New leader addresses N. Korea for first time

North Korea’s new leader addressed his nation for the first time Sunday, vowing to place top priority on his impoverished country’s military, which promptly unveiled a long-range missile.

The speech was the culmination of two weeks of celebrations marking the centenary of the birth of his grandfather, national founder Kim Il Sung — festivities marred by a failed launch of a rocket Friday that prompted international condemnation and cost North Korea a deal with the United States that would have exchanged food aid for a halt to nuclear activities.

Kim Jong Un’s speech was a surprise. His father, leader Kim Jong Il, addressed the public only once in his lifetime.

Narushige Michishita, a North Korea military expert at Japan’s National Graduate Institute for Policy Stud- ies, said the new long-range missile strongly resembled the rocket used Friday and also the long-range Taepodong-2, which North Korea launched unsuccessfully in 2006. He said it did not appear to be big enough to have the range needed to effectively attack the United States.

Israel stops activists at airport

Israel detained dozens of international activists as they landed at its main airport Sunday, preventing them from entering the country to join a planned solidarity mission with Palestinians in the West Bank.

Israel said the activists, part of an umbrella group called Welcome to Palestine, were provocateurs who posed a security threat. The group said the event, meant to draw attention to Israeli travel restrictions on Palestinians, was non-violent, and it accused Israel of using heavy-handed tactics to stamp out protest.

By early evening, the Interior Ministry said, 49 people had been stopped, most on flights from France, but also from Spain, Switzerland, Canada, Italy and Portugal. At least 12 were placed on flights back home, and arrangements were being made to expel the others.