Novak Djokovic supporters take to the streets of Belgrade in support as Serbian president accuses - Daily Mail

Novak Djokovic supporters take to the streets of Belgrade in support as Serbian president accuses Australian PM Scott Morrison of 'political witch hunt'

• Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic has described the Novak Djokovic saga as a 'political witch hunt'
• Australian authorities have been accused of 'relentless political pursuit' of tennis world No.1 Novak Djokovic
• Aleksandar Vucic also singled out Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison over the exemption saga
• Defending Australian Open champ will spend four days in refugee hotel and could be deported on Monday

By Sam Baker For Mailonline and Kylie Stevens For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 21:09 GMT, 6 January 2022 | Updated: 22:29 GMT, 6 January 2022

Supporters of world number one tennis star Novak Djokovic took to the streets in Belgrade today to demonstrate their support for the player.

Djokovic could be deported from Australia on Monday after being rejected entry into Melbourne by Border Force officials over vaccine exemption criteria.

He now faces the next four days in a refugee hotel while he waits to see whether he will be deported from the country on Monday.

And showing their support for the player, crowds of people - including Novak's family members - took to the streets in the capital of Serbia.

A man wearing a large Serbian flag over his shoulders is seen holding up a large sign in front of a crowd of angry people outside the National Assembly in Belgrade, Serbia today

Pictured: Srdjan Djokovic, father of the world number one tennis star speaks through a megaphone earlier today in Belgrade

A big crowd gathered in the Serbian capital earlier today to demonstrate their opposition to the treatment of tennis star Novak Djokovic

Speeches were made through megaphones and people held aloft banners and Serbian flags as people made their voices heard on the matter.

It comes after Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic fired a shot at Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison as the Novak Djokovic deportation saga continues.

The tennis superstar could be kicked out of the country next week after he arrived in Melbourne for the upcoming Australia Open late on Wednesday night before being rejected by Border Force officials over vaccine exemption criteria.

Djokovic will spend the next four days detained in a refugee detention hotel after the Federal Court adjourned his appeal to remain in Australia until Monday.

The Serbian president has leapt to Djokovic's defence and singled out Mr Morrison as he accused Australian authorities of a 'political witch hunt'.

People are seen cheering and raising their arms in the air as Srdjan Djokovic addressed them outside the National Assembly in Belgrade today

Novak Djokovic's family were among the crowd of people making their voices heard over Djokovic's treatment in Australia

Novak Djokovic's parents Dijana and Srdjan are seen outside the National Assembly in Belgrade earlier today during the demonstration

Novak Djokovic's hopes of defending his Australian Open title are under threat after his vaccine exemption was rejected by authorities

'What is not fair-play is the political witch hunt by everybody including the Australian Prime Minister pretending that the rules apply to all,' Mr Vucic said on Thursday.

He claimed other tennis stars were permitted to enter Australia with medical exemptions, but two unnamed players are now facing additional scrutiny. 

Of the 26 players and support staff who applied for an exemption to attend the Grand Slam, only a handful were accepted, according to Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley.

The Serbian president described Djokovic's treatment as 'infamous in the proper sense of the term.' 

The star's Australian Open title defence and quest to become the greatest men's tennis player of all time appear to be in tatters unless his appeal is successful one week out from the Melbourne Park Grand Slam.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (pictured on December 21) described Australian authorities' treatment of Djokovic as a political witch hunt

Fans gathered outside the quarantine facility where Novak Djokovic is being detained on Thursday night (pictured)

'I fear that this relentless political pursuit of Novak will continue till the moment they can prove something, because when you cannot defeat somebody then you turn to these type of things,' Mr Vucic said.

Serbian authorities have already been in contact with the Australian ambassador, while Prime Minister Ana Brnabic hopes to get in touch with a senior member of Australia's Home Affairs department.

Mr Vucic has also been in contact with Djokovic as the 20-time Grand Slam champion spends Orthodox Christmas alone and in detention.

