
Royal Navy warship sent to put pressure on North Korea amid rising tensions in region
A Royal Navy vessel has been dispatched to exert pressure on North Korea amidst escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.
HMS Spey has joined forces with Japanese naval ships to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolutions against the isolated Asian country, which stands accused of increasing its weapons production, in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea.
In collaboration with the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, HMS Spey kept a close watch on North Korean vessels suspected of violating sanctions previously imposed on Pyongyang.
It is believed that Kim Jong-un is generating income for his country through weapons proliferation, leading to heightened maritime surveillance to curb trading.
Information gathered from the operation was subsequently shared with the United Nations Command, reports the Express.
The Royal Navy confirmed that the exercise, which saw personnel from 148 Battery come aboard for Exercise Bersama Shield 2025, contributes to its ongoing efforts to maintain security in the region.
Following the patrol, Spey docked at Sasebo Naval Base in Japan, where it hosted several high-ranking individuals from the UK, Japan and US naval forces.
This senior delegation included Group Captain Andrew Johnson, Director of United Nations Command - Rear, Rear Admiral Yasutaka Ebata of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force, and Captain Mike Fontaine, Commanding Officer of Fleet Activities Sasebo from the US Navy.
The US Navy has intensified its efforts to establish order in the seas of the Indo-Pacific region, following repeated attempts by China to encroach upon Taiwanese air and sea space.
The Royal Navy has confirmed that the meeting of delegates provided an opportunity to bolster relations with its Japanese and American counterparts.
It was further added that the three powers deliberated on enhancing operational cooperation to address security threats in the region.
A friendly football match was also held onboard, pitting Spey's crew against sailors from Japan's JMSDF Escort Flotilla 2, with the latter emerging victorious with a 4-3 win.
Commander Paul Caddy, HMS Spey's Commanding Officer, expressed that it had been an honour for the ship to support the United Nations Command.
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Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Daily Record
Royal Navy warship sent to put pressure on North Korea amid rising tensions in region
HMS Spey has conducted operations in the Sea of Japan alongside the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force A Royal Navy vessel has been dispatched to exert pressure on North Korea amidst escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. HMS Spey has joined forces with Japanese naval ships to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolutions against the isolated Asian country, which stands accused of increasing its weapons production, in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. In collaboration with the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, HMS Spey kept a close watch on North Korean vessels suspected of violating sanctions previously imposed on Pyongyang. It is believed that Kim Jong-un is generating income for his country through weapons proliferation, leading to heightened maritime surveillance to curb trading. Information gathered from the operation was subsequently shared with the United Nations Command, reports the Express. The Royal Navy confirmed that the exercise, which saw personnel from 148 Battery come aboard for Exercise Bersama Shield 2025, contributes to its ongoing efforts to maintain security in the region. Following the patrol, Spey docked at Sasebo Naval Base in Japan, where it hosted several high-ranking individuals from the UK, Japan and US naval forces. This senior delegation included Group Captain Andrew Johnson, Director of United Nations Command - Rear, Rear Admiral Yasutaka Ebata of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force, and Captain Mike Fontaine, Commanding Officer of Fleet Activities Sasebo from the US Navy. The US Navy has intensified its efforts to establish order in the seas of the Indo-Pacific region, following repeated attempts by China to encroach upon Taiwanese air and sea space. The Royal Navy has confirmed that the meeting of delegates provided an opportunity to bolster relations with its Japanese and American counterparts. It was further added that the three powers deliberated on enhancing operational cooperation to address security threats in the region. A friendly football match was also held onboard, pitting Spey's crew against sailors from Japan's JMSDF Escort Flotilla 2, with the latter emerging victorious with a 4-3 win. Commander Paul Caddy, HMS Spey's Commanding Officer, expressed that it had been an honour for the ship to support the United Nations Command.

