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☆ South Korea and US begin large annual military drills with eye on North Korea
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Brad Lendon | Gawon Bae | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —South Korea and the United States began their annual Freedom Shield joint military drills on Monday to bolster readiness against North Korea. The 11-day drills will integrate elements of “live exercises” with constructive simulations, according to United States Forces Korea (USFK) and South Korea’s Defense Ministry. North Korea has previously condemned US and South Korea joint military drills, but it has not yet made any official comment or response to the current exercises. In January, Kim called the South the North’s “primary foe and invariable principal enemy” and ordered a reunification monument in the North Korean capital to be demolished. Meanwhile, North Korea has fostered closer ties with Russia, providing Moscow with arms for its war in Ukraine.

Persons: Seoul’s, Lee Sung, jun, USFK, Kim Jong, Kim, ” Organizations: South Korea CNN, United States, North, United States Forces, Korea’s Defense Ministry, Chiefs, Staff, South, CNN North Korean Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korea, United States Forces Korea, Northeast Asia, Korea, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, East Asia, United States

☆ Australia unveils plan for largest navy buildup since World War II
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Australia on Tuesday announced plans to build its largest navy since World War II, allocating more than $35 billion for the defense project over the next 10 years, in a move analysts said pointed to heightened tensions with China in the Indo-Pacific. The independent review noted Australia had “the oldest fleet Navy has operated in its history,” according to the government statement. John Bradford, Council on Foreign Relations international affairs fellow, said Australia would need to be steadfast in sticking with the plan. “This investment provides a clear pathway for the shipbuilding industry and workforce in South Australia and Western Australia,” the release said. However, the opposition Greens party called the plan a “multi-billion-dollar mistake” driven by local political concerns to protect shipbuilding jobs – and political ones.

Persons: ”, Mark Hammond, Collin Koh, ” Jennifer Parker, Parker, John Bradford, Bradford, Andrew Hastie, ” Hastie, that’s, ” Koh, Pat Conroy, Sen, David Shoebridge, CNN’s Angus Watson, Hilary Whiteman Organizations: CNN, Australia, Royal Australian Navy, US Navy, Navy, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, UNSW Canberra, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC, Hobart, Foreign Relations, Greens, ” Greens Locations: China, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, South, Northeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Spain, Australian, South Australia, Western Australia

Seoul, South Korea CNN —South Korean and Tottenham Hotspur soccer superstar Son Heung-min was involved in a fight with a teammate the night before the national team’s disastrous loss in an Asian Cup semifinal match earlier this month, the country’s football federation confirmed to CNN on Friday. In the wake of the incident, the Korea Football Association later Friday fired head coach Jürgen Klinsmann, who had questioned the resolve of his team during the tournament. A KFA statement said the team dinner took place in Qatar on February 5, before South Korea’s 2-0 loss to Jordan at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup. 87 in FIFA’s world rankings, was seen as a major embarrassment for the 23rd-ranked South Korean side. Son is the captain of both Tottenham Hotspur in England’s Premier League and of the South Korean side.

Persons: Son Heung, Jürgen Klinsmann, Lee Kang, Jordan, ”, Lee, Germain, Heung, Visionhaus, “, Lee “, ” Lee, ” “, Son, Klinsmann Organizations: South Korea CNN — South Korean, Tottenham Hotspur, CNN, Korea Football Association, Korean national football, Asian Football Confederation Asian, England’s Premier League, Paris Saint, France’s Ligue, English Premier League, Brighton & Hove Albion, JTBC, South, Asian, South Korea Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Qatar, France’s, London, Instagram

☆ Russia used a Zircon hypersonic cruise missile for the first time in recent strike, Ukraine claims
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Ukraine claims it has evidence Russia fired an advanced hypersonic missile – one that experts say is almost impossible to shoot down – for the first time in the almost 2-year-old war. The government-run Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise said in a Telegram post that debris recovered after a February 7 attack on the Ukrainian capital pointed to the use of a Zircon hypersonic cruise missile by the Russian military. Ukrainian authorities reported four people were killed and 38 others injured in Kyiv during the February 7 attacks, but no casualties have been directly attributed to the alleged Zircon missile. Its hypersonic speed makes it invulnerable to even the best Western missile defenses, like the Patriot, according to the United States-based Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA). Additionally, the MDAA says the Zircon is “a maneuvering anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile” with a range of somewhere between 500 and 1,000 kilometers (310 to 620 miles).

