World
Will North Korea Fly Trash Balloons Into South Korea Again? A Look At Rising Tensions Between Them
SEOUL, South Korea — South Koreans were on high alert Friday for probable additional launches by North Korea of balloons carrying garbage into the South, a day after Seoul activists flew their balloons to distribute political messages in the North.
If North Korea resumes its trash balloon launches, South Korea is likely to reply, potentially with anti-North Korean loudspeaker broadcasts or live-fire exercises along their strongly guarded border. North Korea will most likely reply with its measures, heightening tensions between the adversaries.
Here’s a look at the escalating tensions between the Koreas over the balloon launches:
WHY ARE THE KOREAS FIGHTING OVER BALLOONS?
Last week, South Korean officials discovered over 1,000 North Korean-flown balloons containing manure, cigarette butts, textile scraps, trash batteries, and vinyl in various locations in South Korea. No highly harmful materials were discovered, but some South Koreans are concerned that North Korea may launch balloons with biological or other hazardous chemicals in the future.
South Korean officials condemned the North Korean balloon campaign and other recent provocations as “absurd, irrational” and promised an “unbearable” response. They halted a 2018 military deal to reduce frontline military tensions with North Korea.
North Korea | AP News Image
Will North Korea Fly Trash Balloons Into South Korea Again? A Look At Rising Tensions Between Them
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, claimed the balloons were in retaliation to South Korean civilian attempts to fly propaganda leaflets into North Korea. Analysts believe the North’s conduct was also intended to stoke tensions in South Korea over its conservative government’s tough stance on North Korea.
For years, South Korean civic activists have used helium-filled balloons to deliver anti-North Korean leaflets and USB drives containing South Korean dramas and international news to the North, where most of the 26 million people are denied access to foreign news. The launches enrage North Korea, which has previously fired at the balloons and destroyed an empty South Korean-built liaison office in the North as a reprisal.
ARE TENSIONS OVER BALLOONS LIKELY TO INCREASE?
Kim Kang Il, the North’s vice defense minister, said Sunday that the government would suspend the balloon campaign but vowed to resume it if South Korean activists sent pamphlets again.
A South Korean civilian group under the leadership of North Korean defector Park Sang-hak claimed that on Thursday, it launched ten balloons from a border town carrying 200,000 anti-North Korean leaflets, USB sticks with K-pop songs and South Korean dramas, and one-dollar US bills.
“We delivered the truth, love, medications, one-dollar notes, and songs. But a barbarous Kim Jong Un delivered us trash and waste, and he hasn’t apologized for it,” Park remarked.
North Korea has not immediately responded. Many analysts believe it will resume flying trash-carrying balloons when the weather is favorable. North Korea’s state media has previously described Park as “human scum without an equal in the world.”
North Korea | AP News Image
Will North Korea Fly Trash Balloons Into South Korea Again? A Look At Rising Tensions Between Them
Following the suspension of the 2018 tension-easing deal, South Korea is prepared to respond to a fresh North Korean balloon campaign by beginning frontline live-fire drills or loudspeaker broadcasts of anti-North Korean propaganda and foreign news. Such actions are likely to aggravate North Korea.
Is Cold War-style Psychological Warfare Returning?
Flying balloons carrying propaganda leaflets into each other’s land was one of the most common psychological campaigns used by the two Koreas during the 1950-53 Korean War and at the height of the Cold War.
However, the North Korean balloons flown into South Korea in recent days contained simply garbage, not political literature. It marked the North’s first balloon campaign in seven years.
In a Memorial Day speech Thursday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stated, “North Korea carried out a despicable provocation that would make any normal country ashamed of itself.” Matthew Miller, a US State Department spokesperson, described the trash-carrying balloons as “disgusting” and “childish.”
During the Cold War, rival Koreas employed frontline loudspeaker broadcasts and enormous frontline billboards and propaganda radio broadcasts to conduct psychological warfare.
North Korea | AP News Image
Will North Korea Fly Trash Balloons Into South Korea Again? A Look At Rising Tensions Between Them
In recent years, the two Koreas had agreed to suspend such activities, but they have occasionally resumed when tensions escalated. South Korean officials claim they have no legal basis for prohibiting private persons from flying balloons to North Korea after the country’s constitutional court overturned a rule that criminalized such leafleting as a breach of free expression.
Many South Koreans believe that resuming loudspeaker broadcasts would severely sting North Korea’s leadership, as they fear that the broadcasts will demoralize frontline troops and inhabitants of the tightly controlled society, gradually weakening Kim Jong Un.
When South Korea resumed loudspeaker broadcasts after an 11-year hiatus, North Korea launched artillery rounds across the border, leading South Korea to respond. There were no casualties reported.