'I told our Novak that the whole of Serbia is with him, and that our authorities are taking all measures to stop the harassment of the best tennis player in the world in the shortest possible period,' Mr Vucic posted earlier on Thursday. 

'What is not fair-play is the political witch hunt by everybody including the Australian Prime Minister (pictured on Thursday) pretending that the rules apply to all,' Mr Vucic said on Thursday.

Novak Djokovic supporters sang songs and lit candles outside the refugee detention hotel where he's currently staying (pictured on Thursday)

'In accordance with all norms of international public law, Serbia will fight for Novak Djokovic, for justice and truth.'

Serbian newspaper Novosti slammed the visa cancellation as hypocritical while media out Informer described it as 'tyranny'.

'The police treat Novak as if he were the biggest TERRORIST,' the right-wing tabloid declared. 

Back in Australia, dozens of fans and Serbian Australians braved the rain to gather for a candlelight vigil outside the Melbourne quarantine hotel where Djokovic is being detained.

Many were draped in Serbian flags, sang songs and held signs pledging their support for the world number one as a heavy presence of police watched on. 

A supporter of Serbia's Novak Djokovic holds up a placard at the hotel where the tennis champion is reported to be staying in Melbourne (pictured on Thursday night)

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2022-01-06 21:09:10Z
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Kazakhstan: Dozens of protesters killed and security forces decapitated as Russia-led troops fly in for 'peacekeeping' mission - sky.com

Dozens of protesters have been killed in Kazakhstan, as fresh violence broke out in its biggest city and Russian peacekeeping troops headed to the former Soviet republic.

A police spokeswoman told state news channel Khabar-24 that "dozens of attackers were liquidated" overnight into Thursday in Almaty.

Two members of the security forces were decapitated and are among at least 18 who have died, authorities said.

Image: Troops in the main square in Almaty - a flashpoint in the clashes

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Protesters and authorities clash in Almaty

More than 350 police have also been injured, Khabar-24 reported.

The interior ministry said more than 2,000 people have so far been arrested.

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Unrest morphed after price cap on gas removed

The protests began in the oil-producing western province of Mangistau on Sunday after a cap on liquified petroleum gas - which many people use to power their cars - was removed, causing prices to double.

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The country's president reversed the hike but the unrest which has lasted for days has morphed into a broader set of grievances.

Image: Smoke rises from Almaty's city hall building on Wednesday

Image: The mayor's office was one of the buildings set alight

The mayor's office and presidential palace were set alight in Almaty on Wednesday, and the airport temporarily seized, with ongoing battles between masses of protesters and police.

Police were also out in force in the capital Nur-Sultan, which was reported to be quiet.

Two-week state of emergency

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has blamed foreign-trained "terrorist" gangs, and a Russia-led military alliance is sending troops in a "peacekeeping" mission.

A two-week state of emergency has been declared nationwide, curfews installed, and the entire government has resigned in Kazakhstan's most dramatic upheaval since the fall of the Soviet Union.

There were new battles reported on Thursday evening in Almaty's main square, occupied during the day by hundreds of troops and protesters.

Image: Riot police are out on the streets of Almaty

Reuters reporters said they heard explosions and gunfire as military vehicles and soldiers advanced, but that the shooting stopped after nightfall.

Internet outages are making it difficult to gauge the extent of the unrest across the sprawling country with a population of 19 million.

Demonstrators angry at former leader

Much of the protesters' anger is directed at former long-time leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, who quit in 2019 but remains powerful and whose family is believed to control much of the economy.

The chant of "Old man, go away!" has been heard in videos, such as one from Aqtobe, in the country's west, where police fired water cannon and stun grenades.

Speaking early on Thursday, President Tokayev said: "Almaty was attacked, destroyed, vandalised, the residents of Almaty became victims of attacks by terrorists, bandits, therefore it is our duty... to take all possible actions to protect our state."

Image: Russia's defence ministry released photos of troops and vehicles being loaded on to planes near Moscow. Pic: AP

Troops from the Collective Security Treaty Organisation - an alliance of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan - have been deployed.

