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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 11 september 2024
North Korea’s Kim vows to make his nuclear force ready for

combat with U.S.

By HYUNG-JIN KIM and or ICBM test-launches before
KIM TONG-HYUNG the U.S. election to increase
Associated Press its leverage in future diplo-
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — macy with the U.S. Observers
North Korean leader Kim say North Korea likely thinks
Jong Un vowed to redouble a greater nuclear capability
efforts to make his nuclear would help it win U.S. con-
force fully ready for combat cessions like sanctions relief.
with the United States and its North Korea as of Tuesday
allies, state media reported morning did not appear to
Tuesday, after the country have staged any major mili-
disclosed a new platform tary demonstration to mark
likely designed to fire more this year’s anniversary.
powerful intercontinental But the North’s main Rodong
ballistic missiles targeting the Sinmun newspaper on Sun-
mainland U.S. day published a photo of
Kim has repeatedly made Kim inspecting what ap-
similar pledges, but his latest peared to be a 12-axle mis-
threat comes as outside ex- sile launch vehicle, which
perts believe Kim will perform would be the largest the
provocative weapons tests country has shown so far,
ahead of the U.S. presiden- during a visit to a munitions
tial election in November. In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers plant.
In recent days, North Korea a speech, marking the country’s 76th founding anniversary in Pyongyang, North Korea Monday, This sparked speculation that
has also resumed launches Sept. 9, 2024. the North could be develop-
of trash-carrying balloons Associated Press ing a new ICBM that is bigger
toward South Korea. Central News Agency. nuclear threats. North Korea ing military drills that North than its current Hwasong-17
In a speech marking the 76th Kim said North Korea will said the guideline revealed Korea calls invasion rehears- ICBM, which is launched on
founding anniversary for his “redouble its measures and its adversaries’ plots to in- als. Many analysts believe an 11-axle vehicle.
government on Monday, efforts to make all the armed vade the country. U.S. and North Korea has some last When asked about the pho-
Kim said North Korea faces forces of the state including South Korean officials have remaining technological to on Monday, Pentagon
“a grave threat” because the nuclear force fully ready repeatedly said they don’t barriers to overcome to ac- spokesperson Maj.Gen. Pat
of what he called “the reck- for combat,” KCNA said. intend to attack the country. quire long-range nuclear Ryder refused to provide a
less expansion” of a U.S.-led North Korea has been pro- Since 2022, North Korea has missiles that can reach the specific assessment of North
regional military bloc that is testing the July signing of a significantly accelerated its U.S. mainland, though it likely Korea’s missile capabilities
now developing into a nu- new U.S.-South Korean de- weapons testing activities in already possesses missiles and reiterated that Wash-
clear-based one. Kim said fense guideline meant to a bid to perfect its capabili- that can hit key targets in ington was working closely
such a development is push- integrate U.S. nuclear weap- ties to launch strikes on the South Korea and Japan. with Seoul, Tokyo and other
ing North Korea to boost its ons and South Korean con- U.S. and South Korea. South Korean officials and partners to preserve regional
military capability, accord- ventional weapons to cope The U.S. and South Korea experts say North Korea security and deter potential
ing to the official Korean with growing North Korean have responded by expand- could conduct nuclear tests attacks. q

Swiss city councilor apologizes for firing gun at a Mary and Jesus

poster

By JAMEY KEATEN “I apologize to the people the religious sensibilities of Mary and Jesus. Child and the Archangel
Associated Press who were hurt by my post. many Catholics.” The site The poster, an advertise- Michael” by 14th-century
GENEVA (AP) — A city I deleted it immediately said Ameti had reached ment from auction house Italian painter Tommaso
councilor in Switzerland has when I realized its religious out by email to say she and Koller, showed details of del Mazza that is set to go
apologized and reportedly content. I didn’t think her family “placed them- the work “Madonna with up for sale on Sept. 20.q
sought police protection about it,” Ameti wrote on selves under police protec-
against threats after she X. “I’m incredibly sorry.” tion due to threats.”
fired a sport pistol at an The Green-Liberal party Farner Group, a consulting
auction poster of a 14th- in Zurich said she had re- firm where Ameti worked,
century Madonna and signed from its leadership. said in an email that it had
child painting and posted Beat Rüfenacht, its co-pres- decided Monday to “termi-
images of their bullet-rid- ident, said he heard that nate the employment rela-
den faces on social media. Ameti was “in a safe place, tionship.”
Green-Liberal party official and she’s OK.” Ameti did The images continued to
Sanija Ameti, 32, put the im- not respond to an attempt circulate in Swiss media
ages on Instagram over the by The Associated Press to and online Tuesday. Daily
weekend before quickly reach her through social 20 Minutes published a
pulling them down. She lat- media. Kath.ch, a site of photo of Ameti standing
er said she had been prac- the media center for the in what looks like a stone-
ticing shots from about 10 Roman Catholic Church in paneled crypt and point-
meters (33 feet) and found Switzerland, said Swiss bish- ing a pistol. Another frame Sanija Ameti, Co-President In Operation Libero, poses for a
the poster as “big enough” ops condemned the shoot- showed bullet holes in the portriat on Nov.2, 2021, at Proger in Bern.
for a suitable target. ing, saying that “this hurts haloed heads and faces of Associated Press