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N Korea’s Kim hails ‘ever-victorious’ army’s role in war against Ukraine

N Korea’s Kim hails ‘ever-victorious’ army’s role in war against Ukraine

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un tells key party meeting that fighting alongside Russia demonstrates the ‘prestige of our army’. Published On 12 Dec 202512 Dec 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share North Korea’s Kim Jong Un praised the deployment of his troops in support of Russia’s war against Ukraine and promised to root out “evil practices” among some officials, state media reports. In remarks concluding a key meeting of his ruling party on Thursday, Kim condemned “the wrong ideological viewpoint and inactive and irresponsible work attitude” of some officials, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list He also spoke of “shortcomings and evil practices that must be corrected”, KCNA said on Friday. The North Korean news organisation did not offer any specifics regarding the targets of Kim’s comments, though it did say the ruling party had revealed numerous recent “deviations” in discipline – a euphemism often used to refer to corrupt practices. Wrapping up the three-day meeting, Kim reserved praise for the North Korean soldiers fighting against Ukraine alongside Russia, of whom at least 600 have been killed and thousands more injured in the war, according to South Korean estimates. “Over the past year, various soldiers of our military have participated in overseas military operations to demonstrate the reputation of our military,” KCNA said, quoting Kim. The military deployment in support of Russia “demonstrated to the world the prestige of our army and state as the ever-victorious army and genuine protector of international justice”, Kim added. The North Korean leader also hailed efforts this year in “modernising” his country’s defences in the face of great “global geopolitical and technological changes”. Advertisement South Korea’s official Yonhap news agency said Kim had assessed that bolstering military capabilities was an “exact direction to ensure the security and defence of the country”. The meeting of Kim’s ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) comes in advance of a party congress that is scheduled for early next year. The Ninth Party Congress, which is due to be held in January or February, is expected to see North Korea unveil its policy approach to dealing with the United States and South Korea, as well as policies on the economy and defence, Yonhap reports. The congress will be watched closely, Yonhap said, to determine “whether North Korea will codify Kim’s ‘two hostile states’ stance in the party’s rules as experts forecast Pyongyang to intensify its animosity to Seoul in the new year”. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has taken several steps to ease tensions with the North since taking office in June, including removing propaganda loudspeakers along the border and banning the dropping of anti-Pyongyang leaflets. Lee also said he was considering an apology to Pyongyang over cross-border provocations allegedly ordered by his predecessor, disgraced ex-President Yoon Suk-yeol. Yoon allegedly ordered drones carrying propaganda leaflets to fly over the North, in a bid, say prosecutors who have indicted the former president, to provoke military tension and boost his political support. Kim has so far rebuffed Lee’s efforts, saying he has no interest in dialogue with the South Korean leader. Adblock test (Why?)

