Wednesday 13 May 2015

North Korea to hold firing drills near NLL

North Korea to hold firing drills near NLL: JCS

Announcement the latest in a series of events raising tensions on peninsula

May 13th, 2015

UPDATE (22:20): At around 9PM KST North Korea commenced the artillery firing exercise, according to the JCS. No shells have landed south of the NLL.

North Korea has informed South Korea that it will conduct military exercises near the disputed maritime border, the Northern Limit Line (NLL), according to a statement from the South Korean

Interesting to see how Australia and some European countries now focus on stopping the criminal gangs of people smugglers thus stopping the various folk impinging on our sovereignty. If only we had this kind of thinking years ago, the Jews would have been kept in Nazi Germany, the Tibetan Buddhists in Tibet Province, and the Cubans in Cuba. That would have been the correct and moral thing to do, by our standards now. It is not the people smugglers who are the dodgy shifty soul-less bunch, it is us.

N. Korean Defense Chief Hyon Yong Chol ‘executed’

N. Korean Defense Chief Hyon Yong Chol ‘executed’ – S. Korean intelligence

S. Korean intelligence announces unexpected execution of Defense chief

May 13th, 2015

NK News

North Korea has executed its Defense Chief, Hyon Yong Chol, by firing squad ‘using an anti-aircraft gun,’ South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has said.

Hundreds of North KOrean officials watched Hyon’s execution on April 30, the deputy director of the NIS was paraphrased as saying to South Korean lawmakers.

News of the event was publicized by Yonhap early morning Wednesday morning, who claimed the NIS said he was punished for falling asleep during formal military events.

The alleged development follows rumors of a further execution of up to 15 officials under two weeks ago, for challenging Kim Jong Un’s authority.

“If it is true, which is yet to be confirmed, such executions would make other current and future officials and military officers less trusting of one another and of the leadership above them,” said John Grisafi, NK News Director of Intelligence.

“(This) would undermine the chain of command and organizational strength within the North Korean regime,” Grisafi added.

Hyon’s last appearance in Pyongyang’s state media was just one day prior to the alleged execution, on April 29. Prior to that, he typically appeared two to six times per month.

Hyon was minister of the People’s Armed Forces since last June, when he replaced Jang Jong Nam.

His career had ups and downs. He achieved the rank of vice marshal in 2012 but was demoted to colonel general later that same year, for unknown reasons, though he remained in his post of chief of the General Staff.

This is a breaking news story and more information will be added soon

Russia and China link on Internet Security

Russia, China are totally BFFs when it comes to Internet security

Moscow, Beijing will share info when the Internet is used for "criminal purposes."

by Cyrus Farivar - May 10, 2015 1:30am AEST

While Chinese Premier Xi Jinping visited Moscow this weekto celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Middle Kingdom and Russia also signed a 12 page agreement (Russian) that essentially pledges their cybersecurity support to one another.

Or, put another way: they agree not to attack each other online.

Reading news accounts of the agreement, and the document itself via Google Translate (unfortunately Ars has zero Russian speakers on staff), it appears that the document contains a lot of generalities on cooperation and repeated language referring to national sovereignty over the Internet.

It also contains this line, that both nations agree to "the exchange of information and cooperation in law enforcement area in order to investigate cases involving the use of information and communication technologies for terrorist and criminal purposes."

"For Russia the agreement with China to cooperate on cyber security is an important step in terms of pivoting to the East," Oleg Demidov, a cyber-security consultant at the PIR Center, an independent think tank focusing on international security, told the Wall Street Journal. "The level of cooperation between Russia and China will set a precedent for two global cyber security powers."

Other Russian experts, including Alexander Salnikov, deputy director of the Moscow-based Institute of Information Security, told the New York Times that "perhaps 70 percent" of the pact had been borrowed from a previous agreement under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. But, he pointed out that the language "protecting internal sovereignty in cyberspace" is new.

the cool war

China-Russia drills in Med show shifting strategies

By Jonathan MarcusDiplomatic correspondent

A Yemeni soldier keeps watch on the Chinese frigate, the Weifang, during an evacuation of Chinese people from Yemen in the western port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, on 30 March 2015

The Russian and Chinese navies have begun their first joint exercises in the Mediterranean that will last for about a week.

Though small scale, it is a signal of growing defence ties between Beijing and Moscow and a demonstration that China's maritime horizons are broadening.

Two Chinese 054A/Jiangkai II class missile frigates - the Linyi and the Weifang - are involved along with a supply vessel, the Weishanhu.

Some six Russian ships are also taking part, and the exercises will encompass safety drills, replenishment at sea, escort missions and some live firing.

The Chinese warships had previously visited the Russian Black sea base of Novorossiysk (another first for the Chinese navy) as part of the Victory in Europe celebrations.

Fresh focus

Over recent years, Russia has been seeking to restore its naval presence in the Mediterranean, which largely lapsed at the end of the Cold War.

