NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
1 Korea tension: North Korea will keep improving its nuclear and longrange ballistic missile capabilities next year to gain leverage to force Washington to make concessions, like the easing of sanctions, government and private analysts in South Korea said Tuesday. The isolated North has made major strides this year in its nuclear weapons program but has also faced increasingly tough U.N. sanctions. On Sept. 3, it detonated what it called a hydrogen bomb in its sixth and most powerful nuclear test. It has also launched three intercontinental ballistic missiles this year, demonstrating rockets powerful enough to deliver warheads to all of the continental United States.
2 Afghan bombing: Nine people have been killed in two separate incidents in Afghanistan’s central Ghazni and northern Faryab provinces. Four Afghan border police officers were killed after their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Dawlatabad district of Faryab province on Tuesday, Wais Ahmad Alamdar, an Afghan border police commander said. Taliban fighters have been laying thousands of improvised explosive devices throughout Afghanistan to hamper or obstruct the advance of Afghan security forces.
3 Kashmir conflict: Three Pakistani soldiers have been killed by Indian fire across the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir region, Pakistani officials said Tuesday. A military statement said the “unprovoked cease-fire violation” took place in Rawalakot in the Pakistancontrolled part of Kashmir. It came two days after India’s army said four of its soldiers had been killed by Pakistani fire along the de facto border between the South Asian rivals. In the latest shooting, the Indian military said that its soldiers targeted Pakistani posts after the Pakistani side had targeted their positions. The Indian troops did not suffer any casualties, officials said.
4 Activist sentenced: A prominent activist who called himself the Ultra Vulgar Butcher as he mocked and pressured Chinese officials was given an eight-year prison sentence Tuesday for subversion, the harshest sentence handed down in a sweeping crackdown on rights campaigners. The Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court handed down the sentence after finding activist Wu Gan guilty of subverting state power. Wu will appeal the sentence, his lawyer Ge Yongxi said. Wu had become known among rights advocates and lawyers for his attention-grabbing campaigns. In one, he posed for online portraits brandishing knives that he said he would use to “slaughter the pigs” among local officials who’d done wrong.
5 Females yes, Israelis no: Saudi Arabia is holding an international chess tournament this week, and the fact female players are permitted to play without sporting the traditional head coverings is a first, and a nod to the kingdom’s attempts at modernization and reform. But these liberal steps appear to extend only so far. Seven Israeli professional chess players have been prevented from participating in the World Chess Federation tournament after their visas were denied by the Kingdom, an indication that even the most sportsmanlike events are still tinged with politics.
6 Lethal brew: Authorities in the Dominican Republic say at least a dozen people have died and 21 more have been hospitalized after drinking homemade liquor containing methanol. The liquor is known as clairin and is made from sugarcane.