Persons: Serhii, Gorshkov, Vladimir Putin, ” Putin, Yurii Ihnat, ” Sidharth, CNN’s Svitlana Vlasova, Mariya Knight, Andrew Carey, Jack Guy Organizations: CNN, Kyiv Scientific Research, Forensic, Ukraine’s, Ministry, Firefighters, Reuters, Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, Russian, Ukrainian Air Force, Royal United Services Institute, Zircons Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Kyiv, Holosiivskyi, United States, “, Ukrainian, London

☆ Trump suggests he would consider a tariff upward of 60% on all Chinese imports if reelected
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Kate Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump said Sunday he would consider imposing a tariff upward of 60% on all Chinese imports if he regains the presidency. His remarks come at a time of high economic and other tensions between the US and China. “No, I would say maybe it’s going to be more than that,” Trump said when asked by Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo whether he would consider imposing a 60% tariff, as The Washington Post has reported. As president, Trump slapped tariffs of 25% on $50 billion of Chinese goods in June 2018. But FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Wednesday that Chinese hackers are preparing to “wreak havoc and cause real-world harm” to the US.

Persons: Donald Trump, ” Trump, Maria Bartiromo, Trump, Biden, “, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Christopher Wray, Xi, ” China’s, reunify, CNN’s Jack Forrest, Brad Lendon Organizations: CNN, Fox News, Washington Post, Trump, Party, Taiwan, Taiwan Relations Locations: China, Beijing, Taiwan

☆ Phalanx CWIS deployed on a Houthi missile just seconds from hitting a US warship
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The automated Phalanx system features Gatling guns that can fire up to 4,500 20-millimeter rounds a minute, engaging projectiles or other targets at extremely close range. Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said it was “concerning” that the Houthi missile got so close to a US warship. Whether it comes into further use in the current hostilities in the Red Sea remains to be seen. And on Thursday, US forces shot down a Houthi drone over the Gulf of Aden and destroyed a surface drone in the Red Sea, it said. Meanwhile, two ballistic missiles launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen missed targets in the Red Sea, Central Command said.

Persons: Boxer, Jesse Monford “, Tom Karako, ” Karako, Carl Schuster, ” Schuster, Schuster, ”, Carney Organizations: CNN, Navy, U.S . Navy, Mass, Raytheon, Missile Defense, Center for Strategic, International Studies, US Navy, US Central Command, Command Locations: ”, Iran, Yemen, Israel, Gaza, Aden, Red, Red Sea

☆ US aircraft carriers lead ‘large deck’ exercises with Japan east of Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —A dozen United States and Japanese warships, including two US aircraft carriers, have been putting on a show of military might this week in the Philippine Sea east of Taiwan. The US Navy aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson and USS Theodore Roosevelt were joined by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Ise, seven US guided-missile destroyers and two US cruisers for what the Navy calls a Multi-Large Deck Event (MLDE). An F/A-18E Super Hornet takes off from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson during exercises in the Philippine Sea on Jan. 31. Potential maritime flashpointsThat broad area reaches as far south as islands and reefs in the South China Sea, where Chinese and Philippine vessels have been in recent confrontations. “The coercive pressure campaign against Taiwan continues, and we’re watching it in the wake of the elections,” Aquilino told the Pacific Forum.

