North Korea launches new intercontinental ballistic missile designed to threaten US
Seoul (AP/PTI): North Korea launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile Thursday in its first test in almost a year of a weapon designed to threaten the US mainland and occurring days ahead of the US election.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the missile test and was at the launch site, calling the launch “an appropriate military action” to show North Korea's resolve to respond to its enemies' moves that has threatened the North's safety, according to its Defence Ministry.
The United States, South Korea and Japan had also identified the weapon as an ICBM and condemned the launch as raising tensions. The launch came as Washington warned that North Korean troops in Russian uniforms are heading toward Ukraine, likely to augment Russian forces and join the war.
North Korea confirmed the launch hours after its neighbours detected the firing of what they suspected was a new, more agile weapon targeting the mainland US. The statement was unusually quick since North Korea usually describes its weapons tests a day after they occur.
“I affirm that the DPRK will never change its line of bolstering up its nuclear forces,” Kim said, according to a North Korean Defence Ministry statement carried by state media. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea could have tested a new, solid-fuelled long-range ballistic missile. Missiles with built-in solid propellants are easier to move and hide and can be launched quicker than liquid-propellant weapons.
JCS spokesperson Lee Sung Joon said the launch was possibly timed to the US election in an attempt to strengthen North Korea's future bargaining power. He said the North Korean missile was launched on a high angle, apparently to avoid neighbouring countries.
Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters the missile's flight duration of 86 minutes and its maximum altitude of more than 7,000 kilometres exceeded corresponding data from previous North Korean missile tests. Lee, the South Korean military spokesperson, said South Korea has a similar assessment on Thursday's launch.
KCNA said the flight characteristics of this launch exceeded those registered for its previous missile launches but did not detail the differences.
US National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett had called the launch “a flagrant violation” of multiple UN Security Council resolutions that “needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilising the security situation in the region.” Savett said the US will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American homeland and its South Korean and Japanese allies.
Both South Korea and Japan condemned the North Korean launch for posing a threat to international peace and they said they're closely coordinating with the US over the latest North Korean weapons test. Lee said that South Korea and the US plan “sufficient” bilateral military exercises and trilateral ones involving Japan in response to North Korean threats.
Lee said the missile may have been fired from a 12-axle launch vehicle, the North's largest mobile launch platform that it disclosed in September. The vehicle's unveiling had prompted speculation North Korea could be developing an ICBM that is bigger than its existing ones.
North Korea has made strides in its missile technologies in recent years, but many foreign experts believe the country has yet to acquire a functioning nuclear-armed missile that can strike the US mainland. They say North Korea likely possesses short-range missiles that can deliver nuclear strikes across all of South Korea.
One of the technological hurdles North Korea still faces is for its weapons to be capable of surviving the harsh conditions of atmospheric reentry. South Korean officials and experts earlier said North Korea may test-launch a ICBM on a normal angle to verify that capability.
Lee said a high-angle launch like Thursday's test cannot examine a missile's reentry vehicle technology. He said that more analysis is required to find why North Korea didn't conduct a standard-trajectory launch on Thursday.
South Korea's military intelligence agency told lawmakers Wednesday that North Korea was close to test-firing a long-range missile capable of reaching the United States and has also likely completed preparations for its seventh nuclear test.
North Korea last test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile in December 2023, when it launched the solid-fueled Hwasong-18.
In the past two years, Kim has used Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a window to ramp up weapons tests and threats while also expanding military cooperation with Moscow. South Korea, the US and others have recently accused North Korea of dispatching thousands of troops to support Russia's warfighting against Ukraine. They've said North Korea has already shipped artillery, missiles and other convectional arms to Russia.
North Korea's possible participation in the Ukraine war would mark a serious escalation. South Korea, the US and their partners also worry about what North Korea could get from Russia in return for joining Russia's war against Ukraine.
Aside from his soldiers' wages, experts say Kim Jong Un likely hopes to get high-tech Russian technology that can perfect his nuclear-capable missiles and build a reliable space-based surveillance system. Kim could also want Russian fighter jets and help to modernize North Korea's conventional weapons.
On Wednesday, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said North Korean troops wearing Russian uniforms and carrying Russian equipment are moving toward Ukraine, in what he called a dangerous and destabilising development. Austin said “the likelihood is pretty high” that Russia will use the troops in combat.
Austin spoke at a news conference in Washington with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol last week raised the possibility of supplying Ukraine with weapons while stressing that his government “won't sit idle” over North Korea's reported troop dispatch.
South Korea said Wednesday that North Korea has sent more than 11,000 troops to Russia and that more than 3,000 of them have been moved close to battlefields in western Russia.
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'Political misdeed': PM writes to Birla on now-defeated resolution against LS speaker, slams oppn
New Delhi (PTI): In a sharp attack at the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the resolution brought against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was driven by motives of self-interest and that certain individuals steeped in "dynastic mindset" want to confine democratic institutions within their own narrow spheres.
