North Korea conducts ninth missile test of the year

North Korea conducts ninth missile test of the year ahead of South Korea election

The North Korean flag flies amongst flags from many nations participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics at the Pyeongchang Olympic Village in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 2, 2018. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

SEOUL -

North Korea conducted its ninth weapons test of the year on Saturday, firing asuspected ballistic missile toward the sea to the east of the Korean peninsula just days before South Korea's presidential election.

The launch drew condemnation from governments in the United States, South Korea, and Japan, which fear the North is preparing to conduct a major weapons test in coming months.

With denuclearisation talks stalled, North Korea conducted a record number of missile launches in January, and after a pause for most of February, resumed tests with a launch on Feb. 27.

It appears to be preparing to launch a spy satellite in the near future, and has suggested it could resume testing of nuclear weapons or its longest range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) for the first time since 2017.

"The significant pace at which North Korea is developing its missile-launching technology is not something our country and the surrounding regions can overlook," Japan's Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said after the latest launch.

In South Korea, where citizens are already casting early votes ahead of Wednesday's presidential election, the National Security Council (NSC) condemned North Korea's "unprecedented repeated firing of ballistic missiles" as going against peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea will "even more closely monitor North Korea's nuclear and missile-related facilities" including its main nuclear reactor facility at Yongbyon and the Punggye-ri nuclear weapons test side, the NSC said, according to a statement from the presidential Blue House.

It was not immediately clear what prompted the increased monitoring of the nuclear sites.

On Friday, the U.S.-based 38 North project, which monitors North Korea, said operations at Yongbyon are in full swing, producing fuel for potential nuclear weapons and an expansion of its nuclear production facilities.

Punggye-ri has been shuttered since North Korea declared a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear weapons tests in 2018. Leader Kim Jong Un, however, has said he no longer feels bound by that moratorium as denuclearisation talks are stalled.

South Korea has reported a series of small, natural earthquakes near Punggye-ri this year, highlighting what experts say is geological instability caused by the last and largest nuclear test in 2017. Experts have also said that instability would not necessarily prevent North Korea from resuming tests at the site.

MISSILE TESTS

The U.S. State Department condemned the latest launch as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, which have imposed sanctions on North Korea over its weapons programs.

The launch demonstrates the threat that North Korea's illicit weapons of mass destruction and missile programs pose to the its neighbors and the region as a whole, a State Department spokesperson said.

The South Korean military said Saturday's launch came from a location near Sunan, where Pyongyang's international airport is located. The region has been the site of previous tests, including the last launch on Feb. 27, when North Korea said it tested systems for a reconnaissance satellite. Read full story

Kishi said the North Korean projectile reached a height of 550 km (340 miles) and flew 300 km (190 miles), similar to the South Korean military's estimate of 560 km height and 270 km distance. Read full storyRead full story

The launch underscores the challenges facing whoever wins Wednesday's presidential election in South Korea. Read full story

Both leading candidates have said they would unveil roadmaps to try to jumpstart stalled talks, but have also raised the prospect of a harder line ranging from more openly calling the North's missile tests "provocations" to developing more military capacity for preemptive strikes if necessary to counter an imminent threat.

Analysts say North Korea could use the upcoming presidential transition in South Korea or a big national holiday on April 15 to launch a satellite or test fire a major new missile or other weapon.

"The timing of North Korea's missile testing may seem odd to us, given the global focus on Ukraine," Jean Lee, a fellow at the Washington-based Wilson Center, said on Twitter. "But it makes perfect sense in North Korea, where scientists are focused on perfect new weapons for Kim to show off at a big military parade in mid-April."

The United States has said it is open to talks without preconditions, but Pyongyang says talks are only possible after Washington and its allies drop hostile policies.

Reporting by Joyce Lee and Josh Smith in Seoul, Sakura Murakami in Tokyo; Editing by Sandra Maler, Jane Wardell, William Mallard and Kim Coghill

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

'We have a responsibility:' Trudeau urges global leaders to support pact for future

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is telling world leaders to either bury their heads in the sand or put differences aside for the sake of future generations.

An Edmonton man says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was injured by members of the Edmonton Police Service last year.

Boy abducted from California in 1951 found alive on East Coast more than 70 years later

Luis Armando Albino was six years old in 1951 when he was abducted while playing at an Oakland, Calif., park. Now, more than seven decades later, Albino has been found thanks to help from an online ancestry test, old photos and newspaper clippings.

Air Canada union head says she'll resign if pilots reject deal

The head of the Air Canada pilots union says she'll step down if members opt not to approve a tentative deal with the airline, raising the stakes as aviators mull whether to accept hefty salary gains or drive an even harder bargain.