Around 2,500 peacekeepers are being sent - but that could increase, the alliance's general secretary told Russia's RIA news agency.

It is expected to be a mission of "a few days or weeks", RIA quoted him as saying.

It's unclear if they are on the ground yet, but on Thursday Russia posted pictures of troops and vehicles boarding planes in Moscow.

Image: Russian vehicles are heading to Kazakhstan for what's described as a peacekeeping mission

Image: Belarus officials showed a plane preparing to leave from an airfield outside Minsk. Pic: AP

Belarus also released pictures of a plane with troops waiting to leave from its capital, Minsk.

NATO foreign ministers are to meet over the crisis on Friday, while the EU has said the "rights and security of civilians must be guaranteed".

"External military assistance brings back memories of situations to be avoided," tweeted EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken "advocated for a peaceful, rights-respecting resolution to the crisis" in a discussion with his counterpart, a spokesperson said.

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2022-01-06 21:22:30Z
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NI weather: Full Met Office forecast as snow set to hit - Belfast Live

A yellow weather warning for snow and ice will become active in certain areas of Northern Ireland on Thursday.

The warning put in place by Met Office will begin at 8pm on Thursday, January 6 and is forecast to end at 11am on Friday, January 7.

"Frequent sleet, hail and snow showers may lead to some disruption to travel," Met Office said.

The entire west side and some central areas of Northern Ireland will be affected. Meanwhile, some areas in the centre and all areas in the east, including Belfast, have not been issued with the warning.

Co Down is the only county that has not been issued with a warning.

A yellow weather warning will soon be in place across a huge chunk of Northern Ireland (Image: Met Office)

Residents in the affected areas should anticipate potential disruption to all kinds of travel - on the roads as well as on trains.

Brief power outages are possible with a risk of isolated lightning strikes.

There will probably be icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths which are also worth looking out for to avoid injury.

But while the warning is very likely, the impact is (as of Thursday morning) forecast to be relatively low.

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2022-01-06 10:47:23Z
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Novak Djokovic: The twists and turns of his Australia visa mess - BBC News

PA WIRE

When Novak Djokovic announced earlier this week that he'd playing in the Australian Open with a vaccine exemption, it sparked a furious reaction among locals.

Now the world's number one male player has found himself detained in an Australian immigration hotel fighting deportation.

What was meant to be the start to another Grand Slam campaign has escalated into a diplomatic storm. Here's how it's played out so far:

How was Djokovic allowed to enter Australia?

News that Djokovic had been approved to play in the Australian Open, which begins 17 January, was revealed by the player himself on Tuesday.

Australia requires all foreign visitors entering the country to be double vaccinated. Otherwise, they need to complete 14 days in quarantine.

But Djokovic, who is not believed to be vaccinated, said on social media he had gained a medical exemption to play in the Grand Slam.

Tennis Australia - the sporting body which runs the Australian Open - confirmed the top seed had gained entry under its "exemptions" policy. It said in total 26 athletes had applied and "a handful" had been successful.

This is how the policy works: two independent medical panels assess claims from players - which are anonymised to prevent bias.

Valid reasons for exemptions include an acute medical condition - such as an inflammatory cardiac illness. A Covid infection in the past six months also counted under the Tennis Australia policy.

The policy was announced in December, and endorsed by the Victorian state government. Federal authorities back then had no objection to the policy.

What was Australia's reaction?

But that changed after the public learnt about Djokovic's approved exemption. Many Australians were angered by the decision to grant him entry..

Djokovic has been a polarising figure during the pandemic. He has previously expressed anti-vaccination sentiments. In the first year of the pandemic, he also staged a commercial tennis tour where he and other tennis players contracted Covid. He later apologised for putting people at risk.

In Australia meanwhile, locals have lived through months of lockdown and restrictions. Most have followed government directions to get vaccinated - over 90% of the adult population is double-dosed.

But the country is also in the depths of its worst Covid wave yet - with over 70,000 new cases reported on Thursday. This is placing immense strain on hospitals and businesses. Public anxiety is high.

