The US claimed on Friday that North Korea has provided arms for Moscow to use in Ukraine, releasing images the White House says shows containers moving into Russia by ship.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on a press call said that Pyongyang had provided Moscow with “more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions”.
North Korea has built up a vast arsenal of artillery but is subject to a 2006 UN arms embargo that bans Pyongyang from exporting or importing weapons.
Washington is also “increasingly concerned” about Russian assistance to North Korea, Mr Kirby said.
He added that US intelligence has assessed Pyongyang is actively seeking military assistance from Russia, including in the form of fighter aircraft surface to air missiles, armoured vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment and “other advanced technologies”.
“We are monitoring closely whether Moscow will provide Pyongyang with these materials and we have already observed that Russian ships offloading containers in the DPRK which may constitute the initial deliveries of material from Russia,” Mr Kirby added, using North Korea's official abbreviation.
Last month, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol warned of the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea after a high-profile visit to Russia by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who met Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss increasing military co-operation.
Meanwhile, the escalation of violence between Israel and Gaza has further complicated US President Joe Biden's promised support of Ukraine, which is already facing resistance from some Republicans in Congress.
Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February last year, the US has approved about $113 billion in military and humanitarian aid.
Mr Biden spoke with allies last week to shore up support for Ukraine after a chaos-riddled Congress passed a short-term funding bill that left out any new assistance for Kyiv.
Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday sought to assure allies at a Nato defence partners meeting that Washington “can and will stand by Israel, even as we stand by Ukraine”.
But members of Congress have expressed scepticism that there will be enough support to pair aid to Ukraine with aid to Israel.
A majority of Republicans in the House of Representatives opposed $300 million for the Pentagon to arm Ukraine two weeks ago.
“This is going to be a leadership call,” House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul told reporters this week after a classified briefing on the situation in Israel.
“They’ve had discussions with [the White House Office of Management and Budget].”
He added: We’re looking at a variety of options that would include all four of those things,” referring to funding for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and border security.
Ukraine-Russia conflict latest – in pictures
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
'Saand Ki Aankh'
Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar, Prakash Jha, Vineet Singh
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