SOURCE – (AP)
World
Hurricane Beryl Roars Toward Jamaica After Killing At Least 6 People In The Southeast Caribbean
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hurricane Beryl roared toward Jamaica on Wednesday, leaving islanders rushing to prepare after the devastating Category 4 storm killed at least six people and inflicted substantial damage in the southeast Caribbean.
People in Kingston boarded up their windows, fishermen withdrew their boats from the sea, and workers demolished roadside advertising boards to safeguard them from the fierce winds.
Pauline Lynch, a Kingston resident, said she had prepared for the storm by stockpiling food and water. With the wind already whipping up a light rain, Lynch stated, “I have no control over what is coming, so all I can do is pray that all Jamaicans are safe and that there are no deaths or losses.”
Beryl | AP News Image
Hurricane Beryl Roars Toward Jamaica After Killing At Least 6 People In The Southeast Caribbean
A hurricane warning was issued for Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac. Beryl was expected to decrease slightly over the next day or two but remain at or near major hurricane strength when it passes near or over Jamaica on Wednesday, near the Cayman Islands on Thursday, and into Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that the disaster zone declaration will stay in effect for seven days. He also declared an island-wide curfew from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
Security personnel “will be fully mobilized to maintain public order and aid in disaster relief.” As soon as the cyclone passed, the security forces devised strategic preparations to prevent any potential threat of looting or other opportunistic crimes,” Holness stated.
An evacuation order was also issued for Jamaica villages vulnerable to flooding and landslides. Holness warned Jamaicans to avoid low-lying regions.
A hurricane watch was issued for Haiti’s southern and Yucatan east coast. Belize issued a tropical storm watch extending south from its Mexico border to Belize City.
Late Monday, Beryl became the Atlantic’s first Category 5 hurricane, reaching 165 mph (270 kph) on Tuesday before falling to a still-destructive Category 4. On Wednesday, the storm was approximately 75 miles (125 kilometers) southeast of Kingston. It had maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 kph) and was traveling west-northwest at 18 mph (30 kph).
Michael Brennan, Director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, stated that Jamaica appears in Beryl’s direct path. He asked citizens to locate a secure shelter and stay there until Wednesday.
“We are most concerned about Jamaica, where we are expecting the core of a major hurricane to pass near or over the island,” according to a briefing he gave online.
Jamaica is expected to see a storm surge of 6-9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 meters) over normal tidal levels and severe rains.
On Wednesday, Mexico’s Caribbean coast prepared for Beryl. The government has issued a hurricane warning for the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, from Puerto Costa Maya to Cancun.
The head of Mexico’s civil defense agency stated that Beryl is expected to launch a rare twin blow on the country. According to Laura Velázquez, the hurricane is forecast to land between late Thursday and early Friday on a rather unpopulated stretch of the Caribbean coast between Tulum and the inland town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Because the coast is primarily made up of lagoons and mangroves, there are few resorts or hotels south of Tulum.
As it traverses the Yucatan peninsula, the hurricane is anticipated to diminish to a tropical storm before reemerging as a storm in the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. According to Velázquez, Beryl is likely to impact Mexican territory again, this time on the Gulf Coast states of Veracruz or Tamaulipas, close to the Texas border.
As Beryl plowed into the Caribbean Sea, rescue personnel in the southeastern islands spread out to assess the extent of the hurricane’s destruction to Carriacou, Grenada.
Officials confirmed three deaths in Grenada and Carriacou, as well as one in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Two further deaths were confirmed in northern Venezuela, while five people are missing, officials said. Beryl’s torrential downpour also affected approximately 25,000 people in the area.
Beryl | AP News Image
Hurricane Beryl Roars Toward Jamaica After Killing At Least 6 People In The Southeast Caribbean
The environment minister, Kerryne James, told The Associated Press that a tree fell on a house in Grenada, killing one. She claimed that Carriacou and Petit Martinique suffered the worst damage, with Carriacou losing hundreds of homes and businesses.
Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell stated on Tuesday that there is no power, roads are impassable, and the possibility of an increase in the death toll “remains a grim reality.”
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has pledged to reconstruct the archipelago. He stated that 90% of homes on Union Island had been demolished and that “similar levels of devastation” were expected on the islands of Myreau and Canouan.
The most recent powerful hurricane to reach the southeast Caribbean was Hurricane Ivan, which killed scores of people in Grenada 20 years ago.
Grenada nicknamed the “spice isle,” is a major supplier of nutmeg. Mitchell stated that most of the spices are planted in the northern portion of the island, which Beryl most damaged.
SOURCE – (AP)
NBC is bringing a version of legendary sportscaster Al Michaels back to the Olympics this summer, but with an unexpected twist: his voice will be powered by artificial intelligence.
On Wednesday, NBC said that it will utilize AI software to reproduce Michaels’ voice to offer daily Summer Games summaries to users of its Peacock streaming platform. This marks a significant milestone in the application of AI by a major media firm.
