North Korea fires 10 ballistic missiles in response to US-South Korean exercises
Today's news: The war against Iran has displaced at least 3.2 million people, while a missile hit the US embassy in Baghdad. Taiwan's parliament authorises the deal with the United States for the purchase of four weapons packages. Thai authorities have seized over 100,000 counterfeit items worth more than US$ 1 million.
KOREA – JAPAN
This morning, North Korea fired more than 10 ballistic missiles into the sea, according to the South Korean military. This comes as South Korean and US forces conducted military exercises in the area, amid renewed overtures by US President Donald Trump towards North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. According to the Japanese coast guard, at least one ballistic missile fell into the sea, just outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. The missiles were launched from an area near the North Korean capital Pyongyang around 1:20 pm. For more than two decades, North Korea has successfully tested a wide range of ballistic and cruise missiles, developing the means to deliver nuclear weapons.
IRAN – IRAQ
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that since the start of the war between the United States, Israel and Iran on 28 February, up to 3.2 million people have been displaced within the Islamic Republic. In a statement, the UN refugee agency said that, “This figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs.” Meanwhile, an Iranian missile hit the US Embassy in Baghdad.
TAIWAN – UNITED STATES
Taiwan's parliament yesterday authorised the government to sign agreements with the United States involving four arms packages worth approximately US$ 9 billion, under pressure from officials concerned that Taiwan might be left behind if it didn't conclude the deal. The purchase includes TOW anti-tank missiles, M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, Lockheed Martin Javelin missiles, and the HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system.
THAILAND
Thai authorities seized more than 100,000 counterfeit items worth nearly US$ 1 million in a raid on a popular Bangkok shopping mall, part of measures to address intellectual property violations. The operation, which took place yesterday at the MBK Center, targeted a key location for counterfeiting. Large quantities of handbags, shoes, clothing, and fashion items that violated trademarks and copyrights were discovered.
SRI LANKA – IRAN
The bodies of 84 Iranian seamen killed in a US submarine attack on an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka last week have been repatriated, a source at the Iranian embassy in Colombo reported. The IRIN[*] Dena was sunk by a torpedo from a US submarine on 4 March while returning from a naval exercise in India. The remains are being returned on a special flight departing from Mattala, southern Sri Lanka, bound for India, before making their final journey to Iran.
INDONESIA – SAUDI ARABIA – ISLAM
As the US and Israeli war on Iran intensifies with little sign of de-escalation, Indonesian authorities are preparing contingency plans to ensure the safety of Indonesian pilgrims expected to undertake hajj this year. The peak of the 2026 pilgrimage is expected to be in May, with departures for Saudi Arabia scheduled to begin on 22 April. However, doubts remain about the feasibility of this because the cradle of Islam is among the most affected Gulf countries by the war.
RUSSIA
A Moscow court sentenced the people held responsible for the March 2024 attack on Crokus City Hall (Крокус Сити Холл), a music venue on the outskirts of the capital, where no fewer than 147 people were killed. In total, 15 people received a life sentence, while four were given 19 to 22 years. The court concluded that the culprits were linked to Islamic State Vilayat Khorasan group. The trial was held behind closed doors, neither the defendants' testimony nor the prosecution's evidence were made public, and many details remain unknown.
TAJIKISTAN
Tajikistan's oldest woman, Basimo Turaeva, is preparing to celebrate her 122nd birthday with her seven children and more than 200 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren at her home in the capital, Dushanbe. One of her sons, Mirzoyan Gadoev, told Asia Plus that his mother is doing well, although she is “starting to forget things, and her hearing has got a little worse,” spending her days by the stove, watching television, and taking walks in the yard.
[*] Islamic Republic of Iran Navy,
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