BREAKING

The brother of a 27-year-old man who was fatally shot in Scarborough over the weekend has been arrested and charged in connection with his death, say police.

GM workers at CAMI auto plant ratify collective agreement, Unifor says

Unifor says workers at General Motors' CAMI assembly plant and battery facility in southwestern Ontario have ratified a new collective agreement.

John Mulaney and Olivia Munn have second child, a daughter named Mei

Comedian John Mulaney and actor Olivia Munn now have a second child, a daughter named Mei June Mulaney.

Kate, the Princess of Wales, makes first public appearance after cancer treatment

Kate, the Princess of Wales, made her first public appearance Sunday since she announced she had completed chemotherapy and would return to some public duties.

2 suspended from U.S. college swim team after report of slur scratched onto student's body

At least two students at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania have been suspended from the swim team after a report that a racial slur was scratched onto a student's body, officials said.

Canada

Ontario's police watchdog has decided there are no grounds to believe Sudbury police committed a crime during a difficult arrest in May where the suspect's neck was broken.
The City of Calgary ended water restrictions for the city at a Sunday morning update.
BREAKING
BREAKING

The brother of a 27-year-old man who was fatally shot in Scarborough over the weekend has been arrested and charged in connection with his death, say police.
A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.
Pasquale Monaco says he’s debating whether to keep renting out the two-bedroom basement apartment of the Montreal building he owns after it was flooded — again — in August, when the remnants of tropical storm Debby sent four feet of water rushing into the space.
Infectious disease physician Dr. Isaac Bogoch says whooping cough is most risky for unvaccinated infants, children and older people.

World

North Carolina's Robinson, omitted from Trump rally, avoids comment on report about online posts

North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson avoided directly weighing in during a gubernatorial campaign event Saturday on a CNN report outlining evidence that he made disturbing posts on a pornography website's message board more than a decade ago.
An explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran kills at least 33 workers

An explosion in a coal mine in eastern Iran killed at least 33 workers and injured 17 others, officials said Sunday, marking one of the worst mining disasters in the country's history as others remained missing hours after the blast.
'Hubris and greed': Takeaways from the first week of U.S. Coast Guard inquiry into the Titan submersible disaster

More than a year after the Titan submersible imploded, killing all five voyagers on board, the story of the ill-fated expedition to the Titanic has taken the form of a modern-day Greek tragedy overflowing with mortal pride and heedlessness.
What is the U.S. Electoral College? America's path to the presidency, explained

In less than two months, Americans will go to the polls to choose their next president. But the process that translates those millions of votes into one seat in the Oval Office is much more complicated than a straight tally.
Trump's goal of mass deportations fell short. But he has new plans for a second term

Donald Trump has long pledged to deport millions of people, but he's bringing more specifics to his current bid for the White House: invoking wartime powers, relying on like-minded governors and using the military.
2 suspended from U.S. college swim team after report of slur scratched onto student's body

At least two students at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania have been suspended from the swim team after a report that a racial slur was scratched onto a student's body, officials said.

Politics

Trudeau to attend United Nations General Assembly amid turbulence around the world

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to be in New York this week for the 78th meeting of the United Nations General Assembly and the Summit of the Future amid increasing geopolitical instability around the world.
Conservatives call on Elon Musk to step in after Liberals provide loan to Ottawa-based satellite operator

A $2.14-billion federal loan for an Ottawa-based satellite operator has Canadian politicians arguing about whether American billionaire Elon Musk poses a national security risk.
NDP needs to decide whether 4 million Canadians deserve dental care: minister

Procurement Minister and newly appointed Quebec lieutenant Jean-Yves Duclos is warning the NDP that the dental care program it helped put into place will be in jeopardy if it pulls its support from the governing Liberals.

Health

How does your health measure up? Criticism of long-time tool used to track progress

Body mass index, a long-time tool used to measure a person's health, may soon be out the door as some health professionals push for a system they say is more accurate.
Infectious disease physician Dr. Isaac Bogoch says whooping cough is most risky for unvaccinated infants, children and older people.
Coffee could be more than a morning pick-me-up, according to new research

A morning cup of coffee may do more than just perk you up, according to new research.

Sci-Tech

No, these viral purple apples don't exist in Saskatchewan

If something looks too good to be true, it might be. That's the message from Saskatchewan horticulturists after customers have come into their stores hoping to buy purple apple trees this month.
AI may breathe new life into Three Mile Island to supply power to Microsoft's data centres

The owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear power plant said Friday that it plans to restart the reactor under a 20-year agreement that calls for tech giant Microsoft to buy the power to supply its data centers with carbon-free energy.
Lebanon bans pagers, walkie-talkies from flights

Lebanese authorities on Thursday banned walkie-talkies and pagers from being taken on flights from Beirut airport, the National News Agency reported, after thousands of such devices exploded during a deadly attack on Hezbollah this week.