Prime Minister Modi made the remarks in a letter to Birla, days after the resolution moved by the Congress-led opposition for the removal of the Lok Sabha speaker from office was defeated in the House.
Expressed gratitude for the letter, Birla said the prime minister has always held an unwavering faith in the rules, procedures, and traditions of India's parliamentary democracy.
In his letter in Hindi, Modi said, "The no-confidence motion brought against you in the Lok Sabha was defeated in the House. I also congratulate the members of the House for the decisive manner in which they rejected this political misdeed."
"I listened attentively to the statement you delivered in the House following the defeat of the no-confidence motion. The balance, patience, and clarity with which you referenced parliamentary history, the duties of the Speaker, and the supremacy of the rules were truly impressive. For this, I offer you my commendation," he said.
"Your statement was not merely a response to that specific moment; rather, it served as a profound and measured exposition of Indian parliamentary traditions and democratic propriety," the prime minister said.
The greatest strength of Indian democracy lies in its constitutional institutions, Modi said, adding Parliament stands as the supreme forum among these institutions.
Every voice raised in this House represents the hopes and aspirations of millions of citizens across the country, he said.
"In such a context, the responsibility of the Lok Sabha Speaker extends beyond merely conducting the proceedings; the Speaker also serves as the guardian of democratic traditions, parliamentary rules, and institutional dignity. The clarity with which you asserted in your statement that no one in this House stands above the rules delivers a message that reaffirms the fundamental spirit of our democracy," Modi said in his letter to Birla.
"Differences of opinion are inherent in a democracy. Indeed, it is the diversity of ideas that infuses democracy with vitality. However, it is equally true that there exists a distinct demarcation between disagreement and disrespect," the prime minister said.
It is a matter of concern for all those who place their faith in democracy and its institutions that, at times, political disagreement appears to morph into a disregard for parliamentary decorum, Modi said.
Such moments, he said, serve as a true test for the individual occupying the Chair.
The restraint, composure, and impartiality with which you navigated these circumstances are truly commendable, the prime minister said.
"Every citizen of this nation who cherishes democratic ideals sensed that the no-confidence motion brought against you was driven by motives of personal self-interest and arrogance," Modi said, in a swipe at the Congress and the opposition.
This turn of events caused distress to every individual who holds faith in the democratic process, he said.
"This is not the first instance in which this august Chair has been compelled to confront such challenging circumstances. Before you assumed this office, when the Honourable Smt. Sumitra Mahajan held this position, we observed that the conduct of certain members did not align with the dignity expected of every member of this House," Modi said.
Even during that period, on numerous occasions, we witnessed instances of unnecessary acrimony and disrespect directed toward the Chair, he said.
"It is regrettable that such tendencies persist even today. Such behaviour is not merely directed at an individual; rather, it undermines the dignity of the institution itself, an institution that stands as a symbol of our entire democracy," Modi said.
He asserted that the fundamental essence of Parliament lies in dialogue, reasoned debate, and deliberation.
"Every viewpoint must be accorded the opportunity for expression within these hallowed precincts. Throughout your tenure, you have consistently strived to ensure that the maximum number of members of Parliament are granted the opportunity to speak in the House. Whether they be young MPs, first-time elected representatives, or women parliamentarians, providing everyone with the opportunity to articulate their views serves to broaden the scope and inclusivity of our democracy," he said.
"The nation watches with dismay as certain individuals, steeped in dynastic and feudalistic mindsets, seek to confine our democratic institutions within their own narrow spheres," Modi said, adding that they find it difficult to readily accept the rise of any newcomer.
Furthermore, they find it unacceptable that other elected representatives in this House, particularly the new and young MPs, should be accorded equal opportunities to speak and to advance, the prime minister said.
Such a mindset runs counter to the very spirit of democracy, he asserted.
"The true essence of democracy lies in ensuring that opportunities are not confined to a select few, but rather that a platform is provided for the voices of every section of society and every region of the country," he said.
Sharing Prime Minister Modi's letter on X, Birla said the PM has always held an unwavering faith in the rules, procedures, and traditions of India's parliamentary democracy.
"Your letter articulates those highest ethical values of public service that you have embodied throughout your long public life, currently as the Prime Minister of India, and previously as the Chief Minister of Gujarat," Birla said in his post in Hindi.
"You have always held a deep belief in the fundamental nature of Parliament--dialogue, debate, and deliberation. You accord respect to every voice raised in Parliament, recognizing it as the voice of millions of Indian citizens. You consistently prioritize parliamentary proceedings above all else and strive to find solutions to every issue raised within the House," the Lok Sabha speaker said.
Rising above partisan boundaries, this message of yours will inspire all elected representatives across Parliament, state legislatures, and local bodies, and will further strengthen the robust ethical foundation of the democracy established by our freedom fighters and the members of the Constituent Assembly, Birla said to Modi in his post and expressed gratitude for the letter.
An opposition move to remove Birla as speaker was defeated by a voice vote on Wednesday in the Lok Sabha after a heated debate.
