US warplanes fly off North Korea coast

Agencies
September 24, 2017

Washington, Sept 24: US bombers and fighter escorts flew off the coast of North Korea Saturday in a show of force against its nuclear weapons program, escalating already sky-high tensions.

The hermit state's foreign minister meanwhile derided Donald Trump as "mentally deranged" at the United Nations, while the US president fired back on Twitter with fresh threats.

The latest exchange of bellicose rhetoric comes as international alarm mounts over Pyongyang's weapons ambitions -- including a suggestion this week that the country is considering detonating an H-bomb over the Pacific.

US bombers have carried out similar flights before, as the United States and the international community struggle to rein in North Korea's weapons programs.

But in a new stage for such show-of-force operations, the Pentagon stressed this was the furthest north of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas that any US fighter or bomber has flown off North Korea's coast in this century.

"This mission is a demonstration of US resolve and a clear message that the president has many military options to defeat any threat," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said.

"We are prepared to use the full range of military capabilities to defend the US homeland and our allies."

The Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers flown Saturday are based in Guam, and were accompanied by F-15C Eagle fighter escorts from Okinawa, Japan, White said. They flew over international waters off the east coast of North Korea.

There was another reason for concern after an underground rumble near North Korea's nuclear test site. China at first said it suspected an explosion.

But it was later ruled by a nuclear test ban watchdog and other experts to be a shallow 3.5-magnitude earthquake and likely an aftershock from the hermit state's latest nuclear test on September 3.

This week saw a blistering war of words between Kim and Trump, with the US leader using his maiden speech at the United Nations General Assembly to warn that Washington would "totally destroy" the North if America or its allies were threatened.

Pyongyang, which says it needs nuclear weapons to protect itself against the threat of a US invasion, responded on Friday with a rare personal rebuke from Kim, who called Trump "mentally deranged" and threatened the "highest level of hardline countermeasure in history."

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho took things further. He, too, dismissed Trump as deranged, and said the US president's threats had increased the chances of military confrontation.

Ri told the UN General Assembly in New York that Trump's vow to "totally destroy" his country had made "our rockets' visit to the entire US mainland all the more inevitable."

Describing Trump as a "mentally deranged person full of megalomania," Ri said the US leader who "holds the nuclear button" posed "the gravest threat to international peace and security today."

Trump later responded on Twitter, insulting Kim once more and appearing to threaten both men. "Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!" he wrote late Saturday night.

Washington announced tougher restrictions Friday aimed at curbing North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile program, building on tough new UN sanctions aimed at choking Pyongyang of cash.

Russia and China have both appealed for an end to the escalating rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang.

But on the fringes of the UN meeting this week, Ri upped the tensions further, telling reporters Pyongyang might now consider detonating a hydrogen bomb outside its territory.

Monitoring groups estimate that the nuclear test conducted in North Korea earlier this month had a yield of 250 kilotons, which is 16 times the size of the US bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945.

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News Network
November 7,2024

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In his victory speech, President-elect Donald Trump showered praise on Elon Musk, calling him an "amazing guy" and "super genius." The SpaceX CEO’s satellite internet project, Starlink, received special attention for its role in providing critical connectivity after Hurricane Helene. With Starlink’s success making waves, speculation grows: will Musk bring his revolutionary tech to India’s vast, underserved areas?

In India, Musk’s increasing proximity to Trump and the President-elect’s endorsement has sparked curiosity and anticipation. Although regulatory barriers have delayed Starlink’s entry since 2021, recent policy shifts by India’s Communications Ministry could turn the tide. Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia recently announced plans to allocate satellite spectrum administratively, a move welcomed by Musk, who pledged to "serve the people of India" through Starlink.

What Makes Starlink Unique?
Unlike traditional broadband reliant on cables, Starlink uses thousands of low-earth orbit satellites to provide high-speed internet. This innovative approach bypasses the need for miles of overhead or underground wiring, making it ideal for remote and rural areas. Launched in 2019, Starlink now serves over 4 million users globally, and its entry into India could be transformative in bridging the digital divide.

Starlink’s India Journey So Far
Musk’s ambitions for India began in 2021 with pre-order invitations, but the government halted progress, citing licensing requirements. However, with Scindia’s recent announcement, Starlink may soon navigate the regulatory landscape, potentially setting the stage for a significant market entry.

Showdown with India’s Telecom Titans
If Starlink is allowed in, it could mean intense competition for Indian telecom leaders Mukesh Ambani’s Jio and Sunil Bharti Mittal’s Airtel. Both companies argue that satellite spectrum should be auctioned to maintain a level playing field, especially if Starlink expands to urban areas, challenging their established services.

While Starlink advocates for affordable, widespread access, Indian telecom giants claim global players often leverage rural connectivity narratives for favorable conditions, potentially overshadowing local providers in urban markets. As the government’s decisions unfold, a tech-driven tug-of-war could reshape India’s telecom landscape, with Musk’s Starlink poised as a powerful new player.

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News Network
November 12,2024

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The Palestinian Hamas resistance movement says its fighters have killed at least 20 Israeli soldiers in northern parts of the besieged Gaza Strip in just two days, in retaliation for the occupying regime’s genocidal war on the Palestinian territory.

In a statement on Monday evening, Hamas said that fighters of its military wing, al-Qassam Brigades, “killed at least five occupation soldiers” in northern parts of the coastal territory earlier in the day.

It added that Hamas fighters also killed 15 Israeli soldiers in the war-ravaged region on Sunday.

The resistance movement’s “qualitative operation … confirms once again the failure of the criminal Zionist entity to suppress and eradicate the Palestinian resistance, which continues to direct qualitative strikes against its terrorist soldiers,” Hamas further said on its Telegram channel.

Palestinians have increased their resistance operations in the face of intensified Israeli aggression in northern Gaza that has claimed the lives of more than 1,000 over the past weeks.

“Our valiant resistance is waging a war of attrition with the criminal enemy, inflicting daily losses on its soldiers and vehicles, and all of [Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s bets and dreams of achieving any of his goals are failing,” the Gaza-based resistance movement added.

Hamas also vowed that Israel’s ongoing crimes and aggression against Gaza would be met with increased resistance and painful strikes, which will continue until the aggression against Palestinians ends and the regime fully withdraws from the blockaded territory.

As the war in Gaza enters its 14th month, the Health Ministry reports that Israeli attacks have killed at least 43,603 Palestinians and wounded 102,929 others.

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News Network
October 29,2024

Nagpur: Police in Maharashtra's Nagpur have identified 35-year-old Jagdish Uikey from Gondia as the man behind a series of hoax bomb threats that caused widespread panic, flight delays, and increased security at various establishments across the state, officials revealed.

Uikey, an author who wrote a book on terrorism and was previously arrested in 2021, is now on the run after police traced the recent hoax emails to him, confirmed a senior police official. The investigation, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shweta Khedkar, uncovered substantial evidence linking Uikey to the threatening emails.

These emails were sent to multiple government agencies, including the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Railway Minister, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, airline offices, the Director General of Police (DGP), and the Railway Protection Force (RPF). On October 21, Uikey even emailed Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, leading to heightened security at railway stations.

On Monday, the Nagpur police intensified security around Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis's residence after Uikey’s email threatened a protest unless he could present his findings on a secret terror code he claimed to have deciphered. He also requested a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss his information on terror threats.

In the 13 days leading up to October 26, Indian carriers received over 300 hoax bomb threats, with about 50 flights— including those of IndiGo and Air India— targeted on October 22 alone, sources said.

A special team has been deployed to locate and arrest Uikey, and authorities remain confident that he will be apprehended soon.

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