Entertainment

John Mulaney and Olivia Munn have second child, a daughter named Mei

Comedian John Mulaney and actor Olivia Munn now have a second child, a daughter named Mei June Mulaney.
'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' scares off 'Transformers' for third week as box office No. 1

Tim Burton's legacy sequel to the 1988 horror comedy topped the North American box office charts for a third
A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.

Business

Air Canada union head says she'll resign if pilots reject deal

The head of the Air Canada pilots union says she'll step down if members opt not to approve a tentative deal with the airline, raising the stakes as aviators mull whether to accept hefty salary gains or drive an even harder bargain.
Challengers make gains in banking, but it's a long road to higher market share

It’s not easy going up against Canada’s banking oligopoly, but some are trying.
Is the price of your morning coffee on the rise?

It is not a great time to be a coffee drinker. In general, coffee bean prices are the highest they've been in more than a decade.

Lifestyle

Nick Kolomyja reckons axe throwing may have saved his life.
International zoo conference focuses on conservation: Experts say more needs to be done globally

More than 2,200 zoo professionals from 23 different countries have gathered in Calgary for the annual Association of Zoos and Aquariums conference.
Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.

Sports

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have a nickname for the opposition’s end zone. They refer to it as the “chicken box.”
Jonathan Aranda homered for the second consecutive game, helping Taj Bradley and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Saturday.
Kiefer Sherwood spent several nights last spring chasing Quinn Hughes around the ice and generally pestering the Vancouver Canucks.

Autos

GM workers at CAMI auto plant ratify collective agreement, Unifor says

Unifor says workers at General Motors' CAMI assembly plant and battery facility in southwestern Ontario have ratified a new collective agreement.
Recall issued for 38,000 GM vehicles in Canada over software safety glitch

General Motors (GM) has issued a recall for 38,000 vehicles for safety risks related to a software glitch, Transport Canada reported in a notice on Wednesday.
Chechen warlord accuses Elon Musk of 'remotely disabling' his Cybertruck

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has accused Tesla CEO Elon Musk of 'remotely disabling' his Cybertruck, which had been sent to the frontline of Russia's war in Ukraine.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

One man is dead and another injured after a shooting in Langley Saturday evening that homicide investigators say is gang-related.
Anyone needing emergency care in a city in B.C.’s southern Interior will need to seek help elsewhere until Monday, as the latest ER closure in the region has shuttered the department’s doors for 25 hours.
The two top contenders in British Columbia's provincial election dove deep into the various issues plaguing the Metro Vancouver area on Sunday, in some cases hearing directly from those most affected.

BREAKING
BREAKING

The brother of a 27-year-old man who was fatally shot in Scarborough over the weekend has been arrested and charged in connection with his death, say police.
Roads have reopened near Union Station following a suspicious package investigation on Sunday afternoon.
Toronto police have arrested three people and they are looking for two others in connection with an alleged fraud that saw a man and his daughter bilked out of more than $18,000.

The City of Calgary ended water restrictions for the city at a Sunday morning update.
Nearly 100 Inglewood residents rallied Saturday afternoon in a continuing effort to save the Inglewood Aquatic Centre.
Nick Kolomyja reckons axe throwing may have saved his life.

With CTV broadcasting NFL football games on Sundays this season, �鶹��ý at Six with Austin Lee will be broadcasting live on our website and the �鶹��ý App.
Thousands participated in the 17th annual Canada Army Run Sunday in the capital's downtown.
A local vendors market with a Taylor Swift theme took place this Sunday in Ottawa.

Provincial police (SQ) are looking for 29-year-old Kelsey Watt, who went missing in Hemmingford, Que.
Nearly 15,000 runners pounded the pavement on Sunday in the 32nd edition of Montreal’s Bereva Marathon.
�鶹��ý Montreal at Six for Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 with anchor Matt Gilmour.

An Edmonton man says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was injured by members of the Edmonton Police Service last year.
One person is dead after an early morning crash in west Edmonton.
Dovercourt residents gathered on Sunday to protest a new Hope Mission shelter that will soon open in an old warehouse near Yellowhead Trail and 149 Street.