Initially, Prime Minister Scott Morrison had said he accepted the Victorian state government's decision to grant Djokovic and other tennis players medical exemptions.

He said on Tuesday that federal authorities - who control the borders - would "act in accordance" with the state's decision as "that's how it works".

"States provide exemptions for people to enter… that's been happening for the last two years," he said.

But amid the public outrage, by Wednesday he had backflipped. Mr Morrison warned that Djokovic would be sent home if he failed to provide proper medical proof.

Why was Djokovic turned away at the airport?

On Wednesday night about 23:30 local time (12:30 GMT), Djokovic landed in Australia at Melbourne Airport. He was promptly assessed and rejected. His visa was cancelled on the spot and he was taken into temporary immigration detention.

The tennis player had failed to provide evidence he was double vaccinated, or had a legitimate exemption to that, Mr Morrison explained at a press conference the following morning.

"He was unable to furnish that proof to Border Force officers at the airport last night and they are the rules and it happens on many occasions and that is what has now happened," he said.

Australian media reported the rest of Djokovic's team was allowed to enter Australia because their vaccination status was approved.

Djokovic was taken away by Australian Border Force officials to an immigration holding hotel, where he is now awaiting a decision on his fate.

It's clear that Australia's federal government has overruled Victoria state in this case. Australia is a federation but its constitution allocates border control to Canberra, not state authorities.

While Tennis Australia had granted Djokovic approval under a policy endorsed by Victoria state, the same policy hadn't been approved by Canberra.

On Thursday, Mr Morrison said the Australian Border Force had sent letters to Tennis Australia back in November outlining federal conditions for vaccinated entry. He said a recent Covid infection (or one in the past six months) was not a valid reason.

He also said it wasn't uncommon for people be turned away upon landing in Australia, because immigration officials assess visa compliance upon arrival rather than prior to entry.

EPA

But one former border force commissioner wrote that the blame couldn't be placed on the state authorities alone, as federal officers would have signed off on the initial granting of the visa.

And as Mr Morrison noted himself on Tuesday, throughout the pandemic, states have been given the power to grant entry to foreigners without a veto from Canberra.

That's all led to speculation by most Canberra observers that Djokovic's ban is largely politically motivated.

Mr Morrison is facing an election in a few months time. He has been under intense criticism due to rapid Omicron spread in the country and Djokovic was an easy scapegoat, commentators say.

Where does this leave Djokovic?

Djokovic's camp is furious about the sudden about-turn, and say he's being made an example of. Plus, there are three other unknown tennis players with exemptions who have been let into the country, Australian media reported.

Djokovic launched an appeal against his visa cancellation immediately after he was held. He's launched a court bid for an injunction to stop his deportation - so he can stay in the country at least.

That hearing has been deferred to Monday, so the tennis star may have to spend the weekend in immigration detention.

He is free to leave the country. Some commentators say he could fly out of Australia to pursue his court case from another country, or reapply for entry.

Meanwhile Serbia has rallied round their national champion, with President Aleksander Vucic accusing Australian authorities of "harassing" Djokovic. Canberra has denied that claim.

Reporting by the BBC's Frances Mao

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2022-01-06 08:32:26Z
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Covid: French uproar as Macron vows to 'piss off' unvaccinated - BBC News

Getty Images

French President Emmanuel Macron has been accused of using divisive, vulgar language after he used a slang term to say he wanted to make life difficult for unvaccinated people.

"I really want to piss them off, and we'll carry on doing this - to the end," he told Le Parisien newspaper.

Three months ahead of a presidential election, opponents of Mr Macron said his words were unworthy of a president.

MPs halted debate on a law barring the unvaccinated from much of public life.

The session in the National Assembly was brought to a standstill for a second night running on Tuesday as opposition delegates complained about the president's language, with one leading figure describing it as "unworthy, irresponsible and premeditated".

The legislation is expected to be approved in a vote this week, but it has angered vaccine opponents and several French MPs have said they have received death threats over the issue.

