Nokor fires long-range ballistic missile WORLD

SEOUL—North Korea has fired a long-range ballistic missile, the South Korean military said Wednesday, days after Pyongyang threatened to down US spy planes that violated its airspace.

Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points ever, with diplomacy stalled and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un calling for increased weapons development, including tactical nukes.

In response, Seoul and Washington have ramped up security cooperation, vowing that Pyongyang would face a nuclear response and the “end” of its current government were it to ever use its nuclear weapons against the allies. South Korea’s military said it had detected the launch of a longrange ballistic missile fired from the Pyongyang area around 10 am (9 am in Manila).

Indonesia urges political blend to Myanmar mess

JAKARTA—ASEAN chair Indonesia on Wednesday urged a political solution to the Myanmar crisis as the bloc started a second day of talks to form a united position on the coupwracked country.

Myanmar has been ravaged by deadly violence since a military coup deposed Aung San Suu Kyi’s government more than two years ago, unleashing a bloody crackdown on dissent.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations has long been decried as a toothless talking shop, and it remains split over diplomatic attempts to resolve the crisis.

“Only a political solution will lead to a durable peace,” Retno Marsudi told ASEAN foreign ministers in her opening remarks on the second day of talks in Jakarta.

“We are still very much concerned to see the continuing and increasing violence in Myanmar. We strongly urge all stakeholders to denounce violence as this is paramount to build trust.” AFP