Persons: Carl Vinson, Theodore Roosevelt, ”, Carlos Sardiello, Vinson, Collin Koh, ” Koh, Ronald Reagan, Dwight D Eisenhower –, Carl Schuster, ” Schuster, Xi Jinping, John Aquilino, ” Aquilino, “ I’m Organizations: South Korea CNN, United, Analysts, US, US Navy, Japan, Self, Defense Force, Ise, Carrier Strike, Navy, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, CNN, USNI, Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, East China, Democratic Progressive Party, Communist Party, Clinton, Party, Taiwan, Pacific Command, Pacific Locations: Seoul, South Korea, United States, Philippine, Taiwan, China, U.S, Japan, Pacific, Singapore, Asia, Red, Yemen, Hawaii, South China, East, Senkaku, Beijing, fmr

☆ US F-16 fighter crashes off South Korea in third loss of Korea-based jet in a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Brad Lendon | Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —A United States Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed after suffering an in-flight emergency off the coast of South Korea Wednesday, in the third crash of one of the US military’s Korea-based warplanes in less than a year. The pilot, assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing, ejected safely and was recovered about 50 minutes after the crash, the Air Force statement said. Wednesday’s crash was the third of a South Korea-based F-16 in less than a year, though there are no indications they are related. An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 80th Fighter Squadron takes off from Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, on September 18, 2023. In May 2023, an F-16 crashed into an agricultural area near Osan Air Base, south of Seoul, during training.

Persons: ”, Matthew Gaetke ,, Samuel Earick, Kunsan Organizations: South Korea CNN, United States Air Force, Kunsan Air Base, 8th Fighter, Air Force, Matthew Gaetke , 8th Fighter, 80th Fighter Squadron, . Air Force, Korean, Osan Air Base, US Air Force, Air Forces, Air Force Safety Center Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Korea, Korean, Republic, Osan

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war rages
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Andrew Raine | Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

The war between Israel and Hamas has already spilled over to the wider Middle East, with prospects of a confrontation between regional and world powers becoming ever more likely. Across the region, the fighting has largely been confined to tit-for-tat attacks between Iran-backed militias on one side and the US, Israel and its allies on the other. The US has attacked Iranian-backed groups in Yemen, Syria and Iraq, while Iran-linked groups have targeted American personnel in Iraq and Syria. Tehran has also struck what it said were anti-Iran groups in Iraq, Syria and Pakistan. As tensions across the region rise, CNN takes a look at where Iran or its allies are present, where US forces are stationed and where both sides have conducted military operations since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Organizations: Hamas, CNN Locations: Israel, Iran, US, Iranian, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Tehran, Pakistan

☆ China says US military makes region more dangerous after Navy ship sails through Taiwan Strait
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —China accused the United States military of “abusing international law” and continuing a pattern of “dangerous provocations” in East Asia Thursday, after a US Navy destroyer made the service’s first transit of the Taiwan Strait of 2024. The USS John Finn (DDG 113) conducts routine operations in the East China Sea, on January 24, 2024. John Finn’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations as a principle,” Greene said. While the John Finn’s transit of the Taiwan Strait was the first of 2024, US warships and warplanes regularly travel through and over the waterway. Aquilino told a defense forum in Hawaii that he expected a show of force from China against Taiwan in the wake of the election result.

Persons: ”, John Finn, Xi Jinping, reunify, Justin Stack, Cmdr, Meagan Greene, John Finn’s, ” Greene, John, Collin Koh, Washington, Wu Qian, “, John Aquilino, Aquilino, ” Aquilino, ” Koh Organizations: South Korea CNN, United, US Navy, Democratic Progressive Party, Party, Taiwan, Taiwan Relations, U.S . Navy US Navy 7th Fleet, Coast Guard, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, China’s Defense Ministry, Xinhua, China -, Defense, Pacific Command, Communist Party, Clinton, CNN, Pacific Locations: Seoul, South Korea, China, United States, East Asia, Taiwan Strait, Taiwan, Beijing, East China, State, States, Singapore, China - U.S, U.S, Hawaii, Honolulu ., Washington

