AJK sets August 24 polling for eight reserved seat…

PYONGYANG: North Korea has warned that a new nuclear strategy being considered by the United States could trigger a fresh global arms race and increase the risk of nuclear conflict. A spokesperson for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry criticised the proposed US nuclear policy and accused Washington of using nuclear weapons for strategic dominance and political and military objectives. The spokesperson described the reported US strategy as a serious and dangerous development. North Korea said the policy could undermine the existing nuclear balance and accelerate the development and deployment of nuclear weapons around the world. According to the North Korean statement, continued expansion of nuclear capabilities could push the international security environment closer to the threshold of nuclear war. However, US Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby said on Thursday that he did not expect any major or fundamental changes in the nuclear strategy currently under consideration. North Korea also criticised planned joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea. It warned that it would exercise what it described as its right to self-defence in response to what it considers hostile military activities. A statement carried by North Korean state media said Pyongyang would not tolerate what it described as an increasingly confrontational situation created by hostile states. The United States and South Korea are scheduled to begin their joint military exercises on August 17. The drills are expected to continue until August 27. The exercises are also expected to take into account possible lessons from North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war in Ukraine, particularly its military experience and battlefield capabilities. The latest warnings came after North Korea conducted its second missile test in less than a week. On Wednesday, Pyongyang launched a ballistic missile from its eastern coast towards the sea. Six days earlier, it had conducted another test involving a short-range missile. North Korea’s latest military activity comes amid continued tensions with Washington and Seoul. Diplomatic efforts to restart talks have so far failed to produce a breakthrough. According to reports, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has largely rejected recent calls for renewed diplomatic engagement with the United States and South Korea. Since the collapse of diplomatic efforts involving former US President Donald Trump in 2019, Kim has instead focused on strengthening North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities. Analysts believe Pyongyang could eventually use its expanding nuclear capabilities as leverage to seek concessions from Washington. These could include relief from international sanctions and other measures imposed on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programmes.

Lebanon’s parliament has voted to abolish capital punishment, making it the first nation in the Middle East to formally end the practice. While Lebanon has maintained a de facto moratorium on executions since 2004, courts continued to hand down death sentences for major crimes including murder, terrorism, and espionage. Prior to the vote, human rights group Amnesty International estimated that 85 individuals remained on death row across the country. Under the new legislation, capital punishment will be replaced by life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour. Lebanese Justice Minister Adel Nassar described the vote as “historic”, noting that the legal existence of the death penalty had previously hampered Beirut’s ability to secure the extradition of criminal suspects from nations where capital punishment is outlawed. International observers and human rights organisations welcomed the landmark decision. The European Union stated that Lebanon was setting a powerful example for the region, while French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot praised the vote as a courageous step that upholds democratic values. Human Rights Watch also lauded the law, calling it a monumental victory for human rights in the Middle East.

Yemen’s Houthi-aligned Ansarullah movement has claimed responsibility for targeting two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, alleging that the vessels violated a newly declared naval blockade imposed by the group against Saudi Arabia. According to Saudi state media, a Saudi-owned tanker, identified as the Encelia, was struck while transiting the Red Sea, resulting in a fire at the vessel’s bow. Saudi authorities confirmed that the crew managed to contain the fire safely and that no casualties or environmental damage were reported. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and maritime security group Vanguard had earlier reported a missile strike on a tanker approximately 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia. The vessel’s captain reported that the fire was caused by an incoming projectile. The strike follows Ansarullah’s formal declaration of a naval blockade targeting vessels bound for or operating near Saudi ports. An Ansarullah spokesperson stated that the blockade was enacted in direct response to the siege on Yemen, specifically citing the ongoing closure of Sanaa International Airport, and warned that maritime restrictions would match those imposed on Yemeni airspace.