New Detail Emerge Regarding Australia's Current State |
| Northern Australia was bombed by North Korea late last night |
Claire Herly of the Australian War Ministry states that the death toll is now approximately 55 (earlier reports of 55,000 was were caused by technical difficulties on her end). It would have been greater if not for the north's population being sparse.
The UN Security Council is meeting to form a response coalition. Most major Western superpowers have indicated major support, but it is unclear which specifically.
To aid those who survived the attack, all of the major aid NGOs are now on the ground, including the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.
It has been determined that the weapon was not a nuclear bomb.
There have been no official instances of additional foreign aid, but Hely believes that USAID workers are on the ground as part of their discretionary budget.
Hely does not believe that Australia was the intended target of the missile.
Chinese Minister of Maritime Affairs offers comment on exportation
Following Beijing's decision to halt exportation of rare earth metals, Qiu stated that even countries who own mines in China will no longer be allowed to continue mineral extraction.
Additionally, Qiu referred to the decision as a way to keep their resources from the "greedy Japanese."
China curtails rare earth metal exports - CEO comments
Shinwell Corporation, a private company in the business of rare earth metals, says he appreciated Beijing's decision to halt exportations. He believes that the exportation needed to be stopped because reserves of the metals were no longer large enough to give away. He said that China needs to keep the metals and the profits from them in their own economy.
When asked if these actions were against the WTO's laws, Ling Wen said that the laws cannot apply within China, appealing to principles of national sovereignty. He said if counties wished to trade with China they would need to increase "accountability."
As well, the interviewer asked about the halt's implications for Japan, which has already stated that these changes could severely harm Japan's economy. In response, Ling Wen said that it is time Japan started a "new business plan."
WikiLeaks Reveals Memo Between Chinese Officials Regarding Sudan
WikiLeaks has recently released a memo from the Chinese government exposing the role of the Chinese in encouraging a Northern invasion.
The memo is between Foreign Minister Lu Xiaobo and Presidential Secretary Da Hua. Xiaobo states that "we have made clear to the Ambassador of Sudan that a loss of the preferential contracts we have built up over the years would significantly undermine the capacity of the Chinese government to maintain pleasant relations with the regime of Al-Bashir."
In addition, he insists that "it is imperative that the oil fields in the south of Sudan remain under the control of the state we have engaged with so positively."
The release of this memo from WikiLeaks casts a shadow of doubt over it. However, oil has long been a high powerful bargaining tool in world affairs.
The Chinese government still has yet to make an official comment.
Jellyfish Sting Japanese and Chinese Relations
Jellyfish, often considered a delicacy in Asia, have initiated further disputes between Japan and China. After the September seizure of a Chinese fishing captain by Japanese, tensions have incited riots in China. Now, the Fujian Province has reported that Chinese fisherman are outraged at the decrease in jellyfish available for harvest in the Sea of Japan.
Japanese fisherman, however, have not had a decline in jellyfish harvesting. The relations between the two countries continue to become grow more turbulent.
China Comments and Confirms Kim Jong-Il's Death
After rumors of Kim Jong-Il’s death, eye witnesses spotted a black hearse outside of the leader’s palace. In the event of his father’s death, Kim Jung-Un would likely take power but the transition is anything but certain in North Korea. The country suffers from famine and poverty and power is maintained by military force. There are several other possible successors including Kim’s other older children.
China, North Korea’s main ally, has pledged to maintain “harmonious relations” with the struggling country. The border between the two nations is heavily guarded and in the event of North Korea’s collapse, China fears a wave of poor uneducated people flooding into their country.
China's Assistant Minister, Chen Yumin, commented on the event: "We have confirmation through our communication with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea that Kim Jong-Il has indeed died. Whoever the successor is, we will extend our support and protection, should that be necessary, to the DPRK as they undergo this transition between leaders. This happened before without incident in 1994, and we have no reason to believe that this transition will be any different."
Once again, bloggers have alerted the world to breaking news.
Is Kim Ill?
Earlier today, anonymous Korean bloggers claimed North Korean President Kim Jong-Il’s death. The bloggers are unnamed, reporting in the Korean language. Kim Jong-Un, the heir apparent of Kim Jong-Il’s regime, will assume his father’s position in the event of his death.
Jong-Un currently holds a senior position in the ruling Worker’s Party. He has recently accompanied his father to many of his political events, creating speculation as to the state of Jong-Il’s current health. From the outside Jong-Il appears to have a healthy lifestyle- he is a frequent on the basketball court and golf course.
These unknown bloggers could simply be creating a rumor - in the past, there have been many claims of the North Korean leader’s death. Yet if the bloggers’ cryptic report is indeed true, what will be the fate of North Korea? Will Jong-Un’s policy differ or mirror his father’s?