Mandatory vaccinations are being introduced in several European countries, with Austria leading the way for over-14s from next month and Germany planning a similar move for adults. Italy's government was on Wednesday considering a compulsory vaccine pass for at least anyone over 60.

'A president shouldn't say that'

In his interview with Le Parisien on Tuesday, Mr Macron used the vulgar term emmerder to say how he wanted to stir up the unvaccinated. He would not "vaccinate by force" the remaining five million who had not had a dose, but hoped to encourage people to get the vaccines by "limiting as much as possible their access to activities in social life".

"I won't send [unvaccinated people] to prison," he said. "So we need to tell them, from 15 January, you will no longer be able to go to the restaurant. You will no longer be able to go for a coffee, you will no longer be able to go to the theatre. You will no longer be able to go to the cinema."

Reuters

Ahead of a presidential election campaign in which Mr Macron is yet to announce his intention to run, his remarks prompted a strong reaction from opposition figures.

Right-wing Republicans candidate Valérie Pécresse said she was outraged that the president had accused unvaccinated people of not being citizens. "You have to accept them as they are - lead them, bring them together and not insult them," she told CNews.

Party colleague Bruno Retailleau said pointedly: "Emmanuel Macron says he has learned to love the French, but it seems he especially likes to despise them."

Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen tweeted: "A president shouldn't say that... Emmanuel Macron is unworthy of his office."

Meanwhile, leftist politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon described the remarks as an astonishing confession: "It's clear, the vaccination pass is a collective punishment against individual freedom."

Macron offers a chance too good to miss

The airwaves in France are shrill this morning with the sound of angry politicians. From left and right, moderate and extreme, opponents are outbidding each other in condemnation of President Macron's emmerder.

In a pre-election period, it's an opportunity too good to miss to accuse him of all his old faults: arrogance, flippancy, detachment, ignorance of the concerns of ordinary folk.

But as this is indeed a pre-election period, we can also be certain the president knew precisely what he was doing when he uttered those provocative words in Le Parisien. This was no uncalculated outburst.

What he wants to do is flush out his enemies on the right. The left he's not so bothered about. But Valérie Pécresse's Republicans party (LR) has become - since her nomination as candidate - his main political preoccupation.

By taking such a strong and coercive position against the unvaccinated, Mr Macron is inviting the LR to choose their side. Are they with him, doing everything possible to boost the number of vaccinated? Or are they siding with the minority, the five million instead of the 50 million, and the anti-vaxxers?

Because if it's the second, that's actually quite an awkward place to be ahead of a presidential election.

The latest opinion gave Mr Macron the edge over his rivals on Wednesday, with 27% of votes in the first round on 10 April, ahead of Valérie Pécresse and Marine Le Pen both on 16%. The poll for Le Figaro/LCI also gave him a run-off victory, with the closest margin of 55%-45% with the Republican candidate.

Mr Macron's choice of language is not unprecedented for a French leader.

The same word was used by Georges Pompidou in 1966 when he said it was time to stop annoying the French. Like him, Mr Macron said his role was not to irritate the French, but the unvaccinated was a different story.

Macron ally Christophe Castaner said on Wednesday "the phrase didn't shock anyone when it came out of Pompidou's mouth".

Prime Minister Jean Castex told parliament later that people everywhere were saying the same as the president. "Our citizens have a sense of exasperation seeing a whole kind of restrictions imposed while others choose to break free of them."

• Omicron: Good news, bad news and what it all means
• Covid map: Where are cases the highest?

France has one of the highest Covid vaccination rates in the EU, with more than 90% of the adult population double-jabbed.

For months France has asked people to show either proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test to access many public venues.

But the French government wants to remove the option to show a negative test in response to record increases in infections, driven by the highly contagious Omicron and Delta variants of Covid.

On Wednesday, France reported 332,252 new daily Covid cases - the highest number of daily infections recorded in the country since the start of the pandemic.

While Mr Macron is yet to formally declare he is standing for a second term, he said on Tuesday he wanted to run and would clarify his decision "once the health situation allows it".