☆ Huge rogue waves smash into remote US military base in Pacific
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

US military buildings damaged by the rogue waves on Kwajalein Atoll, January 21, 2024. U.S. Army Garrison-Kwajalein AtollPhotos released by the US military showed damage to Roi-Namur infrastructure in Kwajalein Atoll, January 21, 2024. Photos released by the US military showed damage to Roi-Namur infrastructure in Kwajalein Atoll, January 21, 2024. U.S. Army Garrison-Kwajalein Atoll“The impacts of these waves are also more strongly felt across low-lying islands, which includes the Marshall Islands,” he said. Photos released by the US military showed personnel being moved from Roi-Namur island on Kwajalein Atoll, January 21, 2024.

Persons: “, Drew Morgan, U.S . Army Garrison, Robert Shackelford, Shackelford, ”, Ronald Reagan Organizations: CNN, US Army, Marshall, Facebook, Army, U.S . Army, National Weather Service, Geological Survey, Missile Defense Command, Ronald, Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense, Department of Defense, U.S . Strategic Command Locations: Roi, Namur, Kwajalein, Republic, Atoll, Kwajalein Atoll, USAG, Marshall, Hawaii

☆ Russia’s Putin to visit North Korea soon, state media says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to visit Kim Jong Un soon, North Korean state media reported Sunday, the latest sign of increasing cooperation between the two authoritarian leaders as war rages in Ukraine and military tensions increase in East Asia. Putin thanked Kim for an invitation to visit Pyongyang and pledged to go there “at an early date,” the report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the dates for Putin’s visit to North Korea were still being discussed through diplomatic channels and would be announced later, Russian state-run news agency TASS reported. During that visit, Kim praised Russia for standing up to “hegemonic forces” with its war in Ukraine, while Putin signaled a willingness to assist North Korea in developing its space and satellite programs. According to the US Defense Department, Russia has twice in the past month fired North Korean-made missiles at targets in Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Putin, Kim, Dmitry Peskov, Choe Son Hui, Sergey Lavrov, ” KCNA, Kim Jong, ” Organizations: South Korea CNN —, Korean Central News Agency, North Korean Foreign, Russian, TASS, CNN, North Korean, US Defense Department, South, US, People’s Assembly Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korean, Ukraine, East Asia, Pyongyang, North Korea, Russian, Moscow, Northeast Asia, Russia, Korea, United States

☆ North Korea claims to test underwater nuclear-capable drone after US, South Korea and Japan show off naval might
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Brad Lendon | Gawon Bae | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —North Korea on Friday claimed it had successfully tested an underwater nuclear weapons system earlier this week in response to naval drills by the United States, South Korea and Japan. North Korean state media on Friday did not show evidence for the success of the latest test, but warned the US, South Korea and Japan of the “catastrophic consequences” of their actions. Warships from South Korea, the US and Japan perform a trilateral exercise in the waters south of Jeju between January 15 and 17, 2024. South Korea's Defence MinistryAnalysts say it all points to an even more intractable North Korea. “If North Korea’s artillery fire near the inter-Korean maritime border was just part of routine training, it would be less concerning.

Persons: ”, Carl Vinson, KCNA, Kim Jong Un, Kim, Kim Jong, Kim ramped, Staff Kim Myung, Leif, Eric Easley, Easley Organizations: South Korea CNN, Korea Central News Agency, JS Hyūga, Korea’s, Chiefs, Staff, Warships, Korea's Defence, US Navy, Fleet, People’s Assembly, CNN Relations, South Korean Joint Chiefs, Korea's Defence Ministry Analysts, Ehwa University Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korea, United States, Japan, Korean, Pyongyang, Jeju, U.S, Republic of Korea, Korea, KCNA, North, “ Pyongyang

