Pyongyang launches 7 missiles in a month and publishes photos from space

In today's headlines: a NYT investigation unveils the Indian government's purchase of Pegasus spyware, the Emirates intercept another missile from Yemen, Thailand's tourist beach is at risk from an oil spill, Bhutan's prime minister is saddened by the four Covid-19 deaths in the country so far.

NORTH KOREA

Pyongyang confirmed today that it had launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile and published photographs taken from space. Yesterday's launch is considered by experts to be the most powerful and dangerous launch in five years. In total, North Korea has tested seven missiles this month.

THAILAND

Local authorities are scrambling to prevent an oil spill from reaching and damaging the coast of Ao Prao, a beach on Koh Samet, a popular tourist island. Since last Tuesday, about 50,000 litres of oil have been released into the ocean due to damage to an oil pipeline. On Friday, Mae Ramhueng beach in Rayong province reported an environmental emergency.

PHILIPPINES

The Philippine Ministry of Justice ordered law enforcement agencies to investigate a TikTok video threatening to assassinate presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Junior. Charito Zamora, head of the justice department's cybercrime unit, said his office received a tip-off about a post on Tiktok claiming to want to assassinate Marcos, who continues to lead in the polls for the 9 May presidential election. 

BHUTAN

In Bhutan, only four people have died so far from the omicron variant of the coronavirus. Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, a doctor who continues to perform weekend surgeries after the latest death recorded this week, said that "more needs to be done" and that it is not acceptable to lose lives to a preventable disease.

INDIA - ISRAEL

A New York Times investigation,  has revealed that India bought Israeli Pegasus spyware as part of a 2017 billion arms deal. The Indian government led by Narendra Modi has always denied using the spyware against opponents, activists and journalists. Months after Netanyahu's visit to New Delhi, India voted to deny observer status in the UN Economic and Social Council to a Palestinian human rights organisation. This had never happened before.

RUSSIA

At a wreath laying ceremony to commemorate victims of the siege of Leningrad, Secretary of Russia's Security Council Nikolai Patrušev and Russian Ambassador to Britain Andrei Kelin,jointly released a statement saying that Russia does not want war and is not threatening Ukraine, while all US accusations against it are utter nonsense.

TURKMENISTAN

The police section for fighting cybercrime in Turkmenistan made numerous arrests of young people in recent days in Ašgabat and other cities, surprising them in some homes of people with good internet access, which is quite rare in the country, while they were playing poker and other games prohibited by local legislation.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - YEMEN

The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted a missile from Yemen during the first visit of an Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, to Abu Dhabi. Herzog will discuss bilateral security issues with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed. It has not been stated where the Houthi-launched missile was headed.