North Korea

Authorities have made no mention of COVID. North Korea claimed victory over the disease by August, but experts remain skeptical of that claim. The lockdown will last from Wednesday until Sunday.

Some experts say Kim Jong Un's push to make more nukes and new weapons systems reflects his hopes to solidify future negotiating power as he heads into prolonged tensions with the U.S. and its allies.

Tensions rose earlier this week when South Korea accused North Korea of flying five drones across the border for the first time in five years and responded by sending its own drones toward the North.

North Korean hackers have stolen an estimated $1.2 billion in cryptocurrency and other virtual assets in the past five years, more than half of it this year alone, South Korea's spy agency says.

North Korea launched four ballistic missiles into the sea, as the U.S sent two bombers over South Korea in a dueling display of military might that underscored rising tensions in the region.

"The world had its say," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, calling Russia's push for annexation "worthless."

North Korea warned that the U.S. redeployment of an aircraft carrier near the Korean Peninsula is causing a "considerably huge negative splash" in regional security.

South Korea's new government on Thursday proposed a meeting with North Korea to resume reunions of families separated since the 1950-53 Korean War.

In a speech marking the 69th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, Kim said his country is ready to use nuclear weapons in potential military conflicts with the U.S. or South Korea.

President Biden has issued an executive order to try to improve efforts to free American hostages and detainees, senior administration officials told reporters.