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North Korea banned from the next Olympics
The ‘Hermit Kingdom’ has been banned from the 2022 Winter Olympics because it skipped the Tokyo games this year
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) announced the suspension of the North Korean Olympic Committee until the end of 2022. The Beijing Winter Olympics will run from the 4th-20th of February, 2022.
IOC president Thomas Bach announced the suspension on Wednesday.
“They were in violation of the Olympic Charter, and did not fulfil their obligation as stated in the Olympic Charter to participate in the games of the Olympiad by sending athletes.” Bach said.
North Korea announced in April that it would skip the games over coronavirus concerns.
Bach said that any athlete who qualifies for the games may be able to compete under a neutral flag, in the same way Russian athletes have competed since the countries doping ban.
“Athletes should not suffer from wrong decisions of their agencies or their officials,” Bach said.
“So there we have kept this door open.”
The International Olympic Committee said that North Korea will forfeit an undisclosed amount of money in financial support.
The decision could influence countries considering boycotting the China based Olympics over concerns of human rights.
When asked about this in response to the IOC helping Afhgan athletes receive visas, Bach downplayed the IOC’s ability to influence the actions of the Chinese government.
“There are limitations in our influence,” the IOC president said.
“It’s to take care of humanitarian issues within the Olympic community. This is what we are doing.”
North Korea had 20 athletes compete at the 2018 winter Olympics in South Korea, winning no medals. They previously sent no competitors to the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014.
-By Parker McKenzie
News
Trump orders Pentagon to resume nuclear testing immediately
Trump orders Pentagon to resume nuclear testing, raising concerns over arms race and global safety
Trump orders Pentagon to resume nuclear testing, raising concerns over arms race and global safety
– Trump ordered the Pentagon to resume nuclear testing, risking global tensions and retaliation from other nations.
– Proliferation concerns are rising as nuclear states modernise arsenals and the New START Treaty nears expiration.
The potential for worldwide radioactive fallout remains high, even for underground tests. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, signed by 187 states, prohibits such testing, yet the US remains a signatory without ratification, bound not to violate the treaty’s intent.
Nuclear weapon testing, once crucial for understanding weapon effects and military planning, has diminished. Since World War II, nuclear tests have largely focused on developing new designs. Significant environmental and health concerns led to a moratorium on atmospheric testing in the early 1960s and the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963.
Many countries, including the US, stopped explosive testing in the 1990s. Technological advancements allowed nations to develop nuclear weapons without the need for actual explosions.
Proliferation Risks
Nuclear proliferation continues, with all nine nuclear-armed states investing heavily in modernising their arsenals. This raises concerns about lowered thresholds for using such weapons.
Recent conflicts involving nuclear threats have escalated, and the number of nuclear weapons operationally available has begun to rise again. Russia has tested advanced nuclear weapons, while China is rapidly expanding its military capabilities.
The New START Treaty, which confines the nuclear capabilities of the US and Russia, is set to expire soon, with no successor treaty negotiations underway.
The Doomsday Clock has moved closer to midnight this year, highlighting the heightened dangers facing the world today.
News
US–China trade talks are a handshake, not a deal
Trump and Xi unofficially extend tariff truce, with US concessions and Chinese commitments on soybeans, fentanyl, and rare earths.
Trump and Xi unofficially extend tariff truce, with US concessions and Chinese commitments on soybeans, fentanyl, and rare earths.
Presidents Trump and Xi extend their tariff truce in an informal meeting, with US cuts and Chinese promises on soybeans, fentanyl, and rare earths.
Steve Gopalan from SkandaFX cautions this is unofficial and deeper issues between the two super powers remain.
#USChina #TradeTruce #Tariffs #GlobalMarkets #Soybeans #RareEarths #UnofficialDeal #TickerNews
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Markets cautious as rate cut hopes fade
Central banks ease rate cut hopes amid inflation and wobbling tech stocks; markets adjust to Fed’s new stance.
Central banks ease rate cut hopes amid inflation and wobbling tech stocks; markets adjust to Fed’s new stance.
Central banks pull back on rate cut expectations as tech stocks wobble and inflation pressures persist. Markets adjust cautiously to the Fed’s new tone.
#Markets #Fed #InterestRates #Inflation #TechStocks #CapitalMarkets #TickerNews #Economy #FinancialUpdate
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