English हिन्दी
Connect with us

Latest world news

US Defence Secretary meets South Korean Defence Minister

Published

on

US Defence Secretary meets South Korean Defence Minister

North Korea skips anti-US imperialism rally in Pyongyang

Amidst contradictory statements from US President Donald Trump after his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 12 in Singapore, top defence leadership of US and South Korea have pledged to tighten security readiness in a peaceful manner for complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

According to Korea Times, US defence Secretary James Mattis and South Korea’s Minister of National Defence Song Young-moo met in Seoul on Thursday. This was the third meeting between to defence officials of South Korea and US.
South Korean Minister of National Defence said in opening remarks during talks with his U.S. counterpart James Mattis, “If North Korea continues to take action to realize its pledge for denuclearization, Seoul and Washington will come up with measures to show peace and trust to Pyongyang.”

Read More: West meets the East in historic summit in Singapore

Mattis also spoke highly of the bilateral decision to suspend the drill, pledging to fulfill a shared goal for peace here. He said, “The recent decision to suspend the exercise creates an increased opportunity for our diplomats to negotiate, increasing the prospects for a peaceful solution on the peninsula.”

US Defence Secretary meets South Korean Defence Minister

He also said Washington has no plans to downsize the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), at least for the time being.

The meeting between the two top defence leaders comes at a time when inter-Korean relations are showing signs of a rapid thaw, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledging to scrap his nuclear arsenal.

As part of the landmark diplomatic moves there have been two summit meetings between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un before holding summit with President Donald Trump on June 12 in Singapore. North Korean leader also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing before and after meeting with Donald Trump.

Read More: China Assures Key Role in North Korea’s Denuclearization

Earlier this month, South Korea and US had decided to suspend the large-scale Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) joint military exercise scheduled for autumn in response to Kim’s rare peace gestures.

US Secretary of State further said, “We are reinforced by shared democratic values and by common security interests. The U.S. commitment to South Korea remains ironclad and the U.S. will continue to use a full range of diplomatic and military capabilities to uphold this commitment. This includes maintaining the current U.S. forces levels on the peninsula.”

Despite the latest peace momentum on the peninsula, Song and Mattis also pledged to enhance the Seoul-Washington alliance by communicating closely with each other.

Meanwhile, North Korea Times reports that Washington based North Korea monitoring group, 38North has released commercial satellite images taken on June 21, days after the Trump-Kim summit, which show rapid improvement at North Korea’s main nuclear research facility. It pointed out that North Korea is rapidly upgrading its Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Centre.

Read More: Trump change stance: say North Korea a threat to US security

Earlier on Tuesday, Pyongyong has decided to skip its annual anti-US imperialism rally this year, which is considered to be the strongest sign that Kim Jong-un’s government is toning down its rhetoric in a bid for peace and progress. The rally was supposed to be held on Wednesday, July 27, a national holiday celebrated as the day of “Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War.”

Latest world news

Lake Ontario name to stay, Mark Carney rejects Trump’s Lake America move

Canadian PM Mark Carney has rejected Trump’s move to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America, saying Canadians will continue using its historic name.

Published

on

Donald Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has rejected US President Donald Trump’s decision to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America”, saying Canadians will continue to use the lake’s historic name.

Trump signed an executive order on Thursday changing the name for US federal usage. However, the order does not determine what Canada, international organisations or other authorities call the lake.

Carney said the name Lake Ontario predates both Canada and the United States as modern nations. He stressed that Canadians would continue to recognise the lake by its existing name.

“Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario — then, now and always,” Carney said in a social media post.

Why Trump renamed Lake Ontario

Trump announced that the lake would be renamed “Lake America” during remarks at the White House. The US president said the change would take effect immediately.

The move comes amid strained relations between Washington and Ottawa, including an ongoing dispute over trade and tariffs.

Lake Ontario is one of North America’s five Great Lakes and is shared by Canada and the United States. About 52 per cent of its surface area lies in Canada, while the remainder is in New York state.