Magnitude 6.7 earthquake hits Japan’s northeast, tsunami warning issued

Magnitude 6.7 earthquake hits Japan’s northeast, tsunami warning issued

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY, A tsunami warning has been issued following a strong quake off northeast coast of Japan. Published On 12 Dec 202512 Dec 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.7 has hit Japan’s northeastern region, prompting a tsunami advisory from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The earthquake struck on Friday off the coast of Aomori Prefecture at 11:44am local time (02:44 GMT) at a depth of 20km (12.4 miles), according to the JMA. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The United States Geological Survey (USGS) also said that the quake measured 6.7. Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said there were no immediate signs of abnormalities at the region’s nuclear facilities. National broadcaster NHK said that the level of shaking from the quake was less than a bigger magnitude 7.5 earthquake that hit in the same region on Monday and tore apart roads, smashed windows and triggered tsunami waves of up to 70 centimetres (2.3ft). Following Monday’s quake, which injured at least 50 people, the JMA issued a rare special advisory warning to residents across a wide area, from Hokkaido in the north to Chiba, east of Tokyo, to be on alert for an increased possibility of a powerful earthquake hitting again within a week. The northeast region is haunted by the memory of a massive magnitude 9.0 undersea quake in 2011, which triggered a tsunami that left about 18,500 people dead or missing. The JMA issued its first special advisory in 2024 for the southern half of Japan’s Pacific coast, warning of a possible “megaquake” along the Nankai Trough. The government has said that a quake in the Nankai Trough and subsequent tsunami could kill as many as 298,000 people and cause up to $2 trillion in damages. Advertisement Amid fears of a “megaquake”, NHK reported on Thursday that people in the northeast of Japan were stocking up on disaster-related goods such as torches, water storage tanks and support poles to prevent furniture from toppling over due to tremors. One shop in Hokkaido’s Hakodate city reported sales of bottled water and disaster kits tripling following Monday’s quake. “We decided to prepare, so I bought disaster kits for everyone,” a male customer in his 30s told NHK while visiting a shop with his family. Japan sits on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is one of the world’s most seismically active countries. A vehicle rests on the edge of a collapsed road in the town of Tohoku in Aomori Prefecture, on December 9, 2025, following a magnitude 7.5 earthquake off the coast of northern Japan [JIJI Press/AFP] Adblock test (Why?)

‘Catastrophic flooding’ in North America’s Pacific Northwest as rains ease

‘Catastrophic flooding’ in North America’s Pacific Northwest as rains ease

Intense downpours were swept into the region this week by an ‘atmospheric river’ storm system from the Pacific Ocean. By News Agencies Published On 12 Dec 202512 Dec 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Intense rains that triggered “catastrophic flooding” in North America’s Pacific Northwest have finally eased, though meteorologists warn the effects of overflowing rivers and floodwaters will continue to be felt for several days. Tens of thousands of people were told to evacuate on Thursday across the US states of Oregon and Washington, up through the Canadian province of British Columbia, after rainstorms battered the region for several days, causing rivers to burst their banks. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Western Washington state has borne the greatest brunt of the storm, with roughly 100,000 residents under “Level 3” evacuation orders. State authorities have ordered people living south of the cities of Seattle and Tacoma to leave their homes, with aerial photographs showing farmland already under water, and populated areas perilously close. In the city of Orting, south of Seattle, authorities warned there is a “significant threat to life and or property”. There have been no reports of casualties or missing people due to the flooding, according to Karina Shagren, spokesperson for Washington’s emergency management division. Rescue personnel prepare to evacuate residents from a home in an area flooded by the Snohomish River, as an atmospheric river brings rain and flooding to the Pacific Northwest, in Snohomish, Washington, US, on December 11, 2025 [David Ryder/Reuters] Across the border in British Columbia, swaths of the Canadian city of Abbotsford, east of Vancouver, were swamped as of Thursday night, with hundreds of properties at risk. Advertisement Five of the six highways leading in and out of Vancouver were also closed due to floods, falling rocks and the risk of avalanches, the province’s Ministry of Transport said, describing the situation as “evolving and very dynamic”. The main highway route between Vancouver and Seattle remains open. The intense downpours were swept into the Pacific Northwest region earlier this week by an atmospheric river, a vast airborne current of dense moisture funnelled inland from the Pacific Ocean. The storm system, which dumped more than 250mm (10 inches) of rain in some places, also brought heavy showers and flooding as far away as western Montana and the edge of northern Idaho. Though the downpour began to lessen on Thursday, the after-effects are expected to linger across the region as high volumes of water make their way through swollen river systems. “While drier weather looks to be in store for this area of the country through the upcoming weekend, the major … catastrophic flooding effects are likely to continue for several days across portions of western Washington State and northwestern Oregon,” the US National Weather Service said. The National Water Center has issued an updated Key Messages for the ongoing Catastrophic flooding impacts this week in Washington. More info: https://t.co/UZ3ekqUUkq #flooding #wawx pic.twitter.com/KwdS8a9T5y — National Water Center (@nwsnwc) December 11, 2025 Adblock test (Why?)