☆ North Korea’s Kim vows to dismantle father’s unification arch as he declares South Korea ‘principal enemy’
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Brad Lendon | Gawon Bae | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The Kim family, beginning with Kim Il Sung, has ruled North Korea since its post-World War II founding in 1948. It symbolizes the efforts of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung to set guidelines for uniting North and South Korea. South Korea not backing offOn Tuesday, South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol said his government will not be cowed by Kim’s latest threats. “If North Korea provokes, we will punish them multiple times as hard,” Yoon said at a Cabinet meeting in Seoul. Yoon, who has taken a much harder line on North Korea than his predecessors, said the South’s quarrel was with the Kim regime, not the people of North Korea.

Persons: Kim Jong Un, ”, Kim, Kim Jong Il, Kim Il, Kim Il Sung, “, Kim Jong, Jeong Eun, National Reunification ’ …, ’, ” Kim, KCNA, Leif, Eric Easley, “ Kim, ” KCNA, Yoon Suk Yeol, ” Yoon, Yoon Organizations: South Korea CNN — North, People’s Assembly, North Korean, Korea Institute for National Unification, National Reunification, Ehwa University, Democratic People’s, North, CNN, National Economic Cooperation Bureau, Kumgangsan, Tourism Administration, ROK, DPRK, United Nations, NLL Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Pyongyang, North Korea, North, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, DPRK, North Korea’s, Republic of Korea, Korean, Korea, South

☆ Last letters from Japan’s young kamikaze pilots offer rare WWII insights
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But these are some of the real faces of the kamikaze that line the walls of the Kanoya Air Base museum and the Chiran Peace Museum, both located on Japan’s Kyushu island. Three women look at photos of Japanese kamikaze pilots, who gave their lives in WWII suicide attacks against US forces, hanging on a wall at the Chiran Peace Museum. A re-creation of a bunker where kamikaze pilots spent their last night before their missions on the grounds of the Chiran Peace Museum. Brad Lendon/CNNAlso among the pictures on the walls of the Chiran museum is one of an American, Capt. Kenta Torihama, great-grandson of Tome Torihama, a confidant of the kamikaze pilots, outside his restaurant near the Chiran Peace Museum.

Persons: It’s, David Guttenfelder, Yasuo Tanaka, Torao Kato, “, –, Yoshio Itsui, Itsui, ” Itsui, ‘, ”, Brad Lendon, Masaji, ” Takano, Adm, Takijiro, General Yoshisugu Saito, Shigeaki, Tome Torihama, Kenta Torihama, it’s, Saigo Takamori, Saigo Organizations: Japan CNN, Kanoya Air Base, Self, Defense Force, Young Boy Pilots, CNN, US Army, Pacific, Visitors, Kanoya, Base, US Navy, Heritage Command, US Defense Department, Atomic Heritage Foundation Locations: Kagoshima, Japan, Kyushu, Chiran, Hawaii, Europe, Okinawa, Imperial, East, Southeast Asia, Saipan, American, Taiwan, Philippines, Kagoshima prefecture, Kagoshima city, Fukuoka

☆ CNN took an 11-day cruise through some of the most-contested waters on Earth. Here’s what we learned
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +23 min

China claims almost all of the 1.3 million-square-mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory. In daylight hours in the South China Sea, from Ottawa’s flight deck or outdoor bridge wings, Chinese warships are often visible to the naked eye. Aviator Gregory Cole/Canadian Armed Forces PhotoOn October 29, things take a potentially dangerous turn, one that could have cost lives and ratcheted up tensions in the South China Sea to new levels. Radar operators scan their instruments in a Canadian antisubmarine warfare helicopter over the East China Sea. Hammerhead targets drones await their fate on the deck of the frigate HMCS Ottawa in the South China Sea.

