US officials on Wednesday said they have evidence that North Korea has sent about 3,000 troops to Russia to undergo military training.
Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in Rome that it was unknown if those troops would be sent to fight on Russia's side in the war in Ukraine.
“What exactly they’re doing is left to be seen. But yes, there is evidence that there are DPRK troops in Russia,” he said, using the abbreviation for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
“If they're co-belligerents, if their intention is to participate in this war on Russia's behalf, that is a very, very serious issue.”
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the North Korean soldiers had travelled by ship from the Wonsan area to the eastern Russian city of Vladivostok between early to mid-October. They were then taken to military training sites in eastern Russia, he said.
“If North Korean soldiers do enter into combat, this development will demonstrate Russia's growing desperation in its war against Ukraine,” Mr Kirby told reporters.
In June, North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a defence treaty.
The two US officials said the latest development would not only affect the nearly three-year-old war on Ukraine, it would also affect Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.
Moscow and Pyongyang have both denied any posting of troops, although North Korea has previously provided munitions to Russia.
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)
On sale: Now
The currency conundrum
Russ Mould, investment director at online trading platform AJ Bell, says almost every major currency has challenges right now. “The US has a huge budget deficit, the euro faces political friction and poor growth, sterling is bogged down by Brexit, China’s renminbi is hit by debt fears while slowing Chinese growth is hurting commodity exporters like Australia and Canada.”
Most countries now actively want a weak currency to make their exports more competitive. “China seems happy to let the renminbi drift lower, the Swiss are still running quantitative easing at full tilt and central bankers everywhere are actively talking down their currencies or offering only limited support," says Mr Mould.
This is a race to the bottom, and everybody wants to be a winner.
Five healthy carbs and how to eat them
Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat
Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar
Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices
Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants
Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