The National
5 hours ago
- The National
Edinburgh university 'most financially entangled' in UK to Israel
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It states: "One of many British examples, the University of Edinburgh holds nearly £25.5 million (2.5 per cent of its endowment) in four tech giants – Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and IBM314 – central to the Israeli surveillance apparatus and the ongoing Gaza destruction. "With both direct and indexed investments, the University ranks among the most financially entangled institutions in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. "The university also partners with firms aiding Israeli military operations, including Leonardo S.p.A. and Ben-Gurion University, through the AI and Data Science Lab at Ben Gurion University, sharing research that directly links it with assaults on Palestinians." Action taken by Palestine Action at Leonardo's Edinburgh factory (Image: Supplied) Another point adds: "The analysis in the present report only scratches the surface of the information received by the Special Rapporteur, who acknowledges the vital work of students and staff in holding universities to account. "It casts a new light on global crackdowns on campus protesters: shielding Israel and protecting institutional financial interests appears a more probable motivation than fighting alleged antisemitism." READ MORE: Frankie Boyle and Tilda Swinton call for Labour not to ban Palestine Action In conclusion, the report states: "While life in Gaza is being obliterated and the West Bank is under escalating assault, this report shows why Israel's genocide continues: because it is lucrative for many. By shedding light on the political economy of an occupation turned genocidal, the report reveals how the forever-occupation has become the ideal testing ground for arms manufacturers and Big Tech – providing boundless supply and demand, little oversight, and zero accountability – while investors and private and public institutions profit freely. "Too many influential corporate entities remain inextricably financially bound to Israel's apartheid and militarism. "Post-October 2023, when the Israeli defence budget doubled, and at a time of falling demand, production and consumer confidence, an international network of corporations has propped up the Israeli economy. Blackrock and Vanguard rank among the largest investors in arms companies pivotal to Israel's genocidal arsenal. "Major global banks have underwritten Israeli treasury bonds, which have bankrolled the devastation, and the largest sovereign wealth and pension funds invested public and private savings in the genocidal economy, all the while claiming to respect ethical guidelines." 'What kind of institution do we want to be?' A senior lecturer has anonymously spoken to The National about the report, calling out leadership for ignoring staff and students who have highlighted the same concerns as the UN through votes, letters, and encampments on campus. "It's not just the 'bad' students and staff asking the questions," they said, "for almost two years, the EUSA [Edinburgh University Student Association] team and the academic senate, have been in both in favour of total divestment from the companies mentioned in the report. "And the main anti-racist networks on campus have asked for divestment based on evidence — part of which was used in the UN special rapporteur's report." READ MORE: 'Not my King!': Protesters gather as royal family visits Edinburgh In May last year, 549 staff at the university signed a letter demanding that the university sever ties with Israel, expressing solidarity with the pro-Palestine student encampment set up on campus grounds. A number of encampments at the university: multiracial, multi-religious – Palestinians, Jews, and others – have been asking for action, while the university has continuously said it is "reviewing our approach to responsible investments". The university has already frozen additional purchases of stocks in Amazon and Alphabet—just two of the several companies mentioned in the UN report, but staff say this is not enough. "That's a de facto acknowledgment that we are putting money into companies which may be complicit in human rights violations and breaches of international law, including the 1948 Genocide Convention," the lecturer said. They questioned: "But after that acknowledgment, how can you continue? "How can you keep money in existing stocks in companies that are directly complicit with war crimes, human rights violations, and violations of the Genocide Convention? "It doesn't make any sense. If you freeze, you freeze everything. You don't just freeze additional purchases while continuing to profit from existing investments. "That's not how business and human rights work." READ MORE: Scots back independence as Keir Starmer's popularity at record low, new poll finds The lecturer said they wanted to "make clear" that the majority of their colleagues "have expressed support for divestment" because of the evidence in the UN report already. "When we said it, we were dismissed as partisan," they said. "Now, the UN is saying the same thing. "So the university has to ask: what kind of institution do we want to be?" They added: "The university has to decide where it stands. I don't think our legal services can rubber-stamp dismissals of evidence from key international institutions. At the very least, suspend investments. Say: 'The money smells — we stop until things are clear'. "Denial of action is denial of genocide. Senior leadership are watching the same Palestinians being killed — it's on the BBC, it's everywhere. You don't need to scavenge through social media to know what's happening. "So, the choice is clear: Denial and lack of accountability or standing up for international law. "UN special rapporteurs are the 'gold standard' — to use Kofi Annan's phrase. They are the key independent experts, part of the UN system, working with and for the UN." The University of Edinburgh has been approached for comment.


The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
Greece, EU to press Libya on migrant crossings as Mediterranean numbers surge
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