Despite North Korea’s warnings that the threat of war on the Korean Peninsula is so high it cannot guarantee the safety of foreign residents, it literally trotted out athletes from around the world on Sunday for a marathon through the streets of its capital — suggesting its concerns of an imminent military crisis might not be as dire as its official pronouncements proclaim.
North Korea’s latest underground test shows it is making big strides toward becoming a true nuclear power. But the test may also reveal key clues the secretive nation might have hoped to hide about how close, or how far away, it is from fielding a nuclear weapon capable of striking the United States or its allies.
Fighter jets from the U.S. and two key allies roared into western Pacific skies Thursday in the combat phase of annual exercises that have gained importance as the region responds to the rise of China and other potential threats.
Chinese ships entered waters near a group of disputed islands for the first time in three weeks Thursday, prompting a strong protest from Japan, which says China’s air force has also sharply increased its operations in the area.
Japan’s government said Monday it has decided to purchase several disputed islands, prompting China to angrily warn of “serious consequences” if it proceeds with the plan.
The five-day window for North Korea’s rocket launch opened Thursday, meaning lift-off could come any morning between now and Monday, weather and technology permitting. The U.S. and others have condemned the launch as a test of missile technology. North Korea claims it is merely seeking to put a satellite in orbit. Experts say it is probably a mix of both, since the technologies are nearly identical. Here are some things to watch for once the countdown begins.
According to North Korea’s official version of things, commemorated on postage stamps and re-enacted in mass performances, the country’s first venture into space was 14 years ago, when the “Bright Shining Star 1″ satellite roared into orbit and began broadcasting marching music praising Kim Il Sung.
Tokyo — Japan braced for more heavy rain and floods Monday as the death toll from the worst typhoon to hit the country in seven years climbed to 34. Rescuers searched for 55 others who remained missing, and tens of thousands of families struggled without power or telephone service. Typhoon Talas, which was later downgraded [...]
Rescuers and search parties scoured central Japan on Monday as the death toll from the worst typhoon to hit the country in seven years climbed to 26, adding more misery to a nation still reeling from its catastrophic tsunami six months ago.
by Eric Talmadge and Mari Yamaguchi Associated Press FUKUSHIMA—Officials raced Monday to restore electricity to Japan’s leaking nuclear plant, but getting the power flowing will hardly be the end of their battle: With its mangled machinery and partly melted reactor cores, bringing the complex under control is a monstrous job. Restoring the power to all [...]
