PETER HITCHENS: Axe the Monarchy? Yes, if you want us to be like North Korea… or the USA 

We’ll be sorry when the Monarchy is gone, which it will pretty soon be if we all go on behaving like this. If you want a Monarchy, you need grown-ups, not just to sit on the throne, but to support it. Sentimental slop won’t keep it going, and nor will cheap temporary popularity or glamour. … Read more

Covid North Korea: Russian diplomats leave North Korea on foot as Kim Jon Un shuts border

Russian diplomats are forced to leave North Korea on foot while pushing their luggage on a rail trolley after Kim Jong Un closed border to fight Covid Pictures showed Russia’s third secretary Vladislav Sorokin pushing his family  The group of eight people took a 32-hour train ride, then two hours on a bus  The youngest … Read more

Kim Jong Un admits North Korea is facing its ‘worst ever’ difficulties in rare admission of failure

Kim Jong Un admits North Korea is facing its ‘worst ever’ difficulties in rare admission of failure amid pandemic, US sanctions and spate of natural disasters Kim is facing what appears to be the toughest crisis of his nine-year dictatorship With the economy already troubled, the pandemic has compounded its issues Pandemic-related border closings and … Read more

North Korea continued nuclear and missile programmes in 2020 thanks to cyber hacking money, UN says

North Korea continued its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes throughout 2020 in violation of international sanctions and funded them with £220m ($300m) stolen through cyber hacks, according to a confidential United Nations report.  Kim Jong-un‘s regime ‘produced fissile material, maintained nuclear facilities and upgraded its ballistic missile infrastructure’ while continuing to seek material and technology … Read more

Very needy panda Fu Bao refuses to let zookeeper go in South Korea

I can’t bear to be alone! Very needy panda refuses to let zookeeper go and desperately clings to his leg Baby Fu Bao was filmed clinging to her keeper’s leg at Everland Zoo, South Korea  Fu Bao was born last year to mother Ai Bao and father Le Bao Parents were loaned to Seoul for … Read more

Kitten becomes first pet infected with Covid-19 in South Korea

Can animals catch Covid-19? The chance of your dog catching Covid-19 strain is very slim, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).  Professor James Wood, head of veterinary medicine at the University of Cambridge, said: ‘Despite millions of people having had Covid-19, the numbers of pets found to be ill or infected is still tiny.  … Read more

North Korea: Kim Jong un unveils huge ‘submarine-launched ballistic missiles’ during military parade

Nuclear-armed North Korea unveiled a new submarine-launched ballistic missile at a military parade in Pyongyang, state media reported Friday, in a show of strength days before Joe Biden‘s inauguration as US president. State media said Kim Jong Un took centre stage after the five-yearly congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, at which the North Korean leader … Read more

South Korea demands release of Gulf tanker seized by Iran

South Korea has demanded the release of a tanker that was seized by Iran on Monday in the latest Gulf stand-off pitting Tehran against America and its allies. Seoul said it had dispatched an anti-piracy unit to the sensitive waters near the Strait of Hormuz after the Korean-flagged Hankuk Chemi and its crew of 20 … Read more

Ex-servicemen battle to restore Skymaster military plane that served in WW2, Korea and Vietnam

In the winter of 1946, Skymaster 56498 soared over the midwest plains of the United States as it neared the end of a 6,000-mile journey, carrying a very precious cargo.  On board were dozens of British prisoners of war being repatriated from the battlefields of World War Two after the allied victory over Imperial Japan. And … Read more

Thousands gather in ‘coronvirus free’ North Korea

Thousands gather in ‘coronavirus free’ North Korea for New Year fireworks but Kim Jong-Un SKIPS his annual televised address and sends every citizen a card instead Kim Jong Un thanked North Koreans for supporting leadership in ‘difficult times’ Fireworks welcomed in new year along with dancing in the capital of Pyongyang Kim penned New Year … Read more