It retains a small foothold in the Syrian port of Tartus. Its limited facilities there are supposedly being modernised, though much depends upon the fate of Moscow's ally - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

More vessels are also being designated for Mediterranean operations.

China, unlike Russia (and the former Soviet Union), has traditionally not seen the Mediterranean as an area of strategic concern. But over recent years, its importance to Beijing has increased markedly.

China's growing economic role in the region and the importance of securing shipping lanes for its trade have given the Chinese a new focus.

Chinese navy soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) help Chinese citizens board the naval ship Linyi at a port in Aden on 29 March 2015 — China has had to use its navy to evacuate citizens caught up in regional upheavals

Indeed the vessels that China is contributing to the exercise have already been engaged in multinational anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden.

And twice in recent years, China has had to use its navy to evacuate citizens caught up in the region's upheavals.

Earlier this year, Chinese ships helped pick up several hundred Chinese workers from Yemen, and a similar operation was mounted in Libya in 2011 for thousands of Chinese nationals.

Strategic theatre

Beyond serving narrow economic interests, operations like that in the Gulf of Aden provide an opportunity to demonstrate China's desire to play a greater role on the international stage.

Only last week, Djibouti announced that China was seeking to establish a small base there alongside facilities operated by the US, France and even Japan.

The joint exercise also provides a timely opportunity for Moscow to show off the developing Sino-Russian defence relationship.

At a time when Nato has stepped up a variety of exercises around Russia's periphery as a response to the Kremlin's actions in Ukraine, Russia's own armed forces have increased their activity too.

So this exercise should be seen as a bit of strategic theatre as well, just like the repeated incursions of Russian bombers and submarines into western airspace and waters.

China of course insists that these exercises are not directed against anyone in particular.

And it is clear that while China and Russia's defence relationship is important to both countries, China does not want to get drawn into the so-called "cool war" between Russia and the West.

More Shocks for Nepal

Death toll climbs to 36, another 1,117 injured in Nepal's new quake

English.news.cn | 2015-05-12 20:06:21 | Editor: Song Miou

People gather on a street after an earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal, May 12, 2015. A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal at 3:05 p.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), the China Earthquake Networks Center said. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma)
KATHMANDU, May 12 (Xinhua) -- "Death toll of today's earthquake has climbed to 36 and number of injuries rose to 1,117," says Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs in its latest update on Tuesday.
Related:
Nepal's only international airport closed following quake
KATHMANDU, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Nepal's only international airport Tribhuwan International Airport has been closed following the powerful earthquake Tuesday afternoon.
The airport in Kathmandu was closed immediately after the 7.4 magnitude quake jolted Nepal, an airport official told Xinhua over phone. More details are yet to be ascertained.
Earlier on Monday, the airport was closed for one hour in the noon following trouble in runway.
Interview: China has done "very good job" in quake rescue, relief: Nepal FM
KATHMANDU, May 12 (Xinhua) -- China has done a "very good job" in helping Nepal better cope with the aftermath of the strong earthquake that wreaked havoc in the Himalayan country, Nepalese Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said.
"Through your media, we would like to extend our thanks to the Chinese people and the Chinese government ... We appreciate the prompt response (to the April 25 earthquake) shown by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and we are very happy and it has encouraged us to move forward," he told Xinhua in an interview.Full story

china russia promote military links

China, Russia vow to promote military ties

English.news.cn | 2015-05-11 19:38:37 | Editor: An Lu

Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Fan Changlong (L) shakes hands with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Moscow, Russia, May 10, 2015. (Xinhua/Dai Tianfang)

MOSCOW, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to work with Russia to deepen their pragmatic military cooperation so as to make new contributions to the in-depth development of bilateral relations, a visiting senior Chinese military official has said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's attendance at celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War and his visit to Russia yielded fruitful results, Fan Changlong, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, said Sunday when holding talks with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Xi's Russia tour brought the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination to a new stage, Fan said.
Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed during their talks to strengthen military exchanges between the two countries, Fan said, adding that China is willing to work with Russia to implement the significant consensus reached by the two heads of state.
Fan also congratulated the Russian side on the success of Victory Day celebrations and welcomed Russian military leaders and parade units to come to China for the celebration commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War in September.
For his part, Shoigu thanked China for sending servicemen to participate in the Red Square parade, and spoke highly of the well-disciplined military manner and high morale of China's guards of honor.
Russian and Chinese leaders attach great importance to military exchanges, he said.
In recent years, he added, the two sides have scored fruitful achievements in cooperation at the bilateral level, conducting high-level exchanges, defense consultations, joint military exercises and training, and personnel training, as well as in the field of defense and security within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The defense minister noted that strengthening military cooperation between Russia and China is conducive to safeguarding world peace and stability under the new circumstances.
Russia will stay committed to deepening military exchanges and advancing military ties with China, Shoigu said.