North Korea

President says move is based on ‘very good relationship with Kim Jong-un’ but US military officials have said Ukraine war is boosting regime’s combat capabilitiesDonald Trump has said he is scaling back joint US military drills with South Korea aimed at deterring North Korea, despite military officials from both countries warning that Kim Jong-un’s regime was learning new battlefield tactics from the Ukraine war.The drills under Ulchi Freedom Shield, one of two major annual exercises held by South Korea and the US, start on Monday and run until 27 August. Continue reading...

Russian attacks on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least six people and injured 20, officials saidOvernight Russian attacks on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least six people and injured 20, officials said. Another six people were killed and 16 injured in attacks on Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk, Reuters reported.Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Zaporizhzhia “was struck with North Korean ballistic missiles, Zircons, and guided aerial bombs.”“Every step Russia takes – increasing ballistic missile production, bringing in North Korean equipment, preparing for mobilisation – all of this shows that Moscow is preparing not for peace, but for escalation. And the world needs to respond now, not wait.” Continue reading...

• The U.S. Department of Justice has subpoenaed a freelance journalist for The New York Times regarding a 2025 report on a failed U.S. military operation in North Korea. • In a separate development, the United States will implement new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on over 60 trading partners. • These tariffs are scheduled to take effect on July 24, signaling a significant shift in international trade policy.

Live, rolling coverage as British oil company looks for buyer amid political dispute over future drilling licencesThe owner of British Airways has reported a steep fall in profits and said it expects no growth in passenger capacity this year as the US-Israeli war in Iran takes its toll.International Airlines Group (IAG) said it expected demand to stay strong, but added that its “disciplined cost control” could only partly mitigate the impact of “a significant fuel price increase” caused by the attacks on Iran. Iran closed the strait of Hormuz in response to the attacks, a key export route for oil from the Gulf.With these results IAG has again demonstrated that its excellent fundamentals are supporting continued value creation for our shareholders, despite the impact of the crisis in the Middle East and wider geopolitical events.The UK has been our home for more than 100 years and will continue to play an important role in our future. We’re proud of the jobs we create, the contribution we make to the UK economy, and the work we do to keep energy flowing every day.The North Sea remains integral to the UK’s energy system. However, as we focus our portfolio and direct capital to our highest-value opportunities, we believe our North Sea business will be better positioned as part of another company. It has world-class people, resilient assets and a proud heritage, and it is precisely these qualities that can attract an owner ready to back its next chapter. We are seeking an outcome that recognises that value.I indicated in the phone call that we had, a week last Monday, that I would take a pragmatic approach when it comes to the North Sea, and that is my intention as we go forward from here.There is a resource there. When people are struggling, we can’t ignore that. Hence, me indicating that to the president. Continue reading...

• A new report identifies a "threat axis" consisting of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, documenting 616 specific instances of security cooperation between the four nations. • The report warns of a "simultaneity problem," where these strategically aligned powers could coordinate actions to force the United States to manage multiple global crises at once. • This alignment is significant because it shifts the geopolitical landscape from isolated regional conflicts to a cohesive bloc capable of challenging U.S. security interests.

• North Korea continues to violate UN Security Council resolutions with overt nuclear enrichment and long-range missile development efforts. • U.S. intelligence agencies estimate that North Korea has enough plutonium to produce at least six nuclear weapons, and possibly up to sixty. • The crisis between North Korea and South Korea is a significant concern for U.S. involvement in the Korean peninsula.

• North Korea has vowed to strengthen its nuclear arsenal and explicitly rejected a call for denuclearization from Asean. • In other global developments, Ukraine reportedly hit an Iranian ship, prompting Tehran to vow that the attack will not go unanswered. • Domestic infrastructure concerns have risen in India after the Rs 4,200 crore Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway showed damage just 13 days after its inauguration.