North Korea has announced its support for Iran’s appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s supreme leader, following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a US-Israeli attack on February 28.
The North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson expressed respect for the Iranian people’s choice, stating, “Regarding the recent official announcement that the Iranian Assembly of Experts has elected a new leader of the Islamic Revolution, we respect the right and choice of the Iranian people to elect their Supreme Leader”.
This statement comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with North Korea condemning the US and Israel’s “illegal” attacks on Iran, which it claims are undermining regional peace and security.
The spokesperson further emphasized that the US and Israel’s actions are “destroying the regional peace and security foundations and escalating instability worldwide” and must be “condemned and rejected by the entire world”.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was named the new supreme leader by Iran’s clerical leadership on Monday, following his father’s death in Israeli-US strikes.
North Korea’s support for Iran’s new leader comes as the country continues to face international pressure and sanctions over its nuclear program.
In recent months, the US has indicated its willingness to revive high-level talks with North Korea, while Kim Jong Un has stated that the two nations could “get along” if Washington accepts Pyongyang’s nuclear status.
North Korea has also been conducting missile tests, including a recent test-firing of strategic cruise missiles from its naval destroyer, Choe Hyon, as it seeks to expand its nuclear capabilities.
The United Nations was established in 1945 to succeed the League of Nations after the Second World War. It was created by 51 countries that ostensibly committed to maintaining international peace, and security. The purpose as stated in its founding memo is to develop friendly relations among nations, foster international cooperation, promote social progress, improve living standards, and promote human rights.
These lofty principles do not exist without challenge. In other words, these cherished principles are under attack with attempts to erode them. Apart from being deprived of the democratic structures it deserves, the United Nations has been mismanaged and subjected to the dictatorship of very few and powerful nations.
NACI is of the view that the purpose of the United Nations had long been defeated by its failure to defend smaller and weaker nations against the designs and pressures of bullying states. The world body also lacks democratic structures that represent all regions and countries of the world. Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America are the worst hit regions- politically, economically, socially, culturally and environmentally-in this brutal injustice and the lack of security guarantee for smaller and weaker member-states of the United Nations.
To say that the Charter of the United Nations, its cherished principles and international law faced a serious threat of extinction is obvious. These are the insidious threats that have become more apparent at this particular moment in history, since the establishment of the United Nations, some 80 years ago.
Nicolás Maduro
What is happening today with a sustained, diabolic and spurious blockade and collective punishment against countries like Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Libya, Somalia and the criminalisation of national sovereignty; merciless exploitation of natural resources of weaker states; selective justice in the international system; the assassination and destruction of leaders in Africa and the diasporas; the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and the hatreds for the progressive leaders of the Sahel region and the AES (Alliance of Sahel States); the threats of regime change and political assassination in Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and the application of coercive measures to punish whole peoples, whole nations and whole regions, the Deep State, which is represented by the Trump administration in New York and its allies are working towards creating a false flag by using venomous rhetoric and provocative but unsubstantiated accusations against progressive leaders and governments in Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.
The New African Charter International (NACI) expresses its grave concerns that the existence of the United Nations is under assault, not by force, but by a rising tide of venomous rhetoric and violent military aggression that threaten peace and stability. NACI deplores this blatant attempt to obliterate the United Nations out of existence. We demand that African leaders and governments take all necessary steps to save the continent from becoming a trust territory under any foreign powers. And one of the measures to deter any external aggression or threats is to ensure that Africa is nuclear capable to face any threats or security challenges.
Foreign powers have assassinated more than forty (40) African leaders across the continent and the diasporas and are still thirsty for the blood of Africans. The recent and violent military aggression against Venezuela, which led to the killings of over a hundred people and the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife means the US government has set itself above international law. The goal as exhibited by the actions of President Trump and his team has raised serious questions about their commitment to peace, security and stability.
This pattern of behaviour reflects what might be called the resurrection of Nazis terrorism in the information age or 21st century. When political leaders lost direction and pretend they are in touch with the aspirations of ordinary citizens, they lash out at institutions instead of rebuilding their credibility. We call upon political leaders to respect the sovereignty of Africa and stop their military and degradation and dehumanisation of the continent. Africans deserve to be treated equally with respect and dignity, and not be considered as commodities for sale in the market.