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2022-01-05 19:10:41Z
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Covid: French uproar as Macron vows to 'piss off' unvaccinated - BBC News

Getty Images

French President Emmanuel Macron has been accused of using divisive, vulgar language after he used a slang term to say he wanted to make life difficult for unvaccinated people.

"I really want to piss them off, and we'll carry on doing this - to the end," he told Le Parisien newspaper.

Three months ahead of a presidential election, opponents of Mr Macron said his words were unworthy of a president.

MPs halted debate on a law barring the unvaccinated from much of public life.

The session in the National Assembly was brought to a standstill for a second night running on Tuesday as opposition delegates complained about the president's language, with one leading figure describing it as "unworthy, irresponsible and premeditated".

The legislation is expected to be approved in a vote this week, but it has angered vaccine opponents and several French MPs have said they have received death threats over the issue.

Mandatory vaccinations are being introduced in several European countries, with Austria leading the way for over-14s from next month and Germany planning a similar move for adults. Italy's government was on Wednesday considering a compulsory vaccine pass for at least anyone over 60.

'A president shouldn't say that'

In his interview with Le Parisien on Tuesday, Mr Macron used the vulgar term emmerder to say how he wanted to stir up the unvaccinated. He would not "vaccinate by force" the remaining five million who had not had a dose, but hoped to encourage people to get the vaccines by "limiting as much as possible their access to activities in social life".

"I won't send [unvaccinated people] to prison," he said. "So we need to tell them, from 15 January, you will no longer be able to go to the restaurant. You will no longer be able to go for a coffee, you will no longer be able to go to the theatre. You will no longer be able to go to the cinema."

Reuters

Ahead of a presidential election campaign in which Mr Macron is yet to announce his intention to run, his remarks prompted a strong reaction from opposition figures.

Right-wing Republicans candidate Valérie Pécresse said she was outraged that the president had accused unvaccinated people of not being citizens. "You have to accept them as they are - lead them, bring them together and not insult them," she told CNews.

Party colleague Bruno Retailleau said pointedly: "Emmanuel Macron says he has learned to love the French, but it seems he especially likes to despise them."

Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen tweeted: "A president shouldn't say that... Emmanuel Macron is unworthy of his office."

Meanwhile, leftist politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon described the remarks as an astonishing confession: "It's clear, the vaccination pass is a collective punishment against individual freedom."

Macron offers a chance too good to miss

The airwaves in France are shrill this morning with the sound of angry politicians. From left and right, moderate and extreme, opponents are outbidding each other in condemnation of President Macron's emmerder.

In a pre-election period, it's an opportunity too good to miss to accuse him of all his old faults: arrogance, flippancy, detachment, ignorance of the concerns of ordinary folk.

But as this is indeed a pre-election period, we can also be certain the president knew precisely what he was doing when he uttered those provocative words in Le Parisien. This was no uncalculated outburst.

What he wants to do is flush out his enemies on the right. The left he's not so bothered about. But Valérie Pécresse's Republicans party (LR) has become - since her nomination as candidate - his main political preoccupation.

By taking such a strong and coercive position against the unvaccinated, Mr Macron is inviting the LR to choose their side. Are they with him, doing everything possible to boost the number of vaccinated? Or are they siding with the minority, the five million instead of the 50 million, and the anti-vaxxers?

Because if it's the second, that's actually quite an awkward place to be ahead of a presidential election.

The latest opinion gave Mr Macron the edge over his rivals on Wednesday, with 27% of votes in the first round on 10 April, ahead of Valérie Pécresse and Marine Le Pen both on 16%. The poll for Le Figaro/LCI also gave him a run-off victory, with the closest margin of 55%-45% with the Republican candidate.

Mr Macron's choice of language is not unprecedented for a French leader.

The same word was used by Georges Pompidou in 1966 when he said it was time to stop annoying the French. Like him, Mr Macron said his role was not to irritate the French, but the unvaccinated was a different story.

Macron ally Christophe Castaner said on Wednesday "the phrase didn't shock anyone when it came out of Pompidou's mouth".

