North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea to the east of the Korean Peninsula on Saturday, the South Korean military said.
This is the first missile launch by North Korea in eight days and comes five days after Seoul accused Pyongyang of loosing five drones into South Korean airspace for the first time since 2017.
Japan's coastguard said North Korea had fired what could be a ballistic missile and sent notice about a possible second missile.
Pyongyang fired the missile a day after South Korea's defence ministry announced it had successfully conducted a test flight of a solid-propellant space launch vehicle.
On Monday, five North Korean drones crossed into South Korea, prompting South Korea's military to scramble fighter jets and attack helicopters to try to shoot them down.
One of them travelled as far as northern Seoul, causing security jitters among many people in South Korea and leading the military to offer a rare public apology on Tuesday.
Not counting Saturday, North Korea fired about 70 ballistic missiles about 38 times this year, Yonhap news agency said, including eight intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Some experts say North Korea is seeking to modernise its arsenal and increase its leverage in future dealings with the US.
The Saturday launch came as North Korea begins a major party meeting in Pyongyang to review past policies and new goals for 2023.
Some observers say North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will reaffirm his vow to expand his nuclear arsenal and introduce sophisticated weapons in the name of dealing with what he calls American hostility.
US and South Korea in show of force — in pictures
News agencies contributed to this report
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
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Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: From Dh1 million
On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
