will continue to fight. We are ready to negotiate but we are not going to accept any ultimatums and surrender", Kuleba said, adding that Russia was putting forward demands that were "unacceptable".
Commenting on the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, the Ukrainian foreign minister said it was besieged but still under Ukrainian control.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began late in February has resulted in over 2.5 million refugees, with western countries swiftly moving to isolate Russia from world trade and the global financial system as a result.
The foreign minister added that Ukraine needed more military supplies and that more steps were needed to hit the Russian economy despite recent sanctions.
"If we had more planes we would have been able to save many more civilian lives mainly because the main striking force of Russia is in the air and they indiscriminately choose to attack. As we continue to fight we will need more and more weapons," Kuleba added.
Commenting on the role of Belarus, the Ukrainian foreign minister said he believed Belarus was not willing to send troops into Ukraine despite being under pressure from Russia to do so.
"I believe that (Belarus) President Lukashenko sees how, being aware of the casualties of the Russian army in the Ukraine, is not willing to send his troops into Ukraine. We understand that he is under enormous pressure from President Putin to do so", Kuleba said.
The Russian tactics being deployed in Ukraine were similar to what they used in the war in Syria, the foreign minister said//CNA
March
France, UK, Germany say Iran deal could collapse on Russian demands
Written by nuke
A police car passes the Palais Coburg, where closed-door nuclear talks with Iran will take place, in Vienna, Austria, Mar 11, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Lisa Leutner) -
France, Britain and Germany warned Russia on Saturday (Mar 12) that its demands to have its trade guaranteed with Iran risked the collapse of an almost-completed nuclear deal.
Negotiators have reached the final stages of discussions to restore the so-called JCPOA deal, which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear programme, long seen by the West as a cover for developing atomic bombs.
However, last Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov unexpectedly demanded sweeping guarantees that Russian trade with Iran would not be affected by sanctions imposed on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
"Nobody should seek to exploit JCPOA negotiations to obtain assurances that are separate to the JCPOA," France, Britain and Germany - the so-called E3 European parties to the 2015 accord - said in a joint statement.
"This risks the collapse of the deal," they said.
The deal on the table should be concluded with the utmost urgency, they added.
Washington has already insisted it will not agree to Russia's demands.
The 11-month-old international talks seek to bring Iran back into compliance with the deal's restrictions on its rapidly advancing nuclear activities and bring the United States back into the accord it left in 2018 under former President Donald Trump.
Oil markets are closely watching the progress of talks to see whether restrictions on Iranian crude exports might be lifted, which could help to offset disruption to supplies from Russia's war in Ukraine//CNA