Prime Minister Jean Castex told parliament later that people everywhere were saying the same as the president. "Our citizens have a sense of exasperation seeing a whole kind of restrictions imposed while others choose to break free of them."

• Omicron: Good news, bad news and what it all means
• Covid map: Where are cases the highest?

France has one of the highest Covid vaccination rates in the EU, with more than 90% of the adult population double-jabbed.

For months France has asked people to show either proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test to access many public venues.

But the French government wants to remove the option to show a negative test in response to record increases in infections, driven by the highly contagious Omicron and Delta variants of Covid.

On Tuesday, the country reported 271,686 new daily Covid cases - the highest number of daily infections recorded in France since the start of the pandemic.

While Mr Macron is yet to formally declare he is standing for a second term, he said on Tuesday he wanted to run and would clarify his decision "once the health situation allows it".

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2022-01-05 16:38:19Z
1240414371

North Korea launches 'unidentified projectile' into sea - BBC News

KCNA via Reuters

North Korea has fired what has been described as an unidentified projectile into the sea, said South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The Japanese coast guard, which first reported the launch, said it could potentially be a ballistic missile, but no confirmation has yet been given.

The UN prohibits North Korea from ballistic and nuclear weapons tests.

If confirmed, this would be the first such launch carried by Pyongyang this year.

"South Korean and US intelligence are closely analysing for further detail," the JCS said in a statement.

Japan's defence minister Nobuo Kishi said the suspected ballistic missile had flown about 500 km (310 miles), according to a Reuters report, but according to one expert, there is still no way to confirm this.

"There's no way to assess whether this might have been a longer-range missile flown on a shortened trajectory," Ankit Panda of the Nuclear Policy Programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace told BBC News.

In 2017, North Korea tested the Hwasong-15, a missile that peaked at an estimated altitude of 4,500km, putting US military bases on the Pacific island of Guam well within striking distance.

The launch comes days after Mr Kim said that Pyongyang would continue to strengthen its defence capabilities due to an increasingly unstable military environment on the Korean peninsula - a stance Mr Panda warned could see 2022 "littered with similar North Korean missiles."

Mr Kim made the remarks during a key end-of-year meeting of North Korea's ruling party.

• North Korea's missile and nuclear programme
• North Korea to focus on economy and food in 2022

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the latest launch "very regrettable," pointing to North Korea's repeated testing of missiles since 2021.

In 2021, North Korea continued the advancement of its weapons programme, conducting what state media reported as the testing of a new hypersonic missile, as well as a train-based ballistic missile and a new long-range cruise missile.

Ballistic missiles are considered more threatening than cruise missiles because they can carry more powerful payloads, have a longer range and can fly faster.

What's the situation in North Korea?

The tests come as Pyongyang struggles with food shortages due to a coronavirus blockade that has affected its economy.

At the end-of-year meeting, Mr Kim said the country was facing a "great life-and-death struggle", adding that increasing development and improving people's living standards were among this year's goals.

United Nations officials had earlier warned that vulnerable children and elderly people in North Korea were at risk of starvation.

However, Mr Panda says this was unlikely to deter North Korea from pursuing its weapons program.

"[Mr] Kim has maintained his emphasis on self-reliance in national defence in recent years even as he has been open about economic difficulties in the country," Mr Panda said.

"For [Mr] Kim and the Workers' Party, sustaining these weapons programs is a top national priority for both internal and external reasons."

The US has been calling for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, and Pyongyang's relationship with President Joe Biden's administration has so far been fraught with tension.

North Korea has also repeatedly accused South Korea of double standards over military activities.

South Korea recently tested its first submarine-launched ballistic missile, which it said was needed as deterrence against North Korea's "provocations".

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiLmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLWFzaWEtNTk4NzYwOTXSATJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iYmMuY28udWsvbmV3cy93b3JsZC1hc2lhLTU5ODc2MDk1LmFtcA?oc=5

2022-01-05 05:05:28Z
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