Saint John Theatre Company’s “Waiting for Godot” stars former "Corner Gas" star Eric Peterson, and R.H. Thomson, known for his role in "Anne with an E."
A 76-year-old man who was reported missing Saturday in Annapolis District, N.S., has been found deceased.
Air Canada union head says she'll resign if pilots reject deal

The head of the Air Canada pilots union says she'll step down if members opt not to approve a tentative deal with the airline, raising the stakes as aviators mull whether to accept hefty salary gains or drive an even harder bargain.

Manitoba RCMP and community members are still feverishly searching for a six-year-old boy who went missing five days ago.
Winnipeg police called in the bomb unit Saturday night after a suspicious item was found in a Centennial neighbourhood back lane.
While slang may come and go, experts say the phenomenon behind them, which constantly churns out brand-new bon mots, is as old as language itself.

Fire officials are investigating after a fire completely destroyed the community fridge in the Cathedral neighbourhood.
The last two months after losing her daughter Bella have been extremely difficult for Kyla Thomson.
Regina police arrested three youths in connection to a bear mace incident at a Regina high school on Friday.

Brantford, Ont. residents were met with an unexpected sight on Saturday evening as a suspected funnel cloud appeared in the skies above the city.
Police were called to a business in the area of University Avenue East and Weber Street North at around 10:40 p.m. Saturday for a report of a man attempting to stab another man.
Police said the pedestrian, a 52-year-old man, was taken to an out-of-region hospital with life-threatening injuries and the driver of the vehicle failed to remain at the scene.

A 14-year-old girl from Flying Dust First Nation was killed after a high-speed ATV struck a ditch near Meadow Lake.
The 75-year-old building, formerly the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce building, was relocated to the Parks Canada compound on the edge of the townsite.
A 53-year-old woman from north Vancouver, B.C. was killed after a semi and truck collided on Highway 16 near Dafoe.

There were no injuries reported after a home on Regent Street near Douglas Street in Greater Sudbury’s west end on Sunday morning.
'We have a responsibility:' Trudeau urges global leaders to support pact for future

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is telling world leaders to either bury their heads in the sand or put differences aside for the sake of future generations.
Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating after an Ontario Provincial Police officer discharged his firearm at a 36-year-old man in near Moonbeam, Ont., on Friday night.

Wage increases, new paid holidays and a big signing bonus are part of the new contract for CAMI employees in Ingersoll, Ont.
video
video

The most popular hockey podcasters on the planet brought some major attention to the Forest City this weekend with the annual Chiclets Cup.
The identity of a motorcyclist has been revealed by loved ones on social media following Friday’s fatal south end collision in London. The London Police Service has not released anything regarding the driver’s identity.

One man is in police custody after fabricating a story to police and reporting his vehicle was stolen.
Fire crews worked to extinguish a fire at a tent encampment in Barrie on Sunday.
A year after being recognized as one of 19 ‘Bee Campuses’ by Bee City Canada, Georgian College continues to promote the importance of bees to agriculture, the economy and education.

Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is reporting that it’s above the provincial target for sudden cardiac arrest response times.
video
video

The Amherstburg Uncommon Festival is living up to its name with the addition of a drone light show — a first for Essex County.
The St. Clair College Saints were in Oshawa over the weekend as they faced Durham College.

Work crews have been busy in the British Columbia legislature over the summer, prying apart desks in the historic chamber and piling them up in hallways as they tried to work out how to fit in six more seats.
The two top contenders in British Columbia's provincial election dove deep into the various issues plaguing the Metro Vancouver area on Sunday, in some cases hearing directly from those most affected.
A Victoria woman is now $1 million richer after winning a Maxmillions prize on a recent Lotto Max Draw.

A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.
The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.
Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls – including one that gave birth to 10 puppies – from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

Despite the heavy rain, plenty of muscle turned up for United Way’s annual Pull the Bus fundraiser in Lethbridge Friday.
Lethbridge County has rescinded its fire restriction as a result of the recent cool, wet weathr.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes kicked off the 2024-25 season on a winning note Friday night, defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 3-1 in a game played at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

The Royal Canadian Mint has introduced its latest Gold Maple Leaf bullion coin – made entirely from gold sourced from a single mine in northern Ontario
A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.
Following an outbreak of COVID-19 on its continuing care floor and just ahead of the flu season, St. Joseph’s General Hospital in Elliot Lake has opted to re-introduce a universal masking policy until further notice.

N.L.

Luck of the draw: N.L. ads to be featured in match against football giants Chelsea

Newfoundland and Labrador sponsored a minor football team in England, now they’re about to play one of the biggest clubs in European soccer.
Newfoundland and Labrador monitoring rise in whooping cough cases: medical officer

Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
Dispute over unrecognized Inuit group halts major conference for Canadian North

A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.