BEIJING // Pyongyang yesterday warned the Korean peninsula was "inching closer to the brink of war" as explosions increased tensions before South Korean and US naval exercises that start tomorrow.
The shots, thought to be the result of North Korean military drills, could be heard on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, which suffered a barrage of shelling from North Korea on Tuesday that left four dead.
Photographers on the island reported hearing four explosions and seeing at least one flash of light, while South Korean television reports suggested North Korea had fired up to 20 rounds, causing residents to head for air-raid shelters.
It came as American naval forces headed for the Yellow Sea for exercises that have already drawn the anger of Pyongyang.
In an article yesterday, North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency warned tensions were rising as a result of the actions of "the US imperialists and South Korean puppet war-like forces".
"The situation on the Korean peninsula is inching closer to the brink of war due to the reckless plan of those trigger-happy elements to stage again the war exercises targeted against [North Korea]", the agency said.
North Korea's army and people were said to be "now greatly enraged" and "getting fully ready to give a shower of dreadful fire".
Shortly before the explosions were heard yesterday, the US military commander in South Korea, Gen Walter Sharp, visited Yeonpyeong to witness the devastation caused earlier in the week.
Gen Sharp saw a heavily damaged street littered with charred bicycles and bottles of the Korean alcoholic drink soju. Neighbourhoods were also strewn with broken glass and household items, while stray dogs begged for food from the few dozen civilian residents who remain from the original 1,300-strong civilian population.
Workers yesterday restored communications lines damaged by Tuesday's shellfire, which killed two civilians and two marines and was mostly targeted at the island's military base.
North Korea has insisted the barrage of about 200 shells was prompted by South Korean military drills, but Pyongyang's actions have been condemned by western powers and Japan.
Yesterday, Beijing held phone talks with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, China's foreign ministry reported, and China's foreign minister Yang Jiechi also spoke to his South Korean counterpart and met Pyongyang's ambassador to Beijing to discuss the situation.
Mr Yang urged Seoul and Pyongyang to exercise restraint and solve problems through dialogue, a ministry statement said, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
"The pressing task now is to put the situation under control and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents," he said.
* With additional reporting by agencies
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Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO
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UAE SQUAD
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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Towering concerns
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Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
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Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
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For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
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Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
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Ship class: Meraviglia Class
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Number of cabins: 2,217
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Mobile phone packages comparison
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
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Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
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School uniforms report
FIXTURES
Saturday, November 3
Japan v New Zealand
Wales v Scotland
England v South Africa
Ireland v Italy
Saturday, November 10
Italy v Georgia
Scotland v Fiji
England v New Zealand
Wales v Australia
Ireland v Argentina
France v South Africa
Saturday, November 17
Italy v Australia
Wales v Tonga
England v Japan
Scotland v South Africa
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Scotland v Argentina
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Ireland v United States
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Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
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Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
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THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
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