Persons: Sam Patchell, Jacob Broderick ,, Ben Hughes, Gregory Cole, he’s, “, King Neptune, Xi Jinping, Brad Lendon, Rafael Peralta, Collin Koh, ” Patchell, Patchell, Aviator Gregory Cole, ”, haven’t, Xi, Rob Millen, they’d, Long, Peralta, It’s, Qinetiq, Noble, That’s, Cmdr, Sean Milley, Christine Hurov, Wally Shirra, it’s, Wally Schirra, Loverboy’s, Australia’s, doesn’t, We’ll Organizations: HMCS, HMCS Ottawa CNN, Royal Canadian Navy, Canada, United, Naval Warfare Officers, Canadian Armed Forces, US Navy, Ottawa, CNN, Canada’s Defense Ministry, Chinese Communist Party, Coast Guard, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, People’s Liberation Army Navy, PLA Navy, United Nations, Ottawa's, Cyclone, Canadian, Royal Canadian Air Force, Chinese Defense Ministry, Pentagon, troika, Peralta, Brisbane, CNN Radio, New, New Zealand Navy’s, Cmdr, HMNZS Aotearoa, Australian, Southern Hemisphere, One Locations: HMCS Ottawa, Taiwan, Ottawa, China, United States, Canadian, South China, Gaza, Ukraine, East, Washington, Singapore, Beijing, Spratly, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Chinese, South, East China, CNN Beijing, Canada, Gulf of Mexico, West Coast, Australian, Brisbane, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Okinawa, replenishments, Aotearoa, American, Ottawa’s

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) vehicle was damaged after its patrol was hit by Israel Defense Forces gunfire, UNIFIL said Saturday. ET) in the area of Aytaroun, in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “This attack on peacekeepers, dedicated to reducing tensions & restoring stability in south Lebanon, is deeply troubling,” UNIFIL said Saturday. Remember: Fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed paramilitary group Hezbollah is centered on northern Israel and southern Lebanon — separate from Israel's fighting with Hamas further south, which is centered around Gaza. The group has linked its attacks on Israel to Israel’s targeting of Lebanese territory, and the fighting remains limited to this border region for now.

Persons: Arolodo Lázaro Organizations: United Nations Interim Force, Israel Defense Forces, UNIFIL, IDF, CNN, Hezbollah, Hamas Locations: Lebanon, UNIFIL, Aytaroun, Israel, Iran, Gaza, Lebanese

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Initial group of 24 hostages released, truce appears to be holding
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Released Palestinian prisoners arrive to Beitunia, west of Ramallah, with International Red Cross vehicles under the agreement on the four-day humanitarian pause in Ramallah, West Bank on November 24. In videos obtained by CNN, the released prisoners can be seen paraded through the streets, carried on people’s shoulders as crowds wave the Palestinian flag, as well as that of Hamas. What they were imprisoned for: There are few more sensitive issues for Palestinians in the occupied territories than the issue of prisoners held in Israeli jails. Aseel El-Titi, a 23-year-old prisoner released on Friday, told CNN she had only found out that morning she was being released. The number of martyrs in Gaza has become greater than the number of prisoners [in Israeli jails],” El-Titi said.

Persons: Issam, Aseel El, ” El, Titi, Wael Ahmad, ” Ahmad Organizations: Red Cross, West Bank, Getty, CNN Locations: Beitunia, Ramallah, West, Anadolu, Jerusalem, Israel, Gaza

☆ North Korea to deploy ‘new’ weapons on border with South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Brad Lendon | Gawon Bae | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —North Korea said Thursday it will deploy new military hardware along the military demarcation line that separates it from the South after Seoul partially pulled back from a 2018 agreement designed to ease tensions along the border, state-run media reported. In response to the North Korean buildup, the US and South Korea – along with Japan – have stepped-up their military cooperation via exercises and deployments that Pyongyang sees as a threat. Earlier this week North Korea denounced the US for its potential sales of advanced missiles to Japan and military equipment to South Korea, calling it “a dangerous act” in a report from KCNA. North Korea said it was “obvious” who the offensive military equipment would be aimed at and used against. Pyongyang also said that South Korea will be held “wholly accountable” for clashes that may break out between the two Koreas.

