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Another North Korean Missile Lands beyond Japan

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Covers longer distance than US Guam territory

Continuing its defiant moves, North Korea fired another missile that flew over Japan’s northern Hokkaido Island and landed some 2000 km beyond into Pacific Ocean early Friday morning. This was the second such missile test flying over Japan’s territory in less than 20 days.

The missile covered a distance of 3,700 km while Guam, an unincorporated US territory housing Anderson Air Force base lies at just 3,400 km from North Korean coast. Pyongyang had earlier threatened to fire 30-40 km short of Guam.

Reuters reports from Tokyo that warning announcements about the missile blared around 7 a.m. in the parts of northern Japan, while residents received alerts on their mobile phones or saw warnings on TV asking them to seek refuge.   

This was announced by Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga. However, North Korea’s official news agency KCNA Watch has not announced the fresh missile test over Japan so far.

Earlier on August 29, North Korea had fired a missile flying over Japan causing nervousness in Hokkaido residents, who woke up with siren sound and warning messages on their mobiles. People were advised to evacuate and take shelter in basements of sturdy buildings.

North Korea’s State agency Korea-Pacific Peace Committee (KAPPC) on Wednesday had threatened to use nuclear weapons to “sink” Japan and reduce US to “ashes and darkness”.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who concluded his two day India visit on Thursday, told reporters in Tokyo, “The international community needs to come together and send a clear message to North Korea that it is threatening world peace with its actions.”  He described the Pyongyang’s missile launch as “unacceptable”.

The US military sources said soon after the launch that it had detected a single intermediate range ballistic missile. However they say that “the missile did not pose a threat to South Korea or the US Pacific territory of Guam.”

The missile reached an altitude of about 770 km and flew for about 19 minute over a distance of about 3,700 km.

David Wright, the Co-Director and senior scientist at Union Of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a US based advocacy organisation, wrote in his blog, “The range of this test was significant since North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile, although the payload the missile was carrying is not known. Guam lies 3,400 km from North Korea, and Pyongyang has talked about it as a target because of the presence of US forces at Anderson Air Force Base.”

Meanwhile, Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State has called for “new measures” against Pyongyang and said the “continued provocations only deepen North Korea’s diplomatic and economic isolation”. He reiterated Washington’s commitments to defend its allies.

The spokesman of South Korean President Moon Jae-in has said that dialogue with North was impossible at the point.  The President has asked his officials to analyse and prepare for possible new North Korean threats, including electro-magnetic pulse and biochemical attacks, a spokesman added.

missile pathEarlier on August 17, President Moon Jae-in had argued to prevent war saying “I will prevent war at all cost. So I want all South Koreans to believe with confidence that there will be no war. All South Koreans have worked so hard to rebuild the country from the ruins of the Korean War.”

The South Korean leader had also asserted, “No one can make a decision on military action on the Korean peninsula without our agreement.” Earlier US officials had expressed their reluctance saying that Trump will have final word on the question.

The United Nations Security Council, which has held several emergency meetings on North Korean defiant moves in the recent past, will meet once again at 1500 hrs (New York time) on Friday (00.30 hrs Saturday IST).

The meeting is being held at the request of US and Japan; just days after Security Council unanimously stepped up sanctions against North Korea over its September 3 nuclear test. The recent anti-North Korea UNSC sanctions resolution has banned Pyongyang’s textile exports and capped import of crude oil.

During last few months North Korea has launched several missiles under the leadership of Kim Jong Un for accelerating weapons program. Pyongyang claims that the tests were aimed to achieve ability to target US with a powerful nuclear tipped missile.

In July this year, North Korea conducted two long range Inter-continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) tests capable of reaching some parts of US mainland. On September 3, Pyongyang had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, capable to be used with ICBM, the largest nuclear test in the recent history.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

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US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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