Carney highlights Lake Ontario’s history

Carney also pointed to the Indigenous origins of the name Lake Ontario. The name is derived from the Wendat language and has been used for more than 400 years, predating the establishment of both countries in their present forms.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also indicated that the state would continue referring to the body of water as Lake Ontario, highlighting that Trump’s order is limited to US federal usage.

The dispute over the name adds another symbolic point of friction to already tense US-Canada relations.

Continue Reading

Latest world news

105 Indians among 400 travellers missing in Nepal flash floods, 46 dead

At least 46 people have died and 384 travellers, including 105 Indians, are missing after flash floods hit northern Nepal.

Published

on

At least 46 people have died after a massive flash flood in Nepal’s Bhote Koshi River swept through parts of the country’s northern districts.

The flooding affected Nuwakot and Dhading districts, with floodwaters coming from the Tibetan side of the border. Several villages were reportedly washed away, while roads and other infrastructure suffered extensive damage.

At least 105 Indians are among 384 travellers reported missing from the affected area. The missing travellers include people who were travelling towards Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet with different travel agencies.

384 travellers reported missing

According to the Nepal Tourism Board, 384 travellers are missing, including 291 foreigners and 93 Nepali nationals.

Of the foreign nationals reported missing, 105 are Indians. The travellers were on their way to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra when the flash flood struck.

The disaster has also affected security personnel. At least 26 Nepal Police personnel remain missing in Rasuwa district, while the Armed Police Force has reported seven missing personnel.

The Nepal Army has deployed helicopters and disaster response personnel to the affected areas. Authorities are also collecting information about the damage caused by the floods.

Six hydropower facilities damaged

The floods have also damaged major power infrastructure in Nepal.

The Nepal Electricity Authority said six of its major hydropower and transmission facilities were damaged. These include Rasuwagadhi, Chilime, Trishuli 3A, Trishuli 3B Hub 220 kV Substation, Trishuli Hydropower Station and Devighat Hydropower Station.

The authority said the damage to production, transmission and distribution facilities has disrupted electricity supplies.

Several highways in Nepal have also been closed following the flooding.

Nepal PM convenes emergency meeting

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has convened an emergency meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority to review the situation.

Mr Shah said work had begun to take necessary measures in coordination with medical teams, scouts and the Red Cross.

Videos shared by Nepal Police and others showed torrents of muddy water moving through mountain valleys in areas bordering Tibet.

Authorities have warned people living close to rivers to move to safer locations as rescue and assessment operations continue.

Monsoon rains between June and September regularly cause floods and landslides across South Asia. Scientists have also linked climate change to an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in the region.

Continue Reading

Latest world news

US pauses visa interviews worldwide amid new screening training

The US has paused or rescheduled visa appointments worldwide as consular officers undergo training focused on comprehensive immigration screening.

Published

on

Donald Trump

The Trump administration has paused or rescheduled visa appointments at US embassies and consulates worldwide as the State Department conducts a global training initiative for consular officers.

The State Department said visa service appointments are being adjusted to accommodate the training across its overseas diplomatic posts. The initiative is aimed at helping officers screen applicants who may be considered likely to become dependent on US public benefits and at ensuring visa applications are evaluated comprehensively and consistently.

There is currently no specific timeline for how long the changes to visa appointments will continue.

Visa applicants receive rescheduling notices

Some immigrant visa applicants who already had interviews scheduled at US embassies and consulates have reportedly received emails informing them that their appointments would be rescheduled.

The applicants were told that they would receive further communication regarding a new interview date.

The development comes as the Trump administration continues its broader immigration crackdown, which has included visa and green card revocations and rejection of applications on various grounds.

Trump administration steps up immigration scrutiny

The administration has also begun a White House review of a proposal to overhaul the H-1B visa programme. The proposal has been classified as economically significant and could affect the employment-based immigration route used by thousands of Indian professionals.

Separately, the administration plans to revoke the visas of around 200,000 foreigners who entered the US for tourism or business but later sought to remain in the country by applying for asylum, according to the report.

The immigration crackdown has also faced legal challenges. A US judge recently struck down a policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, ruling that the policy exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com