NACI is concerned also over the compatibility of these actions with the UN Charter, as well as with international law and national sovereign constitutions. The US renewed coercive policies and threats towards Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Iran, North Korea and the Sahel region, are the latest scenarios in a long list of very worrying actions taken since January 3, 2026. Reports of attempts to destabilise the Sahel region and assassinate the Presidents of Mali, Burkina Faso and the Niger Republic, are especially disturbing. NACI reiterates its demand, which is naturally acclaimed, for France, the United States and allies to spare the Sahel region and refrain from any further attempt to destabilise the African continent.
The Trump project, dubbed as ‘Board of Peace’ can only be seen here as another salami tactic, and as a way to replace the United Nations with the US dream of dominance in a unipolar world. So the Trump administration’s decision to remove US membership in 75 Organisations was just in the direction of dismantling the United Nations and making the world body the 21st century’s League of Nations.
If the Trump administration in Washington stands for peace, it has to be seen manifesting in Palestine, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Green Land and other regions with US military bases.
NACI conversation to examine if the US President Trump’s peace project (Board of Peace) will stand the test of time.
God bless Africa!
Sender: Alimamy Bakarr Sankoh President and Co-founder The New African Charter International (NACI)
The father of the eight-year-old boy who has killed in the shooting at Annunciation Church and School in Minneapolis has spoken publicly about his son. A top advisor toHealth Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been selected to serve as acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And, the leaders of North Korea, China and Russia will gather together for the first time at a Chinese military parade in Beijing next week.
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p class=”readrate”>Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Daniel Burke, Diane Webber, Kate Bartlett, Lisa Thomson and Adam Bearne. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange. Our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked North Korean troops for fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region, after Pyongyang officially confirmed its involvement in the war on Monday.
Putin expressed gratitude to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and praised the “heroism, excellent training and dedication” of North Korean soldiers, who fought “shoulder to shoulder with Russian soldiers, defending our Motherland as their own”, he said in a statement from the Kremlin on Monday.
North Korea’s acknowledgment of the troop deployment came just two days after Russia announced it had fully reclaimed the Kursk region, at the border with Ukraine.
Ukraine had seized territory in the Kursk area after a surprise incursion launched in August 2024. Ukrainian officials deny Russia’s claim that it has fully recaptured the region.
“The operation to liberate Kursk by repelling the adventurous invasion of Russia by Ukraine was successfully concluded”, Pyongyang said in a statement carried by state media.
The troops “made an important contribution in annihilating and wiping out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers by displaying mass heroism, unmatched bravery and self-sacrifice”, the statement read, reclaiming Russia’s baseless narrative, used as a justification for the invasion, that Ukraine needed to be “denazified.”
US, South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence have said that North Korea dispatched between 10,000 and 12,000 soldiers in Ukraine last autumn.
The deployment marked North Korea’s first participation in a major armed conflict since the end of the Korean War in 1953.
Kim Jong Un decided to send troops to Russia under a mutual defence treaty signed with President Putin in June 2024, according to North Korean state media.
The treaty requires both nations to use all available means to provide immediate military assistance if either is attacked.
North Korea did not confirm how many soldiers it had sent to Russia or how many had died. In March, South Korea’s military assessed that around 4,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Trump returns to New York for major rally, South Korea briefs NATO on North Korean troops backing Russia and the Yankees seek a comeback after losing the first two World Series games.
Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Megan Pratz, Ryland Barton, Russell Lewis, Olivia Hampton and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ana Perez, Nia Dumas, Chris Thomas, and Chad Campbell. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent and Our technical director is Zac Coleman.
With less than three weeks to go in the election the race is narrowing in the swing states — with former President Donald Trump polling slightly ahead on average. The U.S. sends a letter warning Israel to increase aid to Palestinians in northern Gaza or possibly risk access to weapons funding. And Ukraine says North Korea is military personnel to Russia, on top of the munitions it already sends.
Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Andrew Sussman, Ryland Barton, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woelfe. It was produced by Paige Waterhouse, Nia Dumas and Kaity Klein. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Zac Coleman.
President Biden is set to announce a plan to protect hundreds of thousands of undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation. A coalition of environmental, labor and health professionals are petitioning the Federal Emergency Management Agency to treat extreme heat as a “major disaster.” And Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a rare trip to North Korea for a two-day state visit.
Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Alfredo Carbajal, Nick Spicer, Sadie Babits, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Chris Thomas and Taylor Haney. We get engineering support from Carleigh Strange. And our technical director is Zac Coleman.
File photo: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Photograph:( Reuters
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has asked the people of his country to eat less food until 2025 following the food crisis in the country.
In his speech, the leader told the citizens of the country that they must expect to eat less food until the country re-opens its border with China in 2025.
This comes after closure of the country’s border with China in January 2020 as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus
The closure of the boarder has negatively affected the nation’s economy. Food prices are reportedly on the rise every day in North Korea due to a lack of supply which is unable to meet the demand of people living in the country.
Few months ago, Kim mobilised the military to carry out relief work in areas recently hit by heavy rains.
However, this has not helped much as the demand for food is still at an increase amid the inadequate supply.
Citizens of the country have complained that shortages would make it difficult to see themselves through the winter, let alone multiple years, Ripples reported.
A report by North Korea’s state TV in August said heavy rains in northeastern part of the country destroyed or flooded 1,170 houses and forced 5,000 residents to evacuate to safety.
Last year, North Korea suffered severe flooding which damaged vital crops and left hundreds of families without homes. This year, crops were also damaged by droughts and subsequent flooding.
P’YONGYANG-(MaraviPost)-North Korea has warned citizens to refrain from discussing Kim Jong Un’s weight loss as gossip is a ‘reactionary act’.
The warning comes after pictures of the leader looking increasingly thin caused a stir when he made his first appearance following a prolonged absence in June.
Government officials are now insisting that the 37-year-old ruler, commonly referred to as the ‘Highest Dignity’ by state media, is not only perfectly healthy but has in fact lost weight as a result of worrying about his people and their ongoing food shortages, which has been blamed on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Spreading rumours about the Dignity’s health is regarded as treason by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), an unnamed insider has disclosed to the US-backed news outlet Radio Free Asia.
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “As stories of health problems related to the Highest Dignity’s weight loss spread among the residents, many of the neighbourhood watch units here in Chongjin made official statements to the people at their weekly meeting, saying that it is a ‘reactionary act’ to talk about the leader’s health.
“The neighbourhood watch units also said the sudden weight loss is not due to a health problem, but rather that he is suffering in solitude for the sake of the country and people in crisis.”
Some at the meeting claimed to be ‘heartbroken’ to learn their leader was suffering alone in the face of the nationwide crisis – but according to the insider they were only saying what the officials present at the meeting wanted to hear.
Another source, residing in the city of Sariwon, south of the capital Pyongyang, also claimed that neighbourhood watch units there have warned people not to gossip about Kim’s health.
The second source, who requested anonymity for security purposes, said: “Although Sariwon did not convene an emergency meeting of residents to reassure them that the Highest Dignity is healthy, it did caution people in neighbourhood watch meetings not to mention his health.
“They emphasised that it is prohibited to share any stories about the health of the leader, who they said had become emaciated due to the piling up of national affairs.
“But public suspicion that he has health problems has not subsided.”
North Korea uses hackers to obtain Pfizer vaccine information
South Korea’s spy agency has accused North Korean hackers of trying to break into the computer systems of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer in attempt to obtain vaccine information.
This comes after the leader of the nuclear-armed nation, Kim Jong Un openly declined claims of presence of coronavirus cases in the country.
The country which is located in the East Asia imposed self isolation by closing its borders in January last year since the genesis of the virus to protect itself from the virus that first emerged in neighbouring China.
However, reports revealed that the country which has the history of an army of thousands of well-trained hackers who have been attacking companies, institutions and researchers in the South used cyberwarfare to hack into Pfizer to obtain technology involving the Covid vaccine and treatment.
The vaccine which is developed jointly with Germany’s BioNTech uses synthetic version of a molecule called “messenger RNA” to hack into human cells and effectively turn them into vaccine-making factories.
Despite the country’s denial on the presence of the virus, AFP reported that it has been under pressure in attempt to deal with the disease following the economic and financial sanctions imposed by world powers to denuclearize the regime.
Meanwhile, the company’s South Korean office has not commented anything on the story.
Globally, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has reached about 109,735,851 with nearly 2,420,401 recorded deaths as of February 16.
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