NBC | CTV Image
NBC To Use AI Version Of Announcer Al Michaels’ Voice For Olympics Recaps
The employment of an artificial intelligence voice for the Olympics comes at a time when technology has advanced dramatically, particularly in its ability to generate images, sounds, and text. This has sparked concerns in creative industries, such as journalism, regarding how artificial intelligence may—or should—be utilized.
A new tool, “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock,” will allow subscribers to create 10-minute highlights packages incorporating event updates, athlete back stories, and other related content based on their preferences.
The company stated that the highlights could be packaged in approximately 7 million distinct ways, based on 5,000 hours of live coverage in Paris, thereby making AI (artificial intelligence, not the guy) a far more efficient way to give individualized summaries.
“When I was approached about this, I was skeptical but obviously curious,” Michaels stated in a press statement. “Then I saw a demonstration of what they had in mind. I replied, ‘I’m in.'”
An NBC representative told CNN that Michaels is being rewarded for his participation.
A veteran broadcaster, Michaels is now the play-by-play sportscaster for Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime. He is well noted for his work on earlier Olympic Games broadcasts for NBC and ABC and for announcing the Miracle on Ice Game at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
NBC | Fox Image
NBC To Use AI Version Of Announcer Al Michaels’ Voice For Olympics Recaps
NBC stated that the AI system was trained using previous NBC broadcast audio from Michaels.
The business stated that a team of NBC Sports editors will evaluate all of the content, including audio and footage, to ensure that it is factually correct and that names are pronounced correctly.
Beginning July 27, the highlights tool will be available on Peacock in web browsers and iOS and iPad apps.
SOURCE – CNN
Mount Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Japanese icon, has implemented new climbing limits in response to concerns about overpopulation.
Beginning July 1, climbers must pay 2,000 yen ($12.40) per person, and there is a daily limit of 4,000 climbers.
Mount Fuji | Japan Times
Japan’s Mount Fuji Implements Tourist Tax In Response To Overcrowding Concerns
“By strongly promoting comprehensive safety measures for climbing Mount Fuji, we will ensure that Mount Fuji, a world treasure, is passed down to future generations,” stated Koutaro Nagasaki, governor of Yamanashi Prefecture, when he announced the new laws earlier this year.
“To revitalize traditional mountain climbing from the foot of Mount Fuji, we shall get a thorough grasp of the Fuji-ko and Oshi cultures that fostered Mount Fuji worship. We hope to connect different civilizations through mountain climbing, which is steeped in religious cultural values.”
Fuji-ko is a religion unique to the mountains.
Human traffic bottlenecks, garbage-strewn hillsides, and poorly dressed hikers – some attempting the trip in sandals – are among the challenges afflicting the renowned Japanese destination.
In addition, new guides will oversee trail safety and notify climbers if they violate mountain etiquette, such as sleeping along the trail, making a fire, or wearing inappropriate attire.
According to prefectural data, five million people hiked Mount Fuji in 2019, up three million from 2012.
“Overtourism – and all the subsequent consequences like rubbish, rising CO2 emissions, and reckless hikers – is the biggest problem facing Mount Fuji,” Masatake Izumi, a Yamanashi prefectural government official, told CNN Travel last year.
In 2023, a volunteer named Tomoyo Takahashi told CNN that she planned to ask tourists to donate 1,000 yen ($6.20) to help maintain the mountain.
“Not everyone pays the 1,000 yen, which makes me sad. “There should be a much higher mandatory entrance fee so that only visitors who truly value Mount Fuji’s heritage come,” she stated.
Takahashi will finally achieve her wish.
Mount Fuji | CNN Image
Japan’s Mount Fuji Implements Tourist Tax In Response To Overcrowding Concerns
The new limitations, however, only apply to Yamanashi prefecture, which has the most popular hiking trails. Fuji is also located in Shizuoka prefecture, which has yet to have any tariffs or visiting restrictions. Governor Nagasaki told reporters that he and Shizuoka’s governor will meet at the end of the climbing season to swap notes.
Overtourism has become a major issue in Japan since the country reopened during the pandemic.
Locals in Kyoto’s historic Gion area have expressed concern over tourists flocking to photograph and sometimes harass the geisha who live and work there, giving them the term “geisha paparazzi.”
While the city has posted signs and boards urging visitors not to photograph geisha, several locals told CNN Travel that more is needed. The neighborhood council proposed issuing fines or penalties.
Hatsukaichi, in Hiroshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, has also been hit. The little hamlet is notable for its orange “floating shrine” torii gate, part of a 1,400-year-old Shinto complex.
In October 2023, the town started charging 100 yen (62 cents) for visitors to the temple. The “tourist tax” funds the site’s maintenance and infrastructure.
SOURCE – (CNN)
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