Persons: Moon Jae, Kim Jong, Kim, “, ” KCNA Organizations: South Korea CNN, Inter, Korean, South, South Korea –, North Korea’s Defense Ministry, ROK Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Korea, North Korea, Pyongyang, Panmunjom, Washington, Japan, KCNA . North Korea, Republic of Korea

Neither South Korea, the United States nor Japan, all of which are experiencing increasing military tensions with North Korea, could confirm the satellite had made it into orbit. But South Korea called the launch a “clear violation” of a UN Security Council resolution that prohibits North Korea from using ballistic missile technology. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un celebrates Tuesday night's satellite launch with workers in an image provided by state-run media. Japanese Defense Minister Hiroyuki Miyazawa said his country was still trying to determine whether North Korea’s satellite had reached orbit. In that meeting, Putin signaled a willingness to assist North Korea in developing its space and satellite program.

Persons: “, ”, Kim Jong Un, Fumio Kishida, Hiroyuki Miyazawa, KCNA, Kim Song, ” KCNA, Carl Schuster, Ankit, “ They’re, Leif, Eric Easley, Shin Won, sik, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Panda, “ Let’s Organizations: South Korea CNN, Korean Central News Agency, UN, Korean, Japan’s, US, Pyongyang’s, Japanese, Council, North Korean, North, Korea’s National Aerospace Development, Analysts, Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence, Carnegie Endowment, International, Ewha University, Korea’s Defense Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korea, Korea, United States, Japan, Japan’s Okinawa, Japanese, Pyongyang, East China, KCNA . North Korea, Russian, Russia, Koreans

☆ Australian leader Albanese accuses Chinese navy of ‘dangerous’ conduct
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Nectar Gan | Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has accused the Chinese navy of “dangerous, unsafe and unprofessional” conduct after an incident in international waters near Japan, marking a potential friction point with Beijing weeks after he visited the Chinese capital to stabilize relations. Australian divers aboard the long-range frigate HMAS Toowoomba were trying to clear fishing nets from its propellers on November 14 when a Chinese destroyer approached, Defense Minister Richard Marles said in a statement Saturday. Despite being warned that a diving operation was underway, the Chinese destroyer operated its sonar in a manner that “posed a risk to the safety of the Australian divers,” the statement said. In the Sky News interview, Albanese sidestepped a question on whether the incident will make bilateral relations “look shaky” now. And this is one of those times where we disagree with the action of China,” Albanese said.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Richard Marles, Albanese, ” Albanese, Xi Jinping, “, ”, “ We’ve, Marles, Ray Powell, SeaLight, Powell, ” Powell Organizations: CNN, Australian, Defense, Sky News, APEC, China’s Defense Ministry, Liberation Army Navy, PLA Navy, Military, United, “ Defense, National Security, Stanford University, US Air Force Locations: Japan, Beijing, Toowoomba, Chinese, China, San Fransisco, London, United Nations, Australia, East, South China, South, Canada, Australian

☆ US Navy jet overshoots runway into water off Hawaii
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —A US Navy reconnaissance jet with nine crew members aboard crashed into water off the Hawaiian island of Oahu on Monday after overshooting the runway at a US Marine Corps base there, military officials said. There were no casualties aboard the P-8A Poseidon aircraft, a twin-engine multimission patrol and reconnaissance jet with the airframe of a Boeing 737 passenger plane, according to Marine Corps spokesperson 1st Lt. Hailey Harms. Pictures showed the aircraft upright with its wings slightly above the waterline in Kaneohe Bay off Marine Corps Base Hawaii on the main island of Oahu, north of the capital of Honolulu. The P-8A Poseidon is a workhorse of US Navy operations. P-8 aircraft are also flown by the Australian, New Zealand, British, Norwegian and Indian militaries, according to Boeing.

Persons: Hailey Harms, Harms, CNN’s Sara Tonks, Taylor Ward Organizations: CNN, US Navy, US Marine Corps, Boeing, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, National Weather Service, Australian Locations: Oahu, Kaneohe Bay, Honolulu, South, Chinese, New Zealand

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Gaza crisis, Palestinian death toll
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

A video has emerged on a Hamas social media channel which claims an Israeli woman held hostage in Gaza has been killed in an Israeli airstrike. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the woman’s family is aware of the video’s existence. Most of the video shows the woman speaking into camera reading a short statement. In a short statement late Monday, the IDF said an army representative had visited the family home to inform them of the video. “Hamas continues to use psychological terror and acts inhumanely, through videos and photos of the hostages, as it has done in the past,” the IDF statement said.

Persons: Al Organizations: Telegram, Brigades, Israel Defense Forces, CNN Locations: Israeli, Gaza

☆ Philip Schlamberg: Final US combat death of World War II was Jewish teen in Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

“The Last Fighter Pilot” says when the service saw those scores, Schlamberg was offered his pick of jobs and chose to be a fighter pilot. During that trip, he saw Japanese war veterans up close and felt a kinship, he said. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty ImagesFitting endingsYellin died in December 2017, shortly after “The Last Fighter Pilot” was published. In the foreword to “The Last Fighter Pilot,” Yellin recounted how World War II’s end was fitting for the times. “And that the final combat life in the defense of freedom would be laid down by a teenage Jewish fighter pilot who had not yet learned to even drive a car.”

Persons: Emperor Hirohito, Jerry Yellin, Philip Schlamberg, Yellin, Schlamberg, “, ” Yellin, Hirohito, ”, Phil, they’d, Ian Hitchcock, I’m, “ I’m, ” Schlamberg, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Melanie Sloan, ” “, ” Sloan, Philip, Sloan, Don Brown, he’d, Schlamberg’s smarts, Jerry Yellin’s, ‘ I’m, ’ ”, Yellin’s, Michael, ’, ” Michael Yellin, Saul Loeb, Helene, Robert, Taro Yamakawa, Yamakawa, “ Yellin Organizations: CNN, US Army Air Corps, US Defense Department, Nazi, US, 78th Fighter Squadron, National Archives, Iwo, Fighter Squadron, American, T150 Defence Force Air, Culpeper Regional Airport, Getty, Abraham Lincoln High School, Army Air Corps, Memorial, of, Monuments, New, Montclair Local, Arsenal, Democracy, US Air Force, Arlington National Cemetery, “ Locations: Tokyo, Nazi Germany, Europe, Brooklyn, Iwo Jima, Ukraine, East, Sudan, Myanmar, United States, Nagasaki, Japan, Hiroshima, Utah, Townsville, Australia, Culpeper, Brandy Station, Virginia, AFP, Honolulu, Honolulu , Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, New Jersey, America, Washington ,, Arlington, Pacific, New York

☆ World’s newest island forms in Japanese archipelago
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Brad Lendon | Francesca Annio | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Tokyo CNN —The world’s newest island has risen from the sea off the coast of the Japanese island of Iwo Jima in the Pacific Ocean. Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) told CNN the unnamed island was formed by an undersea volcanic eruption. The photos show a small eruption sending a dark cloud of ash above the tiny island, which is now part of the Ogasawara Island chain. The island sits about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) south of mainland Japan and a kilometer from Iwo Jima, the island that saw some of the fiercest battles of World War II in the Pacific. US Marines fought tens of thousands of Japanese garrisoned there in a battle that killed more than 7,000 Americans and 22,000 Japanese troops.

Persons: Setsuya Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Japan’s Meteorological Agency, CNN, Defense Force, JMA, Earthquake Research, University of Tokyo, volcanology, Japan Times, Pacific . US Marines Locations: Iwo Jima, Japan, Pacific

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